The Plane That
Won the War. Slow but rugged, the SBD Dauntless
dive bomber ravaged the Imperial Japanese Navy during the monumental first year
of the Pacific contest, in the process earning a place in the hearts of its
pilots. – February 2017
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2017/february/plane-won-war
Medal of Honor
recipient, Vietnam vet SgtMaj John Canley passes away – May 12, 2022
https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/3029327/medal-of-honor-recipient-vietnam-vet-sgtmaj-john-canley-passes-away/
The Little-Known
Story Of World War II Hero Charles Jackson French And The 15 Sailors He
Saved. When the USS Gregory sank in
1942, a mess hall officer named Charles Jackson French dragged a raft full of
his wounded crewmates to safety through shark-infested waters. – March 9, 2023
https://allthatsinteresting.com/charles-jackson-french
Doby's
trailblazing legacy honored with Congressional Gold Medal – December 13, 2023
https://www.mlb.com/news/larry-doby-congressional-gold-medal
Black soldiers
honored by name at Civil War battlefield – February 29, 2024
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2024/02/29/black-soldiers-honored-by-name-at-civil-war-battlefield/
Tuskegee Airman
2nd Lt. Ferrier White gets street named in his honor in Ohio – April 6, 2024
https://www.stripes.com/history/2024-04-06/wwii-tuskegee-airman-street-named-13501059.html
H.R.9948 - Vets
ETA. To amend title 38, United States
Code, to make permanent the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
provide transportation to and from Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in
connection with vocational rehabilitation or counseling. 10/08/2024 - Introduced in House. Referred to the House Committee on Veterans'
Affairs. Referred to the Subcommittee on
Health. 10/25/2024 - Referred to the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/9948
H.R.10267 -
Complete the Mission Act of 2024. To
improve the provision of care and services under the Veterans Community Care
Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 12/03/2024 – Introduced in the House and
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/10267
Declassified
satellite photos reveal impacts of Vietnam War – December 13, 2024
https://www.science.org/content/article/declassified-satellite-photos-reveal-impacts-vietnam-war
VA announces
plans to award hundreds of millions in grants, launches new initiative to help
homeless Veterans – December 18, 2024
https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-announces-plans-to-award-hundreds-of-millions-in-grants-launches-new-initiative-to-help-homeless-veterans/
VA Mountain Home
Facility Under Fire: Whistleblower Accounts Revealed. House Committee Investigates Misconduct at VA
Mountain Home Facility – December 19, 2024
https://www.disabledveterans.org/va-mountain-home-facility-under-fire-whistleblower-accounts-revealed/
EHR Deployment
Schedule – December 20, 2024
https://digital.va.gov/ehr-modernization/ehr-deployment-schedule/
VA begins early-stage
planning for the next Federal Electronic Health Record rollout in mid-2026,
continues ongoing improvement efforts at existing sites – December 20, 2024
https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-begins-early-stage-planning-for-the-next-federal-electronic-health-record-rollout-in-mid-2026-continues-ongoing-improvement-efforts-at-existing-sites/
Senate sends
spending deal to Biden’s desk, averting shutdown – December 21, 2024
For military
retirees, this means their pensions and access to healthcare through programs
like Tricare are secure. Veterans can continue to depend on VA services for
healthcare and benefits processing. However, the Fleet Reserve Association
supports the need for a full, actual budget to be passed. This would remove the
anticipatory deadline, enabling all services provided to these groups to
function without the constant threat of funding lapses. / Veterans and their
families benefit from the assurance that disability compensation, educational
benefits, and other support systems are maintained. Yet, a complete budget
would permit the expansion and enhancement of these services, addressing the
needs of veterans more effectively and providing long-term stability. / While
the CR offers immediate relief, it is viewed as a temporary measure. The Fleet
Reserve Association advocates a permanent budgetary solution to ensure that
active duty members, retirees, veterans, and their families can rely on
comprehensive, uninterrupted services, free from the cycle of short-term
funding extensions.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5051887-government-funding-senate-biden/
Live Whole Health
#253: No pain, more gain with Adaptive Tai Chi – December 23, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137326/live-whole-health-253-no-pain-more-gain-with-adaptive-tai-chi/
National Identity
Theft Prevention & Awareness Month: Protecting Veterans and their families
– December 24, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137340/national-identity-theft-prevention-awareness-month-protecting-veterans-and-their-families/
Get ahead of
winter emergencies. Tips for staying
safe this winter – December 24, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137131/get-ahead-of-winter-emergencies/
Why Veterans are
nearly three times more likely to own a franchise compared to non-Veterans –
December 24, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137286/why-veterans-three-times-likely-own-franchise/
VA careers offer
Veterans opportunities to continue their service. Find purpose-driven careers at VA – December
24, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137058/va-offers-veterans-opportunities-service/
Indigenous WWI
veterans get long awaited Medal of Honor review – December 24, 2024
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2024/12/24/indigenous-wwi-veterans-get-long-awaited-medal-of-honor-review/
Empathy in
action: How “Angel” volunteers change Veteran lives – December 25, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137322/empathy-angel-volunteers-change-veteran-lives/
Vietnam Army
nurse takes to the mountain to ski.
After years of setbacks, re-learning her sport – December 25, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137203/vietnam-army-nurse-takes-to-the-mountain-to-ski/
Columbia VA
performs first spinal cord stimulation implantation. “The process is relatively straightforward.” – December 26, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137187/columbia-performs-first-spinal-cord-stimulation/
Honoring
Veterans: Army Veteran John Banner – December 27, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137375/honoring-veterans-army-john-banner/
Army Veteran’s
kidney transplant was “flawless”. “I
encourage you to be an organ donor.” – December 27, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137225/army-veterans-kidney-transplant-was-flawless/
Major leadership
shakeup, new budget battles coming to VA in 2025 – December 27, 2024
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2024/12/27/major-leadership-shakeup-new-budget-battles-coming-to-va-in-2025/
Suicide Risk
Lower for Veterans With PTSD Who Start Evidence-Based Therapy – December 27, 2024
https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/generalpsychiatry/113577
A Marine’s legacy
as first Puerto Rican Medal of Honor recipient– December 27, 2024
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2024/12/27/a-marines-legacy-as-1st-puerto-rican-medal-of-honor-recipient/
Six suicide
prevention resources all Veterans need to know.
Programs and initiatives for all Veterans, no matter when or how you
served – December 28, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137046/six-suicide-prevention-resources-veterans-know/
Teenager’s rabbit
auction benefits Veterans – December 29, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137229/teenagers-rabbit-auction-benefits-veterans/
MISSION ADVOCACY
MOAA : January 2025
https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=836920&article_id=4898566&view=articleBrowser
A Family’s Legacy
MOAA : January 2025
https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=836920&article_id=4898613&view=articleBrowser
Tomah VA inducts
107-year old Veteran into its Hall of Heroes.
Reynolds Tomter was born in 1917 – December 28, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137196/tomah-va-inducts-107-year-old-into-hall-heroes/
How we’re winning
the fight to end Veteran homelessness.
