A VA study concluded that Veterans experience bulimia at about three times the civilian rate.

This report contains details that some listeners might find upsetting.

Marine Veteran Chandler Rand has struggled with various eating disorders since she was a child. She said she’s healthy now, but she describes her recovery as an ongoing process. She still has to fight off negative thoughts about her body image and weight.

“It’s basically like walking a tightrope is what it means for me day to day,” Rand said.

Back in 2016, Rand was a Marine. She was successfully treated for anorexia as a teenager, but after boot camp, she began to binge eat and became bulimic.

“I don’t think I saw that as part of my eating disorder at the time,” Rand said. “I think I just saw it as part of being a good Marine.”

To Rand, that meant meeting the strict military standards for weight and body fat percentages. At the same time, she was coping with a sexual assault that happened while she was in college.

She said the assault affected her eating habits.

“You just want to obsess over something other than fear and panic or sadness and guilt,” she said. “So you try to place this moral high ground on food and fitness.”

People like Rand, who develop harmful eating habits during their service, have not received much attention from the Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs. But a study by the VA in Connecticut shows that Veterans experience bulimia at about three times the civilian rate.

Some develop eating disorders while they’re in the military, and others grapple with eating habits after they’re out.

Robin Masheb is a research psychologist and the founder of the Veterans Initiative for Eating and Weight. It’s one of the few programs that studies eating disorders in Veterans.

“I was seeing very high rates of binge eating disorder in the Veteran population, but I also wanted to know about these other disorders,” Masheb said, noting that there isn’t much research available.

She said risk factors unique to military service go beyond the strict weight requirements.

“People talked about being in very chaotic eating situations where one had to either go for a long period of time without eating anything or having to eat very quickly under certain conditions,” Masheb said. “Those types of things also seem to be risk factors for setting people up for problems with their eating later in life.”

She also said Veterans who were sexually assaulted are more likely to develop eating disorders.

For Chandler Rand, the ex-Marine, it was all of the above.

“I think the military environment, aside from height and weight requirements, can be a perfect storm for an eating disorder,” Rand said.

She said that’s because so much of military life is based on numbers and rules.

“You’re scored on your fitness tests and your combat fitness tests, and there’s point systems for conduct and proficiency and the rifle range,” Rand said. “You always want to be in that perfect score range, and so to me, that was just another score I had to meet.”

Masheb’s new study is focused on how VA doctors can screen Veterans for eating disorders. She’s experimenting with different ways to ask Veterans questions about their relationship with food.

“Typically, men — and more typically, our Veterans — are uncomfortable with that language of being out of control,” Masheb said. “Being in the military is about being in control.”

Masheb received a Department of Defense grant to test virtual therapy to help Veterans with eating disorders. But she said they face other challenges, like busting the myths that eating disorders only occur in young women, or that patients who are overweight can’t have an eating disorder.

In March, the department released new guidelines that grant more leeway for the service branches to loosen the restrictions on weight and fitness standards.

Masheb and Rand agree that’s a small step in the right direction. But the guidelines still leave it to each branch to decide if they want to continue to rely on body mass index, a measurement that uses height to determine weight goals.

Rand said the height and weight standards don’t make sense to her.

“If people see that you don’t have to meet this number, or be less than that number, I think that will hopefully not make so many people at higher risk,” she said. “I think it would ease the mindset.”

This story was produced by the American Homefront Project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and Veterans. Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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Jason Wilson of Meat Therapy of Texas appeared on 'Fox & Friends Weekend' to share delicious tips and smart insights

Jason Wilson, a U.S. Army Veteran, appeared on "Fox and Friends Weekend" on Saturday morning to discuss "healing in the form of barbeque," given that many Veterans return home with issues that need addressing in one way or another.

Wilson started a Meat Therapy platform to help Vets. His company, Meat Therapy BBQ, is based in Texas.

"Barbeque has always been a big part of my life," said Wilson.

And "when I was transitioned out of the Army back in 2009, it was not an easy transition for me at all," he said, adding that he "struggled with a lot of different things."

He found that "serving others" always helped him — and for him, that meant literally serving others with good barbecued food.

"It helped me reconnect with others," he said.

About three years ago, he said he started a platform to share his passion for cooking and preparing good food — and "to show others" that it's OK to have something a little out of the mainstream if it's healing and helpful to other people.

He said he "created Meat Therapy on Instagram and other platforms" — "and here we are today," he said.

He described some of the delicious bratwursts he prepared.

Wilson braised the meat in some onions, some house-made seasoning and Shiner Bock Beer — and went "low and slow on the smokers, at 225 degrees fo about two hours."

He was using Masterbuilt grills for all of his meat preparation.

Boot Campaign (BootCampaign.org) is one of the beneficiaries.

As for dessert, "it's super simple," he said.

"Life is busy, so we wanted to keep the ingredients easy."

He described the easy-to-use ingredients for his delicious peach cobbler dessert — which everyone will need to try out!

Shiner Bock Beer and TX Bourbon "are some brands in Texas that support Boot Campaign," noted Fox News contributor Johnny "Joey" Jones during the program.

Boot Campaign helps Veterans with issues that arise once they arrive back home after their deployments.

"Boot Campaign began when average Americans chose to outwardly express their gratitude for active duty service members, Veterans and their families by lacing up one of the most visible signs of military service: combat boots," the website explains.

"Our decade-long efforts have only been made possible by patriots from coast to coast who heard our mission, believed in it and took the next step to help us spread it amongst their friends, families and colleagues."

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Over the next several years, VA will transition to a new electronic health record (EHR), a system used by health care providers to store and track patient data. This transition will begin in spring 2020 at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Washington. As VA shifts to the new EHR, the Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization took the chance to answer your most frequently asked questions.

What is an electronic health record?

An EHR provides a digital version of a patient’s health record. VA was one of the first health care systems to implement an EHR and continues to be a leader in this area.

What is the Electronic Health Record Modernization program?

VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program is an effort to unite VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) on a single, common and commercial EHR system. Cerner Corp. was selected as the EHR vendor. EHRM will replace VA’s current EHR solution, the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA).

What does EHRM mean for Veterans?

Modernizing VA’s EHR is expected to improve the department’s ability to deliver care to Veterans and enhance the patient and provider experience across all facilities. It will also improve the sharing of health data between VA, DoD and community providers.

Will VA and DoD share a Veteran’s record?

Yes. VA and DoD will share health records in the new system. A shared system means patient information entered into the record from different doctors, pharmacies, labs and other points of care will be stored in the same place and in a format that is quickly and easily accessible by all providers. This will eliminate the need for manual transfer of records when Veterans transition from active duty.

Protecting Veteran health information is a top priority for VA. Cerner and VA established a secure process between VistA and the Cerner data center, which is compliant with national cybersecurity standards to ensure Veteran health information is protected.

What precautions were taken to ensure VA kept Veteran data secure during data migration?

Protecting Veteran health information has always been a top priority for VA. During the process of migrating Veterans’ data into the new EHR system, VA and Cerner used state-of-the-art and federally compliant safety measures, and VA personnel maintained constant supervision of the data throughout.

When will EHRM impact me?

The new EHR will be installed at VA facilities nationwide starting in 2020 and is anticipated to continue until 2028. VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Mann-Grandstaff VAMC in the Pacific Northwest will be the first sites to receive the system. Mann-Grandstaff VAMC is anticipated to deploy the EHR — or “go live” — in March 2020, followed by Puget Sound in fall 2020. For more information on timeline, check back to this page often.

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A group of Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) employees from different offices and locations worked together to speed up a process to get benefits into the hands of Veterans faster than ever by revamping computer systems.

When a Veteran does not receive his or her regular benefit, they usually contact the VBA National Call Center. That benefit inquiry goes into a system – the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) – to investigate the issue. From there, the inquiry used to go through several different computer systems that may or may not work well together. The entire process had to be tracked by the VBA Finance Center to ensure the Veteran received the proper response and/or action.

A group of employees from Financial Management Business Solutions and the VBA Finance Center, as well as directorates in the Office of Financial Management (OFM) in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, thought that VBA could do better. Working through the Salesforce computer application, the team – working remotely – devised from scratch an entirely new system that coordinates all the various computer platforms to work together seamlessly.

The new system, called Post Payments Workshop, achieved everything the group hoped. It enabled systems to work together, allowed any team member to locate the status of any claim – and most importantly – shortened the time for claims to get resolved.

These computer process improvements were devised and implemented over eight months without using additional resources or incurring expenses.

Now the group will try to tackle another issue by creating a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution to handle repetitive tasks. RPA will free up more time for National Call Center representatives to work directly with Veterans.

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VA worked with state representatives to compile a list of the largest or most successful state employer of Veterans, part of a five part series. Below is a list in alphabetical order.

Alabama

“Many Alabama employers actively recruit Veterans, recognizing them as disciplined team players who inspire others and increase productivity. A number of these employers have been recognized by the Department of Labor for their efforts to hire and retain Veterans so choosing just one to highlight is difficult. However, Navigator Development Group, Inc. has multiple locations in the state and are well respected. As a Veteran-owned business, Navigator knows through personal experience that employing Alabama’s heroes adds value to their business and their communities.” – Beverly Gebhardt, Director of Intergovernmental Relations.

Veterans can learn about USDOL recognized employers at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/Vets.

Alaska

“Alaska law is designed to help service member get back to work quickly after serving in the military. Alaska offers point preferences to all who qualify making the State of Alaska one of the most successful state employers of Veterans.” – Verdie Bowen Sr., director, Office of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can learn more about this program at https://alaskajobs.alaska.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx.

Arizona

“Arizona is fortunate to have many successful employers of Veterans. Of the many, USAA is one of our largest and most successful employers of Veterans. USAA not only provides quality services to military members, Veterans and their families, but also commits to achieving and sustaining a workforce made up of 25% Veterans and military spouses or domestic partners.” – Wanda Wright, director

Veterans can learn more about Veteran friendly employers at https://bestcompaniesaz.com/best-Veteran-employers-phoenix-arizona/.

Arkansas

“Arkansas government is the largest employer of Veterans, but Veteran small business owners are also growing in the state and programs are available to help nurture those entrepreneurs.” – Gina Chandler, assistant director, Veterans Services

For more information about those opportunities go to https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/ar/little-rock and https://www.arkansasedc.com/. Also see how military experience helped shaped telemedicine in rural south at https://www.sba.gov/content/ceos-military-experience-shapes-telemedicine-health-across-rural-arkansas.

California

“California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) Workforce Services assists Veterans and their eligible spouses maximize their employment and training opportunities. Veterans are entitled to many resources designed to help in their search for employment. EDD Veterans’ representatives specialize in assisting Veterans in their efforts to return to work and are located in many local EDD offices statewide. Services include a Veteran 24-hour priority hold on all job listings, customized job search assistance, job fairs, employer recruitments, and other events and resources. Veterans are encouraged to schedule an appointment with an EDD Veterans’ representative for personalized services and assistance to achieve professional goals.” – Roberto Herrera, chief, Veteran and Community Engagement

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://www.edd.ca.gov/jobs_and_training/Services_for_Veterans.htm.

Colorado

“The largest state employers of Veterans are Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Booz, Allen and Hamilton, Northrop Grumman Corporation and L-3 Communications.” – Richard J. Tremaine, director, Division of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can learn more at www.Colorado.Gov/Vets.

Connecticut

“Connecticut has many businesses of all sizes that are Veteran friendly in their hiring practices and Veteran community philanthropy among the larger ones are Lockheed Martin, United Technologies Corporation, Sikorsky, Electric Boat, Peoples United, Cigna and Aetna.” – Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Thomas J. Saadi

For more information on Veteran hiring, visit http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/Veterans/default.htm.

Delaware

“The largest or most successful state employer of Veterans are Dover Air Force Base and the State of Delaware.” – Larence Kirby, executive director, Office of Veterans Services

To learn more about Delaware’s services for Veterans, visit https://Vets.delaware.gov/.

Florida

“Both CSX (leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America, headquartered in Jacksonville) and Florida Blue (Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield company has been providing health insurance to residents of Florida for 75 years) employ large numbers of Veterans and highlight the positive contributions of their respective Veterans’ community.” – James S. “Hammer” Hartsell, deputy executive director, Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Veterans can learn more by visiting www.FloridaVets.org.

Georgia

“The Southern Company is one of the largest and most successful employers of Veterans in Georgia. The Southern Company is a founding partner of the Troops to Energy Jobs program, linking Veterans and transitioning service members to job openings in the energy industry. They also sponsored the establishment of Georgia’s Military Veterans Hall of Fame, which honors Veterans from all periods for their valor, achievement, and service.” – Mike Roby, Georgia’s commissioner of Veterans Service

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://southerncompany-Veterans.jobs/.

Hawaii

According to ClearanceJobs.com, “Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is the largest industrial employer in Hawaii and the U.S. Government is the state’s biggest employer. Hawaii is the third-ranking state in per capita defense spending and has one of the highest per-capita populations of service members. The defense industry is the largest industry-related workforce, employing 101,500 and representing 16.5% percent of Hawaii’s workforce.”

Idaho

“Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is one of the top employers of Veterans in Idaho. Being the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research and development, INL plays a role in each of the strategic goal areas of the Department of Energy: energy, national security, science, and environment. Given the importance of INL’s clean energy and national security mission to our nation, INL actively seeks applicants with military experience. Approximately 1 in 10 of INL’s employees are military Veterans.” – Marv Hagedorn, Idaho Division of Veterans Services Chief Administrator

Veterans can learn more about careers with INL at https://inlcareers.inl.gov/Veterans or other careers in Idaho at https://www.labor.idaho.gov/dnn/Job-Seekers/Veterans-Services.

Illinois

“The Illinois State government—including our department—is the largest employer of Veterans.” – Evan Fazio, public information officer, Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs

For more information, see https://www2.illinois.gov/services/CMS/state-jobs.

Indiana

“The federal government, with more than 40,000 federal jobs here in Indiana alone, has one of the highest pay scales across the entire state.” – David Douglass, state Veterans program director at Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Iowa

“Our ‘Home Base Iowa’ initiative connects Iowa businesses with qualified Veterans and their spouses looking for career opportunities. The program also provides resources to help connect Veterans and their families with education and their transition to a new community.” – Karl J. Lettow, public information

Home Base Iowa’s web page is https://www.homebaseiowa.gov/.

Kansas

“The State of Kansas values the experience and extensive training and education provided through military service and translates well with the skills needed in state government. Our state places great importance on providing Veterans access to information about available services and assistance related to employment in state government.” – Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Director Gregg Burden

For more information visit www.kcva.ks.gov/kanVet.

Kentucky

“The three largest non-government employers in the state – UPS, Humana and Toyota – are all strong supporters of Veterans and Veteran-friendly employers. At Veterans Day parades, events and volunteer efforts, we always see Veterans proudly representing their employers.” – April Brown, Employment & Training Services Program coordinator

Kentucky Veterans can find out more about this benefit here.

Louisiana

“The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the largest employers of Veterans within the State of Louisiana. LDVA’s mission is to provide comprehensive care and quality service to Louisiana’s Veterans, and their families, with regard to health care, education, disability benefits, long-term care and burial honors. LDVA offers five Veterans homes, five Veterans cemeteries, a benefits division and a host of other programs available to Louisiana’s 281,000 Veterans.” – Joey Strickland, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs

For more information about the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, visit www.Vetaffairs.la.gov.

Maine

“The largest most successful state employer of Veterans in the State of Maine is Bath Iron Works. Bath Iron Works is one of the nation’s largest builders of naval ships in the entire country and has a long tradition of hiring military Veterans. In fact, Bath Iron Works is a large partner in Maine’s Hire-A-Vet Campaign – an annual campaign hosted by the Maine Department of Labor to connect Veterans with gainful employment throughout Maine.” – David Richmond, director, Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services

For more information, please visit – https://www.maine.gov/Veterans/benefits/employment/index.html

Maryland

“Each year active-duty service members retiring or separating from the military acquire civilian employment with Maryland based Department of Defense agencies and private sector defense contractors. The State of Maryland also employs a large number of military Veterans and those currently serving in the Guard or Reserves, specifically the Maryland State Police and Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.” – George Owings, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can learn more about employment with the State of Maryland at https://dbm.maryland.gov/jobseekers/Pages/VeteransJobs.aspx.

Massachusetts

For Massachusetts information, visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-Veterans-services.

Michigan

“DTE and Consumers Energy have both been very focused on Veteran talent attraction programs here in Michigan. They are both our largest Veteran-Friendly Employers. As Gold level employers, they employ professionals who are dedicated to recruiting, hiring, and retaining Veterans. They have also joined forces with other energy industry professionals to conduct things like an Energy Bootcamp, where they train members of the Guard and Reserve to become electrical and gas maintenance supervisors.” – David Dunckel, Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency employment analyst

For more information, visit https://www.michiganVeterans.com/categories/Employment.

Minnesota

“Minnesota’s largest employers of Veterans include the State of Minnesota, the trades, private corporations such as Target, Best Buy and Cargill, and many entrepreneurs running Veteran-owned businesses.” – Larry Herke, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs

For more information, visit www.MinnesotaVeteran.org.

Mississippi

“One of the most successful employers in our state is Huntington-Ingalls. The shipbuilding company, located in Pascagoula, committed to hiring the Veterans and has kept their word. To learn more about the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi, visit ingalls.huntingtoningalls.com.” – Stacey Pickering, executive director of Mississippi Veterans Affairs

Missouri

“About 15% of Boeing’s workforce are Veterans. In 2019, Boeing contributed more than $12 million to support military and Veteran organizations and efforts. Boeing Veteran-owned business subcontracting totaled about $450 million.” – Ryon Richmond, acting executive director, Missouri Veterans Commission

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://jobs.boeing.com/Veterans.

Montana

“The largest employer of Veterans in the state of Montana is VA.” – Kelly Ackerman, administrator, Montana Veterans Affairs Division

For more information, visit www.mt.gov.

Nebraska

“I would offer Werner Enterprises for consideration based on the 2018 ESGR Freedom Award. While I recognize that employer support of the Guard and Reserve is not precisely the same as being a ‘successful employer of Veterans,’ Werner would be in the top five. Union Pacific and First Data both have Veteran employee resource groups and could be considered as well.” – John Hilgert, Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs director

Veterans can learn more about Werner Enterprises at https://www.esgr.mil/News-Events/ESGR-In-The-News/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/8423/Nebraska-governor-congratulates-Freedom-Award-recipient-Werner-Enterprises.

Nevada

“The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has a workforce of approximately 5,000 staff. Nearly 6% of the workforce is Veterans. The Cosmopolitan has been recognized as a Patriot Employer by the Nevada Department of Veterans Services and received HIRE Vets Gold Medallion Program Demonstration Award.” – Julie Dudley, communications director

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/careers/Veterans.

New Hampshire

“While there are many New Hampshire employers who value the skillset that Veterans bring to their organizations, on the federal side, we see the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and BAE Systems hiring large numbers of Veterans. If we are talking non-governmental employers, Sig Sauer absolutely understands the value of hiring Veterans and they actively seek them out.” – William Gaudreau, director, NH Division of Veteran Services

Veterans can learn more about benefits at www.nh.gov/nhVeterans.

New Jersey

“The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is the largest and most successful state employer of Veterans who provide trained and ready forces prepared for rapid responses to a wide range of civil and military operations, in addition to providing excellent services to our residents and Veterans of New Jersey.” – Patricia A. Richter, acting director, Division of Veterans Services

For more information, go to www.nj.gov/military.

New Mexico

According to data provided to DVS by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the largest employer of Veterans in New Mexico is the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). DoD employs approximately 2,500 Veterans at four military installations in the state.

DVS features a Veterans business development division, the New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) to help entrepreneurial-minded Veterans, transitioning active-duty personnel, and their spouses with everything they need to know to start or grow their own small business. In 2010, New Mexico’s VBOC was the first state-managed VBOC created in the country through a VA grant for awardees to assist entrepreneurial-minded Veterans. As stipulated by the grant, the NMVBOC also assists Veterans and transitioning service members in Colorado.

Veterans can learn more about the VBOC at https://nmvboc.org/.

New York

“Approximately 30% of the current New York State Police has some form of prior military service (including Guard and Reserve).” – Joel Evans, executive deputy director, New York State Division of Veterans’ Services

Veterans can learn more at https://joinstatepolice.ny.gov/options-military-personnel.

North Carolina

“The largest or most successful employers of North Carolina Veterans are Lowe’s and Bank of America.” – Martin Falls, chief deputy secretary for the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs

For career opportunities with Lowe’s, visit https://corporate.lowes.com/careers/military. For Bank of America careers, visit https://careers.bankofamerica.com/en-us/culture/diversity-inclusion/Veterans.

Veterans can learn more about the North Carolina Veteran programs at www.milVets.nc.gov.

North Dakota

“Midwest AgEnergy and Sysco North Dakota received 2019 Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Veterans (HIRE Vets) Gold Medallions by the U.S. Department of Labor. They are the first North Dakota businesses to earn the honor.” – North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.” – Lonnie Wangen, commissioner

Veterans can learn about the companies at https://www.midwestagenergy.com/ and https://www.sysco.com/Contact/Contact/Our-Locations/North-Dakota.

Ohio

“The State of Ohio is the largest employer of Veterans in Ohio, with particular credit going to the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and the Department of Job and Family Services. Private industry is also deeply engaged in Veteran employment, especially in banking, insurance, and technology sectors.” – Sean McCarthy, assistant director, Department of Veterans Services

A comprehensive Ohio Veterans Resource Guide is available online at https://dvs.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/7c2ff73e-7a10-42a9-b2c1-4688be28837c/BenefitsGuide.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=n8kF7Cb.

Oklahoma

For Oklahoma information, visit https://odva.ok.gov/.

Oregon

“Thanks to an Oregon law first passed by the Legislature in 1977, public employers grant preference to a Veteran or disabled Veteran who applies for a vacant civil service position — whether as a new hire or as a promotion from within — at any state, county or local government agency. Oregon also has dedicated Veteran employment representatives who assist Veterans and spouses in job searches and applications, translating military experience for resumes, employment referrals, and reemployment training opportunities.” Sean O’Day, Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs deputy director

Oregon Veterans can learn more about employment preference and other employment related benefits and programs at https://www.oregon.gov/odva/Benefits/Pages/Employment.aspx.

Pennsylvania

“One of Pennsylvania’s largest employers of Veterans is the state itself. The state’s pride in its Veterans recently led to an initiative spearheaded by the governor that saw more than 14,000 state employees who also served in the military honored with a lapel pin. The pin features the U.S. and Commonwealth flags signifying dual service status. Pennsylvania also boasts strong state support through the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services – Pennsylvania’s first interagency cooperative approach to providing Veteran services.” – Air Force Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Learn more about the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Affairs and other Veterans benefits at dmva.pa.gov.

Rhode Island

“In partnership with Rhode Island Dept of Labor and Training, we have an array of private sector business who make hiring Veterans a priority.” – Kasim Yarn, director, Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services

Veterans can learn more at http://www.Vets.ri.gov/.

South Carolina

“At Boeing, approximately 20 percent of its workforce identifies as Veterans. In October 2009, Boeing selected the North Charleston site for a new 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery line. Boeing broke ground on the new, 1.2-million-square-foot facility in November 2009. South Carolina teammates began early limited production in July 2011.” – Brandon C. Wilson, public information director

For more information, visit https://www.boeing.com/.

South Dakota

The state of South Dakota is the largest employer of Veterans, with over 1,100.

“Now, more than ever, we need to keep our sleeves rolled up and work collectively to ensure our Veterans have a successful journey as they transition into civilian life.” – Greg Whitlock, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.

Whitlock encourages Veterans to contact their local county or tribal Veterans service officers or the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs office (605-773-3269) to learn more about their benefits. Veterans can also visit https://Vetaffairs.sd.gov/ or https://www.facebook.com/SDDVA/.

Tennessee

One of the largest privately-owned companies that employs a considerable number of Veterans is Fedex Express World Hub in Memphis.

To learn more about FedEx for Veterans, visit https://careers.fedex.com/military.

Texas

“Texas employs approximately 54 percent of Texas Veterans (783,175 individuals) according to a labor study of 2017. The top three industries employing Veterans include construction, national security and international affairs, and hospitals.” – Bob Gear, director of the Texas Veterans Leadership Program at the Texas Workforce Commission

Veterans can find employment by visiting, https://www.workintexas.com/vosnet/Default.aspx.

Utah

“Zions Bank has been recognized with the ESGR Freedom Award for their outstanding Veteran’s employment programs. Each year Zions hires scores of Veterans, Reservists, Guardsmen and their family members for internships, training programs and full-time positions throughout the company. They’ve developed innovative programs and have a reputation as a great place to work, making them a sought-out business for Veterans. And, for those that they are not able to place within their company, they actively work to find employment in other businesses. Zions is committed to Veteran employment.” – Gary Harter, executive director of Utah’s Department of Veterans and Military Affairs

Additional information is at www.zionsbank.com.

Vermont

“The State of Vermont is the largest Veteran employer, closely followed by Department of Homeland Security.” – Robert E. Burke, director, Office of Veterans Affairs

For more information on Vermont state jobs, visit https://careers.vermont.gov/. For information about DHS jobs, visit https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-careers/search-job-postings.

Virginia

“The largest state employer of Veterans in Virginia is CACI International, Inc. CACI is a certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) employer and on average hires over 1,000 Veterans annually.” – Nicole Anderson, Virginia Department of Veterans Services director of Transition & Employment Programs

Veterans can learn more at the V3 program at https://dvsv3.com/.

Washington

“Boeing is the largest employer of Veterans.” – Liza Narciso, assistant to the director, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs

For more information, visit https://jobs.boeing.com/Veterans.

West Virginia

“Many Veterans are finding employment with agencies of state government. It is the largest employer in West Virginia.” – Cabinet Secretary Dennis Davis

Veterans can learn more at https://Veterans.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx.

Wisconsin

“The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is dedicated to assisting Veterans in transitioning to a civilian career. Our state’s Veteran Employment Grant financially supports businesses hiring honorably discharged Veterans with a 50 percent or more service-related disability. In addition, Wisconsin offers several opportunities for Veterans to receive grants and other services and assistance while they are retraining for future employment.” – Donald Placidi Jr., Division of Veterans Benefits administrator, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans and business owners can learn more at: https://dva.wi.gov/Pages/educationEmployment/Employment.aspx

Wyoming

“The largest or most successful state employer of Veterans is Walmart.” – Tim Sheppard, executive director, Wyoming Veterans Commission

To learn about Walmart jobs, visit https://www.walmartcareerswithamission.com/content/people-experience/military.html.

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U.S. states offer Veterans a wide range of benefits. State representatives provided VA the most popular benefit for Veterans, part of a five-part series. Below is a list of the benefits in alphabetical order by state.

For VA benefits, people can download and print the VA Welcome Kit at https://www.va.gov/welcome-kit. People can provide general feedback and suggestions on ways VA can improve the Welcome Kit via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A YouTube video on the welcome kit is at https://youtu.be/DZvITWcWutE.

Alabama

“Alabama’s beautiful State Veterans Homes are our most popular Veteran benefit because we provide more than just skilled care to our heroes, we provide a home filled with love, honor, and compassion. With amazing support from our communities, we are able to provide activities and outings which keep our residents active and engaged and improve their quality of life. We currently have four State Veterans Homes all with waiting lists and are planning the construction of our fifth State Veterans Home.” – Kim Justice, executive director, State Veterans Homes.

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://va.alabama.gov/Vets-home-program/.

Alaska

“The most popular state benefit is the Alaska Property Tax Exemption. This exemption provides a tax break on the first $150,000 of assessed value of the home for Veterans with a 50% or greater disability rating either by the military or the VA.” – Verdie Bowen Sr., director, Office of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can learn more about this program at (URL) http://Veterans.alaska.gov/RealEstate

Arizona

“One of Arizona’s most popular state benefits are special license plates that recognize and honor military Veterans. Most popular are the Veteran, Women Veteran, and Freedom Special Plates. Each plate requires a $25.00 initial application fee and $25.00 renewal fee. Of the $25.00 fee, $17.00 is deposited into the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services Veteran Donation Fund. Pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes § 41-608, the Veteran Donation Fund is used to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for the benefit of Veterans in Arizona.” – Wanda Wright, director

Veterans can learn more about Special License Plates at https://azdot.gov/motor-vehicles/vehicle-services/plates-and-placards/plate-selections-gallery and the Veteran Donation Fund at https://dvs.az.gov/donation-fund.

Arkansas

“One of Arkansas’ newest benefits for Veterans is the state tax exemption on military retirement pay.” – Gina Chandler, assistant director, Veterans Services

More information about that benefit is at http://www.Veterans.arkansas.gov/benefits/state-benefits.

California

“California’s most popular benefit is our home loan program. Using Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bonds, California provides flexible financing for Veterans purchasing homes in the state of California. The servicing of the loans remains with the department for the life of the loan, and this popular benefit includes exceptional fire, hazard, earthquake, and flood insurance.” – Theresa Gunn, deputy secretary, CalVet Home Loans

California Veterans can learn more about this program at https://www.calVet.ca.gov/calVet-programs/home-loans.

Colorado

“The tax exemption on homes is the most popular but limited to 100% permanent and totally disabled Veterans. Given that, the most popular benefit that most Veterans can receive is Disabled Veteran license plates. The DV plates, which waive license tax on one vehicle, pertains to Veterans at 50% or more service connected and permanent and totally disabled Veterans.” – Richard J. Tremaine, director, Division of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can learn more at www.Colorado.Gov/Vets.

Connecticut

“Connecticut’s most popular state benefit is the Veteran designation with American Flag on the State Driver’s License and on non-license ID Cards, which is used by community based organizations, agencies and retailers to verify Veteran status for various local and state programs, services and discounts. To receive Veteran’s flag on an existing Connecticut license or identity card, the Veteran must submit documentation (DD-214 or pre 1950 WG AGO Discharge certificate) of qualifying active federal service, not including initial entry training; or Entitled to retirement pay under 10 USC Chapter 1223, as amended from time to time, or, but for age, would be entitled. The characterization of Honorable Discharge, General under Honorable Conditions, or Other Than Honorable (OTH) if deemed eligible is pursuant to Connecticut’s OTH benefits law.” – Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Thomas J. Saadi

Veterans can learn more about this benefit at https://portal.ct.gov/DVA/Pages/Apply-for-Veterans-Flag-on-CT-Driver-License-or-ID-Card.

Delaware

“The most popular state benefit are the various Veterans license plates.” – Larence Kirby, executive director, Office of Veterans Services

Special license plates are available through the Department of Motor Vehicles for: Former Prisoners Of War, Formerly Missing-In-Action, Purple Heart Recipients, Medals of Valor Recipients, Disabled Veterans, Delaware National Guard & Reserve Members, Retired Military, Korean War Veterans, Vietnam War Veterans, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Gold Star Lapel Button.

To learn more about Delaware’s services for Veterans, visit https://Vets.delaware.gov/.

Florida

“Eligible resident Veterans with a VA certified service-connected disability of 10% or greater shall be entitled to a $5,000 deduction on the assessment of their home for tax exemption purposes. Real estate owned and used as a homestead by an honorably discharged Veteran with a service-connected, permanent and total disability is exempt from taxation. Any partially disabled Veteran who is age 65 or older, any portion of whose disability was combat-related, and who was honorably discharged, may be eligible for a discount from the amount of ad valorem tax on the homestead commensurate with the percentage of the Veteran’s permanent service-connected disability. A growing economy, mild winters and the lack of a state income tax attract many Veterans and their families to Florida. To keep them here, we offer unique benefits such as in-state tuition rates for Veterans and their families using the Post-9/11 GI Bill, several layers of property tax exemptions, expanded Veterans’ preference, and extensive benefits, licensure and fee waivers for many activities and occupations.” – James S. “Hammer” Hartsell, deputy executive director, Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Veterans can learn more by visiting www.FloridaVets.org.

Georgia

“One of the most popular state benefits in Georgia is free license plates for Veterans. License plates are available in a special Veteran themed design, with options available to highlight a Veteran’s branch of service, their era of service, or a special military decoration they received during their service. License plates are also available for disabled Veterans at no charge.” – Mike Roby, Georgia’s commissioner of Veterans Service

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://Veterans.georgia.gov/license-plates.

“Another popular state benefits in Georgia is a free driver’s license for Veterans or an honorary license for their spouse. The license features an American flag and a Veteran designation in the corner. The license is free for Veterans who meet a residency and service requirement but is available for a small fee for Veterans who do not meet the qualifications. License plates are also available for disabled Veterans at no charge.” – Mike Roby, Georgia’s commissioner of Veterans Service

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://Veterans.georgia.gov/driving-licenses-and-personal-id-cards.

Hawaii

“Hawaii’s Most popular state benefit is the Totally Disabled Veterans Real Property Tax Exemption. Each island has their own tax exemption benefit in place.” – Ronald Han, Director State Office of Veterans’ Services

Veterans can learn more about the exemption at http://dod.hawaii.gov/ovs/benefits-and-services/.

Idaho

“The most popular benefit are the reduced hunting & fishing license and tag fees available. Idaho provides resident disabled Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 40% or greater $5.75 combination hunting and fishing licenses and reduced tag fees. Nonresident disabled Veterans can obtain hunting licenses for $31.75 and reduced tag fees. This provides significant cost savings for Veteran hunters and fishers.” – Kevin Wallior, Idaho Division of Veterans Services management assistant

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://idfg.idaho.gov/licenses/dav-programs.

Illinois

“Illinois’ newest benefit is the Veteran designation for Illinois state driver’s licenses. This has quickly become our most popular benefit in terms of the number of Veterans who have obtained it. Our most popular monetary benefit is the Illinois Veterans Grant/Illinois National Guard Grant.” – Linda Chapa LaVia, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs

Illinois Veterans and their families can learn more about these programs at https://www2.illinois.gov/Veterans/Pages/default.aspx.

Indiana

“Indiana has tuition and fee exemption for children of disabled Veterans, children of Purple Heart recipients, and children of POWs. Remission of tuition and fees for children of disabled Veterans (at least 0% service-connected) who served during a period of war or participated in equally hazardous duty, or the children of Purple Heart recipients, or the children of prisoners of war. This may be used at approved state-sponsored universities for up to 124 credits. – Joseph J. DeVito, outreach director, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs

Indiana Veterans can learn more about all of the benefits offered at www.in.gov/dva.

Iowa

“Our Homeownership Assistance Program that provides $5,000 for first time Veteran homebuyers, our Veterans License Plates – which contributes to our License Plate Fund, and our Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License programs are all among our most popular programs.” – Karl J. Lettow, public information

Details on these are at https://va.iowa.gov/benefits.

Kansas

“Kansas offers a wide variety of hunting and fishing opportunities because of an abundance of wildlife and numerous water resources.” – Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Director Gregg Burden

Veterans in Kansas may be eligible for hunting and fishing fee discounts and should visit Kansas Wildlife and Parks at www.ksoutdoors.com for more information.

Kentucky

“Kentucky waives tuition at all state colleges and universities for dependents of certain Veterans, including those who died on active duty, died as a direct result of a service-connected disability, and those who are 100 percent service-connected disabled or receiving a non-service connected pension. This benefit is so popular that people move to Kentucky specifically to take advantage of this benefit.” – Sophi Thompson, Tuition Waiver Program coordinator

Kentucky Veterans can find out more about this benefit here.

Louisiana

“Our most popular benefit is our structure in that Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs has a close working relationship with all 64 of our parishes. We have 74 parish service offices across the state that are accessible to all of our Veterans and their families. Our offices are staffed by highly-trained, federally-accredited Veterans assistance counselors that are employees of the State of Louisiana. As a result of our unique structure, we are able to provide the best opportunity to take advantage of the plethora of available benefits.” – Joey Strickland, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs

For more information on the parish service offices, visit www.Vetaffairs.la.gov/benefits.

Maine

“Maine’s most popular benefit that our Veterans take advantage of is the Maine Resident Lifetime Veteran State Park and Museum Pass. Any Veteran who resides in the State of Maine, that received an honorable discharge from military service is eligible to receive a pass. The pass gives the Veteran free admission to State Parks across the state as well as the Maine State Museum.” – David Richmond, director, Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services

For more information, visit https://www.maine.gov/Veterans/benefits/recreational-licenses/lifetime-park-pass.html.

Maryland

“Maryland provides a number of state benefits to Veterans and their dependents. Based on inquiries received by the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, the most popular state benefit is the property tax exemption for Veterans who are rated at 100% disabled. The property tax exemption allows this unique population of Veterans to be fully exempt from property taxes on their primary dwelling.” – George Owings, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can learn more about the exemption and how to apply at https://Veterans.maryland.gov/maryland-tax-benefits/.

Massachusetts

For Massachusetts information, visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-Veterans-services.

Michigan

“Our most popular state benefit for emergent needs is the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund (MVTF). The MVTF provides emergency grants to help combat-era Veterans and their families weather unforeseen, temporary financial emergencies. Emergency grants cover expenses such as utility bills, home repairs, transportation and mortgage assistance.” – Lindell Holm, Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency/MVTF executive secretary

For more information and to apply, visit https://www.michiganVeterans.com/mvaaEmergencyAssistanceForm or call 1-800-MICH-VET.

Minnesota

“Our most popular service is the VA Claims representation provided by our staff and our largest program financially is the State Soldiers Assistance Program.” – Larry Herke, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs

To learn more, visit https://mn.gov/mdva/resources/healthdisability/claims.jsp.

Mississippi

“Mississippi’s most popular state benefit for totally disabled Veterans is the homestead exemption. If a Veteran has been honorably discharged with total disability, he or she is exempt from all Ad Valorem taxes on the assessed value of homestead property. Another popular benefit is free access to all State Parks and Recreational Facilities. All Veterans are eligible for this perk.” – Stacey Pickering, executive director of Mississippi Veterans Affairs

For more information on Mississippi Veterans Affairs, visit www.msva.ms.gov.

Missouri

“The Missouri State Veterans Services Program has 44 accredited service officers offering assistance to Veterans, widow/widower of a Veteran, Veterans child or a parent who has lost a son or daughter in military service. Service officers provide counseling and assistance when you have questions about compensation, pensions, education benefits, life insurance, medical benefits, state benefits and burial benefits. They are networked within the supported communities. If federal and state benefits are not enough, our VSO’s know local community agencies who might provide assistance.” – Ryon Richmond, acting executive director, Missouri Veterans Commission

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://mvc.dps.mo.gov/service/.

Montana

“Montana’s most popular state benefit is the Veteran Designation on the drivers’ licenses. An MOU between Montana Veteran’s Affairs Division and the Department of Motor Vehicles allows us to verify Veteran status in order to have the Veteran designation on their drivers’ licenses for a fee of $10.” – Kelly Ackerman, administrator, Montana Veterans Affairs Division

For more information, visit www.doj.mt.gov/driving/license-plates.

Nebraska

“The Nebraska Veterans Registry is the most popular benefit based on the fact that out of the 125,000 Veterans in Nebraska 85,000 plus are registered with the State of Nebraska. This allows for easy application for benefits provided such as military license plates and special discounts sometimes offered at establishments throughout the state. This also eases outreach to Veterans by the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs.” – John Hilgert, Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs director

Veterans can apply to the registry at https://www.nebraska.gov/va_registry/index.cgi.

Nevada

“Nevada’s most popular state benefit is a state income tax exemption for all! Because Nevada does not have a state income tax, all residents including Veterans are exempt.” – Julie Dudley, communications director

Veterans can learn more about the State of Nevada at http://nv.gov/ and the Nevada Department of Veterans Services at https://Veterans.nv.gov/.

New Hampshire

“In my opinion, New Hampshire’s most popular state Veteran benefit is most likely it’s property tax credits. Depending on what city or town you live in, New Hampshire offers qualified Veterans a tax credit for up to $750 annually and if you are a 100% permanently and totally disabled Veteran (as determined by the Veterans Benefit Administration), you will be eligible for up to $4,000 in property tax relief.” – William Gaudreau, director, NH Division of Veteran Services

Veterans can learn more about benefits at www.nh.gov/nhVeterans.

New Jersey

“Veterans are eligible for a $6,000 exemption on your income tax return if you are a military Veteran who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States on or any time before the last day of the tax year. Your spouse (or civil union partner) is also eligible for an exemption if he/she is a Veteran who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances and you are filing a joint return. This exemption is in addition to any other exemptions you are entitled to claim and is available on both the resident and nonresident returns.” – Patricia A. Richter, acting director, Division of Veterans Services

More information is at http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/military/Vetexemption.shtml

New Mexico

The most popular state benefit available to New Mexico’s 154,000 Veterans, according to the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, is the Veterans State Property Tax Exemption.

This is an exemption of up to a $4,000 reduction in the taxable value of a Veteran’s primary residence for county property taxation purposes. This benefit is also available to non-remarried surviving spouses of Veterans who would have otherwise qualified for this benefit. Any Veteran who has been rated 100% service-connected disabled (permanent & total) by VA and is a legal resident of New Mexico qualifies for a complete property tax waiver for their primary residence.

According to DVS, in 2019 the agency processed 6,480 exemption and waiver applications. Veterans can learn more about the program at http://www.nmdvs.org/state-benefits/.

New York

“New York’s most popular state benefit is the FreshConnect Checks program. This program in collaboration with Agriculture and Markets, allows Veterans and their families to access $20 in fresh food vouchers to be used at farmers markets across New York.” – Joel Evans, executive deputy director, New York State Division of Veterans’ Services

New York Veterans can learn more about the program at https://agriculture.ny.gov/consumer-benefits-farmers-markets#freshconnect-benefits-for-Veterans-and-servicemembers.

North Carolina

“The most popular North Carolina state benefit is Veteran license plates and the tax exclusion for 100% disabled Veterans.” – Martin Falls, chief deputy secretary for the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs

Veterans can learn more about the North Carolina Veteran programs at www.milVets.nc.gov.

North Dakota

“Our most popular state benefit is the grant program at North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.” – Lonnie Wangen, commissioner

The state offers a Hardship Assistance Grant and a grant for North Dakota Veterans with PTSD. Veterans can learn more at http://www.nd.gov/Veterans/benefits/hardship-assistance-grant.

Ohio

“Every county in Ohio has a Veterans Service Commission, who employ Veterans service officers to assist Ohio Veterans with benefits, transportation, and even financial assistance- all at no charge to Veterans.” – Sean McCarthy, assistant director, Department of Veterans Services

A comprehensive Ohio Veterans Resource Guide is available online at https://dvs.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/7c2ff73e-7a10-42a9-b2c1-4688be28837c/BenefitsGuide.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=n8kF7Cb.

Oklahoma

For Oklahoma information, visit https://odva.ok.gov/.

Oregon

“Veteran Recognition License Plates are very popular in Oregon for Veterans, disabled Veterans, and their families. This program includes multiple recognition plate options that allow Veterans to display pride in their military service, all while helping to support work for fellow Veterans and their families through organizations such as the Oregon Veterans’ Homes and Gold Star Families, both of which receive a portion of the registration fees charged for some plates.” – Ana Potter, Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Aging Veterans Services director

Oregon Veterans and their families can learn more about the program at https://www.oregon.gov/odot/dmv/pages/vehicle/plates.aspx#Veteran.

Pennsylvania

“Pennsylvania’s most popular state benefit is by far the Real Estate Tax Exemption. This program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, provides real estate tax exemption for any honorably discharged Veteran who is 100 percent disabled, a resident of the commonwealth and has a financial need. More than 14,000 Pennsylvania Veterans are enrolled in the program, which grows by about 1,000 Veterans each year.” – Joel H. Mutschler, director of the Bureau of Veterans Programs, Initiatives, Reintegration, and Outreach

Pennsylvania Veterans can learn more about the Real Estate Tax Exemption program at www.dmva.pa.gov.

