Thought for the day;

Life is a delicate balance of yin and yang but when we surrender to the universal flow and absorb the lessons and love from our experiences and encounters, we fulfill our soul purpose.

FW: Merry Christmas

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

Subject: Fwd: Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas!  A Nativity Scene was erected in a church yard. During the night the folks came across this scene.   An abandoned dog was looking for a comfortable, protected place to sleep. He chose baby Jesus as his comfort. No one had the heart to send him away so he was there all night.    We should all have the good sense of this dog and curl up in Jesus' lap from time to time.  This is too great not to share No one mentioned that the dog's breed is a"Shepherd!"

Keep Christ in Christmas

God Bless You

FW: MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS

Thank You

VVA Chapter 17

Member
Robert serge

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember

> Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2013 14:06:50 -0800
> To: southern@lodelink.com
> From: southern@lodelink.com
> Subject: MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
>
> MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY
>
> On Christmas Day, 1878, the New York State
> Soldiers and Sailors Home in Bath, New York,
> opened its doors for the first time, serving
> Christmas dinner to Veterans of the Civil War.
> Around that Christmas table were 25 Soldiers, who
> had fought to preserve the Union during a difficult period of divisions.
>
> By all accounts, the Home was spectacular, built
> in large measure through the leadership of the
> Grand Army of the Republic, with charitable help
> from caring New York residents and the
> communities surrounding the facility. Similar
> festive Christmas meals followed as the number of
> Veterans at Bath grew. By 1907, over 2,100
> Veterans found comfort, care, and communion there among fellow Veterans.
>
> In 1928, Bath became the last of eleven
> installations to come under the Federal
> Government’s national system of Civil War
> Soldiers Homes, which President Abraham Lincoln
> authorized during the last weeks of the Civil
> War. In 1930, when the Veterans Administration
> was established, these eleven facilities
> represented the cradle of American health care
> for Veterans, a legacy the Veterans Health Administration continues today.
>
> The bonds of service around the table at Bath
> remain important. The compassion and devotion we
> owe our Veterans will never diminish, even as the
> services we provide them grow, evolve, and
> greatly transform. Today, the spirit of
> Christmas 1878 endures through Adult Day Health
> Care, Home-Based Primary Care, Community Living
> Centers, and many other options tailored to
> Veterans' needs and preferences. Every day, some
> 134 Community Living Centers across our country
> care for nearly 10,000 resident Veterans, who
> have sacrificed for our well-being as a Nation.
>
> So as we celebrate the Holidays, let us remember
> those who broke bread together around the first
> Christmas dinner table in Bath, New
> York. Remember, as well, all the men and women
> who, in an unbroken line of service since 1775,
> have found themselves on duty during a Holiday
> Season. We at the Department of Veterans
> Affairs, some 330,000 strong, thank them, salute
> their past and present valor, and we pray for
> them and their families and all of our Veterans,
> who have so selflessly given us the gifts of freedom and liberty.
>
> Eric K. Shinseki
>

FW: VFW Legislative Alert: Help Us Continue to Fight to Remove COLA Penaltu

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

---

Subject: VFW Legislative Alert: Help Us Continue to Fight to Remove COLA Penaltu
To: rserge1@outlook.com
From: tmorris@vfw.org
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2013 16:26:57 -0500

VFW Legislative Alert: Help Us Continue to Fight to Remove COLA Penalty Take Action! Background:  Congress passed a budget deal that includes a provision that penalizes working age military retirees younger than 62 by cutting a full one percent from future cost of living adjustments (COLA).  VFW calculates that a Gunnery Sergeant or Sergeant First Class (E-7) with 20 years of service would lose more than $80,000 in income by age 62. This also unfairly punishes those who have been medically retired as a result of their wounds defending our nation.  This is totally unacceptable and will have a devastating impact on retirement benefits for retirees and survivors and jeapordizes the future value of military career benefits, while also adversely affecting recruitment, retention and our national security. The VFW is now working with members in both the House and Senate to find a bipartisan solution that will replace this unacceptable provision.  We are urging all of our members and advocates to contact thier legislators and demand they find a solution that doesn't balance the budget on the backs of our military retirees. Action Needed:  Call, email and schedule appointments with your legislators today. Tell them this should be the first priority when they return to Washington after the New Year, and that the solution cannot penalize veterans, military retirees, or jeopardize the future value of military career benefits.  Asking those who have given the most to shoulder the burden of reducing government spending is unacceptable. To locate your member in thier DC or district office, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials/ To send them an email, use the sample letter below.

