Montgomery County Council Department of Maryland

PTSD Support Group for Families

2011-11-07T11:57:00.001-08:00

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, American Legion Post 295 is holding an Open House for a new Operation Provide Comfort II (OPCII) program, "PTSD Support Group for Families." Post 295 is seeking to help the family members of those who have served out Nation with information and tools to support thier family members who may be dealing with PTSD.

We invite family members and veterans to come by the Willow Tree Inn at the Montgomery Village Golf Club, 19550 Montgomery Village Ave, Montgomery Village, from Noon to 4 PM on November 12th.

Our effort to serve the community begins with providing emotional support and relaxation methods to deal with the stressors of everyday life.

During the open house an American Legion Service Officer will be available to answer questions on VA benefits; Massage Therapists for relaxation and an informational presentation on Transcendental Meditation and more.

Scheduled to attend:
Valerie Cochran, American Legion Service Officer will answer VA
related questions.

The David Lynch Foundation will provide an Introduction to
transcendental Meditation. (Did you read the last Legion Magazine on
how TM has helped with PTSD symptoms?)

Montgomery County Mental Health Association's, Troops, Veterans and Family Care Project will provide information on the Mental Health First Aid Program.

Crystal Tucker will demonstrate, massage and relaxation techniques.

Media Inquires here.

Post 295 is not a medical provider, we are providing a venue for those affected by war and conflict to find peers and support. Our mission is simple: provide a sympathetic ear, emotional & physical support to family members with dealing PTSD in the family.

American Legion Post 295 was founded in 1983 and has been supporting the community ever since. Our baseball program, Gaithersburg Post 295, has meet with unparalleled success in the County.

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.

URGENT: American Legion National Headquarters Request - Call your Senator NOW!

2011-10-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

For the Veteran,

Bob Ouellette

The American Legion
~Commander, Southern Maryland District

Direct: 240-505-4660
Office: 703-697-3397
Email: BobO@post295.org

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "BobO" <BobO@post295.org>
Reply-To: <BobO@post295.org>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 12:01:23 -0500

Legionnaires,

This is an extremley important piece of Legistlation that clarifies Post relations.

Please call. See below.

For the Veteran,

Bob Ouellette

The American Legion
~Commander, Southern Maryland District

Direct: 240-505-4660
Office: 703-697-3397
Email: BobO@post295.org

From: Tim Tetz [mailto:leg@legion.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 4:41 PM

TAKE ACTION! Call your Senator NOW!

S.1639, the American Legion Charter Modernization Act.

More <http://capwiz.com/legion/utr/1/OEDHQPRFVE/CGSTQPRFZZ/7416935816> Info

Call your Senator NOW!

(October 5, 2011) The American Legion is now providing its members a new service which allows Legion members to renew their membership and pay their dues online over the Internet. Last year, The American Legion's National Convention adopted an amendment to its National Constitution to authorize this new service.

Prior to this new service, all dues payments flowed to the national organization from posts through our departments. Online renewal has raised a concern, however, that because some dues monies now flow from the national organization to the departments and posts, the national organization has
"control" over those departments and posts.

In order to resolve this "control" issue, The American Legion has sought legislation to change its Corporate Charter to clarify the autonomous, independent nature of American Legion posts and departments. Congress must pass and the president must sign into law any amendment to The American Legion's Corporate Charter.

Senators Jon Tester (MT) and Dean Heller (NV) recently introduced S.1639, The American Legion Charter Modernization Act. This legislation would clarify the autonomous, independent nature of American Legion posts and departments by clarifying what courts have already ruled - that no independent entity of The American Legion is legally responsible for the actions of another and that its posts and departments are independent of the national organization.

We've just been informed the bill has been expedited out of the Judiciary Committee and Leader Harry Reid (NV) will be hotlining it later this afternoon. "Hotlining," as it is called, is meant to be a fast method of passing legislation under a unanimous consent agreement. Assuming there is no objection made by either side, it should clear the Senate later this evening or early tomorrow.

Please call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senator's office. Ask for the staff person following this bill. Identify yourself and tell the aide you request the Senator not object to the unanimous consent agreement on S.1639.

Earlier this year, then-National Commander Jimmie Foster said, "It is important to remember that online renewal is a choice, not a mandate. Judging from the number of online renewals so far, the membership seems to like to have that as an option to mailed renewals. More and more, people want to conduct business online, and the Legion is working to provide that convenience while at the same time ensuring the highest standards of security."

Again, please call 202-224-3121 and support The American Legion and The American Legion Charter Modernization Act.

Legion backs Nevada senator’s push to pass VA funding law

2011-09-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (Sept. 16, 2011) -- The American Legion is lauding freshman Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada for his campaign to encourage colleagues to put aside their differences and pass quickly a bill to provide funding for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The Senate and House of Representatives passed separate versions of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2055) in mid-summer, but minor differences remain that must be reconciled before the legislation can be combined and signed into law by President Obama.

On Sept. 15, Heller, a new Senator but veteran Congressman, sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House John Boehner and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, urging them to pass the legislation as soon as possible so as to not endanger, among other things, the timely payment of benefits to veterans.

“The benefits owed to the men and women who have served in the Armed Services should not be jeopardized because Congress has not had the self-discipline necessary to pass a responsible budget,” Heller said. “Both parties from the House and Senate need to work out their differences and pass this legislation so our veterans can be certain they will receive every benefit promised to them. Moving this process forward is the least we can do for the men and women who have selflessly served our nation and risked their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today,” he said.

“This is a point I’ll be making in my testimony before the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Sept. 21^st,” said Fang A. Wong, newly elected national commander of The American Legion. “It would be easy for Congress to include VA funding in a continuing resolution, but that won’t get the job done. They need to iron out a few minor differences in conference committee – this should be completed outside of a continuing resolution.”

To date, a conference committee to settle the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Mil Con-VA Appropriations Act has not been formed. “Our nation’s veterans didn’t take the easy way out while serving their nation,” Wong said. “The best thing Congress can do is fund the VA for the entire fiscal year and stop playing political games with this issue.”

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Contact: Marty Callaghan, 202-263-5758/202-215-8644 or Craig Roberts, 202-263-2982/ 202-406-0887.

Fwd: Release: Legion backs Nevada senator's push to pass VA funding law

2011-09-17T08:18:00.001-07:00

Etiam Servis, For the Veteran!

Bob Ouellette

Commander So MD Dist.

Commander Post 295

The American Legion

Correspondant Grand du MD / VL 265

Grand Chef de Gare Passé

Grand du Maryland

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: LEROYTHORN@aol.com
Date: September 17, 2011 7:26:22 AM MDT
To: cmbacon1@verizon.net, mikem183@hotmail.com, elbertwhite@comcast.net, wfmilligan@verizon.net, davcon540@verizon.net, leroythorn@aol.com, pepperjews@msn.com, polknancy36@yahoo.com, jfmilburn@verizon.net, tom@mdlegion.org, alcmdr0506@verizon.net, dpdorsey@comcast.net, delaware_adjutant@verizon.net, bobjohnson36@comcast.net, mikeschlee@yahoo.com, mike@mdlegion.org, mikeduggan59@yahoo.com, al9798cmdrmd@comcast.net, rleefisher@msn.com, lewistrott@starpower.net, gbrowning2@verizon.net, casp101@verizon.net, MUD221@md.metrocast.net, butch@hereintown.net, pdcdoug@verizon.net, faporter@co.pg.md.us, gary@giffords.org, gvogt1946@comcast.net, melsmul@aol.com, jdcoastie@msn.com, cantymaxine@aol.com, bobo@post295.org, russell.myersjr@us.army.mil
Cc: dewinpigler@verizon.net
Subject: Fwd: Release: Legion backs Nevada senator's push to pass VA funding law

For your info

Leroy E Thornton
National Executive Committeeman
American Legion
Department of Maryland

Veterans seen as vital to jobs bill

2011-09-09T07:07:00.001-07:00

National Commander supports Obama's plan to deploy veterans in the battle to revive America's economy.
WASHINGTON (Sept. 8, 2011) - Pressing Congress to pass the American Jobs Act, which aims to reduce unemployment and stimulate U.S. productivity, President Barack Obama told a joint session of Congress Thursday evening to look to the nation's veterans, who have fought with their lives to defend our country. "The last thing they should have to do is fight for a job when they come home," he said.
The president's words in a Thursday evening address to the nation echoed what he said Aug. 30 at the 93rd National Convention of The American Legion in Minneapolis when he announced a plan to offer tax credits to companies that hire veterans. There, he told about 10,000 Legionnaires and their families that he was calling on every state "to pass legislation that makes it easier for our veterans to get the credentials and the jobs for which they are so clearly qualified. This needs to happen, and it needs to happen now."
American Legion National Commander Fang A. Wong said the president's plan to get more Americans back to work falls in line with the Legion's ongoing efforts to reduce veteran unemployment, especially among those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Far too many of our young veterans are returning home to find they can't get back into the workforce - is that a proper way for our country to reward these men and women who have served us so well overseas?" Wong said.
According to a Joint Economic Commission report to Congress last June, the unemployment rate for male veterans aged 18 to 24 stood at 27 percent.
"We sponsor more than 100 job fairs per year for servicemembers and veterans," Wong said. "We press federal agencies to hire more veterans. We show veteran-owned small businesses how to get more federal contracting dollars. So The American Legion heartily welcomes the jobs plan initiatives pertaining to veterans announced by President Obama, especially since they reinforce the White House's commitment to get more veterans employed."
In the address, Obama said the American Jobs Act will "provide a jolt" to an economy that is now stalled. He pinpointed education, transportation and small business as areas that can make an impact in the recovery. He told lawmakers that the measure will make it easier for small businesses to procure federal contracts. The American Legion is now working with the government to improve compliance with a federal law mandating that no less than 3 percent of federal contracts be awarded to businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.
Obama also spoke of the power the GI Bill {editorial note: Written by the American Legion} poses to stimulate the economy, as it did after World War II. "Millions of returning heroes, including my grandfather, had the opportunity to go to school because of the GI Bill. Where would we be if they hadn't had that chance?"
Earlier in the day, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee passed the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act (known as the VOW Act), sponsored by Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida. The bill would improve transition counseling for service members leaving active duty, and also help veterans to obtain licenses or certificates for skills they learned in the military.
"Military training and experience needs to be recognized by civilian employers. This is an issue The American Legion has taken to the White House and Congress many times," Wong said. "Now we are seeing some results - in the president's new initiatives to get more veterans hired, and in the VOWS Act that is making its way to a vote on the House floor.
"We have got to convince the private sector to recognize the full value of military service. Taxpayers invest a lot of money in their training. Such a huge investment must not be wasted," Wong said.
The American Legion has been pushing Congress and the private sector for wider recognition of military skills and experience. The Legion's Economic Division is planning to host a conference early next year on licensing and certification issues for veterans.
Telling Congress that "we are tougher than the times we live in," Obama echoed his Aug. 5 speech at the Washington Navy Yard. Before a largely military audience, he outlined four proposals to reduce the jobless rate among Post-9/11 veterans, including tax credits for firms that hire veterans who are unemployed or have service-connected disabilities.
"The president has challenged the private sector to hire or train 100,000 jobless veterans by the end of 2013," Wong said. "We join the president's call to action, but would like to up the ante. The American Legion is challenging America to bring veterans unemployment below the 5-percent mark before Election Day of 2012. Hiring veterans is one of the best ways to honor their service."
Contact: Marty Callaghan at 202-263-5758/202-215-8644 or mcallaghan@legion.org .

Pelosi: Veterans benefits not on the table

2011-09-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2011) -- When the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction sits down in the coming weeks to look at ways to cut more than $1 trillion from the federal budget, veterans benefits won’t be one of the casualties.
        Addressing The American Legion’s 93^rdNational Convention in Minneapolis today, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told convention delegates that the interests of veterans will be protected during the budget crisis.
        “In the weeks ahead … Congress will take up the budget at a table of 12,” Pelosi said. “I want The American Legion, and all of America to know – that the values of America’s veterans will have a strong presence at that congressional table. I want to assure you that as we reduce the deficit, America’s veterans will not be short-changed. Meeting the needs of our veterans … is a value of the American people that we will protect in those negotiations.
“Supporting our veterans is a bipartisan cause. That’s the beautiful part of it. It’s a place we can all come together. America’s veterans have earned our respect by their actions, their bravery and their valor, their willingness to step forward and serve on our behalf.”
Pelosi also touched on the unemployment crisis facing U.S. veterans – including an unemployment rate of more than 12 percent for post-9/11 veterans. “Our work will not be complete until every American who has fought for our country abroad can find a job when they come home,” she said. “We must build an economy that welcomes our service members home with an opportunity for a paycheck and a fair shot to succeed. “
        Pelosi said one way to create more jobs is to stop exporting them to other countries. “It is a national security issue that we stop the erosion of our manufacturing base in our country,” she said. “We must be self-reliant. We cannot defend our country when we are depending on other countries supplying us with the means to produce what we need to defend.”
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Contact: Craig Roberts or Joe March,(612)335-6900;(202) 406-0887.

Miller: Military, veterans among nation’s highest funding priorities

2011-09-07T18:20:00.001-07:00

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2011) -- The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has been tasked with slashing more than a trillion dollars from the U.S. budget. But according to U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, that task shouldn’t include slashing from two critical programs: veterans benefits and national security.
        Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, told The American Legion National Convention today that the U.S. military and those who once served in it shouldn’t be on the chopping block when it comes to budget cutbacks.
        “The Constitution provides for spending for the common defense and providing for the welfare of our common citizens,” Miller told convention delegates in Minneapolis. “Funding for America’s veterans programs, I believe, is a critical element to the common defense of this nation, and I believe you will see that reflected in the spending priorities in this Congress. While we tighten our belts, let us remember that we are still engaged in two wars, and that we are in conflicts around the globe. Funding for our military and our veterans is and will remain one of this nation’s highest priorities.
        “As chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I promise that I will … stand steadfast in assuring that America’s veterans are not political pawns in this process. “
        Miller said that protecting veterans benefits isn’t his only priority. Finding them jobs also is critical. Miller referenced legislation he’s introduced – the “Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011or the “VOW Act” – as a step in this direction.
        “The VOW Act will assure that we have the most trained, the most skilled work force since the second world war,” he said. “Our soldiers, our Marines, our sailors, our airmen and our Coast Guard returning from Afghanistan and Iraq face higher unemployment than the national average. Nearly 1 million veterans are out of work, and I’m sure that you’ll agree with me that number’s unacceptable.”
Miller said the VOW Act has five components – enhancing the Transition Assistance Programs (TAP), increasing the number of veterans attending college, protecting the jobs of reservists and National Guardsmen who are placed on active duty, breaking down the barriers between military job skills vs. civilian job skills, and task incentives for small businesses that employ veterans.
        “The government’s role is not to create jobs,” Miller said. “But what the government can do is create the right environment for the job market itself to flourish. We do this by releasing the burdens of overreaching regulations that encumber America’s small businesses – the engine of our economy.”
        Miller also said that veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries cannot be forgotten. “These can be some of the hardest wounds to treat,” he said. “But we can, and we will, help these men and women get on the track to recovery. Either we take action to address deficiencies in the current system – which many opt out of before even receiving treatment – or we maintain the status quo. The status quo with a rising suicide rate is not acceptable.
        “We need to transform the culture of (the Department of Veterans Affairs) so that all veterans feel welcome. It’s not an easy task, but I believe it can, and must, be done. It is incumbent upon all of us to reach out to those who are in pain, and we’ve also got to make them get as well as possible and stop just masking the symptoms with drugs.”
        Miller also addressed VA’s disability claims backlog. “We have heard for too many years too many promises,” he said. “This Congress will turn the corner and make VA accountable to assure accuracy the first time a claim is submitted.”
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Contact: Craig Roberts or Joe March,(612)335-6900 ;(202) 406-0887.

Walz sees Legion as a “model for how this nation can function”

2011-09-07T18:19:00.001-07:00

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2011) -- Lauding members of his audience for “loving your country with all of your heart,” Congressman Tim Walz today characterized The American Legion as a model for political behavior. He was speaking at the 93^rdNational American Legion convention, “the most special place to be in America today,” in Walz’s words.

Contrasting the conduct of Legion leadership with that of his Washington colleagues, the Minnesota Democrat, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said, “Your leadership is on point with this, they understand that when politics are broken, people tend to retreat to their corners and believe in an either-or answer. You bring a common sense approach to tackling our nation’s problems. You stand up to them in Washington. You understand you don’t get an either-or choice with national security. You get it right or you get it wrong. We simply won’t accept the choice to get it wrong.”
Walz is a retired Command Sergeant Major from the Minnesota National Guard and member of The American Legion. “My colleagues, my constituents and you are the heart and soul of this country. I see the members I serve with as colleagues and I respect and cherish them, but it’s for the people in this room that I measure and analyze my performance, the language I use, the outcomes and the effectiveness of what I do. Consider the sacrifice that our soldiers are making -- and we saw 63 of them make the ultimate sacrifice this month. It is a disservice we do to their memory and to their honor by taking our politics to the level that it has been taken. This absolutely has to end.

“Being here with you and watching how this organization operates, seeing the successes you’ve had -- there’s a model in this room for how this nation can function; there’s a model in this room for how we can eliminate the divisions and false choices that don’t make us any safer, don’t make us any more prosperous and, quite honestly, don’t make us any happier as a nation,” he said.

“The Associated Press reports that Congress has a 12% approval rating. I want to know, ‘who the hell are those 12 percent?’

Walz ended his remarks by echoing President Barack Obama who, in addressing the Legion convention Tuesday said, “We cannot, we must not, and we will not balance the budget on the backs of our veterans.”

“We can discuss cutting benefits for those with TRICARE by increasing their co-pays, but only after we remove the mortgage deductions for yachts,” Walz said. “I feel very strongly about programs like Medicare and Social Security, but people who rely on these programs are on a different level than those who rely on veterans’ benefits because of what it took to earn those benefits. It took something above and beyond; the willingness to sacrifice time, career and in some cases, their life for this nation. That’s not a bribe, it’s not an entitlement, that’s a grateful nation understanding that we’re going to keep our strength as a nation. We have to let them (the veterans) know that we’re going to keep the faith for them. Promises made are promises honored.”

Media contacts: Marty Callaghan (Cellular) 202-215-8644 or Craig Roberts (Cellular) 202-406-0887.

Legion: Reserve flag honors for military

2011-09-07T18:14:00.001-07:00

National commander says Congress should “think twice” about bill to present U.S. flags to honor fallen civil servants

        WASHINGTON (Sept. 7, 2011) – The American Legion is denouncing a bill the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on today allowing for payment of “expenses incident to the presentation of a (U.S.) flag” for civilians who are killed while working for the federal government.
        The Civilian Service Recognition Act of 2011 (H.R. 2061) was introduced May 31 by Rep. Bill Hanna of New York. Noting that 3,000 federal employees have died since 1993, Hanna said, “Like members of the armed services, civilian federal employees are often in harm’s way. Ours is a grateful nation, one that values the sacrifices made in honor of this country. A life can never be repaid, but it can be honored.”
        Fang Wong, newly elected national commander of the Legion, said the bill is a misguided attempt to equate civil service with military service.
        “Congress needs to think twice before acting on this hastily written bill,” Wong said. “Civil service workers do not sign a pledge to defend America with their lives, they are not forced to serve in combat zones, and their work routines do not include engaging enemy forces overseas.”
        The bill’s advocates and the Committee of the Whole noted that presentation of a United States flag “is an appropriate way to honor Federal employees’ contributions to the American public. The Committee believes these individuals are no less deserving of our respect than members of our armed forces.” They point to legislation passed in 1993, allowing for civilians working with the military to be afforded the same privilege.
        “This bill leaves far too much to be determined by a few individuals,” said Tim Tetz, legislative director of The American Legion. “It allows agency heads to determine who may be eligible upon their deaths. It allows them to determine ‘next of kin.’ It doesn’t clearly identify associated costs, and it leaves far too much to be decided without any public feedback.”
        “We certainly respect the service and dedication of those who sign up for civil service,” Wong said, “but these individuals pledge much less than our servicemembers and veterans. If federal employees die or are killed in service to America, they should be honored by a grateful nation. Just not in the same way as our military or veterans.”
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Contact: Marty Callaghan, mcallaghan@legion.org or 202-263-5758/202-215-8644.

