FW: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 27, 2014

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

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

---

Subject: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 27, 2014

Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 15:01:20 -0400

VFW Action Corps Weekly June 27, 2014 In This Issue: 1. VFW Calls for Mexican Travel/Product Boycott 2. VFW Member Selected to Receive Medal of Honor 3. House/Senate Conferees Meet on VA Bill 4. House Holds Late Night Hearing on VA Capacity 5. VBA-VHA Medical Examinations Discussed 6. IOM Releases PTSD Study 7. WWII Marine Recovered 1. VFW Calls for Mexican Travel/Product Boycott: VFW National Commander Bill Thien this week called for a nationwide boycott of travel and products from Mexico. The purpose is to apply economic pressure on the Mexican government to release Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, who has been languishing away in a Mexican jail since he was arrested March 31 for allegedly crossing the border accidentally with three personal firearms that were legally registered in the United States but not in Mexico. Thien said the VFW twice asked President Obama to contact Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but a phone call specifically about the Marine sergeant never took place. "This is about politics, and if my government won't do anything, then I guess we need to let the power of the purse take over," said the Chief. "No products, no travel, a total boycott … then maybe a dialogue will start." 2. VFW Member Selected to Receive Medal of Honor: America's newest Medal of Honor selectee is former Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Pitts, 28, a life member of VFW Post 8862 in Vicenza, Italy. He was assigned as a forward observed with Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, in Wanat, Afghanistan. On July 13, 2008, he and his fellow paratroopers fought off a force of more than 200 enemy fighters who were attempting to overrun their observation post and vehicle patrol base. The Battle of Wanat is one of the deadliest of the war, with nine paratroopers giving their lives and 27 wounded. Read more at http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140623/NEWS/306230052/Army-staff-sergeant-will-receive-Medal-Honor-valor-Wanat. 3. House/Senate Conferees Meet on VA Bill: On Wednesday, House and Senate Conferees met to begin working out the differences between their proposals to address the VA health care crisis. It has been more than 15 years since a conference was called to discuss any VA-related legislation. All conferees spoke about their commitment to fix the VA so that all generations of veterans could receive the quality and accessible healthcare they have earned. One of the sticking points among members is how to pay for the bill. Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the proposals could cost roughly $50 billion per year. Senate VA Ranking Member Richard M. Burr (R-NC) called the numbers "grotesquely" out of line. House VA Committee Chairman, Jeff Miller (R-FL) said CBO needs to issue a new estimate, but added that the conferees will keep working to settle their differences while they wait for updated numbers. Despite differences of opinion over funding and the overall quality of care at the VA, lawmakers were hopeful they can come to a resolution. VFW urges the conferees to reach an agreement that will provide the necessary funds to resolve the scheduling and access issues, and ensure that when VA does authorize outside care, that private providers are also held to access and quality standards.   Read VFW's letter to congressional leaders outlining our views on the conferenced bill at http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/Joint%20VSO%20Letter%20on%20VA%20Access%20Legislation%20Conference%20-%20June%2017,%202014%20-%20UPDATED%20FINAL.pdf. For a list of conferees and webcast of the meeting, visit the Senate VA Committee website at http://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings/house-and-senate-veterans-affairs-conference-committee-meeting6242014. 4. House Holds Late Night Hearing on VA Capacity: Late Monday night, the House VA Committee held an oversight hearing to assess the VA's efforts to increase its capacity and efficiency within medical facilities. The hearing is one of several the committee has held to find improvements among VA practices and policies regarding access to care for veterans. At the center of the hearing was a new program entitled "VA Accelerating Access to Care Initiative." Unveiled in May, the coordinated system-wide program requires VHA facilities to systematically review clinical capacity in an effort to provide timely medical appointments to veterans. Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Ranking Member Michael Michaud (D-ME) both seemed frustrated at the lack of standardization and response to their requests about program details. The VA Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Operations, Dr. Thomas Lynch, spoke about recent issues regarding wait times and scheduling, and acknowledged that overall services within VA are being questioned. He also told committee members that "VA is committed to correcting unacceptable practices in patient scheduling, and that these practices are not consistent with values of the Department, and we are working to fix the problems." VFW believes that VA must identify the facilities where access is not meeting demand, and offer well-coordinated care outside VA when direct care cannot be provided in a timely manner. For complete information on the hearing, to include the recorded webcast, go to http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/evaluating-the-capacity-of-the-va-to-care-for-veteran-patients. 5. VBA-VHA Medical Examinations Discussed: VA's Medical Disability Examination, or MDE process, was the topic of discussion at a hearing held by the House VA Committee on Wednesday. Witnesses included representatives from both VA's Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Administration, as well as a veteran whose company provides MDE services to VA as a contractor. Committee members praised VA in its efforts to provide timely medical examinations to determine a veteran's entitlement for VA benefits, but also noted that in some areas, the focus of the backlog has come at a cost, or has increased delays to other benefits. Witnesses all agreed that a clear standard for exams needs to be set, and that a balance between contract and non-contract exams should be assessed. It is worth noting that the current national average for medical examinations for benefits purposes is 24 days, which is six days better than the VA goal of 30 days. For more, click on http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/vba-and-vha-interactions-ordering-and-conducting-medical-examinations. 6. IOM Releases PTSD Study: The Institute of Medicine recently released its final assessment on Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military and Veteran Populations. The report was mandated as a part of the FY 2010 national defense act and requires IOM to assess PTSD programs and services within the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The study evaluated collaborative efforts of the two departments and provided a scientific overview of neurobiology of PTSD. They also made recommendations in their assessments. The full report can be viewed online at http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2014/Treatment-for-Posttraumatic-Stress-Disorder-in-Military-and-Veteran-Populations-Final-Assessment.aspx. 7. WWII Marine Recovered: The Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of remains belonging to Marine Corps Pfc. Randolph Allen, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, who was lost on Tarawa on Nov. 20, 1943. He was accounted for on June 17 and will be buried with full military honors tomorrow in Arlington National Cemetery. To sign up new veterans' advocates, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm 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.