Homeless executive director reflects on 2024 progress – December 30,
2024
https://news.va.gov/137268/how-were-winning-fight-end-veteran-homelessness/
A special Mann
Family Dinner episode supports Veterans.
VA’s Terrence Hayes discusses resources for Veterans – December 30, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137235/mann-family-dinner-episode-supports-veterans/
Live Whole Health
#254: Savoring simplicity with Unstuffed Pepper Skillet – December 30, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137337/live-whole-health-254-savoring-simplicity-with-unstuffed-pepper-skillet/
JWV’s Statement
on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter – December 30, 2024
https://www.jwv.org/jwvs-statement-on-the-passing-of-president-jimmy-carter/
Veteran ready for
2025 Wheelchair Games. “Motorcycle
accident kind of changed my life a little bit.” – December 31, 2024
https://news.va.gov/137239/veteran-ready-for-2025-wheelchair-games/
Best of 2024:
Affirmative application advice from VA Careers – December 31, 2024
https://news.va.gov/136992/2024-affirmative-application-advice-va-careers/
Veteran Jose Diaz
is the model employee. “I was building a
B-17 when a Veteran said he was a gunner on a B-17.” – January 1, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137383/veteran-jose-diaz-is-the-model-employee/
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January 2025 Veteran News
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James Ulinski <ulinski705@gmail.com>
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Thu, Jan
2, 2025 at 8:27 AM
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Bcc: ldholman40@gmail.com
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January 2025 Veteran News
I hope you and your
families had a wonderful and healthy Holiday Season and welcome to the New
Year!
This
might be my best newsletter so far as far as information. You are the
judge, let me know, but check the whole very long newsletter, so you do not
miss important info you may need! Yup, 17 pages---but worth reading!
Any disabled
veteran can stay up to date with Legislative Alerts from
our National DAV CAN---just go to their site and
join, a simple process for sending emails directly to your specific
senators and members of the House. For VVA members you can also join to get
their Legislative Alerts by going to the National
VVA website, go to the Legislative Action Center and simply sign
up for Alerts. Get involved with a very
important function to protect/enhance what we have earned!
Page 13 has a
horrible story about the VA you may want to google.
PP14-17 has a
great “Opinion Piece” by Al Lipphardt of the VFW—you should pay attention
to. Not everyone is our friend and we need to be vigilant and proactive,
not sitting quietly and believing everyone loves us!
Starting
on P2---the true story of our Bonus Armies who fought (some veterans died
and numerous veterans were injured) to get many years later what was
promised to them!
My
HealtheVet Sign-in Event IMPORTANT!!
Want
help with the My HealtheVet sign-in changes?
Veterans and other
beneficiaries looking for help with setting up their ID.me or Login.gov
account and sign-in procedures for My HealtheVet are invited to join
us in the atrium of Building 3 at our Coatesville campus, on Tuesday,
December 3, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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This
is part of VA’s secure sign-in changes to streamline Veterans’ sign-in
options. Veterans and other beneficiaries will no longer be able to use
usernames and passwords for My HealtheVet after Jan. 31, 2025, or
DS Logon after Sept. 30, 2025.
This
transition only impacts account-based online services. Many VA web pages
are accessible without signing in—such as finding information about VA
locations, downloading VA forms, learning more about the PACT Act, how to
file claims, and more.
Create
your login
The process to create an identity-verified Login.gov or
ID.me account often takes about 10 minutes. And you can get started
online anytime. Learn more about creating an account.
Careful
with your information
Never give your information to anyone who says they can help you get a
new sign-in account—unless you’re sure they’re a VA employee or an
accredited representative of VA. Always make sure a link is taking you to
the official va.gov website before
selecting it from an email, text message, social media post, or online
ad. You can always go to www.va.gov/sign-in-changes for
trusted information.
Have
questions?
Contact Coatesville VA’s My HealtheVet coordinator, Clarence Hanan
at (717) 222-0846.
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While
I continue to preach about the need for ALL veterans receiving benefits/$
from the VA to keep up with legislation that could affect you, your family,
friends and other veterans---what I most often see is only a small
percentage of us actually pay heed! Whether you are retired, disabled, a
student veteran, someone hoping to get benefits, this is of utmost
importance.
As with any new
Congress (whether with a Republican or Democrat majority) pay attention to
agenda, news stories, perhaps watch Senate or House Veterans Affairs
hearings affecting veterans and our families, and yes----pay attention even to rumors! The next
story will demonstrate how promises can sometimes not be kept and the
danger of what could happen (YES---it’s a true story)
The
next true story (which I actually used in several of my classes) is
long, out of necessity, to educate us on what could happen if we do not
remain vigilant and strong supporters of legislation (good and bad), what
happens at our state, in Washington D.C. and yes, “IF WE DO NOT PAY
ATTENTION TO RUMORS/STORIES.” YES---History is IMPORTANT!
Much of what
follows is from Matthew Gault and was written in 2016. I lectured on this
particular issue in a couple of my Penn State and LaSalle classes. Numerous
other articles can be found if you want to see the actual pictures of WHAT
DID HAPPEN IN 1932. I had to omit some information to make this
story readable---but you can easily find all the details that are now
history!
FYI---count
the presidents who were not in favor of helping veterans. Could it ever
happen again---Hmmmm?
“Every
generation of soldiers has problems, but most haven’t left the military
only to be later attacked by it. But that’s what happened to thousands of
veterans who served in the trenches of World War I.”
“In
1932, 17,000 former soldiers marched on Washington D.C. to demand wartime
pay owed to them. The Great Depression ravaged the country, and a president
took desperate measures to disperse the angry veterans.”
“Tanks rolled
down the streets. Soldiers held people at bayonet-point. Veterans and their
families took lungs full of tear gas.”
“In 1917-1918,
while American soldiers fought and died in Europe, the Woodrow Wilson
administration increased government employees’ salaries to help pay for a
rising inflation rate. It didn’t increase soldiers’ pay.”
“When the troops
returned home, they were angry. So, the American
Legion organized the vets and helped push bills through
Congress.”
“This measure is
known as the Adjusted Compensation Bill.”
“President Warren
Harding fought the bill tooth and nail. He even visited the Senate in 1921
and argued against it---arguing the government didn’t have the money and
that it would set a dangerous precedent and the bill died on the floor.”
“He vetoed a
different version of it in 1922.”
“Harding’s
successor Calvin Coolidge vetoed the bill again in 1924. Congress overrode
his veto four days later and the bill passed. World War I veterans would
get their pay….but there were a few catches.”
“Instead of just
paying out each veteran, Washington awarded each soldier a credit based on
the amount of time they served in Europe. Troops received a dollar for
every day stateside, and $1.25 for every day in Europe for a maximum of
$500.
“anyone set to
receive less than $50 could cash out immediately. Everyone else had to
wait……until 1945.”
“Washington
allowed veterans to use the credit as collateral in loans and millions did,
racking up debts of more than a billion dollars.”
“It wasn’t a
great system for the veterans, but they would eventually get the money they
felt the government owed them. Then came Black Friday in 1929. America’s
economy collapsed, and the Great Depression savaged the world and threw
many veterans into unemployment.”