Release: Legionnaire makes the cover of Time

2011-08-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Legionnaire makes the cover of Time
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 19, 2011) – The leader of The American Legion expressed his gratitude to Time Magazine for its inclusion of a Legionnaire on its Aug. 29th cover featuring veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Congratulations to Legionnaire John Gallina from Post 30 in Statesville, North Carolina. He served his country well in Iraq and now he continues to serve by bringing the important issues faced by his comrades into the public limelight."
The Time article by columnist Joe Klein titled, "The New Greatest Generation: How Young War Veterans are Redefining Leadership at Home" details some of the challenges America's most recent war heroes face, including medical treatment, economic hardship and societal transition.
The American Legion has been at the forefront of improving conditions for all wartime veterans and was pivotal in the passage of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which according to former U.S. Representative Chet Edwards, "would not have happened without The American Legion."
Foster added that while he was pleased with the Time article, he challenged the assertion of one recent veteran who said his generation wasn't joining The American Legion. "More than 250,000 dues-paying members of the 2.4 million member American Legion have served in the U.S. military since the Gulf War. They do so because they believe in our principles. We have raised more than $1 million for the wounded warriors at Landstuhl, Walter Reed, Bethesda, Fort Hood and just about every military hospital and warrior transition unit in-between. We also have the best youth programs anywhere. I invite all veterans to visit their local American Legion post or our national website at www.legion.org."
-30-http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2089337,00.html
Contacts: Marty Callaghan (202) 202-263-5758; Joe March or John Raughter (317) 630-1253.
For the Veteran,
Bob Ouellette
The American Legion
~Commander, Southern Maryland District
Direct: 240-505-4660
Office: 703-697-3397
Email: BobO@post295.org

The American Legion draws line in sand over military retirement

2011-08-19T10:06:00.000-07:00
Aug. 18, 2011
By Jimmie L. Foster
For the past year, I have traveled through every state and several foreign countries meeting with veterans, servicemembers and military families. This experience has given me the opportunity to listen and learn from the heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow. While meeting our young warriors of today, I saw the same dedication, resolve, and honor that was apparent when I served in uniform. It made me happy to be a veteran, national commander of The American Legion and, most importantly, an American.
Yet I realized these young men and women have earned our unwavering support and unconditional dedication in return for their service. These warriors are fighting for us, our country and our ideals. While they are focused on our enemies, a debate has begun over how we can change their retirements, their benefits and their quality of life; these kinds of proposals are unconscionable and The American Legion opposes them outright. The Department of Defense must not support changes to its military retirement system that would prove detrimental to the men and women in our armed forces.
The American Legion is mindful of the difficult economic times faced by Americans, and the importance of fiscal responsibility by our federal government. We understand that we have to make sacrifices together as a nation to get through these especially challenging times.
We must draw a line in the sand when it comes to reducing military retirement benefits earned by our warriors.
Last month, the Defense Business Board issued a plan to "modernize" the military retirement system by introducing a 401(K)-style alternative, based on the current Uniformed Military Personnel Thrift Savings Plan. In most private-sector savings plans, employees contribute portions of their salaries to 401(K) accounts (usually over many years) to build their retirement funds. Some observers argue that military retirement, earned after a minimum of 20 years service, is unfair when compared to such private-sector plans.
Much of the problem inherent in this argument rests upon what Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has referred to as "a growing chasm developing between civilian and military populations in this country." How does one compare the sacrifices made by career servicemembers to those made by civilians? Why should military retirement benefits be measured with a private-sector yardstick?
For about 99 percent of our population, their "sacrifice" in fighting the global war on terrorism consists mainly of standing in long lines at the airport, and taking off their shoes and belts whenever they fly. The remaining one percent of Americans – our men and women in uniform – understand the real meaning of sacrifice in this decade-long war.
These are the people who have sacrificed their lives, their bodies, their peace of mind and – in some cases – their hopes and dreams for this nation. These heroes have slept on rocks in godforsaken places, taking the fight to those who have vowed death and destruction to America. These are people who have witnessed upheaval in their families, who have missed seeing their children grow up, and who often return home unable to find a job.
Some plans being discussed would require active-duty servicemembers to put a percentage of their salaries into a retirement fund; this type of "solution" has been rejected in the past. A 1978 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, "The Military Retirement System: Options for Change" found serious problems in a contribution-based system.
One major disadvantage was that junior enlisted servicemembers with families did not have the available income to make such contributions. If they were allowed to opt out of such a retirement plan, they would do so for many years and thereby defeat the plan's purpose.
I'm sure that many of us have heard of – or met – junior enlisted servicemembers who qualify for food stamps. If you haven't, you should be aware that they exist out there – even as they sacrifice for our security and freedom. Some military families simply can't get by these days without assistance. So how much worse will they fare if DoD makes contributions to military retirement mandatory?
The CBO report said that, in order to compensate servicemembers for their retirement contributions, base salaries would have to be increased proportionately. This expense, combined with DoD's matching contributions, would actually increase the overall budget.
You can't start tinkering with this retirement system without reevaluating the whole pay structure in the military. It isn't something you can do piecemeal. Military salaries and benefits are an inter-related package and have to be considered that way.
The shorter periods of military service, compared to several decades of private-sector employment, reflect further differences between military and civilian life. Service in uniform is a young person's game. After 20 or 25 years of high-tempo, physically demanding circumstances, it's time to move on to other things. You can't compare it to a lifetime career as a broker or an insurance salesman.
Military service is a high-pressure job that takes a physical and emotional toll – 20-year enlistments that often include four to six combat deployments, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and all the aches, pains and worn-out joints that arise from carrying a 70-pound rucksack.
At home, our mistakes at work may be measured by bar graphs or profit margins. Mistakes in combat are measured by body bags.
National defense remains a key concern of The American Legion. We will not lie dormant while 'bean counters' sabotage the compensation package earned by servicemembers through their years of sacrifice and dedication to duty.
I call on The American Legion's 2.4 million members, as well as The American Legion Auxiliary, the Sons of The American Legion – and all Americans – to join me in protecting those who are fighting for us. This is a serious threat to America's security that must not go unchallenged.
Jimmie L. Foster of Anchorage, Alaska, is national commander of The American Legion, the nation's largest wartime veterans organization with 2.4 million members.
Media contact: Marty Callaghan, 202-263-5758/202-215-8644 or mcallaghan@legion.org
For the Veteran,
Bob Ouellette
The American Legion
~Commander, Southern Maryland District
Direct: 240-505-4660
Office: 703-697-3397
Email: BobO@post295.org

VA treatment of PTS with “useless” drug - calls for congressional hearings

2011-08-08T08:53:00.001-07:00
The American Legion greatly concerned about VA treatment of PTS with “useless” drug - calls for congressional hearings

WASHINGTON (Aug. 8, 2011) – The head of the nation’s largest veterans service organization says he is “greatly concerned” about the widespread use of an apparently ineffective medication by VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) doctors treating patients with post traumatic stress (PTS). “It is alarming,” said Jimmie L. Foster, national commander of The American Legion, “that fully 20 percent of the nearly 87,000 veterans VA physicians treated for PTS last year were given a medication that has proven to be pretty much useless.” According to a study conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs itself and published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Risperdal, an antipsychotic medication commonly prescribed to veterans with post traumatic stress when antidepressants have failed to help, does not alleviate the symptoms of PTS. “Not only that,” said Foster, “but Risperdal is not even approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PTS.” Only two medications, Zoloft and Paxil, both antidepressants, are government-approved to treat PTS and neither drug, say researchers, is very effective at treating patients with a chronic form of the disorder. “I am greatly concerned that veterans suffering the ‘invisible wounds of war’ are receiving equally invisible care,” said Foster. The American Legion has been concerned about the misapplication of PTS medications for some time. Last year, the Legion appointed an ad hoc committee to investigate the efficacy of existing treatments for PTS and TBI (traumatic brain injury) and explore alternatives to improve the science. The committee comprises officers of the Legion as well as lay, professional and government consultants. It convened its third meeting during the week of August 1. The JAMA article appeared on August 3. Among the speakers at the Legion’s latest ad hoc committee meeting was Charles Hoge, M.D., who is considered to be one of the country’s leading experts on PTS and TBI. From 2002 through 2009, Dr. Hoge, a retired U.S. Army colonel, directed Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s research on the psychological and neurological consequences of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In light of the JAMA article, Dr. Hoge said he wondered if patients will continue to trust military and veteran medicine’s handling of PTS cases. He asked, “Is there a resistance and reluctance among servicemembers and veterans to receive and continue their mental health care?” Another committee consultant and longtime associate of the Legion is Dr. Jeanne Mager Stellman, Special Lecturer and Professor Emerita of Clinical Health Policy and Management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She said, “This is the second major study showing that the drug therapies given to tens of thousands of our nation’s veterans for PTS are ineffective and are associated with a range of side effects (such as weight gain). It is time to clean this mess up (and) devote attention to the problem – not wait years for studies to be done, results to be published and still not have changes made.” Commander Foster said he is urging Congress to conduct hearings on the ongoing difficulties being experienced by both the Department of Defense (DoD) and VA in the treatment of PTS as well as TBI. He is also prompting both the DoD and VA to speed up their research on the screening of PTS and TBI cases and the treatment of them. “Accelerated research, however, must be balanced with great care and absolute accuracy,” Foster concluded. -30-Media contacts: Marty Callaghan, 202-263-5758/202-215-8644;or Craig Roberts 202-263-2982; Cell 202-406-0887.

2011-06-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

American Legion gives a local high school student a chance to live his dreams on and off the field.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 29, 2011

Jimmy Kazunas, a sixteen year old rising senior at Good Counsel High School feels a tremendous debt of gratitude to the American Legion. A member of the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Post 295 Baseball Team, his top ranked Maryland State Junior Legion squad appears to be on its way to an invite to the National Amateur Baseball Federation High School Championship tournament in Tennessee in late July. However, Kazunas will not be joining them; he has a busy week including a meeting planned with President Obama scheduled for the week of the tournament. Kazunas meeting with the President is once again thanks to the American Legion. An International Baccalaureate honors student, it all started when Kazunas was selected to participate in the American Legion Maryland Boys State earlier this month. The week long resident program is sponsored throughout the country annually by the American Legion. Each Boys State is comprised of rising high school seniors selected from their respective states. As part of the process each Boys State elects a peer to represent them at the Boys Nation. Kazunas had the honor of being elected as the Maryland Senior Delegate to Boys Nation this July, hence the meeting with the President. Kazunas will be one of the ninety eight young men representing nearly twenty thousand American Legion Boys State delegates from around the country. Kazunas credits his school guidance counselor for nominating and helping guide him to the American Legion Boys State Program. He credits baseball great Brooks Robinson for guiding him in his decision to play American Legion Baseball.

Kazunas states “I had the opportunity to meet and spend an evening with Brooks Robinson while watching a minor league baseball game last year. We talked about his high school experience with baseball; his school did not have enough players to field a baseball team. I was shocked and I asked him how he learned to play. He said he played American Legion. He could not say enough good things about how the American Legion affected his life. He spoke of the lifelong friendships formed as well as the level of play. He told me his professional career began as a result of a scout seeing him at a Legion Game.”

Kazunas is in a somewhat similar situation. Although his school has a baseball team, Kazunas is also a track athlete. An all WCAC conference cross country runner, he was finally convinced by his track coaches and track teammates to run and train year round last year. He continues to run eight to ten miles each day throughout the summer, waking up at five am to beat the heat. His training and events have also expanded to include mid distance and hurdles. All last winter he traveled to meets throughout the country. In the spring, after returning from Nike Indoor Track Nationals, the high school baseball season was well underway without him. He continued with track and in the spring he helped Good Counsel win its first overall WCAC Track championship in over 25 years.

As the spring track season was winding down he remembered his talk with Brooks Robinson. He missed playing baseball, he looked to American Legion Baseball which was just starting up after the high school baseball season had ended. Kazunas stated “When I was at American Legion Baseball tryouts I was rusty, but fortunately I was able to make the team. I was a little worried because I had not played in a while. I went out to have fun and figured if I didn’t make the team I at least had a chance to play again because tryouts lasted a few weeks. I made the team and it has been a blast. If I still wanted to play baseball the other option would have been showcases. I don’t know if I would have continued playing, it just wouldn’t be the same. With Legion ball our team plays together all summer. We play against teams from all over the state. We all pull for each other as teammates, its not just hey look at me. Showcases don’t give you that team experience. I guess Mr. Robinson was right when he said “nothing beats Legion ball” The American Legion has made this the greatest summer I could have ever dreamed. I get to play baseball almost every day with my teammates and then I get to meet the President”.

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veteran’s service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in local communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to fellow service members and veterans.

The American Legion Vietnam Veterans Memorial Post 295 has been serving the Gaithersburg/Germantown communities since 1983. Post 295 commitment to the community is evident through the 28 year sponsorship of the highly successful senior/junior American Legion baseball programs. In addition to baseball, Post 295 sponsors Cub Scout Pack 1760 and has served wounded warriors since 2003 with Operation Provide Comfort. More information may be found at http://www.post295.org/.

American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high-school students. A participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government, Boys State was founded in 1935. Only those who illustrate leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service in their schools and community are considered. Merit and ability are the basis for evaluation during the selection process. At the conclusion of each Boys State, two representatives (a senior and junior delegate) are elected by their peers to represent their state at Boys Nation in Washington, where the young leaders receive an education on the structure and function of federal government.

A highlight of the Boys Nation experience is a private meeting with the President of the United States. A famous photograph taken in the summer of 1963 depicts a young William Jefferson Clinton, as a Boys Nation delegate, shaking hands and greeting President John F. Kennedy in the Rose garden. Taken just four months Kennedy’s death, it is said to be one of President Clinton’s most prized possessions. Since Boys Nation began, a number of its graduates have been elected to public office, including presidents, congressmen, state governors and state legislators. Members of this prestigious program are considered to be the future government, business, and military leaders of the United States.

American Legion Baseball is a national institution. The league still stands atop the traditional values upon which it was founded nearly 85 years ago. Since 1925, American Legion Baseball has taught hundreds of thousands of young Americans the importance of sportsmanship, good health and active citizenship. American Legion Baseball enjoys a reputation as one of the most successful and tradition-rich amateur athletic leagues. Nearly 75 percent of current college players are program graduates. More than half of current major-leaguers played Legion Baseball. So did almost every working MLB manager, along with several former commissioners. In all, more than 50 program graduates are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Legion Baseball's alumni base includes some of the sport's most recognizable names. Yogi Berra played for Fred W. Stockholm Post 245 in St. Louis and was once quoted as saying it was the most fun he ever had. Ted Williams suited up for a post in San Diego. Frank Robinson led his Oakland, Calif., team to the only back-to-back national championships in program history.

Gaithersburg Post 295 standout pitcher Charlie Cononie was drafted in the 24th round by Tampa Bay. Current Yankees slugger Mark Texeira played in the league's 1997 World Series. Babe Ruth was too old to join when Legion Baseball started, but he spent the final years of his life promoting the program as its director of operations. Other prominent players include Brooks Robinson, Ryne Sandberg, Roy Campanella, Dusty Baker, Albert Pujols, Greg Maddux and Chipper Jones

New Option for Marking Veterans’ Graves in Private Cemeteries

2010-06-29T08:31:00.001-07:00
Veterans’ Medallion Available for Order

New Option for Marking Veterans’ Graves in Private Cemeteries

WASHINGTON (June 29, 2010) – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki announced today that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is offering bronze medallions to attach to existing, privately purchased headstones or markers, signifying a deceased's status as a Veteran.

“For Veterans not buried in a national or state Veterans cemetery, or those without a government grave marker, VA is pleased to offer this option that highlights their service and sacrifices for our country,” said Secretary Shinseki.

The new item can be furnished instead of a traditional government headstone or marker for Veterans whose death occurred on or after Nov. 1, 1990, and whose grave in a private cemetery is marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker.

Under federal law, eligible Veterans buried in a private cemetery are entitled to either a government-furnished grave marker or the new medallion, but not both. Veterans buried in a national or state Veterans cemetery will receive a government headstone or marker of the standard design authorized at that cemetery.

The medallion is available in three sizes: 5 inches, 3 inches and 1 ½ inches in width. Each bronze medallion features the image of a folded burial flag adorned with laurels and is inscribed with the word “Veteran” at the top and the branch of service at the bottom.

Next of kin will receive the medallion, along with a kit that will allow the family or the staff of a private cemetery to affix the medallion to a headstone, grave marker, mausoleum or columbarium niche cover.

More information about VA-furnished headstones, markers and medallions can be found at http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmtype.asp .

VA is currently developing an application form for ordering the medallion. Until it is available, applicants may use the form for ordering government headstones and markers, VA Form 40-1330. Instructions on how to apply for a medallion are found on the VA Web site at www.cem.va.gov/hm_hm.asp .

Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Other burial benefits available for all eligible Veterans, regardless of whether they are buried in a national cemetery or a private cemetery, include a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a government headstone or grave marker.

The new medallions will be available only to Veterans buried in private cemeteries without a government headstone or marker. Families of eligible decedents may also order a memorial headstone or marker when remains are not available for interment.

VA operates 131 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico and 33 soldiers' lots and monument sites. More than 3 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict -- from the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan -- are buried in VA’s national cemeteries on more than 19,000 acres.

Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the VA Web site on the Internet at www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.

Innovative Program Helps Troubled Veterans Turn Lives Around

2009-12-16T09:19:00.000-08:00
By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2005 – A unique center here is helping troubled veterans turn their lives around by providing a military-style program designed to help them beat addictions, develop career skills, land jobs, find homes, and become productive citizens.

The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, MCVET for short, offers an ambitious array of programs aimed at getting veterans back on their feet and into the mainstream sober, drug-free and self-sufficient. Military service provides the common thread behind the program. All "students," as participants are called, are veterans, as well as 75 percent of the staff.

The result is a program that puts heavy emphasis on the structure its students once embraced. "In many cases, the military was the last structure in their lives," said retired Army Col. Charles Williams, the center's executive director.

Williams and the rest of the MCVET staff are convinced that a return to that structure is the best way for troubled vets to begin their recovery. So from the day they enter the program, living in open-bay-style dormitories with beds sporting hospital corners and shoes placed "dress-right-dress" beneath their bunks, students re-enter the disciplined world many said goodbye to when they left the military. And just like in the military, they advance to leadership positions in the program and enjoy perks like semiprivate rooms as they make progress.
Darvis Tabrizi, who entered the MCVET program in August 2004, said the structure was exactly what he needed to deal with the alcohol and drug addiction that got him thrown out of the Navy in 2003 and ultimately left him jobless, homeless and estranged from his family.

"I needed to be grounded and I needed to be structured, and this place gave me that," Tabrizi said.

"It provided a foundation and a structured process to guide me," agreed Ezekiel Pankey, who went through the program nine years ago and now conducts outreach to tell other veterans who might need it about the program.

But MCVET is far more than a boot camp. Students tap into a wide array of services as they confront their demons and move forward. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides medical services and psychological counseling critical in overcoming drug and alcohol addiction or post-traumatic stress disorder or other psychological difficulties. The Department of Housing and Urban Development provides housing assistance to the veterans, many of them homeless when they enter the program. The Department of Labor funds job training.
"It all comes together here," Williams said. "We are taking our students from dependence to independence."

Much of the program's emphasis is on education, with the schedule of activities revolving around classes that range from confronting addictions to developing life skills to help them cope on the "outside."

While MCVET offers all the tools needed for troubled vets to move on with their lives, the most important predictor of success comes from the students themselves.

"You have to give 100 percent and really want to be here," Tabrizi said. "This place works, but only if you want it to work."

"This is not a place to hibernate," Williams said. "It's a place to get your life together, and that takes hard work and a genuine commitment."
Just two months into the program, Crystal Showell, a 10-year member of the Coast Guard who is struggling to overcome drug and alcohol addiction, said she feels well on the way to a new start. She's attending mandatory classes that she said have taught her more about herself and her addictions in 60 days than she picked up during four years of college.

"I want to learn to live clean and sober and be strong enough when I leave here so I don't need that crutch anymore," the former petty officer said.

As they tackle these basics, students also begin focusing on what's ahead in their careers.
"We're not looking to simply get these people jobs. We want them to have a skill that provides them a career that pays a living wage, not a minimum wage," Williams said. "We don't want any of our people going to McDonald's unless they're eating or managing the place."
Getting to that point doesn't happen overnight, Williams acknowledged. Students can stay in the MCVET program for as long as five years, advancing from one phase to another as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

"You can't take a person who's been on drugs 10 years and rehabilitate them in 30 days," he said. "It takes time to do this."

Even after students have completed the program, gotten a job and moved into their own homes, the staff keeps in touch with them to see how they're doing and catch them if they begin backsliding.

If there's one lesson Andre Walters learned since coming to MCVET 18 months ago, it's that past mistakes don't have to become a lifetime pattern. "There's a sense of fulfillment, of satisfaction in knowing that you don't have to be a quitter and give up just because you made mistakes in the past," he said. "You can turn things around, and you do that here through teamwork and camaraderie and hard work."