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

FW: Your June 20 Action Corps Weekly

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

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

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Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:37:23 -0500
From: friendsoffreedom@vfw.org

Subject: Your June 20 Action Corps Weekly

June 20, 2014 Post on Facebook VA Access Bill Headed to Conference On Thursday, House and Senate lawmakers voted to send legislation aimed at fixing VA care and access issues to a conference committee. Discussions had started on the bills differences, but House Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) said that the complicated and highly technical nature of the issues required a formal conference to "smooth out the differences" between the two chambers. Senate VA Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) agreed that members need an opportunity to discuss differences and get this right for veterans and their families. Earlier this week, the VFW, along with 19 of our VSO community partners, sent a letter to House and Senate VA leaders outlining our views on the conferenced bill. Action Needed: If your legislator is one of the conferees listed below, we urge you to call them and tell them the VFW is demanding that conferees reach an agreement that will provide the necessary resources to resolve the scheduling and access issues and ensure that VA will be the guarantor of care when care is provided outside VA. If your Senator or Representative is not on the committee, stay informed. Congress will vote on the final bill, and we need you to ensure they vote correctly. Locate your legislators. House Conferees include: VA Chairman Jeff Miller of Florida, Ranking Member Mike Michaud of Maine, Phil Roe of Tennessee, Bill Flores of Texas, Dan Benishek of Michigan, Mike Coffman of Colorado, Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, Jackie Walorski of Indiana, Corrine Brown of Florida, Julia Brownley of California, Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, and Tim Walz of Minnesota. Senate Conferees include: VA Chairman Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Ranking Member Richard Burr of North Carolina, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Patty Murray of Washington, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jon Tester of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, John McCain of Arizona, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and Marco Rubio of Florida. House VA Committee Discusses Fee Based CareOn Wednesday, The House VA Committee heard testimony from witnesses whose companies provide care to veterans outside the VA healthcare system. Representatives from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Health Net Federal Services and Cary Medical Center in Maine all commented that they provide a diverse set of services to augment care received within VA—when and where VA may not be able to provide that service to veterans. David McIntyre, President and CEO of TriWest, spoke about their contract with VA to provide a network of coordinated care through VA's new Patient Centered Community Care (PC3) program. The VFW submitted testimony for the record and relayed our support for the PC3 program, stating that the contract requirements of the program mark a significant improvement over the old fee basis system, which lacked coordination and quality controls. We also urged Congress to address current healthcare issues within VA by using all available tools to provide timely access to care to include non-VA care when necessary. Read our testimony. For all information pertaining to the hearing, click here. The VFW Supported Legislation Introduced in the SenateSenator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently introduced a bill that would allow traumatic events that do not immediately cause injuries to be entered into service members' medical records. All too often, veterans are unable to prove that they were exposed to events like IED blasts and witnessing combat losses when later seeking care and benefits from DOD and VA. Senator Brown's bill, S. 2368, the Fairman Significant Event Tracker (SET) Act of 2014, would solve that problem by establishing a way for small unit leaders to submit reports on traumatic events experienced by individuals under their commands at the conclusion of each mission. The idea for the SET was originally proposed by VFW member Mike Fairman, a Navy Corpsman and Afghanistan veteran from Ohio, and the VFW worked closely with Senator Brown on the final language of the bill. Read more about the bill from Senator Brown. VA Calls for Monthly Review of FacilitiesThis week, Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson announced that he has directed all VA Medical Center and Health Care System Directors to conduct monthly in-person interviews of scheduling practices in every clinic within their jurisdictions. Site inspections will include observing daily processes and interacting with scheduling staff to ensure all policies are being followed to deliver timely access to care to all veterans. In addition to the monthly reviews of over 900 VA facilities, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISNs) Directors will also be conducting similar site visits to at least one medical center within their area every 30 days with the goal of completing visits to all medical centers in their network every 90 days. Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Open The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the launch of its airborne hazards and burn pit registry. All veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti and the Gulf War are encouraged to participate, and you need not be enrolled in VA's healthcare system to do so. The registry is intended to be an epidemiological research tool with examinations helping to enhance VA's understanding of any identified long-term adverse health effects of exposure to burn pits and other airborne hazards during deployment—ultimately leading to better healthcare. Veterans should sign up now for a Department of Defense Self-Service Logon (DS-Logon) in preparation for the launch of the registry. More information about the registry and the DS-Logon can be found here. Retired USMC Cpl. Receives Medal of HonorThe President awarded the nation's highest military medal on Thursday to retired Marine Corps Cpl. William "Kyle" Carpenter for his actions while deployed in Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2010. He became the third Marine and the 15th overall recipient of the medal for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. On Nov. 21, 2010, Taliban insurgents initiated an attack on Carpenter's squad, part of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment. Carpenter, the squad automatic rifleman for his fire team, and Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio were holding a rooftop security position when a hand grenade was thrown their way. Without hesitation, Carpenter reacted, rushing toward the grenade in an attempt to shield his brother-in-arms from the blast. Carpenter and Eufrazio survived the attack but not without sustaining severe injuries. After two and a half years recuperating at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Carpenter was medically retired from the Marine Corps on July 30, 2013, and is now a full-time student at the University of South Carolina. Read more. DOD Identifies 19 Missing Service MembersThe Defense POW/MIA Office has announced the identification of remains belonging to two Korean War soldiers and 17 service members who were aboard a C-124 aircraft that crashed in Alaska. Recovered are: Army Cpl. Lucio R. Aguilar, 19, of Brownsville, Texas, was buried last Friday in Corpus Christi. On the night of Nov. 27, 1950, elements of the 25th Infantry Division and 35th Infantry Regiment established a defensive position at Yongsan-dong in North Korea. On Nov. 28, Augilar was reported missing in action after his unit was forced into a fighting withdrawal. Army Sgt. Paul M. Gordon, 20, of Dry Ridge, Ky., is being buried today in Williamstown, Ky. On Jan. 7, 1951, Gordon was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, deployed in the vicinity of Wonju, South Korea, and would be listed as missing in action following a battle against Chinese forces. In September 1953, returning U.S. service members reported that Gordon had been captured but died in a POW camp in June 1951. On Nov. 22, 1952, a C-124 Globemaster crashed while en route to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, from McChord AFB, Washington, with 11 crewmen and 41 passengers on board. Adverse weather conditions precluded immediate recovery attempts, and ensuing search parties were unable to locate or recover any of the service members.  It took until June 2012 when wreckage that appeared to be from an aircraft would be spotted. The 17 identified so far are: Army Lt. Col. Lawrence S. Singleton, and Pvts. James Green, Jr., and Leonard A. Kittle; Marine Corps Maj. Earl J. Stearns; Navy Cmdr. Albert J. Seeboth; Air Force Cols. Noel E. Hoblit and Eugene Smith, Capt. Robert W. Turnbull, 1st Lts. Donald Sheda and William L. Turner, Tech. Sgt. Engolf W. Hagen, Staff Sgt. James H. Ray, Airman 1st Class Marion E. Hooton, Airmen 2nd Class Carroll R. Dyer, Thomas S. Lyons and Thomas C. Thigpen, and Airman 3rd Class Howard E. Martin. Read more. Sign up new veterans' advocates. 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 Action Corps 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 - 2014. 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 Action Corps Weekly, June 20, 2014

