Veterans Administration Contact info...

[Jay]

Well, I'll tell you what I know, and find the answers to the rest. I've only been in med records a short time, as I was granted a disabiity accommodation, and my assignment changed from nursing to admin, due to service connected disabilities.

First, the disclaimer...... I cannot and will not circumvent any VA procedures, or policies. I'll be happy to post or send information that is normally available to any Veteran.

Assistance with advance directives, or living wills, or power of attorney, is available from any VA, or any County Veterans Service Officer. I have seen family members overturn a Veterans' advance directives, with little or no consideration for any quality of life consideration.

MY OPINION......and what I have done........ appoint a power of attorney for health care who is NOT a family member, and is NOT mentioned in your will. That power is rarely overturned.

[Canis-Lupus]

Heads Up To Any Vet,
Seems the V.A. shredders @ 3-4 locations have been destroying some vital irreplaceable documents waiting on claims or reviews, please follow this link if you are a Vet who has recently mailed in any vital certificates to the affected V.A. regions hearing your claims. Hopefully you did it certified/return receipt requested!
They claim it is only a small error but if you have vital comp & pen issues tied up with the affected regions, it may be worth calling them an asking what is the status of your claim under Freedom Of Information act request(s), Jay help me out here.
"Detroit, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Waco, Texas — were identified as having documents in shredding bins that should not have been there."
VA Claims Found in Piles to be Shredded : Veterans Today - U.S. Military Veterans VA Home Loans, Vet Jobs, VA Benefits, VA Hospitals, VA Administration
Hoping this does not effect any of our members.

Canis-Lupus

[Canis-Lupus]

A few weeks back I posted the 1st report I got on certain V.A. regional offices/areas shredding or destroying critical/irreplaceable documents that Vets had sent in with their claims for V.A. benefits, comp & pens, or whatever part of the V.A. wanted original documents, the kind that are almost impossible to get reissued. Xerox copies are almost never accepted with critical originals such as proof of citizenship certificates (I had to submit my original naturalization certificate twice, my DD-214 three times over a 4 year period) or birth certificates, from G.B. no way to get duplicates on a 1957 document from a hospital in London, England that no longer exists, or the fire that destroyed all the millions of certificates in the 'secure' facility they were moved to 21 years after I was born and 2 years after I emigrated!
I felt it only fitting to follow up with more news on it from the same source (Veterans Today). The article can be found online here:
From a VBA Employee, more about VA claims in the Trash : Veterans Today - U.S. Military Veterans VA Home Loans, Vet Jobs, VA Benefits, VA Hospitals, VA Administration
The 1st sentence is one that really burns my ass:
"Recently, it has leaked to the public that some VBA employees across the nation have purposely thrown veterans' mail in the garbage."
An honest mistake is tragic, a wilful act to avoid doing the job they get paid to do that effects the entire welfare/life of a disabled Vet's future or means to support themselves, their kin or retain what quality of life they have left, the access to the care they need is criminal. No this is NOT a broadside against the entire Department of Veterans Affairs clerical system, the regions are clearly indicated in my 1st post on this mess, but if malice is proven, IMHO then the V.A. should accept that the documents were received, DID detail exactly what they wanted, and continue processing the claim as if the document had given FULL confirmation/verification to the Vet's request. To tell any Vet "Denied because we chucked your only DD214 away and it may take 2-5 years to get a new one issued" from a Vet who say served 45 years ago in Vietnam is not a answer I would take as the burden of proof still remains on that Veteran. Catch-22! However brining private legal action against the V.A. for acts of malpractice and other matters such as records loss, falsification, medical errors or wilful destruction is a long and costly process that often falls upon the Veteran to pay for, the net searches I have performed over the last few years on this lead me to make this statement, unless you have a lot of cash and the time/health to spend in court, the V.A. will stall you long enough for 1 of 2 things to happen, you run out of cash or the statute of limitations which in most cases is 24 months expires and all that effort is for naught. Some success stories exist out there but for every 1 that is won by the Vet there are 1,000 that go nowhere but into the pocket of the attorney who will be more than happy to charge you $2K an hour for his/her time and $1K an hour for the work of their para-legal or admin staff. Some post service organizations will provide legal counsel/advice, but may not put a lawyer in a court for free to wrestle your case to an early conclusion when so many legal matters are arising daily they are swamped. I was fortunate enough to have an American Legion para-legal represent me at a comp & pen in 1999 that went well, but back then, 9/11 was 2 years away and comp & pen claims were being resolved relatively quickly across the nation as there last protracted conflict prior to that time was Desert Shield/Storm (GW-1), then B 4 that Vietnam. Some came out of Panama, the Balkans and Grenada, plus the normal flow of peace-time training accidents resulting in troops getting medically boarded out of service for injuries sustained or exposure to chemicals, pathogens or radiation which was running around 8-10K a year. Peace time did not mean safe training in fact as new systems/kit and doctrine was developed it was the soldier, marine, airman or coast-guardsman who paid when the new kit or ideas went wrong or failed. Add 2 terms of Clinton axing entire divisions, fleets and air-wings so we were doing more with less manpower to make it happen to meet deadlines set by the DOD that were seldom extended.
I hope this is just FYI and effects none of Vets and Guns members, but as this SNAFU unfolds it is my duty to report it to you from both side of the fence, the V.A. excuses and the impact it has on God only knows how many Vets who are now furious & screwed ROYALE!
Please pass this info on to any Vets you know if they fit the profile: you know them, they are in a region affected by this (last post on this details the worst hit regions) and they recently submitted a packet of irreplaceable documents that maybe no longer exists.
End of SITREP,

