Helpful Veterans Information

Attention Patriots:   Helpful Veteran information from the VA, provided to the National Adjutant, and passed on to you, the Member.

Working Wounded Games raise the bar for everyone.  Demand more of yourself. It's written on the walls in CrossFit Rubicon’s gym, and on Saturday the athletes were pleased to meet that requirement. Men and women pushed their bodies to the limit, sweating while lifting weights and jumping over barriers.

Canine helpers graduate to a new life with Wounded Warriors.  It was a typical graduation ceremony, but instead of caps and gowns, these five grads wore collars. The Maryland-based nonprofit Warrior Canine Connection was recognizing the first five canine-human teams to complete a program in which service dogs are trained for a new life helping wounded servicemembers.

 

Pentagon leaning toward cutting troops, beefing up tech.  The military must prepare for major upheaval, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said Tuesday, because meeting the budgetary and security challenges of the future will “require significant change across every aspect of our defense enterprise.”

 

Military pay and benefits panel begins hearings.  Efforts to reform troops’ pay and retirement could mean sweeping changes to every aspect of military life: fewer housing moves, early retirement options, bigger paychecks and smaller health plans.

 

Food stamp cuts hit about 5,000 troops.  About 5,000 troops are among those affected by cuts to the federal food stamp program, according to the Pentagon.

 

Senators plan push to get sex assault out of chain of command.  A group of senators are pushing for a proposal that would remove sexual assault cases from the military’s chain of command and assign them to independent military judges.

 

DAV Demands Advance Funding for the Department of Veterans ...  DigitalJournal.com At a recent Capitol Hill news conference, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and ... Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) urged ...

VA Meets Presidents Mental Health Executive Order Hiring Goal.  Hyperlink to Article Veterans Today:  The Department of Veterans Affairs has hired 815 Peer Specialists and Peer Apprentices, exceeding the hiring goal set in President Obama’s Aug. 31, 2012 Executive Order aimed at improving access to mental health services for Veterans, service members and military families.

Veterans With Mental Illnesses Wait Longer Than Expected For Mental Health Care. Hyperlink to Article MedicalDaily.com:  U.S. veterans are in dire need of mental health treatment, especially in light of the reported 22 veteran suicides per day. However, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, former soldiers with mental illnesses continue to wait too long for mental health evaluations and counseling.

Canandaigua VA national crisis line subject of HBO documentary.  Hyperlink to Article MPNnow.com: A HBO documentary, "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1," spotlighting the traumas endured by America's veterans, debuts Nov. 11, Veterans Day. The documentary was filmed at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center, the headquarters of national VA Veterans Crisis Line.

 

Hidden wounds of war: Part 2.  Northland's NewsCenter  In fact that need for support is so great the Veterans Administration is struggling to keep up with the cost. U-S Senator Amy Klobuchar says something has to be ...

 

More Veterans Caught in Disability Compensation Appeals Backlog, Allsup Reports.  Hyperlink to Article Reuters:  Veterans with disabilities in Texas, Florida, California, Georgia and North Carolina are among those facing the longest lines of pending appeals for service-connected disabilities at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Offices, according to an analysis of VA data by Allsup, which provides veterans disability appeals services.

 

Congress sets sights on VA claims backlog.  Hyperlink to Article Army Times:  A 36 percent drop since March in the backlog of veterans benefits claims has not diminished efforts in Congress to get theVeterans Af¬fairs Department to try new ap¬proaches to claims processing.

 

Congress turns up heat on VA data breaches.  Hyperlink to Article Federal Computer Week:  The congressional investigation into the Department of Veterans Affairs IT security protocols has ramped up after VA officials gave inconsistent explanations for at least nine state-sponsored data breaches since 2010 that potentially put at risk the private information of more than 20 million veterans and their families.

New VA CIO comes under microscope amid allegations of cronyism, mismanagement.  Hyperlink to Article  FedScoop:  Stephen Warren, the new chief information officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs, is coming under increasing scrutiny as Congress seeks answers to hundreds of questions about the agency’s IT security protections.

 

Veterans use newest GI Bill in pursuit of dreams.  Hyperlink to Article Philly.com:  Maggie Beckerman enlisted in the Army after high school. She met her husband, Michael Joe, at Fort Stewart in Georgia, and served with him in Afghanistan. And in 2010, when he was killed by an explosive device stashed in a house in the Kandahar province there, she escorted his body home. 

 

Blinded Vietnam veteran makes advancing technologies worth a darn.  Hyperlink to Article CBS News (Video):  Former Marine Scout Sgt. John Fales, Jr. lost his eyesight in 1966 via mortars during a deadly ambush in Vietnam. "I was a forward observer for artillery, and my head should have been down, but it was up," he told CBSNews.com. "I was not a happy camper. It was very difficult to, kind of, adjust."

