The Next Meeting 28 Oct 2011

The next meeting of the Retiree Council will be at Las Vegas for a combined Council meeting on the 28 Oct 2011, at the Glassers Market at 10AM. The address is 8525 Warm Springs Road Las Vegas (It's up stairs in the front of the store).

It has been decided to combine the Pahrump and the Las Vegas Council by the Pahrump council simply by going to the Vegas Meeting. This will serve to reduce costs of sending 2 members to POM from Southern Nevada.

Car pooling to Vegas is recommended, I have a van that seats 6 if you need a ride 775-727-9744. We will discuss the "benefits" that need to be changed and what to do about them. It will be an open discussion of each item submitted. We would appreciate your submitting items in advance to email: teddy.farson@gmail.com. so we can make copies of the recommendations for everyone at the meeting. If you don't bring ideas, nothing changes.

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Disabled Vets, Caregivers & Womens New Health Access & Pay

S 1963 has been signed.  It affects a wide area.  It may affect you, so, even though this is long its worth a read.

Let your Service Officers know about this (VFW, Amer Leg, DAV, AMVETS)

On April 21st, the House passed amendments to the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act (S. 1963) by a vote of 419-0, and President Obama signed the bill into law on May 5th.  The bill:

• provides support to family and  others who care for disabled, ill, or injured veterans
• enhances health services for the 1.8 million women veterans, including care for newborns for the 1st time in history
• expands mental health services for veterans and health care access for veteran in rural areas
• prohibit co-payments for veterans who are catastrophically disabled

To help meet the many hardships and sacrifices associated with lengthy recovery and rehabilitation from severe injuries of veterans, the bill would provide support services to family and other caregivers of veterans, including education on how to be a better caregiver, counseling and mental health services, and respite care for family and other caregivers of all veterans. It also provides health care and a stipend for caregivers living with severely wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. 

This support is vital for the wounded veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and their families, as about 20 percent of active duty, 15 percent of reserve and 25 percent of retired and separated members have a family member or friend who has been forced to leave a job to care for the veteran full-time,according to the Dole/Shalala report.

The bill also expands and improves VA health care services for the women who have bravely served their country, working to remove existing barriers to women veterans seeking health care, providing up to seven days of care of newborn children of women veterans for the first time in history, and enhancing treatment for sexual trauma for women at the VA. 

Touting it as "landmark" legislation that "offers bold solutions to major challenges facing service members, veterans, and their families," the bill is supported by the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Wounded Warrior Project and the National Military Family Association.

This landmark measure builds on the significant accomplishments for veterans, troops, and military families over the last three years under the New Direction Congress – including the New GI Bill, the building of more military child care centers and better military family housing, and historic investments to strengthen quality veterans’ health care.  Learn more»

The Senate passed its version of the bill on November 19, by a vote of 98-0 after Sen. Tom Coburn held it up. The House passed the Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement Act (HR 3155) by voice vote on July 27 and Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act (HR 1211) by a vote of 408-0 on June 23.

More on the provisions in the legislation:

Caregiver Assistance

Caregivers of OEF/OIF Veterans

• Caregivers are defined as family members (parent, spouse, child, step-family member, extended family member) or non-family members who live with the veteran.  
• The caregiver and eligible OEF/OIF veteran must submit a joint application and once accepted, the caregiver receives the following support services:
  • Training and education;
  • Counseling and mental health services;
  • Respite care of no less than 30 days annually, including 24 hour in-home respite care;
  • Lodging and subsistence payments when accompanying the veteran on medical care visits;
  • Health care through the CHAMPVA program (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs); and
  • Monthly financial stipend as determined appropriate by the Secretary based on the amount and degree of personal care services provided, and no less than the monthly amount of a commercial home health care entity.

Caregivers of Veterans of Any Era

• Caregivers are defined in the same manner as that of the support program for caregiver of OEF/OIF veterans. However, there is no residency requirement for non-family members. 
• Support services for caregivers of veterans of any era include the following:
• Training and education;
• Counseling and mental health services;
• Respite care including 24 hours in-home respite care;
• Information on the support services available to caregivers through other public, private, and non-profit agencies.

WOMEN VETERANS HEALTH CARE

The bill will expand and improve VA health care services for the 1.8 million women who have bravely served their country.  It requires the VA to:

• Conduct a study of barriers to women veterans seeking health care,
• Educate and train mental health professionals caring for veterans with sexual trauma;
• Implement a reintegration and readjustment pilot program;
• Establish a child care pilot program for women receiving regular and intensive mental health care and intensive health care services, or who are in need of such services but do not seek care due to the lack of child care services;
• Provide up to seven days of post-delivery health care to a new born child of a women veteran. 

RURAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS

• Improves health care for veterans living in rural areas, including by expanding transportation for veterans to local VA hospitals and clinics through VA grants to local Veterans Service Organizations.

MENTAL HEALTH CARE

• Provides access to counseling and other mental health centers to any member of the Armed Forces (including members of the National Guard and Reserves, who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom but who are no longer on active duty) and
• Requires the VA to conduct a veterans’ suicide study.

OTHER HEALTH CARE ISSUES

• Prohibits the VA from collecting copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled.
• Creates a pilot program, which would provide specified dental services to veterans, survivors, and dependents of veterans through a dental insurer.
• Requires the VA to provide hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for certain Vietnam-era veterans exposed to herbicide and Gulf-War era veterans who have insufficient medical evidence to establish a service-connected disability.
• Provides higher priority status for certain veterans who are Medal of Honor recipients.

HOMELESS VETERANS

• Expands the organizations offering transitional housing and other support for homeless veterans that can receive grants or per diems from the VA, which is particularly important to veterans in rural areas.

What Veterans’ Organizations Are Saying About the Bill:

Veterans of Foreign Wars

“the bill will make a profound difference to veterans.” 3/22/10

The American Legion

“…encompasses a number of pressing legislative initiatives supported by… nearly every major veterans service organization in the country... this legislation offers bold solutions to major challenges facing service members, veterans, and their families.” 3/16/10

Disabled American Veterans

“…improve and restore the lives of untold numbers of sick and disabled veterans, and those who care from them in their homes… For the first time in history, VA will be authorized to aid a women veteran with up to seven days of necessary post-natal care of a newborn – an issue that has been pending in Congress for a decade – and to provide new and enhance health services to women veterans in general.” 3/18/10

AMVETS

“…goes a long way to ensure severely disabled veteran and their family will have the resources needed to provide quality care inside their own homes… ensure that our rural and remote veterans will have access to care through a variety of initiatives.” 3/23/10

Wounded Warriors Project

“At its core, the legislation would ensure that VA will meet the critical needs experienced by families of severely wounded warriors.” 3/16/10

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SBP and DIC Offset Elimination

SBP and DIC Offset Elimination: The offset became law 111-95 No more offset of SBP or DIC

       S.535 : SBP DIC Offset Elimination. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.775.

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VFW Cites Backlog, Health Care as Top Legislative Priorities

Washington D.C.,March 9, 2010 — In his opening statement today before a joint hearing of the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees, Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., testified about his organization's concern with the national health care debate, and whether or not it will impact the health care programs currently provided to veterans and military retirees by the VA and the military’s Tricare system. "Many promises have been made — by the president and by this Congress — that VA and Tricare will be protected, but a free press and an even freer Internet continue to fuel speculation that both health systems will be lost and/or absorbed into a larger national plan," said Tradewell, who leads the nation’s largest and oldest major combat veterans’ organization. "America’s veterans and military retirees look to you — our champions in Congress — to protect both programs, and to do so vocally at every opportunity." In his testimony, the combat-wounded Vietnam veteran from Sussex, Wis., addressed the number one VFW legislative issue: Fix the backlog of more than 1.1 million individual claims and appeals for compensation, pension and education benefits currently plaguing the Veterans Benefits Administration. "The most important issue facing America’s veterans today is the unacceptable VA claims backlog, and an equally unacceptable processing error rate," said Tradewell, referring to a system wide 17-percent average error rate that soars to 25, 29 and 38 percent in the VA Regional Offices in Virginia, Alaska and Maryland, respectively. "This massive backlog has resulted in a six-month average wait for an initial rating decision, and a two-year average wait for an appeal decision. That is completely unacceptable, [as is] asking a veteran to wait half of a year or more for a rating decision that could have a one-in-three chance of being incorrect." The VFW national commander commended VA Secretary Eric Shinseki for making the reform of the VA claims system a top VA priority, but cautioned against "silver bullet" fixes that could prove more harmful than helpful to veterans. "We know that any single plan to make the overall claims process simpler could occur at the expense of the rights and benefits earned by veterans, their dependents and survivors," he said. "A quick fix plan is simply unacceptable, because fixing the backlog will require thoughtful solutions to avoid harming veterans and exacerbating the problem. "VBA is the key to everything VA does, so the VFW will continue to offer its expertise to the VA and your committees so that we can solve this backlog problem together," he said. "Veterans have grown tired of the excuses. They want and deserve action. The VFW wants to help." Other VFW high interest issues addressed ranged from the proper care and treatment of returning servicemen and women with traumatic injuries to mind and body, the need for an integrated information technology system to bring the VA into the 21st century, veterans’ unemployment and homelessness, and military caregivers and survivor benefits. Tradewell also provided testimony regarding further traumatic brain injury research and treatment, suicide awareness and prevention, and women veterans' health care needs. Joining Tradewell at the hearing were VFW and Ladies Auxiliary leaders from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Europe, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