A year into the program, Tabrizi is putting his life back together. He's "clean" and has re-established his relationship with his family. He's got a job at the MCVET front desk and is sharpening his computer skills as he prepares to return to school. A former Navy aviation machinist mate, Tabrizi is looking forward to studying helicopter mechanics at the University of the District of Columbia this spring and has already been promised a job at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, maintaining helicopters for the medevac crews.
Looking back, Tabrizi said he'd never have been able to make the turnaround he's experienced without the MCVET staff and program. "I just wanted a way out, and I found it here," he said. "The staff here gave me hope and made me want to do it, and they taught me to be a better person."

Williams, who helped establish the MCVET program 11 years ago, said he's confident it's made a huge difference in the lives of the 5,000 students who've participated in the program so far.
"We don't say we've saved every one of them," he said. "But of those who stay 30 days, seven out of 10 will return to their families as productive citizens with jobs."

Jeffrey Kendrick, a retired Air Force master sergeant who's director of operations at MCVET, said the staff "gets swept up" in the gratification of helping veterans jump-start their lives.
"It's a very rewarding experience, because you see that your work actually pays off in the end," he said. "The staff is this program's greatest strength. It's not just a job. We believe in what we do here."

Rheebe Bryant, a retired soldier who's now a drug and alcohol counselor at MCVET, said the program provides a unique opportunity to serve men and women who have served their country. "The satisfaction here is helping other veterans," she said. "At the end of the day, you know that you've helped someone."

Related Sites:Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training

I am sure you missed this...

2009-12-09T06:42:00.000-08:00
County Executive Ike Leggitt named the new County Library the Rockville Memorial Library with little fanfare.

The renaming occurs in the second to last paragraph of his Veterans Day letter. The change was noticed by the Gazzette but not front page.

Thanks does go out to all of the members of the American Legion, who for the past 3 years have pushed for the renaming and to the members of the county's Commission on Veterans Affairs that were able to make it happen.

Vets Shielded From Health Care Reform

2009-11-30T07:29:00.000-08:00
Military.com
Vets Shielded From Health Care Reform
By Tom Philpott November 25, 2009
Military Beneficiaries, Vets Shielded From Health Reform

The national health reform bill passed by the House last month and the Senate version to be debated in early December pose no threat to current health care benefits provided to military families, retirees or veterans, say advocates for these beneficiaries as well as congressional committee staffs.

The House-passed Affordable Health Care for America Act ( HR 3962 ) states in Section 311 that "nothing" in the bill "shall be construed as affecting" authorities used by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to provide TRICARE programs or VA health care benefits.

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the Fleet Reserve Association of America, the American Legion and other veterans' service organizations have studied the legislative language of both bills. Their own reviews, and assurances they've received from relevant committees, give them confidence that the bills won't impact benefits or fees charged by TRICARE or VA, nor will these beneficiaries be exposed to any new tax liabilities.

"We have not talked to anybody – Republican, Democrat, anyone in the [Obama] administration or serving in Congress -- who is trying to do anything to affect military people" as part of national health reform legislation, said Steve Strobridge, MOAA's director of government relations. "They all are trying to hold military beneficiaries harmless."

Steve Robertson , legislative director for the American Legion, said he has assurances from the armed services committees, veterans' affairs committees and congressional leaders including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that health reform will not impact TRICARE programs or VA health care.

"My comfort level is pretty high," Robertson said.

Confusing the issue for many beneficiaries has been an e-mail being passed among military retirees that warns falsely that the Congressional Budget Office has drafted legislation to attach new fees to TRICARE for Life, the prized insurance supplement relied on by Medicare-eligible retirees.

The e-mail is filled with misinformation. CBO has no authority to draft legislation. CBO did release a report last December presenting options for holding down federal health care costs; a few of those options would raise fees on military retirees and veterans. But neither the Obama administration nor any members of Congress have embraced any of these ideas.

"Everyday I get to answer e-mails from people who are still telling me that this ‘CBO legislation' is moving through rapidly," said Robertson.

Other military retirees and disabled veterans are worried by news reports that national health care reform will impose an excise tax on "Cadillac" health insurance programs. Will that include TRICARE or VA health care? It will not, say service groups and informed congressional staffs.
Strobridge noted that the Senate bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590), doesn't contain the same specific language of the House bill does to shield TRICARE programs and VA health benefits.

However, the Senate bill's provision to allow an excise tax on "applicable employer-sponsored coverage" lists, among government plans, only the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan for possible inclusion. TRICARE and VA health care benefits are not named. Finance committee staffers have explained that this was intentional to shield these programs.

MOAA has urged senators to add three clarifying provisions to their bill. One would duplicate language of the House bill that nothing in the legislation alters health care program authorities for DoD and VA.

Other language is sought to explicitly exclude TRICARE, TRICARE for Life and VA health care programs from any health reform bill excise tax on certain employer-provided plans. Finally, MOAA wants language in the Senate bill calling for a study of national health reform's impact on veterans to include a study of the impact on TRICARE and TRICARE for Life.

Military people who seek assurance that the Senate health reform bill won't impact them negatively end up "looking for something that isn't there," Strobridge said. The Senate, like the House, should make it clear, he said.

"There are lots of people out there who would like to raise military fees" on health benefits, Strobridge said. "But they are not trying to do it in this legislation…As far as we can see, everybody in Congress is trying to bend over backwards to protect the military. And that's true of both parties."

The only real threat to military and veteran benefits posed by national health reform, he continued, is the likelihood that it will add to the annual federal budget deficit which was $1.4 trillion last year. That will increase political pressure, over time, to curb federal entitlements including military health care and retirement plans, said Strobridge. Pressure on defense budgets already is enormous.

"That's why Defense leaders have been saying for years ‘I don't what to pay this $10 billion for TRICARE for Life that we put in the defense bill every year.' I want to shift more costs to the beneficiary.' That is what the Bush administration said the last three years," Strobridge said.
"We haven't even started to talk about the effect of the baby boom generation on Medicare and Social Security" on future budgets, he added.

Given that pressure, MOAA has been pressing Congress to define in law that military members and retirees have earned through service certain unassailable rights to promised retirement and health care benefits.

"What we're concerned about is that budget pressure will drive arbitrary decisions. That is what has hurt us in the past," said Strobridge. Congress should take steps to spell out what military folks have earned.

"If you don't have any rules to rely on," he said, "when the budget tidal wave comes it will sweep you away."

Tailgating with the Ravens

2009-11-23T12:49:00.001-08:00

SMD Commander Steve Tatro (front left) led the charge at the Ravens Game to pass out information on becoming a Legionnaire. I was beautiful weather for a tailgate party. We talked to many Veterans who where not members and several who were.

National Commander expresses condolences over Ft. Hood Shootings

2009-11-05T18:35:00.000-08:00
WASHINGTON (Nov. 5, 2009) -- American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill released the following statement concerning this afternoon's shootings at Ft. Hood:
"My first reaction is purely emotional. I must say that I am shocked and speechless. I simply cannot believe we have soldiers who would do this to their comrades. The American Legion extends condolences to the victims and the families of those affected by the shootings at Fort Hood. The facts are not all out and there is still much about the events that we do not yet know. We do know, however, that The American Legion will reach out to assist any soldiers, family members or other victims of this horrible tragedy in any way possible. We will release further statements as the facts become known."

John Brieden, a Texan and past national commander of The American Legion, said, "The first thought I have about this tragedy is that I'm angry. You've got folks who are preparing to deploy into a dangerous area of the world, and you've got them here at home being attacked. And it makes me angry that they would lose their lives in this way, right here in America."
Brieden said The American Legion has several programs such as its Family Support Network that are designed to reach out to families who suffer tragic losses. "All of a sudden, we have families with a father, mother, a spouse who isn't going to be coming home. So how do you deal with this?

"Yes, they need help," Brieden said. "And The American Legion will certainly be helping those families who lost loved ones in such a horrible incident. We intend to help as much as we possibly can."
Killeen American Legion Post 223, and Coppers Cover Post 582 in Texas are standing by to lend whatever assistance might be needed in the area.

Media contacts: Craig Roberts, (202) 263-2982, Cell (202) 406-088 or Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926. A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Hill is available at www.legion.org.

Did Weapons Fail U.S. Troops During Afghanistan Assault?

2009-10-13T06:14:00.000-07:00
Interesting theory. I have fired the M-16 so much that the barrel turned red hot. The M-60 operators would change barrels because they became so hot they were not safe to operate. Bottom line, either more troops on the ground to fire or weapons with a hire rate of fire. ~ Bob O

Here is the wire story...

WASHINGTON — In the chaos of an early morning assault on a remote U.S. outpost in eastern Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Erich Phillips' M4 carbine quit firing as militant forces surrounded the base. The machine gun he grabbed after tossing the rifle aside didn't work either.

When the battle in the small village of Wanat ended, nine U.S. soldiers lay dead and 27 more were wounded. A detailed study of the attack by a military historian found that weapons failed repeatedly at a "critical moment" during the firefight on July 13, 2008, putting the outnumbered American troops at risk of being overrun by nearly 200 insurgents.

Which raises the question: Eight years into the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, do U.S. armed forces have the best guns money can buy?

Despite the military's insistence that they do, a small but vocal number of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq has complained that the standard-issue M4 rifles need too much maintenance and jam at the worst possible times.

A week ago, eight U.S. troops were killed at a base near Kamdesh, a town near Wanat. There's no immediate evidence of weapons failures at Kamdesh, but the circumstances were eerily similar to the Wanat battle: insurgents stormed an isolated stronghold manned by American forces stretched thin by the demands of war.

Army Col. Wayne Shanks, a military spokesman in Afghanistan, said a review of the battle at Kamdesh is under way. "It is too early to make any assumptions regarding what did or didn't work correctly," he said.

Complaints about the weapons the troops carry, especially the M4, aren't new. Army officials say that when properly cleaned and maintained, the M4 is a quality weapon that can pump out more than 3,000 rounds before any failures occur.

The M4 is a shorter, lighter version of the M16, which made its debut during the Vietnam war. Roughly 500,000 M4s are in service, making it the rifle troops on the front lines trust with their lives.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., a leading critic of the M4, said Thursday the Army needs to move quickly to acquire a combat rifle suited for the extreme conditions U.S. troops are fighting in.
U.S. special operations forces, with their own acquisition budget and the latitude to buy gear the other military branches can't, already are replacing their M4s with a new rifle.

"The M4 has served us well but it's not as good as it needs to be," Coburn said.
Battlefield surveys show that nearly 90 percent of soldiers are satisfied with their M4s, according to Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller, head of the Army office that buys soldier gear. Still, the rifle is continually being improved to make it even more reliable and lethal.

Fuller said he's received no official reports of flawed weapons performance at Wanat. "Until it showed up in the news, I was surprised to hear about all this," he said.

The study by Douglas Cubbison of the Army Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., hasn't been publicly released. Copies of the study have been leaked to news organizations and are circulating on the Internet.

Cubbison's study is based on an earlier Army investigation and interviews with soldiers who survived the attack at Wanat. He describes a well-coordinated attack by a highly skilled enemy that unleashed a withering barrage with AK-47 automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
The soldiers said their weapons were meticulously cared for and routinely inspected by commanders. But still the weapons had breakdowns, especially when the rifles were on full automatic, which allows hundreds of bullets to be fired a minute.

The platoon-sized unit of U.S. soldiers and about two dozen Afghan troops was shooting back with such intensity the barrels on their weapons turned white hot. The high rate of fire appears to have put a number of weapons out of commission, even though the guns are tested and built to operate in extreme conditions.

Cpl. Jonathan Ayers and Spc. Chris McKaig were firing their M4s from a position the soldiers called the "Crow's Nest." The pair would pop up together from cover, fire half a dozen rounds and then drop back down.

On one of these trips up, Ayers was killed instantly by an enemy round. McKaig soon had problems with his M4, which carries a 30-round magazine.

"My weapon was overheating," McKaig said, according to Cubbison's report. "I had shot about 12 magazines by this point already and it had only been about a half hour or so into the fight. I couldn't charge my weapon and put another round in because it was too hot, so I got mad and threw my weapon down."

The soldiers also had trouble with their M249 machine guns, a larger weapon than the M4 that can shoot up to 750 rounds per minute.

Cpl. Jason Bogar fired approximately 600 rounds from his M-249 before the weapon overheated and jammed the weapon.

Bogar was killed during the firefight, but no one saw how he died, according to the report.

American Legion Praises "Cure" for Late VA Budgets

2009-10-09T05:24:00.000-07:00
More Info
House passes H.R. 1016 by a vote of 419-1

WASHINGTON (Oct. 8, 2009) - The American Legion's National Commander, Clarence Hill, has praised the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. This measure would provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with advance appropriations each fiscal year to begin on October 1, whether the rest of the annual Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations have been signed into law or not. "This action is unprecedented at this funding level," said Hill. "Although The American Legion deeply appreciated the significant increases in VA's overall appropriations in recent years, not knowing when the funds would arrive made managing the VA health care system a major challenge." The goal of advance appropriations is to make sure VA medical care funding is timely, predictable, and sufficient. "It will still require a great deal of work on our part to make sure the annual appropriations will be sufficient," Hill said. "As Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom continue, this nation has a moral, ethical and legal obligation to care for the men and women placed in harm's way, but we cannot meet these new health care challenges by asking veterans of previous conflicts to move aside in order to provide timely healthcare access to the newest generation of wartime veterans."

In 1996, the VA health care system made a significant transition into the "best care anywhere" as cited by Phillip Longman in his book Best Care Anywhere: Why VA Health Care is Better Than Yours . "Clearly, every federal dollar invested in VA health care is providing the most cost-effective, quality health care in the nation," Hill said. "Many health care experts agree, the VA health care system is the role model for the rest of the health care industry." Advance appropriations will help allow VA health care professionals to achieve both short and long-range management decisions without wondering if "the check is in the mail."

Representative Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, offered the following statement on the occasion of the bill's passage: "Today, the House of Representatives took action to respond to years of chronic underfunding of VA medical care. Over the last 23 years, 20 VA budgets have been passed late - and our veterans pay the price with fewer doctors, longer waiting times, and more restricted access for the 6 million veterans using VA health care. Again this year, the VA is forced to rely on funding from a continuing resolution, even though the House acted in a timely fashion and passed the FY 2010 VA spending bill in July. Members of the Committee have worked closely with veteran service organizations to pass this landmark bill and guarantee that our veterans have access to comprehensive, quality health care."

Public Hearing about Proposed Construction of Affordable Housing for At-Risk & Formerly Homeless Veterans

2009-10-08T12:45:00.000-07:00
Veterans, their family members and the local community are invited to attend a Public Hearing sponsored by the VA Maryland Health Care System to discuss a proposal for the construction of affordable housing for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans at the Perry Point VA Medical Center. The Public Hearing is being held on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 7 p.m. in the Theatre (Building 314) at the Perry Point VA Medical Center.

Representatives from the VA Maryland Health Care System and the VA's Office of Asset Enterprise Management will provide an overview of the proposal to lease approximately 13.8 acres of unused land on the campus to a non-profit organization or private company for the development of affordable housing for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans.

Following the presentation, veterans and local community members will be invited to ask questions and provide comments about the proposed project.

War Memorials and the Constitution

2009-10-07T10:20:00.000-07:00
War Memorials and the Constitution: Does the First Amendment really prohibit a cross on public land? By TED CRUZ AND KELLY SHACKELFORD

At Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., the Argonne Cross was erected to honor our fallen World War I soldiers. If you stand at the foot of that memorial, you cannot help but be moved by the sacrifices so many brave souls have made for our nation.

You will similarly feel deep admiration if you cast your eyes on row upon row of white crosses and Stars of David at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in France. Both fulfill the central purpose of our war memorials: They cause us to reflect on the sacrifices of American patriots.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Salazar v. Buono, a case that will determine the fate of another moving monument to our fallen soldiers—a 75-year-old veterans' memorial located on public land in the vast Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, Calif.

The Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, a seven-foot metal cross, was erected in 1934 by World War I veterans to honor their fallen brethren. In 2001, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued to have the memorial taken down. The reason? The ACLU claims that the mere presence of the cross within the 1.6 million acre national preserve runs afoul of the Constitution, because it is effectively a religious symbol.

Judge Robert J. Timlin of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California agreed with that claim, and ordered that the cross be covered up while the case was on appeal. So now a memorial dedicated to those who fought tyranny and oppression is hidden from view by a plywood box.

This case is part of a disturbing pattern. Like lawsuits seeking to stop the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited each morning in our public schools or to remove "In God We Trust" from our currency, the ACLU's argument in Salazar v. Buono is based on a misconception of the
Constitution—that the government must be hostile to religion.

Far more is at stake than a single memorial. If the Supreme Court allows this cross to be destroyed, it could presage the destruction of thousands of similar memorials nationwide, inflicting sorrow on millions of Americans, especially veterans and their families.

The theory being advanced by the ACLU is that no religious symbol can be allowed on public land. That is a radical notion that is contrary to the text of the Constitution, to the original understanding of the Framers, and to how the Supreme Court has long interpreted the First Amendment's prohibition on the establishment of a religion.

The Constitution prohibits government from favoring one religion over another, but it does not compel hostility to faith. For example, the Supreme Court ruled in Marsh v. Chambers (1983) that it was constitutional to open a legislative session with a prayer. Chief Justice Warren Burger, writing for the majority, explained: "To invoke Divine guidance on a public body entrusted with making the laws is not, in these circumstances, an 'establishment' of religion or a step toward establishment; it is simply a tolerable acknowledgment of beliefs widely held among the people of this country."

Likewise, in Lynch v. Donnelly (1984) the Court observed that "[o]ur history is replete with official references to the value and invocation of Divine guidance."

The Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, like other war memorials, reflects the respect and gratitude due our honored dead. The men and women who have died defending our country gave their last measure of devotion to preserve our right to free speech and religious expression. They deserve our honor and admiration—not a plywood box marring their memory.

War memorials embody the very best traditions of our nation. In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was written to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity." With the case it will hear today, the Supreme Court has an opportunity to preserve this promise.

Messrs. Cruz and Shackelford represent the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the American Ex-Prisoners of War as amici curiae in Salazar v. Buono.

Free Flu Shots Available for Enrolled Veterans

2009-10-07T10:06:00.000-07:00
To receive a flu shot, you must be enrolled in the VA healtcare system. Here is a link to enroll for VA medical health benefits. We should be encouraging our veterans to enroll in the Va healthcare system, even if they do not receive care now. If they ne ed services in the future, they will already be in the system. Please forward as necessary. https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/

Free Flu Shots Available for Enrolled Veterans Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:23:19 -0400

Influenza is more than a bad cold; it is a serious disease. Thirty-sixthousand people die from the flu every year. Influenza can causepneumonia, and is especially dangerous for the elderly and people withchronic diseases. The VA recommends that all veterans aged 50 or over,and those with long term medical conditions or weakened immune systems,receive the flu vaccine annually. All of our primary care clinicsthroughout the VA Maryland Health Care System are currently providingfree flu shots. You do not need an appointment to receive a free flushot, just visit your local VA facility during the days/hours listedbelow.

The flu shots are only available for veterans enrolled with theVA Maryland Health Care System.

Walk-In Flu Shot Clinics:
*Baltimore VA Primary Care Clinic, 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD:Monday - Friday from 8 am - 4 pm
*Baltimore VA Lobby Clinic, 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD: Monday- Friday from 8 am - 3 pm
*Perry Point VA Primary Care Clinic, Perry Point, MD: Monday - Friday from 8 am - 3:30 pm
*Glen Burnie VA Clinic, 808 Landmark Drive, Suite 128, Glen Burnie, MD:Monday - Friday 8am - Noon and 1 pm - 3 pm
*Fort Howard VA Clinic, 9600 North Point Road, Fort Howard, MD: Monday -Friday from 8 am - 3:30 pm
*Loch Raven VA Clinic, 3901 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD: Monday - Friday from 8:30 am - Noon and 1 pm - 3:30 pm
*Cambridge VA Clinic, 830 Chesapeake Drive, Cambridge, MD: Monday and Wednesday from Noon - 4 pm, and Friday 9 am - 3 pm
*Pocomoke VA Clinic, 101 Market Street, Pocomoke City, MD: Thursdays from 9 am - 3 pm
Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinics:
*Perry Point VA Primary Care Clinic Parking Lot, Perry Point, MD: October 3, 2009, from 9 am - 1 pm
*Glen Burnie VA Clinic Parking Lot, 808 Landmark Drive, Suite 128, Glen Burnie, MD: October 3, 2009, from 9 am - 12 pm
*Loch Raven VA Clinic Parking Lot, 3901 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD: October 10, 2009, from 9 am - 12 pm
*Baltimore VA Medical Center Parking Garage, 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD: October 17, 2009, from 9 am - 1 pm
For general information about the Flu Shot Clinics, please call the FluVaccine Information Line at 1-800-463-6295, ext. 7273. For medical advice, please call the Telephone Care Line 24 hours a day, seven days aweek, by dialing 1-800-865-2441.

Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism

2009-10-06T13:03:00.000-07:00
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano joined Colorado Governor Bill Ritter yesterday to unveil “Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism”—a video produced with DHS grant funding designed to educate Colorado citizens about the shared responsibility of recognizing signs of terrorist activity.

“The vigilance of individual citizens is critical to protecting our country from the threat of terrorism,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This video provides essential information on how to identify the warning signs and emphasizes the vital role of such assistance in state and local law enforcement’s counterterrorism efforts.”

“Eight years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, it's important to remember the United States is not immune from the atrocities of international terror attacks. Even in Colorado, we need to be prepared to prevent and respond to these types of horrific events,” said Governor Ritter. “Secretary Napolitano’s charge to empower the public with knowledge is a key component in creating prepared and vigilant communities across America. I encourage all Coloradans to see the video ‘Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism’ at the CELL because we all have the power to make a difference when we are prepared.”

Under the DHS State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Colorado Office of Homeland Security awarded $30,400 for the creation of the video, which was narrated by John Elway and Kim Christiansen and produced through a partnership between the Colorado Office of Homeland Security, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) and the Center for Empowered Living & Learning (The CELL)—a non-profit institution dedicated to addressing the global threat of terrorism.

The announcement came during Secretary Napolitano’s trip to Denver, where she joined Governor Ritter on a tour of the CELL.

While in Denver, Secretary Napolitano also joined Attorney General Eric Holder, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller and Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske to participate in the National Association of Chiefs of Police Conference.

To view the video, visit www.thecell.org <http://www.thecell.org/> .

VA Staffs Office for Survivors of Vets, Service Members

2009-09-29T06:25:00.000-07:00
Shinseki: “Voice of Survivors” Will Strengthen Existing Programs
WASHINGTON -- To strengthen the programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the survivors of the nation’s Veterans and military personnel, the Department has staffed an office to serve as their advocate, with a charter that includes creating or modifying programs, benefits and services.
“Taking care of survivors is as essential as taking care of our Veterans and military personnel,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said. “By taking care of survivors, we are honoring a commitment made to our Veterans and military members.”
The office serves as the primary advisor to the secretary on all issues affecting the survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans and service members. It will monitor VA’s delivery of benefits to survivors, make appropriate referrals to VA offices for survivors seeking benefits and explore innovative ways of reaching survivors who are not receiving the VA benefits for which they are eligible.
VA benefits for eligible survivors include educational assistance, home loan guaranties, health care insurance and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a monthly payment to the survivors of some people who die on active duty and some seriously disabled Veterans.
More than 554,000 spouses, dependents and other survivors of Veterans are receiving VA benefits. That figure includes nearly 5,000 spouses of World War I Veterans, 90 spouses and 94 children of Spanish-American War Veterans, and two children of Civil War Veterans.
The establishment of this office was authorized in the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.

The American Legion aids in G.I. Bill financial relief effort

2009-09-28T05:54:00.001-07:00
VA to issue emergency checks to veteran students awaiting benefits

WASHINGTON (September 26, 2009) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says it is preparing to issue checks of up to $3,000 to students awaiting overdue Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki made the announcement Friday night in the wake of reports from The American Legion and other veterans' service organizations that some students are experiencing undue financial hardships as the result of delays in the reception of G.I. Bill benefit checks. Some students, it is reported, have been forced to borrow money or take on extracurricular work to pay tuition, fees and other educational expenses while they await their newly implemented benefits. The emergency checks will be made available to eligible students through VA regional offices beginning October 1, according to Secretary Shinseki's office.

"It is heartening to see the Secretary and his department responding so swiftly and decisively to this unfortunate situation," said National Commander Clarence E. Hill of The American Legion. "This is a brand new benefits program, instituted just weeks ago, so some startup glitches are to be expected," he continued, "but the VA's willingness to rectify the problem should be applauded. As I said earlier this week, our veteran students should be free to concentrate on their studies rather than be worried by financial burdens. Secretary Shinseki has echoed my sentiment.

"The American Legion offers its extensive outreach services in implementing the emergency student relief program," continued Hill. "We are ready to help students apply for and obtain the benefits they deserve."

Post 9/11 G.I. Bill students can contact The American Legion directly for assistance with educational benefits questions and issues at 202-263-2995 or by sending an email to the vice president of the National Association of Veterans' Program Administrators at askvalerie@legion.org

The American Legion has created a website, www.mygibill.org, to aid veterans in understanding and applying for their benefits under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill.

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

Patient Care Group Scam

2009-09-21T06:40:00.000-07:00
The VA has received reports that veterans are being contacted by a "Patient Care Group" that claims it is helping to administer the VA's prescription medicine program. "Patient Care Group" is saying the VA recently changed its pharmacy billing procedures, therefore a personal credit card number is now required for prescription payments in advance of filling those prescriptions.

This is a scam! Do not provide credit card information over the phone to anyone who claims to represent the VA! The VA has not changed their pharmacy procedures, and they do not ask veterans to disclose personal financial information over the phone.

If you should receive such a call, do not give them any information. Tell them you are busy and try to get a name and callback number. Report that information to your local police.

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution making September 16, The American Legion Day

2009-09-11T13:00:00.001-07:00
Congressional Record

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution making September 16, The American Legion Day

THE AMERICAN LEGION DAY -- (Senate - September 10, 2009)
[Page: S9274] GPO's PDF

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 260, which was submitted earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 260) designating September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day.''
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to support this legislation I introduced with Senator LINCOLN, Senator COLLINS, and Senator CHAMBLISS, which would officially recognize this Nation's largest veterans' service organization, The American Legion , and its vital role in communities across the Nation, by designating September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day.''

Nothing describes the role of The American Legion more beautifully than its preamble to its constitution which is recited by its members at the beginning of every official meeting.

For God and Country, we associated ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the Master of Might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to Posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

I think we all would agree that these are extremely lofty goals for any organization, but amazingly The American Legion continues to work towards these objectives--not for themselves, but for America .

Most people are surprised to learn that The American Legion was actually founded in Paris , France . You see World War I veterans remembered the challenges facing other wartime veterans from previous generations and vowed not to let their fellow comrades face the same hardships, especially those with service-connected disabilities. They were concerned with employment opportunities for returning combat veterans. They were concerned about the survivors of combat veterans who had paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. They were concerned about medical care for the wounded and ill returning service members.

Now, as at its founding, The American Legion remains focused on supporting military service members and their families. Since December, The American Legion's Operation Comfort Warrior raised over $170,000 to buy merchandise for Wounded Warriors in military treatment centers around the country. The American Legion also established the ``Heroes to Hometowns'' program which helps local communities prepare ``welcome home'' events when wounded warriors are finally released from military or veterans' affairs medical centers. Since the first Gulf War, The American Legion has maintained its Family Support Network which assists deployed service members and their families, especially members of the National Guard and Reserves. Some requests are for financial assistance, but other requests are simply for household chores, such as lawn work or car maintenance, that would normally be done by the soldier, sailor, airmen, Marine, were they not deployed. No request is too large or too small.

Many Legionnaires can be found in public schools on Veterans' Day or Memorial Day talking about their military service in periods of armed conflict to make sure the next generation of Americans understands the sacrifices and hardships of previous generations of wartime veterans. Legionnaires also teach students about the proper display and care of the Flag of the United States .

The American Legion works closely with the American Red Cross--the largest organization of blood donors and a working partner in disaster assistance. Many American Legion Posts serve as Red Cross and FEMA work centers in areas hit by natural disasters.

The American Legion is also proud of its membership's spirit of volunteerism. Each year, Legionnaires volunteer over a million hours of services in VA and military medical facilities, State veterans' homes, and other such community volunteer opportunities.

And one of the most solemn of functions is providing burial details for fallen comrades of every generation. The American Legion Color Guards, Buglers and Rifle Squads perform thousands of burials in veterans' and private cemeteries around the Nation.

As all of us in this chamber know, The American Legion remains today an active and vigorous advocate for service members, veterans and their families here on Capitol Hill. Among its greatest legislative achievements was the enactment of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, the GI Bill of Rights. The initial draft of the GI Bill was written by Legionnaires at the Mayflower Hotel here in Washington , DC . Many consider the GI Bill as one of the greatest pieces of legislation ever enacted.

Congress presented The American Legion its Federal charter on September 16, 1919; therefore, I think it only fitting that we proclaim September 16, 2009, ``The American Legion Day.'' I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this well-earned measure, demonstrating our mutual esteem and reverence for this outstanding organization.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 260) was agreed to.

SENATE RESOLUTION 260--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 16, 2009, AS ``THE AMERICAN LEGION DAY'' -- (Senate - September 10, 2009)
[Page: S9269] GPO's PDF

Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Chambliss) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

S. Res. 260
Whereas, on September 16, 1919, Congress issued to the American Legion a Federal charter as a wartime veterans service organization;

Whereas the American Legion remains active in communities at the national, State, and local levels;

Whereas members of the American Legion (commonly referred to as ``Legionnaires'') provide millions of hours of volunteer service to medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes for veterans throughout the United States ;

Whereas the American Legion continues to sponsor activities for children and youth, including the National Oratorical Contest, Boy Scouts, American Legion Baseball, Boys State, and Boys Nation;

Whereas the American Legion awards millions of dollars in college scholarships to young men and women;

Whereas the American Legion National Emergency Fund provides financial assistance to Legionnaires displaced by natural disasters;

Whereas the American Legion Family Support Network provides assistance to members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their families;

Whereas the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has provided millions of dollars to programs focused on youth in the United States , including the Special Olympics and the Children's Miracle Network;

Whereas the American Legion Temporary Financial Assistance provides grants to veterans with children experiencing financial hardships;

Whereas the American Legion remains second to none in steadfast support of strong national defense;

Whereas the American Legion supports maintaining a viable and principled foreign relations agenda;

Whereas the American Legion is a staunch advocate for the principal missions of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

Whereas the American Legion wrote the original draft of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284, chapter 268), commonly referred to as the ``G. I. Bill of Rights'';

Whereas the American Legion continues to support employment programs and opportunities for veterans; and

Whereas Legionnaires believe that a veteran's service to the United States continues long after the veteran is honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States : Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate designates September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day''.

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution making September 16, The American Legion Day

2009-09-11T12:58:00.001-07:00
Congressional Record

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution making September 16, The American Legion Day

THE AMERICAN LEGION DAY -- (Senate - September 10, 2009)
[Page: S9274] GPO's PDF

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 260, which was submitted earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 260) designating September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day.''
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to support this legislation I introduced with Senator LINCOLN, Senator COLLINS, and Senator CHAMBLISS, which would officially recognize this Nation's largest veterans' service organization, The American Legion , and its vital role in communities across the Nation, by designating September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day.''

Nothing describes the role of The American Legion more beautifully than its preamble to its constitution which is recited by its members at the beginning of every official meeting.

For God and Country, we associated ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the Master of Might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to Posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

I think we all would agree that these are extremely lofty goals for any organization, but amazingly The American Legion continues to work towards these objectives--not for themselves, but for America .

Most people are surprised to learn that The American Legion was actually founded in Paris , France . You see World War I veterans remembered the challenges facing other wartime veterans from previous generations and vowed not to let their fellow comrades face the same hardships, especially those with service-connected disabilities. They were concerned with employment opportunities for returning combat veterans. They were concerned about the survivors of combat veterans who had paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. They were concerned about medical care for the wounded and ill returning service members.

Now, as at its founding, The American Legion remains focused on supporting military service members and their families. Since December, The American Legion's Operation Comfort Warrior raised over $170,000 to buy merchandise for Wounded Warriors in military treatment centers around the country. The American Legion also established the ``Heroes to Hometowns'' program which helps local communities prepare ``welcome home'' events when wounded warriors are finally released from military or veterans' affairs medical centers. Since the first Gulf War, The American Legion has maintained its Family Support Network which assists deployed service members and their families, especially members of the National Guard and Reserves. Some requests are for financial assistance, but other requests are simply for household chores, such as lawn work or car maintenance, that would normally be done by the soldier, sailor, airmen, Marine, were they not deployed. No request is too large or too small.

Many Legionnaires can be found in public schools on Veterans' Day or Memorial Day talking about their military service in periods of armed conflict to make sure the next generation of Americans understands the sacrifices and hardships of previous generations of wartime veterans. Legionnaires also teach students about the proper display and care of the Flag of the United States .

The American Legion works closely with the American Red Cross--the largest organization of blood donors and a working partner in disaster assistance. Many American Legion Posts serve as Red Cross and FEMA work centers in areas hit by natural disasters.

The American Legion is also proud of its membership's spirit of volunteerism. Each year, Legionnaires volunteer over a million hours of services in VA and military medical facilities, State veterans' homes, and other such community volunteer opportunities.

And one of the most solemn of functions is providing burial details for fallen comrades of every generation. The American Legion Color Guards, Buglers and Rifle Squads perform thousands of burials in veterans' and private cemeteries around the Nation.

As all of us in this chamber know, The American Legion remains today an active and vigorous advocate for service members, veterans and their families here on Capitol Hill. Among its greatest legislative achievements was the enactment of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, the GI Bill of Rights. The initial draft of the GI Bill was written by Legionnaires at the Mayflower Hotel here in Washington , DC . Many consider the GI Bill as one of the greatest pieces of legislation ever enacted.

Congress presented The American Legion its Federal charter on September 16, 1919; therefore, I think it only fitting that we proclaim September 16, 2009, ``The American Legion Day.'' I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this well-earned measure, demonstrating our mutual esteem and reverence for this outstanding organization.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 260) was agreed to.

SENATE RESOLUTION 260--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 16, 2009, AS ``THE AMERICAN LEGION DAY'' -- (Senate - September 10, 2009)
[Page: S9269] GPO's PDF

Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Chambliss) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

S. Res. 260
Whereas, on September 16, 1919, Congress issued to the American Legion a Federal charter as a wartime veterans service organization;

Whereas the American Legion remains active in communities at the national, State, and local levels;

Whereas members of the American Legion (commonly referred to as ``Legionnaires'') provide millions of hours of volunteer service to medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes for veterans throughout the United States ;

Whereas the American Legion continues to sponsor activities for children and youth, including the National Oratorical Contest, Boy Scouts, American Legion Baseball, Boys State, and Boys Nation;

Whereas the American Legion awards millions of dollars in college scholarships to young men and women;

Whereas the American Legion National Emergency Fund provides financial assistance to Legionnaires displaced by natural disasters;

Whereas the American Legion Family Support Network provides assistance to members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their families;

Whereas the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has provided millions of dollars to programs focused on youth in the United States , including the Special Olympics and the Children's Miracle Network;

Whereas the American Legion Temporary Financial Assistance provides grants to veterans with children experiencing financial hardships;

Whereas the American Legion remains second to none in steadfast support of strong national defense;

Whereas the American Legion supports maintaining a viable and principled foreign relations agenda;

Whereas the American Legion is a staunch advocate for the principal missions of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

Whereas the American Legion wrote the original draft of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284, chapter 268), commonly referred to as the ``G. I. Bill of Rights'';

Whereas the American Legion continues to support employment programs and opportunities for veterans; and

Whereas Legionnaires believe that a veteran's service to the United States continues long after the veteran is honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States : Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate designates September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day''.

The American Legion leader outlines priority items for Congress

2009-09-11T08:19:00.000-07:00
WASHINGTON (Sept. 10, 2009 ) - The newly elected leader of The American Legion has spelled out the veterans service organization’s seven leading priorities for Congress.

National Commander Clarence E. Hill, just two weeks into his one-year term, testified before a joint session of the U.S. House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees this morning, succinctly outlining the Legion’s continuing concern over funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs , VA’s huge caseload backlog and the fate of VA medicine in light of impending changes in the nation’s health care system.

Hill submitted 40 pages of written testimony to committee members, but also offered a few minutes of oral testimony in a packed Cannon House Office Building caucus room. Among the hundreds witnessing the commander’s testimony were Legion leaders from across the nation who had made an annual pilgrimage to Washington to visit their congressional representatives as well as a contingent of wounded warriors from nearby Walter Reed Army Medical Center whose presence inspired two standing ovations.

Hill summarized his brief remarks by declaring seven “priority items” for congressional consideration. These included what he called “timely, predictable and sufficient” appropriations “to support the Department of Veterans Affairs’ delivery of quality health care to the nation’s veterans.” The commander also reiterated the Legion’s argument that VA health care be kept autonomous and not rolled into any national health care plan.

Hill also urged passage of twin House and Senate bills that would enable Medicare reimbursement to the VA for medical treatment of eligible veterans, plus improved screening of and treatment for traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

The Legion commander also urged changes in the newly enacted Post 9/11 G.I. Bill that would expand financial aid to include veterans who wish to pursue vocational and trade school educational opportunities rather than just those presented in colleges and universities. He also encouraged improved regulation of the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) and Disabled Veterans’ Outreach (DVOP) programs at the state level to help bolster employment opportunities for veterans.

An oft-repeated topic of discussion during the commander’s testimony was the huge backlog of unprocessed and partially processed VA disability claims. Some sources say the number of claims in the backlog now approach one-million. The Legion leader said that improved training and retention of case workers, plus the institution of measures to, as he put it, “get it right the first time,” thus avoiding repeated and extensive processing of claims, will help free the logjam. Hill and the Legion drew praise for offering solutions to the vexing problem, rather than simply express alarm about it.

Praise was also offered by committee members to each other for their largely bipartisan efforts to address the needs of the nation’s military veterans. The most passionate statement in this regard was made by Bernie Sanders, the Independent senator from Vermont. “I voted against the war in Iraq,” he proclaimed, “but no matter whether you favor a war or oppose it, it is wrong to blame those who put on the uniform.” His comment elicited loud applause. Testimony is presented annually to lawmakers by The American Legion’s national commander shortly after Congress reconvenes in its fall session.

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

VA Scraps Current Developer and Plan after Lengthy Delays

2009-08-19T10:40:00.000-07:00
(Fort Howard, MD) – After lengthy delays, the Department of Veterans Affairs just announced it has terminated the current plan to develop a veteran’s facility at Fort Howard in Baltimore County. Team Maryland, including Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith (D-MD), support the VA’s search for a new developer committed to creating a high-quality, affordable community for Maryland veterans and their families.

Fort Howard Senior Housing Associates LLC, the developer, broke ground more than three years ago. The first phase of the $180 million public-private partnership for the continuing care retirement community geared toward Maryland veterans was slated to be complete this year. Construction has stalled after disagreements over cost, size, and local transportation needs.

“We have a sacred trust with the veterans who serve our country so we may live in freedom. Part of that sacred trust is making sure we provide them with the services and support they need and deserve,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). “Preserving land for veterans shows Maryland’s vets that America is with them. That’s why I will continue the fight to ensure that Fort Howard is developed in a way that is valuable to veterans and favorable to the surrounding community.”

"I am committed to working with the VA and prospective developers to provide our aging veterans with a care facility that will meet their needs,” said Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee. “Our veterans were there when we needed them and now it's time for us to be there to help them meet the challenges of aging.”

“Maryland veterans risked their lives for their country. They deserve a first-rate, reasonably priced facility that will be an integral part of the community and a good neighbor to the area. I look forward to working together with our local, state, and federal partners to redevelop this area in a positive way that doesn’t negatively impact existing communities,” said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “From the War of 1812 where Marylanders fought off the British to Fort Howard’s role as a VA Hospital until it closed in 2002, Fort Howard has been an important piece of Maryland history. Maryland veterans deserve to enjoy this facility with its gorgeous views of the Patapsco River and its proud past.

"I am hopeful that the Veteran's Administration will be able to reach an agreement with a new developer for the Fort Howard project in the near future," stated Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith (D-MD). "I am confident that there are developers who will be able to work with the community and Baltimore County to create a quality living environment for our veterans who have done so much for their country."

VA Launches 10-Year Health Study of Recent Veterans

2009-08-05T08:05:00.000-07:00
In summer 2009 the Department of Veterans Affairs is launching one of the largest scientific research studies ever undertaken on the health of recent Veterans - the "National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans." Findings from this questionnaire-based study of 60,000 Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere will provide insight on the long-term health of these Veterans.

