| September 19 |
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Support Senate Bill S.2738 and House Bill H.R. 5484
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National POW/MIA Day
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| VA Press Release |
Dr. Linda Schwartz Confirmed as VA Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald welcomed the September 16, 2014, confirmation of Connecticut Veterans Commissioner Linda S. Schwartz as Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Policy and Planning.
In this post, Dr. Schwartz will help develop and review VA departmental policy, analyze Veteran trends and statistics, and evaluate VA transformation initiatives. She will play a critical role in guiding VA's strategic planning and work to implement Secretary McDonald's vision to transform VA into a nimble, high-performing, and responsive organization.
"I welcome Dr. Schwartz to our leadership team," said Secretary McDonald. "Based on her decades of devotion and hard work on behalf of veterans and veterans' causes, I know she will have an immediate impact in the Agency's continued mission of serving the great men and women who have proudly worn this Nation's uniform."
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| Help for Veterans and their Progeny |
Rep. Dan Benishek with Rep. Mike Honda Introduce H.R. 5484, Companion to S. 2738, the Toxic Exposure Research Act
On September 16, Dr. Dan Benishek (MI-01) and Rep. Mike Honda (CA-17) introduced the Toxic Exposure Research Act, H.R. 5484, to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a national center for research into the health conditions experienced by the descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances. The Toxic Exposure Research act is the House companion to S.2738, identical legislation introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Senator Jerry Moran (KS).
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| As Reported by The Washington Post |
Vietnam Vets Receive MOH Decades After Heroism
According to a September 15 story in the Washington Post by Dan Lamothe, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins stood ramrod straight on Monday as President Obama draped the Medal of Honor around his neck at the White House. It had been nearly five decades since he led Special Forces soldiers through a bloody ordeal that spanned a week in March 1966, but he still wore a crisp Army uniform, and saluted after receiving the nation's top award for combat valor.
Read complete article here |
| Visit the VVA/AVVA Outreach Tent |
VVA in Kokomo
Charlie Hobbs, VVA Membership Chair, and Cathy Keister, AVVA Vice President, along with Jerry Pounds and Bobbie Morris, traveled to Indiana to reach out to the several thousand veterans gathered for the 32nd annual Kokomo, Indiana, Veterans Reunion, the oldest documented annual veterans gathering in the nation. VVA and AVVA will be in Kokomo for the weeklong reunion. If you are in Kokomo, visit the VVA/AVVA outreach tent. |
| As Reported by VAntage Point Blog |
VA Secretary Proposes Pay Increase for VA Physicians and Dentists
According to a September 17 article by Reynaldo Leal posted to the VA's blog, VAntage Point, VA Secretary McDonald is calling for pay increases for physicians and dentists. Leal reports, "Due to a three-year federal pay freeze, the annual pay ranges for VA physicians and dentists haven't increased since October 2009. That may soon change as VA and the Veterans Health Administration look to enhance clinical capacity and expand access …."
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| Spread the Word |
September Is National Suicide Prevention Month
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention offers 10 Steps We Can Take to Reduce Suicides. Each of us can play a role in recognizing the critical need of others and encourage help-seeking behavior. The 10 Steps We Can Take to Reduce Suicides is just a start for those who want to get involved, make a difference, and save lives. The following link goes to information, PSAs, News Articles and Blog information on Spreading the Word about the Veterans Crisis Line: http://spreadtheword.veteranscrisisline.net/ |
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| As Reported by National Journal |
The Vets No One Talks About
According to a September 14 post by Jordain Carney of the National Journal, the Pentagon says that the majority of soldiers—about 77 percent—do receive an honorable discharge. But more than 600,000 received a lesser rating between fiscal years 2000 and 2013, according to a Defense Department breakdown. These soldiers often feel left behind by the government and find it very hard to get the full benefits they believe they have earned.
Read complete story here: |
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