Rhode Island

“The most popular state benefit is Rhode Island National Guard members receive free tuition.” – Kasim Yarn, director, Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services

Veterans can learn more at http://www.Vets.ri.gov/.

South Carolina

“All persons who have been declared permanently and totally disabled by the Social Security Administration, VA, or other state or federal agencies, are eligible for a homestead exemption in an amount set by the General Assembly. This also applies to persons over age 65.” – Brandon C. Wilson, public information director

For more information, contact your county and municipal tax offices or visit http://va.sc.gov/benefits.html.

South Dakota

South Dakota’s most popular state benefit is the bonus program. The state of South Dakota awards a bonus to active duty military members and Veterans who meet service qualifications.

“Regardless of service era, we take an all-inclusive approach to ensure all Veterans have access to their benefits,” said Greg Whitlock, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.

Whitlock encourages Veterans to contact their local county or tribal Veterans service officers or the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs office (605-773-3269) to learn more about their benefits. Veterans can also visit https://Vetaffairs.sd.gov/ or https://www.facebook.com/SDDVA/.

Tennessee

“Tennessee’s most popular Veteran benefit is the property tax relief for certain 100% disabled Veterans and their surviving spouses for up to $175,000 of the property’s assessed value. Determination of eligibility for a homeowner who is a disabled Veteran or widow(er) of a disabled Veteran will be made based on information provided by the VA through use of consent forms.” – Ron Dvorsky, Tennessee Department of Veterans Services resource coordinator training officer

Veterans can learn more about the program at https://comptroller.tn.gov/office-functions/pa/property-taxes/property-tax-programs/tax-relief.html.

Texas

“From September 2019 through April 30, 2020, the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) Claims Department has assisted over 7,000 Veterans in receiving over $250 million in retroactive payments plus annual increases. I’d say that shows the TVC claims program is very popular.” – Thomas P. Palladino, executive director of the Texas Veterans Commission

Veterans can learn more at https://www.tvc.texas.gov/claims/.

Utah

“Utah’s Veterans Property Tax Abatement is widely used designed to reduce certain property taxes Veterans owe on normally taxed property, to include homes, automobiles and recreational vehicles. The tax reduction is based on the level of a disability rating as determined by VA.” – Gary Harter, executive director of Utah’s Department of Veterans and Military Affairs

Additional information is at https://Veterans.utah.gov/utah-tax-abatement-exemption/.

Vermont

“Vermont’s most popular benefit is a property tax reduction program for Veterans with a VA rating of 50% or greater.” – Robert E. Burke, director, Office of Veterans Affairs

For more information visit www.Veterans.vermont.gov.

Virginia

“Virginia’s VA claims assistance program. This program has over 100 full time staff dedicated to assisting transitioning service members and Veterans prepare, and when necessary, appeal their VA disability compensation and pension claims.” – Thomas Herthel, deputy commissioner for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services

In 2019, VDVS staff helped over 200,000 Veterans submit over 70,000 claims and appeals. Additionally, VDVS has a dedicated team of appeals attorneys and specialists who assist Veterans before the Board of Veterans Appeals and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and advocate on their behalf. In all, Virginia’s Veterans received over $3.5 billion in federal disability claims benefits in Federal Fiscal Year 2019.

Veterans can learn more at https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/benefits.

Washington

“Washington offers free license plates for disabled Veterans, Purple Heart and Gold Star, as well as free camping for Veterans with 30% or greater disability.” – Liza Narciso, assistant to the director, Washington Department of Veterans Affairs

For more information, visit https://www.dva.wa.gov/.

West Virginia

“West Virginia provides funds each year to pay for education and training opportunities that do not qualify under VA guidelines. This gives our Veterans a second opportunity for success.” – Cabinet Secretary Dennis Davis

Veterans can learn more at https://Veterans.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx.

Wisconsin

“WDVA’s online tool, MyWisVets.com, makes it easy for Wisconsinites to check their eligibility benefits, upload supporting documents, apply for grants, pre-register at our Veterans homes or for an internment, and more. MyWisVets.com is supported by WDVA’s Veterans Benefits Resource staff, who are also available by phone, email, or via our Live Chat feature on the WDVA website to support Veterans with state and federal benefits questions.” – Donald Placidi Jr., Division of Veterans Benefits administrator, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans can visit the online portal at www.MyWisVets.com.

Wyoming

“The most popular state benefit is the property tax exemption. This benefit is used in all 23 counties.” – Tim Sheppard, executive director, Wyoming Veterans Commission

Veterans can learn more at https://www.wyomilitary.wyo.gov/Veterans/commission/.

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Are you or your loved one a U.S. military Veteran or military Veteran’s spouse? Veterans or their surviving spouses in need of senior care may qualify for extra financial help on top of their basic pension. Here are the highlights of the little-known Aid and Attendance benefit, which can provide financial assistance to senior Veterans or their spouses who need long-term care but can’t pay for the full costs on their own. For more details, download our Guide to VA Benefits and Long-Term Care e-book.

What is Aid and Attendance?

Aid and Attendance is a pension program provided to Veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The VA helps Veterans and their families by providing supplemental income through the Veterans Pension and Survivors Pension benefit programs. Veterans (or their widowed spouses) in good health qualify for the basic pension if they are 65 or older and have a low income level.

Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and who require the aid and attendance of another person (or are housebound) may be eligible for additional monthly payments above the normal pension amount — those additional payments are the Aid and Attendance benefit.

However, to qualify for Aid and Attendance, a Veteran or surviving spouse must first qualify for the basic VA pension.

The VA lists many eligibility factors for the basic VA pension:

• An honorable discharge
• Age 65 or older (or permanently disabled)
• Minimum service requirements (at least 90 days of active duty, with one of those days being during active wartime)
• A monthly income and assets below the limits set by the VA (net worth must not exceed $129,094, as of December 1, 2019)

To qualify for Aid and Assistance, you must meet one of these additional medical requirements:

• Need the help of another person for everyday tasks like bathing and dressing
• Are in a nursing home, due to a mental or physical incapacity such as Alzheimer’s disease
• Are bedridden
• Have specific eyesight limitations

Depending on the Veteran’s care needs and financial status, the Aid and Attendance benefit can provide $2,170 or more per month toward the cost of several types of senior care, including nursing homes, assisted living, memory care, residential care homes, adult day services, and more.

Do VA benefits cover nursing home care?

Aid and Attendance can be used to help pay for a nursing home, although it may not be especially helpful if the applicant is eligible for Medicaid or expects to go onto Medicaid soon. This is because the benefit will not pay more than $90 per month to someone who is eligible for Medicaid — the exception being those who reside in state VA nursing homes, which are exempt from this rule.

The Aid and Attendance program can be helpful for those who are on the cusp of being able to afford a private-pay nursing home. For example, Aid and Attendance could bridge the financial gap for a Veteran who makes $6,000 a month but hopes to live in a nursing home that costs $7,000 a month.

Aid and Attendance can also provide additional income for a spouse at home, or if there is a statewide waiting list for Medicaid beds.

Do spouses of Veterans get Aid and Attendance?

Yes — surviving spouses of Veterans may receive VA benefits, which include both the basic pension as well as Aid and Attendance. Those benefits help pay for nursing home costs.

It’s important to note that you must be a widowed spouse of a Veteran to apply for and receive VA benefits on your own. Spouses and other dependents of living Veterans may be eligible for other types of benefits, such as education, financial counseling, and basic health care.

However, Veterans with a spouse or other dependents may qualify for higher award amounts. This 2020 chart shows the amount of aid for single Veterans and for those with spouses and other dependents.

Do VA benefits cover assisted living facilities?

The VA does not differentiate between a nursing home and assisted living community in their definition of “nursing home.” This means that, in most states, residents of assisted living communities often qualify for the benefit.

Assisted living communities have emerged in the last two or three decades as an alternative to nursing homes for those who need some care, but not 24-hour skilled nursing care. Aid and Attendance can help qualified recipients pay for assisted living.

Assisted living communities provide personal care in addition to more basic amenities like meals, housekeeping, and activities. The care they offer usually includes medication management, bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting, although not all residents require assistance in all of these areas.

The average cost for assisted living is $3,715 per month, but this varies depending on region and other location-related factors, the size of the apartments, and the needed level of care.

If you meet the clinical requirements for Aid and Attendance and the assisted living community is helping with personal care needs, then typically the monthly amount paid to the assisted living community is deducted from your gross income.

How do I apply for VA benefits?

To apply for Aid and Attendance, you need to mail the completed VA forms to your pension management center (PMC), or you can apply in person at the nearest VA regional office.

Filling out the paperwork correctly can be difficult, but our guide to Aid and Attendance contains an extensive list of all the required application documents. A Place for Mom’s Senior Living Advisors can potentially answer questions you have about applying for Aid and Assistance or about VA benefits for seniors in general.

The application and approval process for Aid and Attendance can be frustratingly slow. It can take weeks for families to gather the necessary documents and complete the paperwork. The approval process itself averages almost nine months, but a complete and accurate application can be processed much more quickly.

If you are 90 or older, you can request an expedited review in a cover letter with your application.

The good news is the benefit pays retroactively upon approval of eligibility. This means the first benefit payment includes a lump sum to cover the months that the application was pending.

Other Veterans benefits resources

Here are some other helpful resources for learning about VA benefits:

• Directory of Veterans Service Organizations (VSO)
• VSO search by state
• National Veterans Foundation (free help with VA benefits)
• The American Legion
• The Veterans Benefits Administration
• The Veterans of Foreign Wars
• VA-accredited claims specialists and attorneys (be sure to check the Better Business Bureau, references, and reviews before you sign any financial agreement)
• Your state’s Department of Veterans Affairs

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Veterans criticized Republican Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday after he complained about a U.S. Army recruiting ad that was featured in a viral clip comparing it with a Russian military ad.

The video starts with the Russian ad, depicting soldiers doing pushups, parachuting out of an airplane and aiming their weapons as dramatic music reaches a crescendo in the background. It then pivots quickly to an animated Army clip of a female soldier raised by two mothers who decides to join the U.S. Army.

The video was originally shared on TikTok and now has more than 3 million views on Twitter. Cruz was apparently not a fan and tweeted out, "Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea...."

The senator faced backlash on social media from Veterans, lawmakers and others following his remarks. Retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs while serving in Iraq, took issue with Cruz's comment.

"Holy crap," Duckworth tweeted. "Perhaps a U.S. Senator shouldn't suggest that the *Russian* military is better than the American military that protected him from an insurrection he helped foment?"

VoteVets, a political group that supports Veterans and promotes liberal causes, also criticized Cruz.

"Ted Cruz attacks a US Army soldier for telling her story, says he prefers Russians. Because Ted Cruz is a sedition-loving traitor," the group wrote.

Amy McGrath, a former U.S. Marine who ran against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last year, also took aim at Cruz. "Dear @tedcruz- you have no idea what being a warrior is all about. Signed, all women who have worn the uniform to protect your right to be an ass," she wrote.

Former Missouri Senate candidate and Army National Guard Veteran Jason Kander questioned Cruz's toughness.

"You can do what like seven pushups I'm guessing?" he tweeted.

Cruz responded to critics saying the U.S. has the "greatest military on earth," but pinned blame on Democrats and media for "trying to turn them into pansies." His spokesperson Erin Perrine told CBS News in a statement that Cruz "passionately supports the brave men and women of the United States military and has repeatedly expressed concerns that Democrat politicians, left wing bureaucrats, and the media are politicizing our armed forces to promote a fringe woke agenda based on identity politics."

"Our military should be focused on winning wars, and we endanger our national security and our servicemembers when they focus on anything else," Perrine added.

However, he wasn't the only one who took issue with the video. An Army official told the Army Times that the comment section of the Army ad on YouTube was removed because of "negative commentary."

The ad features Army Corporal Emma Malonelord, who was raised in California by her two mothers. She decided to join the Army after meeting a recruiter as a student at University of California, Davis.

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National Vietnam War Veterans Day is March 29. Organizers canceled or postponed many events to slow the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing. Veterans are encouraged to stay connected and participate in virtual events.

Here’s a list of some of those events.

On VA social media

For Veterans with a Facebook account, they can download a frame at http://www.facebook.com/profilepicframes/?selected_overlay_id=1283448505177118 to place a picture and show their pride for serving. The frame shows the Vietnam War Veteran day pin and the text “Proud Vietnam War Veteran.”

For anyone who wants to show appreciation for Vietnam War Veterans, an additional frame is at http://www.facebook.com/profilepicframes/?selected_overlay_id=539877446965802. The frame shows the Vietnam War Commemoration logo and the text “I support Vietnam War Veterans.”

VA will also release two short videos on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VeteransAffairs, Twitter at https://twitter.com/DeptVetAffairs and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/deptvetaffairs/.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will host an online commemoration March 29 with a live webcast and messages of thanks at https://www.facebook.com/VietnamVeteransMemorialFund/.

Record a short video and upload it by Friday, March 27, and then watch the event online on March 29 at 1:00 pm ET. Veterans can also leave a written message. Go to: www.vvmf.org/WelcomeHome.

Vietnam Veterans ofAmerica

Vietnam Veterans of America, or VVA, wants to see photos, poems, artwork and music on their Facebook page March 27. The comment with the most “Likes” will win a prize from the national office.

On March 29, Vietnam Veterans can share their service photos on the VVA Facebook page as the nation remembers heroes for their service and sacrifice.

Vietnam Veterans can share their favorite C-Ration recipe or meal on the VVA Facebook page March 30. The winner with the most “Likes” will win a prize from the national office.

Its Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/VietnamVeteransofAmerica/           .

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Veterans of Foreign Wars will have a virtual event March 29 on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/2839254569495278/. They encourage people to share appreciation for Vietnam Veterans on that day.

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Investment fraud comes in many shapes and sizes and unfortunately these fraudsters sometimes target Veterans. The director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Lori Schock, talked about these topics in a special extended edition of VA News.

In the interview, Schock discussed important first steps that Veterans should take to build wealth over time. She also talked about ways Veterans can minimize risk of investing and signs to look for in case an investment is really a scam.

“Unfortunately, with any demographic where there are like minded, sometimes they are targeted and Veterans are in that group,” said Schock. “If you were to be pulled over by a police officer for going too fast, the first questions you’re going to be asked are, ‘license and registration.’ The same thing is true for investment fraud. The best way to inoculate yourself against investment fraud is to make sure the person you’re turning your money over to is licensed…by going to Investor.Gov and putting in the person’s name.”

Researchers found investment fraudsters hit their targets with an array of persuasion techniques tailored to the victim’s psychological profile.

Red flags

Veterans can protect their investments by watching out for these red flags:

• It sounds too good to be true
• “Guaranteed returns” (they don’t exist)
• The “halo” effect, which makes con artists seem likable or trustworthy
• “Everyone is buying it” pitches
• Pressure to send money right now
• Small favors (free lunch or workshop)

Along with learning the signs of investment fraud, Veterans can research more about building wealth by checking out, Saving and Investing: A Roadmap to Your Financial Security Through Saving and Investing and by taking advantage of all of the free investor education tools and resources at Investor.gov, including their military page.

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Virtual competition draws 259 senior Veterans

The 2020 National Veteran Golden Age Games came to a close with the awards presentation announced on Facebook during a live broadcast.

A total of 259 Veterans registered to compete, including 81 women Veterans. The Veterans represented 36 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 61 VA medical centers. Veterans received a total of 100 gold, 75 silver and 69 bronze medals across eight age categories

Veterans competed in gender, wheelchair, visually impaired and recumbent cycling categories.

VA’s Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events provides Veterans with opportunities for health and healing through adaptive sports and therapeutic art programs. These specialized rehabilitation events aim to optimize Veterans’ independence, community engagement, well-being and quality of life. The programs are built on clinical expertise within VA, with essential support from Veteran Service Organizations, corporate sponsors, individual donors and community partners.

Pictured above with her bicycle is OEF/OIF Veteran, Air Force Veteran and nurse Therese Kern. Kern represented the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. She is also a nurse practitioner at VA.

“I had the time of my life.”

Feedback from Veterans has been overwhelmingly positive and many expressed their gratitude. Here are some comments:

“Though we were all at home in 2020, I can truly say I had the time of my life and enjoyed every day of the fitness challenge and 20k cycling event. I would love to be able to participate in 2021 alongside all the other cyclists in the 20k cycling event,” said David Warren. He was a first-time participant who represented the Phoenix VA Health Care System.

“Thanks to the national staff for finding a way to allow us to compete this year. Can’t wait to see my medals in person, and to get my T-shirt. Congrats to all the athletes that medaled and to those who competed! I had a blast. On top of getting in better shape after having to walk or ride bike every day for 30 days!! I also lost some weight,” said Coast Guard Veteran Nadine Lewis. She represented the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System.

“I wanted to say thanks for putting the at-home competition together and for giving us an opportunity to compete in the virtual challenge,” said Lenny McNair. He is an Army Veteran who represented the VA Maryland Health Care System.

Competition and reflection

Korean War and Army Veteran Phillip Joseph Dimenno, 88, served as a rifleman with the 24th Infantry Division, 34th Regiment. Joseph represented the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. He took gold in the powerwalk and wastebasket basketball and silver in javelin, discus and shot put.

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For Navy veteran Jesse Reynolds, it's personal.

Veterans funding is currently a key part of two high-stakes showdowns in Washington: budget talks and the possible default on America's debt. If the U.S. defaults, as soon as June 1, the Department of Veterans Affairs could be short of cash. And that means Jesse Reynolds could be broke on the first of the month.

"Money is pretty tight these days," he said by phone, driving from Utah to Arizona with his two dogs in the truck he calls home.

"This last year-and-a-half has just been trying to find myself again, trying to just keep myself alive, and get back into the world," he said.

Reynolds served 14 years in the Navy, until a head injury cut short his time with a SEAL team. He's been taking online classes and living in the pop-up camper on the back of his pickup. His only income is the monthly disability check from the VA.

"I didn't have any money coming in. I would just, I guess, sell everything and just hope I have enough to feed the dogs. Maybe get two bags of dog food — one for them, one for me," he said with a dark laugh.

Patrick Murray, legislative director for the VFW says it's uncharted territory for veterans.

"A lot of people have been asking, 'What does this mean for me? What does this mean for my benefits?' And our first answer is, 'We don't really know because we've never had this happened before,'" he said.

The government hasn't defaulted previously

The U.S. government has never defaulted. But if Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that money could run out as soon as June 1.

If it does, that could mean late checks — and troops and veterans missing rent or mortgages or car payments. And it could hit the people who serve those veterans, said Murray.

"It could affect the pay of federal workers who process VA claims, or the VA doctors and nurses," he added.

Murray says he hopes the debt ceiling isn't being used as a bargaining chip in the other showdown, where Republicans are trying to cut the budget.

Republican House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost has repeatedly said he will not allow veterans funding to be cut. Bost is a veteran himself and said Democrats and the White House are scaring vets for political gain.

"With no regard for the impact of their words, they continue to speak lies about how House Republicans are cutting veterans benefits, and it's false," Bost said recently.

But this week House Republicans put out a bill that keeps veterans funding level, but moves about $15 billion from a massive new program to help veterans suffering from toxic exposures and makes it discretionary funding.

Allison Jaslow with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said that means it can be cut when it comes up for renewal annually.

"Veterans have gotten a lot of lip service. We've been told that through negotiations that veterans funding isn't on the table. The problem is we haven't gotten those guarantees in writing at this point," said Jaslow.

Which leaves vets like Jesse Reynolds still worried as he drives his truck to his next camping spot for the night.

"We're kind of expendable I guess. It is terrifying to know that I could be struggling more than I already am really soon," he said.

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Veterans could see a major cost-of-living increase to their benefits this year.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would again tie the cost-of-living boost for Veterans benefits to this year’s cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for Social Security recipients. The bill, which already passed in the U.S. Senate, will now head to President Joe Biden’s desk.

If signed into law, it could mean a big increase for Veterans benefits as some experts have predicted this year’s Social Security COLA could be the largest in decades. Here’s what to know.

What the bill would do

The bill would require that, whenever there is a cost-of-living increase for Social Security recipients, the Department of Veterans Affairs increase the benefits paid to Veterans by the same percentage.

It would increase the “amounts payable for Veterans’ disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled Veterans and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children,” according to the bill’s summary.

The Social Security COLA is automatic each year, but lawmakers must separately approve an increase to Veterans benefits annually, according to The Military Times. The bill to do so typically passes without opposition, but efforts to permanently link the increase to the Social Security boost have been unsuccessful.

If signed into law, the bill would go into effect for benefits starting in December.

How much will benefits increase?

That’s still unknown.

It depends on how much Social Security benefits increase, and the Social Security Administration (SSA) has said it won’t announce next year’s COLA until October.

Since 1975, the SSA administration has increased Social Security’s “general benefit” based on increases in cost of living as measured by the Consumer Price Index, which is “a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.”

Last year, the SSA decided on a 1.3% COLA. The Military Times reports the increase hasn’t been over 3% since 2011 and has averaged less than 1.3% over the past six years.

Predictions on the increase

Some experts have predicted this year’s COLA could be the highest in decades — which would translate to a big increase in benefits for Veterans as well.

“Estimates for the 2022 COLA range from 5.8 percent from economist Bill McBride, who writes the finance and economics blog Calculated Risk, to 6 to 6.2 percent from The Senior Citizens League,” the AARP wrote in a blog post earlier this month. “Moody’s Analytics estimates the 2022 COLA at 5.6 percent. Stephen Goss, SSA’s chief actuary, says the COLA will be close to 6 percent.”

The Senior Citizens League said in August its estimated 6.2% increase would be the highest in nearly four decades.

“The estimate is significant because the COLA is based on the average of the July, August and September CPI data,” Mary Johnson, a Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League, said. “With one third of the data needed to calculate the COLA already in, it increasingly appears that the COLA for 2022 will be the highest paid since 1983 when it was 7.4%.”

David Certner, legislative counsel and director of legislative policy for government affairs at AARP, said in the blog post that the COLA will “no doubt be higher than it has been for the last decade” because of rising prices.

Why it matters

Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican from Illinois and ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said in a statement that many Veterans rely on disability compensation to “make ends meet.”

“This was especially true during the pandemic,” Bost wrote. “For millions of Veterans and their families, this adjustment is more important now than ever before.”

Rep. Mark Takano, a Democrat from California and committee chairperson, called the cost-of-living adjustment “so much more than a rate adjustment tied to inflation.”

“It is a quality-of-life guarantee in the retirement years for Veterans suffering with service-connected disabilities and ailment,” he said. “It also comes with the assurance for Veterans that their survivors will not see a steady decline in benefits if the economy changes and costs rise after they have passed.”

Takano noted to The Hill that Congress enacted the adjustment well ahead of the December deadline.

“I am pleased we are considering this bill early this year so Veterans will not be concerned about its passage by the Dec. 1 deadline,” Takano said. “This is especially important with so many feeling the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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Last year’s employment figures closed on a positive note for Veterans, who saw a significant drop in jobless claims in December.

The overall Veterans unemployment rate fell to 2.8 percent last month, the lowest since May 2019, even as the national jobless rate remained steady at 3.5 percent, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday.

December was also the seventh month in 2019 that the unemployment rate for all Veterans and for the Iraq and Afghanistan war Veterans were below the national civilian rate. For younger Veterans, the jobless rate fell from 4.7 percent in November to 3.1 percent in December.

The statistics translate into about 265,000 Veterans across America looking for work last month.

Employment experts have cautioned against focusing too closely on monthly changes in unemployment for sub-groups within the Labor Department’s surveys of American workers, because small changes in sample sizes can produce significant moves in the numbers.

But the trend for Veterans in 2019 was generally positive. Monthly estimates for Veterans joblessness never topped 3.5 percent for the year and fell as low as 2.3 percent (in April), the smallest that figure has been since 2000.

For comparison, the monthly Veterans unemployment figures for 2018 topped 4 percent four times and only fell below 3 percent once.

Last week, the White House touted the Veteran job market as one of the successes of 2019, along with a host of other Veteran policy achievements.

Labor officials said in the broader job market, retail trade and health care firms saw significant increases last month, while mining jobs saw significant reductions.

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VA Modernization and transformation efforts focus on customer needs

Veterans rate their trust in VA by providing real-time feedback; VA uses that feedback to take immediate action and make improvements.

Since 2017, Veterans have sent in more than 4.5 million surveys.

“I have been completely satisfied with the VA clinic inLafayette,La. I’ve had the best physicals at this clinic. The doctor and her nurse are professionals in every way. I could not ask for any better service than I’ve received from the VA. They should be complimented for their service. The Pharmacy likewise have given me top notch service, they should be complimented as well. 5 stars all around.” (Feedback from Veteran receiving VA Health Care.)

Feedback from Veteran receiving VA health care

Of all the feedback collected since 2017, 67.9% has been complimenting, 18.8% were concerns, and 13.3% recommendations. This feedback has been a catalyst for not only immediately resolving issues for VA’s customers but also learning what Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors want.

In an outpatient health care survey–as of February 2020–89% of Veterans nationwide said they trust VA for their health care needs.

“Listening to our Veteran patients plays an important role in providing world class customer service. VA is not only listening to our Veterans, but we are taking action on their concerns as well as their recommendations to improve VA health care.”

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie

The Veterans Signals (VSignals) program digitally collects customer feedback from Veterans, typically arriving in customer inboxes within hours to days after an appointment. It has received more than 4.5 million Veteran responses and has expanded to 35 surveys in real-time across the department.

With VSignals, Veterans can directly give their recommendations on how they’d like to see the VA change. A Veteran receiving VA Health Care encouraged the VA to share more information on how to nominate VA employees for awards to acknowledge the exceptional care they experienced.

“I have been at the VA an average of 4 days a week for the past 5 months and cannot express [enough] my gratitude for the treatment and respect I receive while in treatment. I know that employees are recognized for their performance, however I do not know how to submit a nomination for a VA employee to receive an award. I would recommend more information, for example a flyer posted in the VA main lobby, on how to do so.”

Veteran patient

Veterans are also able to express their concerns so VA is made aware of and can act upon their feedback.

“The VA has paid special attention to Veteran feedback and has endeavored to improve the overall experience of the agency’s regular customers,” said Surafeal Asgedom, chief of VA Modernization. “This has been reflected by a substantial rise in reported Veteran satisfaction from 2015 to 2019, which nearly doubled.”

At the heart of this Modernization journey are the Veterans. Together, VA employees and partners are enabling Veterans to more easily access the high-qualify care and benefits they have earned. In addition to measuring trust, the Veterans Experience Office also spearheads Patient Experience tools and national initiatives to build the trust of our nation’s Veterans, including:

Own the Moment (OTM)

OTM training empowers VA employees to deliver a positive customer service experience by connecting emotionally with Veterans, to deliver the best experience for Veterans and their families. More than 86,000 VA employees have completed the OTM customer experience workshop.

Red Coat Ambassador Program

The Red Coat Ambassador program outfits volunteers and employees with recognizable red coats or vests to greet and assist Veterans and caregivers when they enter a medical center. The Red Coat Ambassador program is in nearly all VA Medical Centers.

VA Welcome Kit (VAWK)

The VA Welcome Kit is a navigation aid to assist Veterans, family members, caregivers and survivors to access benefits and services they’ve earned. The welcome kit is a handy reference for Veterans to turn to throughout their life. It offers tips on how to use VA benefits and services, whether they want to go to school, get a job, buy a house, get health care, retire, or make plans for their care as they age.

Veteran Identification Card (VIC)

VA provides Veteran identification cards to individuals who served honorably to use as proof of service to obtain discounted goods and services offered to Veterans. Veterans can apply directly for the card at https://www.va.gov/records/get-Veteran-id-cards/vic/

White House VA Hotline

The White House VA Hotline (1-855-948-2311) provides a direct, dedicated contact line that allows Veterans, their family members, caregivers and survivors to interact with highly trained, live customer service representatives to answer their needs and concerns 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The hotline is a non-clinical, non-emergency, around-the-clock hotline for complaints, compliments, and recommendations, and can also provide a warm hand-off to the Veterans Crisis Line for Veterans who may be in crisis.

VEO also supports Veterans through coordination and integration of local VA and non-VA services with programming such as Veteran Friendly Communities Initiative, Community Veterans Engagement Boards (CVEB), and Veteran Experience Action Centers.

VA Modernization is committed to keeping our promise to deliver a stronger future for Veterans. That means Veterans and their families have a seamless, satisfying experience. And VA employees are equipped with the best-of-breed tools that deliver best-in-class customer service.

Learn more by following VA Modernization and transformation efforts at https://www.va.gov/modernization/.

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As the 11th secretary of Veterans Affairs since President Ronald Reagan established it as a cabinet-level organization in 1988, Secretary Denis McDonough hardly has big shoes to fill.

Each secretary has made promises, and some have made changes: Jesse Brown expanded service to all veterans but particularly for women veterans, and he extended health care through a series of clinics. Edward Derwinski added some benefits for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Bob McDonald created the first Veterans Experience Office expressly to improve the us-against-them feeling so many veterans complain about.

But in the background, scandals arose. Eric Shinseki, beloved by his staff and by his boss, President Barack Obama, inherited a benefits backlog issue that went back years. It was first highlighted during the Walter Reed Scandal in 2007 under Secretary James Nicholson, when soldiers faced a Defense Department backlog in the military medical retirement system. After leaving the military and beginning VA’s benefits process, they then faced a second 400,000-plus case backlog at VA. Nicholson had also resigned.

Health benefits were denied to Gulf War veterans, Vietnam veterans, and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans killed themselves at high rates — and a VA official issued the infamous “shhh!” memo wondering if VA officials should issue a statement before someone “stumbled” on the problem. And 13,000 old benefits cases were found in a filing cabinet.

Most recently, Sec. Robert Wilkie, a President Donald Trump appointee, chose to discredit a House Veterans Affairs staffer and Navy reservist after she reported being groped and verbally assaulted at a VA facility in Washington — rather than look into the case and work to prevent it from happening again. Reporting from ProPublica led to a government investigation.

Each of those former secretaries made promises. They spoke of honoring veterans. They referred to Abraham Lincoln and the gratitude of a nation, and they laid wreaths and visited hospitals. And each time, veterans wondered what they could believe.

McDonough has come forward with a new set of promises: transparency. A proactive, rather than reactive, system. Again working for internal cultural change so veterans no longer chant: “Delay, deny … until you die.”

He runs a huge agency: More than 9 million veterans are enrolled in VA health care, which makes it the largest health care system in the United States. About 3.9 million veterans receive compensation for disabilities. About 424,000 people work for VA. And the president has requested almost $270 billion in funding for fiscal year 2022.

He knows the priorities: the burn pits. The backlog. The caregivers. Suicide rates and drug addiction and homelessness and transition, especially as veterans realize there isn’t a war to go to to avoid the problems that arise at home.

But we’ve heard these promises before. Why should we believe McDonough?

“You shouldn’t,” he tells The War Horse. “You shouldn’t.”

Still.

Enough changes have been made in the early days of McDonough’s term that even the veterans’ service organizations say they are, after years of expressing frustration, “hopeful.”

He has invited journalists, including The War Horse, in for one-on-one interviews. He holds monthly press conferences and quarterly breakfast meetings with the veterans’ service organizations. VA extended presumptive status to veterans with lung issues and some cancers related to exposure to burn pits. And McDonough seems willing to make decisions that could be hung up by controversy: He recently decided to offer gender confirmation surgery at VA facilities.

These may seem like minute changes, but in the past, journalists have struggled to get an interview for even “good news” stories out of VA. Veterans groups have complained about requests for meetings that haven’t even been acknowledged. And the burn pits? Army Times broke that story — and all of its associated health implications — in 2008.

Don’t let’s even get started about Gulf War illness.

So is it OK to hope? Is it time?

“Overall, Secretary McDonough has established laudable goals and principles to guide him,” Joy Ilem, national legislative director for Disabled American Veterans, told The War Horse by email. “Now we need to see them lead to real results for America’s veterans.”

The headlines haven’t all been good. Doctors with revoked licenses were approved to work at VA facilities. The agency has delayed implementation of its electronic health record program. And it has faced criticism of an ever-increasing budget.

In other words, McDonough still has some work to do, and he must do it within the confines of a bureaucracy built bit by bit. He must keep up the morale of the employees doing good work — and veterans surveys show there are a lot of them — while dealing with holdover employees who would like to see VA fail to prove government health care doesn’t work and that VA should be privatized. And he must still work within the rules prescribed by Congress.

“I’m not asking anybody to believe me on anything,” McDonough says. “I’m saying I’m here to be held accountable to what I said last month and last year. And I don’t know, I hope, I hope it works out. But you don’t need to believe me. This is why you guys are in business.”

‘I was not looking for a job’

The challenges, which must be among the most formidable in the U.S. government, as well as the failures of qualified people in the past, seem like a pretty good reason for someone with McDonough’s resume to say no. He served as President Obama’s chief of staff before going to work for the Markle Foundation. Why risk an impressive career when VA has tarnished so many in the past?

“Well, I was not looking for a job,” McDonough says. “And I was not looking to come back to the government. But the president of the United States asked.”

Fair, but the request is also a job requirement of each prior secretary, and others have said no — famously including Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove, who turned down Trump.

“That’s an insufficient answer,” McDonough says. “Because I’m also really glad he did ask.”

In the 20 years after the 9/11 attacks, McDonough worked behind the scenes making sure other people’s decisions were enacted — and that included sending young men and women to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. As VA secretary, he faces a new challenge of making the decisions, rather than following others’ orders. And, he says, he can “make good on the promises that we made those men and women whose life I had a part in impacting so profoundly.”

Because of his resume, and because of his family connections, he says he came to the job feeling well-informed. His wife, Kari McDonough, founded Vets’ Community Connections, a group that introduces civilians to veterans, and may be the reason Biden thought of him for the job, Denis McDonough says. When Denis McDonough worked for Obama, Kari McDonough volunteered for the Red Cross at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and from there started to devote time to service members and their families.

But beyond his wife, he talked to friends who are service members and veterans, as well as former VA secretaries, such as McDonald, “whom I hold in very, very high regard, and whom I got to know quite well.” McDonald replaced Shinseki after it was revealed that veterans died while waiting for care, which made headlines on national news — and after McDonough himself made the rounds trying to calm an angry nation. Veterans groups urged Trump to keep McDonald on as VA secretary because of his push for transformation — including the Veterans Experience Office, which focused on asking veterans what they needed and used human-centered design to find problems in forms, processes, and even visits to the clinic. But Trump brought on David Shulkin, who worked under McDonald and who was fired after being accused of using government travel for personal use — which he has consistently denied and wrote in his book was really a ploy toward privatizing VA.

McDonough also learned, based on past secretaries’ experience, that he may not have a lot of time: A second term for President Joe Biden or another Democrat might lead to a second term for McDonough. A second term for Trump would likely mean another move toward privatization.

‘It’s become so difficult … so bureaucratized’

What McDonough learned from his mentors could strike fear into the heart of any government official. But he says he’s decided to focus on the veterans — and to do that by taking accountability for quick action.

“I think the general sense is that — which I think is an accurate sense — is that as a country, we dedicate to do a lot for veterans, as we should,” he says. “And the institution itself has grown up in a way that, if you were to step back and build it in its whole self, from scratch, you wouldn’t build it this way. It’s built in a very kind of step-by-step fashion.”

VA contains three administrations — three large administrations: the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Veterans Health Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. Each leadership team likes to run things the way they’ve always run things — or at least without the help of the new guy in the front office. In other words, just like any large entity, change is hard, but at VA, it’s especially hard. And it’s hard to push information from administration to administration.

“So the structure itself creates a series of management challenges,” McDonough says.

The second big issue? “Given the importance of the mission, the expectations for excellence are very high,” he says. “And therefore, when we don’t meet that, there’s, I think, very understandable public frustration.”

Which leads to the third big issue: How does one lead people toward change — keep up morale, celebrate the wins, invigorate them toward future progress — if the public has a hard time seeing small innovations or real successes when veterans still kill themselves in VA parking lots or line themselves up in tents on Skid Row?

“I think that public frustration too often leads to a crisis of confidence,” McDonough says. “And, a lot of times, I feel like my job around here is to just hold up a mirror to people who are doing things really, really well. So they can see and be reminded of how well they’re doing those things.”

In each speech, he tries to mention a VA employee who does good work. He tells stories of successes. He reminds his team that the job is hard, but they’re in it together. Change isn’t easy: The new electronic records system — likely tied in with the frustrations of all health care workers dealing with COVID — has folks saying in a survey at one medical center that they’ve considered quitting. And while numbers have improved in recent years, staffing shortages still make everyone’s jobs harder. Open positions at the highest levels make it hard to plan for the future, including an undersecretary for health position — which has been open since 2017.

“One long-overdue action is for the administration to nominate, and then the Senate to confirm, qualified undersecretaries for health and benefits,” Ilem says. “Filling these key leadership positions must be among the highest priorities of this administration. No organization can operate at maximum efficiency when you have long-standing vacancies and temporary leaders at the top.”

And new human resources policies from the last administration may have made hiring that much more difficult, according to a new article from The American Prospect, a progressive political magazine. The program replaced local decision-makers with a web-based system at the regional level, meaning local health facilities have to wait, often months, for simple hiring decisions to be made. If this is a problem, a new undersecretary could potentially fix it.

“Fixing it” serves as the epitome of the problems in any bureaucracy, because it goes back to change management and getting buy-in, as well as enabling employees to take the ownership and the leadership needed to get things done. This isn’t necessarily common in a good-enough-for-government-work climate that years of feeling as if nothing will ever change can build.

Add to that the belief that one mistake — any mistake — could get an employee fired, as people have seen in the fate of their secretaries, and such fear-driven paralysis creates even bigger blockers. McDonough says he’s trying to change that by building confidence in his employees — both in their capabilities and in their belief that he has their backs if they try new things.

“Because it’s in the inconfidence or the nonconfidence that we make bad mistakes,” he says. “And we don’t take appropriate risk. And we get frozen by risk avoidance, rather than informed by risk management and risk tolerance.”

He takes it further, showing an understanding of just how difficult it is to make change for the people who work at VA:

“I think people here understand that they’re going to encounter frustration, and not only they understand that they’re going to encounter it, but that they understand that it’s hard-earned frustration, in some cases,” he says. “Because, oftentimes, among the most frustrated people are the people who work here trying to get stuff done, but it’s just become so difficult, so encumbered, so layered, so bureaucratized.”

For him, that brings pride in the employees who do break through, who have managed through a pandemic, and who do keep a sharp focus on the veterans — because he says he’s also keenly aware that they can go elsewhere. VA isn’t the only organization struggling to find employees in 2022.

So far, he says the internal change is going well.

“But you know, I don’t know yet,” he allows. “And inevitably, there’s going to be debate and discord, either at the interagency or here internally. In fact, I hope there is, because it’s out of that discord that, actually, greater knowledge comes.”

He knows not everyone will agree, but he says he hopes everyone will understand and believe in the process.

“There’s still delicate questions to resolve,” he says, “which is why we also have to make sure, among those stakeholders we’re talking to are the VSOs, who have intense, elaborate, and important experiences–understand the decision-making processes, and, for example, thresholds for decisions. You gotta keep working with them, and that requires, obviously, openness to all things.”

‘Yeah. They’re frustrated’

As McDonough spoke with The War Horse, he had just come from one of his quarterly breakfast meetings with the veterans service organizations. Did they beat him up?

“Yeah,” he says, “they’re frustrated. They’re frustrated about our notices to the caregivers who now have a right to appeal, that those notices could be more robust. [The notices] could give the veteran and his or her caregiver more transparency into why they were denied. I think that’s right. They’re frustrated on the fact that we need to recognize that we are bringing our personnel back in what we call a future of work. That also means that we’re bringing back into our buildings VFW, American Legion, DAV, Paralyzed Vets, Dub Dub P [Wounded Warrior Project] personnel.” (Veterans Service Organizations often have offices in VA buildings so they can help with benefits, care, and outreach.) “And they’d like us to be as clear with them as we are with our own workforce, because they’re there. I tell them all this all the time, which is that they’re the front door for so many of our vets to the VA, and so they say, ‘Well, then you should treat us like that.’ So we should have more clarity.”

In other words, the VSOs want to know what decisions are being made and why as they’re being made–and they want to know if there’s been progress on the issues the VSOs have highlighted.

The VSOs don’t disagree.

“The VA caregiver program has been a blessing to thousands of veterans and their family caregivers; however, systemic problems have plagued the program from the outset,” DAV’s Ilem says. “VA must revise regulations determining eligibility for seriously disabled veterans and implement a new appeals system that provides veterans and caregivers justice.”

Ilem allowed that there has been progress.

“Taking office in the middle of a pandemic was a challenge, and VA continues to perform admirably for the veterans it serves and in meeting its fourth mission to serve the nation as a whole during national emergencies,” she says. “The secretary has made some important and meaningful progress, such as the addition of new presumptive diseases for veterans exposed to particulate matter. There have also been important course corrections in plans he inherited, as was done with the new electronic health record following a strategic review last year.”

Ilem says VA’s “most pressing challenge” is, as it is for everyone else, responding to the Covid pandemic — but while making sure veterans get the rest of the benefits they earned. That includes making sure VA has the money to “recruit, hire, and retain” good employees.

DAV, as well as many of the other VSOs, have made toxic injuries — from burn pits, from polluted water, from Agent Orange, from anti-nerve agent pills and sarin gas — a top, if not the top, priority. (DAV’s Dan Clare was the first to leak, anonymously, the documents outlining the concerns with the Balad burn pit to a reporter back when he worked in military public affairs in 2008.)

“Veterans should never have to wait decades to receive recognition for injuries and illnesses that occurred while serving our nation in uniform,” Ilem says.

Mental health care and suicide prevention also top her list and require collaboration with other groups, she says.

She says she worries about the issues that don’t make the headlines: that the Asset and Infrastructure Review ensures VA has the capacity it needs, that IT systems across VA be modernized, that the new electronic health record system is successful. (It hasn’t been so far, instead being marked by delays, errors, and cost overruns.)

Still, her tone is hopeful.

“From our experience, Secretary McDonough has been open, accessible, and willing to have frank and honest conversations with DAV and other veterans service organizations,” she says. “We appreciate his willingness to share information with us, and, most importantly, listen to our concerns and recommendations about veterans’ benefits and health care services.”

Kerry Baker, veterans advocate and former Veterans Benefits Administration employee, also has concerns about the behind-the-news issues: He worries that toxic exposure at Fort McClellan will never be properly addressed, and he worries about what a new process to determine which health conditions can be automatically associated with service might look like. He believes the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 helps the segment of the population that chooses a quick appeal, but pushes those cases with errors — made by VA — in their claims to the back of the line, even as the backlog grows because of COVID and new presumptive conditions: “It goes against everything Congress and VA touted the new law was for,” he says. And he says the “fundamentals” of rating a veteran’s injury or illness have been lost in a culture of finding ways to tell the veteran no, rather than giving them the “benefit of the doubt,” as the law says they must do.

“People [in and out of VA] like to lean on the ‘complexity’ of exposure cases as an excuse,” Baker says, referring to the difficulty in directly linking exposure to disease after a veteran has been exposed to particulate matter or carcinogens. “Looking back, I am even guilty of it. But the vast majority of mistakes in exposure cases are the simple version — mistakes in the fundamentals of rating. In that light, the ‘biggest’ problems are actually the easiest to fix — the low-hanging fruit.”