Canis-Lupus

Full report copied from link above follows:

From a VBA Employee, more about VA claims in the Trash Recently, it has leaked to the public that some VBA employees across the nation have purposely thrown veterans' mail in the garbage. This is a problem because, in most instances, a veteran's claim for compensation may hinge on the missing article. I have come across veterans that have assured me that they sent in documents pertinent to their claim, only to be informed that the mail was never received.
The Chicago VBA RO has for years been scrutinized by Sen. Obama and Sen. Durbin in an effort to determine why Illinois’ veterans receive minimal compensation for their injuries--when compared to other states. This is alarming because our state has quite a large veteran population. The workload has been a great problem for this office as they continue to struggle to reduce pending compensation claims. This is due to being short staffed, as well as having managers who received their promotions by being friendly with those in power.
Here is a brief breakdown of the organization:
Triage: 1st Stage
At this stage, this is where a veteran's initial and subsequent paper work comes into the agency. At a minimal, the mail received in Triage (the mail room) should be processed in about seven days and placed in the appropriate claims folder. However, this is not the case at this office. Mail sometimes stay in the mailroom for four to six weeks and, in some instances, are misfiled or lost.
Pre Development: 2nd Stage
At this point, veterans service representatives (VSR's) are tasked with examining the veteran's claims folder and sending appropriate notice to the veteran. For instance, they are supposed to ensure that a letter acknowledging receipt of the claim is mailed to the claimant. It usually takes months for this correspondence to be mailed, usually at the request of the veteran repeatedly contacting the office and pleading with it to send the material. The document is important because it is proof (receipt) that the claim was received and the veteran does not have to be concerned that the claim has been “lost” of “misprocessed.” This receipt is also relevant because it explains to the veteran what is needed to grant compensation, as well as inform the veteran to submit private treatment records or other evidence they may help to establish the claim.
A major problem at this stage, the VSR's sometimes fail to identify all the issues the veteran is seeking compensation. Therefore, some exams that should have been ordered or not, and when the veteran finally gets his or her award letter, the person discovers that he or she must contact the VA, once more, for proper and complete adjudication. Once, the exams have been complete and the required documentation collected, the VSR reviews the claims folder to determine if it is ready for a decision. If it is, the folder is transferred to the RVSR—the decision-maker and evaluator.
Rating Board: 3rd Stage
At this stage, the claims folder is brought to the RVSR for a decision. In theory, at this stage the case has been properly developed and awaiting a decision. However, 50% of the time (and I am being generous) the claim is not ready for a decision. For instance, the VSR (2nd stage) may have failed to examine the received medical examinations thoroughly to decide if all issues needing a medical opinion have been provided. Hence, claims folders are passed to RVSR's missing exams, service treatment records, and DD-214. The case is not ready for a decision and must be deferred for other examinations or other items, delaying the veteran’s claim.
In some instances, Triage (the mail room) fails to adequately process mail. For instance, a veteran may have submitted additional evidence showing compensation is warranted. However, if this information is not entered into the database and the mail placed in the claims folder on time, the veteran's claim may be denied—and I have witnessed this quite often.
Production standards are another problem at this office that are contributing to an employee’s mistakes. For one, a VSR must process a certain number of claims per day in order to meet his or her quota. Sometimes they are only half-heartedly reviewing the claims folder. In reality, they are tasked with examining the service medical records and identifying in-service disabilities and conditions, private medical records and tabbing relevant information that will assist the RVSR in rendering a decision. However, when there are four volumes of military medical records, a person cannot possibly examine them all and make his or her arbitrary quota for the day.
The RVSR is also under arbitrary production standards. He or she must receive a certain number of credits to meet an irrelevant quota. You have evaluators missing / ignoring issues that should have been granted. It is not that they want to shortchange the veteran; the system is not set up to allow an evaluator to properly assess the entirety of the claims folder, which can be as much as four to five volumes.
At this office, the sentiments are not "do a good job" so that veterans may receive the benefits the US promised. Instead, in all my years, it has always been let's process as many claims as possible to get the backlog down and, if we miss an issue, the veteran can always file another claim.
I have worked at the Chicago VBA RO for over five years and am a veteran myself. If I was seeking compensation, I would want my claim handled appropriately and given the proper amount of time to render a fair and balance decision. Unfortunately, that does not always happen at this office.
There are some great employees in this office, and many go beyond the call of duty, often staying late to complete a claim. Nevertheless, management (at this office and those at the national office) continue to place unreasonable pressure on employees. When this occurs, it is no surprise that veterans are being harmed.
There have been recent reports that some psychologists and psychiatrists are refusing to diagnose PTSD when the finding is warranted, with some administrators instructing medical staff to make the veterans come back several times before giving away the golden goose. This is not the way we treat our veterans. They demand our deepest respect, sincere thanks, and an authentic pat on the back.
I am contacting the national media and local media in the Chicago land area, as well as veterans organizations with anticipation that it will spark interest in veterans’ compensation.

