Sunday, June 14, 2020

Veterans related links 061420



Over Veterans’ Protests, Trump Vetoes Measure to Block Student Loan Rules

The Power Of Story: Jared Seide On How Listening To Each Other Can Restore Our Humanity

JWV Condemns Vandalism of WWII Memorial

Amid Minneapolis Uprising, Anti-War Veterans Call On National Guard to Stand Down: “We urge you to have the courage to do the right thing. Refuse activation orders.”

VA closes Northampton County outpatient clinic over workload caused by the pandemic

VA names new national cemetery in rural Wyoming          

Millions of veterans to get letters this week on potential reimbursements for medical costs
Leo Shane III

H.R.5995 - Major Richard Star Act.  This bill provides that a combat-disabled uniformed services retiree with fewer than 20 years of creditable service may concurrently receive, without reduction in veterans' disability compensation, and retired pay or combat-related special compensation.  03/09/2020 Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the Committee on Veterans Affairs.

S.3393 - A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for concurrent receipt of veterans' disability compensation and retired pay for disability retirees with fewer than 20 years of service and a combat-related disability, and for other purposes.   03/04/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

H.R.299 - Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. 06/25/2019 Became Public Law No: 116-23. Specifically, the bill extends the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide (e.g., Agent Orange) exposure to veterans who served (1) offshore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities or diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.

H.R.5610 - Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act.  01/15/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.  This bill provides a presumption of service-connection for Parkinsonism, bladder cancer, hypertension, and hypothyroidism for veterans exposed to certain herbicide agents while serving in Vietnam. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.

S.785 - Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019.  Bill is in response to the high rate of suicide in the veteran community.  01/29/2020 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

H.R.3224 - Deborah Sampson Act.  This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that gender-specific services are continuously available at every VA medical center and community-based outpatient clinic. Additionally, the VA must conduct a study, interviewing women veterans and employees, to assess the need for and use of extended hours as a means of reducing barriers to care. 11/12/2019 Bill passed the House and has been in the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee since 11/13/2019.

National Museum of the American Sailor

Jonas Bender, one of the America's first black Marines, dies at 94

Additional donations can be made to CMC VAMC  Philadelphia through the Amazon wish list.  The wish list includes items that meet the needs of Veterans and their families, especially those Veterans seen by our homeless outreach team.  It’s so easy to use!  Order the items on Amazon, and they are shipped right to the medical center for distribution to our Veterans.  See the list here:  https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/JF1APNG85HBO

For further information about how to support Veterans or make donations, call the Voluntary Service office at the Crescenz VA Medical Center at 215-823-5868 or visit https://www.philadelphia.va.gov/giving/index.asp

Melissa Heinlein, can be reached at

VA resumes in-person Compensation and Pension exams at select locations

US Department of Veterans Affairs, COVID-19 Pandemic Response, Weekly Report May 26 - June 1, 2020

Mediterranean diet, one step at a time: Losing weight and avoiding cholesterol medications

Veterans Treatment Courts go online to support Veterans during COVID-19 pandemic

Families find comfort in bereavement support after Veteran death: “We treat the whole Veteran, which includes the family”

#VeteranOfTheDay Army Air Forces Veteran George R. Scanlon

VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2020

Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs: Review of the FY 2021 Budget and FY 2022 Advance Appropriations Request and Oversight of CARES Act Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE CO-AUTHORS OF THE INDEPENDENT BUDGET: VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS; DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS; and PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA, BEFORE
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, UNITED STATES SENATE, WITH RESPECT TO “U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2021, Advance Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022 and the Fiscal Year 2022, and Supplemental Funding Under P.L. 116-136, the CARES Act” on JUNE 3, 2020

Congressional Leaders Introduce Veterans Economic Recovery Act 

Virtual Hearing: Mission Readiness: VA's Preparedness for Natural Disasters During a Pandemic

Check-Up Checklist: Things to Do Before Your Next Check-Up

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is Army Master Sgt. James Hart, Jr., 25, was a member of Company C, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending. See:

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is Army 1st Lt. Anthony R. Mazzulla, 26, was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950, after a fighting withdrawal near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending. See:

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is Army Cpl. Billie Joe Hash, 18, was a member of Headquarters Battery, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 6, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending. 