Baker wrote the first training letter about burn pit exposure while he was at VA, and he sees many of the benefits problems as training issues.

At a mid-January press conference, McDonough told reporters the backlog stood at about 70,000 claims pre-Covid, but since then the crisis and the addition of several new presumptive conditions added 174,000 claims in addition to the usual flow of new cases coming in. The backlog stands at about 260,000 cases right now, but McDonough said they’re hiring more than 2,000 claims processors, paying overtime, and making progress on scanning veterans’ records at the National Archives so they’re easier to access. At the press conference, Rob Reynolds, acting undersecretary of VA’s Office of Automated Benefit Delivery, said a new pilot looking at service-related hypertension would automate the system to get rid of unnecessary medical exams and reduce the back-and-forth of paperwork. If the veteran has enough medical evidence in their file, the rating system will fill in the disability rating and create a proposed rating system. If there’s not enough information, the system will request a medical exam.

“I am hopeful in the long run,” Baker says, “but it’s mostly more of the same in the short term.”

‘We’re just trying to put everything out there’

It’s a lot: the lack of clarity. The decades-long issues. The stakeholders coming from a dozen directions. The need to keep up morale.

“It is a lot,” McDonough acknowledges.

But in his mind, Baker’s right: It’s a matter of simplicity. Part of the problem is communication, McDonough says, hence the press conferences, breakfasts, blogs, and newsletters. The press, the veterans service organizations, the veterans and their families, and Congress all need to know what’s up.

“So we’re just trying to put everything out there,” he says. “And my theory is, the more people see the information, the more confidence they can have that the decision itself is actually — whether it’s a good or bad decision — it’s at least informed by the best available information.”

After the fiasco of the investigation into the House Veterans Affairs Committee staffer who reported assault, McDonough brought in women to help him rebuild. Kayla Williams, who had been appointed during the Obama administration as director of the Center for Women Veterans, is back as the assistant secretary of the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. She has pushed the issue of monthly press conferences and press access, and, as a veteran herself, has long been a proponent of VA facilities that reflect all of their clientele — and not just the traditional square-jawed, straight, white male image that appeared in old movies. (Williams is a War Horse fellow and past contributor.)

“I think it’s also not a mistake that several of our senior communicators are women veterans,” McDonough says.

The Veterans Experience Office, under John Boerstler, continues the work it began under Obama to map the veteran’s experience, look for hiccups in the system through human-centered design, and set up events to simply listen to veterans. When VA decided which Electronic Health Record portal to use, McDonough had Boerstler’s team ask the veterans which one they prefer.

“I love John Boerstler,” McDonough says. “I think he’s maybe the single most creative policymaker I know. And on one level, he’s not even that creative, because what he keeps just saying is, ‘We need to listen to vets.’”

Overall, he says he feels like he has a handle on it.

“I feel quite liberated because what we do here is not classified,” he says. “It’s hard. But it’s no secret. And we shouldn’t treat it as if it is.”

‘It’s the law of the land’

The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act started as a way to expand health care services to veterans who had to wait too long for services, or who lived long distances from VA facilities. Trump expanded it with the MISSION Act, saying he wanted veterans to be able to choose private care, if they preferred it.

“I think there are some people who see that as an effort to sap resources away from VA,” McDonough says. “The way I see the MISSION Act is it’s the law of the land. It gives us really important tools. It, I think, is particularly meaningful and important for rural vets.”

But rural health facilities of all kinds are struggling right now to meet the needs of their local populations, and McDonough sees VA as part of a solution to address that need. Because of the COVID pandemic, VA created a two-year training program to “grow the health care workforce in rural communities.” Rather than allow the MISSION Act to show VA health care isn’t necessary, the administration turned the story on its head by using VA to try to improve community access for everybody.

“If we can then crosswalk our in-care — in-system care — with community-provided care, and maintain our central role as the integrator of that veterans’ care, then we will kind of get to the next level as not only the premier provider of health care to veterans, but the central pillar in the overall health care system in the country. And so that’s what the ‘tool’ of the MISSION Act can allow us to do.”

VA also geared up to provide vaccines for all veterans — including those not in VA’s system, veterans’ spouses, and caregivers — and expanded telehealth care to keep patients and providers safe during routine exams or prescription updates, as well as to provide care to veterans who are less likely to show up at an office, such as veterans without homes.

In mid-January, McDonough told reporters Omicron had hit VA hard: Admissions hit an all-time high of more than 300 a day in early January, and 15,000 health care employees stayed home after a Covid-positive test. He said VA had stepped up, and veterans should know care is still available.

But it’s still a challenge: A November inewsource investigation found that, even after doctors sent veterans to outside care for treatment, administrators refused those orders to save money and keep veterans within the VA system. The problem began under Trump and continued under Biden.

“If we’re competing with others in the system, and we’re trying to make a case to the veteran, the best way to make the case for veterans to stay in our care is to get the veteran in for timely access to care,” he says. “So under 20 days for primary care, 28 days for specialty care. And if we can’t meet those, that’s on us. That’s not on the MISSION Act.”

‘I think the interview with Jon Stewart was fine’

McDonough recently appeared on “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” where Stewart, a huge burn pit-benefits proponent, pushed McDonough for not acting quickly enough to get veterans help.

“You know, the interview with Jon Stewart, I think, was fine,” he says. “I think it’s good. I think the really important part of it is he’s raising awareness among so many people in the population about something that is so critically important to a smaller part of the population who really feel left behind. And so I think that’s an absolutely important service. And I was really — I’m really glad I did it.”

He alluded to an important change during the interview, but it was probably too nuanced for that particular moment: He’s working to change the presumptive-status decision-making process. It’s mired in bureaucracy, law, and Congress. And that’s not so different from other government agencies, so there’s a Biden directive to do things differently across the board.

“I think the best way I can answer the question is to say, how are we structuring the decision-making process so as to force decisions?” he says. “So often, what happens in government, and frankly, everywhere, is the avoidance of decision-making, rather than the forcing of decisions and then defending your decisions.”

So, they talk — all of the agencies — and they hold each other accountable. But everybody also knows what everybody else needs, he says, including the president.

“We’re actually sitting around the table with the Department of Labor who, through OSHA, has access to a lot of stuff about toxic exposure. Department of Defense, obviously, HHS, which is the parent agency for, for example, the National Institutes for Cancer. So we then not only are accountable to the president for the decision-making, we also have a wider range of information to inform the decision-making. We’re not just taking it from ourselves or from the national academies. We’re actually getting it from many, many sources.”

In the meantime, he says Biden has pledged to increase research and development on toxic injuries. That plays out in trying to figure out how to diagnose constrictive bronchiolitis in a way other than by cutting open someone’s chest for a biopsy. (Veterans’ benefits have often been denied for constrictive bronchiolitis because it doesn’t show up on X-rays or scans.) Biden has also pushed him on brain cancer, he says. Biden’s son Beau died of brain cancer after serving in Iraq, and Biden has said he believes there may be a correlation.

“The president said, ‘I want an answer early in the new year on rare respiratory cancers,’” McDonough says. “He’s also pressed me hard on brain cancers. And veterans have pressed really hard on constrictive bronchiolitis. And so we say, ‘Not only are we looking at it, and here’s how we’re looking at it, here’s who we’re responsive to look at it. But here’s a timeline on which you can expect a decision.’”

He expects a decision about rare respiratory disorders connected to burn pit exposure in the “early part of the year,” he told reporters Jan. 18.

The internal decision-making process has also changed at VA, McDonough says: Once a quarter, he meets with his executive board, and he comes out of those meetings with decisions made. Then he announces them — at the breakfasts, at the press conferences, at Congressional hearings.

“So we built the structure to force the decisions based on the fact that the president’s person is in the chair,” he says. “That gives us additional information. We’re developing new tools to figure out how to diagnose these illnesses. We are getting additional information to inform the decision-making. We’re putting ourselves on the hook. Well, the president puts us on the hook.”

Then, as with the decision to offer gender confirmation surgery, McDonough defends it.

He used the caregiver situation as an example: After years of service by military spouses and other family members as unofficial caregivers, VA realized it could probably save money by simply paying those spouses or moms or dads to be full-time caregivers. But as more service members came back from war with head injuries or chronic PTS, the program became more costly. Suddenly, people who either had been acting as caregivers for years or were newly caring for veterans with severe disabilities were booted from or not allowed into the program. Now, VA is pushing through a new congressionally mandated appeals process to try to fix that. But a big part of the problem, McDonough says, is that the three internal agencies don’t talk to each other — they don’t even necessarily know what their colleagues do, let alone the decisions that have already been made on a particular case. And, he says, everyone involved should better understand the consequences of war, the daily care of someone dealing with a traumatic brain injury, and how it feels to live with PTSD.

“We should know what VBA knows about the veteran before VHA makes that decision,” McDonough says. “There’s a lot of work we can do to make the decisions more round, more inclusive. … But until then, we also have to be open to downstream consequences in recognizing that they’re connected to service. And we have to hear that, learn from that. Listen to the vets, listen to survivors, caregivers, to make sure that we’re learning, because I think we learn every time we go to war that this is a very impactful experience.”

As troops stand ready to go to defend Ukraine, those lessons must be on decision-makers’ minds as they talk about VA’s ever-expanding budget.

‘That’s not a good talking point’

McDonough says there hasn’t “really” been any progress on the electronic health record situation. In 2018, Wilkie announced Spokane would be the testing ground for the 20-year battle to integrate Defense Department and VA health records. The result was a disaster, as reported by The Spokesman-Review, with long delays in care and staff threatening to quit.

“We’ve kind of been in a moment of suspended animation really trying to learn the lessons of Spokane,” McDonough says. “But we just had, I think, two good weeks of explaining to policymakers, talking to our workforce, talking to the press, about our plan for next steps. A big part of that is now having gotten people into the right positions.”

The situation served as an example of groups not speaking to each other, and then basically sitting on the fence rather than taking responsibility for a decision, he says. In March, with better plans and better decisions in place — he expects — they’ll try again at the Columbus, Ohio, site. The right people are in place, with Terry Adirim heading it up, he says.

Is everyone playing well together on the new plans?

“So far,” he says, “but it’s early. This is a little bit like an earlier question: This is a trust-but-verify one. We’ll stay on top of that.”

McDonough spent his first year at VA working with a budget from the previous administration — and spending surpassed that budget. According to data he had from October, VA had spent just over $2 billion in the community, he says, and they know they need to get a handle on it. Part of that increase probably came as veterans returned to hospitals for care they’d put off during the pandemic, he says, as well as others who learned they were eligible for care when they went in for COVID vaccinations. (By mid-January, VA had vaccinated 4 million veterans, 80,000 spouses, and 28,000 caregivers, McDonough told reporters.)

But a large portion of the money spent on care remains, as it does in the civilian health care system, for people who use the emergency room. This happens either rather than using lower-cost urgent care facilities or because they haven’t received the treatment they needed — blood pressure medications, insulin, counseling about diet, mental health treatment — and their health situation has developed into a crisis.

“As I’ve said, a million times, I’ll make every decision based on increased access, improved outcomes,” he says. “And when we do that, we’re gonna see costs flattened, and we’re gonna see satisfaction increase.”

At the same time, the president tasked him with expanding outreach — which isn’t cheap.

“I say all the time, when the president has told me to be an advocate for veterans, he doesn’t mean some, he means to be an advocate for all veterans,” McDonough says.

That’s how the gender-confirmation-surgery decision came about: He reached out to the VHA Governing Board to get a recommendation for the surgery, which hadn’t been allowed at VA for 20 years. He learned that “veterans suffering gender dysphoria who are appropriately treated see dramatic improvements in mental health, dramatic reductions in suicide.” So, he said, “That’s what we should do.” Recently, VA also added a “+” at the end of the name of VA’s LGBTQ program to ensure everyone feels included. And VA announced in January that health records now display gender identity.

McDonough’s also working on outreach and care for women, he says. He cited The War Horse’s story about rising rates of breast cancer in women veterans and said VA is “getting more aggressive about gender-specific care.”

“You know, one of our talking points is we have 69 facilities where you can get a mammogram [in the] United States, which is a fucking pittance,” he says. “That’s not a good talking point. That’s a bad talking point. So, we’re dramatically increasing access to technology, like mammography. But we’re nowhere near where we need to be.”

McDonough has considered VA’s history, those years of denying problems and benefits, of telling Desert Storm veterans their symptoms were in their heads or Vietnam veterans that exfoliants were safe or treating atomic veterans as if their health concerns could not be addressed because they were top secret. What might have happened if VA had simply cared for those veterans? Could it have saved the government money as their health concerns grew chronic? It’s a big question that can’t be answered without considerable research.

“But that concept is infusing our work,” he says, “to say, ‘How do we do better at identifying something early before it manifests as crisis?’”

There’s more than that: There’s addressing mental health before it becomes deadly with mind-body work. There’s pushing for gun locks on firearms so veterans don’t have instant access at critical moments. He knows, after working with Obama on the Affordable Care Act, that preventive care saves health systems money.

“And so at the end of the day, my guess is, those kinds of steps are going to be helpful to the overall budget picture, but they surely are commonsensical,” he says. “And so if had we done a better job of recognizing? Well, look, I mean, I wish we didn’t use burn pits. That’d be the best thing.”

His dream? To address suicide and mental health in a significant way, as well as to fix the backlog.

“I think that the most important thing is to deliver on our core course requirements,” he says. “And core course requirements are delivery of world-class health care at VHA, and delivery of timely benefits at NCA and VBA. So obviously, in the first one, that includes suicide [prevention] and access to mental health [care], and the second one includes the backlog. And I have dreams about specific advancements in both of those places.”

But he wants more than just downward trends: He wants an “intensification of progress.”

“That’s what I’m looking for, is the game-changers,” he says. “And that will come from innovation. That will come from trusting one another. That will come from shaking off this crisis of confidence.”

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Veterans are able to experience greater freedom to live fuller lives as part of the VA Medical Foster Home program.

Samuel Maneely is 98 years old and Jacob Tingle is 89 years old. They both live with Sharon Smack-Dixon, who opened her door up to Veterans who can no longer live alone.

“It’s like family,” said Maneely, a World War II Veteran. “We do all kinds of stuff—watch TV, play checkers. We get along.”

“I love that woman,” said Tingle, a Korean War Veteran. “She’s like a sister. I’m very happy here.”

For Smack-Dixon, she said she enjoys the two Veterans because they act as grandfathers to her grandchildren.

“I decided to become a foster home provider because I had my father who I had to take care of and he was a Vet,” she said.

About the program

There are over 1,000 Veterans in the program and 700 Caregivers in 42 states.

Medical Foster Homes are private homes in which a trained caregiver provides services to a few individuals. Some, but not all, residents are Veterans. VA inspects and approves all Medical Foster Homes.

A Medical Foster Home can serve as an alternative to a nursing home. It may be appropriate for Veterans who require nursing home care but prefer a non-institutional setting with fewer residents.

Medical Foster Homes are private residences where the caregiver and relief caregivers provide care and supervision 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This caregiver can help the Veteran carry out activities of daily living, such as bathing and getting dressed. VA ensures that the caregiver receives VA planned care training. While living in a Medical Foster Home, Veterans receive Home Based Primary Care.

For a list of VA Medical Centers with Medical Foster Home programs, visit https://www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/docs/VA_Medical_Foster_Home_Locations.pdf. This list includes the VA Medical Centers currently operating a Medical Foster Home program. However, many facilities are in various stages of development of their own programs. Please reach out to your VA social worker to ask about when a Medical Foster Home will be available at a local facility.

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Veterans are getting progressively better care through partnerships, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said Oct. 16 at an Association of the United States Army luncheon.

Partnerships help Veterans through several different areas, adding to VA’s ability to provide services.

Wilkie said he convened the first all-government panel Oct. 15 to end Veteran suicide. The group included the Department of Health and Human Services, the Indian Health Service, Department of Defense, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Institutes of Health.

The partnership is looking for a medical, holistic and social answer to Veteran and military suicide. Veteran suicide has long been a national concern, Wilkie said, saying the Army started collecting suicide data in 1893.

“We are finally having a national conversation that does not just look at the last tragic act of a Soldier’s life, but looks at the continuum of issues that might lead to that tragic act,” he said.

Another partnership Wilkie cited is the unified electronic health record for Veterans. The record will put everything in one place, from when people enlist until they’re discharged and receiving VA care. He said the joint Department of Defense and VA partnership will lead to a seamless record, far from the hundreds of printed pages Veterans used to carry around.

Veterans deserve better care

Veterans deserve this better care because of the enormous price they have paid for the nation, Wilkie said.

Wilkie shared a personal story of growing up during Vietnam as a child at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The secretary said when friends in elementary school were called up to the principal’s office, there was a chance there was bad news from Southeast Asia.

He said one of these times was April 4, 1975. Before South Vietnam fell, President Gerald Ford ordered Saigan orphanages evacuated under Operation Baby Lift. One of the medics on the C-5 was Air Force Master Sgt. Denning Cicero Johnson.

A faulty cargo door caused the plane to crash during takeoff from Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Dozens of Vietnamese children, 35 Defense Attaché members and 11 Airmen died, including Johnson. His daughter, Denise, and the future VA secretary shared the same classroom.

Wilkie escorted Denise to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall April 4, 44 years to the day after. She touched her father’s name on the last row of the last panel – the “1W” panel at the center of the memorial.

Meaning of service

During the event, Wilkie highlighted the stories of several Army Veterans. One of those, Cpl. Alvin York, received a Medal of Honor during World War I. York’s heroism resulted in 25 German dead and the capture of 132 more.

Someone asked York in 1941 about the wisdom of fighting World War I when America was on the verge of having to fight again in World War II.

“He said the thing that these so-called experts forget is that liberty and freedom and democracy are so very precious that you do not fight to win them once and then stop,” Wilkie said. “Liberty and freedom and democracy are prizes awarded only to those peoples who fight to win them and keep fighting forever to hold onto them.”

The secretary told the audience helping Veterans shows thanks for their service.

“Every time you look to protect our warriors in the field, or hire them, or help them, fund pro-Veteran causes like the Fisher House, you are doing more than helping these deserving young people,” he said. “You are setting an example for this country, and reminding everyone that we have our Veterans to thank. It’s not the pundit. It’s not the professor. It is not the protester. It is those young people who have never shied away from the call of duty.”

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Operation Song helps Veterans heal through music

For three days in August, 10 Veterans found their way to Nashville, Tennessee, for an incredible songwriting journey.

For each, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a storyteller, songwriter, and soul-bearer in partnership with some of the finest musicians in country music. Perhaps some found the language of a lyrical melody to be a comfort unlike anything before or a chorus that set their heart and mind free. New songs that struck a chord with the Veterans and creative teams will eventually make their way from the Nashville studio to an infinite audience.

Operation Song began in 2012 “to empower Veterans to tell their stories through songwriting.” Founder Bob Regan, who is one of Nashville’s most successful songwriters and producers, began working with local Tennessee Veterans at the VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro to help, “…give them some order, perspective, and validation…of chaotic events and emotions of war.” Mr. Regan’s chart-topping hits include songs performed by popular artists like Billy Ray Cyrus, Keith Urban, and Trisha Yearwood.

For USMC Veteran Dan Maderic, who served in the military 50 years ago during the Vietnam War, the experience with Operation Song was “finally a welcome home.” This was Maderic’s first time to Nashville and he said they were all treated like royalty. “We were included in the whole process. The artists and songwriters broke down barriers and I felt welcome to talk. I said a lot of things I’ve never said before and laid it all out… it was a moving experience.” Maderic participates in an ongoing program at home in Salem, Va., called “Guitars For Vets,” but he said this experience was beyond his expectations. “Everyone was just amazing.”

For Jay Horrigan, the experience with Operation Song was “priceless.” The retired Army sergeant said he felt they were treated like kings and queens of the city. “Everyone was so welcoming and our housing and food were also donated in addition to the studio time with writers and musicians.” Horrigan was taken to a recording studio where country music artists Vince Gill and Garth Brooks have recorded  music. “It was a low key, chill, lounge vibe. I was able to tell stories that I’ve never told anyone before. It felt vulnerable [and] was a long day of hard work, but also very rewarding.” Horrigan hopes that the message of his work–coping with Veteran suicide–will provide listeners with hope and encouragement.

When Veterans were finished telling their stories, songwriters helped turn those stories into lyrics, musicians put them to music, and the rest is production magic.

One of the ten songwriters who helped turn these stories into song was Jason Sever.

Sever is one of the creative minds behind Dustin Lynch’s number one hit “Seein’ Red.” Sever said the experience was humbling. “A lot of times in songwriting we don’t see any immediate results from what we do in a co-write room… but here you see an instant magic, if you will. When you sit down with a person, when you share a part of your soul and a part of your life with them and then you see what the song does, you see the power of music in real time… it’s pretty amazing.”

Veterans who are chosen to participate in the Operation Song program apply with the help and recommendation of ongoing therapists at their local VA.

“This non-profit organization facilitated the opportunity for these Veterans to engage in a meaningful form of creativity and self-expression, outside of the clinical setting,” said Lisbeth A. Woodward, the music therapy director at Salem VA. “The caliber of song-writing professionals, musicians, and recording professionals who worked with our Veterans was extraordinary and the experience irreplaceable. I highly recommend this opportunity for those Veterans who possess the coping skills to share their stories through this dynamic medium.”

VA SecretaryRobert Wilkie acknowledged the value of programs like Operation Song to the evolution of Veteran care. “VA is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to care for Veterans. This includes using creative arts therapies in conjunction with community partners to help Veterans express themselves when conventional therapeutic methods may not be enough.”

At the end of the weekend, the participants performed their new songs for a live audience.  To date, Operation Song has helped hundreds of Veterans and their families, and has produced over 750 songs. Funding for this year’s Veteran retreat program is through the generous support of the Veterans Canteen Service.

To find out more information on Operation Song, visit: www.operationsong.org

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OPINION – While some of you may have recently heard of ‘Flanders Fields’ thanks to their amazing efforts helping rescue Americans and Afghans abandoned by our government (along with other groups such as PLAN B- The ARC) – you may not know that their primary mission is to help our Veterans fight drug addiction often brought on by the stresses of war.

After a year of record-breaking Veteran drug overdose deaths, the largest seizure of fentanyl in U.S history, the botched Afghanistan retreat, and an unprecedented rise in Veteran crisis center calls, the need to help Veterans fight addiction has never been greater.

It’s no secret that Veterans are disproportionately affected by alcoholism and addiction, but few understand that the well-publicized #22aDay (the average number of Veterans lost to suicide each day in America) does not include intentional overdoses or addiction related deaths.

The harsh reality is that any Veteran who has ever been prescribed opiates, and any Veteran who has struggled with addiction, will rarely choose any other means of ending their own life. Using a bottle (of alcohol or pills) is no different than pulling the trigger with a firearm.

And the truth is that the ACTUAL number of Veteran suicides per day could be DOUBLE what we’re hearing.

Numerous factors conspire to create dramatically under reported numbers: lack of identifying victims as Veterans, and not ordering toxicology reports in death investigations, are just two.

When people, including Veterans, fall into a life of addiction, they generally become ‘dregs of society,’ stripping them of any status or recognition they once held, this includes being proud American Veterans.

Flanders Fields has been a valued partner of American Defense News in highlighting the issue of Veteran suicides and removing the stigma surrounding Veteran addiction, which is the leading cause of both Veteran homelessness and suicide.

Over 70% of both cases involve substance abuse of some kind.

America must do a better job of making it ‘OK’ for Veterans to reach out for help and recognizing that many of our service members have to fight their own ‘war after the war.’

Today, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is Giving Tuesday. Every year, on this day people take the time to kick off the Christmas and holiday season by giving back to their community — whether it is by donating money to a charitable cause or volunteering.

And I can’t think of a better cause than this.

Use today (and the rest of this year) to spread the word about organizations such as Flanders Fields who are fighting the good fight to end Veteran addiction. And please make a donation, you will be glad you did.

Flanders Fields is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 charity organization.

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Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS will expel any members found guilty in connection to the raid

At least two Veterans’ groups will purge members who are found guilty of participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol last week that resulted in five deaths, including a Capitol Police officer.

Disabled American Veterans, which has 1 million members nationwide, released a statement Saturday condemning the riot as an insurrectionist act.

"As Veterans who have sacrificed to support and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic, DAV abhors and rejects the insurrectionist acts perpetrated at our Capitol on Wednesday," the group said in a statement.

The group said will take "immediate action" to remove any of its members found guilty of committing illegal acts against the United States.

"Such behavior is a disgrace to our national values and must not be tolerated," the group said.

Another Veterans’ group, AMVETS, said it will take the same action.

If one of its members were found guilty of participating in last weeks’ riot, "they would be subject to disciplinary action at their post-level, which would mean expulsion from AMVETS," the organization said in a statement.

Neither group has so far confirmed that any of its members were complicit.

The riot came after the president spoke at a rally last Wednesday, telling supporters that he would "never concede," and repeated unsubstantiated claims that the election was "stolen" from him and that he won in a "landslide."

During his remarks, he renewed pressure on Vice President Pence, claiming that he should decertify the results of the presidential election and send it "back to the states," claiming that if he did that, Trump would be president for another four years.

Trump’s remarks came ahead of a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the presidential election. As members of the House and Senate raised objections to certain electoral votes, both chambers called for a recess and left their chambers as pro-Trump protesters breached the Capitol.

Congress later returned and certified the Electoral College vote early Thursday, formally giving Joe Biden his presidential victory.

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The military has failed to meet deadlines set by Congress for rulings on Veterans' requests to correct records blocking them from receiving benefits, according to a federal class-action lawsuit filed last month.

The suit brought by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) charges that delays in processing the requests by the Boards for Correction of Military Records of the service branches amount to a denial of the due process rights of thousands of Veterans.

In an interview and in statements, Bart Stichman, executive director of NVLSP, said that rulings on "lifetime benefits" for disability and retirement are at stake in the lawsuit, which names Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett and acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly as defendants.

"Veterans who seek a correction of an erroneous less-than-honorable discharge or a wrongful denial of disability retirement benefits are paying a high price for the ongoing delays at the Correction Boards," he said.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 16, seeks to compel the "timely final decisions" of the Corrections Boards and gives the defendants until mid-February to respond, Stichman said.

Congress in 1998 set deadlines of 10 months for decisions from the Corrections Boards on 90% of existing requests for review, and 18 months for the remaining 10%, but the boards have routinely blown past the deadlines, the suit charges.

At a 2018 hearing of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, service representatives acknowledged the backlogs but said they couldn't clear them up without additional resources.

John A. Fedrigo, director of the Air Force Review Boards Agency, testified that Air Force Corrections Boards were reviewing only about 2% of the 15,000 applications received annually within the 10-month deadline.

Robert Woods, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy, testified at the 2018 hearing that his service received about 12,000 requests for review annually but was adjudicating only 68% of them within the 18-month deadline.

The suit was filed on behalf of Walter Calhoun of Georgia, an honorably discharged Army Veteran, and unidentified Veteran "John Doe" of Kansas, also an honorably discharged Army Veteran who served in the military police in Iraq and earned the Bronze Star.

After leaving the service, Calhoun applied for Combat-Related Special Compensation due to his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and headache disorder associated with PTSD, as well as right knee degenerative arthritis and left knee osteoarthritis. His requests were denied.

In 2016, Calhoun made a final request to the Army and has been waiting nearly 36 months, or twice the 18-month deadline, for an answer, according to the suit.

Doe experienced PTSD symptoms that led to his medical separation from the Army, which denied him disability retirement benefits, according to the suit.

In July 2017, Doe requested a correction of his records to enable him to collect disability but has yet to receive a ruling from the Army Corrections Board, the suit states.

Stichman said the class-action suit represents a mix of Veterans either requesting upgrades of discharges to entitle them to benefits or requests from honorably discharged Veterans for corrections to their records.

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Vietnam War-era Veterans who served in Thailand say they’re still fighting.

Veterans who served in Thailand have long contended they face a higher bar in winning Veterans Administration (VA) disability benefits claims, having to clearly demonstrate they were exposed to Agent Orange or other harmful herbicides while their fellow Veterans enjoy a presumption that they were exposed.

Several bills in Congress purport to take aim at the problem. Among them: The Veterans Agent Orange Exposure Equity Act, the Cost of War Act, and others, including the Fairly Assessing Service-related Exposure Residual (FASTER) Presumptions Act, also dubbed the “FASTER” Act.

A Maryland Democrat, David Trone, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, has introduced the latter piece of legislation.

“We’re going to try to right a wrong,” Trone said.

‘We’re old news to them.’

As some Thailand Veterans see it, the VA places an undue burden of proof on them to demonstrate they were harmed by Agent Orange, in some cases asking for photographs or other evidence of physical proximity to harmful herbicides.

It’s not a burden shared by Veterans who served in Vietnam or in the Navy.

“If you set foot on a land mass (in Vietnam), you’re entitled to a presumption” that you have been exposed to herbicides, Rhode Island attorney Robert Chisholm said in an interview. That presumption has been expanded to blue-water Navy Veterans.

But not to Veterans in Thailand — at least, not yet.

In October 2020, the VA denied Xenia resident and Thailand Veteran Paul Skinner compensation for what Skinner believed was Agent Orange exposure, with the VA informing Skinner in a letter: “Your personnel records still fail to show that during your duties you were exposed to Agent Orange or tactical herbicides while performing daily duty assignments at Udom (Royal Thai Air Force Base).”

Skinner acknowledges that he can get health care from the VA. But he sought (and seeks) compensation for pain and suffering. Skinner, who has fought prostate cancer since 2018, has gone through 44 treatments of radiation therapy. He has to apply and use a catheter twice a day, something he expects to do for the rest of his life.

“We’re old news to them,” Skinner said of the VA.

Arnie Harmon, a Columbus-area Veteran who served in Thailand, filed for compensation or a monthly stipend some 15 years ago at the urging of one of his physicians. “I’m spending out of pocket about $6,000 to $6,500 a year in medications,” he said.

“You submit a claim,” Harmon said. “They (the VA) will grant it, (or) they’ll grant it partially, (or) they’ll deny it, which is probably about 80 to 90% of the Thailand Veterans, they have been denied. Some have won on appeal.”

This letter rejecting Skinner’s claim cited an Aug. 2015 memo from the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), a memo that Veteran Robert McHenry, a friend to Skinner and others, fought for years.

Centerville resident McHenry died in July 2021 at the age of 74. McHenry worked for years to correct what he argued was an error in that memo, which held there was no evidence of tactical herbicides having been used at American bases in Thailand.

The AFHRA memo said that although use of commercial herbicides is documented, the Air Force archivists found no mention of the transportation, payment for or use of any tactical herbicide to control vegetation on Air Force installations in Thailand.

“Bob has been fighting this letter since it came out,” Skinner said.

“They used that letter repeatedly to deny claims,” Mary Flodder, McHenry’s widow, said in an interview.

Skinner said the denial was frustrating. But he trusted McHenry to make the historical case for him and Veterans like him.

“He (McHenry) was a walking encyclopedia of information,” Skinner said. “He did so much research on this letter (the Aug. 2015 memo).”

“These men are now in many cases in their 80s,” Trone said. “They deserve quick adjudication for their claim … and we cannot put the burden on the Veterans who served their country.”

Trone’s bill would force these to be adjudicated this quicker, presuming that they were exposed to harmful herbicides.

But the prospects for those bills is uncertain at this point.

In the ‘spray zone’

“Everyone that was on the bases would have been in the spray zone” for the herbicides, Flodder said. “Bob was trying to get that letter rescinded at the time he died.”

Typically, the VA looks for evidence of duty near base perimeters or fence lines to establish herbicide exposure. Often fence lines were sprayed to kill vegetation that may have hid the presence of enemy soldiers.

In an interview, Skinner recalled that he was an aircraft mechanic on F4 Phantom jets while serving in Thailand. He said he worked in areas close to base fencelines and perimeters, sometimes chaining down jets to run the engines, “which would actually kick up dust and dirt everywhere around the aircraft.”

His living quarters were also close to a base perimeter, he recalled. The herbicides were in the very air, he believes.

“I guess the VA doesn’t believe the wind blows,” Skinner said.

“They (the VA) don’t give you a definition of what the perimeter is,” Harmon said. “Is it two feet from the perimeter? Or is it 500 feet? Because all the perimeters were sprayed with various types of herbicides with dioxin in it. Agent Orange is just a euphemism for many different types of herbicides. But they were all sprayed.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Veterans Affairs declined an interview but offered to answer questions in writing.

“Unlike Veterans who served in Vietnam and certain areas of Korea, Veterans who served in Thailand are not entitled by law to a presumption of exposure to tactical herbicides,” the spokeswoman said. “Lack of a presumption of herbicide exposure does not prevent Veterans from demonstrating through competent evidence that they were exposed to herbicidal agents and that such exposure is sufficiently related to a current disability to warrant disability compensation.”

Currently, Skinner hopes to make a case before a VA judge in perhaps a year, maybe longer.

A spokeswoman for the Air Force said neither the author of the AFHRA memo nor anyone else was available for an interview.

‘These bills have a chance’

A solution by Congress may be the best approach, some attorneys and Veterans advocates say.

“My sense is these bills have a chance, but I just don’t know how good a chance,” attorney Chisholm said.

Sen. Rob Portman is listed as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 657, which would modify the presumption of a service connection for Veterans who were exposed to herbicides while serving in Thailand. The bill was last referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs in June.

A VA spokeswoman said If enacted, S.657 would expand universal eligibility for Veterans who served in Thailand.

Sen. Sherrod Brown supports the Thailand Veterans Toxic Exposure Act, a version of which was included in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s toxic exposure bill reported out of committee in May.

“Time is running out for these Veterans,” Brown said in an email. “I will continue the fight to get benefits for all Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange — and other toxic chemicals — regardless of where they served.”

Questions sent to the offices of Portman and U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton. Turner has supported similar legislation in the past.

Harmon said his sense is that once attorneys are involved, claims from Veterans who served in Thailand can be settled in as quickly as six months.

Chisholm said he and like-minded attorneys representing Veterans who served in Thailand are winning these cases one at a time, but with detailed evidence, detailed arguments, detailed affidavits.

Poway, Calif. attorney Amanda Mineer recalled working on one case in which she and her team had to introduce into evidence a photo of a sailor taking a photographic selfie of himself on a ship as that ship crossed the equator, with barrels of Agent Orange nearby, visible in the photo.

The photo helped her win the case.

“That’s what we do; we get creative,” Mineer said. “That’s our job.”

“It’s still essentially a case-by-case basis,” Chisholm said. “You have to prove it.”

But proving it isn’t always possible, others say.

“Let’s be real, this was 60 years ago,” Trone said.

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MISSION Act continues strengthening VA’s workforce

VA is piloting a new scholarship program which will pay Veteran’s medical school tuition. The pilot, known as the Veterans Healing Veterans Medical Access & Scholarship Program, is authorized under the VA MISSION Act of 2018. This innovative program will create a pipeline of clinicians who uniquely understand Veterans’ needs while addressing the long-term staffing needs at VA medical centers.

Under this program, which became effective on Dec. 13, 2019, two eligible Veteran students from each of nine medical schools will receive full tuition and a monthly stipend for their medical education. In return, Veterans under scholarship will commit four years of practice at a VAMC upon completing their training, board certification, and residency. Currently, the pilot extends funding to Veterans entering medical school in 2020.

VA is partnering with the following nine institutions which includes five Teague-Cranston Schools and four Historically Black Colleges and Universities:

• Texas A&M College of Medicine
• Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University
• Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University
• Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University
• University of South Carolina School of Medicine
• Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
• Howard University College of Medicine
• Meharry Medical College
• Morehouse School of Medicine

Eligibility

Veterans are considered eligible if they apply within 10 years of leaving the Armed Forces. They must also be accepted for the entering class of 2020 at one of the nine partner schools. Veterans must not receive other educational aid and explicitly state on the application their intent to be considered for the program.

More information can be found in the Federal Register by clicking here or learn about other VA career opportunities here.

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Residents and staff of the Veterans Home of California-Ventura (VHC-Ventura) will mark the Home’s first decade with a Founder’s Day celebration on December 4 in Ventura.

Then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger dedicated the Home on December 4, 2009, opening the facility and completing a project that was more than a decade in the making. It became the fifth in a system that now includes eight Veterans Homes of California operated by the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

VHC-Ventura was one of three Homes simultaneously planned, designed, funded, and built as part of a $321 million project that began during Governor Pete Wilson’s administration in the 1990s. The federal Veterans Administration funded $180 million while the state invested $141.3 million to build the three homes.

The 60-bed Ventura residential care facility opened a month after the William “Pete” Knight VHC-Lancaster, and about a year before VHC-West Los Angeles.

Julian Bond, Administrator of VHC-Ventura, will be the master of ceremonies at the event, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. and is expected to last about 45 minutes. Other speakers will include CalVet Undersecretary Russell Atterberry, State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (44th District), Ventura mayor Matt LaVere, U.S. Navy Captain Trey Glaze, and World War II Veteran Ted Strzelski.

Beth Muszyinski, CalVet’s assistant deputy secretary of Veterans Homes, and Stacy Merkes, the Ventura Home’s activities director, will present platinum badges to the facility’s 10-year volunteers.

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Approximately 1 percent of those who work in U.S. media are post-9/11 Veterans, U.S. Census data shows.

But two military Veterans who are now seasoned journalists want to change that.

That’s why Navy Veteran Zack Baddorf and Marine Corps Veteran Russell Midori launched Military Veterans in Journalism, a professional association designed to help Veterans transition into media careers and will provide Veterans with a journalism workshop next year.

“I think a lot of media outlets have been negligent in doing outreach to the military, Veteran community and trying to hire them,” Baddorf, who served in the Navy from 2001-2006 and has more than 15 years of media experience, told Military Times. “That’s not to say that they don’t respect the values, or the skills that they would bring. They do.”

However, hiring Veterans requires resources like time and money and as a result, Baddorf said media outlets haven’t been as proactive about recruiting Veterans.

After informally mentoring people, Baddorf and Midori realized there was a need for a more formal institution and launched Military Veterans in Journalism in May to provide a mentorship program to Veterans.

Furthermore, the association announced it is organizing a three-day Journalism Immersion Workshop in New York City in 2020 for nine Veterans that will include panel discussions with senior journalists, a career fair with human resources representatives from media organizations and other networking events to meet other journalists.

Participants will also shadow a working journalist for a day.

Those selected for the program come from a variety of military backgrounds, including a retired Army pilot, a former Army combat medic and a former Navy electrician’s mate.

Although not all the Veterans selected for the program have substantial journalism experience, Baddorf said he and Midori wanted a diverse group of applicants who had a desire to learn. For example, some Veterans already have journalism degrees and jobs in the field, while others haven’t been published yet and are looking for ways to get their foot in the door.

The workshop will take place in the spring, although specific dates have not yet been selected.

Baddorf said as a journalist in the Navy, a rating that has since been merged with the mass communications specialist rating, he accumulated a strong portfolio reporting on the military.

Even though he applied for dozens of jobs following his service, he never heard anything back. Ultimately, he resorted to freelancing and was published in outlets including the New York Times and the Associated Press.

“I’m really proud of that experience, but it was tough,” Baddorf said. “I didn’t have any mentors, I didn’t really know the process for getting employed. And you know, it was a challenging experience making that transition.”

Midori, who now works for CBS News, faced similar challenges as he exited the military and Baddorf said it motivated them to create an outlet for Veterans interested in journalism.

According to Baddorf, newsrooms and the public will benefit from more Veterans in media jobs because they have a firm grasp on international affairs, military conflict and Veterans affairs. Likewise, they also tend to have a more “non-partisan perspective,” Baddorf said.

“What the military is doing is a critical part of our public life and needs to be reported on with nuance and with understanding, and Veterans are people who have experienced life within the military....They bring diverse experience and understanding of these issues,” Baddorf said.

The three-day workshop isn’t the only program that Military Veterans in Journalism wants to organize. Next on the horizon is working to secure fellowships and internships for Veterans at various media outlets that could help them expand their portfolios and potentially lead to a full-time position.

“We believe that it’s that day-to-day experience that’s going to be good for their careers,” Baddorf said.

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COEUR d’ALENE — Don Walker has made it his mission to inform his fellow Veterans of the benefits and services they earned while serving their country.

For a year and a half, Walker has worked with Vietnam Veteran Bryan Bledsoe on The Veterans’ Press, a publication dedicated to providing information and resources to help those who served. It began as a “Did You Know?” in the Spokesman-Review and later became a monthly newspaper in The Press.

“It’s stirring things up,” said Walker, an Army Veteran who spent three years serving in Alaska. “This is exactly what we wanted to do.”

Even after a year and a half, Walker is still discovering little-known benefits that he wants to share with other Veterans.

“There are things that still surprise me — like this Vet Tix thing,” he said.

The Veteran Tickets Foundation — Vet Tix for short — provides free and discounted tickets to events that reduce stress, strengthen family bonds, make memories and encourage service members and Veterans to stay engaged with their communities.

The service is free — all Veterans have to do is provide proof of service or eligibility. Currently serving military, honorably discharged Veterans from all branches of service and family of those killed in action are eligible.

Walker learned about Vet Tix when he attended a football game with a fellow Veteran, who had acquired free tickets through the service.

“You join their organization, which doesn’t cost anything, and they send you notices — everything from concerts to sporting events,” he said.

Free and discounted tickets aren’t the only benefit that has recently come to Walker’s attention.

In 2019, disabled Veterans became eligible for Space Available Travel, also known as “Space-A” or “military hops,” which allows eligible passengers to fill unused seats on Department of Defense-owned or controlled aircraft. Authorized disabled Veterans can travel for free in the continental United States or directly between the continental United States and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa.

The Veterans’ Press exists to tell Vets about benefits they didn’t know about or didn’t realize they were eligible for. Walker said it’s working — he’s heard reports of folks walking into the Veterans Services office with a copy of The Veterans’ Press in their hand and a particular item circled.

“They say, ‘That’s me — this says I can get some help,’” Walker said. “It’s nice to hear that. We’ll just keep passing the information out and getting it to the right people.”

Walker said he wants Veterans to know that it doesn’t matter if they previously applied for certain benefits and were discouraged by the experience. He hopes to encourage Veterans to explore all the benefits that are available to them.

“These benefits are yours,” he said. “You earned them. Go check them out. You owe it to yourself and your family.”

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PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — Local Veterans staged a protest today against a local Veteran clinic.

“I really needed to talk to somebody and there’s nobody to talk to and they don’t care,” said George Fountain, a VA patient.

A few weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Association parted ways with Dr. Stephen Hill, a man the Veteran patients confided in most.

No one would say why Dr. Hill no longer works at the VA, but his long-time patients were not happy.

“I just think it’s bad what they did to Dr. Hill. I don’t know the whole story about it and I might be wrong but I feel like they just ousted him out of his job and let me tell you he’s helped a lot of people,” said Andy Magnus, another one of VA’s patients.

At least 20 of Dr. Hill’s patients attended the protest, but they said he had more than 100 patients now abandoned.

Dr. Hill held weekly meetings for the patients and counseled them through their PTSD.

“All I can tell you is my life’s been hell since I came back from Vietnam. Between the American people, how they treated us and the VA system, finally Dr. Hill was one that actually gave us help,” said Fountain.

Group session are limited to 15 weeks.