[Canis-Lupus]

I was going to slap a poll on this, but if you feel strongly enough about this new flag to remember all our fallen warriors, then it probably has a place in regalia of emblems that show our respect to those who give all, have long ago given all and maybe fits in with the POW/MIA flag & pin I wear (proudly) that remembers much fewer but no less brave and patriotic warriors, some who are yet to be accounted for, or those who never will be. The tomb of the unknown soldier is called the Cenotaph and for the Vets of Great Britain, it is a somber older stone marker that sits down-town in London. They do not have to my knowledge any flags or regalia that their citizens wear or display to show but a simple paper red poppy denoting the flowers that grew each spring over the remains of British Tommies from World War I, with the remains of an unknown military member interred inside. For the United States of America more than 200 years since our nation’s founding, 1.6 million men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice in wars and conflicts as members of the United States military, I think that may be on the low side, it does not include the poor souls who came home so severely wounded that demise followed after discharge and plenty of unknowns from our bloodiest conflict pitting brother against brother, dividing this nation into two warring factions that started April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina and came to a close (officially) when CSA General and CiC Robert E. Lee surrendered to U. S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. If you combine all the United States wars from the beginning of our great country up to the Civil War, skipping over the Civil War, and adding all the rest of the wars thru to today; the number of killed and wounded wouldn’t total the number of killed and wounded during our Civil War. I'd bet that many college kids would even know that!
There were a total of 360,000 Union soldiers killed, 282,000 that were wounded and 140,000 of the dead were killed in battle. On the Confederate side 258,000 soldiers killed, 94,000 killed in battle and the number of wounded was never tallied. That is a total of 900,000 men in our country that was either killed or wounded. "The night they drove old Dixie down" is IMHO one of the better songs made popular by 'The Band' during a time when America was fighting it's longest war in Vietnam and changing the civilian attitudes at home about war not even being close to civilized or humane, much as 7 years of current conflicts have affected those who do not fight in them, but question it more each year it drags on. "Better there than here" is what I hear all too often, and that thinking is bitter real I guess. But in general America does hold it's Vets with some pretty high esteem when you compare us to other nations.
The article on the new flag can be found here, too long for cut & paste or this will be a VERY long post.
NATIONAL FLAG FOR FALLEN WARRIORS UNVEILED : Veterans Today - U.S. Military Veterans VA Home Loans, Vet Jobs, VA Benefits, VA Hospitals, VA Administration
I uploaded a picture of the simple looking flag with this post. Personally I think the idea is great but the design looks cheap, a yellow star with a flame in the middle with the words 'Honor and Remember', I guess it's fitting but IMHO with the exception of some white stars on a blue background 'borrowed' from Old Glory, it looks to me more like a sign/flag you would see at a gas station. I would have hoped for better, but it beats nothing.
In other news The American Legion has launched an informative new Web site to help veterans and their families understand the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which takes effect Aug. 1, 2009, and how it compares with other federal education benefits for veterans. The Cap-Wiz blog on that is here:
Veterans Largest Service Organization - The American Legion with the the link to the new site listed, if you plan on using it for data entry or opening an account you should accept the permanent cookie it will give you 1st visit: mygibill.org . There is a preformatted letter you can send to president-elect Obama here: Just Foreign Policy and [as usual] I urge a little caution deviating too far off topic or spinning out a 2nd Amendment body-slam out of it, the meaning is pretty cut and dry, although I find these two parts almost laughable: "Make clear that the United States has no dispute with a peaceful Iranian nuclear program that is transparent and complies with international agreements." (The Israelis sure do with their 500+/- nukes!) followed by "Make clear that the United States has no dispute with peaceful cooperation between the governments of Iran and Iraq." the words 'peaceful cooperation' work fine when we are talking about a friendly game of soccer, but don't seem fitting to either nations who see peace as weakness, or a time to resupply depleted muj losses and cooperation as in them telling US what to do for them & how much it will cost US placating them. Like clearing-up all the agro out of Iraq so Iran can waltz in and take over their oil and the majority of their population, Shiites, who may love the idea of some pay-back on Sunni blood debts still not settled.
Arabs and Persians (IMHO) can drop the ethnic deal if the right Imams have them all dancing to the same tune. Finally this site www.mygibill.org IMHO does bear out a look-see if you are a newly discharged and disabled Vet looking at getting into the Department of Veterans Affairs Compensation and Pension system if it works as outlined. I like the idea of faster decisions being made for Vets in need, but if those critical 1st time thru shots mean rushing a Vet thru without every piece of supportive medical and admin data being complete and part of the packet that goes forward, then that is very likely (make that guaranteed) to end up missing exactly what it should be full of, as much substantiating evidence as you can find, like ALL of the pertinent stuff from your active duty medical records (send copies whenever they will work for your case, or risk losing your originals maybe?) that shows direct causation and 100% service-connection and maybe at least 6-months of medical & psychiatric evaluations by as many V.A. providers, ancillary staff like labs, radiology and full psych work-ups as you can pull being part of your completed C & P packet. If not then it goes thru fast NOT holding a lot of weight if all you have seen/got since you got out is your DD-214 and (maybe) one intake 30-minute appointment with your primary care V.A. GMO provider, (1 page of notes at best) and the forms from the VSO gives you or you downloaded from the net that don't give much supportive evidence to a panel who you will never meet and who will base your future on a 15 minute screening session you won't be invited to attend. If you don't like the taste of what you get back, appeal it and make sure that 24 months doesn't tick by or if it does so does your proof-positive statue of limitations ticker! If you are sending in original please track them as far and as well as you can, the shredders in some (already mentioned) regions have been working Watergate style overtime.
I'll post again as we get closer to Veterans Day, and HEY all you Vets and Guns patrons, we get one day a year to honor Veterans and Memorial Day to honor all who served, so I hope you do make this social group erupt with some good posts or uploaded pictures to remind all in USA Carry that freedom ain't free and you are or were a part of the Armed Forces of this nation who gave up so much to help protect the freedoms your fellow citizens enjoy in this land of the free and home of the brave.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911 - 2004).

