VFW MEN'S AUXILIARY NV POST 10047

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

FW: Attorney General Laxalt Warns Nevadans of Fraudulent Veterans Charit...

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

From: LiteTank@aol.com
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2015 20:39:35 -0400
Subject: Attorney General Laxalt Warns Nevadans of Fraudulent Veterans Charit...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Richard D. Walker, Jr. <jazzhnd@cox.net>
Date: Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 12:55 PM
Subject: Fw: Attorney General Laxalt Warns Nevadans of Fraudulent Veterans Charity Scam

For your information.

R. Walker

Adj.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: June 4, 2015

Contact: Patty Cafferata

PCafferata@ag.nv.gov / 775-684-1136

Attorney General Laxalt Warns Nevadans of

Fraudulent Veterans Charity Scam

Carson City, NV – Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt warns Nevadans of a fraudulent charity scam soliciting donations for veterans. A caller claiming to represent Veterans Helping Nevada Veterans seeks contributions by phone. The caller then directs the contributor to send money to a specified location. In reality, the contributions are forwarded to the residence of a fraudster.

"Nevadans are cautioned not to fall for these scams that take advantage of patriotic generosity," said Laxalt. "As always, Nevadans are encouraged to contribute to charities, but to contribute wisely after having conducted careful research."

Nevadans should be wary of charities that refuse to provide proof of their tax deductible status. A legitimate charity should provide detailed information about its identity and mission, and how donations will be used. When making a donation online, consumers should check that the website belongs to a legitimate, established and registered charity, and that the website matches the name of the charity. An extra precaution that could be taken is checking whether other legitimate websites have linked the charity's website in question.

To ensure that your contribution benefits the causes and individuals you would like to assist, the Office of the Nevada Attorney offers the following suggestions:

·         Do not make a donation without conducting preliminary research. Ask for detailed information about the charity, including the name, address and telephone number. Then, conduct some online searches of the charity name in combination with the words "complaint" or "scam" to learn about its reputation. Using online resources offered by the Nevada Secretary of State and the Better Business Bureau can also provide assurance about the trustworthiness of a particular charity. Charity Watch and Charity Navigator also provide information on charitable organizations.

·         Review the charity's financial information or its Form 990. For information on the Form 990, visit the Nevada Secretary of State website. If a charity claims to use your donations to help the local community, contact the local agency and confirm whether the agency is familiar with the charity and receives financial support from it.

·         Be wary of solicitations from professional fundraisers who appear to represent a charity. Call the charity directly to verify whether the fundraisers are authorized to act on its behalf. Never make checks payable to a fundraiser, and refrain from providing your credit card number to a fundraiser. Do not feel pressured to give money over the phone. The safest way to make a donation is to mail your check directly to the charity.

·         Ask for a receipt showing the amount of your contribution. Be wary of promises of guaranteed sweepstakes or prizes in exchange for a contribution. Donations never have to be given in order to be eligible to win a prize or sweepstakes.

For additional assistance, call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or visit the FTC online here. If you believe you are a victim of this fraudulent charity scam, or any other scam, file a complaint with the Office of the Nevada Attorney General here. To view a letter solicitating donations from Veterans Helping Nevada Veterans, click here.

###

FW: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2015

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Subject: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2015
To: rserge1@outlook.com
From: amarkel@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 15:52:19 -0400

VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2015

June 5, 2015

In This Issue:

1. New VFW Action Corps Manager

2. Pending Health Care Legislation Hearing

3. VFW Testifies before Economic Opportunity Committee

4. House Holds Hearing on Provider Payments

5. Important Bills Introduced This Week

6. VA Announces Initiative to Expand Burial Options for Urban Veterans

7. D-Day 71st Commemoration

8. National WWI Memorial Design Competition

9. Two WWII MIAs Identified

1. New VFW Action Corps Manager: The VFW Washington Office is pleased to welcome Ken Wiseman as the new Action Corps Manager. Ken is an active member of the organization having held numerous offices at multiple levels of the VFW and he brings a wealth of knowledge about grassroots activism. Ken served on active duty for 10 years in the U.S. Navy before transferring to the Navy Reserve where he has been for the past three years. Ken earned his VFW eligibility in 2009 by earning Immanent Danger/Hostile Fire Pay while conducting counter-narcotics operations in South America.