“But after 15 weeks Dr. Hill always renewed everybody to come back again and I guess that was a thorn in their side but I never saw him turn anybody away either,” said Magnus.

According to a Federal Government study, more than 500,000 U.S. Troops that served in wars over the past 13 years have been diagnosed with PTSD.

“I was very abusive to my family because of my PTSD, anger issues. Dr. Hill helped me quite a bit. I had no trust in people. I didn’t even have trust in god, but that man brought me back to being normal.. Try to be normal anyway,” said Fountain.

VA Community and Public Affairs Chief, Vernon Stewart, didn’t know exactly what is next for these Veterans, but he did say the VA is committed to meeting their needs.

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LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Danny Koch is a member of the Friends of the Monument of Courage here in Lubbock, as well as an advocate for obtaining a Veteran cemetery for the town.

Danny says the burial ground is not a want, but a need for Lubbock.

While speaking about the issue, Danny stated, “the closest state cemetery is in Abilene. So, if someone died in Amarillo, a Veteran, they can be buried in the cemetery in Lubbock, and it be easier on the family to travel.”

Texas has the second largest Veteran population in the nation. Most of them live right here in Lubbock and the surrounding area. Benny Guerrero, Commander of the Lubbock Veterans of Foreign Wars, says the patriotism in Lubbock is just one of the reasons it deserves a cemetery.

Guerrero stated that Lubbock is “the greatest place to live and the greatest place to serve, but we have been forgotten.”

Guerrero says the cemetery is just one of the projects Lubbock Veteran groups are advocating for, but that they also provide a wide range of services for Veterans in the area. He says that the best way to get involved in Veteran advocacy is to “get one of your Veterans that is in your family to join one of our organizations, that’s the best way, because then you can let us help you.”

These Veteran groups will be raising awareness for a need for a Veteran cemetery in Lubbock during their two-day event, “For Love of Country and Freedom.”

This event will be held August 11 and 12 in town and will be dedicated to honoring families of fallen soldiers. Donations are always welcome, but Benny says the best way to help is by spreading their message.

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After President Joe Biden announced his student loan “forgiveness” program on Wednesday, numerous Veterans spoke out about the announcement on Twitter, with some arguing against the multi-billion proposal and others expressing support for the effort.

Former Marine and Fox News contributor Joey Jones, who lost both of his legs in combat, tweeted, “I cannot believe I gave two legs for my tuition. What a dope I am. Ooh-rah.”

Gretchen Smith, a United States Air Force Veteran and founder of the non-profit Code of Vets — which helps Veterans in crisis and in need — slammed Biden’s student loan “forgiveness” program.

In a Twitter post, Smith described growing up in poverty in the Appalachian region before joining the Air Force and earning her college education through the GI Bill.

“I grew up in poverty in the mountains of NC. I ate out of a garden, lived in government housing, shopped at yard sales. I joined the Air Force. Earned my GI BILL. I attained 4 degrees and created my own version of the American Dream,” she wrote on Code of Vets Twitter account. “I am not responsible for your student debt.”

Writer and Retired Army Colonel Kurt Schlichter accused Biden of telling him to “get screwed” despite serving in the military and working to pay off student loans.

“I paid off $70K of loans. I earned GI Bill money to pay some of the rest. And I worked 2 jobs on school,” he tweeted. “Joe Biden told me to get screwed. I intend to return the favor.”

Ohio Senate candidate, author and Veteran J.D. Vance, who famously wrote the hit memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” tweeted that he earned his undergraduate education through the GI Bill. The tweet was written in response to the Democrat candidate for Ohio State Auditor, who proclaimed that he “earned” Biden’s loan forgiveness and accused Vance of being a “fraud.”

“1) You didn’t earn anything. Working class Ohioans gave it to you. And they’ll pay for it with higher inflation 2) I went to OSU for undergrad, paid for by the GI Bill–I *earned* that by serving our country as a Marine 3) It’s weird for public servants to whine about their pay,” Vance tweeted.

Writer and Veteran Charlotte Clymer tweeted showed support for Biden’s student loan “forgiveness” program, tweeting, “You paid for your college with the G.I. Bill after serving in the military — aren’t you mad that others don’t have to pay back some of their student loans?” No. Because I don’t think anyone should have to struggle with crushing debt for a quality education. Next question.”

Twitter user “hungry_golden,” who describes himself as a healthcare worker and Veteran, shared a photo of himself on the platform and argued that opposing student loan forgiveness “is the wrong take for a public servant.”

“As a #Veteran who benefited from 3 tuition programs for 3 degrees. “Fuck you I got mine” is the wrong take for a public servant. Student loans are a yoke on citizens who are trying to better themselves and society. I served to help Americans, not pull the ladder up behind me,” he tweeted.

In 2019, then-President Donald Trump signed an executive order to forgive disabled Veterans’ student loan debt — to the tune of more than $750 million.

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Veterans—especially those in rural areas—are receiving added attention through a VA program focused on training clergy and other groups interested in helping Veterans.

More than two dozen trainees met Jan. 30 in Medora, North Dakota, for the Community Clergy Training Program to Support Rural Veterans Mental Health.

VA chaplains use four modules to teach trainees best methods to help Veterans, said VA Chaplain and Army Veteran Joe White.

The program is open to community clergy and anyone interested in helping Veterans, such as local members of Veteran Service Organizations, Caregivers and community-based mental health providers. Religious leaders are often the first people Veterans turn to for help, especially in rural areas, said White.

Practical example

The state chaplains for North Dakota and the American Legion were among those who attended the Jan. 30 event. One person traveled nearly 400 miles for the training.

Army Col. Darcie Handt is executive director for ND Cares, a North Dakota coalition that brings together more than 40 groups. They work to improve collaboration and coordination on behavior health services for service members, Veterans, families and survivors.

Handt said the tools attendees learned will help because of North Dakota’s sparse population. Veterans often travel great distances for any type of care. He said because of this, community partners play a large role in helping Veterans.

Father Brian Gross was one of the attendees. He is the pastor of Epiphany Catholic Church in Watford City, North Dakota. The town of 10,000 draws a large Veteran population because of the oil field work nearby.

“This training helps to identify and recognize what’s going on in the heart and mind of a soldier that’s coming back,” he said. He said the information helps build awareness so when he meets with a Veteran, he will know how to help the person better reintegrate.

Another pastor from a town near Minot Air Force Base said the training will help as she counsels Veterans transitioning.

“I know that I don’t have all the answers, but have a list of resources,” said Pastor SueLynn White from Oak Valley Lutheran Church in Oak Valley, North Dakota. “This will help me walk with them and the (mental health) professional to give another layer of help.”

The program

The training program currently has four modules.

The first module is Military Culture and Wounds of War. In this session, trainees learn about the military culture and injuries Veterans may have, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma. Trainees also learn how to assist military personnel and their families with a healthy adjustment to a civilian culture, along with ethical and moral injuries unique to combat Veterans.

Pastoral Care to Veterans and Their Families is the second module. This training discusses the spiritual side of caring for Veterans.

The third module is Mental Health and Referrals. Trainees learn the best ways to support Veterans’ mental health and how to make referrals so Veterans receive follow-up care.

Building Community Partnerships is the fourth module. Since a Veteran may need assistance in multiple areas, trainees learn how to work with partners to establish a network to help.

The program started in 2010. In 2017, the Veterans Experience Office held 13 events for 300 clergy during a pilot phase in the New England area, said Ben Kaler, a Marine Veteran and Veterans Experience Office field consultant. The program now covers all 50 states, with 17 trainers splitting up geographic areas. The vast majority of these trainers are Veterans themselves.

Army Veteran Barry Main, senior chaplain for Messages of Faith Ministry in Nevada, attended two days of training, which he said helped build networks and partnerships.

“It’s going to give those of us who want to help Veterans more tools to use,” the Vietnam Veteran said. “Handling Veterans is a little different. This program went a long way in helping us help others.”

Chaplain Ryan Creelman, who also attended the training with Main, said the program is spurring development of a Veteran care committee to serve Veterans.

Engaging rural communities

Funded by Office of Rural Health, the program tries to reach the nearly five million Veterans who reside in rural communities. Veterans choose rural communities for a variety of reasons: closer proximity to family, friends and community; open space for recreation; more privacy; lower cost of living; or less crowded towns and schools. While Veterans may enjoy the benefits of rural living, they may also experience rural health care challenges that are intensified by combat-related injuries and illnesses.

In rural areas, basic levels of health care or preventative care may not be available to support residents’ long-term health and well-being. Compared to urban areas, rural communities tend to have higher poverty rates, more elderly residents, residents with poorer health, and fewer physician practices, hospitals and other health delivery resources.

Just like any rural resident, it may be difficult for rural Veterans and their caregivers to access health care and other services due to rural delivery challenges, including:

• Hospital closings due to financial instability
• Fewer housing, education, employment and transportation options
• Greater geographic and distance barriers
• Limited broadband internet
• Higher uninsured rates
• Difficulty of safely aging in place in rural America

To find upcoming events, see the National VA Chaplain Center page at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-national-va-chaplain-center-16550545479.

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First-time candidate Tiffany Smiley is building resources in hopes of ousting the Washington senator in November

Tiffany Smiley, the military wife, nurse and first-time Republican candidate who’s running to defeat longtime Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state, raised nearly $1 million the past three months.

Smiley’s campaign told Fox News Friday the candidate hauled in $925,000 during the October-December fourth quarter of fundraising, bringing to $2.6 million the total she’s raised since launching her bid last April.

Figures that the campaign will officially release on Monday also show Smiley with $1.73 million cash on hand as of the end of 2021.

"I am humbled by the support our campaign has received, not only from my fellow Washingtonians, but also supporters from every state in the nation," Smiley said in a statement shared with Fox News.

"With over 21,000 donations and nearly $2.6 million raised since I entered the race last April, it is clear that our message is resonating," Smiley added. "Every day, I hear from Washington voters who are tired of wasteful spending, rising inflation, rampant homelessness and disappearing jobs and want accountability restored to the federal government."

Smiley grabbed national attention after her Army officer husband was permanently blinded during an attack in Iraq more than a decade and a half ago. She told Fox News last year that her efforts on behalf of her husband "opened my eyes to the failure of the federal government to protect and support our men and women in uniform."

Her push for reforms landed her on national TV and helped to push the Trump administration and Congress to pass reforms at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Former President Trump signed a bill into law in 2017 that gave leadership at the VA more power to fire failed employees and protect those who uncover agency wrongdoing.

Smiley noted that, in her drive for VA reforms, she worked with Murray and longtime GOP Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state. But in her statement Friday, she argued that "Murray has been in office for three decades, and the tremendous outpouring of support we have received clearly demonstrates that Washingtonians are tired of the status quo."

But beating Murray won’t be easy.

Murray, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, won reelection in 2016 by 18 points in reliably blue Washington. The incumbent senator has built a formidable war chest and had nearly $6 million in her campaign coffers as of the end of September. And polling last year indicated the senator holding double-digit leads in hypothetical 2022 matchups.

But Smiley, who enjoys the backing of the Washington GOP and was endorsed in November by Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a decorated Army Veteran, points to a poll released this week that suggested Murray only holding a single-digit edge over a generic Republican challenger.

The Senate’s currently split 50-50 between the two major political parties, but the Democrats’ hold the majority thanks to the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris through her constitutional role as president of the Senate. That means the GOP needs a net gain of just one seat in November's midterm elections to regain the majority it lost a year ago when it was narrowly swept in Georgia’s twin Senate runoffs.

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DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Veterans said a vaccination event at a metro Atlanta VA hospital was a disaster that left some stuck in traffic for hours.

Channel 2 Action News fielded dozens of calls Saturday morning about long wait times at Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Clairmont Road.

Channel 2′s Christian Jennings was at the V.A., where the event started at 8 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m.

Around noon, there were cars lined up as far as the eye could see in both directions. The line stretched more than a mile.

Many Veterans said they showed up several hours before their scheduled appointment times, which may have contributed to the congestion.

Clifford Foy and his wife Ada said they waited in line for hours Saturday morning.

“I’ve been in that line since 6:30 a.m.,” Foy said “Finally, it’s moving now.”

The hospital posted a message on its website asking Veterans with vaccine appointments to only come at their designated times. A flier for the event advertised vaccinations by appointment -- but also for essential workers on a first-come, first-served basis from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“My wife, she got vaccinated at Emory and that’s really organized, but this is a real mess,” Foy said. “I don’t know who came up with this idea, but whoever did they should put him somewhere else.”

The VA Healthcare System released a statement Saturday night, saying:

“On February 13, we successfully vaccinated more than 2,800 Veterans in the metro Atlanta area, and extended our normal vaccination clinic hours to 10 p.m., to accommodate as many Veterans as possible.

We acknowledge receiving an overwhelming response to our COVID-19 vaccination drive-thru clinic which led to unexpected traffic delays for many with appointments. We sincerely apologize and are working to rescheduled missed appointments as soon as possible.

We continue to assess our vaccination efforts and will make logistical improvements moving forward. To date, the Atlanta VA has already administered more than 7,800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Our goal is to vaccinate every eligible and enrolled Veteran who wants a vaccine, in accordance with CDC guidelines.”

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“The term ‘Veteran’ means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.”

That is the definition under Title 38 United States Code, according to the Social Security Administration.

A Veteran is someone who stepped up when called upon in the draft, or someone who volunteered without being required. A Veteran, in short, is someone who did what needed to be done.

So why is it always so hard to do what needs to be done for them?

Veterans are consistently the easiest group to forget about when it comes to fulfilling commitments and making good on promises. The massive backlog of cases at the Veterans Administration show that. So does the fact that about 11% of the adult homeless are Veterans, something that could be tied to the VA falling down on services — especially mental health.

Our Veterans should be the easiest group in the country to count up, because the government should be keeping track of them to continue to serve them the way they served us all. But somehow that doesn’t happen.

The most recent example comes with the 2020 U.S. Census.

The census form asks for information about households and individuals, including very detailed racial identifiers. It’s not good enough to just ask if someone has Asian ancestry. The form wants to know if they are Korean or Chinese or one of eight other categories — two of which ask respondents to fill in additional data.

A separate question asks about Hispanic origin, including country, including Puerto Rico, which is part of the United States. That question specifies that Hispanic origin is different from race.

The census form has lines for relationship between members of the house, age, whether that person might have another address like a college dorm or a prison cell or a military assignment.

It never asks about Veteran status, as a story in Sunday’s Trib described. It should. It would be one box. Are you a Veteran? Check yes or no.

The census is how we apportion more than legislative seats in Harrisburg and Washington. It’s how we decide where the money and the attention goes, and that is why we need more information about our Veterans.

The VA might have records of the 18 million or so Veterans in the U.S., and they might have addresses for those that have homes, but that doesn’t mean the government has a complete picture of the role of — or needs of — Veterans in our communities. The census could help with that.

“When it comes time for our elected officials to portion funding, it behooves them to know where these people are getting resources to live,” said Ben Stahl, CEO of the Veterans Leadership Program.

That is true. If nothing else, a correct census could help better decide where the VA could locate services to better get them to the Veterans who need them. Not all Veterans have the same needs. A Gulf War Veteran might want help with home loans while a Veteran who served in Afghanistan wants to go to school and a Vietnam Vet is struggling with complications from Agent Orange exposure 50 years ago.

We counted on them to do things — sometimes awesome and sometimes horrible — that needed to be done. Now it’s our turn to at least count them.

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As a Veteran and mental health advocate, I have witnessed service members struggle with mental health challenges in the field, in transition, and after discharge. Continuous work must be done to avoid adverse outcomes, including suicides. Programs in local communities and understanding the culture of various communities are critical components to working together as we seek to decrease suicide rates.

We need to continue sending messages to Veterans and families that we are all in this together. One Veteran loss is one too many. That one Veteran loss can have a significant impact on families and communities. Washington is the central place for securing funding, yet proper oversight of that funding is lacking. Additionally, a gap remains between Washington and local communities (especially rural ones) that need guidance with conquering mental health challenges among their Veterans.

After the distribution of funding from Capitol Hill, difficulties arise with following the funding. Does it get to the right places and people? Is it ultimately used for the purposes it was allocated? We should be capturing accurate data and announcing this more broadly and making more readily available to access. Across the board at regular intervals. In addition to keeping taxpayers informed, the organizations using the funding could learn from one another and modify their programs for greater success.

Sugarcoating data needs to be a thing of the past. Data cannot be manipulated to show us that positive outcomes are always occurring when the suicide rate among Veterans remains high. The suicide rate has remained steady at 17 per day for several years despite strong discussion among federal and state leaders, Veteran service organizations (VSOs), new programs and services, and increased funding. The only way changes can be made for our government and our leaders to produce transparent, accurate data.

The recent VA 2021 budget release showed a $682 million increase in mental health at VA. This would appropriate funding to maintaining the crisis line, hiring mental health providers, running the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicides (PREVENTS), and leveraging partnerships.

Fifty million would go toward implementing the VA task force findings, and another $3 million toward its administrative functions. We hope Veterans themselves are involved when it comes to appropriation of funds and decision-making, specifically those who have experienced suicide somewhere in their military careers.

There is nothing more valuable than having board members or decision-makers with intimate experience in critical positions to implement programs and services that carry meaning. Otherwise, funding will not make a significant difference. Instead, it will be another band-aid on a wound that has yet to heal after a long period.

VSO are large, and often represented at functions as one voice with a membership base of millions. VSOs serve essential functions, but there are huge numbers of Veterans who are not members of VSOs but who also deserve representation. In this case, all of us need to step up and create mental health initiatives that serve all Veterans in communities across the nation. Service members, Veterans, their families, and their caregivers know best what will and will not be effective in their local community cultures.

VA Community Care and the related budget has increased every year since its inception. Are community hospitals and clinics prepared to serve Veterans when they have a shortage of providers, especially in rural communities? Rural communities can also have difficulties recruiting and retaining effective providers. Continuity of care is essential, and high turnover rates are another primary concern.

Telehealth and telemedicine have become the modern method of providing care to patients in areas struggling with these issues. How much of the VA budget will be devoted to expanding telehealth programs and ensuring that mental health care is a component of said programs?

We also cannot forget about the shortage of nationwide providers. Attending medical school is expensive, and the amount of time to become a physician is lengthy. Burnout is something we should never neglect in the medical profession. Indeed understanding communities requires time, collaboration, and listening as opposed to just money and generic directives.

And although we have more communities across the nation than people they can report to regarding Veteran programs and services, we need to find a mechanism to create a more effective reporting structure. That may entail creating a centralized portal through VA and DoD, with Vetted communities and points of contact who can provide useful information as we seek to decrease the suicide rate.

Or it may be beneficial to have the VA Patient Experience Office take on the reporting role about experiences and outcomes. The VA Patient Experience Office should not just be dedicated to in-house user experiences; they should also help communities address our mental health crisis. They need to rise to the challenge of being one of the bigger houses of best practices.

The overarching question is whether increasing funding, combined with accurate data analysis, can make a dent in the suicide rate for the first time in a decade. Another important question is whether the government can take on the role of being transparent to the public. Transparency could be a strong driver for maintaining trust. Funding alone will not solve our Veteran mental health crisis.

Leaders can and should let Veterans become more involved in their decision- making processes, and an open-door policy should exist no matter what. A Veteran in a rural town, Montana, might have the golden ticket to reducing the suicide rate there. This won’t be fully known unless we encourage collaboration and communication with everyone involved. For those who feel left out and feel like the government will not listen to them, grab a paper and pencil or type a letter to your local member of Congress, the White House, or VA in Washington, D.C. Please make your voice heard because we are all in this together.

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Major General Dustin "Dusty" Shultz is not leaving the service just yet, but she's already preparing for her career after the military.

Shultz, a two-star general for the U.S. Army, told CBS News the transition is "pretty tough."

Finding a job after their military service affects nearly 200,000 veterans every year. Only one in four U.S. veterans have a job lined up after leaving the armed forces, according to the Pew Research Center.

Shultz, who learned to speak multiple languages over her three decades of service, is looking to add something new to her toolbox — learning how to translate her skills into corporate language.

"Business is a new language, you know? In the military, we have our own terminology. I work in the G-357 and to most people, that doesn't mean much," she said. "But if I tell somebody, you know, 'I work in the operations center of the Army,' that means a lot."

It's just one of the issues service members face when transitioning to civilian life.

A U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study from 2016 found that 53% of veterans are unemployed for four months or longer after leaving the military. Veterans who spoke to CBS News cited a lack of resources, underemployment and not having a four-year college degree as some of the obstacles that prevent them from getting a good-paying job.

American Corporate Partners, an organization that assists veterans in finding their post-military purpose through a network of mentors, helped First Sergeant Manny Morejonreyes, who served as a senior aviation leader for more than 20 years, in his job search.

"I really thought that it was going to be a little bit easier to be able to find a job," Morejonreyes told CBS News. "I concentrated my career on giving everything to the military. Most of the job descriptions do require you to have some sort of level of higher education."

Because he didn't have a four-year degree, Morejonreyes said most of his job applications were overlooked before T-Mobile hired him as a Human Resources manager.

Rich Comitz, senior vice president at American Corporate Partners, said mentors help veterans understand how they can convey the skills they learned during their military service on their resumes and in job interviews.

"They've learned some valuable skills from deploying service members overseas, the equipment maintenance, to all these different skills managing teams," Comitz told CBS News. "Oftentimes it's military jargon that they're used to explaining, and they help them translate that into what the industry is looking for in the areas that they're interested in applying to."

The New York City-based nonprofit has two free programs to help veterans: a nationwide mentoring program with more than 100 corporate partners and an online network that offers career and employment advice. More than 22,000 veterans have completed the mentoring program, according to the organization.

Veterans have qualities that should make them appealing to private corporations, Morejonreyes and Shultz said.

"The biggest advantage that a lot of veterans have are all those soft skills that most of corporate America takes years to attain — loyalty, integrity, honesty and a great work ethic," he said.

Shultz added, "They have the discipline. Sometimes they have just these phenomenally exquisite skills. And why are we not harnessing that?"

The corporate world is waking up to it, Shultz said.

"We still want to give the best of ourselves, and to be part of something bigger than ourselves," she said.

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People lost hundreds of millions of dollars. But something is happening that might finally stop it.

It was as if the website read Dan Meehan's mind.

“You deserve to not wait for your money any longer.”

Meehan, a 51-year-old Navy Reserve Veteran, needed cash in the spring of 2015, and he needed it right away. He had a check coming — he received $2,906.83 in military disability benefits the first of every month. Maybe he could leverage that to cover the next few rent payments.

Just $5,000 would do, he thought.

Meehan was a psychiatric patient in a Boston Veterans hospital when he sat down at a computer, typed "Veteran disability loans" into a search bar and found a Future Income Payments' website.

What he did later — dialing the number listed on the website — he said is the “biggest blunder in my life.”

Meehan fell into a carefully conceived trap that lured vulnerable Veterans desperate to keep their homes or pay off mounting medical bills or send a child to college. All they had to do was redirect part of their monthly benefits for a cash advance from investors.

It was too good to be true.

This business of buying and selling military benefits spread to at least 33 states before unraveling.

In the last two years, investigators cracked down on the companies. More judges ruled that their transactions violate states and federal laws.

The fallout created two sets of victims: Veterans and the people who provided them money.

Veterans, like Meehan, fell deeper into debt. Investors saw their nest eggs vanish as the Veterans stopped paying and the companies collapsed. They are factory workers, a school librarian and a former Clemson University professor.

Everyone lost more than money. Faith and trust and hope, too.

The architects of these arrangements were the only ones who truly profited. Their bank accounts swelled, sometimes into seven figures. Their riches came from high commissions, sometimes up to 50%, hidden fees and exorbitant interest rates as high as 240%.

Future Income Payments, the company Meehan contacted, ballooned into what's been described as a billion-dollar enterprise. Investors lost $451 million when that business burst last year, according to records obtained by the FBI.

Its founder, Scott Kohn, bought pricey artwork, high-end cars and a $1.7 million mansion in Las Vegas. He also lived in a $4.8 million California home with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

In March, Kohn, 65, was indicted in Greenville, South Carolina, on a federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud in connection with the buying and selling of military benefits. The charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. Jury selection is set for February.

Kohn was caught by U.S. marshals on a beach in San Diego on Sept. 21 as he tried to outrun law enforcement one last time.

Three of his associates are charged with the same offense. One of them, California businessman Kraig Aiken, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

Greenville has emerged as the national epicenter for legal battles over the sales of military benefits, an investigation by The Greenville News has found. In the last year, our journalists have traveled across the country and interviewed dozens of Veterans, investors and legal experts. They also reviewed thousands of court documents.

The criminal case against Kohn and his associates is unprecedented. The filing of charges might mark a new era that could protect Veterans and investors from a racket that's been remarkably hard to stamp out.

"Criminal prosecution, which I believe is deserved under these circumstances, may be the deterrent we need," said Stuart Rossman, director of litigation for the National Consumer Law Center.

How Veterans' cash advances left them deeper in debt and broke federal laws

Meehan was in a treatment program for trauma and addiction when he signed his contract.

He didn't tell his counselor at the Veterans Affairs center what he was doing. He couldn't leave the treatment program without permission, so he found a police officer in the hallways who moonlighted as a notary, and the officer stamped the paperwork.

For the $5,000 that Meehan received, he agreed to divert a portion of his disability benefits for five years. With a 100% annual interest rate, he wound up owing more than three times his original payout — $18,780.

Gulf War Veteran Stephen Schmelz had an interest rate twice as high. The disabled Army Veteran needed money for spinal surgery bills, according to a 2017 lawsuit filed by the Minnesota state attorney general. The $2,700 cash advance Schmelz took left him with a $27,000 debt.

The terms of the deal that Army Veteran Michael Haring received caused him to file bankruptcy three years later. Haring, who served in Iraq, got a cash advance in 2013 because of a costly divorce.

“I had the lump sum that solved my immediate crisis needs," he said, "however, what it did is it reduced my income every month, which in the medium and long term was bound to create additional hardships.”

Simply put, the scams worked like this: Companies provided struggling Veterans with cash advances from investors ranging from less than $5,000 to nearly $98,000. Veterans agreed to pay back the money over a period of four to 10 years, using the monthly income from their military disability benefits or pensions.

I had the lump sum that solved my immediate crisis needs; however, what it did is it reduced my income every month, which in the medium and long term was bound to create additional hardships.

What Veterans like Meehan didn't know is that these transactions were illegal, according to at least seven court rulings since 2011 in Arkansas, California, Oregon, Minnesota, South Carolina and Virginia.

The companies argued that they provided unregulated purchase agreements.

But judges ruled that these contracts were null and void. In some cases, judges said they violated state and federal lending laws. In others, the courts cited violations of federal anti-assignment laws.

There are no criminal sanctions such as prison sentences or fines for breaking anti-assignment laws, which date to the Civil War. The criminal cases against Kohn and his associates are based on allegations that they used interstate commerce and the U.S. Postal Service to commit financial fraud.

Veterans 'are people who we should be honoring, not exploiting'

A Government Accountability Office report issued in October said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs should do more to prevent the financial exploitation of Veterans.

One recommendation in the report: "Centrally collect and analyze information, such as complaints against companies, that could show the prevalence of these scams, help VA target outreach to Veterans, and help law enforcement go after scammers."

Susan Carter, director of the VA's office of media relations, said the agency is responding to the report's recommendations.

"What Veterans do with their disability benefits they receive from VA is typically outside of VA’s control, but the department works to educate VA benefits recipients about their risk to fraud," she wrote in an email.

Congress has also failed to act, Rossman said. Reform legislation was proposed at least three times since 2013 but has not passed.

The Boston-based lawyer first heard about Veterans selling their benefits as U.S. troops headed to Afghanistan and Iraq after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Veterans are particularly susceptible because their guaranteed income streams are akin to "waving a piece of bacon in front of a dog," he said. "It attracts scammers."

Rossman, whose father and father-in-law fought in World War II, said people who prey on Veterans represent the "depths of depravity."

"These are people who we should be honoring, not exploiting," he said.

Kohn directed his employees to use late-night advertising and the internet to reach people “who were in financial disarray and desperate,” a former executive said in an interview with an FBI agent.

Meehan fit the bill. He said he has suffered trauma. He abused alcohol and drugs for decades.

The money he received by selling his benefits only worsened his problems. He paid his rent first as he planned — but the leftover dollars fueled a relapse.

Global conspiracy, nationwide scheme head to courts in SC

The alleged conspiracy involving Kohn and his associates was a global one. He had employees in the Philippines. His company also had offices in Nevada and Michigan.

Charges were filed in a Greenville courthouse partly because of the number of victims in the area, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Ninety-six South Carolinians lost money in Kohn's scheme, the state attorney general's securities division said.

Greenville also is home to the civil suit that the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed against Kohn. Bureau lawyers are seeking $501 million in restitution and penalties. Kohn has not responded to this 2018 suit.

Besides the Kohn cases, attorneys in Greenville have battled over civil suits involving a smaller nationwide benefit-buying scheme. The central players in that enterprise were Arkansas businessman Andrew Gamber and Candy Kern-Fuller, an attorney from Easley, South Carolina, about 15 miles from Greenville.

Between 2016 and 2018, Kern-Fuller sued at least 34 Veterans from Maryland to California who stopped paying back their cash advances. One of them, a Marine in Massachusetts, said he was unaware of the suit against him that resulted in a $78,000 judgment until he was told by The News this summer.

Kern-Fuller filed all of the suits at the Greenville County Courthouse, just blocks from the federal courthouse where Kohn's case will be heard.

In September, a judge approved a settlement in three federal civil suits that were filed by nine Veterans against Kern-Fuller, Gamber and others. One of the Veterans was a woman who served in Iraq and saw several of her friends burn to death in a tank. Another was an Army medic who completed 700 combat missions in Afghanistan before a roadside bomb left him totally disabled.

Kern-Fuller and others agreed to stop buying and selling military benefits as part of the settlement. But they still dispute that it violates federal law.

There is little hope the Veterans will recover all of their money.

The 'lavish lifestyle' of Scott Kohn

Kohn was in the business of making businesses. Since 1988, the Michigan native created at least 47. There was Jewels by Kimberly. GoldyRocks. Krishna International Products. SK Judgment Recovery Services.

He founded most in either Nevada or California. Almost all are now defunct.

In 2006, Kohn pleaded guilty in California to three felonies for selling counterfeit computer equipment. He was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.

A few years later, he began building his benefit-buying empire. Future Income Payments was his flagship enterprise, but he had at least 20 other related businesses, including Pension Advance Carolinas and Pension Carolinas.

"We wake up in the morning and fix a cup of coffee," said Robert Rikard, a Columbia, South Carolina, attorney for a hundred investors who say they are among Kohn's victims. "He would wake up in the morning and start a company."

Kohn stayed out of the spotlight. He can't be found on Facebook. Or Twitter. He didn't make headlines — until he got arrested.

Kohn's favorite restaurant is IHOP, federal investigators said.

That's not to say he lived like the common man.

His house in Las Vegas, bought in 2016, had two putting greens in the back yard. He later lived in a gated enclave in California. Kohn's then-wife received $5,000 per pay period from Future Income Payments even though she did not work for the company, one of Kohn's associates told an FBI agent.

The indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Greenville spelled it out: Kohn lived "a lavish lifestyle."

His fortunes soured as state and federal regulators closed in on Future Income Payments. In the final days, the company devolved into a Ponzi scheme, according to Kohn's March 2019 indictment. It tried to stay afloat by funneling money from new investors to pay back previous investors.

During his six months as a fugitive, Kohn holed up in a San Diego apartment, Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins said.

Today, he is being held without bail. Kohn's considered a flight risk.

He does not have an attorney listed in federal court documents.

Black Harbor company is one of hundreds that found investors

On a Monday morning in September, six people sat among 40 chairs in a room at Furman University's Younts Conference Center in Greenville.

Matthew Dixon stood in front. He led a 90-minute seminar called "Social Security Facts 101 — A Workshop to Maximize Benefits."

He promised an individually tailored "complimentary Social Security report" from Black Harbor Wealth Management, where he is a partner. He promoted Black Harbor's weekend radio show, "Max Money Hour."

“I don’t do a little dog-and-pony show and try to backdoor you and make you pay for this thing,” Dixon said. “I’ve heard so many bad experiences that people have had with financial advisers... This is not going to be one of those.”

He didn’t mention that about 60 of Black Harbor’s clients have had bad experiences with the firm, according to lawsuits filed in South Carolina in 2018 and 2019.

The lawsuits seek to recover money for clients who suffered “devastating” losses. Black Harbor denies many of the claims in the suits, court records show.

The firm has offices in Greenville and in Seneca, about 40 miles away. It opened a location in Asheville, North Carolina, this summer.

Black Harbor was one of the firms Kohn relied on to find investors willing to provide cash advances to Veterans. According to documents obtained by the FBI, 300 sales agents across the country received commissions from Future Income Payments. Some of the agents were paid more than $1 million a year in commissions.

For about two years, Black Harbor peddled a financial plan that included life insurance policies with a death benefit and a source of retirement income. Clients also were encouraged to buy a second investment to fund the annual life insurance premiums.

Many of these clients said they didn't know the second investment was a cash advance to Veterans through Future Income Payments, according to allegations in lawsuits.

The investors could not afford the life insurance premiums after the company failed and stopped collecting from Veterans. When they defaulted on the premiums, investors lost most or all of their money.

“We believed, at first, it was a credible thing,” Matthew Dixon said in an interview at the Younts center. “We are doing the best we can right now to get these people their money back.”

School librarian is one of thousands who lost $451 million

Mary Orem said she handed Chris Dixon, founder of Black Harbor, a check for $50,507.59 in his Seneca office in December 2016. It represented savings from 25 years of work as a high school librarian.

Orem trusted Dixon, who is Matthew Dixon's father. He greeted her in his office waiting room with a hug, cookies and coffee. He knew people she knew.

"He was a personable guy, and he made you feel like he was here for you," she said.

Orem had started a new job at Tri-County Technical College in 2015.. The 58-year-old from Pendleton, South Carolina, was still years away from retirement.

Dixon promised he could grow her nest egg by 6% to 8% annually. Orem figured that would prevent her from spending her final years in a shoddy nursing home.

Now, she is unsure when she will stop working. She lost all but about $6,000, she said.

That's why she is suing Black Harbor.

"I know the world is scary and ugly out there and people are greedy and people are out for themselves; I just didn’t think I would run into anyone who would take advantage of me," Orem said.

She is among 2,600 people who lost more than $451 million in 2018 as Kohn's operation went under, according to the documents obtained by the FBI.

An Arizona-based marketing company called Shurwest introduced Chris Dixon and other insurance agents across the country to Future Income Payments from 2016 to 2018, according to allegations in lawsuits.

Dixon had no reason to believe that Shurwest would promote a venture "that would place his customers' assets at risk," said his attorney Benjamin Biard.

Shurwest "had a stellar reputation," he said. Even Dixon's wife invested — and lost — money.

An attorney for Shurwest, Jason Lewis, denied the company had a relationship with Future Income Payments. He said Shurwest fired an employee who secretly worked with Kohn's company.

“It is unfortunate that Mr. Dixon, a financial advisor and fiduciary, recommended a fraudulent investment product to his clients so he could make an extra commission," Lewis said in an email. "It is also unfortunate that Mr. Dixon now chooses to make false accusations instead of taking responsibility for his own poor decisions."

Rikard, the attorney representing Black Harbor's clients, said the insurance agents and financial advisers working with Future Income Payments didn't do their homework. He is also suing Shurwest.

"It's unbelievable that these people in the middle, who are fairly sophisticated and fairly smart people, did not do 10 minutes of due diligence on the product they were selling — and they would have known that this was a horrible idea," Rikard said.

Biard said Dixon and other agents have provided federal authorities in South Carolina with documents about Kohn's company.

"Mr. Dixon, like hundreds of agents across the country, remains committed to helping his customers get their monies back and bringing any wrongdoers to justice," Biard said.

'Make it Southern': Kohn's associates come to court inGreenville

FBI special agent J. Douglas Mathews launched an investigation in May 2018, according to a forfeiture action filed in February. Federal authorities want to seize a lakefront home in Arkansas purchased by Joseph Hipp, one of Kohn's indicted associates.

The first person Mathews interviewed was Jeff Pickett, a financial adviser in Dublin, Ohio, at the time. Pickett said 46 of his clients lost $8 million they invested in Future Income Payments.

In 2015, Pickett met Hipp, a financial planner from Missouri who managed investor solicitations for Future Income Payments. Hipp told Pickett he wouldn't hesitate to have his own mother invest, the forfeiture action stated.

It's unbelievable that these people in the middle, who are fairly sophisticated and fairly smart people, did not do 10 minutes of due diligence on the product they were selling — and they would have known that this was a horrible idea.

Hipp, 49, could not be reached for comment, and his attorney declined to comment. In court filings, he said he wants a judge to throw out Hipp's interview with two FBI agents last year.

The other two defendants connected to Kohn are Kraig Aiken and David Kenneally, former Future Income Payments financial officers.

Aiken and Kenneally traveled from California to the federal courthouse in Greenville on Aug. 8 for their arraignments.

They wore pullover shirts and khaki pants. Their lawyers wore suits, jackets and ties.

Greenville attorney AnneMarie Haynsworth Odom advised her client, Kenneally, to answer questions from Magistrate Judge Jacquelyn Austin with a "yes ma'am" or "no ma'am."

"Make it Southern," said George Workman Buehler, Kenneally's other attorney.

Kenneally responded as instructed during the hearing, and he and Aiken were released on personal-recognizance bonds.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins told the judge both men had “cooperated fully” by giving statements to the FBI and turning over evidence.

In separate interviews with FBI Agent Mathews last year, Aiken and Kenneally said investors were falsely told that Future Income Payments could cover losses from Veterans who didn’t pay back their cash advances. Even as losses mounted, Kohn brushed off their concerns.

Kenneally, who made $250,000 annually, told Mathews he helped hide the fraud because he needed his job. Aiken, who earned $175,000, offered a similar explanation.

A message to Kenneally was not returned, and his attorney declined to comment.

Aiken declined to comment to The News. He agreed in late October to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, court records show.

Authorities are trying to recover money for victims

Future Income Payments is in debt today.

It owes money to people like a retired Army medic from Minnesota. He's identified as "J.F." in a 2017 lawsuit filed by the Minnesota state attorney general.

J.F. took a cash advance for a down payment for a car, the lawsuit states. Nothing flashy, just something reliable so he could get to his volunteer shifts at an organization that helps Veterans.

Money was tight, and life was hard. He suffered a traumatic brain injury in the service.

In July 2018, a judge ordered Future Income Payments to refund $491,000 to him and more than 120 victims in Minnesota.

More than a year later, the company hasn't paid.

Since 2015, at least 13 other states have ordered Kohn's company to pay $68.4 million in refunds and other fees. Federal authorities are also trying to recover more than $400 million for other victims.

It's not clear how much money Kohn and his associates have.

A federal judge has instructed Greenville attorney Beattie Ashmore to track down what remains. Ashmore said about $5 million in assets have been identified so far.

“Unfortunately, in a case like this, the bad guys... were on notice that the gig was up, and they had a head start in terms of hiding and liquidating assets of probably a year or so," Ashmore said.

Between 2013 and 2018, more than $358 million was deposited in five accounts controlled by Kohn and his associates, according to FBI records.

Virtually all of that money has been drained.

Bilked Veteran seeks another chance and a better future

Dan Meehan now lives with his mother in her townhouse outside Boston. A trained carpenter, he does projects around their home instead of paying rent. He built her an office this summer. A kitchen renovation is next.

That's not the dream, though. He's a paralegal who wants to be a lawyer.

Meehan approached Harvard Law School's Veterans Legal Clinic in 2016. After he stopped repaying his cash advance, he sought justice.

"I started to clear up, and I looked back on the terms (of the contract), and I'm like, 'What the heck is this?' I just gave away $15,000 of my money for so long,'" Meehan said. "This can't be right."

An attorney at the legal clinic filed a lawsuit against Future Income Payments on his behalf. Meehan dropped the case after the Massachusetts attorney general banned the company.

Meehan decided it wasn't worth it, even though he wanted to be in the courtroom sitting next to lawyers he admires.

These days, he's sober, he said. He volunteers. He places flags on Veterans’ graves. He helps other Veterans file disability claims.

Meehan finds peace at the Fourth Cliff Family Recreation Area. It's a narrow, rocky beach near an ocean inlet 20 miles east of his mother's house. Veterans, active military and their guests have exclusive access to the seaside resort.

Meehan likes to fish there, but he hasn't caught a lot. That's not the point anyway, he said.

"It's about making myself get out into nature," he said. "It makes me realize how small we really are, how blessed you should be."

Meehan was there on an overcast Saturday afternoon in August. It was windy, and the eyelet at the end of his fishing rod was broken, but that didn't stop him.

He cast his line once, twice, a dozen times. Each attempt was another chance.

It could work, he thought.

Maybe next time.

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Senate lawmakers advanced a major Veterans suicide prevention initiative on Wednesday, creating a potential legislative path for the action on the issue by the end of the year.

But the measure also could turn into yet another election-year partisan fight if party leaders can’t find quick compromises on lingering policy differences.

The bill, the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, has been stalled in the chamber since last year but was approved without objection as lawmakers prepare for their upcoming August recess.

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., called the measure a much-needed new approach to federal suicide prevention efforts for Veterans.

“This bill will make necessary investments in suicide prevention,” he said on the Senate floor just before passage. “It will improve and support innovative research. It will make improvements and increase the availability of mental health care. VA will be required to better collaborate with community organizations across the country serving Veterans.”

The measure — named for Hannon, a Navy Seal who died by suicide in early 2018 — has been highlighted for months by some Veterans advocacy groups as a potential breakthrough measure efforts to curb Veterans suicide.

According to the latest department statistics, about 20 Veterans and service members die by suicide each day. More Veterans died by suicide from 2005 and 2017 (nearly 79,000) than the total number of U.S. troops who died in 30 years of war in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan (about 65,000).

The Hannon bill would broaden the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention efforts through a series of investments in outreach programs and scholarships for mental health professionals.

VA officials would be granted direct hiring authority to more quickly fill staffing gaps in mental health services, and a new grant program would encourage collaboration with community organizations in providing quick aid to Veterans in distress, especially in rural areas.

“The biggest challenge facing VA today is that we’re losing 20 Veterans a day to suicide,” said Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Jon Tester, D-Mont. “People have been looking for solutions and looking for solutions and the fact is there is no silver bullet. But what we’ve done today is give VA more tools in their toolbox to be able to address this problem.”

Many provisions in the bill echo proposals under discussion in the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee in recent weeks, as that panel has made its own summer legislative push on suicide prevention.

Late Wednesday, committee ranking member Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., called for immediate action on the Senate plan.

“It includes numerous provisions that would help fulfill our calling to support and protect Veterans at risk,” he said in a statement. “While we cannot bring the thousands of (Veterans lost to suicide) back, we can solemnly honor them and all of our nation’s Veterans by delivering this bill to President Trump’s desk without any further delay.”

But quick passage of the Hannon bill without any House alterations is unlikely. The Democratic-lead House committee has looked at different requirements for community mental health grants, body cameras for VA police to better track first-responders suicide awareness training, and broader discussion of safe storage for Veterans firearms — all items that aren’t in the Senate version.

Still, the momentum of a major Senate Veterans bill combined with the House committee’s work could provide some momentum on the issue in coming months, and possibly compromise legislation by the end of the year.

If so, 2020 could prove to be a key milestone in the suicide prevention effort.

