(Thanks to Steve Salkof for this)
For ALL my Non military FRIENDS out there, this may or
may not help you understand those of us that served in the Military.
We Are Veterans.
We left home at a very young age for an unknown
adventure.
We loved our country enough to defend it and protect it
with our own lives.
We said goodbye to friends and family and everything we
knew.
We learned the basics and then we scattered in the wind
to the far corners of the Earth.
We found new friends and new family.
We became brothers and sisters regardless of color, race
or creed.
We had plenty of good times, and plenty of bad times.
We didn’t get enough sleep.
We smoked and drank too much.
We picked up both good and bad habits.
We worked hard and played harder.
We didn’t earn a great wage.
We experienced the happiness of mail call and the sadness
of missing important events.
We didn’t know when, or even if, we were ever going to
see home again.
We grew up fast, and yet somehow, we never grew up at
all.
We fought for our freedom, as well as the freedom of
others.
Some of us saw actual combat, and some of us didn’t.
Some of us saw the world, and some of us didn’t.
Some of us dealt with physical warfare, most of us dealt
with psychological warfare.
We have seen and experienced and dealt with things that
we can’t fully describe or explain, as not all of our sacrifices were physical.
We participated in time honored ceremonies and rituals
with each other, strengthening our bonds and camaraderie.
We counted on each other to get our job done and
sometimes to survive it at all.
We have dealt with victory and tragedy.
We have celebrated and mourned.
We lost a few along the way.
When our adventure was over, some of us went back home,
some of us started somewhere new and some of us never came home at all.
We have told amazing and hilarious stories of our
exploits and adventures.
We share an unspoken bond with each other, that most
people don’t experience, and few will understand.
We speak highly of our own branch of service, and poke
fun at the other branches.
We know however, that, if needed, we will be there for
our brothers and sisters and stand together as one, in a heartbeat.
Being a veteran is something that had to be earned, and
it can never be taken away.
It has no monetary value, but at the same time it is a
priceless gift.
People see a veteran and they thank them for their
service.
When we see each other, we give that little upwards head
nod, or a slight smile, knowing that we have shared and experienced things that
most people have not.
So, from myself to the rest of the veterans out there, I
commend and thank you for all that you have done and sacrificed for your
country.
Try to remember the good times and forget the bad times.
Share your stories.
But most importantly, stand tall and proud, for you have
earned the right to be called a Veteran. 🇺🇸
If you are a veteran, please copy, paste, and share.
Former VA Hospital Nursing Assistant Admits to Murdering
Seven Veterans and Assault with Intent to Commit Murder of an Eighth
Russian bounties on American troops further strain
Trump’s bond with veterans
LEARN ABOUT VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS
Let's talk about Morgan Bullock and cultural exchange....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkiO-WI5htY
VA social workers’ duty was challenging and sad: A final
connection was important for the Veteran, his wife and their family
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76917/va-social-workers-duty-challenging-sad/
20 (more!) little known facts about VA medical centers:
Learn about the history of VA medical centers, where 9 million Veterans across
the nation receive health care
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76712/20-little-known-facts-va-medical-centers-2/
Preserving the legacy of Veterans buried in unmarked
graves
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76872/preserving-legacy-veterans-buried-unmarked-graves/
#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Marvin D. Kellem IV
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76732/veteranoftheday-army-veteran-marvin-d-kellem-iv/
'Not made of steel': Navy vet
recounts beating by fed officers
‘They just started whaling on me’: Veteran speaks out
after video of federal officers beating him at Portland protests goes
viral. ‘I stood my ground at that point
and just stayed there,’ Christopher David, 53, told The Independent
A Navy vet asked federal officers in Portland to remember
their oaths. Then they broke his hand.