“And they
remembered that Washington owed them back pay.”
“The depression
worsened and legislators in Congress pushed to allow the veterans to cash
out their credits immediately, but the Herbert Hoover administration
opposed the measure on the grounds that paying out billions of dollars to
veterans would further weaken the economy.”
This was not
acceptable to Walter W. Waters (an Oregon veteran) and in 1932 “called for
a march with 300 men behind him.”
“The Bonus
Army---as the media now called them moved east, picking up soldiers and
their families.”
“Waters and his
army, now 43,000 strong, arrived in the nation’s capital in March. Only
17,000 were veterans seeking compensation, the rest were family members and
supporters.”
“The protesters
camped on the muddy Anacostia Flats and assembled in a shanty town. They
repeatedly marched on the U.S. Capitol, but ran short of food in early
July.”
“In an effort to
end the crisis, the White House offered the crowd $10,000 to leave
Washington. Some of the soldiers took the money and left, but most stayed.”
“Waters
saw tensions growing between the army and the government, so he agreed to
lead his irregular troops out of Washington, so long as they could leave in
stages and remain unmolested by the police.”
In
late July, Attorney General William Mitchell ordered the police to clear
out the protesters. Waters felt he had been double crossed.”
“When the police
arrived at the shanty town the veterans fought back. The police drew their
revolvers and fired into the crowd, killing World War I veterans Eric
Carlson and William Hushka.”
“The situation
had spiraled out of control.”
“Hoover
ordered the military to remove the protesters from the city at once.
General Douglas MacArthur, then U.S. Army’s Chief of Staff led the 12th Infantry
Regiment and the 3rd Cavalry Regiment into the fray.”
“The
cavalry regiment contained six Renault FT tanks commanded by Major General
Patton. The army troops, with bayonets affixed to their rifles charged into
the shanty town and launched tear gas into the crowds.”
“Patton’s
tanks crushed the makeshift buildings. The veterans fled across the
Anacostia River, and Hoover ordered the assault to stop. But MacArthur saw
the protesters as communist agitator’s intent on overthrowing the U.S.
Government and continued the operation.”
“More
than 1,000 injured veterans ended up in area hospitals. One veteran later
died and a veteran’s wife miscarried.”
Dwight D.
Eisenhower was MacArthur's junior aide. He didn’t approve of the action. I
told that dumb son-of-a-bitch not to go down there, he said in a later
interview. I told him it was no place for the Chief of Staff.”
“The catastrophe
further sank Hoover’s reelection chances. Sending soldiers in to crush a
veterans’ protest didn’t help his public image, and he lost his re-election
bid to Franklin Roosevelt later that year.”
“The
veterans organized another smaller Bonus Army in 1933, and Roosevelt,
although he didn’t want to pay money to the veterans—treated the men and
their families with respect. He established a camp site for them, fed them
and sent his wife to discuss their terms.”
“In
1936, Congress passed a bill freeing up the veterans’ pay. Roosevelt vetoed
the bill, but Congress overrode it. The federal government then paid out
more than $2 billion to the veterans.”
“The
former soldiers got their due (my comment---wonder how many were still
alive by this time---sound familiar?) But they had to fight their own
country and its military to get it.”
I use this story
to show just one example of how things can go awry even in our great
country. Check out what happened in the 1960’s to see other stories of how
protesters of Vietnam (including some of our own Vietnam veterans who were
in wheelchairs, etc., were treated).
As to rumors/stories----no one likes them, but we need
to pay attention to them, because in some instances they turn out to be
real. REMEMBER--once we lose something, we will never get it back!
AND---there
are numerous “rumors” and “stories” out there now floating around---educate
yourself!
FIGHT for our
veterans now and the future by listening, reading, caring, helping!
Moving
on!
1-833-TELE-URGENT
VA health care now! Available 24/7/365!
From the Service
Women’s Action Network—November edition!
SWAN is working on
making sure the NDAA doesn’t contain harmful riders that would hurt
servicewomen. We are still working to ensure that women who served
in combat get full recognition, even if the Jax Act doesn’t pass during
the lame duck period this winter - and even after that our work isn’t done
because we know it doesn’t acknowledge all the women who have actually seen
combat. And we are still working to make sure that military and veteran
women get the healthcare and benefits they have earned.
On Veterans Day, I
hope you were able to take the time to honor all veterans. At SWAN, we
hold military and veteran women in the forefront of all we do every day.
Whether we are advocating in the halls of Congress or the Pentagon, or
answering the 24/7 hotline, or connecting with you via our email inbox, we
carry that torch all year.
Thanks for all you do,
Elisa Cardnell
President & CEO
Service
Women’s Action Network
The next article
is from Diane Simmons and it is for Agent Orange/War Dog Memorials to be
placed in Reading City Park.
Plans are
underway for two new Memorials to be placed in Veterans
Grove in City
Park, Reading, PA. These Memorials are an
Agent Orange
Memorial
as well as a Memorial honoring All Dogs from All Wars and their
Handlers.
Most
of us know a family member, a friend or a neighbor who is
suffering
from the side effects of Agent Orange. This Memorial will be a
place
where we can go to reflect on those, we know who are suffering now
or
who have suffered and died once they were back home. Now is the time
to let these
Veterans and their loved ones know that they are remembered.
A
second Memorial will honor “All Dogs from All Wars”. These dogs
and
their Handlers were our “First Line of Defense”. We will now have a
place
where we can honor and remember these 4-legged friends and the
sacrifices
they made during their time of service to keep us safe.
We are seeking
patriotic donors to help with our mission. A tax-
deductible
donation will help remember and honor those whom suffer or
have paid the
ultimate price. We welcome and would appreciate your gift,
no matter the
size. ALL donations will help us reach our goal.
The Berks County
Monument Preservation Fund is a 501(c)3 non-
profit
organization and donations to the Agent Orange / War Dog Memorial
Committee is
tax-deductible in accordance with federal law.
Make checks
payable to:
Agent Orange/War
Dog Memorial Committee
Mail Donations
to: Agent Orange/War Dog Memorial Committee
P.O. Box 661,
Boyertown, PA 19512
Send inquiries to
Donna Baer at donnabaer@rocketmail.com
Check us out on
Facebook: Agent Orange and War Dog Memorial
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The FDA has
authorized the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
(MAPS) to conduct a five-week clinical trial evaluating smoked cannabis
as a treatment for veterans with moderate to severe PTSD. The study,
involving 320 veterans, will use a double-blind format with participants
receiving either active cannabis or a placebo.
Veterans must have prior
cannabis experience and will report their symptoms using a mobile app.
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Former Marine Corporal Hether
Zeckser, an advocate for cannabis research, shared her support, crediting
marijuana for alleviating her own PTSD symptoms. MAPS’ director of
cannabis research, Allison Coker, emphasized the study's potential to
provide critical data for medical professionals.
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Participants will undergo
training in cannabis inhalation before using their doses at home. Funded
by the Michigan Veteran Marijuana Research Grant Program, the trials will
be held in Michigan, Arizona, and Florida. The FDA continues to support
research into cannabis’ therapeutic potential to ensure safe, effective
treatments.