Earlier this summer, the White House unveiled its own initiative — the President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) — designed to bring together federal agencies towards a common goal of finding solutions to the problem.

That work includes a new public awareness campaign about the signs of suicide and available mental health resources, as well as a promised discussion on lethal means safety.

Veterans Affairs officials have noted that only about one-third of Veterans who die by suicide have regular contact with department services or health care specialists. In recent years, as lawmakers and administration officials have worked to address the problem, the percentage of Veterans in VA care who have died by suicide has decreased.

Advocates say that points to an increasing need for outreach to Veterans unfamiliar with their military benefits, or still worried about the stigma of seeking help for mental health challenges.

Both the House and the Senate are expected to start their summer break in coming days. When lawmakers return to Capitol Hill in September (for a short legislative session before a longer, pre-election recess), House Veterans’ Affairs Committee leaders are hoping for action on their pending bills.

Veterans experiencing a mental health emergency can contact the Veteran Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and select option 1 for a VA staffer. Veterans, troops or their family members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.

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U.S. Veterans who receive calls or recorded messages claiming to be from "Veterans services" should have their guard up.

According to reports by the Leader-Herald in Saratoga Springs, NY, and KARE11, an NBC station in Minneapolis, scam callers are attempting to elicit financial and other personal information from Veterans. Callers may tell Vets there is a new type of Veterans benefit related to home loans. The reports say the scammers use caller ID spoofing to deceive their intended victims.

The scammers often leave voice messages, following a script that goes something like this: Your VA profile was flagged for two potential benefits to the changes in the VA program. These are time sensitive entitlements. Please call us back at your earliest convenience.

The voicemail includes a fraudulent call-back number for "Veterans services." Potential victims who call the number are offered "benefits," such as loan modifications to their mortgages, then asked for personal information, including social security numbers, dates of birth and bank account numbers.

Scammers who gain access to such information can use it to steal money from bank accounts or credit cards, or sell the information to other bad actors for use in identity theft fraud.

Other recurring phone scams preying on Veterans include the "Update Your Military File" scam, the "Veteran Charity" scam and the "Veterans Choice Program" scam, according to an article in Forbes.

An AARP article about Veterans scams reports nearly 80 percent of Veterans they surveyed reported being targeted by scams related to their military service.

If you get a call that offers any of the above "services," hang up immediately. If you get a voice message, write down the callback number and contact law enforcement to report the scam. Also, file a complaint with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov.

Any unexpected calls requesting personal or financial information should always raise a red flag.

Learn more about how to recognize avoid caller ID spoofing, phone scams, and unwanted robocalls or robotexts.

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Veterans facing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic will soon see extended debt relief options from VA. By extending debt relief through Sept. 30, VA reaffirms its commitment to helping Veterans getting through these hard times.

VA will continue suspension of collection on all Veteran benefit overpayments and medical copayment debts incurred after April 1, 2020.

VA is suspending this debt collection to provide Veterans continued financial relief due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My top priority right now is to do everything in our power to help our Veterans, caregivers and their families get through this challenging COVID-19 pandemic,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “VA will continue to find ways to provide real relief to 2 million Veterans and their families as we fight through this health crisis together.”

To assist with making informed choices for their situation, VA will notify Veterans of the existence of their current debt and the availability of expansive relief options. These options include making payments, and extending repayment plans, waivers, compromises and temporary hardship suspensions.

Veterans and beneficiaries with questions regarding benefit overpayments can see frequently asked questions, go online to submit requests or call 800-827-0648. Call volume is generally lower Tuesday-Friday.

For health care co-payment debts, Veterans should contact the Health Resource Center at 866-400-1238 for payments.

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Veterans can expect the Board of Veterans Appeals to launch a nationwide availability of virtual hearing technology in 2020. This technology will allow Veterans to connect with the Board via their mobile phone or laptop when using the VA Video Connect app.

With virtual hearings, Veterans will have the choice to participate in their Board hearing from the comfort of their own home. Currently, Veterans can only participate in their Board hearing in Washington D.C., or at a VA facility with video capability. This limitation is especially challenging when the nearest VA facility is hours away or if a Veteran must travel last minute.

“Customer Service is a top priority for VA and providing access to virtual hearings supports this,” says Chairman of the Board, Cheryl Mason.

Successful testing

Virtual hearing technology is based off the telehealth platform, which has seen amazing results. In fiscal 2019, more than 900,000 Veterans used VA telehealth services, a 17% increase from the previous year. Whether it’s telehealth or virtual hearings, it all comes down to one thing: choice for Veterans.

The Board began testing virtual hearings in July. It collaborated testing with VA’s Office of Information and Technology. The Board also worked with Veteran Service Organizations and advocates across the country. The good results showcase how this needed technology helps Veterans.

In the past, if a Veteran had to change plans at the last minute, he or she would need to be reschedule the hearing. This results in a longer wait time.

In action

This happened recently when a Veteran had to unexpectedly travel at the last minute. Fortunately, a Board hearing coordinator was able to help the Veteran access the proper application. They then ran the necessary connectivity checks, and instead of cancelling, the Veteran was able to proceed with a hearing. That hearing included multi-state connections, including the Veterans Law Judge (VLJ) who was in Washington, D.C. Thus, the Veteran did not have to wait longer for a hearing.

In another instance, a Veteran could not travel to the regional office for the hearing due to work and family schedule conflicts. The Veteran’s representative suggested that the Veteran try a virtual hearing, knowing that VA was currently testing that technology. The Veteran agreed and had a successful hearing via cell phone.

In early November, the Board expedited a terminally ill Veteran’s hearing request using virtual hearing technology. The Board made sure that the technology was ready and working so that the hearing could take place. The Veteran was able to testify at the hearing from a hospital bed while the Veteran’s representative was at the regional office and the VLJ was in Washington, D.C. In the end, the Veteran’s testimony was very helpful to the appeal.

With nationwide availability of virtual hearing technology on the horizon, Veterans will have greater access to Board hearings–and more choice and control in their appeals process.

For more information about the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, please visit: https://www.bva.va.gov/.

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Veterans unemployment in March fell to its lowest level in three years as the American economy continued to show signs of recovery from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The 2.4% unemployment rate for Veterans was the lowest monthly mark since April 2019 and the first time the figure has been under 3% since the start of the pandemic in early 2020.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate has declined steadily in recent months, from 3.9% last October to 3.2% in February. It translates to about 216,000 Veterans who were actively seeking work last month unable to find steady employment. That’s roughly half the total jobless Veterans from March 2021.

Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan War era — who make up 43% of the Veteran workforce in America today — saw their unemployment rate drop from 5.2% in January to 3% in March.

Veterans of the first Gulf War era — who make up another 28% of the Veteran workforce — posted an unemployment rate of 1.4%, the third time in the last four months that group’s mark has been under 2%.

The national unemployment rate has also decreased steadily over the last year. In March 2021, the rate sat at 6%. By February of this year, it was down to 3.8%. Last month, it fell again, to 3.6%.

BLS officials said the national economy added 431,000 new jobs last month. In a statement, President Joe Biden praised the jobs news.

“This is a historic recovery — Americans are back at work,” he said.

Although Veterans employment has generally outperformed the national jobless figures, lawmakers have introduced numerous jobs programs in recent years targeting former military members out of concern that their transition to civilian life could be more complicated than their non-military peers.

In the White House’s fiscal 2023 budget request unveiled this week, administration officials said they would ask for a $31 million boost in spending for entrepreneurial development programs targeting Veterans, women and minorities to ensure they have “access to counseling, training, and mentoring services.”

About half of the 18 million Veterans living in America today are in the labor force. The others are either too old or injured to work, or unable to find steady employment.

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The unemployment rate among U.S. Veterans in December fell to its lowest level in more than two years, before the start of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that sidelined hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide.

According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, the jobless rate among all American Veterans last month was 3.2%, down from 3.9% the month prior.

In February 2020 — the last full month before the coronavirus pandemic forced shutdowns and work stoppages across the country — the unemployment rate for Veterans was at 3.6%. It hasn’t been below 3.0% since December 2019 (when it was 2.8%) but had hovered around that mark for more than two years before the virus’ arrival.

The positive news on Veterans unemployment was paired with improvements in the national jobless rate. It fell to 3.9%, its lowest level since the start of the pandemic and the first time it has been below 4.0% since February 2020 (when it was 3.5%).

Officials saw significant improvements in hiring for manufacturing positions, leisure and hospitality jobs and business services work.

However, federal officials said even with the recent employment progress, about 600,000 more Americans sought unemployment assistance in December than the month before the pandemic began.

The 3.2% unemployment rate among Veterans translates into roughly 270,000 individuals still looking for work last month. About 8.1 million Veterans are of working age and employed across America today.

BLS officials reported that the jobless rate among Iraq- and Afghanistan-era Veterans — which can be more volatile month-to-month, due to smaller sampling sizes — was 4.3% for December, the same mark it hit in November.

Roughly 40% of the Veterans’ workforce in America today served in the most recent wars.

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The Veterans unemployment rate dropped sharply last month to 4.1 percent, the lowest level it has been since the start of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday.

The May 2021 rate is down from the 5.2 percent estimate for a month earlier and matches the unemployment estimate from March 2020, the first month of partial business closures and layoffs due to coronavirus prevention restrictions. The jobless rate spiked to 11.7 percent a month later in April 2020, and has steadily declined over the last 13 months.

Outside analysts warn that individual monthly employment snapshots for Veterans can be volatile given the limited number of Veterans surveyed by federal researchers. But Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, said the continued positive trend for Veterans in recent months is encouraging.

“It’s a good drop,” he said. “And I would suspect to see Veterans employment even more towards the end of the year, as manufacturing and construction jobs accelerate. Those are industries where a lot of Veterans are employed.”

The national unemployment rate fell from 6.1 percent in April to 5.8 percent in May, the first time that number has been below 6.0 percent since the start of the pandemic.

The hospitality industry — largely shuttered by the pandemic — saw the biggest gains, with more than 292,000 added nationwide last month. Those tourism-related jobs are major employers in several southern and western states, many of which have large concentrations of Veterans living there.

The Veterans unemployment rate has been better than the national rate 48 of the last 50 months. Frick attributed the improvement in the Veterans numbers of late to the broader national economic recovery, and not any Veteran specific trends or initiatives.

On Friday morning, President Joe Biden called the new jobs report “great news” for the country.

“Since [the survey was finished], 21 million more adults have gotten vaccinated, making it easier for them to return to work safely,” he said. “This is historic progress in pulling our economy out of the worst crisis it has seen in 100 years.”

The 4.1 percent unemployment figure still translates into roughly 380,000 Veterans unable to find steady work last month. Of that group, roughly 40 percent were Veterans who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan War era.

That group younger Veterans saw their unemployment rate fall to 4.0 percent in May, down from 5.1 percent in April.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A Veterans virtual career fair has been scheduled for May 4, 2021.

On Monday, Gov. Henry McMaster and the state’s department of Veterans’ affairs announced the event which they say will provide those looking to serve in a different capacity, the chance to explore career opportunities with over 30 state agencies and higher education institutions.

Registration for the Veterans Virtual Career Fair, which will run from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 4, 2021, is now open. Veterans can register by clicking here.

Each agency will have virtual booths where job seekers can take part in a video chat or set a time to talk directly with a human resources representative about available openings. Participating agencies include:

• South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy
• South Carolina Department of Administration
• South Carolina Department of Agriculture
• South Carolina Department of Corrections
• South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
• South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice
• South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
• South Carolina Department of Mental Health
• South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon
• South Carolina Department of Public Safety
• South Carolina Department of Revenue
• South Carolina Department of Social Services
• South Carolina Department of Transportation
• South Carolina ETV
• South Carolina First Steps
• South Carolina Office of the Attorney General
• South Carolina Office of the Inspector General
• South Carolina Office of the State Auditor
• South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority
• State Law Enforcement Division
• Aiken Technical College
• Central Carolina Technical College
• Clemson University
• College of Charleston
• Greenville Technical College
• Midlands Technical College
• Piedmont Technical College
• Spartanburg Community College
• The Citadel
• The Medical University of South Carolina

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The speed of the Taliban’s advance across Afghanistan in the past few weeks left US Veterans who served in America’s longest war “stunned and dismayed.”

“This one will hurt for a long time, man,” Sean Gustafson, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who deployed to the city of Herat in western Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007, told Stars and Stripes.

Herat, where Gustafson and other troops built schools, fell to the insurgents on Thursday. In just weeks, the Taliban has swept across the country as the US started moving its troops out after 20 years, leaving the Vets watching in shock.

Some told the military newspaper that the final days of the US presence should have been handled better.

“A complete pullout is not only unnecessary, it is sabotage,” said Army Staff Sgt. Seamus Fennessy, who fought in Ghazni province in 2010.

The withdrawal, he said, was “a betrayal of American and international forces who have expended so much in life and limb to prevent the resurgence of the Taliban,” adding that some troops should have stayed in the country.

Other Vets were deluged with messages from people they knew in Afghanistan seeking help getting visas to escape.

“Maybe we stayed longer than we should have, but the manner in which we pulled out, it’s just unfortunate, and my heart breaks,” said Christy Barry, who deployed to Afghanistan multiple times as both an Air Force officer and a civilian adviser.

“You pour your heart into it, and at the time, it feels like you’re doing something great and you’re making a difference,” she said. “And looking back on it now, I still feel that way, but it’s with a sadness.”

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In a job interview, client meeting, social or networking event, or any other important conversation, it’s vital to pick up on overt and subtle cues sent by the people around you. It’s called being able to “read the room” when you can watch for, respond and pick up on nonverbal cues to ensure your message is hitting the mark.

Studies show that non-verbal communications can account for up to 90% of the information shared. So cues that you hear and validate (or not) are critical to ensuring you’re communicating your value, delivering your message clearly and controlling your narrative.

If we ignore what others are feeling or experiencing as they interact with us, we can make mistakes, offer information that’s confusing and make others feel we aren’t relatable. When you can read the room, you can pivot your message, slow down or speed up your delivery, and ensure that the right people are hearing you in the right way.

As you navigate your transition from the military to civilian sector, here are tips for learning to read the room:

1. Look for Nonverbal Cues

As you assess the people around you, consider: Is everyone in a good mood? Was bad news delivered by the person who spoke before you? Is the group anxious about getting to lunch soon?

Then, look at the body language of the people you’re interacting with. Are they holding good eye contact with open posture, or are they scowling at you with their arms crossed as you share your ideas?

2. Consider the Overall Environment.

Then evaluate what you see. If everyone suddenly crosses their arms and squirms in their seat, are they chilled (did the air conditioning just kick on)? Or are they upset by your message and tone? The environment can play a big role in how people feel.

3. Use Silence Strategically.

Resist being the only one talking and intentionally use silence strategically. Let others voice their views and ideas, ask their questions and contribute to the conversation. Then when you speak, your message should carry more weight and importance.

4. Check the Story You Tell Yourself About What You’re Seeing.

If, for example, you see people appear delighted with the stories you’re sharing, ask whether there could be another explanation. Hopefully they are happy with your message, but is there another way to explain their delight? Always check the messages you tell yourself about what you’re seeing to ensure you’re not missing a bigger-picture issue or opportunity.

5. Stay Present.

Just as you resist speaking the entire time, also focus on staying tuned in and present. Good eye contact, nodding your head in agreement as someone else speaks and asking good follow-up questions shows them that you are listening fully and considering their ideas and views.

6. Pay Attention to Your Own Nonverbal Cues.

You would surely notice if someone you were speaking to was constantly looking over your shoulder to see whether someone else walked in. So will they. Be conscious of your body language, tone, posture and nonverbal communication to send the message and impression you want consistently.

7. Check in if You’re Not Clear on the Signals They’re Sending.

If you’ve observed a shift in someone’s non-verbal communications and aren’t sure whether they’re confused, upset or otherwise not connecting to your message, ask. It’s fine to ask an interviewer or contact, “Am I explaining this clearly?” or, “Any questions popping up for you?”

8. Consider if Your Assumptions Were Off.

Maybe the audience doesn’t support your idea or have enough information to consider what you’re sharing. Did you assume they’d be more receptive?

9. Consider if Your Timing Is Off.

Tell a joke that lands flat? Ask for the job too early? Looking for feedback from someone who doesn’t feel invested in you? Maybe it’s your timing that needs to change. If you deliver a message prematurely or at a bad time or ask for something from someone who’s not sure they want to help you, the message can be good, but the timing is not.

10. Reframe, if Needed.

Sometimes the best way to recover if you’ve misread the room is to start over. Restating what you meant to communicate can help you recover from a communication misstep.

Reading the room takes practice and attention. For your message and value to be fully embraced, pay attention to how others are responding to you as you speak.

The author of "Success After Service: How to Take Control of Your Job Search and Career After Military Duty” (2020) and "Your Next Mission: A personal branding guide for the military-to-civilian transition" (2014), Lida Citroën is a keynote speaker and presenter, executive coach, popular TEDx speaker and instructor of multiple courses on LinkedIn Learning. She regularly presents workshops on personal branding, executive presence, leadership communication and reputation risk management.

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New pass provides free lifetime access and waived recreation fees for Veterans

On Veterans Day 2022, the National Park Service will unveil a lifetime pass providing free entrance to national parks for Veterans and their families. The Interagency Military Lifetime Pass waives entrance fees for the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites for current military service members and their dependents, Veterans and Gold Star Families.

Veterans and their families have free access to approximately 2,000 public locations spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands, which host activities to fit any lifestyle—from serene to high octane, including hiking, fishing, paddling, biking, hunting, stargazing, camping, and much more.

The Military Pass has been expanded to include a pass that does not expire for Veterans and Gold Star Family members. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 authorized a free lifetime pass to national parks and other federal recreational lands for eligible Veterans and Gold Star Families. In recent years, they were able to receive annual passes.

Are you eligible?

For purposes of this program, a Veteran is identified as an individual who has served in the United States Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserve, and is able to present one of the following forms of valid (unexpired) identification:

• Department of Defense Identification Card
• Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
• Veteran ID Card
• Veterans designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification card

Gold Star Families are next of kin of a member of the United States Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situation,” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the United States while serving with the United States Armed Forces.

The America the Beautiful – the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Interagency Pass) Program

The Interagency Pass Program includes a free annual pass for active-duty members of the U.S. Military and their dependents. Current Military service members must show a valid (unexpired) Department of Defense ID. Dependents of current service members must show a valid (unexpired) DD Form 1173 AD or DEC.

Other free or discounted passes, including some lifetime passes, are available for persons with permanent disabilities, fourth grade students, volunteers and senior citizens age 62 years or older.

How to get your Interagency Pass

Interagency Passes can be obtained in person while visiting a participating site. Visit Places to Get Interagency Passes for a searchable list and be sure to contact the site before you go, to make sure they are open and have passes in stock. In addition, Military passes, as well as those for seniors and persons with permanent disabilities, are available online through the USGS Online Store with an additional processing fee. Existing passes remain valid. You do not need to obtain a new pass if you already have a Lifetime Senior or Access Pass.

For more information about eligibility and passes, visit Free Entrance to National Parks for Veterans and Gold Star Families (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

The participating agencies also offer several fee-free days for everyone throughout the year to mark days of celebration and commemoration. Examples of fee-free days include the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., National Public Lands Day, Veterans Day and the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act.

Fee-free days and fee policies vary among the agencies, so it’s best to check the agency website or contact the site you plan to visit in advance of your trip.

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With political divisiveness increasingly fracturing American society and distrust of the military on the rise, it might be up to service members to take the first step to bridge that gap, Veteran activists say.

During an online roundtable Tuesday hosted by the Veterans and Citizens Initiative, representatives of a variety of groups talked about the military-civilian divide, and how to fix it. The nonpartisan group of Veterans, military families and military support organizations formed last year to encourage a peaceful post-election period.

Sometimes, retired Marine Col. Joe Plenzler said, Veterans lament the public's lack of understanding of what they've gone through, without making their own effort to engage with their community. In fact, he said, Veterans have an obligation to serve and be leaders in their community.

"I have very little sympathy for Vets who do the hangdog thing, like 'Oh they don't get me,'" Plenzler said. "Come on, man. The only way they're really going to find out [what it's like for Vets] is if we take those active steps to engage. We can't just sit back on our heels and expect America to come to us, like some entitled class of people."

And there are more ways Vets can serve the community than just as police officers, firefighters or emergency medical technicians, Plenzler said. Vets could teach at their local community colleges and directly help young people to improve their lives, he suggested, but also help them understand where service members have come from.

Lauren Augustine, vice president of government affairs for Student Veterans of America, echoed those thoughts, and said Veterans and civilians have to look for things they have in common to build relationships.

"It's on all of us to be mindful that anybody you interact with is going to have a different lived experience from us," Augustine said. "If we have the idea that it's 'us versus them,' that's a terrible starting point to begin with. You've got to stay positive in how you start that conversation across the board."

Chapters of her group on college campuses try to build relationships with other campus groups, including student government organizations, LGBT groups and fraternities and sororities, she said. This not only allows the groups to work together, she said, but also creates natural opportunities for student Veterans to share their stories.

An SVA leader once organized a GI film festival at Florida State University, she said, that included a film and discussion about sexual trauma in the military. Augustine said a sorority member in that audience drew a parallel between the military's sexual assault problem and the Greek world's effort to stamp out that problem, which opened a dialogue and cooperation between the groups.

"We know there are problems we can solve together, and there will be natural opportunities to share both of our stories along the way," Augustine said. "The two communities, who you would never think have anything in common, they've really come together to address sexual assault and harassment on campus."

VCI's recent survey showed a lot of work has to be done to heal American society. When asked if the differences between Americans were so great they cannot come together, the 6,000 survey respondents became considerably more pessimistic over the last two years. In November 2018, 76% felt the differences weren't that great and 24% felt they were. But by December 2020, that difference had shrunk to 65% vs. 35%.

Researchers conducted two online polls last year and weighted the responses to account for differences in factors, including race, age, gender and region.

The survey found 94% of Americans felt the nation is divided politically, and 92% were worried for the future of their country -- a sentiment that was shared equally across political parties.

And though 51% of Americans felt it was possible for the country to come back together this year, only 39% felt it was likely, the survey found.

However, the survey found 61% of Americans felt Veterans were generally good role models for citizenship, and 56% felt the same about military families.

Most Americans also agreed that the nation needs to come together and support one another, the survey found, and that Veterans and military families were largely seen as trustworthy messengers for that sentiment.

However, the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and the involvement of multiple military Veterans dealt a noticeable blow to the public perception of Veterans' trustworthiness, the surveyors found in a follow-up online poll of 2,000 more conducted in early March.

Sarah Streyder, executive director of the Secure Families Initiative, a group that advocates for military spouses and family members, said the downturn in confidence in the military is frustrating but understandable -- for more reasons than just the Capitol riot.

Not many people serve in the military, Streyder said, and service members often come from multigenerational families, meaning fewer and fewer people have a connection to the military. And, she pointed out, not only was the military mobilized to respond to protests last summer against racial injustice, but some local law enforcement used surplus equipment provided by the military.

"Many over-policed communities find themselves on the receiving end of weapons that they rightly associate with the armed forces, whether or not it's in the hands of a service member," Streyder said. "I worry that when my spouse commutes back and forth from work in uniform, that that visual is going to either cause someone discomfort based on the affiliation, or cause someone to treat him with distress. It's hard for me to say that it's... an illogical reaction to current events."

Streyder and other panelists agreed Veterans and military families can help spread positive messages, such as by encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The military has tapped more than 6,000 troops to help administer the COVID vaccine to citizens at multiple sites around the country, though not all have yet deployed. The teams vary in size, but a single team can administer anywhere from 250 to 6,000 shots per day.

And because of their personal experiences, Streyder said, they're uniquely suited to the task.

"We look like the diversity of America," Streyder said. "We move around a lot and get exposed to different ways of living, which I think can help us bring new ideas to new places. Especially civilian spouses, we've had to build really advanced networking skills in order to simply make friends at a new base home.

"And I think that makes us really good at bridging connections with people we may have polar opposite backgrounds with. And gosh, we could really use a lot more of those skills and civic discourse these days, right?"

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Veterans and military members received answers to COVID-19 vaccine questions from senior medical and military leaders during a virtual session Feb. 4.

The forum covered a wide variety of questions about the vaccine, including the effectiveness, availability and length of protection.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, started the panel by addressing the sobering statistics. He said COVID-19, which has killed more than 430,000 Americans, is still killing more than 3,000 Americans a day.

“That is the sobering and sad news,” Fauci said. “But, the light at the end of the tunnel is the extraordinary success that we’ve had with the vaccine development program.”

Effectiveness

Fauci said Americans have received more than 32 million vaccines from the two approved, with four more under development. While millions already received the vaccine, he said some still have questions whether to get the vaccine. He noted that the two vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech had more than 74,000 trials. Fauci cited the “extraordinary” 94-95% effective rate, then added that there were no cut corners or safety issues – two facts independently verified by scientists.

“That’s the reason why many of you hear me, every day in the media, saying when your turn comes up, please get vaccinated both for your own safety, for that of your family and that for the American community in general,” he said.

Fauci also answered a question about the length of effectiveness. Because vaccinations are still in the early stages, medical leaders are still gathering data on the effective length.

“We hope it’s longer than a year,” Fauci said.

Additional questions

The doctor also said that those with autoimmune disease often ask if they should receive the vaccine. He said that that’s even “more reason” to receive a vaccine – to prevent serious complications or death.

Fauci then addressed a question about how the messenger RNA vaccine works. Other vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into a person’s body. Messenger RNA vaccines teach human cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. That immune response produces antibodies.

The RNA decays after a few days and does not enter a person’s DNA. The technology, he said, dates back over a decade.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Ramón “CZ” Colón-López said he recently received his second dose of the vaccine.

“I’m glad to say that I had a sore arm that subsided within a day as the only side effect,” said the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “I credit much of that with staying healthy and fit.”

Veterans receiving vaccine

Dr. Richard Stone, the acting under secretary for health at the Veterans Health Administration, said receiving a COVID-19 vaccine was a “personal decision.” He advised Veterans to talk to their medical provider at their VA facility.

Stone said the immunocompromised are at a greater risk for COVID-19, including severe complications. He said VA is focusing on high-risk Veterans first.

“We’re prioritizing based on risk,” Stone said. He added that vaccine companies are ramping up production, which will greatly increase the number of Veterans who can receive the vaccine. He said the faster Veterans get vaccines, the faster Veterans can resume normal lives.

“None of us are going to be able to resume our lives and be able to get out and do the things we want to do until we get to the point of 60 or 70% of the American population immunized,” he said.

Stone also highlighted VA’s efforts, which includes administering over one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Veterans and VA health care workers. He also said designated family caregivers of Veterans participating in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers can receive COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

Blue Star Families and the American Red Cross hosted the event. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place, director of the Defense Health Agency, also provided information during the forum.

More information

Read about a new rollout tool that notifies high-risk Vets when to expect their vaccine: https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/84122/new-tool-notifies-Vets-vaccine/.

To get the latest updates and sign up to stay informed about COVID-19 vaccines, visit https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/.

View the VA COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution Plan: https://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/n-coronavirus/VHA-COVID-Vaccine-Plan-14Dec2020.pdf.

Veterans who would like additional information can visit the VA COVID-19 vaccines webpage, visit their local facility’s website or contact their care team.

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A milestone has been reached for the PACT Act, which has been called the most significant expansion of veterans' health care in 30 years.

Veterans and survivors have now submitted 500,000 PACT Act-related claims for illnesses they say resulted from toxic exposure.

“I'd say it validates that there are many veterans who are waiting to get care for toxic exposure,” said Allison Jaslow, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “All they needed was permission.”

The White House said last summer, when the PACT Act became law, that this will help more than 5 million veterans.

The PACT Act expands care to veterans exposed to toxins during their service.

Burn pits used at U.S. bases during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were blamed for illnesses, including cancers, and brought this issue to the forefront. But pre-9/11 veterans who suffered toxic exposure are also covered under the PACT Act.

Darrell Owens, director of government relations at America's Warrior Partnership, said these burn pits exposed service members to a "vicious stew" of smoke.

The burn pits were used at forward-operating bases as a way of disposing of trash.

"So, everything that was garbage, whether it was waste, food, batteries, spare parts, extra uniforms, sewage, all that's being dumped into the pit and mixed with kerosene and lit on fire," he described.

Jaslow, an Iraq War veteran, said she was deployed near the burn pit at "Camp Trashcan."

"The smoke felt as though it had toxins in it, and it was really thick," she said. "It would settle into our encampment in a way that had everybody concerned for the entire time we were deployed."

Owens said health cases related to toxic exposure are complex, and for a long time there were questions about whether the burn pits and other service-related exposures were directly linked to illnesses that sometimes presented themselves years later.

The PACT Act expanded the "presumptive conditions" that qualify a veteran for Veterans Affairs benefits based on their exposure. They don’t have to prove that their service caused the condition.

A variety of cancers and other illnesses, including post-service asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, are now presumptive conditions from toxic exposure.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that the PACT Act is part of the nation’s "sacred obligation to care for America’s veterans and their families."

The VA began incorporating toxic-exposure screenings last fall for every veteran enrolled in VA health care. To date, 3 million veterans have gotten those screenings.

The VA says total enrollees for health care are up since the passage of the PACT Act, outpacing the previous year by around 30,000.

Owens said there’s been some confusion around the rollout, but he thinks the VA has the capacity to care for the new patients.

Jaslow praised the VA for actively promoting these new benefits.

“I'm the first to have some fair criticisms of the VA, but I think they've done probably as best as you could expect a very large bureaucracy to do in this instance,” Jaslow said.

She said she’s concerned that the VA will let its already-sizable claims backlog grow, though she said it’s no longer at the “crisis levels” the VA experienced a decade ago.

The VA now has about 215,000 claims in its backlog, down from over 600,000 in 2013.

Owens called the half-million PACT Act claims a “good start,” but he thinks there are a lot of former service members who aren’t yet getting the help they need.

“It is a big expansion of authority for the VA to be able to finally come out and take care of this stuff, but truthfully, it's been way too long in the process to get there,” Owens said.

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Come prepared with questions for your doctor

When was your last annual physical exam? Is that important?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – especially true when it comes to health care.

VA is dedicated to helping Veterans maintain their health and screen for various health risks through proper preventative care.

You can use VA resources like My HealtheVet to access your health records. Doing so helps you prepare for an exam. You also can message your care team securely with any questions you have after an appointment.

In addition, you can search the helpful information available at the VA Health Library to understand dozens of health conditions.

Elements of the exam

An average physical can include:

• A comprehensive physical exam catered to a patient’s age, gender and specific risk factors
• A check for heart health
• A lungs examination

• Skin screening
• A lab test, including blood count and cholesterol
• BMI (body mass index) testing
• Screenings for age- and gender-appropriate cancer risk factors

One of the most important aspects of preventative care is the partnership between a physician and patient.

You can help by being informed about your family medical history and researching your health conditions or risk factors.

Many patients are unaware that in addition to discussing physical issues, an annual physical exam also offers the opportunity to talk about any new or ongoing struggles with depression, PTSD, homelessness, drug dependency or an entire range of health-related issues.

The VA system prompts clinicians to ask those important questions. On some occasions, medical staff refers Veterans who screen positive to mental health the same day for further evaluation and management.

This is especially important as more and more research points to the association between emotional stress and physical illness.

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A message from Acting Under Secretary for Health Dr. Richard Stone

More than three million Veterans have served in Southwest Asia. Many of you were exposed to airborne hazards like open burn pits. I know during my time in Afghanistan we were downwind of a burn pit and exposed to a constant amount of particulate matter in the air from sand and other materials.

Join even if you don’t have health problems

Of all the Veterans who served in those theaters, fewer than 300,000 have signed up for our Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. I encourage all of you to sign up and learn more about how participating in the registry can help you get connected to VA health care and services you have earned.

Even if you’re not having any health problems currently, joining the registry can help us to really understand the potential health effects of these exposures and provide better care for all Veterans.

Join even if you aren’t enrolled in VA health care

Joining the registry cannot negatively impact your VA claim or access to care. You can join even if you aren’t enrolled in VA health care. That said, you can submit your registry information to support your claim if you choose. I also strongly encourage you to take advantage of the free, optional health evaluation that is a part of the registry.

I encourage you to come forward, talk to your doctors and medical teams, sign up, and ensure that we are better able to help all Veterans in the future.

Thank you for your service.

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Join 4.9 million Veterans already using VA’s Online Patient Portal

When the closest VA clinic is miles away, or you have a hard time traveling from place to place, the last thing you want to do is make a trip to the doctor’s office. We get that. Your time is valuable.

In 2005, VA created My HealtheVet next to a coffee shop inside the Portland VA Medical Center. The small kiosk (and floppy disk drives) are long gone. However, the concept remains the same. Give Veterans’ the opportunity to play an active role in their health care while saving them time in the process.

Today, over 4.9 million Veterans have registered online for VA’s patient portal, My HealtheVet, to refill their prescriptions, download and share their medical records, schedule and view appointments, and send secure messages to their health care teams.

Over 140 million prescriptions refilled

Get this: My HealtheVet has refilled more than 143-million prescriptions over the last 14 years. It could take you just a couple of clicks to order your next prescription. And it will be delivered right to your doorstep.

It’s easy to sign up for an account, and it’s completely free! You can even upgrade your account the next time you’re at a VA clinic to access all of My HealtheVet’s features:

• Refill prescriptions online
• Schedule and view VA appointments
• Download and share your medical records, including medical images
• Send secure messages to your health care teams
• Access to mental health resources
• Gain knowledge through the Veterans Health Library

Click to learn more information about My HealtheVet and start saving time today!

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As congressional negotiators say they may be getting closer to a deal to raise the country’s debt limit, Veterans Affairs leaders are warning that they have no way of protecting Veterans from the financial fallout if an agreement isn’t reached.

“There is no blueprint of what happens to VA if the debt limit is reached,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough told reporters on Wednesday. “But what is clear is that without the ability for the federal government to borrow funds, there is a very real potential that any government program or payment would be halted or severely delayed.”

Treasury officials have warned that the X-date — the day which the U.S. government will not be able to pay off its financial obligations without an increase in the country’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling — could come as early as June 1.

With the deadline less than a week away, White House officials and House Republican leaders are expected to work together on a compromise bill in hopes of passing something before then.

Unlike ahead of a partial government shutdown, when federal agencies issue warnings to impacted employees and beneficiaries, the department is not planning to issue any detailed guidance on the effects of a debt limit breach.

“There’s just no precedent for default,” McDonough said. “So it’s difficult to know the precise impacts on specific federal programs.”

But they could be severe, with a wide range of VA benefits and payments potentially delayed for days or weeks if the government can’t pay its bills.

Veterans benefits checks — about $12 billion in payouts are due to 7.1 million individuals early next month — and paychecks for more than 450,000 department employees are the two biggest possible casualties.

But McDonough warned that other payments from VA are at risk as well: $2.6 billion in checks due to outside health providers, some of whom may stop Veterans’ planned care if payments aren’t made; $835 million for roughly 57,000 outside pharmacy orders, which could disrupt Veterans medications; and $3 billion in support stipends to Veteran small businesses and other outside groups.

If any of that routine business is delayed or disrupted, McDonough warned, the effects could be “catastrophic.”

Earlier this week, Treasury officials announced they may be able to stave off the X-date a short while past June 1 by auctioning off new treasury bills in coming days. But they also warned that those moves will only provide temporary relief, not a lasting solution.

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For all these Veterans, this is both a matter of honor and national security

Rep Seth Moulton, D-Mass., spoke at a rally on Friday to demand presidential action for American's Afghan allies, such as interpreters who took great risks to help American troops and now are being left behind as U.S. military forces withdraw from the country.

Standing in Lafayette Square in front the White House, Moulton, a former Marine officer with multiple combat tours, said, "I want to thank Veterans all across America, Veterans of different political parties and different wars, who are coming together today and reminding Americans that we have a promise to uphold."

The rally came one week after the New York Times reported that the Biden administration was notifying lawmakers that the U.S. would soon begin relocating thousands of Afghan allies to third countries while they await processing for their special immigrant visas. However, congressional members on both sides of the aisle have yet to receive details.

According to Moulton, the solution is simple: evacuate our allies now. "I'm asking the administration for three things right now. One, adopt our plan or come up with a better one… Second, we need a commander. We need someone who is charge of this and accountable for getting it done, and third we need a promise… I don’t want to hear two months from now we’ve run out of time… We cannot leave anyone behind," the congressman said in an interview with Fox News.

The special immigrant visa program was created with the National Defense Authorization Act of 2006, and was designed to provide expedited visa processing for Afghans and Iraqis who worked as interpreters and translators for U.S. forces. For 2021, only 50 visas are authorized, while more than 17,000 eligible Afghans remain in the country.

Even before the U.S. withdrawal, the long wait for a visa was often fatal. Cress Clippard, a former Marine officer and Afghanistan Veteran who now volunteers with Combined Arms – a group that helps resettle Afghans and Iraqis who worked with U.S. forces – recently secured the evacuation of the family of a slain interpreter. Pulled from his car at a Taliban checkpoint, the former interpreter was executed in front of his young son as revenge for his service to the American military. "(He) had served more than 10 years with U.S. forces in Afghanistan, (but) was erroneously denied his visa," Clippard told Fox News.

"We had to get that family out of there," said Clippard. "Their oldest adult son had a threat from the Taliban… and we knew it was so urgent that we simply got them out of Afghanistan, and we were able to get them here to Houston, Texas, through a program called Humanitarian Parole, but it’s more of a Band-Aid solution."  

Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., also says he understands the danger these interpreters face, and has been pressing for executive action. Having served as both an Army intelligence officer in Iraq and as a civilian conflict analyst with an international NGO in Afghanistan, Meijer told Fox News that these host nation allies were crucial to U.S. forces.

"I’ve been on both sides of the blast wall in both of our largest post-9/11 conflicts… we have an obligation to those who risked their lives on our behalf… we cannot leave them behind to certain death. And you see this in Congress, there are Veterans who appreciate and understand the commitment that was made... often times with the promise that there would be a visa waiting for them if we left… if they were in harm’s way, we would take care of them the way they took care of us."

"President Biden is the commander in chief, he needs to order the Department of Defense… to execute on this… this is not something that Congress can order, this lies at the feet of the president," Meijer told Fox.

Meijer sees an inconsistency between how economic refugees are handled at the southern border and how the administration is managing Afghans who fought the Taliban and Al Qaeda alongside the U.S. military. "President Biden got rid of the remain in Mexico policy – because apparently for economic migrants that was inhumane – but he’s insisting on a remain in Afghanistan policy for the interpreters who we already know and we’ve already Vetted."

The rally was co-sponsored by With Honor, an organization "dedicated to promoting and advancing principled Veteran leadership in elected public service," according to its website. The organization’s co-founder and CEO, Rye Barcott, is a Marine Veteran with service in Iraq. He told Fox News that this issue is an excellent example of how Veteran leadership in Congress can help get things done. "We support over 25 Veterans who are part of the For Country Caucus in the House, and they have made this issue of protecting our Afghan allies a top legislative priority."

For all these Veterans – Moulton, Clippard, Meijer and Barcott – this is both a matter of honor and national security.

"If we break those promises, if we betray those and abandon those who served alongside us, people are going to remember that," Meijer said. "Not only those Afghans we betray, but also, in any potential future conflict, we are going to be looked at as a country that doesn’t keep our promises, that will cut and run, that will turn our backs on our allies, that will, frankly, be a country that can’t be trusted. I think that will be incredibly detrimental to our national security in the long term."

Moulton added, "There’s a moral imperative to future generations of American servicemen and women, that we show them that they will be able to make this promise on the ground in some other country someday, and people won’t look back to Afghanistan and say we broke that promise."

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Nearly 6% increase is the biggest in four decades

In another sign that the U.S. military is facing the same economic headwinds as the civilian population, the Defense Department announced Friday that military retirees and survivors will receive a 5.9% cost-of-living boost in pay and survivor benefits.

It’s the largest such bump-up in percentage terms since 1982, reflecting sharply increasing numbers for U.S. inflation overall since the summer.

The Defense Department said the hike, which takes effect on Jan. 1, was calculated based on the official Consumer Price Index for the 12 months ending Sept. 30.

The move comes just two days after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a temporary 10% boost in the basic housing allowance for service members, justifying the move as a way to meet rising economic challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pentagon officials say those in the ranks are facing rising levels of food insecurity, extended wait times for housing, drastically reduced housing inventories and sudden, sharp increases in rents and home prices in markets across the country.

“Our men and women in uniform and their families have enough to worry about. Basic necessities, like food and housing, shouldn’t be among them,” Mr. Austin told reporters Wednesday, labeling the economic stress a “readiness issue.”

Led by surging food and gas prices and continuing supply chain bottlenecks, U.S. consumer goods inflation jumped by nearly a full percentage point in October, posting the biggest annual gain in 31 years.

The Biden White House said the rising prices reflect temporary pressures largely tied to the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. But many economists say government spending under Mr. Biden has been a major contributor and that rising prices may not abate for some time to come.

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WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs agreed to preserve Ashford University’s eligibility to receive GI Bill benefits after years of whistleblowers, Veterans, and state officials sounding the alarm over the school’s alleged predatory habits aimed at Veterans.

Ashford, which is based in San Diego, is a primarily online university that has a long history of battling to hold on to its access to tens of millions of dollars in GI Bill funds — a key source of revenue for the school. Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group primarily for student Veterans, said the VA is violating the law for approving federal benefits to be used at a school that “engaged in deceptive advertising or recruiting.”

"It is outrageous that VA continues to violate federal law in order to help for-profit colleges while throwing Veterans under the bus," Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, said in a prepared statement. "Veterans have legal rights to be protected from fraud and VA has a legal obligation to stop funding that fraud — but VA keeps refusing to follow the law."

Most states have an authority that approves a school’s qualifications for eligibility to receive GI Bill funds. However, in October, VA pulled California’s oversight of military education benefits after a long dispute over how to regulate for-profit schools. Since 2017, VA also has acted as the eligibility authority for schools in six other states, according to the department.

In 2017, California’s attorney general sued Ashford for defrauding and deceiving students.

“Ashford University preyed on Veterans and people of modest means,” Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “This for-profit college illegally misled students about their educational prospects and unfairly saddled them with debt.”

VA approved all but 20 of Ashford’s programs, which were either in the process of being voluntarily discontinued by the university or failed to meet requirements for approval, according to the department. The school has 91 programs, and the 20 unapproved programs failed to satisfy at least one of two provisions, VA said.

“One provision requires both accredited and non-accredited programs that are designed to prepare an individual for licensure or certification to meet state requirements in order to be approved for purposes of VA education benefits. The second provision requires programs offered by non-accredited and for-profit schools to be consistent in curriculum and content with similar programs offered by public and private, not-for-profit, schools in the state,” VA spokeswoman Susan Carter wrote in an email.

The Ashford programs not approved by the VA include a Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education, a master’s degree in public health, and a Master of Arts in special education.

“The 20 programs that were not approved by the VA do not represent a significant number of students and will not result in a material impact to Ashford's total enrollment,” according to a news release from Zovio, the company that owns Ashford. Zovio did not respond to a request for additional comments.

In 1974, Congress banned the GI Bill from being used at schools that relied on misleading advertising and recruiting to enroll Veterans. In 2018, Ashford received more than $27 million in Post-9/11 GI Bill revenue, according to VA data, with nearly 7,000 student Veterans enrolled, making the university the sixth-largest recipient of GI Bill funds in the country.