Additional information can be found at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/research/epidemiology/newgenerationhealthstudy/

Legion salutes ‘ California fix’ to new GI Bill

2009-08-05T08:02:00.001-07:00
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 5, 2009) – The best veterans benefit in a generation just got better, said the head of the nation’s largest veterans service organization, American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein.
“The new GI Bill is making it possible for today’s veterans and family members to obtain the higher education that they so richly deserve,” Rehbein said. “But even though this bill, made possible through the advocacy efforts of The American Legion and others, goes a long way toward expressing the gratitude this nation has toward its heroes, there were some inequities that needed to be corrected. The solution reached between California and VA is a step in the right direction.”
Rehbein was referring to disparities in the benefit caused by the wide ranging tuition rates found in different states. The Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefit authorizes VA to pay the actual tuition and fees charged by a university up to the maximum in-state tuition and fees charged by the most expensive public university in the state. California state schools, however, charge little or no tuition, but instead label the cost as “fees.” The result of this semantic difference was that students attending private schools in California would receive a far smaller benefit than those attending private schools in other states.
The VA and California resolved the issue yesterday by allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept a new California billing line item “Educational Fee / Tuition” to meet the requirements.
“The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an important part of fulfilling our promise to the men and women who have served our country so honorably,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said. “This solution will allow all veterans who want to attend a California school the same benefits as any other veterans across the nation.”
Moreover, veterans at more than 1,100 private colleges, universities and schools across the country can benefit from the “Yellow Ribbon” program, which helps pay the difference between the highest in-state public school tuition rate and the cost of the private institution. The Yellow Ribbon schools agree to pay up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match the additional funding for students using the GI Bill.
Rehbein, who met with President Obama yesterday, said he is pleased that the president is taking an inclusive approach to using the GI Bill. Currently, National Guard members mobilized under “Title 32” state orders do not enjoy the same GI Bill benefits offered to their counterparts mobilized under federal orders.
“My general philosophy is that somebody who served in uniform on behalf of our safety and security, they should be eligible,” Obama said. “We want to be inclusive rather than exclusive. We want to encourage more people to use the program rather than less.”
The American Legion’s strong support of GI Bill benefits is nothing new. It was a past national commander of The American Legion, Harry W. Colmery, who wrote the original Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944. As modern day tuition rates soared, The American Legion wanted today’s veterans to enjoy the same benefits as their predecessors. The Legion was the leading champion for ushering the new GI Bill through Congress.
“Passing this historic new GI Bill into law could not have happened without the dedicated efforts of The American Legion,” Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Rep. Chet Edwards said at the time.
Rehbein said that The American Legion will continue to advocate for greater equity and inclusiveness in the distribution of GI Bill benefits. He recommended that veterans contact The American Legion if they have questions about their benefits or visit www.mygibill.org .
“Whenever there is a program of this scope, there will be glitches,” Rehbein said. “This GI Bill, however, is a result of support from the grassroots, advocacy from The American Legion, and Congress doing the right thing. We are grateful for the agreement reached between VA and California . It’s now time to address any other inequities that exist.”
With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

VA healthcare will not be endangered by national system, says President Obama

2009-08-04T11:10:00.001-07:00
Promise made during private meeting with National Commander of The American Legion

WASHINGTON (Aug. 4, 2009) – President Obama, meeting privately with the leader of nation’s largest veterans service organization this morning, pledged to keep the medical care system administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs essentially as is – quelling fears that VA healthcare would be absorbed into a national health care system.

“(I) got his very strong assurance the VA as our veterans know it will continue to exist,” said National Commander David K. Rehbein. “It will not be diluted or folded into some sort of national system and that the folks who go to the VA…that will be considered their insurance, so any insurance requirements (will be met) simply by being enrolled in the VA.”

Another topic discussed during the one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office was Medicare reimbursement to the VA, a proposal long championed by The American Legion. This proposed practice would require Medicare to pay for care provided at Department VA medical facilities to Medicare beneficiaries – that is, eligible veterans over the age of 65 with non-service related injuries, illnesses and conditions. Currently, Medicare is precluded by statute from doing this.

“Medicare reimbursement to VA would be a boon to veterans in that it would encourage them to take advantage of what we consider the best care anywhere,” said Rehbein. It would also generate much-needed revenue for the VA.” The “Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2009” resulted from a discussion Rehbein had with House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) at the Legion’s DC headquarters just three weeks ago. “I am pleased that Chairman Filner visited with us and then took prompt action,” Rehbein said.

Obama and Rehbein also discussed the positive effects that the enhanced educational benefits contained within the newly enacted and American Legion-pioneered Post 9/11 GI Bill will have on the veterans community and the nation as a whole.

The vexing problem of a dramatically growing backlog of VA benefits claims was also considered by the two. Rehbein said he feels the president “fully appreciates” its gravity and will do what he can to aid in its solution.

Rehbein, obviously pleased with the meeting’s outcome, characterized the 25-minute White House chat as “very friendly…conversational in style” in which “issues were discussed rather than positions being presented.”

With a current membership of 2.5 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Rehbein is available at www.legion.org.

New Paid-Up-For-Life (PUFL) Program

2009-08-04T08:29:00.001-07:00
New Paid-Up-For-Life (PUFL) Program Effective October 1, 2009 and Procedural Changes
The Paid-Up-For-Life (PUFL) program changed as a result of National Executive Committee Resolution 8 passed during the Spring Meetings, May 6-7, 2009 (copy attached). See the attached PUFL brochure for the new rate chart and the new required forms for all new PUFL applications.

New rates are effective October 1, 2009. All PUFL applications being submitted at the current rates must be received at National by September 1, 2009. This gives time to process the applications under the current system before the new rates go into effect. No PUFL applications will be accepted on the old forms after the September 1st cut-off.

The Time Payment Plan, which currently allows up to 12 months to pay, has been extended to a 36-month payment period. This is a big benefit of the new plan. The rate chart on the application has been changed to show monthly payment amounts instead of the full payment due.
Instead of the 10% minimum deposit that is currently required, the member must only include the first month's payment, as noted on the rate chart. If the member chooses to pay more than the minimum deposit, the remaining balance will be divided into 35 additional payments, which will decrease the amount of the monthly payment. National will continue to forward payment coupons to the member once the application has been accepted and processed. A new option has been added to give the member the opportunity for automatic monthly credit card billing.
Members may still pay the full amount at the time of application. To calculate the total cost of a PUFL membership, the member (or post officer) will need to find the monthly payment on the rate chart and multiply it by 36. PLEASE NOTE: The total fee must be entered on the front of the application, regardless of whether the member is paying in full or choosing the Time Payment Plan.

Beginning October 1, 2009, all PUFL applications must be accompanied by a copy of the member's separation form (DD214 or similar) or a copy of their current active duty military identification. If neither is available, provide a brief explanation and include a copy of the member's current driver's license. The PUFL application will not be processed if eligibility documentation is not provided and will be returned to the Department Headquarters for resolution.

Member's who choose to participate in the Time Payment Plan must complete the Participation Agreement on the back of the application. Any forms received without a signature will be returned to the department for correction. This new form is procedural change from the current system.

Your Department will be shipped a supply of the new PUFL brochures for immediate use as soon as they are received from the printers. In addition all the forms will also be on www.legion.org by August 7th. Also next week, we will forward a computer fill-in form to you for your use. We ask that you use all available means of communication to publicize the impending changes and the cut-off day of September 1st, as well as the October 1st effective date of the new application and rates.

We understand that these are fairly significant changes but they're necessary in order to keep the PUFL program viable.

Greetings from the New County Commander

2009-08-03T12:48:00.000-07:00
Greetings Gang:

Now that August is here, it is time to stop procrastinating and start the 2010 Legion Year! I am both pleased and excited to be "your" Commander again. Attached please find this year's meeting schedule and the listing of officers in case you missed it. We do have some new people this year, so let's not discourage them too much or too early!

Some things you need to be aware of in advance of our first meeting next month:

- All posts should have received the Public Safety Awards submission package by now for this year. Please note that our due date to the Department has been moved up by an entire month! Therefore, if you are doing this, your people need to get busy NOW! I will need your submissions NLT 19 October!!!! OCTOBER 19..... BTW, SMD plans on protesting this change!!

- Our Oratorical Contest is tentatively scheduled for February 6, 2010. School starts in the county on 31 August. So, this should be started NLT the middle of September. Again, IF you plan to pursue it. PDC Gail is the chair this year and the final will be at Towson University on my 60th birthday, March 7.

- Many of you received an email from Clarence looking for warm bodies to go to Capitol Hill to support the new National Commander as he speaks to Congress (Joint Vets Affairs Committee). This will occur on September 10, beginning at 0930. They have asked DC, MD, and VA to send folks because of our close proximity. Believing a show of force from the largest VSO might help with Vets funding in the coming cycle. As humorist Will Rogers once said, "Why pay to go to the circus when you can watch Congress for free!" They want a list of names, probably by early September. I do plan to be there. _ AND speaking of Congress, House Resolution 679, currently in the hopper, would designate September 16 as "American Legion Day." The list of co-sponsors does NOT include Bartlett or Van Hollen. Please write a letter to them asking them to be co-sponsors. I will send you mine later this week and you can just change the name and use it too!

- Judge Cohen sends his regards and we will be bringing the Library naming to the forefront again this year. As you may know, he has been sidelined by his wife's battle with cancer. He may attend our November Meeting for an update.

- I will be visiting everyone soon! I will have a schedule in a day or two. I plan on doing our usual stuff this year: Super Bowl; Youth Camp; Oratorical; Public Safety; etc. Here's to a great year! I look forward to seeing the usual suspects in Lusby on this Sunday and Parkville Next Sunday!! Will Trotter

Post 295 repeats history to win division (Montgomery)

2009-07-23T10:56:00.000-07:00
Defending state champions win crown with consecutive rallies over Post 104 Tuesday, July 21, 2009 by James Peters Staff Writer Gazette.net

The reigning American Legion state champions topped Gaithersburg Post 104 twice on Sunday, 8-4 and 13-11, to win the Montgomery Division crown at Damascus Regional Park.
Six years ago, Post 295 cruised into the Montgomery Division tournament final assured a spot in the Maryland State American Legion baseball tournament. Regardless, Post 295 recorded a two-game championship sweep of Damascus Post 171 and used the momentum to capture the state title.

"We don't want to be the team that just gets in because we're the host," said Post 295's Zach Skellchock, who closed out the second contest on the mound while also scoring three runs and driving in a run. "We want to get in because we won our county."

Top-seeded Post 295, which is hosting this year's state tournament in College Park, found itself in exactly the same position again Sunday when it squared off with the division's No. 3 seed, which entered the final without a loss in the double-elimination tournament, just like 2003.
And just like in 2003, Post 295 rallied from an early deficit in the first game to force a second championship contest that it also came from behind to win. It marked the team's ninth division crown since 1990 and sixth in the last seven years.

"We just wanted to win," said Skellchock, "We didn't feel right losing to them in the first game [a 3-0 Post 104 victory in Thursday's winners' bracket]. We just wanted to come out and beat them in both games and come out and be county champs."

Despite failing to capture the division crown, Post 104 (18-10) also qualified for the state tournament to help round out the eight-team field. It will play Post 295 (25-6) in the first round at the University of Maryland's Shipley Field on Friday.

"It's painful," Post 104 manager Joe Stolz said. "That's all I can say. I thought we had them up 4-0 in the sixth inning [of the first game] but they're like the ghoul in the movie, ‘Friday the 13th;' you can't kill them. It's hard to take."

Led by the pitching of ace hurler Nick Riley and hitting of Mike Campos and Ben Silverman, Post 104 grabbed the early four-run lead. Post 295 ace Jimmy Reed (7-1, 1.62 ERA) cruised through the first three innings, but Post 104 broke through on three straight base hits, including a run-scoring single by Campos for a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Back-to-back doubles by Sam Buonomo and Silverman pushed the lead to 2-0, then Campos slapped a two-run single in the fifth.

Post 295 came back to take the lead for good and chased Riley from the game in the sixth inning with six runs on five hits and an error. Ten batters came to the plate, with run-scoring hits by Spencer Pearman, Matt Civetti, Nick Loftus and Dominique Vattuone. Gary Schneider then put the game away with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

"It was all hitting," Schneider said. "It was just matter of getting one hit and the team starts rolling. It was definitely a pride thing. We don't want people to say they're already in and they don't deserve to be there."

Post 104 raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second game, capitalizing on two costly errors by Schneider, Post 295's starting hurler, who overthrew first base on two sacrifice bunt attempts. Evan Pappas also successfully worked a suicide squeeze to cap the five-run explosion.

However, Schneider and crew showed resolve with three runs in the top of the second, eventually taking a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Karis led the way with a three-run homer. Post 104 closed to within 12-11 when Skellchock halted the slugfest with a scoreless seventh inning that included a game-ending double play.

"Things just didn't go our way," Post 104 pitcher-infielder Kory Smigocki said. "We started off great but we kind of lost of the intensity. It's tough, but we'll get them back in Friday's state tournament."

Montgomery Division playoff field ready to go

2009-07-14T08:49:00.000-07:00
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 by James Peters Staff Writer http://www.gazette.net/

The field for the 2009 Montgomery Division American Legion baseball tournament was set this past weekend, as the regular season concluded with a flurry of make-up games. The tournament began Tuesday, too late to be included in this edition, and will conclude Sunday at Damascus Regional Park.

Gaithersburg Post 295 (21-5, 19-5 Montgomery Division) claimed the regular season title. Sandy Spring Post 68 (18-5) secured the No. 2 seed in just its second year of existence.
Gaithersburg Post 104 (16-8) returns to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed after missing postseason play a year ago, while Laurel Post 60 (14-12, 13-11) finished fourth.

Sandy Spring actually bested Post 295 in two out of three games this year and would have grabbed the No. 1 seed with one more win. The team's scheduled game Friday against Cissel Saxon Post 41 (13-11, 11-11) was postponed after umpires failed to arrive, but Post 68 manager Matt Cangas decided not to make up the game.

That left Sandy Spring one game short of a full slate, and Post 295 in the No. 1 spot.

"We did not have to forfeit the game to Cissel," Cangas said. "I decided not to play the game, since it meant nothing to either team. They were out of contention for a playoff spot and we were already in the second seed."

Sandy Spring closed the season with 13 wins in its final 14 games. Post 41 fell out of playoff contention with seven losses in its final 10. Playoff mainstay Damascus Post 171 finished 11-13.
Tuesday's match-ups consisted of Post 295, the defending division and state champion, hosting Laurel, who lost all three games against Gaithersburg, and Post 68 hosting Post 104, which also fell three times to its first-round opponent. The winners and losers of Tuesday's games will play Thursday.

With Post 295 hosting the Maryland State American Legion tournament at College Park at the end of the month, the Montgomery Division will place two teams in the state tournament. Post 295 automatically qualifies as the host. If it wins the division title, the runner-up will also. If Post 295 stumbles, the division champion will head to the state tournament with Gaithersburg.

County Election Results Ratified

2009-06-30T06:48:00.000-07:00
The annual caucus of the Montgomery County Council took place this evening, Monday, June 22, 2009, at Wheaton Post 268, Wheaton, Maryland, with Out-going Commander Bob Ouellette, presiding. The following officers were elected for the coming Legion Year, 2009 – 2010.

The results of the MCC Caucus were ratified by the Southern Maryland District Caucus on Sunday June 28th, in Mayo, MD.

2009-2010 Officers of The Montgomery County Council

Commander: William L. (Will) Trotter (171)
1st Vice Commander: Peter B. (Pete) Esker (41)
2nd Vice Commander: Colleen Mulroney (86)
Finance Officer/Treasurer: Victor M. (Mike) Riston (105)
Chaplain: Levelle C. Ferrell (86)
Sgt-at-Arms: Eric Myrland (105)
Judge Advocate: Victor M. (Mike) Riston (105)
Historian: Michael Higgs (86)
Adjutant: Frank M. Carpenter (171) (appointed)

Department Executive Committee

1. James E. Mattingly (268)
2. Michael Williams (268)
3. Robert J. Ouellette (295)
4. Peter B. Esker (41)
5. Robert E. Ray (171)
6. Levelle C. Ferrell (86)

Delegates To The National Convention

1. John F. Frankenburg (41)
2. Mike Riston (105)
3. Eric Myrland (105)

Alternates to The National Convention

1. Robert J. Ouellette (295)
2. Levelle C. Ferrell (86)
3. William L. Trotter (171)

Continuing VA endoscope contamination problem unacceptable, says The American Legion

2009-06-17T11:33:00.000-07:00
WASHINGTON (June 17, 2009) – The national commander of the nation’s largest veterans service organization is expressing outrage at continuing instances of VA medical personnel exposing their patients to infectious diseases.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (IG) released a report Tuesday detailing a pattern of failure to adhere to cleaning and sterilization procedures involving endoscopic equipment, despite an earlier campaign to rectify the problem. The report, entitled “Healthcare Inspection – Use and Reprocessing of Flexible Fiber optic Endoscopes at VA Medical Facilities” was aired during a House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation hearing. It documented the results of recent, unannounced inspections at 42 Veterans Health Administration facilities nationwide.

“The report is very disturbing,” said David K. Rehbein, national commander of The American Legion. “It demonstrates a pattern of failure among medical personnel within veterans health facilities to acquire simple knowledge and follow uncomplicated procedures, thus possibly exposing vulnerable veterans to serious health risks.

House Subcommittee members have directed the IG to conduct re-inspections of VA health facilities in 90 days. “But these three months should not be construed as a period of time to work on these deficiencies,” said Rehbein. “Veterans are being treated at these facilities every single hour of every single day. No matter what the reasons for this laxness in patient safety may be -- inadequate training, poor supervision or lack of accountability -- the problems must be rectified immediately – not tomorrow, but today!

“Traditionally,” he continued, “the VA’s healthcare system has been lauded as the best in the world, and I believe it still is. It is imperative that this issue not be allowed to compromise that standard,” said the commander.

The latest IG report is the result of a nationwide review requested by U.S. Representative Steve Buyer (R-IN) after he learned in March that more than three thousand veterans at the VA Medical Center in Miami, Fla. had been potentially exposed to HIV as well as Hepatitis B and C during endoscopic procedures.

Even before the Miami revelation, inspections had revealed faulty reprocessing of endoscopic equipment at VA medical centers in Murfreesboro , Tenn. and Augusta, Ga. Among the Fla. , Tenn. and Ga. Facilities, it is reported, approximately 10-thousand patients were exposed to the inadequately prepared medical implements. In February of this year, the VA instituted an education program to implement what they called “stronger procedures and better accountability at VA health care facilities.”

“Apparently, the so-called stronger procedures and better accountability were not strong and better enough,” Rehbein said.

With 2.6 million members, The American Legion is the nation’s largest veterans service organization. The Legion traditionally works hand-in-hand with members of Congress, leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs and other key stakeholders to assure appropriate funding and policy making on measures and issues affecting the military’s active duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel, veterans, and their families.

DCoE Outreach Center

2009-06-16T13:09:00.000-07:00
Do you have questions about traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other psychological health issues involving yourself or a loved one?

Then you NEED to visit the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Injury (DCoE) Outreach Center.

The Outreach Center answers questions about psychological health and traumatic brain injury, 24 hours / 7 Days a week / 365 Days a year, from members of all the military services (including the National Guard and Reserve), veterans, families, healthcare providers, military leaders, and employers.

Call in your questions to the Outreach Center at 866-966-1020 toll-free or send an e-mail inquiry to resources@dcoeoutreach.org. There are more resources available at www.realwarriors.net

The Outreach Center provides valuable tools, tips, and resources. It is staffed by health consultants and nurses with advanced degrees and expertise in psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues.

In addition to answering questions, thier consultants refer callers to centers in other parts of the Department of Defense, other federal agencies and outside organizations when appropriate.
DCoE, which is part of the Department of Defense Military Health System, promotes resilience, recovery and reintegration of service members facing psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues. DCoE also works to advance research, education, diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

You’ll never find answers if you don’t ask questions. Remember, seeking support is an act of courage and strength. You are not alone.