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is Army Pfc. John J. Sitarz, 19, was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. His unit was engaged in battle with German forces near Germeter, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest, when he was declared missing in action on Nov. 2. 1944. Sitarz could not be recovered because of the ongoing fighting, and his status was changed to killed in action on Nov. 3, 1945. Interment services are pending.  See: 

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is
Army Cpl. Pete Conley, 19, was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 12, 1950, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending.  See:

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is Navy Radioman 3rd Class Thomas E. Griffith, 20, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Griffith. Interment services are pending. See:

Per The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returning home for burial with full military honors is
Army Sgt. Stanley L. DeWitt, 18, was a member of Medical Detachment, 57th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 6, 1950, when his
unit was attacked by enemy forces near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. Following the battle, his remains could not be recovered. Interment services are pending.  See:

Let's talk about why this D-Day anniversary is so important....

Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They Returned?  American soldiers returning home from Vietnam often faced scorn as the war they had fought in became increasingly unpopular.

VA Reverses Course, Will Remove Headstones with Nazi Symbols

VA to Lift Pandemic Restrictions on Interments and Memorial Services

Here's How the VA Is Doing Caregiver Home Check-Ins During the Pandemic

Veterans Affairs Lawmaker Calls for Gender-Neutral VA Motto

Veteran Unemployment Rate Drops in First Signs of Economic Rebound

Trust in VA Now at an All-Time High, VA Says

VFW Stands for Equality, Condemns Vandalism of WWII Memorial: ‘The veterans who fought for the very freedom to demonstrate deserve better and we condemn those who determined the memorial was worth vandalizing’

'Serve is What I Do': Post 9931 helps distribute food in mid-Michigan

Post 7356 is Stocking Pantry Shelves at Fort Leavenworth: The deliveries are a huge help to families experiencing unprecedented hardship right now

Doing What They Do Best: VFW Post 7310 serves seniors and veterans staying safe at home

VA national cemeteries resume committal and memorial services halted by the COVID-19 pandemic

When Heroes Need Heroes: VA Nevada Nurses deploy to New Jersey

Patient Advocate Tracking System Replacement Tool enhances the Veteran experience

VA has a new patient advocacy tracking system

Live Whole Health: Self-care episode #29 – Acupressure for stress relief

VA Fisher Houses open doors to healthcare workers in COVID-19 push

#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Debra M. Morotini

PTSD Treatment Basics

Current Job Listings 71 Total at Community Services Group

Veterans group urges White House task force to release plan for suicide prevention after delays

DMVA: Veterans Benefits Continue to be Available During COVID-19

PA Veterans Homes-Specific COVID-19 Updates

DMVA Is Hiring Nurses: COMMONWEALTH OF PA - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL JOB SEEKERS

DMVA's Southeastern Veterans' Center Is Hiring: COMMONWEALTH OF PA - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL JOB SEEKERS

DMVA's Gino J. Merli Veterans' Center Is Hiring Medical Records Director:

VA supports Whole Health for Women Veterans: Focusing on wellness, not illness

20 little known facts about VA medical centers: VA medical centers not only provide top-notch care to 9 million Veterans, but many have long and interesting backstories

COVID-19 Information Affecting Education Benefits

VA INTERMEDIATE CARE TECHNICIAN (ICT) PROGRAM

VA educates women Veterans about Alzheimer’s disease: June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

Veterans Expo Berks Virtual Expo and Job Fair June 15 – 30, 2020

Take on exciting challenges in your new civilian role.  One Heartbeat changing health care for the better.

Virtual Employment Services for Veterans, Caregivers and Military Spouses from PVA: PAVE is open to all Veterans, their spouses and caregivers

Waterways Conservation Officer Trainee, Act 120 Certified

House Committee On Veterans' Affairs Hearing: Assessing VA's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: 90 Days Later/Mission Readiness


House Committee On Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health conducted a virtual hearing to discuss "Mission Readiness: VA's Preparedness for Natural Disasters During a Pandemic."