 

Testosterone treatments linked to heart risks.  Hyperlink to Article USA Today (AP):  Testosterone treatments may increase risks for heart attacks, strokes and death in older men with low hormone levels and other health problems, a big Veterans Affairs study suggests.

 

9 simple ways you can help veterans.  Hyperlink to Article CNN:  Most Americans will never serve in the military or fight for their country. Yet there are countless ways that everyone can help these veterans, who often return home from war to face their most difficult battles.

 

VA recognizes National Family Caregiver Month.  Hyperlink to Article Rapid City Journal: VA Black Hills Health Care System (VABHHCS) is recognizing Family Caregivers this month as part of National Family Caregiver Month. The VA Caregiver Support Program provides support to eligible caregivers of veterans of all eras.

 

Fixing End-of-Life Care.  U.S. News & World Report  Experts at the U.S. News Hospital of Tomorrow conference discuss how health ... Scott Shreve, D.O. for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Lebanon VA

Lee College Veterans Center celebration Thursday to include ... Liberty Vindicator  The college Veterans Center will host a workshop on PTSD at 2 p.m. in Tucker ... news anchor Art Rascon, and a panel discussion with Lee student-veterans about ... U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs clinical psychologist Karin Thompson, ...

 

Former student veterans chief goes to work at for-profit lobbying group.  The former head of Student Veterans of America has been hired as a key military adviser for a key for-profit university lobbying group, in charge of efforts to develop veteran-friendly initiatives.

 

Seattle dentist gives veterans a reason to smile: free dental care.  Where to begin talking about what Rory Dunn has been through since his head was blown open that day in Fallujah? His best friend, who bled out next to him? His traumatic brain injury that has altered his personality? His forehead held together by a plastic prosthetic?

 

Event aims to help veterans with housing.  The Newark Advocate The event is funded by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and local sponsors who have donated funds to help the veterans. Those sponsors include Ottawa ...

 

SRA to Provide Support for Veterans Affairs Self-Service Portals ... EON: Enhanced Online News “SRA has been a key partner to the Veterans Administration for many years,” said Health Group Senior Vice President Tom Nixon. “This collaborative effort is ...

 

A Veterans Day deal for maximizing Social Security benefits.  Hyperlink to Article The Washington Post:  You’ve heard of Veterans Day deals. Well, there’s one special offer access to an online tool to help the nation’s military maximize their Social Security benefits that could put more money in the pockets of veterans. But it’s free on Nov. 11 only.

 

How Active Sports Are Helping Vets Heal and Readjust to Civilian Life.  Hyperlink to Article The Daily Beast:  When you see Kevin Pannell hitting the slopes at Mount Hood Meadows, just outside of Portland, Oregon, you’d have no idea the seasoned snowboarder, who was awarded a Purple Heart in Iraq, is a double amputee.

VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as November 6, 2013:  
November 6, 2013.  The Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, will conduct a field hearing entitled, “Texas’ Innovative Approaches to Jobs and Employment for Veterans.”

November 6, 2013.  The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs has scheduled a confirmation hearing for Mr. Sloan D. Gibson for the position of Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ms. Linda Schwartz, for the position of Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, and Ms. Constance Tobias for the position of Chair, Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

November 7, 2013. At the request of Congresswoman Dina Titus, HVAC-DAMA will conduct a field hearing in Las Vegas, Nevada, entitled “Complications of Geography: Focusing on VBA Outreach, Accessibility, Leadership, and Staffing Efforts to Meet the Needs of Veterans Living in Areas Remote from a Regional Office.” 
November 13, 2013.  Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, hearing entitled, “VA’s Independent Living Program A Program Review.”   
November 13, 2013.  HVAC, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will conduct a hearing entitled “Correcting Kerfuffles Analyzing Prohibited Practices and Preventable Patient Deaths at Jackson VAMC.

November 20, 2013. (Rescheduled) HVAC will conduct an oversight hearing entitled “Building VA’s Future Confronting Persistent Challenges in VA Major Construction.”

The Great American Smoke-out is Nov. 21. VA encourages Veterans to give up smoking for the day and for life. Veterans are encouraged to use VA’s quit line at 1-855-QUIT-VET (1-855-784-8838), or text the word VET to 47848 for 24/7 text messaging support. Clinicians can find more information and promotional resources on VA Public Health’s Tobacco and Health: The Great American Smoke-out page. Under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, VA (along with all other government agencies) is required to make all electronic information accessible to customers and employees with disabilities. While Section 508 guidelines haven’t changed since 2001, new standards are anticipated this December. When they are released, the Section 508 Program Office anticipates having about six months to adapt programs, update checklists, and ensure that VA’s tools are ready for the new rules. As with every VA office, the Section 508 Program Office’s number one priority is the Veteran, but it also works hard to level the playing field for VA’s 28,000 disabled employees. According to Section 508 Program Office Director Pat Sheehan, “IT access issues shouldn’t hold anyone at VA back from completing their responsibilities and moving ahead in the organization.” Get more information here, including tips for expediting Section 508 certification.