2. Pending Health Care Legislation Hearing: On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs held a hearing to consider a number of veterans' health care related bills. Committee members discussed ways to improve women's health care at VA, address veteran homelessness and the importance of ensuring veterans are able to continue mental health medication treatments that work for them when they transition from DOD health care to VA. Senior Legislative Associate Carlos Fuentes offered the VFW's support for most of the bills and recommendations to strengthen others. In his testimony, Fuentes urged Congress to ensure veterans are not taken off effective treatment regimens when they leave military service simply because their VA medical facilities do not carry the medication they need. To read the testimony or view a video of the hearing, visit: http://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings/pending-health-care-legislation060315.

3. VFW Testifies before Economic Opportunity Committee: On Tuesday, VFW Senior Legislative Associate Brendon Gehrke presented testimony before the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity. This bill hearing addressed multiple issues that are part of the VFW's Priority Goals, including VA employee accountability, improvements to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Vocational Rehabilitation program, as well as moving the Department of Labor – VETS program under the authority of VA. To watch the full hearing, click here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/63019258.

4. House Holds Hearing on Provider Payments: On Wednesday, the VFW was in attendance for a House Veterans' Affairs Health Subcommittee hearing entitled, "Assessing VA's Ability to Promptly Pay Non-VA Providers." Several private medical providers offered testimony, stating that VA has historically been slow to reimburse them for the care they provide to veterans in their communities. In response, VA stated that they are taking steps to address the problem, and have processed 21 percent more payment claims in 2015 than during the same time period last year. Still, members of the Committee are considering additional improvements, including the possibility of contracting out the payment system to a third party, similar to the way it is done under Medicare and TRICARE. The VFW believes that prompt payment for non-VA providers is critical, and we will continue to follow this issue.

5. Important Bills Introduced This Week: Two bills the VFW has supported in the past have been reintroduced this week. On Wednesday, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Isakson introduced S. 1493, to make a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for veterans' benefits. The VFW has consistently supported COLA increases to ensure veterans' benefits are not eroded by inflation. On Tuesday, Congressman Tonko reintroduced H.R. 2622, the Fort McClellan Health Registry Act. This bill would establish a health registry to conduct comprehensive studies of toxic exposures at Fort McClellan. Ensuring veterans who were exposed to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) during their service at Fort McClellan receive the care and benefits they have earned and deserve has remained a top priority for the VFW. The VFW's National Legislative Service will continue to push Congress, the Army and VA to study the health effects of toxic exposures at Fort McClellan. Stay tuned to the Action Corps Weekly for updates on these important bills as they move through the legislative process.

6. VA Announces Initiative to Expand Burial Options for Urban Veterans: The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) has launched the Urban Initiative to provide burial options for urban veterans who wish to be inurned closer to home. The Urban Initiative is the result of an independent study from 2008 that found an increased interest in cremations among veterans. NCA surveys have also found that veterans in major metropolitan cities choose not to use national cemeteries because of travel and distance barriers. Due to lack of sufficient sites large enough to accommodate casketed burials in large metropolitan cities, NCA plans to establish columbarium-only national cemeteries in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Indianapolis and the San Francisco Bay area. To learn more, visit: http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/20410/va-increases-burial-options-veterans-urban-areas/.

7. D-Day 71st Commemoration: Visitors to Washington, D.C., are invited to the National World War II Memorial at noon, tomorrow, to commemorate the 71 years since 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany. Joining in the commemoration will be hundreds of WWII veterans from Honor Flight Austin (Texas), Lake County Honor Flight (Illinois), and North Coast Honor Flight (California), as well as the great-grandson of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, former Air Force fighter pilot Elliott "Toby" Roosevelt III, who will offer remarks on behalf of the family. For a listing of this and other events at the WWII Memorial, go to: http://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/.