New GI Bill

2009-05-15T08:17:00.000-07:00
Apply Early For Your Benefits. The National Commander of the American Legion wrote the original GI BIll and the American Legion has been pushing the revision.WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that VA has received more than 25,000 claims for education benefits during the first two weeks that Veterans and servicemembers could apply online for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. “We are very pleased with the tremendous interest in the Post-9/11 GI Bill,” Patrick W. Dunne, VA’s under secretary for benefits, said. “The number of applications submitted in the first two weeks clearly shows the value and importance of this new benefit for Veterans.” The Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress last year, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944. It provides eligible individuals with tuition payments to assist them in getting a college education. Many participants will also receive a housing allowance while they’re studying and a stipend for books and supplies. Under the new GI Bill, certain members of the armed forces may transfer benefits to a spouse or dependent children. With the large numbers of Veterans and servicemembers expected to apply for the new program, VA projects a 20 percent to 25 percent increase in the total number of participants in VA’s education programs. Qualified people will receive a “Certificate of Eligibility” and information about their benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Applicants may expect to receive their certificate within 24 days of submission. Under federal law VA cannot pay benefits until Aug. 1, 2009. The new education benefit is for Veterans, servicemembers, reservists, and National Guard members who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001. Veterans can also apply online through the GI Bill Web site at www.GIBILL.VA.gov. Additionally, paper applications are accepted at VA regional processing offices located in Muskogee, Okla.; Atlanta; St. Louis; and Buffalo, N.Y. Veterans who apply online and provide a specific e-mail address will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of their claims. The number of education benefits’ applications submitted in the first two weeks is more than three times the rate of benefit applications usually received through the Veterans Online Application system (VONAPP). VONAPP is used for all education benefit programs, as well as for submission of applications for VA disability compensation and pension benefits. As a result of this unprecedented volume, some applicants experienced slow response times or error messages on Friday, May 1. VA immediately increased system capacity, and by Saturday morning, May 2, system performance was fully restored. “Because of the large number of applications expected to be received, we encourage Veterans interested in attending school this fall to apply early online,” Dunne added.Additional information about the new program and VA’s other educational benefit programs can be obtained by visiting VA’s Web site or by calling 1-888-GIBILL-1 (or 1-888-442-4551).

Sergeant James R. McIlvaine, Olney, MD KIA 4/30/09

2009-05-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

Sergeant James R. McIlvaine, was killed in Iraq April 30, 2009 serving his country in the United States Marine Corps. James was born September 24, 1982 in Olney, MD to Joanne E. Ryan and the late Michael S. McIlvaine.

Sgt McIlvaine is survived by his wife Sheryl M. McIlvaine of Twentynine Palms, CA two children Michael T. McIlvaine and Alexa N. McIlvaine both of Twentynine Palms, CA, mother and step-father Joanne E. and Mike S. Ryan of Purcellville, VA, four sisters Shannon, Ally, and Katie all of Purcellville, VA, and Airen of Frederick, MD and grandparents William and Katherine Muncy of Ocean Pines, MD and Patricia DeSimone of Olney, MD.

He began school at Olney elementary and graduated from Massanutten Military Academy. He graduated as a member of the National Honor Society and was awarded a commission to Virginia Military Institute.

After High School, he joined the Marine Corps February 28, 2001 and attended boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina May 10, 2001. He married Sheryl M. Schneider August 5, 2001. While serving in the Marine Corps Sheryl and James had their two children Michael and Alexa.

James McIlvaine was a proud and honorable husband, father, son and Marine who will be honored at Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, VA on Wednesday, May 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. with a memorial service at 8 p.m. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery May 12, 2009 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers and gifts the family requests donations to be mailed to Middleburg Bank P.O. box 2250 Purcellville, VA 20134. Make checks payable to Sergeant James R. McIlvaine Memorial Fund. Please visit the Hall Funeral Home Web Site at http://www.hallfh.com/ to express online condolences to the family.

2009-05-01T13:35:00.000-07:00
Joyous May Day Comrades ;)

In a few more weeks this Legion year will be over. However, a couple of Posts still have not met thier goal for 2009. And thank you for a 100% County! SMD needs only 198 for 3 Star and is currently in 1st Place.

As we settle out our membership efforts, keep in mind membership will drive how many DEC Members MCC will get next year as well as where they will go. So please check your Membership Chairman's inbox and get those memberships turned in.

The Posts listed below need a total of 81 members to reach goal:
Post 104 needs 9 members for 3 Star
Post 105 needs 7 members for 3 Star and has credit for up to 12
Post 171 needs 8 members for 3 Star
Post 268 needs 57 members for 3 Star
Thanks to the 38 guests at the Golden Bull! I appologize if I was a bit wound up. There were way more in attendance at the regular County Meetings. So now that we know they can get out to a meeting, we should see everyone who was there more often.
See you at the SMD Reception for the Department Commander tomorrow at the SMD Youth Camp.

If you are sick stay home!

Respectfully, For the Veteran!

Bob Ouellette
Commander, Montgomery County Council

The American Legion Commander Responds to DHS Secretary

2009-04-17T06:54:00.001-07:00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The American Legion Commander Responds to DHS Secretary

INDIANAPOLIS (April 16, 2009) -- American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein issued the following statement today:

“I am glad that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has apologized for the language used in the report about ‘Rightwing Extremism.’ I look forward to meeting with her next week, putting this behind us and discussing critical issues involving Homeland Security and The American Legion.”

- 30 –

Homeland security chief apologizes to veterans groups

Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized Thursday after veterans groups were offended by a department report about right-wing extremism.

The report said extremist groups may try to attract veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also said extremists also may use the recession and the election of the nation's first African-American president to recruit members.

The American Legion was among those who objected to the report's mention of veterans.

"I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are," the American Legion <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/The_American_Legion> 's national commander, David K. Rehbein, said in a letter to Napolitano.

Napolitano apologized on CNN on Thursday morning.

"I know that some veterans groups were offended by the fact that veterans were mentioned in this assessment, so I apologize for that offense. It was certainly not intended," she told CNN's "American Morning."

She said the report was an assessment -- not an accusation -- and said she would meet with leaders of veterans groups next week.

She noted that the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which bills itself as the nation's largest combat veterans group, defended the report.

Glen M. Gardner Jr., the national commander of the 2.2 million-member VFW, said the assessment "should have been worded differently" but served a vital purpose.

"A government that does not assess internal and external security threats would be negligent of a critical public responsibility," he said in a statement.

The report mentioned numerous factors that could strengthen right-wing extremists, including anger over illegal immigration and the poor economy.

Yet it was the section on veterans that caused controversy among conservative politicians and some veterans. It said "the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone-wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks." It cited Timothy McVeigh, who returned from military service and went on to bomb the federal building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1995.

"Timothy McVeigh was only one of more than 42 million veterans who have worn this nation's uniform during wartime," wrote Rehbein, the American Legion commander. "To continue to use McVeigh as an example of the stereotypical 'disgruntled military veteran' is as unfair as using Osama bin Laden as the sole example of Islam."

The report, which was prepared in coordination with the FBI, was published last week. It was distributed to federal, state and local law enforcement officials. Mainstream media outlets picked up the story after it was reported by conservative bloggers.

Though the nine-page report said it had "no specific information that domestic right-wing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence," it said real-estate foreclosures, unemployment and tight credit "could create a fertile recruiting environment for right-wing extremists and even result in confrontations between such groups and government authorities similar to those in the past."

The report compared the current climate with that of the 1990s, saying a recession, criticism over outsourcing of jobs, and a perceived threat to U.S. power at that time fueled a "resurgence" of right-wing extremism <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Hate_and_Extremist_Groups> .

However, it said, "Despite similarities to the climate of the 1990s, the threat posed by lone wolves and small terrorist cells is more pronounced than in past years."

It warned that the groups may use proposed restrictions on firearms and the debate on immigration as recruiting tools, and said the groups may try to reach out to veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh decried the report on Tuesday, saying, "There is not one instance they can cite as evidence where any of these right-wing groups have done anything," according to a transcript of his remarks on his Web site.

"You have a report from Janet Napolitano and Barack Obama, Department of Homeland Security <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/U_S_Department_of_Homeland_Security> , portraying standard, ordinary, everyday conservatives as posing a bigger threat to this country than al Qaeda terrorists or genuine enemies of this country like Kim Jong Il," he said, referring to the leader of North Korea.

Michael Savage, another conservative commentator, also criticized the report.

"What does Big Sis say these right-wingers are concerned about?" he wrote on his Web site, referring to Napolitano.

"Illegal aliens, the increasing power of the federal government, gun grabs, abortion and the loss of U.S. national sovereignty. In other words, anyone who is worried about preserving our borders, language, and culture is on Big Sis' watch list."

In a written statement Wednesday, Napolitano <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Janet_Napolitano> said the agency is on "the lookout for criminal and terrorist activity but we do not -- nor will we ever -- monitor ideology or political beliefs."

She said she was "briefed" on the general topic, which "struck a nerve as someone personally involved in the Timothy McVeigh prosecution."

Napolitano said in her statement that she will tell Rehbein face-to-face that the Department of Homeland Security honors veterans and employs thousands of them, including Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute.

The Obama administration in January issued a warning about left-wing extremists. Both reports were initiated during the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Joe March
Director of Public Relations
The American Legion National Hqs.
700 N. Pennsylvania
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Office: (317) 630-1253
Fax: (317) 630-1368
Cell: (317) 748-1926

The American Legion supports Obama plan for Afghanistan

2009-03-27T11:15:00.001-07:00
WASHINGTON (March 27, 2009) – The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization voiced his strong support for President Obama’s plan to increase troop levels and funding for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

“We have seen the results of a successful surge strategy in Iraq,” American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein said. “When President Bush announced his plan for a troop increase there, we supported him. Now that President Obama wants to send additional troops to Afghanistan, we support him as well. Afghanistan was the training ground for the Sept. 11 attacks. We can never again permit the regime that allowed that to happen to take power.”

The president will reportedly send 4,000 additional troops to train and advise Afghan troops. These troops would be in addition to the 17,000 combat troops that were authorized to be added there last month. As part of the strategy, the White House would like to increase funding for the war by 60 percent.

“You cannot send troops into harm’s way without giving them the tools they need to succeed,” Rehbein said. “I believe not only in President Obama’s plan, but also in the leadership of Gen. David Petraeus and the magnificent men and women who are defending us in the global war on terrorism. Congress should absolutely support the president’s request.”

With a current membership of 2.6 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

--30-

Media Contacts: Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell 317-748-1926, John Raughter (317)630-1350 or Craig Roberts (202)263-2982. This text and a high-resolution photo of Cmdr. Rehbein can be downloaded at www.legion.org <http://www.legion.org/> .

American Legion praises White House change in plan

2009-03-20T06:10:00.001-07:00
Submitted by hsoria on Thu, 03/19/2009 - 9:49am.
Thursday, March 19, 2009

President Obama has dropped a plan to bill private insurance companies for the treatment of veterans with service-connected disabilities and injuries. American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein applauded the move.

"We are glad that President Obama listened to the strong objections raised by The American Legion and veterans everywhere about this unfair plan," Rehbein said. "We thank the administration for its proposed increase in the VA budget. We are always available to assist, by providing guidance to ensure a veterans health-care system that is worthy of the heroes that use it."

After a March 18 meeting with the Legion and other veterans groups, the White House announced it would no longer consider billing insurance companies or veterans for treatment of their service-connected disabilities.

"Although we disagreed with the proposal, additional revenue streams are needed by VA," Rehbein said. "I strongly encourage Congress and the administration to allow VA to begin billing Medicare for the treatment of veterans who qualify for the program. They paid into Medicare for their entire working careers, and should be able to use it in the medical system that was built specifically for them."

The White House plan to bill private insurance companies for veterans' service-connected health care led to a fire storm of opposition. Rehbein's editorial opposing the move appeared in the March 18 Wall Street Journal.

The same day, Legion spokesman Peter Gaytan appeared on Fox News and explained why the plan would not serve veterans' best interests.

American Legion Blasts Obama Plan for Private Insurance to Pay for Service Related Care

2009-03-17T11:31:00.000-07:00
From FOXNews.com Tuesday, March 17, 2009

President Obama's plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of troops injured in service has angered veterans groups who say the government has a moral obligation to pay for service-related medical care. President Obama's plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of troops injured in service has infuriated veterans groups who say the government is morally obligated to pay for service-related medical care.

Calling it a "desperate search for money at any cost," Craig Roberts, media relations manager for the American Legion, told FOXNews.com on Tuesday that the president will "wish away so much political capital on this issue" if he continues to insist on private coverage for service-related injuries.

Cmdr. David K. Rehbein of the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans group, called the president's plan to raise $540 million from private insurers unreasonable, unworkable and immoral.

"This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate 'to care for him who shall have borne the battle,' given that the United States government sent members of the Armed Forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies," Rehbein said late Monday after a meeting with the president and administration officials at the Veterans Affairs Department."I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service-connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans," Rehbein said.

Roberts said that 11 veterans service organizations were told to come up with another plan if they didn't like this one. The groups met on Monday with Obama, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and Office of Management and Budget defense spending chief Steven Kosiak.

"What we've been tasked with now is to raise this money through alternative means and we're supposed to have a conference call in two or three days ... with Rahm Emanuel. So the implication was ... you guys come up with a better idea or this is what's going to happen," Roberts said.

A call to the White House was not immediately returned. But a summary of the proposed budget
says the president wants to increase funding for VA by $25 billion over five years, and bring more than 500,000 eligible veterans of modest income into the VA health care system by 2013.
"The president's avowed purpose in doing this is to, quote, 'make the insurance companies pay their fair share,'" Roberts said. But he said it will raise premiums, make insurance unaffordable for veterans and impose a massive hardship on military families. It could also prevent small businesses from hiring veterans who have large health care needs, he said.

"It's not the Blue Cross that puts soldiers in harm's way, it's the federal government," Roberts said, adding that the American Legion would like the existing system to remain in place. Service-related injuries currently are treated and paid for by the government. The American Legion has proposed that Medicare reimburse the VA for the treatment of veterans.

He said that the argument about the government's moral obligation to treat wounded soldiers, sailors and Marines fell on deaf ears during the meeting.

"The president deflected any discussion when it got into any moral issue here," he said. "Any attempt to direct the conversation (to the moral discussion) was immediately deflected."Private insurance is separate for troops who need health care unrelated to their service. But Roberts noted that if a wounded warrior comes back and needs ongoing treatment, he or she could run up "to the max of the coverage in very short order," leaving his family with nothingRoberts added that how the plan would raise $540 million "is a great mystery and it seems to be an arbitrary number. ... The commander said it seemed like this phantom number."

Monday's meeting was preceded by a letter of protest earlier this month signed by Rehbein and the heads of 10 service organizations. It read that "there is simply no logical explanation" for the plan to bill veterans' personal insurance "for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide."The letter called it "unconscionable" to shift the burden of the country's "fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country." Rehbein testified to both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on those same points last week

Release: The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President's Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment

2009-03-16T18:23:00.001-07:00

The American Legion Strongly Opposed to President's Plan to Charge Wounded Heroes for Treatment
        WASHINGTON, DC (March 16, 2009) – The leader of the nation's largest veterans organization says he is "deeply disappointed and concerned" after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.
        "It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan," said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. "He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it."
        The Commander, clearly angered as he emerged from the session said, "This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate '… to care for him who shall have borne the battle…' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need ofAmerica's veterans!"
        Commander Rehbein was among a group of senior officials from veterans service organizations joining the President, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Steven Kosiak, the overseer of defense spending at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The group's early afternoon conversation at The White House was precipitated by a letter of protest presented to the President earlier this month. The letter, co-signed by Commander Rehbein and the heads of ten colleague organizations, read, in part, " There is simply no logical explanation for billing a veteran's personal insurance for care that the VA has a responsibility to provide. While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable."
Commander Rehbein reiterated points made last week in testimony to both House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. It was stated then that The American Legion believes that the reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate that VA treat service-connected injuries and disabilities given that the United States government sends members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. The proposed requirement for these companies to reimburse the VA would not only be unfair, says the Legion, but would have an adverse impact on service-connected disabled veterans and their families. The Legion argues that, depending on the severity of the medical conditions involved, maximum insurance coverage limits could be reached through treatment of the veteran's condition alone. That would leave the rest of the family without health care benefits. The Legion also points out that many health insurance companies require deductibles to be paid before any benefits are covered. Additionally, the Legion is concerned that private insurance premiums would be elevated to cover service-connected disabled veterans and their families, especially if the veterans are self-employed or employed in small businesses unable to negotiate more favorable across-the-board insurance policy pricing. The American Legion also believes that some employers, especially small businesses, would be reluctant to hire veterans with service-connected disabilities due to the negative impact their employment might have on obtaining and financing company health care benefits.
        "I got the distinct impression that the only hope of this plan not being enacted," said Commander Rehbein, "is for an alternative plan to be developed that would generate the desired $540-million in revenue. The American Legion has long advocated for Medicare reimbursement to VA for the treatment of veterans. This, we believe, would more easily meet the President's financial goal. We will present that idea in an anticipated conference call with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel in the near future.
        "I only hope the administration will really listen to us then. This matter has far more serious ramifications than the President is imagining," concluded the Commander.
-30-
Media contacts: Craig Roberts,(202) 263-2982, Cell (202) 406-0887 or Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926. A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Rehbein is available at www.legion.org.

Supreme Court concurs with The American Legion's stand on public monuments

2009-02-27T08:58:00.000-08:00
A ruling announced this week by the U.S. Supreme Court gives weight to an argument by The American Legion against the placing of public monuments that could threaten the sanctity of veterans memorials. Justices ruled unanimously that an obscure religious group cannot use a "free speech" argument to force a small Utah city to erect a granite marker in a local park that is home to a long-standing monument to the Ten Commandments.

"At first glance, this ruling may seem unrelated to us, but it actually sets a precedent that is very important to veterans groups," said David K. Rehbein, National Commander of The American Legion. "The Justices have said, in effect, that a local government can choose what donated public displays it cares to exhibit on public land - and what displays it can reject. This reduces the chance that a monument to an enemy or dissenting group, for instance, could be erected in the same space as a monument to our fallen warriors."

The ruling stems from a case precipitated by a small Salt Lake City, Utah-based religious group called Summum. Summum went to federal court after its effort to erect a marker in Pleasant Grove City, Utah was rejected by the city. Summum maintained that the city violated its right to free speech by refusing the donated monument. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver agreed with the religious group, but the Supreme Court ruling reverses that decision.

The American Legion played an active role in the oral argument phase of the case. Last year, Liberty Legal Institute in Plano, Texas filed an amicus brief on behalf of The Legion and several colleague veterans and military service organizations. The brief's argument summary stated:

"The precedent established by the Tenth Circuit lays the foundation for the destruction of all donated veterans memorials nationwide and chills the erection of any future memorials. From the United States Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, VA, to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial on The Mall in Washington, DC, to the myriad Spirit of the American Doughboy WWI memorials like that in Ft. Smith, AR, this precedent will require all governments, from the smallest municipality to the Congress itself, to make an impossible decision: either fail to honor our veterans by any donated monument whatsoever, tear down those that currently exist, or allow a monument honoring our veterans and then, upon donation, erect on the same hallowed ground one that dishonors them."

In his favorable Supreme Court opinion, Justice Samuel Alito said that while efforts to suppress actual speech in public parks would ordinarily violate the First Amendment, erection of donated physical entities such as markers and monuments is a different matter. Justice Alito said "the display of a permanent monument in a public park" defines, in part, a community's identity and, so, "cities and other jurisdictions take some care in accepting donated monuments."

Commander Rehbein notes that the Supreme Court has also agreed to hear a case later this year involving the suppression of a war memorial in the Mojave Desert. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that the memorial to World War I veterans is unconstitutional because it is the shape of a cross, which might connote religious symbolism. A proposal to transfer the land upon which the now-cloaked monument rests to the VFW, which erected the cross in 1934, was also ruled unconstitutional by the court. "Obviously, we favor the full and free display of that monument," said the Commander. "The Supreme Court ruling gives us hope for a good outcome in that matter, too."

The American Legion Lauds President’s Request for Increased VA Appropriations

2009-02-27T06:41:00.000-08:00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC (Feb.26, 2009) – The National Commander of The American Legion finds reason for optimism in President Barack Obama’s request for increased funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The President released his fiscal year 2010 budget request executive summary today in which he calls for a $25-billion increase in VA appropriations over the next five years.

“By this action, President Obama is sending a clear message to those who have worn, are wearing and will wear the uniforms of the armed forces that he recognizes and appreciates – in a tangible way -- their contributions to our society,” said Commander Rehbein. “Although we have yet to see the details of the budget request, this initial budget overview signals good news from the President and, by extension, his new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki.”

According to the executive summary, President Obama’s budget request addresses several legislative priorities of The American Legion including increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps, closing military/civilian counterpart pay gap as well as improving military and veterans’ health care, especially in the area of mental health.

The President is also calling for a repeal of the Veterans’ Disability Tax -- which still burdens some military retirees with service-connected disabilities, and allowing more Priority Group 8 veterans to enroll in the VA health care system. These are veterans whose income and / or net worth is above the usual VA thresholds but are willing to contribute co-payments for their health care.

“Also worthy of note,” said Commander Rehbein, “is that some of the proposed funding increase will go toward timely implementation of the new Post 9-11 GI Bill and thus will provide significant improvements in the earned educational benefit package for veterans.

“Considering all of the present-day challenges facing him,” concluded Commander Rehbein, “The American Legion appreciates the President’s attention to the needs of our veterans’ community. We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress in achieving a timely, predictable and sufficient VA budget.”