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EASIER TO GET VA BENEFITS - SOME DISEASES

VA Recognizes “Presumptive” Illnesses in Iraq, Afghanistan

March 18, 2010

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Decision Makes It Easier for Gulf War Veterans to Receive Benefits

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking steps to make it easier for Veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in the Persian Gulf War or Afghanistan.  This will be the beginning of historic change for how VA considers Gulf War Veterans’ illnesses.
Following recommendations made by VA’s Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force, VA is publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register that will establish new presumptions of service connection for nine specific infectious diseases associated with military service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War, or inAfghanistan on or after September 19, 2001.  
“We recognize the frustrations that many Gulf War and Afghanistan Veterans and their families experience on a daily basis as they look for answers to health questions, and seek benefits from VA,” said Secretary Shinseki. 
The proposed rule includes information about the long-term health effects potentially associated with the nine diseases: Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis and West Nile virus.  
For non-presumptive conditions, a Veteran is required to provide medical evidence that can be used to establish an actual connection between military service in Southwest Asia or in Afghanistan, and a specific disease.  
With the proposed rule, a Veteran will only have to show service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan, and a current diagnosis of one of the nine diseases.  Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted over the next 60 days.  A final regulation will be published after consideration of all comments received.
The decision was made after reviewing the 2006 report of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), titled, “Gulf War and Health Volume 5: Infectious Diseases.”  The 2006 report differed from the four prior reports by looking at the long-term health effects of certain diseases determined to be pertinent to Gulf War Veterans.
The 1998 Persian Gulf War Veterans Act requires the Secretary to review NAS reports that study scientific information and possible associations between illnesses and exposure to toxic agents by Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War. 
Because the Persian Gulf War has not officially been declared ended, Veterans serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom are eligible for VA’s new presumptions.  Secretary Shinseki decided to include Afghanistan Veterans in these presumptions because NAS found that the nine diseases are prevalent in that country.  
Noting that today’s proposed regulation reflects a significant determination of a positive association between service in the Persian Gulf War and certain diseases, Secretary Shinseki added, “By setting up scientifically-based presumptive service connection, we give these deserving Veterans a simple way to get the benefits they have earned in service to our country.”
Last year, VA received more than one million claims for disability compensation and pension.  VA provides compensation and pension benefits to over 3.8 million Veterans and beneficiaries.  Presently, the basic monthly rate of compensation ranges from $123 to $2,673 to Veterans without any dependents.
Disability compensation is a non-taxable, monthly monetary benefit paid to Veterans who are disabled as a result of an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service. 
For more information about health problems associated with military service during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and related VA programs go to www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/ or go to www.va.gov for information about disability compensation.

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BENEFITS - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

Benefits - Veterans Benefits Administration

VA to Provide Payments to Eligible Surviving Spouses                                       The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced immediate actions to quickly identify and pay surviving spouses who are eligible to receive the deceased veteran’s VA compensation or pension benefit for the month of the veteran’s death.   This benefit is only payable to surviving spouses of veterans who were receiving VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of their death.  Because VA does not always know if a veteran is survived by a spouse, some surviving spouses have not received the month-of-death benefit to which they are entitled.  If you are a surviving spouse of a veteran who was receiving VA benefits at the time of death and believe you may be eligible for the month-of-death benefit, please go to www.va.gov and provide the information requested.  VA will determine your eligibility.  When you reach the web page to ask your question, please select: ·          “Question” for the Type of Inquiry. ·           “Survivors Month of Death Benefit” for your Topic.  On the second page of the web form, please make sure to include: ·          Your full name, address and contact preference (e-mail, phone number, or US Mail), ·          And, the veteran’s o         First and last name, o         Social Security Number or VA claim number, o         Veteran’s date of birth, o         Branch of service, o         Service number, if you have it, and, o         Service dates, if possible. VA has also established a special Survivors’ Call Center for spouses who believe they may be entitled to this retroactive month-of-death benefit.  Surviving spouses are encouraged to contact the Survivors’ Call Center at the toll-free telephone number, 1-800-749-8387.  Call center agents will assist surviving spouses in providing VA with the information needed to determine their eligibility.  The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm central standard time.