8. National WWI Memorial Design Competition: A design competition is underway for a new National World War I Memorial that will be built a block away from the White House in Pershing Park. Centennial Commission officials set up a two-stage competition that is open to all. Participants are asked to submit narrative and graphic descriptions that respond to the competition's design goals. Judges will then select those entries for further development. The commission will have final decision on the selected design, based on the recommendation of a jury. The submission deadline is July 21, with the finalists to be announced on Aug. 4. For more information, go to: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/.

9. Two WWII MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains belonging to two Americans missing and unaccounted for since World War II. Returned are:

Army Pvt. Arthur H. Kelder, 26, from Chicago. Assigned to Medical Corps, 2nd General Hospital in the Philippines, Kelder survived the Bataan Death, but succumbed to a host of complications in a Japanese POW Camp on May 7, 1942.

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Robert W. Ward, 22, of Pontiac, Mich. Assigned to the 387th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, Ward was copiloting a B-26C on a bombing mission near Mayen, Germany, when it was shot down by enemy fighter aircraft on Dec. 23, 1944.

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.

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FW: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2015

"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something.

The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will."

Subject: VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2015
To: rserge@live.com
From: amarkel@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 15:52:15 -0400

VFW Action Corps Weekly, June 5, 2015

June 5, 2015

In This Issue:

1. New VFW Action Corps Manager

2. Pending Health Care Legislation Hearing

3. VFW Testifies before Economic Opportunity Committee

4. House Holds Hearing on Provider Payments

5. Important Bills Introduced This Week

6. VA Announces Initiative to Expand Burial Options for Urban Veterans

7. D-Day 71st Commemoration

8. National WWI Memorial Design Competition

9. Two WWII MIAs Identified

9. Two WWII MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains belonging to two Americans missing and unaccounted for since World War II. Returned are:

To sign up new veterans' advocates, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/mlm/signup.htm.

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

FW: VFW Action Corps Weekly, May 29, 2015

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Subject: VFW Action Corps Weekly, May 29, 2015
From: amarkel@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 29 May 2015 15:57:01 -0400

VFW Action Corps Weekly, May 29, 2015

May 29, 2015

In This Issue:

1. VFW National Commander Meets VA Secretary

2. Denver Construction Continues

3. Almost 78,000 Service Members to Share $60 Million

4. VA Launches Summer of Service Campaign

5. Library of Congress Provides New Service

6. Two Korean War MIAs Identified

1. VFW National Commander Meets VA Secretary: VFW National Commander John Stroud met with VA Secretary Bob McDonald on Wednesday to discuss the way ahead for the Department of Veterans to overcome its nationwide crisis in care and confidence. Also discussed was the need to build the new VA medical center in Denver, as well as the VA's new Summer of Service volunteer initiative that the VFW fully supports. Read more about the volunteer initiative at: http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2706.

2. Denver Construction Continues: Last Friday we reported that construction of the Denver VA Medical Center was days from shutting down for a second time due to funding issues. Later that night, the Senate cleared a House passed bill to prevent a shutdown and authorize VA to continue construction for about three more weeks. This three week extension buys VA and Congress little time to find a long-term solution so the project can be funded through completion without further work stoppages. The VFW will continue to work with VA, Congress and other stakeholders to ensure this project is completed.

3. Almost 78,000 Service Members to Share $60 Million: Starting in June, 77,795 service members will begin sharing $60 million for having been charged excess interest on their student loans by Navient Corp., the student loan servicer formerly part of Sallie Mae. The payments are required by a Justice Department settlement for violating the rights of service members eligible for benefits and protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. The checks, which are scheduled to be mailed on June 12, will range from $10 to over $100,000, but with an average of about $771. Check amounts will depend on how long the Navient interest rate exceeded the SCRA-mandated 6-percent interest cap, by how much, and on the types of military documentation the service member provided. Beginning June 12, service members with questions about their eligibility can call (855) 382-6421. More information is provided on the Justice Department press release at: http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nearly-78000-service-members-begin-begin-receiving-60-million-under-department-justice.