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The next article
is from the National Center for PTSD
Find Effective Care for PTSD and Chronic Pain
About 50% of Veterans
with PTSD also experience chronic pain — pain that is reoccurring and lasts
more than three months. Trauma can change how the body processes pain,
making some people more sensitive to it. Like PTSD, chronic pain is often
invisible. Those affected by chronic pain are often misunderstood or not believed.
Chronic pain and PTSD
often go hand in hand. Both can impact your physical health,
mood, relationships, and daily activities. Treating both conditions
typically requires multiple health care providers working together.
Veterans may receive PTSD care from mental health specialists and pain treatment
from primary care doctors or pain clinics. The most effective
approach is when these teams coordinate care. Some VA clinics now
offer combined treatment for both PTSD and chronic pain in one place.
Beyond formal treatment,
self-management tools can also help. VA's Pain Coach Mobile App offers
resources on managing pain, improving sleep, and staying active. It
includes videos, relaxation techniques, and customizable daily
check-ins to help you stay on track.
Secretary of Defense
Statement on the
Calendar Year 2023
Annual Report on Suicide in the Military
November 14, 2024
Since day one as
Secretary of Defense, the health, safety, and well-being of our military
community has been one of my top priorities. Taking care of our
people – the brave patriots who serve in uniform and their families – is a
sacred responsibility. And it is crucial to maintaining the readiness
of the Total Force. Tragically, the Department continues to lose
Service members and members of their families to suicide.
Today, the Department
released our Calendar Year 2023 Annual Report on Suicide in the
Military. The findings urgently demonstrate the need for the
Department to redouble its work in the complex fields of suicide prevention
and postvention. In 2023, we lost more Service members to suicide
than in 2022, although we did see a decrease in the number of military
family members who died by suicide compared to previous years. One
loss to suicide is one too many.
The Department is
focused on long-term, sustained initiatives to prevent suicide. The
Department is taking a comprehensive, integrated approach to increasing
protective factors and decreasing suicide risk. Our efforts aim to
meet the military community where they are in their personal and
professional lives – whether through bolstering financial readiness and
support, building healthy relationships, improving mental health, or
supporting them through life transitions.
This is why, in 2023,
I directed a new suicide prevention campaign plan with five lines of effort
to guide the Department’s suicide prevention and response efforts.
This plan includes 83 key enabling actions adopted and modified from the
approved Suicide Prevention Response and Independent Review Committee
(SPRIRC) recommendations.
The Department is
moving out urgently to implement these key reforms. In 2024, the
Department completed 20 of the 83 SPRIRC recommendations. In Fiscal
Year 2025, with the support of Congress, the Department will make an
unprecedented investment in suicide prevention. We have witnessed
that principled leadership and focused resource investment makes a
difference and can decrease harmful behaviors.
We are dedicated to
fighting for our Service members by fostering supportive team cultures and
tackling the stigma of asking for help and other barriers to care. We
continue working hard to improve the delivery of mental health care,
bolster suicide prevention training, and educate people about lethal means
safety. There’s still much more work to do, and we won’t let up.
The Department mourns
our teammates whom we’ve lost to suicide. And through our actions—by
taking care of our people, and prioritizing the health, well-being, and
morale of our Force—we honor their memories.
If you or one of your
loved ones are struggling or needs extra support, you are not alone.
Please call the suicide and crisis lifeline at 9-8-8.
Any veteran/disabled veteran should check out the Exchange.
There are 2 categories---one for veterans and one for disabled veterans.
My wife and I use the Exchange at Combined Fort
McGuire/Dix Exchange In New Jersey. We used it along
with our Military Star card to purchase items at the Exchange and then the
Commissary at the end of November. We saved over $250 purchasing about $800
in great meats, other food items and other items. You can pay only a small
amount per month if you wish. We usually shop there once a year, where we
stock up on great meat, chicken, pork items and other
household supplies. We filled my pick-up truck!
Check it
out---"100% of Exchange earnings support Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians
and Families.” Just need to have your Military I.D. to get on base (if
qualified to go in person) and get a Military Star Card once there.
Honorably Discharged Veterans Can Shop The Best Brands
Tax-Free For Life at shopmyexchange.com
Disabled Veterans Can Shop In-Store
My DAV Magazine November/December 2024, has their new Vision
for VETERANS for the 119th Congress. They
listed 7 issues: “1. Do not reduce, offset, or tax veterans’ disability
benefits. 2. Strengthen DIC support for survivors of disabled veterans. 3.
Make dental care a health benefit for all service-disabled veterans. 4.
Provide assisted-living care options for service-disabled veterans. 5.
Reform the process for creating toxic-exposure presumptives. 6. Create new
planning and funding mechanisms for VA infrastructure. 7. Exempt all
veteran programs, benefits and services from PAYGO and Budget Caps.”
The Veteran Connection (TVC) has a good website and posted
that about n22 veterans die by suicide every day, one every 90 seconds.
AND---20% of suicides in America are by veterans. No number is good, but
this is horrible after years and years of attempts to reduce this number!
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Many veterans throughout our country have a difficult
time accessing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities due to
the distance they have to travel. It is imperative that the VA
continues to provide safe and reliable transportation options to VA facilities,
so they can receive health care and services they need and deserve.
H.R. 9948, the Veterans Earned Transportation Act or
Vets ETA would make permanent the VA’s authority to provide
transportation service to veterans attending vocational
rehabilitation or counseling sessions at VA facilities by removing
the expiration date of Sept. 30, 2025.
DAV supports H.R. 9948, the Vets ETA, in accordance with
DAV Resolution No. 236. We must ensure that all service-disabled
veterans have an effective and efficient transportation program to
receive timely and high-quality VA health care, benefits and services.
We ask you to contact your representative and urge them
to co-sponsor and support H.R. 9948. Thank you for taking action on
behalf of service-disabled veterans, their families, caregivers and
survivors.
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VA awards $1.5 million to study
using psychedelics for PTSD treatment
By Leo Shane III
Dec 3,
2024, 09:00 AM
Exhibitors display
items at a psychedelic science conference in Denver on June 21, 2023.
(David Zalubowski/AP)
Veterans Affairs
officials on Tuesday announced a $1.5 million grant to study MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic
stress disorder and alcohol use disorder among veterans, the first
department-funded research on psychedelic benefits in
more than five decades.
VA officials had
announced in January plans to begin new studies on the beneficial use of
psychedelic compounds for ailing veterans, but had yet to
commit any funding to such projects.
Advocates for years
have touted the potential positive impact of compounds like
methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in helping with mental health issues.
The newly-funded study
will take place at the Providence VA Medical Center in Rhode Island and
West Haven VA Medical Center in Connecticut. Researchers affiliated with
Brown University and Yale University will oversee the work, and begin
enrolling participants early next year.
RELATED
Psychedelics may soon be available — sort
of — to treat vets with PTSD
In
2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration designated MDMA as a
“breakthrough therapy” for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.