Founded in 1919, the 2.6 million-member American Legion is the nation’s preeminent service organization for veterans of the U.S. armed forces, including active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and their families. A powerful voice for veterans in Washington, The American Legion drafted the original GI Bill and was instrumental in establishing the agency that today is Department of Veterans Affairs.

Tax Deduction for 2008 for National Guard and Reserves

2009-02-27T06:39:00.001-08:00
A reservist (Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard Reseve, Army Natl Guard, Air Natl Guard) who travels more than 100 miles from home to perform services as a member of their service can deduct 100% of the COST OF TRAVEL & 50% of their MEALS; report the expenses on IRS Form 2106 and the total deduction on Form 1040 Line 24.

What's NEW is that the deduction can be taken by Reservist who do NOT itemize deductions. The total deduction is no longer a Miscellaneous deduction (Schedule A), but a deduction DIRECTLY reducing income and income taxes.

Montgomery County Oratorical Scholarship

2009-02-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

The Montgomery County Council of the Department of Maryland American Legion hosted our Annual Scholarship Contest on saturday February 7th at Boyd's Presbyterian Church. The contestants were from Brigette Johnson, from Damascus High School and . The contestants represented, Damascus Post 171 and Wheaton Post 268 and respectfully.

The County winner is Brigette Johnson from Damascus Post 171. She received a $300 Scholarship for her participation. The second place winner was Mr. Robert O'Neill, a junior at Sherwood High School from Wheaton Post 268 and he received a $200 prize for his participation.

Pictured left to right are Will Trotter, County Adjutant and Oratorical Chairman, Robert O'Neill, Brigette Johnson, and Bob Ouellette, County Commander.

There are two portions of the contest one prepared oration and an extemporaneous oration. The Prepared Orations were each on some aspect of the Constitution of the United States with emphasis on the duties and obligations of a citizen to our government. The same subject and oration used in the Department Contest must be used in the National Contest.

Each contestant gave both their Prepared Oration and the Assigned Topic Discourse in order to receive the scholarship moneys they are entitled to.

The five minute speech for the County Contest was on, Amendment 3 - No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Detailed information on other requirements may be found on the National American Legion Web site or by clicking here.

See you there.

Bob Ouellette
County Commander

And the Oyster Bowl Winners are.....

2009-01-30T13:26:00.000-08:00
Ladies and Gentleman,
Congratulations to HSE Post 86 for taking 1st Place in Category IV. Either come big or stay at home and they came big turning in 29 members to go from 100% to 108%. The other Oyster Bowl winner is Vietnam Veterans Memorial Post 295, holding onto 2nd place in Category IV for the 2nd Year.
Memberhsip in Montgomery County is growing. There are members out there to sign up. Most of the time all you need to do is ask. In Post 295, I looked at some statistics and over 280 members are Persian Gulf Era Veterans.
See you all at the Montgomery County Oratorical Contest on February 7th, 10 am, Boyds Presbyterian Church, 19901 White Ground Rd, Boyds, MD 20841.
Respectfully, For the Veteran!
Bob Ouellette
The American Legion
~ Commander, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Post 295
~ Commander, Montgomery County Council

Maryland Legislative Alert

2009-01-27T10:09:00.000-08:00
Please contact your Maryland Representative or Senator,

As a veteran and a member of the world's largest veterans organization we hope to let you know how we veterans feel about important legislation.

There are three bills that are of interest to our organization and our community, they are SB102 Gaming-Slot, SB112 Income Tax Subtraction and SB113 Sales and Use Tax-Exemption.
While SB102 Gaming -Slot Machines will probably never come to Montgomery County, please support this legislation. The American Legion has donated hundreds of throusands of dollars to groups from funds donated from slot machines on the eastern shore. Without these slots many programs will go unfunded. Of course, if we had them in Montgomery County we could use the proceeds to better serve the community.

SB112 Income Tax Subtraction is to Removie the $5,000 limitation on the amount of specified military retirement income that may be subtracted from federal adjusted gross income for Maryland income tax purposes; applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008; etc. As a US Army retiree that only receives little over $1000 a month this will greatly help me and many more retirees to survive during these tough times. Please don't make up a budget shortfall on the back of retirees who have served our country.

SB113 Sales and Use Tax-Exemption allows our organization to save precious dollars in purchasing items that we use to serve the community through our programs. Enabling our funds to do more for the community.

I have been told by many Legislatures that our biggest problem is that when someone comes to testify on our bills in the past that very few show up to show support for our bills. My goal this year is to get as many Legion Caps as possible walking the hallways of the Senate Office Building that day as possible.

We all need to be there by 11am and visiting our local Senators Offices and asking for their support on our bills.

Visitors need to park at the Navy-Marine Stadium on Rowe Blvd and catch the shuttle bus down to the Capital area. If we as Legionnaires and veterans, do not show up in force then we will only have ourselves to blame if we do not win support for our programs.

For the Veteran!

Bob Ouellette

US Army Freedom Team Salute & American Legion Post 295 honor 100 year old D-Day Veteran and others

2008-11-11T21:36:00.001-08:00

For Immediate Release: US Army Freedom Team Salute & American Legion Post 295 honor 100 year old D-Day Veteran and others

The US Army’s Freedom Team Salute’s director Col Dave Griffith presented commendations to Mr. Bartolo Trimboli, 100, of Potomac. MD and three others. Mr. Trimboli who turned 100 on March 15th was recognized during The American Legion, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Post 295’s Veterans Day program held at the Golden Bull on Tuesday November 11th.

On June 7th, 1945, Pvt Bart Trimboli landed in Normandy as part of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. He was wounded in action and received the Purple Heart. Mannie Aragon of Bethesda served as Captain during WWII and was assigned to the Manhattan Project was also honored. by the Freedom Team Salute. Also receiving commendations were Mike Stanley, of Montgomery Village who served as a Staff Sergeant in Desert Storm with the 18th Aviation Brigade and SGT Errillene, a US Army recruiter and Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran.

As Post 295 honored these US Army veterans, it should remind everyone that we should not forget those who are currently serving in harms way or serving worldwide. The Veterans Day programs was organized by Bob Ouellette, Montgomery County American Legion Commander, who was pleased with the turnout. Mr. Ouellette also serves as a Freedom Team Salute Ambassador. Any Army Veteran, Parent, Spouse, Supporter or Employer of National Guard or Reservists can receive a Freedom Team Salute Commendation by visiting www.freedomteamsalute.com or American Legion Post 295 at www.post295.org.

Picture1: COL Griffith pins a US Army Veteran Pin on Bart Trimboli, looking on is Mike Stanley and Jean Davis, Veteran Outreach Manager Freedom Team Salute

For the Veteran!

Bob Ouellette

Commander, Montgomery County Council of the American Legion
Commander, Post 295

Direct: 240-505-4660

The American Legion
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Post 295
PO Box 690
Germantown, MD 20875

Veteran Updates

2008-10-16T17:46:00.000-07:00
THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

== VA Presumptive POW Diseases [01] ---------- (Updated List)
== Veteran Legislation 2008 ----- ( S.3023 Omnibus Bill Passes)
== Traumatic Brain Injury [04] ---------------- ( Rating Changes)
== COLA 2009 [04] ------------------------------ (5.9% Projected)
== Combat Vet Health Care [03] ------ ( Combat Vet Eligibility)
== SBP Paid Up Provision [06] ------------------- ( SBP Counter)
== Arlington National Cemetery [04] ----- ( New Media Policy)
== VA Health Care Funding [16] ---------------- (Ending Delays)
== Purple Heart ---------------------------------- (POW Eligibility)
== Military ID Cards [02] --------------- (New Requirements)
== DOD Disability Eval System [11] --- (Army Not Complying)
VA PRESUMPTIVE POW DISEASES UPDATE 01: The Department of Veterans Affairs
presumes that specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans were
caused by their military service. If one of these conditions is diagnosed in
a former POW, VA presumes that the circumstances of his/her service caused
the condition, and disability compensation can be awarded. This includes DIC
education and CHAMPVA for spouses of veterans rated 100% or surviving
spouses late-veterans that died from discussed medical problems.
Disabilities may be presumed under the circumstances described and for the
conditions listed as follows:
(1) Imprisoned for any length of time, and disability at least 10 percent
disabling:
psychosis
any of the anxiety states
dysthymic disorder
organic residuals of frostbite
post-traumatic osteoarthritis
heart disease or hypertensive vascular disease and their complications
stroke and its residuals
(2) Imprisoned for at least 30 days, and disability at least 10 percent
disabling:
avitaminosis
beriberi
chronic dysentery
helminthiasis
malnutrition (including optic atrophy)
pellagra
any other nutritional deficiency
irritable bowel syndrome
peptic ulcer disease
peripheral neuropathy
cirrhosis of the liver
[Source: County of Humboldt Veterans Service office 12 Oct 08 ++]

VETERAN LEGISLATION 2008: After months of delay, the Senate passed an
omnibus veterans¹ benefits bill on 16 SEP that includes bigger benefits for
veterans and their families, expanded home loans and a variety of other
programs. The bill, S.3023, had passed the Senate Veterans¹ Affairs
Committee in June but lingered in limbo because of disputes over dozens of
details. With congressional leaders aiming to end this legislative session
of Congress soon, passage of the Senate bill was essential for any hope of
passing a compromise bill in conjunction with the House this year. The
Senate passed the bill by voice vote and with no debate. Sens. Daniel Akaka
(D-HI), chairman of the veterans¹ committee, and Richard Burr of North
Carolina, the committee¹s ranking Republican, said the bill passed by the
Senate includes a host of compromises and includes the following provisions:
- It would order VA to simplify what it tells veterans when it denies
benefits claims or asks for more information.³Notification letters to
veterans about the status of their claims have become increasingly long,
complex and difficult to understand,² Akaka said. ³These notification
letters must be simplified. They should use plain and ordinary language
rather than bureaucratic jargon. Veterans should not be subjected to
confusing information as they seek benefits.²
- It would temporarily extend an increase in veterans¹ home loans through
the end of 2011. The temporary measure allows loans of up to $730,000, but
it is due to expire at the end of 2008. Akaka said extending the loan limits
for several more years ³would enable more veterans to utilize their VA
benefit to purchase more costly homes.²
- It would apply the maximum loan limit to home refinancing, and let
homeowners refinance with a veterans¹ loan if they have 5% equity in their
homes instead of the current 10% requirement.
- It would require more federal help for service members who have problems
with employment and re-employment rights. Under the bill, the Labor
Department would investigate more complaints and federal agencies would
provide more assistance. The bill calls for mandatory training for federal
human resources workers in the Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment Rights Act. Burr said every employer should obey the law, but
the federal government has a particular responsibility to be a model
employer. ³The federal government should make sure that not a single
returning service member is denied proper reinstatement to a federal job,²
Burr said. ³Unfortunately, this is not happening yet.²
- It would grant spouses of severely injured disabled veterans up to 20
years after the veterans are discharged to use education benefits, twice the
time currently allowed.
- It would prevent the Department of Veterans Affairs from making changes in
its disability rating schedule without first notifying Congress. Burr said
the current ratings system is ³riddled with outdated criteria that do not
track with modern medicine,² especially in the areas of combat stress and
traumatic brain injuries. VA has been working on several studies that could
lead to an overhaul, but many veterans and lawmakers remain concerned that a
change could result in lower benefits. Burr said the bill would ³make sure
these studies do not get put on a shelf to collect dust² by requiring a
report to Congress on the findings and what action is planned by VA.
[Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article 19 Sep 08 ++]

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY UPDATE 04: The Dept. of Veterans Affairs announced
changes to its schedule for rating disabilities for Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI), the "signature wound" of Iraq and Afghanistan.A VA press release
noted, "Traumatic brain injuries result in immediate effects such as loss or
alteration of consciousness, amnesia and sometimes neurological
impairments." In some cases "prolonged or even permanent problems with a
wide range of impairment in such areas as physical, mental and
emotional/behavioral functioning may occur." People with TBI may experience
headache, sleep difficulties, decreased memory and attention, slower
thinking, irritability, and depression. 22,000 veterans presently are being
compensated for TBI, including 5,800 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Those
already receiving compensation for TBI injuries can be reevaluated under the
new rating schedule criteria. The VA stressed, however, that veterans with
the "most severe" forms of TBI would not receive much, if any, extra
compensation because the current rating schedule provides adequate
compensation in such cases. The rating schedule change mainly has the
potential to affect those with mild or relatively moderate TBI who may have
been assigned low or modest ratings in the past. Under the new rules, TBI
ratings will be based on the degree of "cognitive impairment" and other
"residuals" of TBI. These may include mild to severe loss of memory,
attention, concentration, judgment, motor activity, visual spatial
orientation, ability to communicate and other functions. The rating schedule
goes into effect in late October. Because of the complexity of each
individual evaluation, it's not possible to assert that a particular person
or particular condition would receive a particular rating increase.
[Source: MOAA Leg Up 26 Sep 08 ++]

COLA 2009 UPDATE 04: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported 16 SEP that the Consumer Price Index for All
Urban Consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.4% in August, before seasonal
adjustment. The August level of 219.086 (1982-84=100) was 5.4% higher than
in August 2007. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers(CPI-W) decreased 0.5 percent in August, prior to seasonal
adjustment. The August level of 215.247 (1982-84=100) was 5.9%higher than in
August 2007. Using seasonally adjusted data the BLS found that energy prices
were down 3.2% from July and food prices were up 0.6%. Energy prices
continue to have the most effect on the CPI. If the September CPI-W remains
unchanged from the August CPI-W, the December COLA would be 5.9%. This would
be the highest COLA since the early 1980s. SEP 08 CPI data are scheduled to
be released on 16 OCT at 0830 EST and can be viewed at www.bls.gov/cpi.
[Source: MOAA News Exchange 24 Sep 08 ++]

COMBAT VETERAN HEALTH CARE UPDATE 03: The Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) utilizes the Department of Defense (DOD) ³Combat Zones² listing of
designated hostile fire or imminent danger pay areas in establishing whether
or not veterans¹ are eligible for this category of health care. Although DOD
Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger pay existed prior to 11 NOV 98, only proof
of such pay after 11 NOV 98, is acceptable. The table provided at
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/CombatOperations should
assist in the determination of combat veteran eligibility. The following
definitions are applicable in determining combat veteran status:
a.) Combat Veteran. A combat veteran is a veteran who served on active duty
in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian
Gulf War or in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities
after November 11, 1998.
b.) Combat Zones. Combat zones are designated by an Executive Order from the
President as areas in which the United States (U.S.) Armed Forces are
engaging or have engaged in combat. An area usually becomes a combat zone
and ceases to be a combat zone on the dates the President designates by
Executive Order.
c.) Minimum Active Duty Service Requirement. The minimum active duty service
requirement is the shorter of the following two periods: (1) The full period
for which they were enlisted, called or ordered to active duty, or (2)
Twenty-four months of continuous active duty. NOTE: There remain categories
of veterans who are expressly excluded by statute from the minimum active
duty service requirement; e.g., veterans who were discharged or released
from active duty for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty,
those discharged or released from active duty under an early out or hardship
discharge, etc.
d.) Hostilities. Hostilities refers to conflict in which the members of the
Armed Forces are subjected to danger comparable to the danger to which
members of the Armed Forces have been subjected in a theater of combat
operations during a period of war. To determine whether a period of
hostilities is within the scope of this special authority, VA relies upon
the same citation and criterion used to determine eligibility for VA
Readjustment Counseling Service contained in 38 U.S.C., Section
1712A(a)(2)(B), as it applies to veterans in service after November 11,
1998. More specifically, criteria used to determine whether a veteran¹s
service meets the qualifications required by statute include:
(1) Receipt of an expeditionary medal or other DOD authorized combat related
medal. Note: A certificate of award, or presentation of a medal, in and of
itself, will not suffice for VA health care eligibility verification
purposes without the submission of supporting documentation (such as DD 214,
Proof of Receipt of Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay, proof of exemption
of Federal tax status for Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay after November
11, 1998), other military service records or orders indicating combat
service.
(2) Service in a location designated by an Executive Order as a combat zone;
(3) Receipt of DOD Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger pay or combat pay tax
exemption for serving in the area subject to hostilities; or
(4) Other factors as may be defined in policy and regulation by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
e.) Hostilities or Imminent Danger Pay. Hostile fire pay is defined as pay
to anyone exposed to hostile fire or mine explosion, while imminent danger
pay is paid to anyone on duty outside the United States area who is subject
to physical harm or imminent danger due to wartime conditions, terrorism,
civil insurrection, or civil war.
f.) Medals. Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (does not
include Global War on Terrorism Medal); Kosovo Campaign Medal; Southwest
Asia Campaign Medal; and other DOD-authorized combat related medals.
[Source: VHA Directive 2008-054 Addendum A 9 Sep 08 ++]

SBP PAID UP PROVISION UPDATE 06: As of this month, SBP payments ended for
retirees who are at least age 70 and have paid 30 years (360 cumulative
months) of SBP premiums. This affects 137,000 retirees, who will see their
retired pay go up in the November checks. The net increase in the check
won't be quite as much as the premium, because retired pay is taxable,
whereas the SBP premiums were deducted before taxes. In December, DFAS will
display an "SBP Counter" on a retiree's Retiree Account Statement. It will
show the total months of SBP premiums paid to date, so individuals can
better project when their premiums will end. [Source: MOAA Leg Up 10 Oct 08
++]

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY UPDATE 04: Army Secretary Peter Geren recently
signed a new media policy for Arlington National Cemetery that calls for the
creation of an oversight board to include representatives from the cemetery,
the Army and the media. Media coverage of funerals at Arlington became an
issue in April, when the Washington Post ran a column about how the media
was kept so far away from the funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq that
reporters could not hear the service. Under the new policy, family members
will have three options for media coverage of their loved-ones' funerals:
No coverage, visual coverage, or visual coverage and limited audio coverage.
[Source: NAUS Weekly Update 8 Oct 08 ++]
VA HEALTH CARE FUNDING UPDATE 16: The chairs of the House and Senate
Veterans¹ Affairs committees have introduced legislation, to be taken up
next year, to ensure timelier and fully funded budgets for the VA health
care system. Proponents say passage of the Veterans Health Care Budget
Reform Act (H.R. 6939 and S. 3527) also might lead to a gradual reopening of
VA health care to thousands of priority group 8 veterans. These are veterans
with no service-connected ailments and, by government standards, adequate
income. Priority group 8 enrollments were stopped in 2003. The thrust of
the VA health budget reform bill, however, is to approve VA health care
funds a year in advance and end a disturbing pattern by Congress of passing
VA budgets months after the budget year begins 1 OCT. These two- and
three-month delays have forced VA hospitals and clinics to operate with
funds frozen at previous year levels, creating supply and staff shortages,
hiring freezes, and delays in equipment purchases. The health care budget
reform bill would put the VA health care budget under an ³advance
appropriation² schedule. If it were in effect this year, Congress would be
passing a VA health budget now to take effect OCT 09. Part 2 of the package
would improve the level of VA health care funding by requiring the
department to use a new actuarial model that quite accurately can project
the per capita cost of providing health care to the VA¹s enrolled-patient
population. The GAO would be tasked with verifying the accuracy of VA health
care cost projections each year. Therefore, if the VA proposed a health
budget short of requirements, the White House would feel the political heat
and would have to explain both to Congress and to veterans why health
services were being targeted for reductions.

This legislation is an innovation from the Partnership for Veterans
Health Care Budget Reform (PVHCBR), a group of eight veteran-service
organizations: AMVETS, the Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American
Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, the Military Order of the Purple Heart,
Paralyzed Veterans of America, the American Legion, VFW, and Vietnam
Veterans of America. In introducing their plan as a bill, Rep. Bob Filner
(D-CA) chair of the House committee, called it a ³historic new approach to
guarantee that our veterans have access to comprehensive, quality health
care.² Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Senate committee chair, said it would end
VA budgets that are ³untimely and unpredictable.² A bipartisan group of
cosponsors came forward in both chambers. Joining Akaka were Sens. Olympia
Snowe (R-ME), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Russ Feingold
(D-WI), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AR), and John Thune (R-SD).
Cosponsors with Filner in the House were Reps. Walter Jones (R-NC), Michael
Michaud (D-ME), and Phil Hare (D-IL). The veterans¹ group partnership choose
a new path toward VA health care budget reform after Congress declined year
after year to back a law that would mandate full funding of the VA health
care system for every veteran needing care. Lawmakers argued it would limit
congressional prerogatives. It also would expand VA entitlements in
violation of the pay-as-you-go budget rule that the cost of any new
entitlement be offset by a cut in another entitlement account or by raising
taxes.