4. VA Launches Summer of Service Campaign: On Tuesday, Secretary Bob McDonald kicked off the VA Summer of Service campaign to expand VA's existing partnerships and to encourage individuals and organizations to volunteer at VA facilities throughout the country. VA aims to have 100,000 volunteers by the end of August, a nearly 30 percent increase from last year. VA encourages individuals and organizations to look for VA at community events and engage VA employees and partners. Reach out to your local medical facility or National Cemetery to find out what can be done to help and check out #VASummerOfService on Vantage Point, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit: www.volunteer.va.gov/.

5. Library of Congress Provides New Service: The Library of Congress has launched a new campaign that allows greater library access to those with vision and physical impairments. "That All May Read" is a free library program of braille and audio materials circulated to enrolled patrons. People may be eligible for the program if they are blind, have a visual disability that prevents them from reading regular print, or have a physical disability that keeps them from being able to hold a book. For more information, visit: www.loc.gov/ThatAllMayRead.

6. Two Korean War MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that the remains of two missing Americans from the Korean War have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. Returned home are:

Marine 1st Lt. Raymond O. Ball, 31, of Fort Laramie, Wyo. Ball was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. On Nov. 27, 1950, Ball was killed in action in the vicinity of Hill 1282, while fighting on the western side of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. His remains were not recoverable after the battle. He was buried last week in Arlington National Cemetery. Read more at: http://www.dpaa.mil/NewsStories/NewsReleases/tabid/10159/Article/589469/marine-missing-from-korean-war-accounted-for-ball.aspx.

Army Pfc. Charlie Wilcher Jr., 21, of Sanderville, Ga., will be buried June 1 in Jacksonville, Fla. In late November 1950, Wilcher was assigned to Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, when their defensive line was attacked by Chinese forces near the town of Kujang, North Korea. Wilcher would be reported missing in action on Nov. 30, 1950. Read more at: http://www.dpaa.mil/NewsStories/NewsReleases/tabid/10159/Article/589791/soldier-missing-from-korean-war-accounted-for-wilcher.aspx.

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FW: VFW Action Corps Weekly, May 22, 2015

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Subject: VFW Action Corps Weekly, May 22, 2015
From: rkelley@vfw.org
Date: Fri, 22 May 2015 16:03:24 -0400

VFW Action Corps Weekly, May 22, 2015

May 22, 2015

In This Issue:

1. Memorial Day 2015

2. Denver Project Hangs in the Balance

3. House Passes Multiple Veterans' Bills

4. Senate MilCon/VA Appropriations Markup

5. New Army and Navy Service Chiefs Nominated

6. Fighter Aces Receive Congressional Gold Medal

7. Four MIAs Identified

1. Memorial Day 2015: National Commander John Stroud will be representing the VFW at the White House Monday morning, as well as participating in Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Locally, many of our 6,800 VFW Posts will be having similar ceremonies to honor our fallen. As we gather to remember the more than one million Americans who died in our nation's conflicts going back to the Revolutionary War, please remember to keep our 83,000 missing and unaccounted for servicemen — and their families — in your thoughts. As of this week, there are 73,515 missing from World War II; 7,852 from the Korean War; 1,627 from the Vietnam War; 126 from the Cold War; and 6 from post-Vietnam wars and conflicts. More information, plus loss statistics, are available on the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency website at: http://www.dpaa.mil/Home.aspx.

2. Denver Project Hangs in the Balance: On Thursday the House passed an authorization bill that will allow VA to continue building the Denver VA Medical Center, but as of Friday at noon, the Senate still has not passed the measure. The project is days from shutting down for a second time due to funding issues. This bill will give VA some breathing room to continue building the facility, but a long-term solution to complete the project will still need to be worked out over the next few weeks. Included in the bill is further expansion of the Choice Program. This bill will allow VA to consider issues like excessive burden, geographic challenges, environmental factors and medical conditions when granting access to the Choice program. These are expansions the VFW has called for based on feedback from you, our members.

We will keep you updated through the Action Corps Weekly as news develops on the Denver project and any further expansion of the Choice program occurs.