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11Feb10 Military Council Meeting

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

The Pahrump Military Retiree's and Veterans Council met on 11Feb 2010 at Wuffy's Clubhouse at 1800 hrs. There were 54 attendee's and the Council was:

1. Called to order.

2. The Pledge of allegiance.

3. Introduction of the Council Members present.

4. An Explanation of our purpose.

5. A review of the items already submitted by Department of the Army for the expansion of "Benefits" for Retiree's and Veterans.

6. An explanation of the proposed changes to "Benefits" that have been sumbitted to Presidio of Montery (POM) for inclusion in the package going to the Pentagon and the Army Retiree Council meeting in April 2010.

7. A Floor discussion was opened up to submit input for future inclusion to POM for the CAL/NEV council meeting on 18Jun10. Items were collected for staffing to the members of the Pahrump Council, which will include them in the next submission to POM.

8. A presentation on the new film "Who will Stand" was discussed and the producer will have copies available soon. This is a film about PTSD and how it affects service personnel.

9. The meeting was adjourned.

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Disability and Pension Claims

H.R.1982 : Veterans Entitlement to Service (VETS) Act of 2009 to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of medical, disability, and pension claims and other communications submitted by veterans.

Sponsor: Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] (introduced 4/21/2009)      Cosponsors (9) 

Committees: House Veterans' Affairs 

Latest Major Action: 5/22/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

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DD 214 to the VA

H.R.1872 : Secure Electronic Military Separation Act to require the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to develop and implement a secure electronic method of forwarding the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) to the appropriate office of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the State or other locality in which a member of the Armed Forces will first reside after the discharge or release of the member from active duty.

Sponsor: Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] (introduced 4/2/2009)      Cosponsors (14) 

Committees: House Armed Services 

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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PX and Commissary for Disabled Veterans and Their Dependents

H.R.1818 : Disabled Veterans Commissary and Exchange Store Benefits Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to extend military commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a compensable service-connected disability and to their dependents.

Sponsor: Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] (introduced 3/31/2009)      Cosponsors (14) 

Committees: House Armed Services 

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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Pay Receipt for Non-regular Service Adjustment

H.R.1695 : Reserve Retired Pay Age Reduction. To amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the minimum age for receipt of military retired pay for non-regular service from 60 to 55.

Sponsor: Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] (introduced 3/24/2009)      Cosponsors (48) 

Committees: House Armed Services 

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

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Pay Increase for FY 2011-2014

H.R.1592 : Pay Increase Guarantee. To amend title 37, United States Code, to guarantee a pay increase for members of the uniformed services for fiscal years 2011 through 2014 of one-half of one percentage point higher than the Employment Cost Index.

Sponsor: Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] (introduced 3/18/2009)      Cosponsors (None) 

Committees: House Armed Services 

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via  HYPERLINK "http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=13002241" http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=13002241 

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Bill to Repeal Increase on Social Security Benefits

H.R.1519 : Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 income tax increase on Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Sam [TX-3] (introduced 3/16/2009)      Cosponsors (7) 

Committees: House Ways and Means 

Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. 

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H.R.1513 : Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2009 to increase, effective as of December 1, 2009, the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kirkpatrick, Ann [AZ-1] (introduced 3/16/2009)      Cosponsors (10)           Related bill S.407

Committees: House Veterans' Affairs 

Latest Major Action: 3/31/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13048376&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] 

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Create a Service Corps of Veterans & Retired Members

H.R.1401 : VET Corps Act of 2009 to create a service corps of veterans called Veterans Engaged for Tomorrow (VET) Corps focused on promoting and improving the service opportunities for veterans and retired members of the military by engaging such veterans and retired members in projects designed to meet identifiable public needs with a specific emphasis on projects to support veterans, including disabled and older veterans and retired members of the military.

Sponsor: Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] (introduced 3/9/2009)      Cosponsors (14) 

Committees: House Education and Labor 

Latest Major Action: 4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

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National Service

H.R.1388 : Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act to reauthorize and reform the national service laws. Passed 321-105 and placed on the Senate calendar.

Sponsor: Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] (introduced 3/9/2009)      Cosponsors (37)  Related Bills: H.RES.250, H.RES.296, S.277

Committees: House Education and Labor,  

House Reports: 111-37 

Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 111-13 

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Army Combat Badge

H.R.1850 : Army Combat Badge  if approved for the new date, to be issued to all personnel who served in combat on or after Dec 7, 1941.  The current award is authorized to those that served after Sep 11, 2001 and received combat pay.  Authorized for wear in 2005.

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