By Zamone Perez
“VA is on the cutting
edge of clinical research for Veteran health, including in the
investigation of psychedelics for mental health,” Under Secretary for
Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal said in a statement. “This study will give us
better insight into the potential of MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment
for veterans.”
Officials said the
move is part of a broader effort to “gather definitive scientific evidence
on the potential efficacy and safety of psychedelic compounds,” suggesting
the research will not be limited to only this single study.
Treatments will be
conducted in a clinical setting with strict safety protocols and using
pharmaceutical-grade MDMA. The study is expected to take five years to
complete.
Department officials
said that despite the upcoming interest in the potential benefits from
psychedelics, veterans should not use them as part of a self-treatment
program. All veterans are encouraged to consult with their health care
providers before making any decisions on new medications or therapies.
About Leo Shane III
Leo covers Congress,
Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered
Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans’
policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award,
a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and
the VFW News Media award.
Bill would push VA to expand outside medical care
options for vets
By Leo Shane III
Dec 3,
2024, 12:30 PM
A visitor leaves the
Sacramento Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Rancho Cordova, California.
(Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
House Republicans on
Tuesday unveiled new legislation to further expand veterans’ ability to
access private-sector medical care options using
taxpayer funds, a move that launches debates expected in coming years about
the size and responsibilities of the Veterans Affairs health care system.
The bill — dubbed the
“Complete the Mission” Act — is sponsored by House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., and
has received strong support from several conservative activists.
It would expand
community care options for patients of the Veterans Health Administration to
include nearly all extended care services, such as mental health
residential rehabilitation, and block VA from offering telehealth
appointments with department physicians in lieu of outside care options.
The measure would also
ease rules for consideration of community care eligibility, to include
accounting for caregiver schedules and preferences. It would mandate new
reimbursement rules for outside medical offices and mandate better sharing
of private-sector options by VA leaders to patients.
RELATED
Lawmakers advance plans to boost veteran
caregiver support
Bipartisan
legislation passed by the House would improve at-home care options for
ailing vets and mandate protections for community care programs.
By Leo Shane III
“The [original]
MISSION Act transformed the delivery of health care to veterans across the
nation, especially in rural and remote areas of the country,” Bost said in
a statement. “Every veteran has earned timely options for quality health
care to meet their needs — no bureaucrat is allowed to stand in the way of
that.”
Expanding “choice” in
veterans’ medical benefits was a major focus of President-elect Donald
Trump’s first term in office, and is expected to be a point of emphasis
when he takes office again next year.
Congress approved
the VA MISSION Act in June 2018, which
overhauled eligibility rules for veterans outside care options.
Community care options
have risen significantly since then. In fiscal 2017, the department paid
for nearly 27 million outside care appointments, roughly 27% of VA total
scheduled medical visits. In fiscal 2023, that number grew to almost 47
million, about 39% of the total.
Despite the growth,
conservative groups have accused President Joe Biden’s administration of
trying to undermine the outside care options, through excessive rules and
insufficient communication of patient choices. They’ve also accused VA
leaders of working to grow their own department instead of finding ways to
best serve veterans.
While introducing the
bill, Bost criticized “VA bureaucrats standing in the way of veterans’
community care access.”
Concerned Veterans for
America Strategic Director John Byrnes said VA leaders have “failed our
nation’s heroes for nearly four years by not holding top officials
accountable to act with integrity and uphold the VA’s mission to treat the
veterans they vowed to serve.”
“Despite the VA
MISSION Act being signed into law by President Trump, current VA leadership
supports bureaucratic barriers to veterans’ access to community care,”
Byrnes continued, “access that the law authorizes.” VA leaders dispute
that.
In a hearing before
the House Appropriations Committee last month, Under Secretary for Health
Shereef Elnahal stated that “community care is absolutely needed for many
veterans.”
But he acknowledged
that the increase in community care growth has slowed in recent years,
which he said is because “we are offering more appointments between medical
centers that more veterans are taking us up on, and veterans are voting
with their feet.”
Democratic lawmakers
have accused their Republican colleagues of working to privatize VA,
undermining the department’s massive medical care system to shift more
taxpayer money into private-sector businesses. Already, more than $24
billion is spent on community care appointments annually.
Despite likely support
in the Republican-controlled House, Bost’s new measure could face trouble
becoming law this year due to the compressed legislative schedule facing
lawmakers.
Only three weeks of
session are scheduled before the 118th Congress ends, and House and Senate
leaders must pass a host of other bills — including a full federal budget
extension and the annual defense authorization bill — before Jan. 1.
However, if the
measure does not pass this year, it’s likely to become a foundational point
for veterans’ legislative efforts in the next session, where Republicans
will control the House, Senate and White House.
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Landmark Legislation Passed:
The Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare
and Benefits Improvement Act
We are pleased to announce the passage of the Senator
Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement
Act. After months of negotiation, this legislation passed the Senate
and House and is now headed to the President’s desk to be signed into
law.
This bill is a bicameral, bipartisan veterans’ legislative
package for the 118th Congress and includes provisions to modernize the
delivery of healthcare, benefits, and services at the Department of
Veterans Affairs, expand access to job training and employment
opportunities, address veteran homelessness and strengthen mental health
services for our nation’s ill and injured veterans. The legislative
package will also expand care options for aging veterans, improve access
to mental healthcare for veteran caregivers, strengthen home and
community care options and streamline the disability claims process.
This legislation is a significant step in helping to keep
the promises made to those who have served. We want to personally thank
our supporters who, through the DAV Commander’s Action Network, sent
nearly 90,000 email messages to lawmakers urging them to get the job done
and pass this crucial legislation before the close of the 118th Congress.
Because of your dedication and advocacy efforts, we can celebrate this
important victory for veterans!
DD-214 Available Online:
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided
the following website for veterans to gain access to their DD-214 online.
https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
Request Military Service
Records
Recent military service and
medical records are not online. However, most veterans and
their next of kin can obtain free copies of their DD
Form 214 (Report of Separation) and the following military service
records any of the ways listed below.
Looking for records?
Start Request Online
If you are unable to start the form online and
prefer to submit a traditional request form, you can mail or Fax it:
Mail or Fax Form
How can I check on the status of my request?
Allow us time to receive and process
your request before checking your request status.
To check the status of your request, please click
the following button:
Check Request Status
You may also telephone the NPRC Customer
Service Line (this is a long-distance call for most
customers): 314-801-0800. Note: Our peak
calling times are weekdays between 10:00 a.m. CT and 3:00 p.m. CT. Staff
is available to take your call as early as 7:00 a.m. and as late as 5:00
p.m. CT.
If you want to read an incredibly sad reflection on
our VA system and see why the VA gets at times, much deserved bad
press---google “House Veterans Committee investigates VA Mountain Home,
Tennessee.” You will be appalled at the orgy and sex scandal by staff!