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

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

---

Subject: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 20, 2014

Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:01:47 -0400

VFW Action Corps Weekly June 20, 2014 In this Issue: 1. VA Access Bill Headed to Conference 2. House VA Committee Discusses Fee Based Care 3. VFW Supported Legislation Introduced in the Senate 4. VA Calls for Monthly Review of Facilities 5. Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Open 6. Retired USMC Cpl. Receives Medal of Honor 7. DOD Identifies 19 Missing Services Members 1. VA Access Bill Headed to Conference: On Thursday, House and Senate lawmakers voted to send legislation aimed at fixing VA care and access issues to a conference committee. Discussions had started on the bills differences, but House Committee Chairman, Jeff Miller (R-FL) said that the complicated and highly technical nature of the issues required a formal conference to "smooth out the differences" between the two chambers. Senate VA Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) agreed that members need an opportunity to discuss differences and get this right for veterans and their families. Earlier this week, the VFW, along with 19 of our VSO community partners, sent a letter to House and Senate VA leaders outlining our views on the conferenced bill. http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/Joint%20VSO%20Letter%20on%20VA%20Access%20Legislation%20Conference%20-%20June%2017,%202014%20-%20UPDATED%20FINAL.pdf Action Needed: If your legislator is one of the conferees listed below, we urge you to call them and tell them the VFW is demanding that conferees reach an agreement which will provide the necessary resources to resolve the scheduling and access issues and ensure that VA will be the guarantor of care when care is provided outside VA. If your Senator or Representative is not on the committee, stay informed. Congress will vote on the final bill, and we need you to ensure they vote correctly. To locate your legislators DC and District contact information click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials/ House Conferees include: VA Chairman Jeff Miller of Florida, Ranking Member, Mike Michaud of Maine, Phil Roe of Tennessee, Bill Flores of Texas, Dan Benishek of Michigan, Mike Coffman of Colorado, Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, Jackie Walorski of Indiana, Corrine Brown of Florida, Julia Brownley of California, Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona, and Tim Walz of Minnesota. Senate Conferees include: VA Chairman Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Ranking Member, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Patty Murray of Washington, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jon Tester of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, John McCain of Arizona, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and Marco Rubio of Florida. 2. House VA Committee Discusses Fee Based Care: On Wednesday, The House VA Committee heard testimony from witnesses whose companies provide care to veterans outside the VA healthcare system. Representatives from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Health Net Federal Services and Cary Medical Center in Maine all commented that they provide a diverse set of services to augment care received within VA - when and where VA may not be able to provide that service to veterans. David McIntyre, President and CEO of TriWest spoke about their contract with VA to provide a network of coordinated care through VA's new Patient Centered Community Care (PC3) program. The VFW submitted testimony for the record and relayed our support for the PC3 program, stating that the contract requirements of the program mark a significant improvement over the old fee basis system, which lacked coordination and quality controls. We also urged Congress to address current health care issues within VA by using all available tools to provide timely access to care to include non-VA care when necessary. To read our testimony, http://www.vfw.org/VFW-in-DC/Congressional-Testimony/Non-VA-Care--An-Integrated-Solution-for-Veteran-Access/ For all information pertaining to the hearing, click here: http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/non-va-care-an-integrated-solution-for-veteran-access 3. VFW Supported Legislation Introduced in the Senate: Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently introduced a bill that would allow traumatic events that do not immediately cause injuries to be entered into service members' medical records. All too often, veterans are unable to prove that they were exposed to events like IED blasts and witnessing combat losses when later seeking care and benefits from DOD and VA. Senator Brown's bill, S. 2368, the Fairman Significant Event Tracker (SET) Act of 2014, would solve that problem by establishing a way for small unit leaders to submit reports on traumatic events experienced by individuals under their commands at the conclusion of each mission. The idea for the SET was originally proposed by VFW member Mike Fairman, a Navy Corpsman and Afghanistan veteran from Ohio, and the VFW worked closely with Senator Brown on the final language of the bill. To read more about the bill from Senator