If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

FW: VFW Washington Weekly, December 20, 2013

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

---

Subject: VFW Washington Weekly, December 20, 2013
To: rserge1@outlook.com
From: tmorris@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2013 16:06:17 -0500

VFW WASHINGTON WEEKLY December 20, 2013 Final Issue of the Year In This Issue: 1. Congress Approves Budget Deal with COLA Penalty 2. VFW Releases 2014 Priority Goals 3. Defense Bill Cleared for President 4. VA to Expand TBI Benefits 5. TSA Expands Precheck Program 6. Congress Home for Holiday Recess 7. Four MIAs Recovered 1. Congress Approves Budget Deal with COLA Penalty: Congress passed a two-year budget deal containing a VFW-opposed provision that penalizes working age military retirees with reduced cost-of-living adjustments, which for an E-7 retiring today would result in the loss of income of $70,000 or more by the time they turn 62. The penalty, which also affects medically-retired troops, is an automatic one-percent reduction from annual COLA increases until age 62. The VFW is now working with allies in both the House and Senate to find a bipartisan solution to overcome the COLA penalty, and in a Call to Action, we are urging all VFW members and supporters to contact their members of Congress while they are home for the holidays. VFW National Commander Bill Thien said, "We know the federal government needs to curb its spending, balance its budget and put an end to the sequester, but to penalize military retirees, especially those who have been medically retired as a result of wounds received defending this nation, is totally unacceptable." Join the VFW Call to Action today by going to http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=63034211. 2. VFW Releases 2014 Priority Goals: This week the VFW announced its 2014 Legislative Priority Goals for the second session of the 113th Congress. Each year, the priority goals come from the resolutions passed by the VFW membership at our annual National Convention. Highlights from the 2014 goals include providing advance funding for all VA programs, protecting quality of life programs for military service members, retirees and their families; improvements in transition and employment tools for separating service members and veterans; as well as continued oversight and improvement to the VA disability claims system. In 2013 alone, VFW grassroots advocates generated more than 45,000 messages to every congressional office through the VFW Action Corps on critical issues like tuition assistance, military awards, budget, health care, and Stolen Valor, all of which resulted in significant congressional action. To read more and to join us in our fight to preserve the benefits that our veterans, military and their families have earned, click here: http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2013-Articles/VFW-Releases-2014-Legislative-Priority-Goals/ For a complete list of the 2014 Legislative Priority Goals, click here: http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/2014%20Priority%20Goals%20brochure%20final%20pdf.pdf 3. Defense Bill Cleared for President: Late Thursday, the Senate passed by a vote of 84-15 FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA. The bill, HR 3304 is a bicameral compromise on funding levels as well as policy issues such as Guantanamo detainees and sexual assault in the military. If signed into law by the president, the FY 2014 defense bill would: * Increase military pay by 1 percent. * Not increase or create new TRICARE enrollment fees. It would also give almost 173,000 military retirees and family members booted from TRICARE Prime on Oct. 1 because of their distance from a military treatment facility a one-time opportunity to reenroll in Prime provided they continue living in the same ZIP code. * Add more than 30 provisions and reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice related to combatting sexual assault in the military. * Expand religious freedom provisions for chaplains and service members to include beliefs and expression of beliefs. * Create a definition of a gender-neutral occupational standards that would be used by each military service to develop the standards required for all military career designators. * Prohibit the Defense Department from initiating another base realignment and closure round. * Keep Guantanamo Bay operational, prohibits the transfer of detainees to the U.S. and the construction of detainee facilities in the U.S., and maintains limitations on detainee transfers to third countries. * Re-authorize personnel recovery authorities to plan and execute the safe recovery of U.S. personnel