Canis-Lupus

[Canis-Lupus]

I just pulled this off Veterans Today, 2 posts below this I alerted you to the 'VET-GATE' shredding frenzy of irreplaceable active duty and one of a kind original documents you may have submitted for a Comp & Pen, educational/training benfits, etc, seems that piles (some insiders who may cop a plea to incriminate those who issued the illegal orders to them to 'clean house' say millions over decades from 'Nam to current ops that had become a way to reduce back-logs and prevent paying out benefits as the proof was shreded & burnt, hoping full felony charges fall upon the heads of those bastards who screwed the very folks (us Vets) who provide them with safe peaceful employment, willful destrution of ORIGINALS were being FILE-13 by steel serrated shredders to make the flow go away, hey hey.
Latest poop follows:

VA Expands Protections for Veterans with Missing Paperwork
Peake: Benefit of Doubt for Vets, Accountability for VA Staff
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced special procedures for processing claims from veterans, family members, and survivors whose applications for financial benefits from VA may have been mishandled by VA personnel.
These special procedures come after an audit by VA’s Inspector General found documents waiting to be shredded at some of VA’s regional offices that, if disposed of, could have affected the financial benefits awarded to veterans and survivors.
“I am deeply concerned that improper actions by a few VA employees could have caused any veterans to receive less than their full entitlement to benefits earned by their service to our nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake.
“In rectifying this unacceptable lapse, VA will be guided by two principles – full accountability for VA staff and ensuring veterans receive the benefit of the doubt if receipt of a document by VA is in question,” he added. (Did U ever get the "We lost it too bad!" blow off, this is your last chance!)
VA worked with the six largest veterans service organizations in developing these special new procedures. The procedures will assist veterans and survivors in establishing that an application or another document was previously submitted to VA, but was not properly acted upon by VA and was not retained in the veteran’s records.
The special procedures cover missing documents submitted by a veteran or other applicant for VA benefits during the 18-month period between April 14, 2007 and October 14, 2008.
VA will process any missing applications or evidence resubmitted under these special procedures as if the document had been originally submitted on the date identified by the claimant.
Veterans and other applicants have one year, or until November 17, 2009, to file previously submitted documents under these special procedures.
Veterans not covered by these special rules who believe relevant material is missing from their files can submit additional documentation at any time. An award of benefits earlier than April 14, 2007, may be established if there is credible corroborating evidence supporting an earlier date of document submission.
When this problem of mishandled documents was uncovered on October 14, 2008, VA immediately ceased all shredding activities while it established tighter controls over all claims documents and conducted special training for all employees who process veterans’ applications.
All regional office shredding equipment and operations are now under the strict control of the facility records management officer. Every employee has been given a separate receptacle for papers appropriate for shredding. These receptacles are subject to review by supervisors and other officials.
Before any claims document can be shredded now, it must now be reviewed by two people and the facility records management officer.
VA’s Inspector General is continuing to investigate a small number of cases where inappropriate shredding may be traceable to a specific employee. Legal and disciplinary action will be initiated to hold accountable any employee who has acted improperly.
Veterans and others who are concerned about missing documents and want more information on the special processing procedures may call 1-800-827-1000 for assistance or go to our website at http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/specialprocedures_qa.asp <http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/specialprocedures_qa.asp> .
They may also send an e-mail inquiry through IRIS@va.gov or visit their local VA regional office. [Probably a faster way of correcting this.]
VA representatives will review VA’s record systems to verify receipt of applications and supporting evidence and will assist anyone desiring to file a claim under the special processing procedures for missing documents.
Regards,