Wofford said for-profit colleges target Veterans largely because of the so-called “90/10 loophole.” The 90/10 rule requires that for a for-profit school to be eligible to receive federal student assistance, it must find at least 10% of its revenue from sources other than federal aid. The idea being legitimate for-profit schools should be able to recruit students willing to pay out of their own pockets and taxpayers wouldn’t be propping up failing schools. However, the GI Bill does not count towards this federal aid limit, despite those dollars coming from federal funding.

“One thing that's terrible for Veterans and service members is that they are targeted for fraud and deception because of a loophole in federal law. We're working hard to close this loophole in Congress,” Wofford said. “Right now, the loophole incentivizes for-profit colleges to see Veterans as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform because the colleges count GI Bill funds and military funds as private revenue to offset the cap on federal funds the schools otherwise face."

Zovio said in its news release that Ashford’s revenue is below the 90/10 rate.

A 2018 audit from the VA inspector general found roughly 11,200 students using GI Bill benefits will enroll in programs that violate VA standards, costing the federal government about $585 million in improper payments per year. The bulk of that money goes to for-profit colleges. The inspector general estimates those figures could balloon to 17,000 students and $2.3 billion in five years, if nothing changes.

The aggressive recruiting practices at some for-profit colleges, including Ashford, has also prompted years of congressional investigations. A 2012 Senate investigation found Ashford University routinely told Veterans their GI Bill would fully cover the cost of tuition. At least one Veteran owed $11,000 that his federal benefits wouldn’t cover, the investigation found.

“The pressure we put on these students to get their VA documents completed was crucial to Ashford’s retainment strategy,” Eric Dean, a former Ashford recruiter and Navy Veteran, said last year at a House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing. “The money from the GI Bill is crucial to the survival of for-profit universities. The GI Bill money is key to the structure of places like Ashford. They need it to survive, which means they have to target Veterans to keep their shareholders happy. Again, this is all about putting profit above education.”

In 2011, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions heard testimony from Arlie Thoreson Willems, a retired administrator of the Iowa Department of Education. Willems testified she and her colleagues regularly received calls from across the country about Ashford graduates’ lack of eligibility to obtain a teaching credential in their state, many of them from students who were misled by Ashford’s recruiters regarding that eligibility, forcing students to start over their college education in their home state.

In 2016, Ashford lost its approval for GI Bill funds in Iowa, but later sued the state and lost in 2017. Due to Ashford losing its credentials in Iowa, a Veteran attending the school found out right before his graduation that he would not earn his teaching license. He was told he would have to attend a “cooperating school” in Arizona for one year, according to the 2012 Senate report.

When the school failed to secure approval in California, it relocated to Arizona in 2017. The school offered no courses in Arizona, but signed a lease for a 2,454 square foot space and called it a headquarters, according to The Chronical for Higher Education, which reports on the industry. The VA gave Ashford 60 days to obtain approval from California, back when the state was the approving authority. The state again declined to approve Ashford, citing the school's entanglement in legal issues alleging it used "erroneous, deceptive, or misleading advertising policies." In 2019, Washington state booted Ashford from operating in the state.

"Ashford University if not permitted to engage in any actions that constitute 'operating' in Washington state," Sam Loftin, director of consumer protection said in a statement. "[This includes] engaging in targeted advertising, promoting, publicizing, soliciting, or recruiting for the institution. Students enrolled in field placements for the current term may complete their field placement experience, but no future field placements may be offered."

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Thousands of Veterans pursuing science and engineering degrees may have missed out on extra education benefits to finish their coursework because of confusion over Veterans Affairs assistance programs, according to a new government watchdog report.

At issue is the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, launched in 2019. The benefit is designed to help Veterans finish degree programs in certain science and engineering fields after they have exhausted their GI Bill payments.

Eligible Veterans can get up to $30,000 over nine months through the Rogers scholarship.

But a new Government Accountability Office report found that through the first three years of the program, only about 3,500 students were approved, with nearly double that number denied for unclear reasons. Thousands more who may have been eligible never applied in part because of a lack of understanding about the scholarship’s rules.

“Veterans who need additional time to complete a degree may be able to use the Rogers STEM scholarship, but issues with VA’s communications may hinder their efforts to use it,” the researchers wrote.

“Some of VA’s outreach materials and letters to Veterans regarding the scholarship benefits and application process are not clear and may cause Veterans to misunderstand the benefits available to them or hinder their access to the scholarship. Moreover, because VA does not collect specific data on applications, the agency cannot identify the most common reasons for denying applications.”

About 134,000 Veterans used department education benefits to pursue a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field between 2018–2021, VA officials estimated. That accounts for roughly 40% of all individuals attending school on the Post-9/11 GI Bill during that period.

The most common fields of study were computer and information sciences, medical professional work and engineering.

GAO officials said that STEM degrees can be particularly difficult for Veterans to complete before their GI Bill benefits are used up because of math and science prerequisites that can delay enrollment in subsequent classes.

Programs like the Rogers scholarship should help cover that additional delay. But GAO researchers said that navigating the application process is difficult because VA rarely offers specific reasons for rejections.

Despite VA referring to the Rogers scholarship as a “Post-9/11 GI Bill extension,” the program only is open to Veterans (not dependents attending school on a family members’ GI Bill) and only covers certain areas of study.

Veterans who apply for the scholarship with more than six months of GI Bill benefits left are automatically denied, but GAO officials said the VA does not always inform those Veterans they might be eligible if they reapply later on.

And applicants who may not have enough coursework completed when they apply also could be eligible in the future, but are not always given that information, the GAO report states.

VA officials expect overhaul outreach and informational materials regarding the scholarship over the next six months. They also plan on more in-depth tracking of denials to better understand where problems exist, with an eye towards improving processing and communication.

Congress authorized $175 million for the Rogers scholarship program since its start, but the department so far has spent less than $58 million of that.

More information on the scholarship is available at the VA website.

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Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie on Tuesday criticized the current Veterans benefits system in America as being too focused on providing financial rewards to ailing individuals instead of helping them move past those challenges to post-military success.

“We’re focused on getting Veterans checks and not getting them well and getting them back into society,” he said during an American University event on Tuesday.

“The purpose of VA is to care for those .. who have suffered as a direct result of their military service. In my experience, the encouragement of many of the [support] groups give to people coming out of the service, it’s almost as if they encourage them to play disability. And it is incredibly destructive to the system.”

He suggested that the list of injuries and illnesses making Veterans eligible for financial support may be too expansive, with issues that are more attributable to aging than military deployments. That in turn encourages Veterans to seek payouts from VA instead of finding ways to work and integrate into civilian life.

The comments came during a roundtable discussion with Daniel Gade, retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and a former Virginia Senate candidate, about his new book on the Veterans Affairs system. The volume is titled “Wounding Warriors: How Bad Policy is Making America’s Veterans Sicker and Poorer.”

About 40 percent of all post-9/11 Veterans have some type of service-connected disability, as compared to about 26 percent of all Veterans in America today, according to estimates from the Department of Labor.

Wilkie, who served as the head of Veterans Affairs for almost three years under President Donald Trump, described the department as “incredibly resistant to reform” and blasted Veterans lobbyists as worsening the problem with their viewpoints of always expanding benefits and services, rather than catering to Veterans with specific military-related needs.

“We put those who hold the Purple Heart in the front line when it came to compensation and compensation decisions,” he said. “The howls from the professional class were deafening, as was the response from many in Congress, because they believe that anyone who’s put on a uniform should be treated just like all the others.

“That is a disconnect that we as a nation have to have to address.”

Wilkie said his work running the department helped reform some of those practices, but not enough.

Gade, a White House staffer during President George W. Bush’s administration, said his book is designed to broach conversations about sweeping reforms within the Veterans disability process, including the idea that Veterans should get compensation or treatment for ailments that do not have a direct, immediate link to military wounds.

“We pay Veterans to be sick, and then we wonder why we have so many sick Veterans,” he said.

The two men’s comments came at the same time that current VA Secretary Denis McDonough delivered the annual “State of the VA” address ahead of the Veterans Day holiday. In it, McDonough vowed that “no [Veteran] is going to have to fight to get the quality care, benefits and services that they earned.”

Veterans Affairs officials processed more than 1 million disability claims last fiscal year, setting a new case record, but have seen a growing backlog of overdue claims decisions as pandemic delays and new eligibility rules have increased staff workload.

Wilkie said improvements can’t be made without fundamental changes in how Veterans groups and lawmakers view the system. But he also took aim at “the lobbyists in Washington” focused on Veterans issues for being an obstacle to reform rather than allies.

Most of those Veterans groups called for Wilkie’s resignation during his final weeks in office, after a series of internal investigations found he mishandled sexual assault claims filed by a congressional staffer who was visiting the Washington, D.C. VA Medical Center.

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Proposed changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs disability ratings system will mean lower payouts for veterans with sleep apnea and tinnitus in the future but higher payouts for veterans facing mental health challenges like post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

The changes are part of a months-long review of the department’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities, which governs how VA staffers evaluate and compensate veterans with service-connected injuries.

In a statement, Thomas Murphy, acting VA undersecretary for benefits, said the goal of the work was not to reduce or increase the number of veterans receiving disability benefits but instead to ensure that “veterans receive decisions based on the most current medical knowledge relating to their condition.”

For veterans currently receiving those payouts, the changes will not take away any existing benefits or lower their disability rating. They could see their ratings increased based on the changes, if the new rules end up more advantageous to their health situation.

But veterans who apply for benefits in the future will see a different set of standards applied to their cases than their older peers, and that could have significant financial ramifications for those individuals.

Under VA rules, a disability rating of at least 10 percent can mean monthly payouts of more than $140 for a veteran. One who receives a disability rating of 100 percent — either from a single service-related condition or a combination of injuries and illnesses — can get about $3,100 a month in disability compensation.

VA did not provide any information on how the changes will affect its budget.

Outside critics have lamented that the current ratings system too frequently compensates veterans for conditions that are treatable and do not prevent them from maintaining a full-time job.

But veterans advocates have said the system is still cumbersome and difficult to navigate, often forcing veterans to wait for months or years to get compensation for disabling conditions that are obvious to even those without a medical degree.

The number of veterans receiving compensation for sleep apnea — interrupted breathing during sleep — has risen sharply in recent years, from less than 1 million individuals in fiscal 2015 to more than 1.3 million in fiscal 2019, according to the department’s inspector general.

Under proposed changes outlined in the Federal Register on Tuesday, VA officials for the first time could offer a “0 percent evaluation” for asymptomatic sleep apnea, allowing the department to formally acknowledge a veteran’s condition without requiring any compensation if the condition is easily controlled with treatment.

Veterans would receive ratings of 10 percent or more for sleep apnea “only when treatment is either ineffective or the veteran is unable to use the prescribed treatment due to comorbid conditions.” Currently, veterans can receive a rating of 10 percent or more for the condition even if treatments are effective at dealing with the condition.

Similarly, veterans diagnosed with tinnitus — a high-pitched ringing caused by damage to the ears — would face a higher bar for higher levels of disability compensation. More than 1.5 million veterans are currently receiving disability benefits for the condition.

Officials said those changes would likely reduce the number of veterans qualifying for disability ratings of 10 percent or more, although they noted the number of veterans who have the condition entered into their case files for future reference would not change.

In contrast, veterans dealing with mental health issues would see a lower bar for getting increased disability ratings under the changes.

Conditions like anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder would be evaluated on how they affect veteran’s ability to perform everyday functions, with even mild impairment available for compensation.

The proposed rules state the changes better recognize the impact of mental health on individuals’ well-being “by placing greater emphasis on a disabled veteran’s ability to function in the work setting, rather than focusing on symptoms alone.”

Past VA studies have estimated as many as one in every eight veterans may suffer from post-traumatic stress or related mental health issues, but outside experts have said the requirements for proving impairment under the current disability ratings system remains difficult.

VA officials do not have a planned implementation date for the ratings changes. The public has 60 days to provide feedback on the proposals before any final deadlines can be set.

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The countdown to the VHA Innovation Experience continues

“Innovating is hard. It’s not easy. It’s a lot of hitting walls. It’s a lot of no’s. So why do I innovate? Because we know that when we get it right we’re going to change patient’s lives. And that’s why we innovate.”

That’s the energy, creativity and passion that drive innovation at VA. It’s the essence of Beth’s and every other innovator’s story, and at the VHA iEx Talk, October 22 and 23 during the VHA Innovation Experience (iEx), you will get to hear those stories and experiences of 19 other innovators. All of them share a common vision: driving mission-driven innovation at VA. That’s why VHA’s Innovation Ecosystem is a leader in healthcare innovation. Over two days, 20 VHA storytellers will take you on their innovation journey. They will inform, inspire and show you how innovation is changing and saving Veterans lives.

You will hear and see how:

Amanda Purnell, PhD, VA St. Louis Health Care System (St. Louis, MO) and Innovation Specialists across the country are providing Human Centered Design (HCD) training to help empower and engage staff in creating solutions to challenges they experience. Over 1,000 staff across the country have attended HCD trainings at their facility.

Daniel Abrahamson, L/CPO and G. Eli Kaufman, L/CPO, VAPuget Sound Health Care System (Seattle,WA) have pared down a mobile toolkit and streamlined the cost-effective model Mobile Orthotic & Prosthetics Services (Mobile OPS) for delivering care at the location of the patient’s choosing. Mobile OPS aims to fulfill Lincoln’s promise to care for all Veterans, not just those that are able to come into our care centers to receive services.

Cory E. Fominaya, PharmD, BCPS, Ralph H. Johnson VAMedical Center (Charleston,SC) is using Machine Learning to audit pharmacy special eligibility benefits and has reviewed more than 44 million prescriptions and 114 million associated decision-points over the past 3 years. The six-facility pilot has returned more than $260,000 to medical centers and delivered a return on investment up 200:1.

These are only three of the 20+ stories you will hear from VHA innovators who are transforming Veteran care. Want to know more about these innovations and the stories behind them? Watch live on Oct. 22 and 23 on VA YouTube page. More details on how to watch are coming soon so stay tuned for further updates or follow VHA Innovation on Facebook and Twitter.

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David L. Price shared video from his surveillance cameras on Facebook as a thank you to the man.

In the surveillance video, the driver from Dead River Company sees the flag on the ground and puts it back up.

Price was a Marine and served in the Gulf War. He says he shared the video with Dead River Company, too, and the president called to thank him.

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A Veterans Affairs employee was captured on surveillance video brutally beating an elderly Vietnam Veteran at a Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic in April, according to a shocking video first revealed this week.

Phillip Webb, 73, was attacked at the Fort McPherson VA clinic in Atlanta, Ga. on April 28, according to WSB-TV. Video of the beating was released on Monday by investigative reporter Justin Gray on Twitter, who obtained the video via a Freedom of Information Act request.  

“I’ve obtained by FOIA surveillance video of the brutal beating of elderly Vietnam Vet by a VA employee at an Atlanta VA clinic. @2Investigates was 1st to report on the attack last month. The attacker, Lawrence Gaillard is still employed by VA. @wsbtv at 6,” Gray tweeted.

Lawrence F. Gaillard Jr., the VA employee who brutally beat Webb, was arrested and charged for the attack.

According to WSB-TV, Gaillard was still employed at the VA despite being arrested for the brutal beating.

“For them to let him come back to work, that’s dangerous,” Webb said.

The video shows Gaillard putting his finger in Webb’s face. Webb tries to brush it away, at which point Gaillard aggressively shoves Webb against the wall and chokes him using both hands. Gaillard then flips Webb over a chair, slamming him into the ground before stomping on his head. He kicks Webb in the head a second time and slowly walks out the door.

WSB-TV reported that Gray showed Webb footage of the assault, but the Veteran said he couldn’t really remember what occurred.

Webb told the outlet that he was trying to notify Gaillard that he was going to the bathroom just before the attack. Webb had been waiting to schedule a hernia surgery at the time.

“I guess he got upset because I hit at his door,” said Webb, who spent three days in the hospital with a bleeding brain after the assault.

“He was Mike Tyson-ing me there,” Webb said. “I’m just stunned. I don’t know what to say.”

The initial charges against Gaillard were filed in federal court, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office dropped the charges due to jurisdictional issues. The Fulton County District Attorney has taken over the investigation.

“We are horrified at the video of a V.A. employee assaulting a Veteran at the Atlanta VA Health Care System on April 28,” the VA said in a statement. “This disturbing behavior is contrary to our core values of treating Veterans with the dignity and respect they deserve. We take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with Fulton County law enforcement.”

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A Vietnam War Veteran was bitten more than 100 times all over his body by ants while he lay in poor health in his bed on the campus of an Atlanta Veteran Affairs hospital just days before he passed away.

Laquna Ross, the daughter of Air Force Veteran Joel Marrable, was visiting her father at the Eagle's Nest Community Living Center, a nursing home for Veterans on the Atlanta VA Medical Center campus, where he was being treated for cancer, when she noticed her father's hands were swollen and his body was covered with red bumps.

Ross said she alerted a medical center staffer to her father's new ailments and was "worried and confused because that wasn't how he looked when I saw him the last time," she told ABC Atlanta affiliate WSB-TV

The response she got from the employee shocked her.

"[The staff member] said, 'You know, the ants,'" Ross said. "The staff member says to me, 'When we walked in here, we thought Mr. Marrable was dead. We thought he wasn't even alive, because the ants were all over him.'"

Marrable died just days later.

"Yes, he had cancer. Yes, he was going to die," Ross said. "If it didn't promote his body to die quicker, what is the protocol within the VA just to manage when something like this happens?"

The Atlanta VA Hospital released a statement in response to Marrable's case describing the actions they had taken including stripping all the bedrooms and inspecting them for ants, removing all open food containers, hiring a pest control company to do an inspection and purchasing plastic containers for the resident's snacks.

"The Atlanta VA Health Care System leadership team has been notified that ants were found in our Community Living Center and impacting patients. CLC staff immediately cared for the Veterans and took action to ensure no other CLC residents were impacted. We would like to express our heartfelt remorse and apology to the Veterans' families and have reached out to them to offer appropriate assistance," the statement read.

After the incident, Ross said that the health center workers bathed Marrable and cleaned his room, but the next day, the ants came back. He was then moved to a new room where he would later die, according to WSB-TV.

"Atlanta VA Health Care System always strives to provide Veterans with the very best health care available. When we don't meet that standard, we hold ourselves accountable. That's why we have initiated a fact finding on the nursing and environmental care processes to ensure we are providing safe and effective care," the Atlanta VA Hospital statement concluded.

Ross said her father "deserved better."

"His room had ants, the ceiling, the walls, the beds. They were everywhere," she said. "He served his country in the Air Force, and I think that he deserved better."

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Fred Marshall believes his various health issues are due to his exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A Youngstown man believes he deserves benefits after being exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.

Seventy-four-year-old Fred Marshall has been dealing with Veterans Affairs for nearly 10 years. After first applying, then being denied, he will finally get a hearing on March 2.

He believes his Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, hearing loss, hypertension and heart issues are all because of his exposure to Agent Orange. He has also had two heart attacks.

“They sprayed the whole base. We used to stand there and watch them overhead spraying,” he said.

Marshall spent four years as a crew chief in the Air Force, partly at air bases in Thailand, of which he has an album filled with pictures, some of himself. He also has a picture of what the airplanes looked like while spraying Agent Orange.

“But in 1969, they found that Agent Orange was toxic to humans,” he said.

Marshall has a binder that’s thick with papers tracking his efforts to get Agent Orange benefits.

He first filed with Veterans Affairs nine years ago. Two years later, he was denied because of what’s known as the “perimeter rule,” where, after 1972, Agent Orange was only allowed to be sprayed around the perimeter of an area.

Marshall says in the case of Veterans who served in Thailand, except for those in security, the VA grandfathered the perimeter rule back to 1964.

“Which is illegal, but they’re doing it,” he said.

He even wrote a letter to former President Donald Trump and his wife, which the VA acknowledged in a response. He thinks it was the letter to the former president that finally got him a hearing.

“There are thousands of Veterans that they have turned down because of this perimeter rule. I would like to get this overturned for the benefit of all the Veterans that have been denied,” he said.

Marshall says seven years ago, government doctors in Cleveland decided his health issues were caused by his exposure to Agent Orange. He has nine of the 11 health issues associated with Agent Orange exposure.

He claims the VA owes him $250,000 in back benefits and then should pay him $2,000 a month, along with free health care.

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Any service member who served on active duty, regardless of location, between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, is included in the commemoration, which runs through 2025.

More than 11,000 commemorative partners conduct events in their local communities throughout the year to recognize Vietnam Veterans and their families. People can learn about events in their local community by visiting https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/events/. Visitors can search for event by name, date, country, zip code and category. The site also allows visitors to search within a 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 mile distance of a zip code. While Vietnam War Veterans Day is March 29, events run throughout the year.

Vietnam Veterans are eligible to receive a lapel pin during these events. The event website, which is updated each week, offers details on upcoming events. Vietnam Veterans can also receive a lapel pin by visiting the Commemorative Partner Map at https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/partners/partner_map/. Vietnam Veterans should contact a commemorative partner to find out details on the next event or if they have lapel pins on hand to present.

Objectives

The commemorative partner program will include activities and ceremonies to achieve the following objectives:

• Thank and honor Veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war (POW), or listed as missing in action (MIA), for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States; and to thank and honor the families of these Veterans.
• Highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces.
• Pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.
• Highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War.
• Recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War.

The 2008 National Defense Authorization Act authorized the Secretary of Defense to conduct a program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War and, “in conducting the commemorative program, the Secretary shall coordinate, support, and facilitate other programs and activities of the Federal Government, State and local governments, and other persons and organizations in commemoration of the Vietnam War.”

To learn more about the program visit their site at https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/ or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VietnamWar50th/.

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At a Glance

Veterans who served during the Vietnam War—including those who were deployed to combat zones and those who served elsewhere—constitute the last cohort of service members that was subject to a draft. More than 6 million of the nearly 9 million people who served on active duty during the war are still living.

The Congress and those Veterans themselves have expressed concern about the lifelong effects of that military service, but little is known about their financial security now that most have left the labor force. The Congressional Budget Office compared the income of male Vietnam Veterans with the income of male nonVeterans the same ages. (Very few Vietnam Veterans were women.) CBO found that:

• On average, Vietnam Veterans in 2018 had roughly the same income as nonVeterans their ages: $63,300 and $65,000, respectively. For Veterans and nonVeterans age 71—the modal, or most common, age of Veterans­—average income was also about the same.
• About 1.3 million Vietnam Veterans, nearly 25 percent, collected disability compensation from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2018; their average annual payment was $18,100. Those payments boosted average income for all Vietnam Veterans by $4,300. When those payments are excluded, Veterans’ income averaged $59,000, 9 percent less than nonVeterans’ income.
• The gap between the average income of Veterans and nonVeterans was largest for men in their mid-60s. It was smaller for older men: Veterans older than 71 had, on average, more income than nonVeterans of the same age. That was true whether or not disability payments from VA were included in income.
• In general, Vietnam Veterans received more money from Social Security and retirement plans than nonVeterans; nonVeterans had more earnings and more investment income. Those differences probably arose from differences in the types of employers and jobs that members of each group had over their working lives.
• Income was distributed more evenly among Vietnam Veterans than among nonVeterans. In other words, the percentages of Vietnam Veterans in the highest and lowest income categories were smaller, and the percentages in the middle categories were larger, than those for nonVeterans.

Summary

In this report, the Congressional Budget Office looks at the income of male Vietnam Veterans now that most of them have reached retirement age.1 (Very few Vietnam Veterans were women.) More than 6 million of those men—some of whom were drafted and others who volunteered—are still alive. Previous research showed that Veterans earned less for a decade after the war ended because of their military service but caught up to nonVeterans by the early 1990s.2 But since then, as Veterans have left the labor force, their sources of income have changed, including compensation and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and little is known about Veterans’ current financial status. Lawmakers and others have expressed concern about their well-being.

What Did CBO Find?

In 2018, the average income of Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans was roughly comparable: For Veterans, who were 63 to 78 years old at that point, it was $63,300, slightly less than the $65,000 average for nonVeterans. The Veterans’ average includes the disability compensation that some receive from VA. With that disability compensation excluded, Veterans’ average income was $59,000, 9 percent less than nonVeterans’ average income.

The income gap between Veterans and nonVeterans was largest for men in their mid-60s; on average, Vietnam Veterans who were age 72 or older in 2018 had more income than nonVeterans, whether or not VA’s disability compensation was included. For Veterans and nonVeterans age 71—the modal, or most common, age of Veterans—there was little or no gap in average income (see Figure 1).

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides tax-free disability compensation to Veterans with medical injuries or conditions that were incurred or aggravated during active-duty military service. Other income sources may be subject to taxation.

VA = Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans age 72 or older had more income than younger Veterans because those older Veterans probably earned more during their working years. Older Veterans generally had spent more years in the military, had higher levels of education, and probably differed in other ways that are harder to measure—such as skills learned in the military or sense of purpose. Those characteristics could affect their income in retirement.

In general (and at age 71), Veterans received more income from Social Security and retirement plans than nonVeterans, and nonVeterans had higher earnings and more income from investments. The differences probably arose from the types of jobs Veterans and nonVeterans held.

With VA’s disability compensation excluded, income was distributed more equally among Vietnam Veterans than among nonVeterans. In comparison with nonVeterans, a smaller share of Veterans’ income was in either the lowest or highest quintile (fifth) of income, and a larger share was in the middle three quintiles, for all men ages 63 to 78. For Veterans who received VA’s disability payments in addition to their other income, the average annual payment was $18,100. Those disability payments made their income higher than other Veterans’ income, on average.

Whose Income Did CBO Examine?

CBO looked at male Veterans who served on active duty during the Vietnam War and were between the ages of 63 and 78 in 2018, about 5.4 million Veterans. That group included most of the Veterans who served during the peak years of the war. Only those members of the National Guard and reserves who were activated during the war—roughly 25,000 men—were considered Vietnam Veterans. CBO excluded women from its analysis because they were a very small share of Vietnam Veterans in 2018 (4 percent). Veterans who did not serve during the Vietnam War were excluded from the samples that CBO analyzed.

Of the nearly 9 million people who served, 3.4 million were deployed to Vietnam or to other countries in Southeast Asia where the war was waged. (The rest were located in the United States or on overseas bases outside the war zone.) Less than one-quarter of those who served were drafted, but a disproportionate share of draftees served in Southeast Asia. In many aspects, the makeup of the military reflected the young male population in the United States at that time: Most service members were White and had a high school education.

How Did CBO Analyze Income?

CBO used data from the Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey (ACS) to estimate income from different sources for Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans ages 63 to 78. The ACS is one of the biggest surveys that the Census Bureau administers, reaching roughly 1 in 40 U.S. households each year. CBO relied on the ACS because it samples a large number of Veterans, and its data on income information are about as accurate as data from other national surveys that also report Veteran status.

CBO examined the selected group of Veterans and nonVeterans at two points in time: 2008 and 2018. In 2008, most were still working but near the end of their careers. CBO calculated earnings in that year because earnings are closely linked to retirement income. At the second point, 2018, most of the group were no longer working. CBO did not quantify the potential effects of different factors such as education and work experience that strongly influence the amount and sources of income.

At the second point in time, 2018, CBO focused on four sources of income common to Veterans and nonVeterans—earnings, Social Security, investments, and retirement plans. For Veterans, the agency also calculated income with and without disability compensation paid by VA. In 2018, about 1.3 million Vietnam Veterans ages 63 to 78 received that compensation because of medical conditions or injuries incurred during their military service. CBO’s estimates of VA’s disability payments relied on data from both the ACS and VA.

What Are the Limitations of the Report?

CBO’s study has limitations that are common to any analysis based on survey data. Some income is reported incorrectly, and CBO used statistical methods to improve the accuracy of results. In addition, the report is an incomplete picture of Veterans’ overall finances because CBO did not examine all types of income. But in describing Veterans’ regular sources of income in retirement, it contributes to a greater understanding of their financial security and can inform Congressional decisions about support for Veterans.

The Vietnam War and the U.S. Military

Although America was involved in Vietnam for more than 10 years, the conflict itself is often considered to run from August 1964 to January 1973.3 On August 7, 1964, the Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed the President “to take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force” to prevent further attacks against the United States. On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, including a cease-fire and a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Within 90 days of that agreement, U.S. ground troops had withdrawn from Vietnam. South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam in April 1975, and the last Americans were evacuated.

More than 8.5 million men, or about one-third of those eligible for military service, served in the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War.4 The first ground troops were sent to Vietnam in March 1965; their number peaked in 1968 at nearly 550,000. In total, 3.4 million men were deployed to Southeast Asia on combat tours that typically lasted for one year.

As military operations escalated, the annual number of new enlisted personnel roughly doubled in the first two years of the war (see Figure 2). In all, more than 6 million service members joined the military during the Vietnam War.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the Department of Defense and the Selective Service System.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973. The Department of Defense estimates the number of new enlisted personnel (accessions) it will need each year to maintain specific force levels. The values shown here apply to new enlisted personnel without prior military service.

Less than 25 percent of the personnel who served during the Vietnam War were drafted; the others were volunteers. Service members generally reflected America’s young male population. In 1965 and thereafter, a majority of the armed forces were White males with high school diplomas, age 35 or younger. Men who had joined the military before the war began and served during the Vietnam conflict were likely to be more educated than the average service member and to complete a military career.

Composition and Quality of the Military

As in previous eras, men had to meet physical, moral, and mental standards to enter the military. Performance on aptitude tests and high school attainment were the two primary ways the Department of Defense (DoD) measured the quality of the enlisted force—the mental attributes that contribute to productivity and capability in the military. Aptitude tests predicted whether recruits would complete training and receive promotions in the service, and educational attainment was shown to predict later job performance.

Accessions (new enlisted personnel) were at neither the top nor the bottom of their generation in terms of measurements of ability, although the need to pass a medical examination meant that they were healthier. Fewer accessions scored among the top 10 percent on aptitude tests than young male adults generally, and the military did not accept applicants who scored in the bottom 10 percent. About 70 percent of accessions held a high school diploma or higher, compared with slightly more than 75 percent of all men ages 20 to 29.5 Accessions were likely to be more physically fit than nonVeterans their age; in calendar year 1970, for instance, nearly 10 percent of potential volunteers who completed a comprehensive physical examination were disqualified for medical reasons.6

The overall quality of the enlisted forces differed depending on when they had joined the military. In 1965, about half of all active-duty personnel had already completed at least four years of service and were more likely to stay in the military for a full career (20 years) than wartime accessions. Members of the former group received more training than new enlisted personnel over their careers, had more qualifications, and probably differed in other ways as well, such as in their desire to serve in the military. For instance, in 1965, about 82 percent of all enlisted personnel (careerists and new personnel) held at least a high school diploma, higher than the average for accessions.

The officer corps was both more educated and better paid than enlisted men: All officers commissioned during the war held high school diplomas, and the vast majority had earned college degrees. However, the corps was much smaller than the enlisted force: Fewer than 500,000 officers were commissioned during the war, CBO estimates.

The Draft

About 1.9 million men were drafted during the Vietnam War, less than one-quarter of all those who served and less than one-half of accessions. Most draftees went into the Army and were deployed to Southeast Asia. The most common length of service was two years.

In the early years of the war, the draft followed the same basic system used since World War II, relying on local draft boards to select candidates. Men who registered for the draft were typically granted deferment if they had children or other dependents, were in college, or held jobs that were in the national interest. Exemptions (disqualification for medical or other reasons) were common.7 Draftees were 20 to 21 years old, on average.

As the population of young men grew in the early 1960s (because of the post-World War II baby boom), the use of deferments expanded: By 1968, one-third of men who registered for the draft received deferments, up from just 13 percent in 1958. The largest category of deferment (4.1 million) was for men with dependents, followed by those who were enrolled in college (1.8 million).8

As the war escalated, opposition to the draft intensified and concern about the fairness of deferments and exemptions increased. Educational deferments for college, in particular, were thought to favor the affluent.

A national commission in 1966 recommended replacing the existing system with a nationwide lottery, among other changes. The first lottery, in December 1969, was for men born between January 1, 1944 and December 31, 1950 (ages 19 to 25). In the early 1970s, occupational, agricultural, new-paternity, and new-student deferments were largely eliminated. Nevertheless, an individual’s chance of being drafted declined, both because draft calls decreased substantially in the 1970s and because later lotteries only considered men who would turn 20 years old in their enlistment year. In December 1972, the Selective Service System held its final lottery; on July 1, 1973, legal authority to draft men into the military expired.

Volunteers

Volunteers made up the remaining three-quarters of service members during the war. Some of those who enlisted during the war did so to avoid being drafted: Unlike draftees, volunteers could choose a service branch that might reduce their risk of being deployed (although volunteering also increased the length of an enlistment). Others joined in part because the pay and benefits were reasonable compared with civilian options. For enlisted careerists, pay was typically about 85 percent of the median pay (the midpoint value in the pay range) of White high school graduates of comparable ages for most of the war. In the 1960s, junior enlisted personnel were paid much less than most of them could have earned elsewhere, but pay raises in the early 1970s brought their income into rough parity with the private-sector wages of young high school graduates.9 Officers’ pay was consistently above the median pay of White college graduates. The military also offered additional pay to some men with special skills or who were in occupations with shortages.

Nor was income the only inducement to serve. The military offered occupational training and educational benefits. Additional benefits that were typically not found in the private sector included free medical care, low-cost groceries and merchandise from commissaries and exchanges, and on-base bowling alleys, movie theaters, and gyms. Other, less quantifiable aspects of military service—such as patriotism—also attracted volunteers.

Characteristics of Vietnam Veterans in 2018

Various characteristics—including age, education, and health—influence the type and amount of income adults have during their working years and in retirement. Vietnam Veterans differed from nonVeterans in several ways.

CBO examined male Veterans ages 63 to 78 (mostly born between 1940 and 1955) who served during the Vietnam War, about 85 percent of the more than 6 million Veterans of that era who were still alive in 2018. Veterans born before 1940 probably spent a substantial portion of their careers serving in the peacetime era before that war, and those born after 1955 would have been part of the all-volunteer force. Members of the National Guard and reserves were not considered Vietnam Veterans unless they served on active duty during the war. Veterans who did not serve during the Vietnam War were excluded from the samples that CBO analyzed. Women were excluded because they composed just 4 percent of Vietnam Veterans in 2018. Because the ACS does not ask whether the Veterans were drafted or where they served, CBO did not incorporate those factors in its analysis.

The average Vietnam Veteran was more likely than the average nonVeteran to have a high school degree, to be White, to be a U.S. citizen, and to report a serious impairment in his ability to function (see Table 1). Such functional disabilities did not necessarily qualify Veterans to receive disability compensation from VA.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Data for Vietnam Veterans were weighted to match the age distribution of nonVeteran men. The median age of Vietnam Veterans in 2018 was 70 and of nonVeterans was 68.

1. Includes men who completed grade 12 but received no diploma.

1. Includes men who received a general equivalency diploma or alternative credential.

1. Includes anyone who reported Hispanic ancestry; the other three categories exclude that group.

1. Men were considered functionally disabled if they reported serious difficulty hearing, seeing, remembering, moving (such as walking or climbing stairs), or problems with self-care or independent living.

Age

Vietnam Veterans were, on average, older than men in the same age group who did not serve. Veterans’ age distribution was bell-shaped because a large number of 18- to 23-year-olds entered military service during the height of the war (1966 to 1969). Fewer service members joined before 1965 or later in the war, so Veterans in 2018 were most commonly in their late 60s and early 70s (see Figure 3). Veterans’ modal age was 71. Nearly 45 percent of all men age 71 were Veterans.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

In contrast to Veterans’ age distribution, the distribution of nonVeterans was highest at age 63 and tailed off. Through 2000, the mortality rate for all Vietnam Veterans in the sample was similar to the mortality rate for nonVeterans, according to the limited evidence available.10

Education

Vietnam Veterans had a different pattern of educational attainment than nonVeterans. Although enlisted personnel were a little less likely than nonVeterans to have a high school diploma when they entered military service, by 2018 Vietnam Veterans were much more likely to have completed a high school education or some college. That was partly because DoD and VA offered financial assistance to help service members and Veterans further their education. For instance, more than 200,000 soldiers in the Army earned a high school diploma or its equivalent (a general educational development credential), many under the Pre-discharge Education Program.11 In addition, almost five million Vietnam Veterans used the GI Bill for further education or training.12 However, a greater share of nonVeterans than Veterans completed a postsecondary degree (36 and 27 percent, respectively). The Veterans’ share was even smaller for those younger than 72. Although some evidence shows that many men enrolled in postsecondary programs partly in an effort to avoid military service, the draft had little effect on whether they completed those programs.13

Ethnicity and Geographic Distribution

Vietnam Veterans were more likely than nonVeterans to be White and less likely to be Hispanic. Roughly equal percentages of Veterans and nonVeterans were Black. However, a slightly larger share of Black men than White men joined the enlisted ranks in the early 1970s.14 (In today’s military, the share of non-Whites who enlist is bigger than in the Vietnam era, partly because a larger share of U.S. youth are not White.) Like Veterans of other eras, Vietnam Veterans have tended to live and retire in the South, where large active-duty populations are located. Only a small share of all men, both Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans, lived in rural communities.

Health

Vietnam Veterans were more likely than nonVeterans to report functional disabilities—impairments that restrict someone’s ability to work or undertake daily activities.15 Although Veterans would have had to meet the military’s health and physical fitness standards, serious injuries and medical impairments may be more common among them because of intense physical training or experiences during deployment and combat. Research has confirmed that Vietnam Veterans have more health problems and functional disabilities than nonVeterans, including hearing loss, hepatitis C, and post-traumatic stress disorder.16 Some evidence suggests that those differences in health are increasing as the population ages. It is not certain, however, to what extent health problems are the result of military service.17

Just over 40 percent of the Veterans who reported functional disabilities on the ACS received disability payments from VA, which may be awarded to Veterans with a medical condition that developed or worsened during their service.18 VA determines whether Veterans qualify for such service-connected disability payments and the amount of payment they receive. Service-connected disabilities are not necessarily functional disabilities—they may not substantially affect a Veteran’s ability to work or perform day-to-day activities.

Compared with other men the same age in 2018, Vietnam Veterans were less likely to work. In a recent study, researchers at CBO and the Urban Institute determined that older workers with little education, poor health, other income sources (besides earnings), or with health insurance were the most likely to retire early.19 Several of those categories apply to many Veterans.

CBO’s Approach to Analyzing Veterans’ Income

To quantify the income of Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans, CBO analyzed ACS data from 2008 and 2018.20 The ACS is among the largest of the Census Bureau’s surveys, reaching about 2 million households each year, and is designed to represent the entire U.S. population. Households in the ACS survey provide information on demographics, employment status, education, disabilities, and military service, among other topics. More than 75,000 male Veterans who said they served during the Vietnam War were interviewed for the 2018 ACS.21 (CBO used the ACS’s survey weights to estimate data for all male Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans.)

CBO chose the ACS after examining the Current Population Survey and the Survey of Income and Program Participation. The ACS covers more Veterans than those surveys and is about as accurate, CBO concluded.

To determine VA’s disability payments, CBO analyzed administrative data from VA, partly because VA’s disability compensation is mingled with several other types of income in a residual category on the ACS.

CBO examined five sources of regular income: earnings, Social Security, retirement plans, investment income, and disability payments from VA. Onetime payments such as inheritances or home sales were excluded.22 The first four income sources CBO studied were common to all men; the fifth, disability compensation, could only be received by Veterans.

• Earnings. Earnings were defined as money an employee received in the form of wages and salaries (including tips, commissions, and bonuses) and self-employment income from a business, professional practice, or farm after subtracting business expenses from gross receipts. (No distinction was made between incorporated and unincorporated businesses.)
• Social Security. ACS included retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits, and payments made by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. (Railroad workers who qualify for retirement benefits do not participate in the Social Security program.)
• Investments. The category included income from assets: interest, dividends, royalties, rents, and income from estates or trusts.
• Retirement Plans. ACS defined retirement plans as pensions in the form of defined benefit and defined contribution plans from companies, unions, and federal, state, and local governments (including the military); individual retirement accounts; Keogh plans; and any other type of pension, retirement account or annuity. Pensions paid to survivors and disability pensions were included.
• Disability Compensation from VA. That compensation went to Veterans with medical conditions or injuries that were incurred or aggravated during active-duty military service.

CBO did not include income from other sources reported in the ACS, such as alimony, public assistance, Supplemental Security Income, or VA’s pensions for low-income wartime Veterans. Those sources accounted for less than 5 percent of total income for the men in this analysis. For instance, less than 3 percent of Vietnam Veterans collected pensions from VA, according to that agency. In addition, the accuracy of reporting on those other sources of income was unclear.

CBO focused on broad trends and did not quantify the net effects of education, race, ethnicity, workforce experience, and other characteristics that exert a strong influence on the amount and sources of income people receive. Similarly, CBO did not examine other financial measures such as debt or expenses. Other studies have examined Veterans’ wealth and financial well-being.23

Survey data vary from year to year, so reporting of income fluctuates annually. However, CBO conducted a sensitivity analysis that indicated the results for 2017 and 2018 did not differ substantially from each other.

Vietnam Veterans’ Earnings in 2008

To help understand Vietnam Veterans’ income in retirement, CBO examined their earnings in 2008, when well over half of all men in that group were still working (as measured by the percentage who reported wage, salary, or self-employment income). Earnings before retirement are closely linked to income after exiting the labor force. For instance, employer-sponsored pensions are based on a percentage of the employee’s annual pay and the number of years worked at that employer.

In 2008, Vietnam Veterans ranged in age from 53 to 68; CBO examined earnings only for men 53 to 65 because a majority of those older than 65 no longer worked. CBO looked at earnings by age because earnings can differ substantially by age. In addition, comparing Veterans to nonVeterans by age accounted for the disparity in the two groups’ age distribution.

Vietnam Veterans earned an average of $50,000 in 2008, 20 percent less than nonVeterans in the same age range, who earned an average of $62,200.24 Veterans younger than 63 earned less than nonVeterans their ages, but Veterans age 63 or older earned about the same. At age 61, Veterans’ modal age in 2008, the difference was smaller, $6,500. Average earnings at that age were $52,600 for Veterans and $59,100 for nonVeterans (see Figure 4, top panel).

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Vietnam Veterans (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

Earnings refer to wages, salaries, and self-employment income. Working individuals are those with nonzero earnings.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age and Veteran status.

When CBO looked only at men with wages, salaries, or self-employment earnings in 2008, Vietnam Veterans earned, on average, $71,200, 12 percent less than nonVeterans, who averaged $80,700. At age 61, Veterans who worked earned 9 percent less, on average, than nonVeterans.

Veterans’ earnings may have been lower than nonVeterans’ earnings for several reasons: because their military experience did not fully substitute for the labor market experience it replaced; because they chose jobs with lower pay but more generous retirement benefits; because they had difficulty transitioning to civilian life; or because they had fewer job opportunities in the civilian sector, and that disadvantage might have persisted throughout their working years.

Other factors, such as employers’ preferences and legislative actions to assist Veterans, surely played a part in Veterans’ work history and income, although the magnitude of those effects is unknown. Employers’ views of Veterans could have influenced their decisions about hiring and wages. Some employers may have believed that Veterans had physical or emotional difficulties as a result of military service; others that Veterans had special skills or attributes such as a sense of leadership, teamwork, or commitment. Federal legislation may have been a factor as well. Federal law prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of past, current, or future military service.25 In addition, a law enacted in 1944 (and amended many times since) grants a hiring preference to Veterans who apply for jobs in the federal government. Vietnam Veterans might have had the occupational skills to fill many positions in the federal civilian workforce.