isolated during military and contingency operations. * And among many other initiatives, the NDAA facilitates the development of more functional, lighter and more protective body armor, as well as directs DOD to adopt and field a common camouflage utility uniform for specific combat environments for use by all service members." Read the full defense bill at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr1960pcs/pdf/BILLS-113hr1960pcs.pdf 4. VA to Expand TBI Benefits: Some veterans with traumatic brain injuries who are diagnosed with any of five other ailments will have an easier path to receive additional disability pay under new regulations developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The new regulation, which takes effect in mid-January, will help veterans living with TBI who also have Parkinson's disease, certain types of dementia, depression, unprovoked seizures or certain diseases of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. The regulation stems from a report of the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) regarding the association between TBI and the five diagnosable illnesses. Eligibility for expanded benefits will depend upon the severity of the TBI and the time between the injury causing the TBI and the onset of the second illness. However, the VA said veterans can still file a claim to establish direct service-connection for these ailments even if they do not meet the time and severity standards in the new regulation. Read more at http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2506 5. TSA Expands Precheck Program: The Transportation Security Administration has expanded its Precheck expedited screening program to all military service members, to include beginning today members of the Coast Guard. The expedited security screening benefit is now active at more than 100 participating airports when flying on nine major airlines. TSA will still continue its random security checks throughout the airport, and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening. Read more about the program at http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck 6. Congress Home for Holiday Recess: Congress closed out the 1st session of the 113th and headed home for the holidays. During the extended recess, we urge all of our advocates to schedule appointments with their legislators and discuss critical veterans and military quality of life issues. One issue that will remain in the forefront is the recent budget which contained a provision that will cut future COLA for military retiree. To read more and Take Action, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=63034211 Other key initiatives we will have our eyes on include securing advanced appropriations for all VA programs, in-state tuition for student-veterans, continued access to treatment for victims of sexual assault, protecting military quality-of-life programs and working to expand veterans' caregiver benefits. For a list of our 2014 priority goals, click here: http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/2014%20Priority%20Goals%20brochure%20final%20pdf.pdf 7. Four MIAs Recovered: The Defense POW/MIA Office recently announced the identification of remains of four soldiers who had been missing in action since the Korean War. Recovered are: * Cpl. Cletus R. Lies, Medical Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, lost Nov. 28, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for on Dec. 7, and will be buried with full military honors in Bremen, N.D., in the spring of 2014. * Sgt. 1st Class Joseph E. Gantt, Battery C, 503rd Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, lost Nov. 30, 1950, in the vicinity of Somindong, North Korea. He was accounted for on Nov. 26 and will be buried will full military honors in Inglewood, Calif. on Dec. 28. * Cpl. Joe W. Howard, 503rd Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, lost on Dec. 1, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for on Dec. 5 and will be buried with full military honors in Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 9. * Cpl. William A. Newton, 22, of Sikeston, Mo., Headquarters Service Company, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950, near Kunnu-ri, North Korea, and later learned died in February 1951 as a POW, is being buried today in Sour Lake, Texas. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories either fill out our online form by clicking here, http://www.vfw.org/Forms/Capitol-Hill-Blog-Submissions/, or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org To sign up new veterans' advocates to receive the Washington Weekly every Friday, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm

If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

FW: Your December 20 Washington Weekly

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

---

Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2013 16:08:56 -0600
From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Your December 20 Washington Weekly

December 20, 2013 Post on Facebook Congress Approves Budget Deal with COLA Penalty Congress passed a two-year budget deal containing a VFW-opposed provision that penalizes working age military retirees with reduced cost-of-living adjustments, which for an E-7 retiring today would result in the loss of income of $70,000 or more by the time they turn 62. The penalty, which also affects medically-retired troops, is an automatic one-percent reduction from annual COLA increases until age 62. The VFW is now working with allies in both the House and Senate to find a bipartisan solution to overcome the COLA penalty, and in a Call to Action, we are urging all VFW members and supporters to contact their members of Congress while they are home for the holidays. VFW National Commander Bill Thien said, "We know the federal government needs to curb its spending, balance its budget and put an end to the sequester, but to penalize military retirees, especially those who have been medically retired as a result of wounds received defending this nation, is totally unacceptable." Join the VFW Call to Action today. The VFW Releases 2014 Priority GoalsThis week, the VFW announced its 2014 Legislative Priority Goals for the second session of the 113th Congress. Each year, the priority goals come from the resolutions passed by the VFW membership at our annual National Convention. Highlights from the 2014 goals include providing advance funding for all VA programs, protecting quality of life programs for military service members, retirees and their families; improvements in transition and employment tools for separating service members and veterans; as well as continued oversight and improvement to the VA disability claims system. In 2013 alone, VFW grassroots advocates generated more than 45,000 messages to every congressional office through the VFW Action Corps on critical issues like tuition assistance, military awards, budget, healthcare and Stolen Valor, all of which resulted in significant congressional action. To read more and to join us in our fight to preserve the benefits that our veterans, military and their families have earned, click here. View a complete list of the 2014 Legislative Priority Goals. Defense Bill Cleared for PresidentLate Thursday, the Senate passed FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 84-15. The bill, H.R. 3304, is a bicameral compromise on funding levels as well as policy issues such as Guantánamo detainees and sexual assault in the military. If signed into law by the president, the FY 2014 defense bill would: Increase military pay by one-percent. Not increase or create new TRICARE enrollment fees. It would also give almost 173,000 military retirees and family members, booted from TRICARE Prime on Oct. 1 because of their distance from a military treatment facility, a one-time opportunity to reenroll in Prime provided they continue living in the same ZIP code. Add more than 30 provisions and reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice related to combatting sexual assault in the military. Expand religious freedom provisions for chaplains and service members to include beliefs and expression of beliefs. Create a definition of a gender-neutral occupational standards that would be used by each military service to develop the standards required for all military career designators. Prohibit the Defense Department from initiating another base realignment and closure round. Keep Guantanamo Bay operational, prohibits the transfer of detainees to the U.S. and the construction of detainee facilities in the U.S., and maintains limitations on detainee transfers to third countries. Re-authorize personnel recovery authorities to plan and execute the safe recovery of U.S. personnel isolated during military and contingency operations. And among many other initiatives, the NDAA facilitates the development of more functional, lighter and more protective body armor, as well as directs DOD to adopt and field a common camouflage utility uniform for specific combat environments for use by all service members." Read the full defense bill. VA to Expand TBI BenefitsSome veterans with traumatic brain injuries who are diagnosed with any of five other ailments will have an easier path to receive additional disability pay under new regulations developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The new regulation, which takes effect in mid-January, will help veterans living with TBI who also have Parkinson's disease, certain types of dementia, depression, unprovoked seizures, or certain diseases of the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. The regulation stems from a report of the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) regarding the association between TBI and the five diagnosable illnesses. Eligibility for expanded benefits will depend upon the severity of the TBI and the time between the injury causing the TBI and the onset of the second illness. However, the VA said veterans can still file a claim to establish direct service-connection for these ailments even if they do not meet the time and severity standards in the new regulation. Read more.  TSA Expands Precheck ProgramThe Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has expanded its Precheck expedited screening program to all military service members, to include, beginning today, members of the Coast Guard. The expedited security screening benefit is now active at more than 100 participating airports when flying on nine major airlines. TSA will still continue its random security checks throughout the airport, and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening. Read more about the program. Congress Home for Holiday RecessCongress closed out the first session of the 113th and headed home for the holidays. During the extended recess, we urge all of our advocates to schedule appointments with their legislators and discuss critical veterans and military quality-of-life issues. One issue that will remain in the forefront is the recent budget, which contained a provision that will cut future COLA for military retirees. To read more and take action, click here. Other key initiatives we will have our eyes on include securing advanced appropriations for all VA programs, in-state tuition for student-veterans, continued access to treatment for victims of sexual assault, protecting military quality-of-life programs and working to expand veterans' caregiver benefits. See a complete list of our 2014 Legislative Priority Goals. Four MIAs RecoveredThe Defense POW/MIA Office recently announced the identification of remains of four soldiers who had been missing in action since the Korean War. Recovered are: Cpl. Cletus R. Lies, Medical Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, lost Nov. 28, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for on Dec. 7, and will be buried with full military honors in Bremen, N.D., in the spring of 2014. Sgt. 1st Class Joseph E. Gantt, Battery C, 503rd Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, lost Nov. 30, 1950, in the vicinity of Somindong, North Korea. He was accounted for on Nov. 26 and will be buried will full military honors in Inglewood, Calif. on Dec. 28. Cpl. Joe W. Howard, 503rd Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, lost on Dec. 1, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for on Dec. 5 and will be buried with full military honors in Jacksonville, Fla., on Jan. 9. Cpl. William A. Newton, 22, of Sikeston, Mo., Headquarters Service Company, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950, near Kunnu-ri, North Korea, and later died in Feb. 1951 as a POW. He is being buried today in Sour Lake, Texas. Read more about their individual recoveries and identification. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories, fill out our online form or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. Was this Washington Weekly forwarded to you by a friend? Sign up to get your own free issue each week. — Find a Post | Contribute | About Us | Contact Us Unsubscribe | Tell A Friend © 2001 - 2013. All rights reserved. Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111 Having difficulty seeing the images in this message? View it online.