America must ‘honor the
contract’ on veterans’ benefits
By Al Lipphardt
Dec 20, 2024, 04:00 PM
In this opinion piece, Al Lipphardt of VFW responds
to a recent Economist article that labeled veterans' benefits as
"absurdly generous." Here, troops carry a U.S. flag during a
2014 Veterans Day Parade in New York. (Jewel Samada/AFP/Getty Images)
On Thanksgiving, an article published in The
Economist demonstrated its contempt for American veterans, labeling our benefits as
“absurdly generous.” The timing of this outlandish statement was tasteless,
but the assertion was not isolated.
Instead, the article was another key salvo in an
ongoing attack to portray veterans as pariahs leeching off the American
taxpayer. We heard similar ham-handed criticism in recent years
from The Washington Post, former VA secretaries and so-called veteran
leaders who seem content to abandon their ill and injured comrades once
the uniform comes off.
When my generation came home from Vietnam to an
ungrateful nation, we committed that never again would America forget
those who were willing to lay it all down in defense of our
liberties. After Vietnam, we abandoned the draft in favor of relying
on brave Americans who willingly forfeit the comforts of civilian life to
join our military and protect us. Since 9/11, America has relied on an
all-volunteer force to fight our wars and deter our enemies — a dangerous
mission that continues today.
After 20-plus years of repeatedly deploying the same
volunteers into the same toxic meat grinder, can any American truly be surprised that those who
serve in our all-volunteer force need more benefits and care?
While the benefits we afford our all-volunteer force
may seem generous to those who never raised their right hand, these
benefits are simply the warranty of the all-volunteer service contract
each of us signed before we put on the uniform. In addition to the
service member’s obligations, each contract explicitly entitles the
service member to certain benefits as a result of honorable service. This
is why the VFW calls on our nation to honor the contract.
This is how the basic enlistment contract, DD Form
4, reads today:
“My enlistment/reenlistment agreement is more than
an employment agreement. It affects a change in status from civilian to
military member of the Armed Forces. As a member of the Armed Forces of
the United States, I will be:
- “Required
to obey all lawful orders and perform all duties assigned.
- “Subject
to separation during or at the end of my enlistment. If my behavior
fails to meet acceptable military standards, I may be discharged and
given a certificate for less than honorable service, which may hurt
my future job opportunities and my claim for veterans’ benefits.
- “Subject
to the military justice system, which means, among other things,
that I may be tried by military court martial
- “Required
in order to serve in combat or other hazardous situations.
- “Entitled
to receive pay, allowances, and other benefits as provided by law
and regulation.”
-
This isn’t charity. This is a contract. Everyone who
served honorably, like every member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, has
honored our end of the contract. We call on our leaders to do the same.
While Congress can always change laws and cut
benefits under the contract, some are naive to think it cannot happen.
But it has happened before. In 1932, big business interests and prominent
ex-military officers formed the National Economy League to identify
wasteful government spending, with their sights squarely on veterans’
benefits. The National Economy League then colluded with Congress and the
White House to slash earned veterans’ benefits by 60% through the Economy
Act. The Economy Act broke the contract and the consequences were
predictable. Veterans plunged deeper into economic crisis, hopelessness
and even suicide.
In the 1930s, the VFW distinguished itself as an
organization by veterans, for veterans who would stand against this
dereliction of duty, ultimately repealing some of the Economy Act’s most
abominable cuts. The VFW also pushed for early payment of the World War I bonus, (my earlier story Jim
Ulinski) which stimulated the economy and empowered veterans.
But the damage was done. Veterans died. How could
any politician of the day feel good about the human toll of their short-sightedness?
God help us if we make the same mistakes today.
The VFW understands the fiscal needs of our nation.
Our bureaucracies can always use a “belt-tightening.” But, as we learned
in the 1930s, a nation can never achieve prosperity when it hurts the
people who protect it. You cannot easily find details about this
dark chapter in our history online. Thankfully, the VFW has it in our
archives, which we will share over the coming weeks so Americans can
truly understand the stakes of abandoning its protectors.
Unlike my generation, more veterans today survive
battlefield injuries, and they are better informed about the benefits
earned by honoring their service contract. Americans should celebrate
this. Instead, it seems that some people may be jealous that we take care
of those who serve. To you, I would only say America is facing a recruiting shortfall as we speak. Please feel free to sign up,
serve your country and honor a contract of your own. Then you, too, will
be eligible for these same benefits. Otherwise, we must have the real
conversation about bringing back the draft, which would be a sad day for
our nation.
Whether it’s proposals to cut disability payments, restrict access to education or home loan benefits, scale back health care access or means test veterans as a condition of
eligibility, join the VFW in fighting this scourge and ensuring America’s
leaders honor the contract.
Alfred “Al” Lipphardt has served as the commander-in-chief
of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. since his election to the
office on Aug. 1. He is a U.S. Army veteran with two tours of combat
during the Vietnam War. In recognition of his service, he received the
Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Bronze Star Medal with “V” device and Purple
Heart Medal, among others. Al and his wife, Carol, reside in Stone
Mountain, Georgia.
Many thanks to David Meehan, Paul Sutton, Hugh Gill, Don
Sutton, Lee Horowitz, Kirk Fernitz, DMVA for providing information that
sent me information to share. As always, please share
these newsletters with other veterans, friends, etc., or ask them if they
want on my mailing list (everyone Bcc’d) and you can always drop out, if
you choose!
The more information we share with our brothers and sisters,
the stronger and more knowledgeable we become!
Have a wonderful and healthy beginning to the New Year!
Jim Ulinski
Ulinski705@gmail.com
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Big Spring VA
recognized for provider satisfaction improvement. “I love the care I receive here.” – January
2, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137384/big-spring-va-recognized-for-provider-satisfaction-improvement/
Breaking down the
number of veterans in the 119th Congress – January 2, 2025
https://www.navytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/01/02/breaking-down-the-number-of-veterans-in-the-119th-congress/
Breaking down the
number of veterans in the 119th Congress – January 2, 2025
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/01/02/breaking-down-the-number-of-veterans-in-the-119th-congress/
Veteran suicides
often follow complaints of chronic pain, insomnia and physical problems, report
finds – January 2, 2025
https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2025-01-02/veterans,-suicides,-chronic-pain,-sleep-disorders-16353382.html
S.141 - Senator
Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement
Act. Latest Action: 01/02/2025 Became
Public Law No: 118-210.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/141
The Senator
Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act,
was signed into law on January 2, 2025, completing a significant win for the
veteran and military communities.