Canis-Lupus

P.S. Jay, pop-smoke and verify this if you can please.

[Canis-Lupus]

Heads-Up Veterans,
For many Veterans who have to drive, fly, train, bus or commute to distant Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Treatment Facilities, this proposed and funded news should come as good news, pulled from numerous news sources:

VA Opening 31 New Outpatient Clinics - Veterans will have easier access to world-class health care under a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plan to open 31 new outpatient clinics in 16 states. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake announced this week that VA will establish new clinics in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Vermont.
“VA is committed to providing world-class health care to the men and women who have served this nation,” Peake said. “These new clinics will bring VA’s top-notch care closer to the veterans who have earned it.”
With 153 hospitals and about 745 community-based clinics, VA operates the largest integrated health care system in the country. VA’s medical care budget of more than $41 billion this year will provide health care to about 5.8 million people during nearly 600,000 hospitalizations and more than 62 million outpatient visits.
“Community-based medicine is better medicine,” said Dr. Michael Kussman, VA’s Under Secretary for Health. “It makes preventative care easier for patients, helps health care professionals have closer relationships with their patients and permits easier follow-ups for patients with chronic health problems.”
The community-based outpatient clinics, or CBOCs, will become operational by late 2010, with some opening in 2009. Local VA officials will keep communities and their veterans informed of milestones in the creation of the new CBOCs.
VA’s Proposed Sites for New Outpatient Clinics:
Alabama – Monroe County (2010)
Arkansas – Faulkner County (2010), Pope County (2010)
California – Lake County (2010), Oakhurst (2010), Susanville (2010), Yuba County (2010)
Florida – Brandon (2010), Clermont (2010)
Georgia -- Blairsville (2010)
Hawaii – Leeward (Honolulu, 2010)
Illinois – Carbondale (2009), Harrisburg (2010), Sterling (2010)
Iowa -- Decorah (2010)
Maryland – Fort Meade (2010), Montgomery County (2010)
Michigan – Bad Axe (2010), Cadillac (2010), Cheboygan (2010), Grayling (2010)
Minnesota – Southern central border (2010), Southwest metro area (exact locations to be determined, 2010)
Mississippi – Pike County (2010)
Missouri – Excelsior Springs (2009), Sikeston (2009), Sedalia (2010)
North Carolina – Edenton-Elizabeth City (2010), Goldsboro (2010)
Pennsylvania – Cranberry Township (2009)
Vermont – Brattleboro (2010)

Canis-Lupus

[Canis-Lupus]

President-elect BHO has made a selection that IMHO makes sense, call me a traditionalist, but many prior heads or the senior V.A. point-man has fallen to civilian HMO book-keepers or totally incompetent idiots, especially when peace-time made for lo-end budgeting for the Department of Veterans Affairs. IMHO this selection makes sense. Don't care if this Vet is a poster guy for the Brady Bunch, as on federal land you don't pack period unless U R a security guard, & I doubt he will be voting on any 2nd Amnd issues. So with that said I give you the retired flag officer who told GWB he was full of crap about his ideas of empire in Iraq with only one major unit haul-assing to B-Dad, which cost him his job and the U.S. a protracted ongoing conflict. Plausible with enough forces commited to the flawed idea they may have been able to quash unrest turning into revolt with force of numbers from get-go using Army Groups, massive USAF, and Naval assets, special ops units and partisans that did exist amongst oppressed and persecuted [to death] armed Shiites groups who held no love for a tyrant Sunni Saddam, not a single Army division, some Marines & limited Air Force use to avoid collateral rushing into the capitol with no real plan what to do next except knock down a statue of Saddam & hand out MRE's.

