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Senator Murray Advances Legislation That Opens the VA to All Veterans

June 27, 2007
Legislation restores access to VA services for 242,000 veterans who had been carved out of the system four years ago.
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) helped pass legislation that makes all veterans eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare through the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The legislation, S.1233 – [...]

Last survivor of first Iwo flag raising dies

June 26, 2007
Charles W. Lindberg, the last survivor of the six Marines who raised the first American flag over Iwo Jima during World War II, has died. He was 86.
Lindberg spent decades explaining that it was his patrol, not the one captured in the famous photograph by Joe Rosenthal, that raised the first flag over [...]

Post-Traumatic Epilepsy May Haunt Afghanistan and Iraq War Vets

Paula Apodac writes on the possible future consequences of TBI related epilepsy for returning Vets who have suffered blast related head injuries.
“Severe brain trauma can trigger epilepsy in as many as 30 percent to 50 percent of the brain-injured soldiers”
The post further suggets that many of these vets are being honorably separated from the [...]

Senators push disability boost for vets

Type of Action: Legislation

June 13, 2007

WASHINGTON – Responding to shabby treatment of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a group of senators moved on Wednesday to boost disability pay to those hurt in combat and improve care for brain injury.
The 93-page measure, introduced by 30 senators from both parties, also would [...]

VFW Wants Movement on New G.I. Bill Proposal; National Commander Urges Members to Petition U.S. Senate

Type of Action: Letter to senator

June 12, 2007
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2007–The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is asking his entire membership to contact their U.S. senators and urge them to support S. 22, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007.
The bill, which was introduced in January by [...]

House Panel Takes On Veterans Affairs Over Bonuses

Type of Action: Funding

June 13, 2007
Stephen Barr

After the agency was faulted last month for awarding $3.8 million in bonuses in fiscal 2006, the VA’s deputy secretary explained yesterday that the money went to seasoned federal executives who excel at running the department’s health-care, benefits and cemetery programs.

Read the [...]

Kerry-Smith Tax Credits Keep Promise to America’s Military, Help Small Businesses

Type of Action: Legislation

June 12, 2007
"Our men and women in uniform serve this country everyday and the very least we owe them is a fair tax policy," Senator Kerry said. "Our military leaves behind their families and their businesses without complaint, yet we have a tax system that often punishes them if [...]

Pentagon panel endorses higher TRICARE fees, copayments

Type of Action: Heads up on Tricare

June 11, 2007
The Pentagon-appointed Task Force on the Future of Military Health has endorsed higher TRICARE fees, deductibles and copayments for under-65 retirees and their families in an interim report sent to Congress on May 31. It also backs other key features of the so-called TRICARE [...]

VA Should Change Outdated Compensation System For Former Service Members With Disabilities, IOM Report States

Type of Action: Heads up on veterans’ compensation.

June 12, 2007
The Department of Veterans Affairs should revise the system for compensation of veterans who become disabled as a result of injuries experienced during their military service, according to a report released on Thursday by the Institute of Medicine, the Washington Post reports. The Veterans’ [...]

Many Veterans of Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan Lack Access to Mental Health Treatment

Type of Action: Heads up on mental health treatment

June 11, 2007
Soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan "are finding it more difficult" to receive mental health treatment because therapists say reimbursement rates for care are too low, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports. According to the AP/Daily Star, about one-third of the [...]

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