Brown, click here: http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/in-struthers-sen-brown-announces-plan-that-would-make-it-easier-for-veterans-with-war-related-injuries-to-claim-benefits 4. VA Calls for Monthly Review of Facilities: This week, Acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson announced that he has directed all VA Medical Center and Health Care System Directors to conduct monthly in-person interviews of scheduling practices in every clinic within their jurisdictions. Site inspections will include observing daily processes and interacting with scheduling staff to ensure all policies are being followed to deliver timely access to care to all veterans. In addition to the monthly reviews of over 900 VA facilities, Veterans Integrated Service Network Directors (VISNs) will also be conducting similar site visits to at least one medical center within their area every 30 days with the goal of completing visits to all medical centers in their network every 90 days. 5. Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Open: The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the launch of its airborne hazards and burn pit registry. All veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, and the Gulf War are encouraged to participate, and you need not be enrolled in VA's health care system to do so. The registry is intended to be an epidemiological research tool with examinations helping to enhance VA's understanding of any identified long-term adverse health effects of exposure to burn pits and other airborne hazards during deployment ---ultimately leading to better health care. Veterans should sign-up now for a Department of Defense Self-Service Logon (DS-Logon) in preparation for the launch of the registry. More information about the registry and the DS-Logon can be found at: https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/#page/home 6. Retired USMC Cpl. Receives Medal of Honor: The president awarded the nation's highest military medal on Thursday to retired Marine Corps Cpl. William "Kyle" Carpenter for his actions while deployed in Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2010. He became the third Marine and the 15th overall recipient of the medal for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. On Nov. 21, 2010, Taliban insurgents initiated an attack on Carpenter's squad, part of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment. Carpenter, the squad automatic rifleman for his fire team, and Lance Cpl. Nicholas Eufrazio, were holding a rooftop security position when a hand grenade was thrown their way. Without hesitation, Carpenter reacted, rushing toward the grenade in an attempt to shield his brother-in-arms from the blast. Carpenter and Eufrazio survived the attack but not without sustaining severe injuries. After two and a half years recuperating at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Carpenter was medically retired from the Marine Corps on July 30, 2013, and is now a full-time student at the University of South Carolina. Read more at http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=122515&source=GovDelivery. 7. DOD Identifies 19 Missing Service Members: The Defense POW/MIA Office has announced the identification of remains belonging to two Korean War soldiers and 17 service members who were aboard a C-124 aircraft that crashed in Alaska. Recovered are: * Army Cpl. Lucio R. Aguilar, 19, of Brownsville, Texas, was buried last Friday in Corpus Christi. On the night of Nov. 27, 1950, elements of the 25th Infantry Division and 35th Infantry Regiment established a defensive position at Yongsan-dong in North Korea. On Nov. 28, Augilar was reported missing in action after his unit was forced into a fighting withdrawal. * Army Sgt. Paul M. Gordon, 20, of Dry Ridge, Ky., is being buried today in Williamstown, Ky. On Jan. 7, 1951, Gordon was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, deployed in the vicinity of Wonju, South Korea, and would be listed as missing in action following a battle against Chinese forces. In September 1953, returning U.S. service members reported that Gordon had been captured but died in a POW camp in June 1951. * On Nov. 22, 1952, a C-124 Globemaster crashed while en route to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, from McChord AFB, Washington, with 11 crewmen and 41 passengers on board. Adverse weather conditions precluded immediate recovery attempts, and ensuing search parties were unable to locate or recover any of the service members. It took until June 2012 when wreckage that appeared to be from an aircraft would be spotted. The 17 identified so far are: Army Lt. Col. Lawrence S. Singleton, and Pvts. James Green, Jr., and Leonard A. Kittle; Marine Corps Maj. Earl J. Stearns; Navy Cmdr. Albert J. Seeboth; Air Force Cols. Noel E. Hoblit and Eugene Smith, Capt. Robert W. Turnbull, 1st Lts. Donald Sheda and William L. Turner, Tech. Sgt. Engolf W. Hagen, Staff Sgt. James H. Ray, Airman 1st Class Marion E. Hooton, Airmen 2nd Class Carroll R. Dyer, Thomas S. Lyons and Thomas C. Thigpen, and Airman 3rd Class Howard E. Martin. Read more at: http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16781&source=GovDelivery To sign up new veterans' advocates, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm 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.