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Barack Obama has selected retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, who clashed with the Bush administration over the number of troops needed in Iraq, to be the next secretary of veterans affairs.
Obama's announcement was made in a television interview taped on Saturday that is to be aired in full on Sunday.
Shinseki famously clashed with the administration of President George W. Bush over how many troops would be needed in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion.
Obama was to name Shinseki for the veterans' post at a news conference on Sunday that coincides with the anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
"I think that General Shinseki is exactly the right person who is going to be able to make sure that we honor our troops when they come home," Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" in a clip aired by NBC News on Saturday.
"Meet the Press" moderator Tom Brokaw noted Shinseki had lost his job in the Bush administration because he said more troops were needed in Iraq than then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wanted.
"He was right," Obama said of Shinseki.
Obama's news conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST on Sunday.
Obama pledged during his presidential campaign to improve services for retired U.S. military men and women if he won the White House.
The news conference is his latest in a string of announcements of appointments to his Cabinet and other top administration posts.
Shinseki would need Senate confirmation to the position.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason, editing by Vicki Allen)

Any feelings from any Vets and Guns patrons on this move, post 'em.

Canis-Lupus

[Canis-Lupus]

A preceding post I made into this thread (A meaningful emblem, or too little much too late?) concerns the release of a national flag to remember the U.S. Veterans of World War II. This Christmas Day we get another reminder of a story of factual failure to stop the terror of a despot in a movie scheduled for 25 December release at a theater near you. It is indeed a noir theme that is replete with the best special-effects in the 'Wood, an eye patched and war scarred Tom Cruise stars as (factual) Nazi disenchanted conspirator Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in the movie Valkyrie (a Norse myth about a hand-maiden of Odin who would choose who would die in battle to reach Valhalla/Norse Paradise, see any relationship to a Arabian self proclaimed Prophet, a martial religion, and the muj of today who also strive for a similar goal in Jihad?) to be released on Christmas Day, probably a slap in the face of those who venerate the goodness and warmth of the day we recognize as the day Jesus Christ was born, yet concerns a story about trying to kill a inhuman beast who many still believe was one of the Antichrists, or +/-50-million total who perished because of him may tell you...if they only could, but it is sure to be a big buck$ hit, portraying a factual officer who broke with the idealogy and madness of the Third Reich culminating in the failed and last attempt to de-cap Adolf Hitler in the Wolf's Lair, on July 20, 1944, in the last phase and collapse of a Nazi dream for a 1,000-year Reich.
This post is not about a movie that I would watch long after Christmas, but more importantly the release of a huge factual online and searchable data base of real heros and life in those times of global war in the mid 20th Century.

Canis-Lupus

December 12, 2008
©Associated Press
NEW YORK - An online collection of World War II documents, billed as the world's largest, debuted last week. Footnote.com, which archives historical documents on the Web, developed the collection with the National Archives and Records Administration.
The collection starts with 9 million "hero pages" profiling individual U.S. veterans of World War II with data taken from Army enlistment records. Veterans and their families and friends can add further information and photos. The project also includes an online reproduction of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, which is inscribed with the names of more than 1,100 crewmen who died when the battleship was sunk on Dec. 7, 1941. Visitors to the Web site can search for the names of the victims.
http://www.archives.gov/press/press-...9/nr09-27.html
Other highlights of the collection include the personnel rolls of Pearl Harbor, reports of missing air crews, submarine patrol reports and naval press clippings. Also included are extensive analyses of the Allied bombing strategy against Japan, including target photographs.
Footnote.com Chief Executive and President Russ Wilding says the collection will mark the debut of 50,000 photos exclusive to the site.
"Our hope is to engage people to share their stories about relatives and friends who served in World War II," he says. "Many of the veterans have passed away, and the number of living World War II veterans continues to shrink. We're trying to facilitate the capturing of stories before they're lost forever."

[Jay]

Some of these links may no longer be valid. If you find a bad one, let me know, and I'll delete it......