Because of efforts to keep veterans, their families and
spectators as safe as possible, the 6th Annual Philadelphia Veterans Parade
& Festival scheduled for Sunday, November 8th will no longer be held in
person. Although we will not be able to gather in the same way we have in the
past, we are planning on taking our celebration of Veterans online this year
for a one-of-a-kind virtual parade experience.
https://www.phillyveteransparade.org/
#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Clayton Hinchman
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76747/veteranoftheday-army-veteran-clayton-hinchman/
Help World War II hero and former Sen. Bob Dole celebrate
his 97th birthday
Wilkie: 'Trump is the first president since 1890s' to
recognize veteran suicide crisis
Lawmakers Want Medals, Not Certificates, to Honor
Veterans Involved in Nuclear Testing
Veterans' Care, Education and 'Anti-Racism' - Hosted by
James E King III
VA would be forced to add three illnesses to Agent Orange
presumptive list under Senate-passed plan
White House responsible for delayed decision on new Agent
Orange diseases, documents show
Gray Ghost Solutions Webinar: Operator Syndrome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtZVXijo1jI
Bucks County Man Pleads Guilty to Faking a Military
Career as a Navy SEAL, Stealing from the Government, and Straw Purchasing
Firearms
Alleged Deficiencies within the Cardiac Telemetry
Monitoring Service at the Nashville VA Medical Center in Tennessee
https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-20-00513-216.pdf
BREAKING: TESTER’S LANDMARK BILL TO PROVIDE BENEFITS TO
VETS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE PASSES SENATE.
After urging support for his amendment on the Senate floor, Senator
successfully passes legislation as part of the must-pass annual defense bill
https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7596
BREAKING: Tester’s Landmark Bill to Provide Benefits to
Vets Exposed to Agent Orange Passes Senate
After urging support for his amendment on the Senate
floor, Senator successfully passes legislation as part of the must-pass annual
defense bill
S.4049 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2021. 07/23/2020 - Passed Senate
with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 86 - 14. Record Vote Number: 140.
S.Amdt.2417 Notwithstanding the passage of S. 4049 and the adoption of
amendment SA 2301 to S. 4049, the instruction line for amendment SA 2417 is
modified by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4449; text: CR S4449)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/4049
H.R.3535 - GI Bill Work Study Improvement Act of 2019.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3535
H.R.3504 - Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive
Housing Improvement Act of 2019. Passed
in the Senate and the House.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3504
S.3637 - A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief
Act to extend lease protections for servicemembers under stop movement orders
in response to a local, national, or global emergency, and for other purposes. Passed in the Senate and the House.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/3637
H.R.6395 - William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.
Passed the House. House Defense
Bill Contains Mare Island Cemetery Provision
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6395
Atlanta man arraigned for embezzling over $200,000 from
his disabled father’s VA account
Christopher McKee Author Chat - Ungentle Goodnights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt_VROp26ik
Bruno D, former Nazi SS concentration camp guard,
convicted in Germany
World Jewish Congress: Conviction of former Nazi guard
for 5,232 counts of murder long overdue
VA opposes bill to grant dental care to all veterans
94% of veterans at VA don't qualify for dental care. VA
opposes Congress changing that.
https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/congress-considers-expanding-veterans-affairs-dental-care
David Goggins: SEAL, Endurance Athlete
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77222/david-goggins-seal-endurance-athlete/
#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Melissa Margain
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76822/veteranoftheday-army-veteran-melissa-margain/
VA, caregivers work together to help ailing Veterans
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77002/va-helps-caregivers-for-veterans/
Live Whole Health: Self-care episode #40 – Mindful Body
Scan
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77179/live-whole-health-self-care-episode-40-mindful-body-scan/
Vets With TBI, Mental Health Issues Drink More Often than
Peers, Study Finds
Fourth Lawsuit Filed in VA Hospital Deaths in West
Virginia
House OKs Free National Park Access for Gold Star
Families
Former cavalry scout faces 10-years in prison over IED
found by FBI at his apartment
Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection of the Kansas City VA
Medical Center in Missouri
https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-06850-208.pdf
On July 7, 2020, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
(DPAA) identified the remains of First Lieutenant Alva Ray Krogman, missing
from the Vietnam War.