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

FW: Acting Secretary Gibson call for monthly review of VHA facilities

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

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

> From: vva17fstvice@live.com
> To: rserge1@outlook.com
> Subject: FW: Acting Secretary Gibson call for monthly review of VHA facilities
> Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 13:40:44 -0400
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> > Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2014 21:31:11 -0700
> > To: southern@lodelink.com
> > From: southern@lodelink.com
> > Subject: Acting Secretary Gibson call for monthly review of VHA facilities
> >
> > [[]]
> > Acting Secretary Gibson call for monthly review of VHA facilities
> >
> > VA Department of Veterans Affairs
> > Office of Public Affairs
> > Media Relations
> > Washington, DC 20420
> > (202) 461-7600
> >
> > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> >
> > June 18, 2014
> >
> > Acting Secretary Gibson Initiates Monthly Site Inspections Across
> > Veterans Health Facilities to Restore Integrity to Scheduling Process
> >
> > WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan D. Gibson today
> > directed all Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Medical Center and
> > Health Care System Directors to conduct monthly in-person reviews of
> > scheduling practices in every clinic within their jurisdiction. Site
> > inspections will include observing daily scheduling processes and
> > interacting with scheduling staff to ensure all policies are being
> > followed to deliver Veterans the timely care they have earned.
> >
> > "Our top priority is getting Veterans off of wait lists and into
> > clinics," said Acting Secretary Gibson. "We need our folks in the
> > facilities to work directly with staff, answer all questions, and
> > ensure our Veterans receive the timely care they have earned.
> > Veterans must trust their health care system, and these reviews are an
> > important step towards restoring integrity in all our scheduling
> > activities."
> >
> > In addition to monthly reviews of over 900 Veterans Health
> > Administration facilities nationwide, Veterans Integrated Service
> > Network Directors will also conduct similar visits to at least one
> > medical center within their area of responsibility every 30 days,
> > completing visits to all medical centers in their network every 90
> > days.
> >
> > This action follows the VA's release of results from its nationwide
> > Access Audit, along with facility-level patient access data.
> > # # #
> >
>

FW: METROs Shield of "Cambridge Neighborhood" Hope (SOH) - Car Wash Fund Raiser / Saturday-June 21 / 8am-1pm

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

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

---

Subject: METROs Shield of "Cambridge Neighborhood" Hope (SOH) - Car Wash Fund Raiser / Saturday-June 21 / 8am-1pm
From: biglew55@aol.com
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2014 14:23:21 -0400

Hello Community Supporters!