Board of Veteran's Appeals: Gateway to VA Appeals
CARES Commission: Gateway to VA Appeals
CARES Draft National Plan: http://www1.va.gov/cares/page.cfm?pg=105
Center for Minority Veterans: Center for Minority Veterans Home
Center for Veterans Enterprise: http://www.vetbiz.gov/default2.htm
Center for Women Veterans: Center for Women Veterans Home
Clarification on the chang es in VA healthcare for Gulf War Veterans: http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000016.html
Classified Records - American Gulf War Veterans Assoc.: http://www.gulfwarvets.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000011.html
Compensation for Disabilities Associated with the Gulf War Service: http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admin21/m21_1/part6
Object Not Found
Compensation Rate Tables, 12-1-03: Compensation Rate Table - Effective 12/1/08 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Department of Veterans Affairs Home Page: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Directory of Veterans Service Organizations: Veterans Service Organizations - View by Chartered Organizations
Disability Examination Worksheets Index, Comp: Index of Disability Examination Worksheets (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Due Process: Object Not Found
Duty to Assist: Object Not Found
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: GPO Home Page
Emergency, Non-emergency, and Fee Basis Care: http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf
Environmental Agents: Environmental Agents Service Home
Environmental Agents M10: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1002
Establishing Combat Veteran Eligibility: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...asp?pub_ID=315
EVALUATION PROTOCOL FOR GULF WAR AND IRAQI FREEDOM VETERANS WITH POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM (DU): http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/DUHa...1303122304.DOC and http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1158
See also, Depleted Uranium Fact Sheet: http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/Depl...umFAQSheet.doc
EVALUATION PROTOCOL FOR NON-GUL F WAR VETERANS WITH POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM (DU): http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/DUHA...W130340304.DOC
Fee Basis, PRIORITY FOR OUTPATIENT MEDICAL SERVICES AND INPATIENT HOSPITAL CARE: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...asp?pub_ID=206
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependants 2005: http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf OR, Redirect Page - Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
Forms and Records Request: VA Forms
General Compensation Provisions: http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title38 /partii_chapter11_subchaptervi_.html
Geriatrics and Extended Care: Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care Home
Guideline for Chronic Pain and Fatigue MUS-CPG: MUS-CPG
Guide to Gulf War Veteran's Health: http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/VHIgulfwar.pdf
Gulf War Subject Index: Subject Index - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses and Page Not Found - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Gulf War Veteran's Illnesses Q&As: http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs /GWIllnessesQandAsIB1041.pdf
Hearings: http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/admi - Object Not Found
Homeless Veterans: Homeless Veterans Home
HSR&D Home: HSR&D
Index to Disability Examination Worksheets C&P exams: Index of Disability Examination Worksheets (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Ionizing Radiation: Ionizing Radiation Home
Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom Veterans VBA: http://www.vba.va.gov/EFIF/
M10 for spouses and children: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1007 - http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1007
M10 Part III Change 1: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1008
M21-1 Table of Contents: VBA M21-1 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Mental Disorders, Schedule of Ratings: Object Not Found
Mental Health Program Guidelines: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1094
Ment al Illness Research , Education and Clinical Centers: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Centers of Excellence: http://www.va.gov/ms/about.asp
My Health e Vet: My HealtheVet - The Gateway to Veteran Health and Wellness
NASDVA.COM National Association of State Directors: National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA)
National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: http://www.nchpdp.med.va.gov/postdeploymentlinks.asp
Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders, Schedule of Ratings: Object Not Found - http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/regs/38cfr/boo kc/part4/s4_124a.doc
OMI (Office of Medical Inspector): Office of the Medical Inspector (OMI)
Online VA Form 10-10EZ: https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/
Parkinson's Disease and Related Neurodegenerative Disorders: http://www1.va.gov/resdev/funding/so...parkinsons.pdf and, http://www1.va.gov/padrecc/
Peacetime Disability Compensation: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-...ame=browse_usc - http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-...c&docid=Cite:+ 38USC1131&docid=Cite:+38USC1131
Pension for Non-Service-Connected Disability or Death: http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/tit...chapteri_.html and, http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/tit...hapterii_.html and, http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/tit...apteriii_.html

Persian Gulf Registry: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1003
This program is now referred to as Gulf War Registry Program (to include Operation Iraqi Freedom) as of March 7, 2005: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1232
Persian Gulf Registry Referral Centers: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1006
Persian Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Research 1999, Annual Report To Congress
http://www1.va.gov/resdev/1999_Gulf_...Appendices.doc
Persian Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Research 2002, Annual Report To Congress: http://www1.va.gov/resdev/prt/gulf_w...lfWarRpt02.pdf
Phase I PGR: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1004
Phase II PGR: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...sp?pub_ID=1005
Policy Manual Index: http://www.va.gov/publ/direc/eds/edsmps.htm
Power of Attorney: Object Not Found
Project 112 (Including Project SHAD): Project 112 (Including Project SHAD) Home
Prosthetics Eligib ility: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/V...asp?pub_ID=337
Public Health and Environmental Hazards Home Page: Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards Home Page
Public Health/SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Publications Manuals: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/p...ions.cfm?Pub=4
Publications and Reports: http://www1.va.gov/resdev/prt/pubs_i...e=gulf_war.htm
Records Center and vault Homepage: New Page 1
Records Center and vault Site Map: New Page 1
REQUEST FOR AND CONSENT TO RELEASE OF INFORMATION FROM CLAIMANT'S RECORDS: http://www.forms.va.gov/va/Internet/...=3288-form.xft
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses April 11, 2002: http://www1.va.gov/rac-gwvi/docs/Min...pril112002.doc
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses: http://www1.va.gov/rac-gwvi/docs/Rep...tions_2004.pdf
Research and Development: Page Not Found
Survivor's and Dependents' Educational Assistance: http://www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/tit...hapter35_.html