https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000BTaGEAW
Congress approves bill giving federal support to veterans
treatment courts
Lawmakers call for military changes after Vanessa
Guillen’s death
Documents from the MACV Command Historian's Collection
Now Available Digitally: The US Army announced this week that historically
significant papers from the 1960-70s Vietnam era are now available for review
and research online. The documents are part of the Military Assistance
Command-Vietnam Command Historian's Collection at the U.S. Army Heritage and
Education Center. This unique holding reveals much about all levels of the
simultaneous high intensity and irregular warfare efforts in Southeast Asia,
and the joint, combined, and interagency coordination occurring behind the
scenes. The MACV collection is just one of the 5,600 manuscript collections the
USA Heritage EC is digitizing in the first effort to make available the
historical materials that enhance and guide our understanding of current and
future national security issues.
https://arena.usahec.org/web/arena
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Application Summaries and
Coding Decisions. First Biannual, 2020
Coding Cycle for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and Accessories; Orthotics,
Prosthetics (O & P), and Supplies
VFW Action Corps Weekly July 24, 2020
https://www.vfw.org/advocacy/grassroots-efforts/vfw-action-corps-weekly
Hal Roesch II Elected VFW’s New National Commander: ‘Our
VFW remains the resilient force it has always been’
Statement of Patrick Murray, Director, National
Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States For the
Record United States House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
With Respect To Pending Legislation
LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON: H.R. 6039; H.R. 6082 ;H.R.
4908;H.R. 2791; H.R. 4526; H.R. 3582 ; H.R. 96 ; H.R. 4281; H.R. 3010 ; H.R.
7163; H.R. 7111; H.R. 2435; H.R. 7287; H.R. 3228; H.R. 6141; H.R. 6493 ; H.R.
7445; DISCUSSION DRAFT – BURIAL EQUITY FOR GUARDS AND RESERVES ACT OF 2020;
DISCUSSION DRAFT – TO AMEND TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE, TO EXTEND CERTAIN
EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS TO MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD WHO PERFORM
STATE ACTIVE DUTY, AND DISCUSSION DRAFT – TO AMEND TITLE 38, UNITED STATES
CODE, TO CLARIFY THE SCOPE OF PROCEDURAL RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED
SERVICES WITH RESPECT TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
Chairman Moran Holds Roundtable Discussion with Minority
Veterans
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and WVTF
Joint Hearing: Ending Sexual Harassment at VA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX2meEtO1xA&feature=youtu.be&t=582
SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Inconsistent and Incomplete Policies
and Information Hinder VA's Efforts to Protect Employees
https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-20-387?mobile_opt_out=1#summary_recommend
Voting assistance for Service members, their families and
overseas citizens
Managing VBA Performance & Results
https://www.benefits.va.gov/benefits/stakeholder.asp
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that returning
home for burial with full military honors is: Army Pfc. Glenn E. Collins. Read about
Collins.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that
returning home for burial with full military honors is: Marine Corps Pfc. John
P. Langan. Read about
Langan.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
https://www.research.va.gov/topics/tbi.cfm
Chemo care continues through COVIDL: Veterans continue
receiving needed cancer treatments
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77110/chemo-care-continues-covid/
Study: Men with HIV at greater risk of abnormal lung
function
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77182/study-men-with-hiv-at-greater-risk-of-abnormal-lung-function/
VA hiring housekeeping staff: immediate need to fill
positions nationwide: VA is seeking housekeeping staff to fill numerous,
immediate openings at health care facilities in Boston and across the country
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77186/housekeeping-staff/
#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Sean P. Carson
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76826/veteranoftheday-navy-veteran-sean-p-carson/
Eight reasons parents love working at VA: In honor of
National Parents’ Day, here are eight ways VA helps provide work-life balance
and provides the support that parents need while raising their kids.