One proponent of VA budgeting reform is Bob Perrault, who served as
director of three VA medical centers before retiring from the Veterans
Health Administration in 2004 as its top business officer. Perrault says
that in every year he can remember as the director of those medical centers,
congressional delays in passing a VA health care budget resulted in
disruptive shortages and inefficient spending patterns. ³We¹d stopped buying
equipment. We¹d stopped doing maintenance just to try to maintain [staff] as
long as we could,² Perrault says. Patient waiting lists would grow, and
dedicated staff got blamed for management lapses, when the real culprit was
Congress. Until VA health budgets are reformed, even veterans¹ advocates say
it isn¹t practical to swing open the doors of VA health care again to
priority group 8 veterans. If that happens, says Peter Dickinson, a
consultant to Disabled American Veterans and former staff member on the
House Veterans¹ Affairs Committee, ³we could be in danger of returning to
the days of ¹03 and ¹04, when more than 300,000 veterans waited six months
or longer to get an appointment.² Ironically, this year, a day before the
new fiscal year began, Congress passed and the president signed into law the
Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance and Continuing Appropriations Act
(H.R. 2638). It raised VA spending to $94.35 billion in fiscal 2009 NDAA, an
increase of $6.75 billion or 7.7%. Two-thirds of that increase, $4.1
billion, is for health care. This won praise from veteran service
organizations. Proponents say passage of the Veterans Health Care Budget
Reform Act next year could make legislative performances &lsqauo; like this one on
behalf of veterans &lsqauo; the rule rather than the exception. [Source: MOAA
Observation Post Tom Philpott article 10 Oct 08 ++]
VA CLAIMS BACKLOG UPDATE 19: Lawmakers have high expectations that they
can reduce the backlog and processing time for veterans¹ benefits claims
through a combination of new procedures, including two pilot projects. The
Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008, which passed Congress on Saturday
and is being prepared for submission to the White House for President Bush¹s
signature, pushes the Department of Veterans Affairs to use electronic
filing and processing of claims to try to improve the speed of claims
decisions, reduce the disparity in decisions involving similar issues and
cut the number of claims decisions that end up being overturned. The bill
also creates a new authority to provide a temporary disability rating for
some veterans who have severe and multiple disabilities that are not fully
healed. Stabilized and unstabilized disabilities that have an impact on
employment could be considered in assigning the temporary rating that would
be used to provide disability compensation during the first year after
leaving the military.

One of the pilot projects ordered by the compromise bill requires
special, expedited treatment for disability claims where the veteran had the
help of a veterans¹ service officer to prepare the paperwork. This one-year
test would be carried out in at least 10 regional offices. A second pilot
project, to run over three years in at least four regional offices, would
have processors and veterans use a checklist when submitting claims in an
effort to bring more organization and uniformity to the claims process. The
bill also gives VA one year to develop a program using information
technology to process claims that would allow veterans to file applications
and to track the progress of their claim online. Several provisions in the
bill were drawn from a claims modernization bill sponsored by Rep. John Hall
(D-NY) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) that attempts to improve training for
VA workers who are processing claims and to change how employees are
evaluated. Hall said processing a first-time claim by a disabled veteran can
take 180 days and even longer if a veteran appeals the initial decision. The
long processing time is part of the reason there is a backlog of about
400,000 claims awaiting a decision by VA.

Over the last two years, members of the House and Senate veterans¹
affairs committees have tried to push VA to process claims more quickly
while also complaining about the rate of mistakes in claims and evidence
that similar claims are decided differently between VA regional offices. In
the report accompanying the benefits bill, the two committees say they want
a process that is perceived as fair by veterans, but realize ³it is
unreasonable to expect states to have exactly the same average compensation
or percentage of veterans receiving compensation.² The bill requires a
report &lsqauo; due one year from now &lsqauo; that looks at variances in benefits between
regional offices and between veterans of different states to determine
whether the differences are justified. [Source: NavyTimes Rick Maze article
2 Oct 08 ++]
PURPLE HEART: Congressman Bob Filner announced on 7 OCT that the Purple
Heart will be presented posthumously to all prisoners-of-war who die in
captivity. The revised policy allows retroactive award of the Purple Heart
to qualifying prisoners-of-war since 7 DEC 41. Posthumous award will be made
to the deceased service member's representative, as designated by the
secretary of the military department concerned, upon application to that
military department. The legislation that makes this possible is Filner¹s
bill, Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of War Act, passed by Congress in 2006.
The Department of Defense announced its complete implementation 6 OCT. ³The
law now presumes that the death of all service members who die in captivity
was the result of enemy action or the result of wounds incurred in action
with the enemy during capture and imprisonment,² said Congressman Filner.
³Before passage of my bill, prisoners of war who died during imprisonment of
wounds inflicted by an instrument of war were eligible for posthumous Purple
Heart recognition, but those who died of starvation, disease, abuse,
freezing or other causes during captivity were not. There should be no false
distinction indicating more courage or more sacrifice by some prisoners of
war over others,² said Filner. The Honor Our Fallen Prisoners of War Act had
over 200 co-sponsors and broad bi-partisan support in Congress. In
addition, many major Veteran Service Organizations supported the bill,
including the American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and
the American Ex-Prisoners of War. The Senate bill was introduced by Senator
Barbara Boxer. ³The inspiration for my bill came from Wilbert ŒShorty¹
Estabrook, who was imprisoned for more than three years during the Korean
War, and Rick and Brenda Tavares. Brenda¹s uncle, Corporal Melvin Morgan,
died in Korea of starvation and beatings in 1950 at the age of 20,² said
Filner. Each military department will publish application procedures and
will ensure that they are accessible to the general public. Family members
with questions may contact the Services: Army Military Awards Branch (703)
325-8700, Navy Personnel Command Retired Records Section (314) 592 -1150,
Air Force Personnel Center (800) 616-3775, and Marine Corps Military Awards
Branch (730) 784-9340. For further information, media representatives
should contact Eileen Lainez, (703) 695-3895, eileen.lainez@osd.mil.
[Source: Filner Press Release 7 Oct 08 ++]
MILITARY HISTORY OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES: Significant October Events in
Military History are:
1781 - British troops under General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered to
General Washington at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending the American
Revolution.
1775 - The US Navy was established.
1901 - The first British Navy submarine was commissioned.
1944 - Battle of Leyte Gulf
1950 - The invasion of North Korea started.
1952 - Battle of Hill 598 began, Korean War
1957 - The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, first man-made earth satellite.
1962 - The U.S. began its blockade of Cuba to compel the Russians to remove
long-range missiles aimed at the U.S.
1964 - The Chinese exploded their first atomic bomb.
1965 - The Battle of the La Drang Valley, Vietnam War.
1968 - The Bombing of North Vietnam ended.
1969 - Battle of Loc Ninh, Vietnam War
1971 - Operation Jefferson Glenn, the last major operation in which US
ground forces participated in Vietnam
1973 - Egypt and Syria launched military offensive against Israel
1983 -Terrorist attack on Marine Barracks, Beirut
1983 - Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada
1993 - Battle of Bakhara Market, Mogadishu, Somalia
2000 - Bombing of the USS Cole by Al-Queda terrorists
2001 - Operation Enduring Freedom began in Afghanistan
2001 War on Terror Began
[Source: VetJobs Veteran Eagle Oct 08 ++]

MILITARY ID CARDS UPDATE 02: Homeland Security Directive 12 now requires
retirees and family members seeking to renew or replace a military
identification card to provide two types of ID. Retirees and family members
needing identification cards must have two of the following types of current
identification -- one of which must include a photo:
Driver¹s license or ID issued by a state or outlying U.S. commonwealth or
possession ID card issued by federal, state or local government agencies or
entities.
School ID card with a photograph
Voter¹s registration card
U.S. military ID card
U.S. passport
Certificate of U.S. citizenship
Certificate of naturalization
For persons younger than 18, who are unable to present a document previously
listed, they may bring:
School record or report card
Clinic, doctor or hospital record
Day-care or nursery school record
The above listing is not all inclusive. A list of acceptable documents can
be found at http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-9.pdf. [Source: VetJobs
Veteran Eagle Oct 08 ++]
VA FRAUD UPDATE 13: A Pittsburgh woman pleaded guilty 29 AUG to stealing
her dead mother's VA benefits for more than two years. Laurie Davin withdrew
more than $38,000 from her mother's bank account from FEB 05 to OCT 07 She
pleaded guilty to theft of government property before U.S. District Judge
David S. Cercone. According to the prosecution, Ms. Davin's mother, Helen
Lang, was receiving the dependency payments on behalf of her husband. But
Ms. Lang died on 3 FRB 05, and the payments should have stopped. Under what
is known as the "Death Match" project, investigators with Veterans Affairs
inspector general's office found that money was still being deposited to Ms.
Lang's account. When confronted, Ms. Davin told investigators that she was
having financial problems and that her mother had lived with her for 10
years and contributed toward household expenses. The woman also said she was
trying to sell her home, support her daughter in college and was working two
jobs at the time. She also had recently for filed bankruptcy. Ms. Davin had
power of attorney over her mother's account and used an ATM card to make 144
withdrawals before she stopped. Judge Cercone set sentencing for 15 DEC 08.
[Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Paula Reed Ward article 16 Sep 08 ++]
VA FRAUD UPDATE 14: Three Lowell MA residents residing in the same
household are facing federal charges that they bilked disabled vets living
at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford MA out of
thousands of dollars through identity fraud. Wilfredo Hernandez, 41, has
been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, identity fraud and
access-device fraud, as have his 60-year-old mother, Gladys Hernandez, and
his 27-year-old girlfriend, Jessica Rivera. The Hernandezes were both
released on a $10,000 unsecured bond 29 SEP after their initial appearance
in federal court. Rivera will appear before the court 9 OCT. Federal
investigators allege that Wilfredo Hernandez, who worked at the Edith Nourse
Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford as a custodian for about 20
years, and Rivera, a nurse's assistant for about seven years, stole
credit-card information, bank-account numbers and blank checks from a
handful of veterans. They then shared the stolen information with Gladys
Hernandez before using it to pay bills and purchase goods online and by
telephone, the indictment says. They also allegedly made out the stolen
checks to other family members, who would then hand over that amount in
cash.

The trio's indictment lists four veterans who were allegedly targeted.
They are permanent residents of the hospital "due to the extensive nature of
their disabilities," the indictment says. The trio initiated the fraud in
AUG 07, when they used one veteran's information to apply for a credit card
with Capital One, the indictment says. There appears to have been no further
activity until 5 OCT 07, when Wilfredo Hernandez allegedly accessed the
Sovereign Bank account of a second veteran to initiate a $350 payment toward
his cell-phone bill. That veteran's bank accounts were then targeted six
more times over the next two months for another $2,430. Federal officials
say the trio used that money as cash or applied it toward cell-phone and
cable bills. A third veteran's credit card was also used in NOV/DEC 07 to
purchase $1,758.96 worth of products from cable shopping channels QVC and
Home Shopping Network, the indictment says. The trio allegedly targeted the
Ocean Bank account of the fourth veteran once, in PCT 07, attempting to
initiate an electronic payment of $4,947 to the CMD Wholesale clothing
company. The thefts were uncovered in JAN 08, when relatives of the
veterans reported the unusual bank activity to the hospital, the indictment
says. The case was then investigated by officials from the Veterans
Administration and U.S. Secret Service. If they are convicted, the
Hernandezes and Rivera face up to 15 years in prison, along with three years
of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. [Source: Lowell sun Alexandra
Mayer-Hohdahl article 30 Sep 08 ++]
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY UPDATE 03: Arlington National Cemetery, the
final resting place for more than 340,000 soldiers, presidents and other
distinguished Americans, has moved a step closer to adding thousands of
grave sites. On 16 SEP Arlingtoin County officials approved a 4.3-acre land
swap with the federal government that will allow the cemetery to add as many
as 3,440 burial sites. The move is part of expansion plans set forth more
than four decades ago that military officials say will allow burials to
continue until 2060. After that, plans are less clear. The 4.3-acre portion
will convert Navy Annex land west of the Pentagon to grave sites. Arlington
County's Southgate Road would have divided the new cemetery space. The
county will swap land that includes the road for a comparable piece of the
annex that the county can use for a potential history complex and for
redevelopment along Columbia Pike. The exchange is scheduled for 2011,
although that timeline could change, federal and local officials said.

George W. Dodge, president of the Arlington Historical Society said,
"It's not just a cemetery now; it's a shrine. It's a shrine to valor and the
sacrifices American men and women have made. Given the space constraints,
there are only a finite number of days or years it can stay open . . . so
acreage becomes an issue. You can trace the history of this country through
all the interments there. It's like a walk through history. If it's cut off
at some point, you're going to lose that." Soldiers from the Revolutionary
War to the Iraq war have been buried on the 624-acre grounds, including
William Russell, a colonel from the Virginia regiment who was present during
the winter at Valley Forge. Presidents William H. Taft and John F. Kennedy
are there, as are North Pole explorers Robert Peary and Matthew Henson. Dirt
dug from graves today is moved nearby to help prepare future sites.
Officials estimate that each acre can accommodate 600 to 800 graves. In
other expansion plans, the cemetery is building a wall along Route 110 that
will hold 6,500 niches for cremated remains. A third project will add sites
near Fort Myer. And what happens a half-century from now, when the land runs
out? "It's hard to say," said Kaitlin Horst, a cemetery official. "I don't
know that that's been discussed at this point. We're working on the three we
have now, and I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." [Source:
Washington Post Michael Laris article 18 Sep 08 +]
DOD DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM UPDATE 11: In JAN 08 Congress ordered
the Pentagon to drop its disability ratings rules and strictly follow the
VA¹s criteria in assigning ratings to injured and wounded service members.
In March, the Army said it would comply. All the other services were to
follow suit. The change in law was among the most significant changes to
emerge in the wake of 2007¹s Walter Reed scandal. Veterans¹ groups hailed
the change, having complained for years that the military had shortchanged
wounded combat veterans on their disability ratings and compensation. But
seven months later, the Army still isn¹t living up to its promise, at least
not when it comes to assessing troops suffering from post-traumatic stress
disorder. The VA ratings schedule says PTSD sufferers should receive a
minimum 50% disability rating from the rating agency and then be reassessed
within six months to determine if the initial evaluation should be changed
for the longer term. But a number of soldiers suffering from PTSD have been
given disability ratings of just 10%, and then separated from service
without the required follow-up assessment. Worse, the Pentagon seems to be
gearing up for a broader policy change that would take this approach to PTSD
across all the armed services, according to veterans¹ advocates.

This should hardly come as a surprise &lsqauo; it is just the latest in a
string of unconscionable decisions coming from the office of Pentagon
personnel chief David Chu. This is the same executive who sought to cut
combat pay for troops in the war zones and once proposed shunting off the
Defense Department¹s obligations for military retirees onto the VA. Over the
past three years, he has advocated doubling and tripling some of the health
care fees paid by many military retirees. And just a few weeks ago, Chu
narrowed the definition of ³combat related² to reduce the number of disabled
troops who might benefit under another provision of the 2008 Defense
Authorization Act, which says some disabled troops do not have to return any
severance pay they receive from the military before they can draw disability
payments from VA. Chu¹s definition of combat related is significantly
narrower than the one already in use to determine eligibility for a separate
program for disabled retirees called Combat Related Special Compensation.

Lawmakers had assumed defense officials would use the definition
already in place and were stunned to find a new and narrower interpretation.
Indeed, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., already has drafted an amendment to the
pending 2009 defense authorization bill directing the Pentagon to use the
more generous definition of combat related for both programs. A similar
retroactive correction is needed to force the Pentagon to live up to its
legal responsibilities regarding the assignment of disability ratings for
all medical conditions &lsqauo; including PTSD. A central theme coming out of the
Walter Reed hearings was the need to get the Defense Department and VA to
share a single government standard in assessing disabilities. Congress¹
intent was to make the VA standard apply across the board. The Pentagon
needs to comply with that direction. [Source: ArmyTimes Editorial 17 Sep 08
++]
HAVE YOU HEARD: A farmer's three daughters leave one night for dates with
their new boyfriends, one an Airman, the other a Soldier, and the third a
Sailor. The girls all bring their dates home that night, and the next
morning, the farmer wakes up bright and early at 05:30 to cook breakfast and
meet the boys his daughters have brought home.

- The Marine comes down at 5:45, clean, pressed, and spit-shined, eats two
eggs, an apple, and a glass of milk, says, "Thank you for breakfast, sir",
and leaves.
- The Airman comes down looking fairly squared-away at 06:30, eats three
eggs, two slices of bacon, two pieces of toast, and has a glass of orange
juice. He says, "Thanks for the chow" and walks out the front door.
- At 10:00, the farmer gets tired of sitting inside, so heads to the back
yard to do some chores, when the Sailor comes dashing out of the house,
dress white top stained, neckerchief missing, one shoe in one hand and a
scorched old cup of coffee in the other, and yells "Later!" on his way out
of the yard and down the street.
His daughters come down a short time later, and he asks them all for
accounts of their evenings. The girl who'd been out with the Airman says,
"He was a perfect gentleman. He bought me dinner and a couple of drinks,
gave me a hundred dollars to buy myself something nice, and retired at 22:00
to the spare bedroom to sleep". The girl who'd been out with the Soldier
said, "He was a nice guy, we each paid for our own meals, and he tried to
sneak a kiss off me. He was sort of drunk, so I let him sleep in my bed,
while I took the floor, but, he did give me fifty dollars to buy myself
something nice". The third daughter, looking ragged and worn down, talking
about her date with the Sailor, says, "That asshole! He came over last
night smelling like booze, and finished a bottle of whiskey he'd brought
with him. He passed out on my bed last night after repeatedly trying to get
my pants off, and this morning he borrowed a hundred bucks 'til payday."
Lt. James ³EMO² Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA Baguio
City RP

Special Extra Earnings for Military Service

2008-08-13T12:27:00.000-07:00
Since 1957, if you had military service earnings for active duty (including active duty for training), you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security.

Under certain circumstances, special extra earnings for your military service from 1957 through 2001 can be credited to your record for Social Security purposes. These extra earnings credits may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit.

Special extra earnings credits are granted for periods of active duty or active duty for training. Special extra earnings credits are not granted for inactive duty training.

If your active military service occurred

* From 1957 through 1967, we will add the extra credits to your record when you apply for Social Security benefits.
* From 1968 through 2001, you do not need to do anything to receive these extra credits. The credits were automatically added to your record.
* After 2001, there are no special extra earnings credits for military service.

http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm#content#content

Challenge to Legionnaires from the next National Commander

2008-07-22T13:53:00.000-07:00
The Department of MAryland played host to the next National Commander David Rehbein, during the Department Convention in July. Legionnaire Rehbein address the delegates gathered for the opening ceremonies starting the 89th Annual convention.

At the end of WWI, the Army Expedition Forces fresh from their victory, gathered at the urging of General Pershing and created a new organization, The American Legion. Legionnaire Dave recalled how each member of the AEF returned with pride and in the next 12 years the American Legion grew from 0 members to 1 million members. Their accomplishments and the pride of the Legionnaires who have followed in there footsteps is what he hopes to rekindle in all legionnaires. The Legionnaires in the room are the sparks that will rekindle the flames of pride in the American Legion.

Upon return from France the new American Legion organization focused on Americanism, National Security, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Children and Youth. The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs “A System Worth Saving” inspection program has completed it’s inspection of VA Hospitals. Commander Dave said that now it is time for the VA to open the system to Category 8 veterans.

Legionnaire Dave is not a secret Legionnaire, he wears his American Legion belt buckle, under his suit, at work and everywhere. He shows off his pride of being a member of the American Legion, and he is encouraging every American Legion member to show theirs. Display you Legion Pride. We have stood tall for 89 years and those who are on active duty and are serving today will need our help in ensuring their benefits are still there when they need them.

Legionnaire Dave mentioned that the New GI Bill was signed, almost restoring educational benefits to where they were after WWII. When this new GI Bill takes effect, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will no longer have to pay $100 a month to receive educational benefits. The benefits are now going to be transferable! A big benefit that was not available in days past..

He went on to challenge every American Legion Post to get out and perform or hold a community service event. In Iowa, where Dave Rehbein hails from there was a tornado that demolished a third of the town. The American Legion Post was unaffected by the tornado and it immediately opened it's doors to those in need. It became the emergency operation center, the central distribution point for supplies and for food. All in all, this small post reached out to everyone in thier comunity and they did make a difference.

This year as Legionnaire in the Department of Maryland we should all go out and make out presence known, for things other than what people see us as. They see a bar and old tired vets, we are none of those, we are Still Serving America, through countless programs such as Oratorical Contests, Schollarships, American Legion Baseball, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, Public Safety awards, School awards, veterans affairs and rehabilitation programs. We need to get the work out the we are still serving!

Bob Ouellette