The Metropolitan Police Departments - Shield of Hope (SOH) - a Cambridge Community Neighborhood Healing, Outreach, Prevention & Enforcement Initiative...will be having a "CAR WASH - Fund Raiser" on Saturday-June 21st from 8am to 1pm at the Brake Masters at the 8080 South Eastern Avenue LV 89123 location

***VOLUNTEERS & SUPPLY DONATIONS NEEDED*** (10-20 Volunteers + towels, soap, hoses, tire and glass cleaners, etc...)

Please Contact me, Karen Lewis at 702-236-0453 or via email at biglew55@aol.com OR Officer Zach McCartin at 702-706-6772 or via email at z13956m@lvmpd.com for Additional Information, to Volunteer, Donate and/or for Purchase of Pre-Sale Tickets that are Available for Only $5.00  - per car!

*See Attachments for Additional Details

*The SOH meets every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of each month...the next SOH Meeting *Open to the Community* will be held on Tuesday-June 17th at 1pm at the Cambridge Community Recreation Center "Charleston Room" at 3930 Cambridge Street, LV-NV-89119

Thanks in Advance for Your Support

Sincerely,

Karen Lewis

Retired Air Force Veteran
SOH Volunteer & Volunteer Coordinator

Email: biglew55@aol.com

Cell: 702-236-0453

FW: Your June 13 Action Corps Weekly

Thank You

Robert Serge

VVA 17 Member

Blog Master

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

---

Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 15:06:15 -0500

Subject: Your June 13 Action Corps Weekly

June 13, 2014 Post on Facebook Congress Clears VA Bills Congress overwhelmingly passed two veterans' bills this week that will begin to fix the crisis in care and access within VA healthcare facilities. On Tuesday, the House passed (426-0), H.R. 4810, the Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014, and the Senate passed S. 2450, the Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, by a vote of 93-3 on Wednesday. Both bills now move to a conference committee to iron out their differences. Both bills would allow VA to enter into contracts with non-VA facilities to provide hospital care and medical services for veterans who have waited too long for an appointment or live more than 40 miles away from a VA facility. They also require an independent assessment of VHA which is responsible for running VA medical facilities. Where the bills differ is in how best to address holding VA employees accountable and giving VA authority to expedite the hiring of new medical care staff. VFW National Commander William A. Thien now calls on Congress for a quick resolution of the bills, so one bill can be passed and sent to the President for his signature.To check out how your House member voted, click here. For the Senate vote, click here. For the VFW press release and more information on both bills, visit our website. The VFW Holds Veteran Town Hall MeetingsIn response to the VA's nationwide crisis in care and confidence, the VFW held two town hall meetings Monday evening to hear directly from veterans about what's wrong or right about their local VA. Several hundred veterans and family members attended the meetings at a downtown theater in Kansas City, Mo., and at VFW Post 6506 in a northeast Baltimore suburb. Many veterans cited the great care and treatment the VA provided once they got access, while the majority of complaints centered on poor customer service and response, over-medication and misdiagnoses. VFW local and national service officers were present at both venues to take information and assist accordingly, and attending VFW national leadership promised to carry their issues and concerns directly to Congress and the administration. The VFW Participates in House Leadership Veterans RoundtableHouse Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi hosted the quarterly Democratic Leadership Veterans Roundtable on Tuesday, June 10, 2014. VFW National Legislative Director Ray Kelley attended and spoke of the need for Congress to come together to quickly solve the VA healthcare access crisis. Kelley pointed out that veterans, who are waiting for care, must be provided care immediately, and those who orchestrated the secret waiting lists and covered up wrong-doing must be held accountable. To date, both the House and Senate have passed their own versions of bills that will provide increased access and accountability within VA. Now both chambers must come together to take the best parts of both bills and quickly pass it. The VFW will work to keep you up-to-date on this as it develops. Florida Congressional Delegation Holds HearingOn Thursday, June 12, 2014, VFW Department of Florida Service Officer Jason Smith presented testimony before the Florida Congressional delegation, chaired by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL). The topic of the hearing was VA healthcare delivery. Jason highlighted the work the VFW has done through our national helpline—1-800-VFW-1899—and the town hall meetings that were held to