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77078/vaforparents/
Twenty years a Veteran, 30 years as doctor to Veterans
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77233/twenty-years-veteran-30-years-doctor-veteran/
#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Vale Harless
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76838/veteranoftheday-army-veteran-vale-harless/
Are you in need of helpful ideas for coping and
self-care? Listen to the VA Caregiver
Support Line Telephone Education Group of the Month at:
https://www.caregiver.va.gov/support-line/presentations.asp
Deficiencies in the Quality Review Team Program
https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-07054-174.pdf
The Systematic Technical Accuracy Review Program Has Not
Adequately Identified and Corrected Claims-Processing Deficiencies
https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-19-07059-169.pdf
DMVA: Veterans Benefits Continue to be Available During
COVID-19
https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Military-and-Veteran-Affairs-Details.aspx?newsid=450
PA Veterans Homes-Specific COVID-19 Updates: The PA
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ highest priority has been, and
remains, the health and safety of the nearly 1,300 residents we serve and the
dedicated staff who serve them. Please review the information below to learn
how our six Veterans Homes continue to serve Pennsylvania veterans during
COVID-19.
https://www.dmva.pa.gov/Pages/PAVeteransHomesSpecificCOVID19Updates.aspx
The Southeastern Veterans' Center in Spring City (Chester
County) is hiring. Immediate positions are available for Registered Nurse
Supervisor, Nurse Manager, LPNs, CNAs, and Nurse Aide Trainees
At the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs, we currently have immediate openings for rewarding careers in nursing
across Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs is looking for a dedicated individual to oversee Medical Records
services at the Gino J. Merli Veterans' Center (GMVC) in Scranton. The GMVC
provides state-of-the-art care, treatment and stimulating recreational
activities to PA veterans and their spouses in a homelike atmosphere. "We
care for our veterans" is not only our philosophy, it is our commitment!
You can be part of this amazing mission by applying today or call 570-961-4307
for more information.
Pennsylvania's adjutant general and head of the
Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) is calling for
nominations for the DMVA Hall of Fame 2020. Election to the Hall of Fame is the
department's most auspicious honor that is conferred upon an individual for
monumental achievements contributing to the DMVA or Pennsylvania National
Guard.
VA Teams Up with Nonprofit to Provide COVID-19 Quarantine
Kits to Veterans
Mental health and suicide prevention during COVID-19:
Strategies to protect your family and prevent suicide
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76827/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-during-covid-19/
VA expands funding for emergency response for Veterans
experiencing or at risk of homelessness during COVID-19 pandemic
https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5487
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Experience
Live (VetXL): Hiring Together – live Q&A with VA and partners now hiring
Veterans and Spouses. What are your questions?
VA INTERMEDIATE CARE TECHNICIAN (ICT) PROGRAM
https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Careers/IntermediateCare
Apprenticeship Pilot for Transitioning Service Members
Will Boost Career Skills
Pursue a Future As a Nurse at VA
https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Content/Documents/Print/VHA_Nurses_1022_ExternalFlyer_508c.pdf
Veterans Breakfast Club Webinar:
- Every Monday at 7 p.m. and every Wednesday at 1 p.m.
- Contact Ellie DePastino at
ellie@veteransbreakfastclub.com
- Veterans share their stories and take questions from a
live online audience.
- To access the live-streamed events visit
VA Welcome Kit - All of the VA benefits and services
available in one place
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZvITWcWutE
Veterans benefits 2020: Most popular state benefit
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76439/veterans-benefits-2020-popular-state-benefit/
How VA encourages providers to care for their own mental
health: VA helps employees, especially frontline health care providers, focus
on their mental health during this challenging time
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77084/mental-health-for-providers/
Veterans Yoga Project offers daily resources to support
recovery and well-being
#VeteranOfTheDay Air Force Veteran Sherry Byard
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/76801/veteranoftheday-air-force-veteran-sherry-byard/
Some tips to help you sleep: Ask your VA provider for
help with insomnia
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/77092/tips-help-sleep/
They Hit This Navy Vet with Batons. He Didn't Give an
Inch
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