Title 38
Index
Parts 0-17
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Part 18
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Title 38
Part 3 Adjudication
Subpart A, Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation:



http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text...f8f8801bc9b3dc
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Title 38
Pensions, Bonuses & Veterans Relief
(also 3.317 Compensation for certain disabilities due to undiagnosed illnesses found here):



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Title 38
PART 4 - SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES
Subpart B - DISABILITY RATINGS
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Title 38
4.16 Total disability ratings for compensation based on unemployability of the individual.
PART 4, SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES
Subpart A, General Policy in Rating
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/textidx?c=ecfr
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text...f8f8801bc9b3dc
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U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: USCAVC - United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
VA Best Practice Manual for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): http://www.avapl.org/pub/PTSD%20Manual%20final%206.pdf
VA Fact Sheet: http://www1.va.gov/opa/fact/gwfs.html
VA Health Care Eligibility: http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/home/hecmain.asp
VA INSTITUTING GLOBAL ASSESSMENT OF FUNCTION (GAF): http://www.avapl.org/gaf/gaf.html
VA Life Insurance Handbook, Chapter 3: http://www.insurance.va.gov/inForceGl iSite/GLIhandbook/glibookletch3.htm#310
VA Loan Lending Limits and Jumbo Loans: VA Loan Limits and VA Jumbo Loans
VA MS Research: http://www.va.gov/ms/about.asp
VA National Hepatitis C Program: National Hepatitis C Program (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
VA Office of Research and Development: Our Domain Name Has Changed
VA Trainee Pocket Card on Gulf War: Gulf War Health Issues Readings - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
VA WMD EMSHG: Emergency Management Strategic Health Care Group Home
VA WRIISC-DC: The War-Related Illness and Injury Center in Washington, DC (US Department of Veterans Affairs)
VAOIG Hotline Telephone Number and Address: http://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/hotline3.ht m
Vet Center Eligibility - Readjustment Counseling Service: http://www.va.gov/rcs/Eligibility.htm
Veterans Benefits Administration Main Web Page: Redirect to Benefits Home Page
Veterans Legal and Benefits Information: valaw.org
VHA Forms, Publications, Manuals: http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/
VHA Programs - Clinical Programs & Initiatives: http://www1.va.gov/health_benefits/page.cfm?pg=13
VHA Public Health Strategic Health Care Group Home Page: VHA Public Health Strategic Healthcare Group
VHI Guide to Gulf War Veterans**(tm) Health: http://www1.va.gov/vhi_ind_study/gul...tudy/index.asp
Vocational Rehabilitation: Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service Home Page
Vocational Rehabilitation Subsistence: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/InterSubsistencefy04.doc
VONAPP online: http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp
WARMS - 38 CFR Book C: VBA 38 CFR Book C (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Wartime Di sability Compensation: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-...ame=browse_usc - http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:+38USC1110 > &docid=Cite:+38USC1110
War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center - New Jersey: WRIISC-Home page
Welcome to the GI Bill Web Site: GI Bill Home - (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
What VA Social Workers Do: http://www1.va.gov/socialwork/page.cfm?pg=3
WRIISC Patient Eligibility: http://www.illegion.org/va1.html

[Canis-Lupus]

If you are a military reservist who has racked-up activated time in Iraq or Afghanistan or just active drilling, please read the following DOD news release, it affects earlier eligibility for retired military pensions, kicks in effective January 28, 2008 and has some exceptions (of course).

Canis-Lupus

Some Reservists May Now Qualify for Early Retired Pay-DoD has issued its new guidelines for those members of the Reserve Components who are eligible under a new law to receive retired pay before the age of 60. Under the new law, that was effective January 28, 2008, Reserve members are eligible to receive retired pay three months early for every cumulative 90 days on active duty they serve in a fiscal year. The interim changes can be found in Department of Defense Instructions 1215.07, Service Credit for Reserve Retirement. Most active duty time (whether voluntary or involuntary) qualifies, including training, school tours, operational support tours and National Guard full time duty under 32 U.S.C. Section 502 (f) for a national emergency called by the President or a national emergency sponsored by federal funds. This new rule does not apply for service performed before January 28, 2008, or as a member of the active Guard and Reserve, on annual tour, while in captive status, for medical treatment, medical evaluation for disability purposes or study, for disciplinary/courts martial, for muster duty and a few other purposes. Receiving early retired pay will in no way effect health care eligibility. You must still reach the age of 60 to receive the retirement health care benefits.