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) Hearing: Building a More Resilient VA Supply Chain/Review of FY2021/2022 Budget Hearings

The SVAC also held a hearing on the Review of the FY 2021 Budget and FY 2022 Advance Appropriations Request and Oversight of CARES Act Supplemental Appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

VA Employee Sentenced For Orchestrating $19 Million Corruption Scheme: United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announced that Joseph Prince, age 61, of Aurora, Colorado was sentenced yesterday to serve 192 months (16 years) in federal prison for health care fraud, conspiracy, payment of illegal kickbacks and gratuities, money laundering, and conflict of interest charges.

Medical Technology Company President Charged in Scheme to Defraud Investors and Health Care Benefit Programs in Connection with COVID-19 Testing/Disability Compensation: The president of a California-based medical technology company was charged in a complaint unsealed today in the Northern District of California, in connection with his alleged participation in schemes to mislead investors, to manipulate the company's stock price and to conspire to commit health care fraud in connection with the submission of over $69 million in false and fraudulent claims for allergy and COVID-19 testing.

VAOIG Disability Compensation Benefit Adjustments for Hospitalization Need Improvement report: The OIG estimated in the 42 page report that VA Regional Office employees did not adjust or incorrectly adjusted disability compensation benefits in about 2,500 of the estimated 5,800 cases eligible for adjustments, creating an estimated $8 million in improper payments in calendar year 2018.

VETERANS ADVOCACY

H.R.6322 - Student Veteran Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 PL 116-140
Latest Action: 04/28/2020 Became Public Law No: 116-140.

H.R.4771 - VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act
04/10/2020 Became Public Law No: 116-137.

S.760 - Support for Veterans in Effective Apprenticeships Act of 2019
03/26/2020 Became Public Law No: 116-134.

S.153 - Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act
02/11/2020 Became Public Law No: 116-115.

VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 12, 2020

The VFW urges Congress to:
• Pass legislation to establish an independent commission to identify known and future toxic exposures and recommend new studies; require VA to enter into an agreement with the National Academies to evaluate scientific evidence regarding diseases associated with toxic exposures; and require VA to grant a presumption of service-connection for the diseases identified.
• Pass H.R. 5610, Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act, which would add bladder cancer, hypertension,
hypothyroidism, and parkinsonism to the list of presumptive conditions associated with exposure to Agent Orange.
• Pass H.R. 5739, Blast Exposure Protection Act of 2020, which would establish a presumption of serviceconnection for disabilities associated with blast exposures.

VA Unprepared to Deal with a Second Wave of COVID-19, Top Officials Say

House Democrats Ask IC for Plans to Prevent Foreign Actors from Exploiting Racial Tensions
“Unfortunately, we know that foreign actors have historically sought to exploit tensions in American communities during times like these,” they wrote.

Honor Flight cancels all trips for 2020, affecting 20,000 veterans

ER Visits at VA Medical Centers Have Fallen Sharply, and Scientists Are Concerned

Sen. Duckworth wants nonveteran presidents restricted from Arlington burial

Da 5 Bloods: Four African American veterans return to Vietnam decades after the war to find their squad leader's remains — and a stash of buried gold. From Spike Lee.  Starring:Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters

VA study finds Transition Assistance Program worthwhile

Support for Women Veterans

VA’s Million Veteran Program seeking female Veterans for genetic-based studies: On this Women Veterans Day, MVP recognizes women Veterans' service

VA committed to diverse workforce, strengthening care for Veterans: Building on the work of cultural trailblazers, VA is dedicated to hiring a diverse workforce that allows us to best serve Veterans of all backgrounds

Veterans experience hope and healing through partnerships: Collaboration helps Vets with OTH discharges

Live Whole Health: Self-care episode #30 – Upper Body Chair Exercise

#VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Joseph H. Keller Jr.

NASH – the disease you’ve probably never heard of: One in four Americans have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Coatesville VAMC Expands Health Care Services

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