https://mcusercontent.com/92e93552acc664144f0caad67/files/a150be5e-e6bd-4f38-09d2-e39c1f854490/Elizabeth_Dole_Act.01.pdf
Minnesota native
Diane Carlson Evans to receive Presidential Citizens Medal – January 2, 2025
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/minnesota-native-diane-carlson-evans-to-receive-presidential-citizens-medal/ar-AA1wRGEF
President Biden
Delivers Remarks at a Presidential Citizens Medal Ceremony – January 2, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/live/gcxiIPcB73s
DMVA Assists
Operation Desert Storm Veterans With Claims, 34 Years After Wars
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---veterans-affairs.html
Financial
Assistance for Higher Education to Eligible Dependents of Disabled and Deceased
Veterans
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---veterans-programs-and-services.html
Celebrities Bring
Holiday Cheer to DVVH and other locations
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---veteran-homes.html
Task Force Strong
Supports Operation Lake Effect
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---director-of-joint-staff.html
Colonel Carl
Eifler Award Given to PAANG Member
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---pa-national-guard-army.html
PPG Paints Arena
National Anthem, Nov. 11, 2024
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8748676/ppg-paints-arena-national-anthem-nov-11-2024
Col. Robert Noren
assumes command of 193rd Special Operations Wing
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8785717/col-robert-noren-assumes-command-193rd-special-operations-wing
From garage start
up to diamond anniversary: 193rd Air Operations Group celebrates 75 years
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/485652/garage-start-up-diamond-anniversary-193rd-air-operations-group-celebrates-75-years
10 miles on
Biddle
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8757696/10-miles-biddle
DMVA Commemorates
80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge – December 16, 2024
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/about-dmva/newsroom/dmva-commemorates-80th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-the-bulge.html
PA Soldiers’ and
Sailors’ Home Celebrates Wreaths Across America – December 14, 2024
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/about-dmva/newsroom/pa-soldiers--and-sailors--home-celebrates-wreaths-across-america.html
Together We Serve
- Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---keystone-state-challenge-academy.html
Staffer Takes on
New Role, Responsibilities in Policy and Legislation Office
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---policy-and-legislation.html
Construction
Begins on Veteran and Military Outreach Center
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---facilities-and-engineering.html
Fort Indiantown
Gap Holds 2024 Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dmva/pennsylvania-veterans/forms-and-pubs/together-we-serve/together-we-serve---fort-indiantown-gap.html
Click here to
find available jobs at DMVA
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pabureau?department[0]=Department%20of%20Military%20%26%20Veterans%20Affairs&sort=PositionTitle%7CAscending
Click here to
find available federal government jobs in Pennsylvania
https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?l=Pennsylvania
Veterans may be
eligible for one more year of G.I. Bill benefits – January 3, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137500/veterans-may-eligible-one-year-g-i-bill-benefits/
Honoring
Veterans: Army Veteran George “Russell” Caldwell – January 3, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137499/honoring-veterans-army-george-russell-caldwell/
Centenarian
Veterans honored at Maui PACT Act event.
“I’ve had a wonderful life with still more to come.” – January 3, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137271/centenarian-veterans-honored-maui-pact-act-event/
Jump into your
job search the right way and find a VA career.
Start your journey to a new job – January 3, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137061/jump-into-your-job-search-the-right-way/
Medals of Honor
Awarded to 5 Soldiers from Korean War and 2 from Vietnam – January 3, 2025
https://www.yahoo.com/news/medals-honor-awarded-5-soldiers-231716815.html
SC Citadel
graduate awarded Medal of Honor posthumously – January 3, 2025
https://www.postandcourier.com/militarydigest/medal-of-honor-citadel-graduate-hugh-reavis-nelson-awarded/article_5303a92a-fcf2-11ee-8101-0bdae7df617f.html
Operations
Manager Pleads Guilty to Kickback Scheme – January 3, 2025
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/operations-manager-pleads-guilty-kickback-scheme
VA proposes to
exempt Veterans from paying copays for certain Whole Health Well-Being Services
For immediate
release – January 3, 2025
https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-proposes-to-exempt-veterans-from-paying-copays-for-certain-whole-health-well-being-services/
VA expands access
to GI Bill benefits for Veterans who served multiple periods of service
For immediate
release – January 3, 2025
https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-expands-access-to-gi-bill-benefits-for-veterans-who-served-multiple-periods-of-service/
Some vets get 12 extra
months of college benefits under new VA rules – January 3, 2025
https://www.militarytimes.com/education-transition/2025/01/03/some-vets-get-12-extra-months-of-college-benefits-under-new-va-rules/
DVIDS - Video -
Medal of Honor – Specialist 4th Class Kenneth J. David Bio/Battle/Unit –
January 3, 2025
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/948949/medal-honor-specialist-4th-class-kenneth-j-david-bio-battle-unit
The Korean War,
which lasted for three years and one month from June 1950, is considered one of
the .. – January 3, 2025
https://www.mk.co.kr/en/economy/11209387
Medals of Honor
Awarded to 5 Soldiers from Korean War and 2 from Vietnam – January 3, 2025
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/01/03/medals-of-honor-awarded-5-soldiers-korean-war-and-2-vietnam.html
Biden Signs
Wide-Ranging Veterans Bill that Includes Improvements to Veteran Caregiver,
Homelessness Programs – January 3, 2025
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/01/03/boosted-support-veteran-caregiver-homelessness-programs-signed-law-biden.html
Military
Reporters & Editors applauds Biden’s award of Presidential Citizens Medal
to Joe Galloway – January 3, 2025
https://www.militaryreporters.org/2025/01/military-reporters-editors-applauds-bidens-award-of-presidential-citizens-medal-to-joe-galloway/
Caregivers
Support Line (CSL)
https://www.caregiver.va.gov/help_landing.asp
Military
Exposures & Your Health - Winter - Issue 15
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/publications/military-exposures/meyh-15/index.asp
Special Forces
soldier behind Las Vegas bombing said he carried ‘burden’ of lost friends. The FBI said that Master Sgt. Matthew
Livelsberger wrote in a letter: "I needed to cleanse my mind of the
brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.” –
January 4, 2025
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/green-beret-las-vegas-mental-health/
Community leader
in rural Georgia shares telehealth resources with Veterans. “This is something we are 100% going to
implement.” – January 4, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137397/leader-in-rural-georgia-telehealth-resources/
Honoring employee
achievement at Innovation Experience.
Recognizing dedication to improving Veteran care – January 4, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137400/honoring-achievement-at-innovation-experience/
The US soldiers
returning to Vietnam in search of mass graves – January 4, 2025
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/1/4/the-us-soldiers-returning-to-vietnam-in-search-of-mass-graves
Korean War hero,
Texas Tech alum Richard E. Cavazos Medal of Honor –
January 4, 2025
https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/news/military/2025/01/04/richard-e-cavazos-receives-medal-of-honor/77440995007/
Green Beret hero
Roy Benavidez honored at Reagan Library – January 4, 2025
https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2025/01/04/green-beret-hero-roy-benavidez-honored-at-reagan-library/77404922007/
Veteran loses 150
pounds with MOVE! Program. "Mom, I
am so proud of you." – January 5, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137410/veteran-loses-150-pounds-with-move-program/
The Military to
Prison Pipeline: Trading One Uniform for Another. Fifty years after the official end of U.S.
intervention in southeast Asia, “Vietnam vets are still the single largest
population of war veterans in prison. – January 5, 2025
https://www.laprogressive.com/war-and-peace/military-to-prison-pipeline
VA Proposes to
Slash Copays for Whole Health Services, Expanding Critical Access for Veterans
– January 5, 2025
https://www.mychesco.com/a/news/national/va-proposes-to-slash-copays-for-whole-health-services-expanding-critical-access-for-veterans/
Medal of Honor
awarded posthumously to Hawai‘i soldier, Pvt. Bruno Orig : Maui Now – January
5, 2025
https://mauinow.com/2025/01/05/medal-of-honor-awarded-posthumously-to-hawaii-soldier-pvt-bruno-orig/
Dr. Loretta C.