3. House Passes Multiple Veterans' Bills: On Monday, the House passed several bills that the VFW testified in support of earlier this year. These included H.R. 474, the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act of 2015, H.R. 1038, the Ensuring VA Employee Accountability Act, H.R. 1313, the Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Relief Act, and H.R. 1382, the Boosting Rates of American Veteran Employment Act. Two other bills that passed are H.R. 91, the Veteran's I.D. Card Act, and H.R. 1816, the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2015. All of these bills now go to the Senate for consideration. Check back in with the Action Corps Weekly for updates as they continue to move through the legislative process.

4. Senate MilCon/VA Appropriations Markup: On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Appropriations held a markup of its version of the MilCon/VA appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016. The bill includes $69.2 billion for VA's discretionary accounts, which is $500 million more than the House's version, but nearly $1 billion short of VA's request. It includes $63.3 billion in advance appropriations for VA's medical care accounts for FY 2017. As this bill moves to full Senate consideration and conference, VFW's National Legislative Service will work with Senate and House leadership to ensure Congress appropriates VA the resources it needs provide veterans the benefits and services they have earned and deserve. Stay tuned to the Action Corps Weekly as this bill moves through Congress. To listen to the markup or read more, visit: http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings-and-testimony/full-committee-markup-302b-allocations-fy16-energy-water-appropriations-bill.

5. New Army and Navy Service Chiefs Nominated: The Pentagon announced that Army Gen. Mark A. Milley and Navy Adm. John M. Richardson have been nominated to lead their respective services. Milley, 57, is currently the head of U.S. Army Forces Command. He will replace Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who has been the Army Chief of Staff since September 2011. Richardson, 55, is director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. He will replace Adm. Jonathon W. Greenert, who has been Chief of Naval Operations since September 2011. Both Milley and Richardson are expected to be confirmed by the Senate. Read Milley's bio at: http://www.forscom.army.mil/cmd_staff/GEN_Milley/GEN_Milley.htm. Read Richardson's bio at: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=440.

6. Fighter Aces Receive Congressional Gold Medal: Only 1,447 American pilots have earned the coveted title of "ace" by shooting down five or more enemy aircraft. America's last air aces came during the Vietnam War, and due to the ever-evolving nature of aerial warfare, there may never be another. In recognition of this group's extraordinary contribution to clear the skies, Congress on Wednesday bestowed its highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, on 77 surviving members of the American Fighter Aces Association. Read more here: http://www.americanfighteraces.org/2014award.htm.

7. Four MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains belonging to three soldiers who had been missing-in-action since the Korean War and one pilot who had been missing since World War II. Identified are:

Army Cpl. Abilesio L. Apodaca, 18, of Albuquerque, N.M. In early 1951, Apodaca and elements of Heavy Mortar Company, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, were occupying a position near Hoengsong, South Korea, when attacked by Chinese forces. It would later be learned that he had been captured, but died in a POW camp. Apodaca will be buried tomorrow with full military honors in Santa Fe, N.M.

Army Cpl. Richard L. Wing, 19, of Toledo, Ohio. In late November 1950, Wing was assigned to Company H, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, deployed near Kunu-ri, North Korea, when attacked by Chinese forces. It would later be learned that he had been captured, but died from dysentery in a POW camp. Wing will be buried with full military honors on June 5 in Arlington National Cemetery.

Army Pfc. Paul L. Tingle, 36, of Montpelier, Ohio. In late 1950, Tingle was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, deployed near Kujang, North Korea, when attacked by Chinese forces. It would later be learned that he had been captured, but died in a POW camp. Tingle will be buried with full military honors on June 8 in his hometown.

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Alvin Beethe, 23, of Elk Creek, Neb. On Nov. 26, 1944, Beethe, of the 393rd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, was piloting a P-38 Lightning that failed to return from a mission against enemy forces near Duren, Germany. Another pilot reported the aircraft crashed near the town of Morschenich. Beethe will be buried with full military honors on June 8 in Arlington National Cemetery.

Find their stories and more on the DPAA website at: http://www.dpaa.mil/NewsStories/Releases.aspx.

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