FW: VFW Washington Weekly, December 13, 2013

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

---

Subject: VFW Washington Weekly, December 13, 2013
To: rserge1@outlook.com
From: tmorris@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2013 16:02:05 -0500

VFW WASHINGTON WEEKLY December 13, 2013 In This Issue: 1. Budget Deal Penalizes Military Retirees 2. Defense Bill Update 3. House Extends Vet Programs 4. Senate Talks Disability Claims Progress 5. House Discusses Federal Contracting 6. Two MIA's Identified 1. Budget Deal Penalizes Military Retirees: By a vote of 332-94, the House passed a two-year budget deal Thursday that funds the government and temporarily ends the sequester, but at a huge financial cost to working-age military retirees younger than 62. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by the president, the provision will automatically subtract a full percentage point from annual COLA increases. For an E-7 retiring today at age 40, the cumulative loss of retirement income could exceed $80,000 by age 62. "We know the federal government needs to curb its spending, balance its budget, and put an end to the sequester, but penalizing military retirees is not the solution," said VFW National Commander Bill Thien, who said the troops view the attacks on pay and allowances, retirement and healthcare systems as a breach of faith, and a complete lack of support, understanding and appreciation for what it is they do daily for the rest of America. The Senate is expected to take up the Budget deal on Monday -- There is still time to voice your opposition to this proposal by contacting your senators at http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=63026806&queueid=10042843021 To see how your member of the House voted, go to https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/113-2013/h640 To read VFW's letter to congressional leaders, click here: http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFWorg/News_and_Events/Articles/2013_Articles/12-12-13%20-%20VFW%20Letter%20to%20Congress%20-%20Budget%20Agreement.pdf To read VFW's Press Release, click here: http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2013-Articles/VFW-Takes-COLA-Fight-to-Senate/ 2. Defense Bill Update: On Monday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) and his Senate counterpart, Carl Levin (D-Mich.), held a joint press conference to reveal details of the compromise their two committees reached on the $633 billion National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2014. The House passed HR 3304 on Thursday by a vote of 350-69. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by the president, the FY 2014 defense bill would: * Increase military pay by 1 percent. * Not increase or create new TRICARE enrollment fees. It would also give almost 173,000 military retirees and family members booted from TRICARE Prime on Oct. 1 because of their distance from a military treatment facility a one-time opportunity to reenroll in Prime provided they continue living in the same ZIP code. * Add more than 30 provisions and reforms to the Uniform Code of Military Justice related to combatting sexual assault in the military. * Expand religious freedom provisions for chaplains and service members to include beliefs and expression of beliefs. * Create a definition of a gender-neutral occupational standards that would be used by each military service to develop the standards required for all military career designators. * Prohibit the Defense Department from initiating another base realignment and closure round. * Keep Guantanamo Bay operational, prohibits the transfer of detainees to the U.S. and the construction of detainee facilities in the U.S., and maintains limitations on detainee transfers to third countries. * Re-authorize personnel recovery authorities to plan and execute the safe recovery of U.S. personnel isolated during military and contingency operations. * And among many other initiatives, the NDAA facilitates the development of more functional, lighter and more protective body armor, as well as directs DOD to adopt and field a common camouflage utility uniform for specific combat environments for use by all service members." Read the full defense bill at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr1960pcs/pdf/BILLS-113hr1960pcs.pdf. 3. House Extends Vet Programs: This week, the House cleared legislation (H.R. 3521) that would authorize 27 VA major medical facility leases that had been requested in the FY 2013/14 budget, Other legislation, H.R. 1402, extends funding for programs that were set to explore at the end of the year. They include- the reauthorization of the Veterans Transportation Service, the requirement for VA to provide service-connected nursing home care, the authority to provide VA housing assistance to homeless veterans, and the authority to allow non-VA doctors to conduct disability examinations. The bills now need to be cleared by the Senate to extend these programs to December 31, 2014. For a list of medical facility locations or more about either bill, click here: http://veterans.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-important-va-health-care-legislation-votes-to-extend-other-veterans 4. Senate Talks Disability Claims Progress: On Wednesday, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing on VA's ongoing effort to transform the disability claims system. The hearing, a follow-up to one held in March, delved into recent progress being made on claims pending longer than 125 days . Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), voiced his views alongside other committee members, that although VA has made positive strides to include recent data showing the number of claims pending longer than 125 days has dropped to just over 395,000 claims or 57 percent of the total inventory, many challenges remain. Other areas discussed included a recent IG report that found issues with provisional rating decisions reviewed at several regional offices, progress with electronic claims processing system/ VBMS and efforts to revise and update VA's rating schedule. VFW has and continues to monitor all of the changes, progress and reports regarding the disability claims process. We will continue to keep you updated here in the Washington Weekly. For more about the hearing, to include the recorded webcast, visit the Senate VA Committee website at: http://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?action=release.display&release_id=c75bff2c-a8df-49a2-ab75-15b6f34af5f8 5. House Discusses Federal Contracting: This week the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hosted a joint hearing alongside the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Workforce to discuss VA's federal contracting processes. Specifically, the committees sought to learn more about VA's reverse auction contracting award processes, through which contractors offer bids through a third party site to do business with VA. The hearing came in the wake of a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that expressed concerns over whether or not VA was receiving the best prices for its contracts through the reverse auction process. GAO called for further regulation to the process in light of the report. Most panelists throughout the hearing agreed that reverse auctioning presented some issues without proper regulation. During the hearing, VA announced that it had suspended its reverse auction processes, pending further review. To learn more about the hearing and read each witness' prepared remarks, click here: http://smallbusiness.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=362983 6. Two MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Office has announced the identification of remains belonging to two servicemen who had been missing since the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Identified are: * Army Pfc. Jerry P. Craig, 17, of Panhandle, Texas, who will be buried Dec. 19, in Leesville, La. In late November 1950, Craig was a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team, deployed along the eastern bank of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, when they were attacked by Chinese forces and forced into a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position. Craig was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950. * Air Force Col. Francis J. McGouldrick Jr. of New Haven, Conn., who is being buried today at Arlington National Cemetery. On Dec. 13, 1968, McGouldrick was on a night strike mission when his B-57E Canberra aircraft collided with another aircraft over Savannakhet Province, Laos. McGouldrick was never seen again and was listed as missing in action. Read more about their individual recoveries and identification at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/news/news_releases/. As always, we want to share your advocacy stories on the VFW Capitol Hill blog. To share your stories either fill out our online form by clicking here, http://www.vfw.org/Forms/Capitol-Hill-Blog-Submissions/, or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org To sign up new veterans' advocates to receive the Washington Weekly every Friday, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm

If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

FW: Jeopardy Question:

Robert, thought this might be some thing for the news letter.

Chad

 

ARLINGTON  CEMETERY Jeopardy Question: On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was "How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns?" All three contestants missed it! This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance . Fascinating. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps: It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary. 2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why? 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1 3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle. 4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and,if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder. 5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. 6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30. They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington   National Cemetery . A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft,Joe Lewis {the boxer} Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of  Hollywood  fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.. ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC , our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930. God Bless and keep them. I'd be very proud if this email reached as many as possible. We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

FW: ALERT: Oppose Budget Deal That Cuts Military Retiree Benefits

Blog Master

To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember 

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Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2013 10:45:05 -0600
From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: ALERT: Oppose Budget Deal That Cuts Military Retiree Benefits

VFW LEGISLATIVE ALERT OPPOSE BUDGET DEAL THAT CUTS MILITARY RETIREE BENEFITS Robert, We need you to take action—and fast. The House and Senate Budget Committee have reached a deal within the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (H.J.Res.59) that includes a proposal to cut future cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) by one percent for military retirees under age 62.  The VFW calculates that this will have a devastating impact on retirement benefits for retirees and survivors. Plus, it could jeopardize the future value of military career benefits and adversely affect recruitment, retention and our national security. Call and email your legislators today and urge them to oppose any provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (H.J.Res.59) that tries to balance the budget on the backs of our military retirees. Tell them that current and future service members are watching. And be sure to share with your friends and family. Find a Post | Contribute | About Us | Contact Us Unsubscribe | Tell A Friend © 2001 - 2013. All rights reserved. Veterans of Foreign Wars | 406 West 34th Street | Kansas City, MO 64111 Having difficulty seeing the images in this message? View it online.