Ford celebrates 104th birthday. Veteran
and “Mother of Nurse Practitioners” – January 6, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137477/dr-loretta-c-ford-celebrates-104th-birthday/
Five ways women
Veterans benefit from Whole Health. At
VA, YOU are at the center of your care – January 6, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137413/five-ways-women-veterans-benefit-whole-health/
Hiring Veterans:
Jobs of the week for Jan. 6, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137540/hiring-veterans-jobs-of-the-week-for-jan-6-2025/
VA proposes to
exempt Veterans from paying copays for certain Whole Health Well-Being Services
– January 6, 2025
https://www.va.gov/wilmington-health-care/news-releases/va-proposes-to-exempt-veterans-from-paying-copays-for-certain-whole-health-well-being-services/
After Supreme
Court Victory, Some Veterans to Receive Additional Months of GI Bill
Eligibility – January 6, 2025
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/01/06/after-supreme-court-victory-some-veterans-receive-additional-months-of-gi-bill-eligibility.html
Medal of Honor
Monday: Navy Cmdr. George F. Davis – January 6, 2025
https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/4018737/medal-of-honor-monday-navy-cmdr-george-f-davis/
7 Soldiers from
Korean, Vietnam Wars receive Medals of Honor – January 6, 2025
https://www.army.mil/article/282355/7_soldiers_from_korean_vietnam_wars_receive_medals_of_honor
Live Whole Health
#255: Living with purpose: Intent for the New Year – January
6, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137513/live-whole-health-255-living-with-purpose-intent-for-the-new-year/
Bill would make
it easier for veterans who signed secrecy oaths for covert ops to obtain back
benefits – January 6, 2025
https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2025-01-06/veterans-secret-experiments-health-benefits-16396852.html
Improving
accessibility for Veterans through innovation.
Edward Hogg saw a Veteran in the cafeteria with a problem – January 7,
2025
https://news.va.gov/137418/improving-accessibility-for-veterans-innovation/
Veterans receive
free access to small business training.
Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families
provides free resources to Veteran entrepreneurs – January 7, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137543/veterans-receive-free-small-business-training/
Bill Expanding Veterans’ Health Care, Benefits Becomes
Law – January 7, 2025
https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/bill-expanding-veterans-health-care-benefits-becomes-law
How Veterans
preference can make a difference in your application –
January 7, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137116/veterans-preference-make-difference-application/
On January 7, the
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Donald
W. Downing, 33, killed during the Vietnam War, was accounted for on Dec. 20,
2024.
https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt00000001UjVEAU
Biden Has More
Veterans to Pardon Before Leaving Office.
The President should make history by wiping the slate clean for the
300,000 former soldiers who served at home and broad after 9/11 but received
less than honorable discharges. – January 7, 2025
https://progressive.org/op-eds/biden-has-more-veterans-to-pardon-before-leaving-office-gordon-early-20250107/
VA makes several
cancers presumptive for service connection – lowering the burden of proof for
Veterans to receive no-cost health care and earned benefits – January 8, 2025
https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-makes-several-cancers-presumptive-for-service-connection-lowering-the-burden-of-proof-for-veterans-to-receive-no-cost-health-care-and-earned-benefits/
Inspection of
Pacific District 5 Vet Center Operations – January 8, 2025
https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/vet-center-inspection-program/inspection-pacific-district-5-vet-center-operations
Healthcare
Facility Inspection of the VA Chillicothe Healthcare System in Ohio – January
8, 2025
https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/hotline-healthcare-inspection/healthcare-facility-inspection-va-chillicothe-healthcare
Healthcare
Facility Inspection of the VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo –
January 8, 2025
https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/healthcare-facility-inspection/healthcare-facility-inspection-va-western-new-york
VA’s Office of
Emergency Management responds to urgent situation. “They responded quickly and had exactly what
we needed.” – January 8, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137554/vas-office-of-emergency-management-responds-to-urgent-situation/
Connect with your
community this winter. VA’s Million
Veteran Program shares ways to feel involved in your community – January 8,
2025
https://news.va.gov/137422/connect-with-your-community-this-winter/
Veterans Affairs
Life Insurance (VALife) celebrates year two.
Celebrating two years of protecting those that matter most – January 8,
2025
https://news.va.gov/137514/veterans-affairs-life-insurance-valife-celebrates-year-two/
Incorporating
Equity into Implementation Science: A Health Equity Adaptation to the
Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Implementation Strategy – January 8, 2025
https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/for_researchers/cyber_seminars/archives/video_archive.cfm?SessionID=7675
Outgoing VA chief
meets with Trump's 'very serious' transition team to discuss budget shortfall,
other issues. Secretary Denis McDonough
shares concerns about staffing with Trump's VA team, which is making dozens of
requests for information during transition period. – January 8, 2025
https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/01/outgoing-va-chief-meets-trumps-very-serious-transition-team-discuss-budget-shortfall-other-issues/402037/
Veterans Can
Learn to Write Their Service Story as Part of This Publisher's Military Memoir
Project – January 8, 2025
https://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/veterans-can-learn-write-their-service-story-part-of-publishers-military-memoir-project.html
Sports4Vets
registration season is here. Shoot your
shot: Play strong in 2025 - January 9, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137481/sports4vets-registration-season-is-here/
Marine Veteran
creates dance to honor her late husband.
Dancing to breathe again – January 9, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137425/marine-veteran-dance-honor-her-late-husband/
US Veterans
Receive Major Health Care Boost – January 9, 2025
https://www.newsweek.com/us-veterans-receive-major-health-care-boost-2012126
Bringing services
closer to Veterans with mobile care.
VA’s mobile orthotic and prosthetic care program expands care for
Veterans – January 10, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137555/bringing-services-closer-with-mobile-care/
Honoring
Veterans: Coast Guard Veteran Alvin O’Brien – January 10, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137626/honoring-veterans-coast-guard-veteran-alvin-obrien/
Art therapy helps
Veterans process complex emotions. “I
went in, got into the program and loved it.” – January 10, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137435/art-therapy-helps-veterans-process-emotions/
A pharmacist
career is waiting for you at VA.
National Pharmacist Day is Jan. 12 – January 10, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137135/a-pharmacist-career-is-waiting-for-you-at-va/
Veteran
homelessness reaches record low, decreasing by 7.5% since 2023. Veteran homelessness decreased in 2024, a
result of actions taken by VA – January 11, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137562/veteran-homelessness-reaches-record-low-2023/
Veteran-centered
innovation at 2024 VA Innovation Experience.
Event spotlights innovative solutions improving the lives of Veterans – January
11, 2025
https://news.va.gov/137429/veteran-centered-2024-va-innovation-experience/
Veteran’s path
from homeless to homeowner. VA gives
Army Reserve Veteran the support she needs to get back on track – January 12,
2025
https://news.va.gov/137594/veterans-path-from-homeless-to-homeowner/
