VFW Action Corps Weekly (Formerly VFW Washington Weekly) August 29, 2014 vfw392.org/actioncorpsweekly/actioncorpsweekly.htm In This Issue: 1. VA Releases IG Report 2. White House Announces New Vet Initiatives 3. VFW Post Hosts VA Hearing to Discuss Access to Care 4. VA Launches Updated GI Bill Comparison Tool 5. Three to Receive Medal of Honor 6. Interstate Compact for Military Children Now Complete 1. VA Releases IG Report: This week, the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector Generals office released their final report after months of investigating wrongdoing at the Phoenix Hospital system. The investigation reviewed the care of over 3,400 patients and included interviews with 79 employees. Issues identified poor quality of care and inappropriate scheduling practices which were shown to be systemic nationwide. It also concluded that VHA missed opportunities to hold senior and field faculty leadership responsible and accountable for implementing proper action and compliance standards with regards to scheduling procedures. The final report and its 24 recommendations can be found here: va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-02603-267.pdf 2. White House Announces New Vet Initiatives: Earlier this week, President Obama announced several veterans initiatives designed to bolster recently passed legislation and ease transitioning issues between DOD and VA. VFW National Commander John W. Stroud said the VFW is hopeful that the initiatives will provide the necessary correction the VA urgently needs to care for the nations veterans, service members and their families. Included in the 19 new executive actions are automatic enrollment into a VA treatment program for service members receiving DOD mental health services; advanced research to develop neurotechnologies to help treat PTSD and a $34.4 million VA study on suicide prevention. Also included are programs to continue to reduce the disability claims backlog and improve resources between VA and HUD to eliminate homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015. For the White House statement on the initiatives, click here: whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/26/fact-sheet-president-obama-announces-new-executive-actions-fulfill-our-p To read the VFW press release, click here: vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2014-Articles/VFW-Statement-on-New-White-House-Initiatives/ 3. VFW Post Hosts VA Hearing to Discuss Access to Care: On Wednesday, VFW Post 2780 in Traverse City, Mich., was the site for a House VA Committee field hearing on access to care for rural and Native American veterans. The hearing once again highlighted the need for more coordinated care within VA and the lack of services in rural locations. VFW Post Commander Carl Archambeau noted in his testimony the distance many veterans have to travel and the often long wait times once at a VA hospital. Health Subcommittee Chairman Dan Benishek (R-MI), a former VA surgeon, lead the field hearing and spoke about his August veterans listening tour across his district. I have gained a greater understanding of the needs of veterans in Northern Michigan and plan to work towards solutions to make access to care easier and affordable for veterans in Northern Michigan. Improving access to care continues to be a top priority for the VFW. To view the recorded hearing or any of the witness testimony, click here veterans.house.gov/hearing/an-examination-of-rural-and-native-american-veteran-access-to-care 4. VA Launches Updated GI Bill Comparison Tool: This week VA launched a new version of its GI Bill Comparison Tool, with new features that will allow veterans to estimate the actual cost of attendance for potential schools and compare new veteran-specific school characteristics, such as whether or not a school offers an organized student veteran group. Your VFW played a key role in commissioning the GI Bill Comparison Tool earlier this year, and VFW advocates also worked closely with VA on the improvements rolled out earlier this week. To learn more about the updated GI Bill Comparison Tool, click here: va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2615 To try out the GI Bill Comparison Tool for yourself, click here: department-of-veterans-affairs.github.io/gi-bill-comparison-tool/ 5. Three to Receive Medal of Honor: The White House announced this week that the president will be awarding the Medal of Honor to three soldiers for heroic actions in Vietnam and during the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg. On Sept. 15, President Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins and to Army Spc. Four Donald P. Sloat for conspicuous gallantry in Vietnam. * Then-Sgt. 1st Class Adkins distinguished himself during combat operations in South Vietnams A Shau Valley from March 9-12, 1966, while serving with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. * Sloat will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions while serving as a machine gunner on Jan. 17, 1970, in the vicinity of Hawk Hill Fire Base. He was assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. * Details have yet to be announced for the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to Army 1st Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing, who distinguished himself during the Battle of Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863. He was the commanding officer of Battery A, 4th United States Artillery, Artillery Brigade, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac. Read more at whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/26/president-obama-award-medal-honor. 6. Interstate Compact for Military Children Now Complete: New York became the 50th state to adopt the VFW-supported Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which provides for the uniform treatment of military children transferring between school districts and states. The Interstate Compact allows the laws of the sending state to apply to transferring students from military families in the schools of the receiving state for such policies as graduation requirements, Advanced Placements, immunizations, and the age of student enrollment. It applies to the children of active-duty members of the uniformed services, National Guard and Reservists on active-duty orders, members or veterans who are medically discharged or retired for one year, and members who die on active duty. The VFW supported the Interstate Compact through resolutions passed by delegates attending the VFW 109th through 113th National Conventions. Read more at mic3.net.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 02:35:48 +0000
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