Compared with nonVeterans, a markedly smaller share (5 percent smaller) of Vietnam Veterans younger than 60 worked in 2008 (see Figure 4, bottom panel). The reason that a different share of Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans worked is unclear. Higher rates of functional disability among those Veterans may be part of the explanation, although 43 percent of Veterans with those disabilities worked.26 Some researchers have suggested that disability payments from VA to some Veterans allowed them to leave the labor market early.27 Among men who held jobs, about the same share of Veterans (88 percent) worked full time as nonVeterans (89 percent).

The sector of the economy in which workers were employed affected their retirement benefits. A larger share of Vietnam Veterans (7 percent) than nonVeterans (2 percent) worked for the federal government. Veterans (of all wars) made up 25 percent of the federal workforce in 2008, and 40 percent of DoD’s civilian employees. Similar shares of Veterans and nonVeterans worked for state or local governments (13 percent for both) and the private sector (64 percent of Veterans and 63 percent of nonVeterans). However, Veterans were more likely than nonVeterans to have blue-collar jobs in fields with a significant union presence, such as transportation and construction. In addition, fewer Veterans, 16 percent, were self-employed, compared with more than 20 percent of nonVeterans.

Most government workers and two-thirds of union members in the private sector had access to a traditional pension (a defined benefit plan), unlike many other workers. Those who were self-employed probably only had access to individual retirement accounts. Although it is difficult to compare the earnings of Veterans and nonVeterans in different sectors because of differences in jobs and employee qualifications, the types of jobs Vietnam Veterans held in 2008 meant that many could expect a steady stream of income from a retirement plan.

The gap between the earnings of Veterans and nonVeterans, and likelihood of being employed, differed by race. Among all working men ages 53 to 65, White Vietnam Veterans earned an average of $73,700, about 17 percent less than White nonVeterans. The same was true to a much smaller degree for Black Vietnam Veterans, who on average earned $51,200, about $2,200 (4 percent) less than Black nonVeterans. Black men—whether or not they were Veterans—were less likely to work than White men. For example, 72 percent of White male Veterans age 61 worked, compared with 55 percent of Black male Veterans that age; results were similar for White and Black nonVeterans.

The earnings gap between Veterans and nonVeterans also differed by educational level. There was almost no difference (1 percent, or $600) between the average earnings of Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans who held high school diplomas. At higher levels of education, however, earnings differed. Veterans with college degrees earned less on average (11 percent, or $13,600) than nonVeterans of the same age with college degrees.

Vietnam Veterans’ Income in 2018

By 2018, most Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans were no longer working. At that point, CBO measured four sources of income for men ages 63 to 78 that probably composed the vast majority of income for most men: earnings, Social Security benefits, investments, and retirement plans. For Veterans, the agency also considered disability compensation from VA. That compensation, however, was paid only to certain Veterans. Therefore, CBO calculated total income for Veterans two ways: by averaging all five sources of income and by averaging four sources of income, excluding disability payments. CBO then compared both those measures with nonVeterans’ total income.

The disability compensation VA provides is unlike other sources of income because it is only available to Veterans, who may have faced special risks in the course of their military service. That compensation can be viewed as a work-related benefit, a lifetime indemnification that the federal government owes to Veterans with a medical condition that was incurred or worsened while they were in the military. If those disabled Veterans are out of the workforce for a long time, their Social Security benefits will be less than they otherwise would be, and they might not accumulate much personal savings. VA’s compensation mitigates such effects. The amount of that compensation can be sizable: CBO calculated that for Vietnam Veterans who received it, average annual disability compensation was nearly as much as they received in Social Security benefits.

Total Income

Veterans’ average income, including disability compensation, was $63,300, whereas the average for nonVeterans was $65,000. CBO found that disability compensation from VA increased Veterans’ income by $4,300, on average, bringing it close to nonVeterans’ income. Excluding disability income from VA, Vietnam Veterans’ average income was $59,000.

Differences by Age. When including disability compensation, Veterans at the modal age (71) had an average income of $65,500, $200 less than the average for all nonVeterans that age ($65,700). Whether or not disability income was included in income, Veterans younger than 71 had less income, on average, than nonVeterans, and Veterans older than 71 had more income, on average, than nonVeterans (see Figure 5, top panel).

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Vietnam Veterans (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

Except where noted, average income is from five sources: earnings (wages, salaries, and self-employment); Social Security; investments; retirement plans; and disability compensation from VA. Median income excludes VA disability compensation. That disability compensation is untaxed and is provided to Veterans with medical injuries or conditions that were incurred or aggravated during active-duty military service.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age and Veteran status.

VA = Department of Veterans Affairs.

Certain dissimilarities between younger and older Vietnam Veterans make it doubtful that younger Veterans will ever have the same amount of income as older Veterans. In effect, there were two sets of Vietnam Veterans, rather than a single group. Older Veterans probably earned more than younger Veterans while working. They entered the military before the war escalated in 1965, were less likely to have been drafted, and were more likely to have had careers in the military and to collect military retirement pay after a 20-year career. As previously observed, a greater share of older Veterans had college degrees than younger Veterans. In addition, the share of older Veterans with low test scores upon entry into the military was smaller than the share of younger Veterans.28 They also probably differed in other ways that affected their income in retirement.

Income Distribution. To exclude extremely high and low values that might have skewed income findings, CBO also examined median income (the midpoint value in the income range) for Veterans and nonVeterans. Excluding disability payments, at age 71, median income for Veterans ($44,200) was higher than for nonVeterans ($41,800).29 (See Figure 5, bottom panel.)

Comparing Veterans’ and nonVeterans’ income distribution (excluding VA’s disability payments) confirmed that fewer Veterans had low or high income (see Figure 6). When income for all men ages 63 to 78 was grouped into quintiles, only 15 percent of Veterans fell into the bottom quintile, compared with 22 percent of nonVeterans. Even in the bottom quintile, Veterans’ income was 10 percent higher than nonVeterans’ income. In addition, disability compensation and other benefits like free health care and special pensions for poor Veterans (neither of which were included in CBO’s calculations) probably helped support the neediest Veterans. On the opposite end of the income distribution, 17 percent of Vietnam Veterans and 21 percent of nonVeterans had income in the highest quintile; nonVeterans in that quintile had average annual income that was more than 10 percent higher than Veterans’ income.30

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Includes income from earnings (wages, salaries, and self-employment); Social Security; investments; and retirement plans. Excludes income from disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Bars for Veterans add up to 100 percent, as do bars for nonVeterans.

Common Components of Income

Although Vietnam Veterans and nonVeterans relied on many of the same sources of income, some sources were more important for Veterans. On average, Vietnam Veterans had a greater share of annual income from Social Security and retirement plans than nonVeterans, who remained more reliant on earnings even in old age. That was also true when men at Veterans’ modal age of 71 were examined (see Table 2). CBO looked at income by age because the sources and amounts of income differ by age.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey and Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Income refers to income from five sources: earnings (wages, salaries, and self-employment); Social Security; investments; retirement plans; and disability compensation from VA. Disability compensation is untaxed and is provided to Veterans with medical injuries or conditions that were incurred or aggravated during active-duty military service.

VA= Department of Veterans Affairs; n.a. = not applicable

Earnings. On average, working Vietnam Veterans ages 63 to 78 earned $52,800 annually, 23 percent less than other working men ($68,700). For men at age 71, the difference was smaller: Veterans earned $50,500, and nonVeterans earned $62,200 (see Figure 7, top panel). The earnings gap was larger for younger men than for older men.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Veterans who served in the Vietnam War (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

Earnings refer to wages, salaries, and self-employment income. Working individuals are those with nonzero earnings.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age and Veteran status.

The gap between Veterans and nonVeterans’ earnings for those who worked occurred partly because a large share of less-educated nonVeterans—who probably had lower-wage jobs—had left the workforce by 2018. Their departure raised the average wage for nonVeterans who kept working. In addition, just half of working Veterans were employed full time, compared with 62 percent of working nonVeterans.

Because most men between the ages of 63 and 78 were not working, the average earnings among all of them were much lower: $14,900 for Veterans and $28,200 for nonVeterans. For men age 71, the difference was smaller: those averages were $12,400 and $18,800, respectively. However, earnings were becoming a smaller share of total income for all men in retirement.

Part of the difference in average earnings arose because there was a gap in the share of Veterans and nonVeterans who were employed at age 63 or older (see Figure 7, bottom panel). The gap in employment was largest at age 63, indicating that Veterans left the workforce at younger ages than nonVeterans. Veterans may have stopped working earlier for several reasons, including their higher disability rates or the possibility that VA’s disability compensation enabled them to leave the labor market earlier.

Among men with self-employment income in 2018, nonVeterans were a little more likely than Vietnam Veterans to report such income, and on average they reported more: $47,800, compared with $36,600 for Veterans. Self-employment was the main source of earnings for about 30 percent of all men with earnings income.31

Social Security. Participation in Social Security was extremely high for all men CBO studied. Almost all Vietnam Veterans (94 percent) and nonVeterans (90 percent) received payments at age 71 (see Figure 8, bottom panel).32 The share of Veterans that collected Social Security benefits grew with each year of age until age 71 and then remained flat.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Veterans who served in the Vietnam War (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

Social Security payments include retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits, as well as payments made by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age and Veteran status.

Veterans’ average annual Social Security payment was $17,900, much higher than nonVeterans’ $13,900 average payment. That is generally explained by the fact that more Veterans than nonVeterans received Social Security benefits. A larger share of Veterans (88 percent) than nonVeterans (69 percent) had turned 66 by 2018, the age at which they were eligible for full Social Security benefits.33 In addition, many Veterans claimed Social Security benefits earlier than nonVeterans (in general, however, claiming benefits early decreases the monthly payment for that recipient).

When only men who received Social Security payments were considered, a small difference persisted, but only at certain ages and levels of income. Veterans who received payments collected, on average, $20,800; nonVeterans collected $20,000, about $800 less.

At age 71, Social Security income was about the same for Veterans and nonVeterans (see Figure 8, top panel). Veterans younger than 71 collected slightly less in Social Security benefits, and Veterans older than 71 collected more. Strikingly, even those older Veterans with lower earnings in 2008 collected more Social Security benefits than nonVeterans, on average.

CBO examined special earnings credits toward Social Security that Vietnam Veterans received. But those credits probably do not explain older Veterans’ bigger Social Security payments. (Those additional credits were not added to Veterans’ Social Security payments; rather, they increased the total amount of income Social Security considered when setting monthly benefits.) Veterans on active duty from 1957 through 1977 were credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which they received basic pay. For Veterans who continued serving after 1977, the calculation for the credits changed but the maximum remained $1,200 per year. (In January 2002, the extra earnings credits ceased.)

CBO concluded that the formula used to calculate benefits was the most likely explanation for the difference between average Social Security payments for older Veterans and nonVeterans.34 NonVeterans were more likely to have had very low or very high earnings than Veterans during their working lives, which might have generated a disparity in average Social Security benefits. Benefit amounts for very high earners—more of whom were nonVeterans—replace a much smaller share of earnings than for others; benefits for low earners—more of whom were also nonVeterans—more closely reflected their lower earnings. Thus, the group of nonVeterans qualified for a slightly smaller amount of Social Security benefits, on average.

Investments. About 30 percent of Veterans and nonVeterans received investment income, and it was a small share of total income for all recipients except the wealthiest. The share of all men with investment income increased from less than 10 percent in the lowest income quintile to more than 50 percent for those in the highest quintile. Men in the lowest income group received an average of less than $500 annually; those with total annual income in the top quintile collected roughly $30,000.35

A slightly smaller share of Vietnam Veterans younger than 71 reported investment income compared with nonVeterans. Among men 71 and older, a bigger share of Veterans had such income than nonVeterans. Among all recipients, average income from investments was $19,900 for Veterans and $26,800 for nonVeterans. At age 71, Veteran recipients reported $19,200 in investment income and nonVeteran recipients $28,000, a difference of $8,800 (see Figure 9).

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Veterans who served in the Vietnam War (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

Investment income is from assets: interest, dividends, royalties, rents, and income from estates or trusts.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age and Veteran status.

Average investment income was smaller when the average includes people who did not receive such income. It was less, on average, for Veterans than for nonVeterans. For 71-year-olds, investment income averaged $6,400 for Veterans and $9,200 for nonVeterans. In general, amounts were greater for older men regardless of their Veteran status. Investment income for older households—generally, those with at least one person age 65 or older—has been declining since the 1990s because fewer and fewer adults own financial instruments.

Retirement Plans. Employer-sponsored retirement plans were an important source of income for older Americans. On average, Vietnam Veterans had about one-third more income from retirement plans in 2018 than nonVeterans, ($20,300 and $15,300, respectively), probably in part because Veterans were much more likely to have held jobs that offered such plans. At age 71, Veterans had, on average, more income from retirement plans than nonVeterans: $21,000 and $18,000, respectively (see Figure 10, top panel).

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Veterans who served in the Vietnam War (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

Retirement plans include defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans from companies, unions, and federal, state, and local governments (including the military); individual retirement accounts; Keogh plans; and any other type of pension, retirement account, or annuity.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age and Veteran status.

A much bigger share of Veterans than nonVeterans received payments from retirement plans. The gap was about 30 percentage points for the youngest men but shrank to about 17 percentage points by age 66 (see Figure 10, bottom panel). The finding suggests that, in addition to having greater access to retirement plans, Vietnam Veterans began drawing income from their retirement plans earlier than other men.

As CBO’s 2008 analysis of earnings showed, more Veterans than nonVeterans were likely to have held jobs that included a defined benefit or defined contribution plan. For example, about 20 percent of Vietnam Veterans had a government job, compared with 15 percent of nonVeterans.36

Federal workers have access to both defined benefit and defined contribution plans. State and local government workers commonly have access to only a defined benefit plan, and private-sector workers typically have access only to a defined contribution plan. Access to and participation in any type of retirement benefit is much greater for government workers; in 2008, about 85 percent of government employees participated in a retirement plan compared with about 50 percent of private industry workers. In addition, more nonVeterans than Veterans were self-employed and were less likely to have defined benefit retirement plans.

The military offers separate retirement plans (including a defined benefit plan that is usually available after 20 years of service). In 2018, a little over 10 percent of Vietnam Veterans collected a military pension, CBO estimates. Although relatively few Vietnam Veterans qualified for retirement benefits from the military, those who did would typically have been in their late 30s or early 40s when they separated from service; they could have joined the civilian labor force and had second careers, adding to their retirement income.

When income from retirement plans is averaged only among those who received it rather than among all men, average annual payments were a bit smaller for Vietnam Veterans ($26,800) than for nonVeterans ($28,200). At the modal age of 71, Veterans collecting retirement income also received less ($27,500) than nonVeterans ($29,500). Vietnam Veterans older than 73, though, received about $1,500 more, on average, than nonVeterans. The payment differences can probably be explained by the nature of the jobs each group held while working.

Disability Compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs

In addition to the four sources of retirement income that could be collected by all men, some Veterans also collected disability payments from VA for injuries or medical conditions they received or developed during active-duty service. (See Box 1 for detail on VA’s disability program and other benefits for Veterans.) The average payment for recipients in 2018 was $18,100, so VA’s disability payments were a substantial part of income for some Veterans. About 24 percent of Vietnam Veterans received disability payments, CBO estimates.

For Vietnam Veterans ages 63 to 78, including those who did not receive disability payments, the average annual disability payment was $4,300; the average payment at age 71 was $4,900 (see Figure 11). Those payments make up much of the average difference in other income between Veterans and nonVeterans, increasing Veterans’ average income by about 7 percent to $63,300.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the American Community Survey.

The Vietnam War ran from August 1964 (fiscal year 1965) to January 1973.

Shaded area denotes the largest three-year cluster of Veterans who served in the Vietnam War (one-third of total). Veterans in that cluster probably served from 1966 to 1969, when forces were largest.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides tax-free disability compensation to Veterans with medical injuries or conditions that were incurred or aggravated during active-duty military service.

CBO did not adjust the data to account for characteristics other than age.

Vietnam Veterans who received disability payments from VA were likely to be in the lower half of the income distribution for all men in the age range that CBO analyzed. In addition, they had less income from other sources than Veterans who did not receive VA payments, mainly because they were less likely to be employed and because those who were employed had lower earnings. However, on average, their disability payments made up that difference, increasing the average total income of Veterans who received those payments above the average income of Veterans who did not.

The incidence and amount of disability payments from VA varied by age. A greater share of Vietnam Veterans who were 68 to 71 years old in 2018 received disability payments (28 percent) than Veterans of other ages (22 percent). Furthermore, partly because those 68- to 71-year-olds were also likely to have higher disability ratings (70 percent or more), CBO estimates that the average payments for that age group were about $19,400 a year, $1,300 more than the $18,100 average payment for all Vietnam Veterans receiving VA disability compensation.

Because Vietnam Veterans ages 68 to 71 were likely to have served in the mid- to late 1960s, when deployments to Vietnam and surrounding countries were largest, they may have been more likely to experience combat-related injuries and medical conditions, some of which did not show up immediately. Although Veterans claim far more disabilities than the number of combat injuries reported at the time (about 150,000), many medical conditions can take years to develop (such as limitations on joint movement) or may not be identified at the time (such as mental illnesses).

In addition to such late-onset or previously unrecognized conditions, VA has declared that several medical conditions can be presumed to have been caused by the service member’s deployment to Vietnam. Those presumptive conditions substantially increase the number of Veterans who receive disability payments.37 Among such presumptive conditions are diabetes, certain cancers, and other problems that may have arisen from exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during the war. A sizable share of Vietnam Veterans receive VA disability payments for presumptive conditions. For instance, VA administrative data showed that nearly 375,000 Vietnam Veterans received disability compensation for diabetes in 2018; nearly all of those cases were considered presumptive conditions.

Limitations of CBO’s Study

CBO’s study has limitations that are common to any analysis based on survey data. Survey data may be inaccurate because of misreporting. Some people may not answer certain questions or underreport the amount they receive from particular sources. Both problems have been extensively noted.38

The Census Bureau uses a statistical approach to estimate the values of missing responses. CBO also used statistical methods to assign Social Security and retirement-plan income to some respondents. About 95 percent of men ages 60 or older in the ACS correctly responded that they received Social Security benefits, according to administrative data. However, nearly 20 percent underreported the amount of Social Security benefits they received. CBO therefore imputed additional Social Security income to those who reported that they had received it. Some of those who receive income from retirement plans do not report it at all, so CBO imputed such income to some respondents. For a discussion of CBO’s approach to imputing retirement-plan income, see the appendix.

CBO did not adjust ACS’s data for earnings or investment income. Information about wages and salaries is generally reported correctly. The exception is self-employment income, which is subject to nonresponse and underreporting.39 Likewise, investment income is subject to nonresponse and underreporting. For those income sources, there is no consensus on how to account for those problems. However, the consequences of nonresponse and underreporting in those two categories probably had a minimal effect on this report: In the United States, self-employment and investments are a small portion of total annual income for most retired men.40

CBO also used VA’s data to estimate the amount of disability compensation Vietnam Veterans received. That was necessary because ACS data only included the number of people receiving VA disability compensation, not the amount of that compensation. CBO adjusted ACS’s profile for those Veterans on the basis of VA’s aggregate data. It then used VA’s data on total spending and average payments by disability rating to estimate the average amount of payments to Vietnam Veterans by age.

Appendix: How CBO Imputed Income from Retirement Plans

The quality and usefulness of survey data depend on the accuracy of responses from the people questioned. Misreporting is a common problem—typically, nonresponse (people not answering a question) and underreporting (people reporting less of an amount than they actually receive). A large body of literature discusses the quality of household surveys and the type and extent of measurement errors they contain.1

The reporting of income from retirement plans is a particular problem. According to researchers at the Census Bureau, respondents to the 2013 American Community Survey (ACS) who were age 65 or older failed to report income from retirement plans 44 percent of the time.2 (In this Congressional Budget Office report, retirement plans encompass defined benefit and defined contribution plans from companies, unions, and federal, state, and local governments [including the military]; individual retirement accounts; Keogh plans; and any other type of pension, retirement account or annuity, including survivors’ pensions and disability pensions.)

There are a number of reasons that income from retirement plans in surveys is subject to greater measurement error than other income sources, and some methods have been developed to account for such errors.3 Recipients of such income might perceive it as a form of deferred earnings rather than contemporaneous income. Survey respondents may also find it difficult to recall irregular income payments over a long reference period.

To account for misreporting of retirement income, CBO took steps to impute income from retirement plans and validate those results.4

Imputing Income from Retirement Plans

For its analysis, CBO used a regression-based method with three steps. First, CBO developed targets for the total number of people receiving income from retirement plans by age group and by year, using administrative data. Second, it selected respondents for imputation by using a regression-based method while matching the targets set in the first step. Third, CBO used predictive mean matching (PMM) for the selected data: The agency imputed income amounts by borrowing values from donors (respondents who were observationally similar to those who did not report retirement-plan income).

Developing Administrative Targets

CBO developed targets using administrative data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Those data showed the number of people who received retirement income, by survey year and age group. The two age-based targets for receipt of income from retirement plans were ages 55 to 64 and age 65 or older. Both were derived from estimates reported in a working paper published in 2017 by the Census Bureau’s Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division. The authors linked respondents in several national datasets, including the 2013 ACS, to Forms 1099-R filed with the IRS in 2012 by banks and other entities to report disbursements they made from retirement accounts.5 About 60 percent of respondents 65 or older received a distribution reported on a Form 1099-R.

By using the linked Current Population Survey and Survey of Income Program Participation, authors Adam Bee and Joshua Mitchell showed that the share of respondents to those surveys who received retirement income had remained roughly constant for that age group since 2004. Therefore, CBO estimated that 60 percent of respondents 65 or older received income from retirement plans in 2013 and 2018. For respondents ages 55 to 64, only 26 percent received 1099-R distributions in 2012. Bee and Mitchell did not provide estimates of how that proportion had changed over time. CBO estimated that the share of respondents in that age group who received retirement-plan income was constant at a rate of 26 percent.

Imputing Receipt of Income

CBO used the targets it developed to derive the number of respondents in the survey for which imputation was needed. To allocate those imputations, CBO used a probit regression to predict each respondent’s probability of receiving income from retirement plans.6 Separate regressions were estimated for two age groups (55-to-64-year-olds and those 65 or older) and two survey years (2013 and 2018). The regressions tended to assign higher probabilities to individuals who were male, older, more educated, White, and Veterans.

Each person’s predicted probability of receiving income was compared with a random number (uniformly distributed between zero and 1). If the respondent’s probability of receiving income exceeded the random number assigned to that probability, CBO designated that person to receive an imputation. The random-number comparison was repeated for each individual in the survey until the sum of the respondents with retirement income and the respondents designated to receive an imputation matched the administrative target. A random component was included in the procedure to incorporate heterogeneity in the imputed data. A feature of that method is the assumption that the distribution of respondents in the survey data for whom imputation was needed was similar to the distribution of other respondents, which may not be accurate.

Imputing Amounts of Income

CBO assigned income values to respondents using PMM.7 Under that method, respondents who had been designated to receive retirement income were matched with observationally similar cases (donors), and the amount of income the respondents was assigned was determined by the amount the matching donors reported. PMM has a number of desirable properties. In contrast to standard regression imputation, which is deterministic, PMM includes a random component to introduce heterogeneity into the imputed values. Further, PMM’s semi-parametric imputation process is less vulnerable to model misspecification than a fully parametric imputation model. Relative to hot-deck imputation within adjustment cells, PMM allows for more predictors and for the use of continuous variables as predictors.8

Using PMM involved several steps. First, a linear regression model was used to predict the amount of income from retirement plans for each person (including those who would receive an imputation). Retirement income was regressed on the same covariates used in the probit model four times, using different combinations of the two age groups and the two survey years. Second, predicted values were computed by using a set of coefficients randomly drawn from a posterior predictive distribution. That procedure aimed to introduce sufficient variability in the predicted values by incorporating the residual variance from the regression model. (Without that adjustment, the range of the predicted values would probably have been smaller than the true range.) For those respondents with income values of zero who were selected for imputation, five donors were selected who reported positive income from retirement plans and whose predicted income values were nearest to the target. One of those respondents was then randomly selected to serve as the donor. The previous two steps, obtaining predicted values and selecting donors, were repeated four times to produce five sets of imputed values. The final assigned amount was the average of those five values.

Validating Imputations

Only imputations for respondents to the 2013 ACS who were 65 or older were validated. There are no comparable administrative benchmarks to evaluate CBO’s estimates for 2018 or to evaluate its estimates for the 55-to-64-year-old age group. CBO’s results were similar to Bee and Mitchell’s.

Validating Imputed Recipients

Differences between the characteristics of CBO’s imputed sample and those of Bee and Mitchell’s linked ACS sample were small (see Table A-1). CBO’s procedure imputed shares of all men receiving income from retirement plans and shares of Veterans receiving that income that were slightly larger than those in Bee and Mitchell’s sample—by 2 percentage points and 3 percentage points, respectively.

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the ACS and from C. Adam Bee and Joshua W. Mitchell, Do Older Americans Have More Income Than We Think? Working Paper SEHSD-WP2017-39 (Census Bureau, July 2017), Appendix Table 7, https://go.usa.gov/xfzx7.

To create its sample, CBO imputed retirement-plan income to some ACS respondents. The ACS asks respondents to report income from defined benefit and defined contribution plans from companies, unions, federal, state, and local governments (including the military); individual retirement accounts; Keogh plans; and any other type of pension, retirement account, or annuity.

For the Census sample, Bee and Mitchell linked ACS data with IRS Form 1099-Rs, which record gross distributions that were made from employer-sponsored plans and individual retirement accounts and that were permanently withdrawn from tax-preferred retirement plans. (Distributions to people who do not file tax returns are not included.) Bee and Mitchell excluded certain kinds of distributions that the authors did not consider income, primarily direct rollovers and conversions, which move money from one tax-preferred retirement plan to another.

ACS = American Community Survey; IRS = Internal Revenue Service.

Validating Imputed Amounts

CBO compared aggregate totals in the ACS with the tabulations from the IRS’s Statistics of Income (SOI) division (see Table A-2). The SOI division publishes estimates of aggregate amounts of income from retirement plans by age.9 Those estimates include taxable distributions from individual retirement accounts, taxable and nontaxable pensions, and annuity income.10 CBO’s imputed values for 2018 matched (for ages 65 or older) or exceeded (for ages 55 to 64) SOI’s taxable amount of income but were below the aggregate amount of income. CBO also found that the ACS’s aggregate income from retirement plans in 2013 for those 65 or older was greater than the SOI taxable amount and smaller than the aggregate amount; similar results were reported by Bee and Mitchell. Those results may be partly explained by differences in the types of income included in the two sources of data. For example, the ACS does not include nontaxable direct rollovers, which are included in the aggregate retirement amount reported by SOI; the ACS includes income from people who receive retirement distributions but did not file tax returns, which is not included in the SOI tabulations.11

Source: Congressional Budget Office, using data from the ACS and the IRS’s Statistics of Income—2017 Individual Income Tax Return.

The ACS data understates retirement-plan income because many people fail to report it. CBO’s sample includes retirement-plan income both for those who reported such income and those to whom CBO imputed income. The IRS’s taxable and aggregate income figures do not include distributions to people who did not file returns. The IRS’s aggregate income figure includes distributions such as direct rollovers and conversions, which move money from one tax-preferred retirement plan to another.

ACS = American Community Survey; IRS = Internal Revenue Service.

1. a.The IRS publishes taxable income and aggregate income from retirement plans annually in its Statistics of Income—2017 Individual Income Tax Return. Because the IRS data for 2018 had not been published when CBO began its analysis, the agency projected taxable and aggregate income from retirement plans for that year by using IRS data from 2007 to 2017. To make the IRS data more comparable to data reported in the ACS, CBO averaged its projection with IRS data from 2017.

Unlike Bee and Mitchell’s IRS data, CBO’s imputed income amounts were subject to intensive margin underreporting; in other words, among those who correctly reported receiving income from retirement plans, the amounts listed were smaller than the amounts actually received.12 Research has shown that although underreporting in the ACS was primarily driven by the extensive margin (that is, respondents failing to report any retirement income when such income was in fact present in the administrative records), some intensive margin underreporting was also present.13 Because the PMM procedure borrows income values from other respondents in the data, which were also underreported, the imputed values were underreported as well.14 Given that most underreporting was along the extensive margin, and lacking an appropriate target, CBO did not make further adjustment for intensive margin underreporting.15

About This Document

This Congressional Budget Office report was prepared at the request of the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. In accordance with CBO’s mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the report makes no recommendations.

Heidi Golding and Elizabeth Bass prepared the report with guidance from David Mosher and Edward G. Keating. Jimmy Chen (formerly of CBO) and John Kerman contributed to the analysis. William Carrington, Xinzhe Cheng, Molly Dahl, Bilal Habib, Rebecca Heller, Nadia Karamcheva, Noah Meyerson, David Newman, and Julie Topoleski provided useful comments.

David S. C. Chu of the Institute for Defense Analyses and analysts at the Census Bureau provided helpful comments on the draft. (The assistance of external reviewers implies no responsibility for the final product, which rests solely with CBO.)

Jeffrey Kling, John Skeen, and Robert Sunshine reviewed the report. The editor was Elizabeth Schwinn, and the graphics editor was Jorge Salazar. An electronic version of the report is available on CBO’s website (www.cbo.gov/publication/56679).

CBO continually seeks feedback to make its work as useful as possible. Please send any comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Those killed aboard Tiger Flight 739 in 1962 did not get their names on the Vietnam memorial in Washington, D.C.

PORTLAND, Maine — Nearly 60 years ago, dozens of soldiers assembled for a top secret mission to Vietnam, three years before President Lyndon Johnson officially sent U.S. combat troops to the country.

They never made it. Their airplane disappeared between Guam and the Philippines, leaving behind no trace.

Ever since, their families have been fighting to get answers about the mission from the Pentagon. They also want their loved ones to be recognized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

For the families, it's been heart-wrenching that the soldiers were not properly memorialized like others who died in the war.

"I do feel frustrated. It’s almost as if they never existed as soldiers. It’s almost like they don’t matter, that their deaths don’t matter," said Dianna Taylor Crumpler, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, whose brother, James Henry Taylor, an Army chaplain, died on the flight.

On Saturday, families of more than 20 of the fallen soldiers were on hand for the unveiling of a memorial in Columbia Falls, Maine, to honor those who perished when the plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. Columbia Falls is about 190 miles (305 kilometers) northeast of Portland, Maine.

"It’s incredible," said Donna Ellis, of Haslett, Michigan, who was 5 when her father, Melvin Lewis Hatt, died in the crash.

The mission, early in the Vietnam war, is shrouded in mystery.

Soldiers from across the country assembled at Travis Air Force Base in California before boarding a propeller-powered Lockheed Super Constellation operated by the Flying Tiger Line, which chartered flights for the U.S. military.

The 93 U.S. soldiers, three South Vietnamese and 11 crew members aboard Flight 739 never made it to Saigon. It departed from California and made refueling stops in Hawaii, Wake Island and Guam before vanishing on the next leg of the flight to the Philippines on March 16, 1962.

There was a report of a midair explosion witnessed by sailors on a tanker in the area, but no debris from the aircraft was recovered.

The families have spent years seeking answers to no avail. Freedom of Information Act requests by Ellis and others yielded redacted documents with little useful information about the clandestine mission.

"It turns into a rat maze," Ellis said.

Because their deaths were not in the combat zone, their names were not allowed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.

Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan, took up the cause and introduced legislation in 2019 to allow the names to be etched on the memorial, but it never made it to the Senate floor.

"It is past time that we properly honor those lost. That’s why I will continue to work with my colleagues and the families of those lives lost on ways we can honor the servicemembers," Peters said.

In Maine, the founder of Wreaths Across America, which places wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and at Veteran gravesites around the world, was moved by the story and decided to create a monument. The granite stone has a marble marker with the names on it.

The unveiling Saturday featured a reading of the names, a rifle salute, the playing of taps and the laying of a wreath.

Phil Waite from the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration told the group he believes the memorial represents "a first step" to greater recognition. "I think there's more to come," he said.

The event provided an opportunity for families to get together and share stories.

"This will be closure for a lot of families," said Susie Linale, of Omaha, Nebraska, part of a contingent of six family members, including her sister and brother. They wore buttons with an image of their father, Albert Francis Williams Jr., who died in the crash.

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Vietnam-era and other pre-9/11 Veterans are one step closer to accessing a program designed to pay their spouses or other family support for in-home care even as rules tighten for who can enroll, as part of a highly anticipated proposed rule release from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Among the changes laid out in the 231-page proposal is a shift in the level of care Veterans must require to qualify; a change to monthly payment amounts and how they are calculated; a downsizing of benefits tiers; and a benefits grace period for caregivers who leave the program due to domestic or intimate partner violence.

No start date was given for the proposed changes. Their rollout, however, is tied to an already delayed IT upgrade needed to handle the anticipated influx of applicants. That update is expected by late this fall, VA officials said in a release. From there a two years must pass before the benefit is expanded to Veterans who did not serve after 9/11. The program also only serves those providing care for a service-connected disabled Veteran -- not a Veteran providing care for someone else.

The VA's caregiver stipend program has long been available only to caregivers of post-9/11 Veterans. The program currently pays stipends to about 18,000 caregivers, with dollar amounts based on a three-tiered system tied to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) rates for in-home health aids.

But the program is notoriously inconsistent, with enrollment standards varying widely by region. To curtail that problem, VA officials have repeatedly closed and reopened enrollments as they worked to tighten guidance on what injuries require such care.

Meanwhile, some advocates for Veterans decried the program as unfair because it did not allow pre-9/11 Veteran access at all. A 2018 law, known as the VA Mission Act, laid the groundwork to open enrollment for the program to Veterans of other eras. The law requires the VA to first complete an IT overhaul for administering the program, a process that is still ongoing, and issue new policy rules governing its administration.

The proposed rules, released March 4, are the VA's response to that policy requirement.

While newly qualifying Veterans will benefit from the expanded access, the changes could drastically impact those who are currently enrolled. And while the proposal includes a grandfather clause that would protect their enrollment for a year, some caregivers may find they no longer qualify under the new, tightened regulation.

Currently, Veterans qualify for the program by needing assistance with "activities of daily living" identified by the VA. Those include dressing and undressing; bathing; grooming; adjusting special prosthetics or orthopedic appliances; toileting; feeding; and mobility. But the current rules do not specifically dictate how often that assistance is required.

The new policy would instead require that the Veteran need assistance with the identified activities each time they are completed. That change would in effect block Veterans who only need periodic help from the program.

Those who qualify under the old rules would be grandfathered into the program for a year, during which time they would be reassessed for enrollment.

Rather than a three-tiered system currently in place with payment amounts based on estimates of time spent providing care, the revamped program would instead include only two tiers. They would be divided into those who need assistance with at least three of those daily living activities and those who need help with no more than two.

Monthly stipends would then be based purely on those tiers and tied to the government's GS-4, step 1 rate plus locality pay, instead of the BLS calculated rate for home health aids currently used. The proposal estimates that, in most cases, the change will result in a slightly increased caregiver payment.

For example, the proposal states, the 2020 GS-4 step 1 rate is about $27,000 annually, while the BLS rate in use as of December was about $25,000.

Caregivers in tier one of the proposed scale would receive about $2,250 monthly before locality pay, while those in tier two would receive 62.5% of the full rate, or about $1,410.

Caregivers who currently receive a higher payment than the proposed change to GS-4 gives would be grandfathered into the old payment system for one year, the proposal states.

The new proposal also expands protections for caregivers who are victims of domestic violence or intimate partner violence. Currently, those who drop from the program because of those issues are given a 30-day grace period. But how that is actually implemented depends on a wide variety of factors, including the local program administrator and whether the Veteran immediately designates a different caregiver.

But the new rules add specific, broad protections for domestic and partner violence victims, granting a 90-day payment grace period for caregivers who report violence or abuse. By doing so, the authors state, they hope to encourage caregivers to keep themselves safe.

"We have found that oftentimes, a caregiver may remain in a [domestic violence]... situation due to financial concerns," the proposal states. "They may choose to not leave such a situation because doing so would result in financial insecurity, including loss of caregiver benefits such as the stipend payment and health care benefits. We propose to extend caregiver benefits for a period of 90 days after discharge in such instances..... We do not want to encourage caregivers to remain in such situations."

The rules will be published to the Federal Register on Friday and are subject to a 60-day public comment period.

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The VIONE methodology is deprescribing medication at 45 VA facilities and growing

V-I-O-N-E. These five letters can change a Veteran’s life.

For many Veterans, taking a variety of medications is a necessity. But the simultaneous use of multiple medications—known as polypharmacy—can lead to dangerous drug interactions, adverse outcomes, and challenges with a patient’s ability to adhere to the proper schedule and dosage. In fact, polypharmacy ranks among the top 10 common causes of death in the U.S.

VIONE is a simple, user friendly medication management methodology used to reduce polypharmacy and improve patient safety, comfort, and medication adherence consistent with high-reliability organizations.

Clinicians and pharmacists use the VIONE acronym to determine if a Veteran’s medications are actively supporting their health care goals:

• Vital: Is this medication vital to the patient’s health?
• Important: How important is this medication to the patient’s quality of life?
• Optional: By taking this medicine, do the benefits outweigh the risks?
• Not indicated: Is the patient taking medications that are no longer needed?
• Every medication has a reason: Does every medication support a clear diagnosis or indication?

Developed by VA

VIONE was developed by Dr. Saraswathy Battar, Associate Chief of Staff for Geriatrics and Extended Care Services at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. It has has successfully impacted the lives of over 77,000 Veterans by deprescribing 168,000 medications and yielding more than $5.8 million in annualized cost avoidance by ensuring Veterans are only taking the medications they need.

Dr. Battar experienced a positive outcome of VIONE in her own facility: “One of our Veterans in the dementia unit had been non-conversant, non-interactive, and non-ambulatory for years. Through the VIONE approach, the pharmacist and clinicians worked together and deprescribed several of his medications over six months. He eventually woke up singing, walking, lucid, and joyful. It was like seeing a miracle unfold in front of my eyes.”

The program, supported by the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem’s (VHA IE) Diffusion of Excellence, is now spreading throughout VHA and moving into the private sector and has even been recognized by Congressmen French Hill (R-AR).

This is just one of the many programs supporting VHA IE’s mission to enable the discovery and spread of health care innovations within VHA that exceed expectations, restore hope, and build trust within the Veteran community.

For more information about VHA IE, visit https://www.va.gov/INNOVATIONECOSYSTEM/home.html.

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NEWARK, N.J. – A Virginia diagnostic laboratory will pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting or causing to be submitted claims for genetic tests to Medicare without valid physician oversight, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced today.

According to the contentions of the United States contained in the settlement agreement:

From July 2014 to September 2015, Genetworx Laboratories utilized the services of Seth Rehfuss as a sales representative who persuaded groups of senior citizens in senior housing complexes to submit to genetic testing, despite applicable Medicare rules requiring proper orders from a treating physician for such tests. Genetworx, in turn, submitted claims for payment to Medicare for Rehfuss’s genetic tests performed without valid physician oversight.

Rehfuss, of Somerset, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty in Trenton federal court to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced in May 2019 to 50 months in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Mahoney; and the Cape May County Department of Aging and Disability Services, with the investigation leading to the settlement.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Meyler of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

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ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Virginia doctor pleaded guilty today to his role in a $1.8 million health care fraud scheme to prescribe medically unnecessary compounded pain and scar creams and other expensive medications.

“Through his deceit and greed, Rosen exploited the trust placed in him as a medical professional to engage in an extensive scheme that defrauded health insurance programs out of $1.8 million,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of prescribing medications in an honest and lawful manner to help those in need, the defendant sold out his medical license and training, and will now become a convicted felon.”

According to court documents, Leonard Rosen, 72, of Fairfax Station, was an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) who practiced in Northern Virginia since 1980. Rosen was also the owner of an OB-GYN medical practice. In 2014, Rosen met Mohamed Abdalla, 48, of Allendale, New Jersey, who was a licensed pharmacist and owned and operated several pharmacies. Shortly thereafter, Rosen entered into an agreement with Abdalla to prescribe expensive compounded pain and scar creams, which Rosen then ensured were sent to Abdalla’s pharmacies. In return, Abdalla agreed to pay Rosen a percentage of the profits. Prior to this scheme, Rosen had not prescribed expensive compounded medications. However, during the scheme, Rosen prescribed countless medically unnecessary compounded medications. In total, Rosen’s illegal actions resulted in $1,880,575.70 in losses to private health care benefit programs.

“Leonard Rosen exploited health care programs and his patients for personal gain by participating in a scheme to prescribe medically unnecessary prescriptions in return for money, and those criminal actions have consequences,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division. “Today’s plea is an example of the dedicated work of the FBI and our partners to root out fraud, ensure the safety of our communities, and hold criminals accountable for their actions.”

For his role in this and other schemes, Abdalla was sentenced on March 19 to four years in prison. Rosen is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Chris Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office; and Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monika Moore and Carina A. Cuellar are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-205.

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VA diabetes courses for Veterans awarded recognition

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has awarded recognition status to VA and the Department of Defense for a collaboration that produced virtual Diabetic Self-Management Education (DSME) for Veterans, active duty personnel and their families.

ADA lauded the DSME, which patients access through VA’s Virtual Medical Center (VMC). They call it one of the most engaging and true-to-life virtual medical experiences focused entirely on diabetes self-management.

DSME benefits about 25% of Veterans and 10% of active duty personnel. It also meets ADA’s required national training standards.

“The Employee Education System worked with VA’s clinical staff to produce high-quality diabetes courses, ensuring the instructors were credentialed, qualified to teach and could help others navigate their way around the Virtual Medical Center,” EES acting Chief Learning Officer Elizabeth James, said.

“The resources we invested into this project paid off by making the Virtual Medical Center a state-of-the-art, telehealth experience that Veterans and service members have eagerly embraced.”

Patients create their own avatars to navigate virtual medical center

EES enhanced the virtual medical experience by introducing detailed avatars to the VMC. Patients transform these graphical representations into a version of themselves by selecting characteristics to include gender, race, hair color and even clothing.

Avatars then navigate the VMC which mimics the appearance of most VA hospitals.

Avatars can visit different classes, ask educators questions and even engage in real-time discussions with other avatars in their class. They are also able to access any class in the facility. Other classes include heart disease and hypertension.

Orville Bell, a 70-year-old Navy Veteran who receives care at the VA Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, says he attends the online DSME classes every week, which is twice as often as he did prior to the pandemic.

Lost 30 pounds and kept it off for two years

Bell said attending DSME classes helped him lose 30 pounds. His A1C has improved from 11 to 6.7, and he has maintained his current weight for two years.

“At first, the Virtual Medical Center was intimidating, but they have a lot of support staff. I really like it because they keep me focused on how to eat, make good diet decisions. I also like listening to how other people remain disciplined. It’s kind of like being in ‘Diabetes Watchers’ instead of Weight Watchers.’”

ADA was so impressed with the DSME that they invited EES to showcase the program at its 81st Scientific Session in Washington, D.C., this June.

Robert Gabbay is the ADA chief scientific and medical officer. He praised the VA-DOD collaboration for its ability to positively impact Veterans and service members serving around the world.