hear firsthand of veterans' experiences and to assist those in immediate need of care. He also pointed out that VA capacity is not meeting demand and that every tool must be used to ensure timely, high-quality care is provide for our veterans. Read Jason's full testimony. House VA Committee Discusses Barriers to VA Care This week, the House VA Committee held a hearing to examine "Bureaucratic Barriers to Healthcare for Veterans." The hearing was scheduled in the aftermath of ongoing investigations regarding scheduling and appointment delays and in some cases denial of care to veterans. Witnesses at the hearing included Tim McClain, President, Humana Government Relations; Dan Collard, Chief Operating Officer, The Studer Group; Dr. Betsy McCaughey, Chairman, Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and VHA Acting Under Secretary Dr. Robert L. Jesse. Testimony centered on the need for an organizational cultural assessment, strong leadership and a standardization of care throughout the VA system. Mr. McClain and Mr. Collard both spoke strongly about that need to build cultures of accountability, alignment, consistency and sustainability—factors that are present in many private sector healthcare delivery models. Committee members spoke about their opportunity to revamp the system and the responsibility to get it right for the thousands of veterans using VA. Chairman Miller reminded committee members that "correcting those failures is going to take a lot more than the band-aid fixes—it is going to take wholesale systematic reform of the entire Department, starting with holding senior staff accountable." For complete coverage of the hearing, click here. Congressional Gold Medals ApprovedThe President has signed legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Doolittle Raiders, American Fighter Aces, the Allied Armies' Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives unit—better known as the "Monuments Men"—and to Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment. The Congressional Gold Medal is the nation's highest civilian honor, and is often awarded long after the recipient's mission was accomplished. Doolittle Raiders – Named after their leader, Col. Jimmy Doolittle, their bombing raid over Tokyo four months after Pearl Harbor provided a critical morale boost for the American public, proved to the Japanese they weren't invulnerable to American attack, and forced their military to shift vital resources to homeland defense. Only four of the original 80 raiders are still alive. American Fighter Aces – More than 60,000 U.S. military fighter pilots have taken to the air since World War I, yet less than 1,500 earned the coveted title of fighter ace for shooting down five or more enemy aircraft. The last American air aces were during Vietnam, and due to the evolving nature of warfare, there may not be another. The Monuments Men (and women) were artistic and architectural experts charged with the task of protecting Europe's cultural treasures in the midst of World War II. They followed soldiers into battle to preserve churches from the devastation of war, and to track down art stolen by the Nazis and return them to rightful owners. Six members of the Monuments Men are still living. 65th Infantry Regiment – Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed the Borinqueneers, were formed and served courageously during the time of a segregated military during World War I and World War II, and they later served with distinction in Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan. Clark Cemetery Transfer CompleteThe upkeep, responsibility and care of a veterans cemetery on the former Clark Air Base in the Philippines has now been officially transferred from VFW Post 2485 to the American Battle Monument Commission. The transfer of Clark Veterans Cemetery, now renamed Clark American Cemetery, fulfils VFW National Resolution 431, which was submitted by the VFW Department of the Pacific and approved by delegates attending the 113th National Convention in Reno, Nev. The American Battle Monument Commission, established by Congress in 1923, is the executive agent of American cemeteries and memorials outside the U.S. Korean War MIA IdentifiedThe Defense POW/MIA Office announced the identification of remains belonging to Army Sgt. Delbert D. Kovalcheck, 20, of E. Millsboro, Pa. In late 1950, Kovalcheck was assigned to Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Regimental Combat Team, and deployed east of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. On Nov. 29, 1950, the 31st RCT, known historically as Task Force Faith, began a fighting withdrawal to a more defensible position. Kovalcheck was reported missing in action after the battle. Read more. Sign up new veterans' advocates. 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 Action Corps Weekly forwarded to you by a friend? 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