“This is a unique program with the potential for incredible reach,” he said. “We are excited to partner with VA on this important initiative.”

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New eyewear fitted with a camera that can help low-vision people see — known as eSight devices — will be much more readily available at Veterans Affairs hospitals thanks to a partnership with Veteran-owned medical supplies company Marathon Medical.

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock, the former acting surgeon general of the Army and an advocate for people with low vision, said eSight is “truly looking to improve the lives of the men and women and the boys and girls with vision loss who can benefit from this tool.”

Pollock has been a vocal supporter of eSight for years, and has occasionally consulted for the company on strategy and connecting it with civilian leaders, she said.

But upon first learning about eSight in 2014 or 2015, after an investor in the Canada-based company told her to check out a demonstration of the device, Pollock was skeptical.

At the eSight demonstration she attended in a Boston conference room, it was initially slow going. Pollock saw several older low-vision people attempt to use eSight but have trouble with the technology.

Then a man with poor vision walked in on someone’s arm and asked to “play with” the device. A few minutes later, he asked to go to the window. When Pollock offered him her elbow, he said he would like to try walking there himself.

“We’re in one of those big conference rooms, with the big tables, the big chairs, boxes and cords and crap on the floor,” Pollock recalled. “I’m like, oh, boy, here we go.”

But the man successfully navigated to the window.

“He stands there for a few minutes looking out,” Pollock said. “He turns around and says, ‘May I describe the Boston skyline to you? I haven’t seen it in years.’”

That was when Pollock decided she wanted to advocate for eSight. Even if the device wouldn’t work for all low-vision people, it could be life-changing for some people, she said.

The high-speed cameras in the eSight headsets work by magnifying what they capture, clarifying the world for some low-vision people. The technology is a Class I medical device registered with the FDA, a similar classification to other low-risk devices, like stethoscopes.

eSight has long been available to Veterans through their VA insurance, said Aaron Tutwiler, director of sales. But it used to take months or even years for the eyewear to end up on a Veteran’s face as the company navigated registering with VA hospitals and securing VA contracts.

By partnering with Marathon Medical — which is a registered vendor with all 1,298 VA hospitals and gets higher priority in VA procurement because it is owned by a service-disabled Veteran — eSight can get its devices to Veterans within weeks of an appointment, said Marathon Medical COO Jon Landis.

The VA will cover the whole cost of the device, whose suggested retail price is $6,950, according to Tutwiler.

Veterans who served in combat are more likely to have vision loss than their civilian counterparts, according to Pollock. The eye is involved in combat injury 10 to 13% of the time, with cases as minor as a cut eyelid and as severe as removal of an eye, she said. Traumatic brain injury can also hamper Veterans’ vision.

“The civilian population is facing the same risks of vision loss as the military is, but we have the additional one of the fact that we deployed to combat,” Pollock said. “That’s why I think it’s so important that we continue to find new tools, new ways to support the men and women that know that they’re putting themselves at risk, and then to be able to help them should they ever need it.”

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RAYMOND, N.H. - An army Veteran’s world has opened as volunteers took apart his home. For him, this holiday’s best gifts are some elbow grease and kindness.

Lavish luxury was not on the wish list for the Beauregard household. Instead, it is the things we take for granted.

“Basically, being on one level. That’s the biggest thing. Being able to be all wide open. Being able to be in my chair, safe. And being able to get around,” said Mike Beauregard.

Beauregard, an Army Veteran, has lived with multiple sclerosis, which has progressed quickly over the past six years.

So, getting around his own home has been a challenge.

“You know, you got things in the way. Even little lips in the house, thresholds that folks who are in power chairs, we can’t get over them,” Beauregard said.

These days, Beauregard does not make it upstairs much. So, these volunteers are adding a new bedroom on the ground level.

“They’re sheet-rocking, there will be mudding and taping. Then we’ll be painting and putting in cabinets,” said Marcie Bergan from Habitat for Humanity.

Last year, volunteers repaired Beauregard’s elevator and his front porch.

Through it all, Beauregard has learned a valuable lesson he hopes to pass on. “There’s Veterans out there who don’t want to ask for help, they're too proud. It’s OK. Reach out. Let people help you.”

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Donnie La Curan in Veteran News

Volunteers are returning to national cemeteries under certain circumstances, following strict COVID-19 guidance.

More than 40 volunteers displayed the new policies during an event Sept. 19 at Culpeper National Cemetery in Virginia. A group from a local Latter-day Saints church cleaned headstones while wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

(Click on Source to view video)

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One of VA’s oldest benefits – Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) – is now the Veteran Readiness and Employment Service. The service office will remain abbreviated VR&E, but the new name reemphasizes VBA’s mission to encourage, promote and support transitioning and service-connected disabled Veterans’ employment goals.

VA engaged in a comprehensive study with Veterans, service members, VR&E employees, and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) to better understand the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement of the program. The result was that some users felt confusion and stigma with the program’s name and that it deterred some potential program participants from seeking services.

What is the Veteran Readiness and Employment Service?

Veteran Readiness and Employment Service is an employment program that uses five program tracks. These tracks help participants discover a new career path, uncover exciting employment opportunities, and succeed and grow in a chosen profession. VR&E provides benefits and services that enable transitioning service members and Veterans with service-connected disabilities and an employment barrier to prepare for, obtain, and maintain suitable employment, and to the maximum extent possible, achieve independence in daily living.

Five Program Tracks

1. Reemployment: to successfully return participants to a civilian job they previously held.
2. Rapid Access to Employment: to quickly secure employment with existing skills and experience.
3. Self-Employment: to plan for and start a business.
4. Employment through Long-Term Services: to obtain training and/or education, college or certification programs, on the job training, non-paid work experience, apprenticeships, and/or internships.
5. Independent Living: to become self-sufficient – if the participant can’t return to work right away.

With VR&E, participants can:

• Explore career goals and interests.
• Pursue skilled professions or trades.
• Select and map personal goals for employment.
• Obtain formal education or training where tuition, fees, books and supplies are provided at no cost.
• Maximize independence in life’s daily activities.

Learn more and apply today: https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/

Read the official news release: https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5473

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There are little ways and big ways to make a difference in someone’s life. On this National Rehabilitation Counselor Appreciation Day (March 22), Veteran and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) Desiree Dial shares how she makes a difference in Veterans’ lives everyday.

Army Veteran David Norman first met Dial in February 2017 when he applied to the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) program. He had just left the Army and was seeking employment and transition assistance. That led Norman to Bethel University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership.

It was Dial–herself a Veteran–who inspired Norman to “pay it forward.” He now helps transitioning service members at Fort Campbell, Ky., to better understand how VR&E can lead them–like him–into successful civilian employment.

Dial, who works with many Veterans pursuing different career tracks, says transitioning service members are often unsure what they want to pursue straight out of the military, or that they’re often afraid that some career choices could aggravate their disabilities. But it was Norman who most helped her, and he “made me a better counselor” because of it.

“I have this incredible job and opportunity to assist my fellow Veterans in identifying and reaching their employment goals,” Dial said. “This not only allows them to be successful, it permits them to provide for themselves and their families while increasing their self-esteem and confidence.”

Dial still receives phone calls and emails from other Veterans–like Norman–that she has helped over the years.

“It is a humbling experience,” she said, “and it reminds me constantly of the importance of what I do, the positive impact I can have on other Veterans’ lives.”

Around the country

Dial is just one of many VRCs around the country who exemplify VBA’s dedication to serving and inspiring our Veterans and service members. It’s a true one-on-one experience for each participant, and she and many other VRCs exemplify the best of what VBA offers, to make a difference in the lives of those who have served.

For more information on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, visit https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/.

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The clinic represents Vietnam Veterans of America and itsConnecticut chapters in a multi-pronged effort to end the unlawful discharge of thousands of service members on the alleged ground of a personality or adjustment disorder and to secure redress for the 31,000 men and women discharged on this basis since 2001. The clinic has drafted federal legislation and proposed regulations to redress these wrongful discharges, litigated two Freedom of Information Act lawsuits to obtain records regarding these practices, and authored two white papers for VVA analyzing records disclosed to date in the FOIA litigation.

Vietnam Veterans of America v. U.S. Dept. of Defense, ___ F.Supp. 2d ___, 2014 WL 1284970 (D.Conn.Mar. 31, 2014) (granting in part and denying in part DoD motion for summary judgment in FOIA action)

Vietnam Veterans of America v. U.S. Dept. of Defense, ___ F.Supp. 2d ___, 2014 WL 1281725 (D.Conn.Mar. 28, 2014) (denying government motion to dismiss FOIA action)

Disorder in the Coast Guard: The United States Coast Guard's Illegal Personality and Adjustment Disorder Discharges (Feb. 2014)

Press Release: Previously Withheld Records Reveal Widespread Illegality in U.S. Coast Guard Mental Health Discharges (Feb. 27, 2014.)

Amended Complaint, Vietnam Veterans of America v. U.S. Dept. of Def., 3:10-cv-1972-AWT (D.Conn.) (“VVA I”)

Complaint,Vietnam Veterans ofAmerica v.U.S. Dept. of Def., 3:11-cv-2009-WWE (D.Conn.) (“VVA II”) 

Casting Troops Aside: The United States Military’s Illegal Personality Disorder Discharge Problem (Mar. 2012) 

Media Clips:

Lisa Chedekel, Vet Groups Want Answers To ‘Wrongful’ Discharges,New Haven Independent,Dec 15, 2010

Kelly Kennedy, Group sues over personality disorder discharges, Army Times,Dec 15, 2010

Nikita Lalwani, Law School clinic files second suit this week against Department of Defense, Yale Daily News,Dec 15, 2010

Joseph Picard, Pentagon swindling Vets, lawsuit says, International Business Times,Dec 15, 2010

Mark Spence, Personality Disorder Discharges Target Of Veterans Group Lawsuit,Hartford Courant,Dec 15, 2010

Yale law clinic sues to get Veterans' health data, New Haven Register,December 16, 2010

Besty Yagla, Yale Helps Two Veterans Groups File Lawsuits Against Federal Agencies,New Haven Advocate,Dec 21, 2010

Dahr Jamail,  Melissa Ader, Lawsuit Demands Misdiagnosed Veterans Receive Benefits, Talknationradio.com,December 30, 2010

Sarah Yager, Fighting on two fronts,  The Yale Herald,January 22, 2011

Chris Coughlin, Money Saved at Misdiagnosed Vets' Expense, Courthouse News Service,December 30, 2011

James Dao, Branding a Soldier With 'Personality Disorder', The New York Times,February 24, 2012

Dr. Phil Leveque, Military Psychiatrists with Personality Disorder, Salem-News.com,Feb 29, 2012

Mary E. O’Leary, Department of Defense illegally discharged Veterans for having personality disorder, Yale group finds, New Haven Register,Mar 22, 2012

Newly Disclosed Records Reveal Hundreds More Illegal Personality Discharges; VVA Finds Navy and Air Force Worst Offenders, PR Newswire,March 22, 2012

Vietnam Vets of America Documents Troops Cast Aside With PTSD, Benefits Denied, Scribillare,March 22, 2012

Military's Illegal Personality Disorder Discharge Problem, Wounded Times Blog, March 23. 2012

Erik Slavin, Veterans study: Thousands wrongfully discharged for personality disorders, Stars and Stripes,March 26, 2012

Julie M. Rodriguez, Military Labels Rape Victims “Crazy”, care2.com,Apr 18, 2012

Sanjay Gupta, Stephanie Schroeder's military sex assault claim leads to psych discharge, CNN,Apr 20, 2012

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WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The Veterans One Stop in Waco needs a volunteer to take on an important job manning the front desk, including taking calls and screening visitors for COVID19.

The organization offers a variety of services to area Veterans and the front desk position is a valuable one.

The volunteer selected for the job will have to attend eight hours of Military Veteran Peer Network training.

Those interested in stepping up may call (254) 297-7171 for more information.

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced today five Accessing Telehealth through Local Area Stations (ATLAS) sites in select Walmart stores have resumed clinical services to Veterans in rural areas.

VA suspended the operation of clinical services at all ATLAS sites, April 10, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and implement additional safety and infection control measures.

The reopened ATLAS sites give Veterans more options — allowing them to receive care without leaving their communities while offering the full privacy of a doctor’s office.

“The ATLAS initiative provides timely and convenient care to Veterans living in rural areas or with limited internet access,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Telehealth innovations are critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual appointments protect the safety and well-being of both our Veterans and providers.”

ATLAS sites offer services that do not require hands-on exams, such as primary care, nutrition, mental health counseling and social work. Establishing these points of care closer to Veterans’ homes, ATLAS reduces obstacles and increases access to care.

In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency COVID guidelines for sanitation, the following Walmart Atlas sites have reopened.

• Keokuk, Iowa (Walmart #1431)
• Howell, Michigan (Walmart #1754)
• Asheboro, North Carolina (Walmart #1132)
• Boone, North Carolina (Walmart #2496)
• Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (Walmart #1643)

The Secretary plans to expand this initiative to more sites nationwide by 2023.

ATLAS is part of VA’s Anywhere to Anywhere initiative, which works to better serve the almost 9 million Veterans who receive care through VA — no matter where they choose to live. The Secretary’s Center for Strategic Partnerships has facilitated collaborations with Philips North America, The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Walmart to provide convenient locations with private appointment space for Veterans to receive care. Veterans meet with their VA providers at ATLAS sites through VA Video Connect, VA’s secure videoconferencing platform.

To learn more about ATLAS, visit VA’s Office of Connected Care.

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In September, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) held its annual Substance Use Disorder Symposium, better known as SUDS. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on gathering size and social distancing, the event was held virtually.

The symposium, developed and coordinated by the National Capital Region Pain Initiative, brought together speakers and attendees from all over the world to share insights and participate in workshops on how the Department of Defense is fighting substance use disorder, or SUD.

The course director, Dr. Christopher Spevak stressed the need for education for all members of the health care team on substance use disorders; especially in light of COVID-19. “We have been tracking the civilian data that shows an increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic,” said Spevak.

Speakers at the symposium shared their experience and insight into SUD. Jennifer Zumwalde, a recreational therapist with the Psychiatric Continuity Services clinic at WRNMMC, stated, “It was beneficial to gain from other people’s knowledge.”

Dr. Marthinus Zeeman, an Army Veteran who served on a deployment in Afghanistan, spoke about his experience while serving in ‘a combat zone.’ While deployed, Zeeman found that he and other fellow soldiers all experienced significant stress levels, which led to compensation through different addictive behaviors.

Zumwalde, who works with active duty service members who have experienced extreme trauma of some kind, explained why this presentation was impactful. “I thought it was very powerful for [Dr. Zeeman] to talk about his firsthand knowledge with addiction. Having someone able to share their experience with others is a huge aspect used to encourage future patients to speak out and get help.”

While SUD is found to be a heritable disorder, anyone can become afflicted. Stress, a major contributing factor to SUD, can lead to an individual seeking instant relief through drug use. Stress could be related to combat, sexual assault, trauma, and other factors.

The symposium also shared measures that the DoD is taking to combat SUD. By utilizing drug tests, and being proactive about which substances are most abused, the DoD has seen a significant decrease in drug use amongst service members from it’s all time high during the Vietnam War era.

The DoD also shared two new campaigns to combat SUD head on, the “Own Your Limits” campaign and the “Too Much to Lose” campaign.

The “Own Your Limits” campaign focuses on responsible alcohol use. The campaign, launched in 2019, gives service members information to make responsible choices when drinking, as well as information friends and family can use to talk to service members about alcohol use concerns.

While the “Too Much to Lose” campaign focuses on the risks related to prescription and illicit drug use. By providing fact sheets, interactive quizzes, and information to those close to a service member who may be struggling with risky drug use, the campaign strives to lower use amongst service members.

While the most at risk group for SUD in the military are males between 18 and 24 years old, anyone can be at risk. And although there can be repercussions for illicit drug use by service members, the symposium stressed that there is always treatment for those who need it.

Enduring materials will be made available in the coming months on the NCRPI Enduring Materials website. More information on how to access the website is available by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Warrior Care Month is a time to reflect on the strength and resilience of our nation’s wounded, ill, and injured service members while also recognizing the dedication of military caregivers who support our service members during their recovery and rehabilitation.

Since 2008, the Department of Defense has dedicated the month of November to increasing awareness of programs and resources available to this community—programs and resources designed to support service members as they achieve significant milestones during their recovery process. This month, the Defense Health Agency and its partners remain committed to highlighting the important work being done in the field of recovery coordination and warrior care. Through our collective efforts, we are able to successfully transition many service members to the civilian sector or, in some cases, facilitate their return to duty.

Much of what Warrior Care Month stands for is embodied by the physical, mental, and spiritual resiliency of our service members and their families. This year, these traits will be on display throughout the month at joint service adaptive sports camps, healing arts events, internship fairs, and many other events and activities designed to support recovering service members throughout the country. These events and activities occur as part of a coordinated effort under the DHA's Recovery Coordination Program, which ensures a customized approach for rehabilitation and reintegration will be developed for each wounded, ill, and injured service member.

While we highlight Warrior Care Month in November, recovery coordination is a year-round mission for the professionals within the DHA and the military service Warrior Care Programs that proactively support wounded, ill, and injured service members during their recovery and rehabilitation on a daily basis. For DHA, proactive means we are constantly looking for new and exciting opportunities to enhance and customize the recovery and rehabilitation process to ensure every individual establishes and progresses through a recovery plan that sets them up for success.

During Warrior Care Month, we take a moment to remind ourselves of the personal sacrifices made on the road to recovery and rehabilitation, and acknowledge that this journey cannot be taken alone. It is a continuous, collective effort among the service members, their families, support staff, and caregivers that makes this process successful. With an ongoing commitment to enhancing and improving programs and resources, in concert with unparalleled medical care, we can help ensure success for our service members, and I am grateful for your commitment and dedication throughout the year.

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Federal investigators could force former Veterans Affairs employees to testify about possible wrongdoing and waste within the department even after they leave their government jobs under legislation expected to be signed into law in coming days.

The Strengthening Oversight for Veterans Act, which passed out of the Senate in early April and was finalized by the House this week, would grant the VA Office of Inspector General subpoena authority over former VA staffers and former contractor personnel who worked for the department.

In a statement, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont., called the move critical to strengthen oversight within VA.

When the legislation was introduced last fall, leaders at the VA Inspector General’s Office noted that watchdog officials at the Defense Department already have the authority to subpoena their own former employees during investigations. Giving VA IG staff the same authority would put them on par with their peers.

Christopher Wilber, counselor to the VA inspector general, said lack of that power has frustrated several recent investigations where former department workers simply refused to talk to IG officials about problems or crimes while they worked for VA.

In the most egregious case, a key figure involved in the investigation into a series of patient murders at the Clarksville VA Medical Center in West Virginia five years ago stepped down from their department job amid the inspector general’s inquiries.

“Testimonial subpoena authority would be important to our ability to then reach out to someone like that, require them to talk to us,” he said.

“This isn’t a criminal investigation of that person; this isn’t about putting that person in jail. This is about getting critical information from that person so that we understand what happened, the root causes of the problem … and allow us to make recommendations to the department on how to fix it.”

Wilber detailed several other instances where investigations were stymied by a sudden resignation or departure, with no power to compel those individuals to give information to officials after they left VA.

In a statement, Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., a sponsor of the bill, said the change will allow “more thorough investigations [and] help ensure accountability.”

White House officials have not said when President Joe Biden may sign the measure into law, but have not offered any public objections to the bill.

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Teachers at West Hempfield Elementary School were awarded a plaque from AMVETS deeming their Veterans Day program excellent.

The program drew several Veterans — who were related to students — to the school for breakfast and a music show.

“I was stunned,” said Rege Riley, former National Commander for AMVETS. “I was just in awe and I’ve been to Alaska, to Hawaii… . (The show) was just amazing and I felt in my heart I had to acknowledge the principal.”

Kids donned in red, white and blue filled the school’s gymnasium during the Nov. 11 program. A slide show depicting student projects based around Veterans Day kicked off the program, followed by singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” led by a local Boy Scout troop. The program also included an in-unison “thank you” from the students to the Veterans.

Riley, who has two great-grandsons at the school, presented the award to one of the school’s music teachers, Brandie Falk, and Principal Chris Brasco last month.

“It’s an honor,” Falk said. “It’s a big production to put on, but it’s such an honor to get to do this because I feel I’m one of those people who have a lot of civilian guilt for not serving in the military. I feel like our freedoms and what not, I feel guilty for having them because I don’t do anything to uphold them so I feel like it’s the least that I can do to give back to our Veterans … especially to tell them ‘Thank you’ and ‘You’re loved and appreciated and not forgotten.’”

Falk, who has worked at West Hempfield Elementary School since 2014, said her favorite part about the program is seeing the students’ reactions when Veterans walk in with their uniforms on.

“The kids are star stuck,” Falk said, adding, “It’s fun they get to see real Veterans and it’s people in their community that served and protected us.”

Riley, who belongs to the AMVETS post in North Braddock, said the organization is heavily involved in schools, offering poster contests for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and essay contests for older students.

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LOS ANGELES – A West Los Angeles pharmacist was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for orchestrating a scheme that fraudulently obtained millions of dollars for compounded drugs in a scheme that paid illegal kickbacks for patient referrals and fraudulently paid patients’ copayments.

Navid Vahedi, 42, of Brentwood, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder. Vahedi and his West Los Angeles-based company, Fusion Rx Compounding Pharmacy, pleaded guilty in February 2021 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and payment of illegal remunerations.

On January 18, Judge Snyder sentenced Fusion Rx Compounding Pharmacy to five years of probation. She has ordered Vahedi and his company to jointly pay $4,400,525 in restitution.

Fusion Rx was a provider of compounded drugs, which are tailor-made products doctors may prescribe when FDA-approved alternatives do not meet the health needs of patients. Vahedi, a licensed pharmacist, and Fusion Rx routed millions of dollars in kickback payments through the businesses of two marketers to steer prescriptions for compounded drugs to Fusion Rx.

As part of the scheme, Vahedi and the two marketers provided physicians with preprinted prescription script pads that offered “check-the-box” options on the form to maximize the amount of insurance reimbursement for the compounded drugs. From May 2014 to at least February 2016, Fusion Rx received approximately $14 million in reimbursements on its claims for compounded drug prescriptions.

As part of its contracts with various insurance networks, Fusion Rx was obligated to collect copayments from patients. Because the copayments might discourage patients from requesting expensive and potentially unnecessary compounded drug prescriptions, Fusion Rx did not collect copayments with any regularity and, in other instances, it provided gift cards to patients to offset the amount of the copayments, according to court documents.

After an audit raised concerns that Fusion Rx’s failure to collect copayments would be discovered, Vahedi directed Fusion Rx funds to be used to purchase American Express gift cards, which were then used to make copayments for certain prescriptions without the patients’ knowledge. Fusion Rx then submitted claims on these prescriptions to various insurance providers, falsely representing that patients had paid the required copayments.

“As a pharmacist offering compounded medications, [Vahedi] had a real opportunity to use his skills to help patients in need, individuals whose unique health challenges made it impossible for them to depend on the FDA-approved medications others rely on,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “Instead, defendant converted his pharmacy into an assembly line for his own enrichment.”

The two marketers involved in the scheme – Joshua Pearson, 42, of St. George, Utah, and Joseph Kieffer, 41, of West Los Angeles – previously pleaded guilty in this case. Judge Snyder sentenced Kieffer to six months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1.25 million in restitution. Pearson was sentenced to three years of probation.

The Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI, the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, the Office of Personnel Management’s Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander B. Schwab of the Major Frauds Section and Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture Section prosecuted this case.

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The daughter of a decorated Veteran who died suddenly of an insulin overdose at a Veterans Affairs hospital in West Virginia over a year ago -- and whose death has been dubbed a homicide -- filed a lawsuit Monday against VA Secretary Robert Wilkie.

Melanie Proctor said a "widespread system of failures" at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg ultimately resulted in the death of her 82-year-old father, former Army Sgt. Felix Kirk McDermott.

McDermott suffered from dementia following a stroke a few years prior and died suddenly on April 9, 2018, at the VA hospital. The latter years of his life had been spent battling heart disease, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Three days before his death, he was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia after he got food caught in his lung, but he appeared to be rebounding, according to Proctor.

It wasn't until a few months later -- when investigators with the VA watchdog's office let her know his death was marked by some suspicious circumstances -- that she let them exhume his body.

An autopsy revealed that McDermott received a dose of insulin to his abdomen, which could be deadly to someone who did not have diabetes. Hospital records did not indicate that doctors had ordered any insulin for McDermott; the shot caused his blood sugar level to take a deadly dive.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, alleges an unnamed employee who administered the injection was not qualified to be a nursing assistant and that hospital staff failed to take appropriate action to stop the employee from giving the shots.

In total, 11 Veterans who died at the same hospital appeared to have received lethal doses of insulin despite not being treated for diabetes or high blood sugar, according to reports.

The VA is the government’s second-largest department and responsible for 9 million military Veterans.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., announced that the VA inspector general told his office they were opening a medical and criminal investigation into the hospital in July 2018 and had identified a person of interest.

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What are Burn Pits?

Burn pits are open-air, uncontrolled areas used by the U.S. military and military contractors, primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan military sites. Historically, open-air burn pits have been a means to dispose of metal, rubber, chemicals, paint, medical waste, munitions and unexploded ordnance, petroleum products, human waste, plastics, and various other forms of waste. When these different forms of waste are burned together, the burn pit emits toxic substances and carcinogens. Without containment, the airborne pollutants and carcinogens spread and can lead to long-term medical conditions due to toxic exposure. The high levels of dust and other existing air pollutants in the area further compound the effects of burn pits.

Burn Pit Exposure Symptoms & Health Effects

With the various amounts and types of waste burned, the smoke released may be made up of any number of toxic chemicals. As a result, it is difficult to quantify exposure. Burn pit exposure affects each individual differently and may affect those exposed for long periods of time or with pre-existing asthma, lung, or heart conditions more severely. Symptoms and long-term health issues from exposure also depend on the proximity to the burn pit, direction of the smoke, along with the length and frequency of exposure.

The toxins and smoke emitted from burn pits may affect the skin, eyes, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and gastrointestinal tract. Initial exposure symptoms often include eye irritation and/or burning; coughing and throat irritation; difficulty breathing; skin itching; and rashes. These exposure symptoms often appear temporary and resolve following initial exposure. However, burn pit exposure has caused long-term health concerns as well. Some of these long-term effects include, but are not limited to:

• Reduced central nervous system function;
• Reduced liver or kidney function;
• Stomach, respiratory, or skin cancer;
• Skin lesions;
• Leukemia;
• Chronic bronchitis;
• Cardiovascular conditions;
• Constrictive bronchiolitis;
• Autoimmune disorders;
• Crohn’s disease;
• Infertility;
• Migraines;
• Throat infections;
• Eczema; and
• Multiple sclerosis.

What to Do If You Were Exposed to Burn Pit Smoke

If you have noticed health problems following burn pit exposure, it is important to make your treating physician aware of your exposure so that your symptoms and any diagnosed medical conditions may be documented for both health care and potential VA benefits. In addition, the VA has set up an open Burn Pit Registry for military members who served in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn; Djibouti, Africa, on or after September 11, 2001; Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm; or the Southwest Asia theater on or after August 2, 1990.

Military service members may check their eligibility prior to enrollment in the Burn Pit Registry and there are no costs to participate. Part of the registry involves a free health examination with a VA provider after you have completed the requisite questionnaire. Even if you do not have any health problems, you may still enroll in the registry. Participation in the registry helps contribute to the ongoing research pertaining to airborne hazards from burn pits and their health risks. Enrollment in the Burn Pit Registry will not affect any VA disability benefits claims as it is completely voluntary.  

If pursuing a VA disability compensation claim for a medical condition caused by burn pit exposure, evidence will need to be presented for direct service connection. Direct service connection for burn pit exposure will require a current diagnosis of the claimed condition; evidence of burn pit exposure; and a nexus between the exposure and any resulting health condition(s). Supplemental evidence to establish exposure may include your service area, medical professional consultations, and scientific literature providing the necessary nexus between burn pit exposure and your medical condition. While the evidence will not be considered binding on the VA to automatically award benefits, proper documentation is necessary for a successful claim given that the VA does not recognize any presumptive medical conditions for burn pit exposure at this time. However, this could change as the VA gathers more data on the health effects of burn pits and legislation continues to be introduced, as mentioned in the following section.

Introduced Legislation

In November 2019, Senate Bill S.2950 was introduced. The bill’s short title is the Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act of 2019. The purpose of the bill is to amend the United States Code “to concede exposure to airborne hazards and toxins from burn pits under certain circumstances, and for other purposes.” If passed, it could provide further support for VA claims involving burn pit exposure.  

The National Defense Authorization Act also contains provisions aimed at the use of burn pits. It would require a plan to close remaining burn pits in use and provide a historic, comprehensive list of burn pit-use sites to the Department of Veterans Affairs. These provisions would help the VA recognize burn pits and resulting health effects from exposure.

In addition, the Veterans Right to Breathe Act would designate illnesses to be presumed to be related to burn pit exposure. The proposed list of presumptive conditions includes asthma, chronic bronchitis, COPD, constrictive bronchiolitis, emphysema, granulomatous disease, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and pneumonia. This would change the need to prove the direct service connection requirements discussed above if diagnosed with one of the listed conditions.

Environmental Effects of Burn Pits

Because of the significant environmental exposures, open burning can lead to, an Army Technical Bulletin on Guidelines for Field Waste Management has suggested for it to only be used in emergency situations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the harmful effects of burn pits and even outdoor fireplaces. In its discussion of recreational fires, the EPA warns that such fires can become a considerable source of fine-particle air pollution, affecting air quality. Particle pollution is a mixture of microscopic solids and liquid droplets suspended in air. This type of pollution is also known as particulate matter. The EPA has identified health problems associated with particle pollution to include: irritation of the airways, coughing, difficulty breathing, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis, irregular heartbeat, nonfatal heart attacks, and premature death in people with existing heart or lung disease.

Air pollution in Afghanistan and Iraq is generally high with higher levels of particulate matter than in the United States. Particulate matter is made up of acids, organic chemicals, metals, soil particles, dust particles, and allergens. The Department of Defense has identified open-pit burning as a source of particulate matter pollution. In the United States, such pollution is regulated under federal laws. However, environmental laws like the Clean Air Act generally do not apply overseas.

Because environmental laws in the United States do not have extraterritorial application, the Overseas Environmental Baseline Guidance Document creates baseline environmental standards incorporating requirements of United States law. Furthermore, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) developed policies and procedures to guide waste management, including minimum requirements for operating and monitoring burn pits. A CENTOM regulation promulgated in 2009 now prohibits many items routinely disposed of in burn pits: substantial quantities of plastic, hazardous waste, and regulated medical waste. But, there have been findings that some burn pits lack compliance with the regulation. As a result, the dangers of burn pits continue, substantiating the importance of the further study of long-term health effects from exposure during active duty.

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If you have read about Whole Health, you may have come across the term, “Circle of Health.” But what does it mean? And how can it help?

The Circle of Health is an important part of the Whole Health approach to care. Whole Health puts you at the center of your care. Instead of focusing solely on medical care—such as check-ups or prescriptions to treat illness or injuries—a Whole Health approach looks at your overall well-being. This means in addition to medical care, you may use self-care and complementary therapies like acupuncture, massage, or yoga, to help meet your health goals.

How can it help?

The Circle of Health graphic shows you in the middle of the circle with your care options surrounding you. This helps you explore connections between important aspects of your life and your health and well-being.

Think about your exercise routine, diet, sleep patterns, and relationships. Your physical, emotional, and mental health are connected. Improving one area can benefit other areas and influence your overall physical, emotional, and mental health. The Circle of Health helps you see these connections and offers you tools to address a range of issues.

There are four key elements in this circle:

• Me: You are at the center of your care. What matters most to you? Do you want to be able to dance again, or keep up with your grandkids? The answer to this question will shape your approach to care.
• Self-care: Each of us has the power to impact our well-being. Whole Health offers the skills and support you need to make the changes you want.
• Professional Care: Your health team is there to help with the prevention and treatment of disease and illness.
• Community: Just as there is a “Me” at the center of the circle, there is a “We” that enfolds it. Your Community is the people and groups you connect with.

These four elements make up the Circle of Health. Click here and scroll down to view an interactive version of the Circle of Health.

Medical care is important. And how you live your life between medical appointments makes a big difference.

In the Whole Health approach, you can look at all areas of your life, including areas of strength and aspects where support could be helpful to you. Self-care is any activity that you do purposely to take care of your mental, emotional, and physical health. You may want to start with just one or two areas. These areas of self-care shown in the Circle of Health include:

• Mindful Awareness – Being aware of thoughts and feelings to focus on the present.
• Moving the Body – Exercising and moving for energy, flexibility, and strength.
• Surroundings – Having comfortable, healthy spaces that support your body and emotions.
• Personal Development – Moving toward what matters most to you.
• Food and Drink – Nourishing your body to not only live, but to live well.
• Recharge – Getting enough sleep, rest, relaxation.
• Family, friends, and co-workers – Developing close, loving, supportive relationships with others.
• Spirit and Soul – Cultivating a sense of connection, purpose, and meaning.
• Power of the Mind – Tapping into your ability to heal and cope through mind-body approaches.

You don’t have to wait until something is wrong to focus on your well-being. Taking stock of where you are in each of these areas and thinking about where you want to be is the first step in living a healthier life.

How do I get started?

There are several ways to start your Whole Health path:

• Complete a Personal Health Inventory – Explore what matters to you and assess where you are and want to be in the eight Circle of Health areas of self-care.
• Have a Conversation – Tell your health care provider your needs, concerns, and goals. A yoga class might enhance your flexibility, or a tai chi class might help you manage your pain better.
• Take a Course – There are currently two Veteran-led Whole Health courses: Introduction to Whole Health and Taking Charge of My Life and Health. During these courses, other Veterans will teach you about Whole Health practices and help you take steps to create your Personal Health Plan.

Whether you want to wake up with less pain, change careers, reduce stress, or move more, you can start making a difference today. To get started with your Whole Health journey, click here.

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“Plan for what is difficult while it is easy” is an apt quote regarding healthcare in general and Tricare in particular. If you’re transitioning out of the military, it’s important to know your responsibilities and form a strategy well in advance of your separation date.

Plan ahead before you leave

It’s recommended to start scheduling you and your family’s Tricare coverage planning at least six months before retiring. Necessary medical exams, researching different coverage options and plans that may be a better fit due to a new location are part of the prep-work. Re-enrolling in an existing plan, changing plans, and paying enrollment fees are just some of the changes you should be prepared to meet.

Schedule your exit medical exam as early as possible

To ensure proper healthcare after you separate, it’s essential to be on top of your Separation Health Assessment while you’re still active duty. The exam must be performed at a military hospital, military clinic, or VA facility 90 days before retirement and terminal leave. If you plan on filing claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs, calendar the exam earlier than 90 days. While the VA refers to the exam as the “disability exam,” all active duty are required to take it on the way out.

The separation health assessment tracks your medical history and your current health. Prior to the exam is the time to prepare and review your medical history and check to see it’s complete and correctly notated in your file, specifically injuries and medical concerns identified during your military career. You’ll need to complete a “Report of Medical History” or DD Form 2807-1 form before your exam.

You must re-enroll in Tricare

Upon retirement, you and your family’s status and plan options change; use vigilance to avoid a break in coverage. Re-enrollment in your chosen Tricare plan is usually required within 90 days after your retirement date from active duty — whether you’re planning to keep the same type of plan or not.

Even if you’ve already enrolled in Tricare Prime or Tricare Select, you must re-enroll. You and your family will need to arrange for new ID cards, and some beneficiaries may have to begin paying an annual enrollment fee.

If you miss the 90-day deadline, retroactive enrollment can be requested within 12 months of your retirement date. If approved for retroactive coverage, your enrollment fee or fees are also calculated retroactively to your retirement date.

If you miss the 12-month deadline, you may only re-enroll during Tricare Open Enrollment Season or if you or a family member experience a Qualifying Life Event, such as moving, marriage, or the birth of a child. Know you plan, in some plans the move must be relocation to a new country.

Expect changes in your Tricare when you retire

While on active duty, there are no out-of-pocket expenses, and family costs are minimal. But a retiree should expect to encounter costs. Depending on your current Tricare plan, they may include:

• Annual enrollment fees and copayments for Tricare Prime.
• Higher copayments and cost-shares for Tricare Select.
• Possible higher prescription costs.
• Catastrophic cap increases.

Be advised that hearing aids and chiropractic care are not covered under Tricare. However, an additional premium-based dental plan may be available to most military retirees thru the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). Eligibility can be determined through the FEDVIP website.

The five Tricare plans for retirees and their families

There are five Tricare health plans available to Veterans and their families after retirement; each fulfills different needs and operates under different qualifying parameters. The five plans are Tricare Prime, Tricare Select, US Family Health Plan, Tricare for Life, and Tricare Select Overseas.

The Tricare Prime plan is a managed care option available in what is called a prime service area. These are areas where military hospitals and clinics are within specific geographic proximity to the sponsor or beneficiary. DriVetime and distance relative to the Primary Care Manager (PCM) determine your eligibility for this plan. Some exceptions allow a waiver of the distance requirements. Tricare Prime is further divided into three programs, Prime Remote, Prime Overseas, and Prime Remote Overseas. These plans cover rural areas and areas over a certain distance from providers, here and abroad.

The Tricare Select plan is a self-managed, preferred provider organization plan available only in the United States. An enrollment fee and annual deductible are required, and cost shares apply for covered services.

The US Family Health Plan is an additional Tricare Prime option available through community-based networks in not-for-profit health care systems. The plan is only available in six specific areas of the United States. The areas range from the Northeast to Texas and Louisiana, but only those geographical areas are covered.

The Tricare For Life plan is for eligible beneficiaries who have both Medicare Part A and B. Coverage is automatic. There is no enrollment form required. You’re covered under the Tricare for Life plan if you already qualify for Tricare in DEERS and are entitled to Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. However, it is crucial that you routinely monitor your DEERs information to keep it updated and current

The Tricare Select Overseas plan provides comprehensive coverage in all overseas areas.

To access this plan, you must first register with the Tricare Select plan and then move on from there. Enrollment is required.

Special programs designed to fill Veteran healthcare gaps

The Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) covers those facing involuntary separation. Sponsors and family members who are eligible can choose from any of the five Tricare plans under TAMP and also have access to military hospitals and clinics. The program’s coverage is limited to 180 days.

The Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) is a premium-based plan that straddles the interim period between military benefits end and civilian health plans begin. The CHCBP provides temporary health care coverage that lasts from 18 to 36 months after you lose eligibility for Tricare. It offers the same coverages as Tricare select.

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It is very important for Veterans to know about all of the benefits that they may be eligible for. Today, we will discuss benefits for a Veteran’s dependents offered by the VA. There are monthly dependent benefits, educational benefits, and even medical benefits that may be available to eligible Veterans.

Who Qualifies As a Dependent?

Eligible Veterans can add their dependents to their monthly disability compensation. An eligible Veteran is one who is already eligible for VA disability compensation and must have a combined disability rating of at least 30 percent. This monthly benefit will increase a Veteran’s monthly disability compensation. For VA purposes, a dependent is defined as a family member who relies on the Veteran financially and meets certain criteria. Examples of a dependent for VA purposes are as follows:

• A Veteran’s spouse
• Any unmarried children who are under the age of 18; or are between the age of 18 and 23 and are attending school full-time; or were disabled prior to age 18. These dependent children also include stepchildren, adopted children, and biological children.
• A Veteran’s parents who are financially dependent upon the Veteran. This benefit is based on need and the parental relationship must first be established in order to qualify.

How Do I Add Dependents to My VA Claim?

To add a dependent to a Veteran’s claim, the correct forms must be filed. A VA Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents is used to add a child under the age of 18 or a spouse. To add a child who is attending school full-time between the ages of 18 and 23, a VA Form 21-574, Request for Approval of School Attendance must be filed with the VA. In order to add eligible dependent parents to a Veteran’s monthly disability compensation a VA Form 21P-509, Statement of Dependency of Parents should be submitted to the VA.

Another dependent benefit is the Dependent Educational Assistance Program (DEA). This program is apart of the GI Bill and it offers education and training to eligible survivors and dependents of Veterans. In order to be eligible, the Veteran must first be permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability or the Veteran died on active duty as a result of a service-connected disability. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. For a complete list of eligibility requirements and more information, click here.

Healthcare Benefits for Veteran’s Dependents

There are also a number of health care benefits that are available to a Veteran’s dependents. Spouses, surviving spouses, and children of a disabled Veteran may be eligible for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). This program offers to cover the cost of some health care services and supplies. In order to be eligible, one of the following must be true:

• The spouse of a child of a Veteran who has been rated permanently and totally disabled for a service-connected disability, or
• The surviving spouse or child of a Veteran who died from a service-connected disability, or
• The surviving spouse or child of a Veteran who was at the time of death rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, or
• The surviving spouse of or child of a service member who died in the line of duty, not due to misconduct

To find out more and how to apply for this benefit, click here.

There are many different benefits and programs available to disabled Veterans and their dependents. Our Veterans are our top priority and we believe that Veterans and their families should know about all of the benefits available to them.

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For Veterans seeking assistance with their caregiving situation – those who may not have long-term care insurance or enough individual assets – the only programs available are through the VA.

The federal VA programs are called Aid and Attendance (A&A) and Housebound. Each state also manages state VA facilities that may be accepting new residents.

The A&A and Housebound programs pay an additional amount on top of established VA pension compensation to help cover the extra costs of long-term care expenses.

Both programs are available only to those who receive a VA pension.

For the A&A program, you also must meet at least one of these requirements:

• Someone helps you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing, or
• You are bedridden or spend a large portion of the day in bed because of illness, or
• You are in facility due to mental or physical issues related to a disability, or
• Your eyesight is severely limited.

For the Housebound program, you must spend most of your time in your home due to a permanent disability. A person cannot receive both A&A and Housebound benefits at the same time.

Receiving a VA Pension

The key factor from the program descriptions above is receipt of a VA pension. A VA pension is a financial needs-based program with three eligibility hurdles:

1. Both of the following statements must apply:

• You did not receive a dishonorable discharge, and
• Your yearly family income and net worth are within legal limits.

Net worth includes all personal property you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings) minus any debt you owe. It includes the net worth of your spouse.

You must work with a Veteran Service Office to determine your net worth. Search “county Veteran service office” online to find your nearest offices, check out the VA’s directory of State Veterans Affairs Offices, or use another online directory. These offices also can help you determine availability at a state VA facility.

2. You must fall within one of these service windows:

• Initial active duty before Sept. 8, 1980, with at least 90 days on active duty and at least one day during wartime*, or
• Initial active duty as an enlisted member after Sept. 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were ordered to active duty with at least one day during wartime*, or
• Were an officer with initial active duty after Oct. 16, 1981, with no previous active service in the prior 24 months.

* Learn how the VA defines periods of wartime service for pension eligibility here.

3. You must meet at least one of these requirements:

• Are at least 65 years old, or
• Have a permanent and total disability, or
• Currently in a facility for caregiving because of a disability, or
• Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income.

Learn more about the VA pension, A&A, and Housebound at https://www.va.gov/pension/eligibility/. Besides these programs, you can ask your County Veteran Service Officer about the possibility of eligibility for VA’s Veteran-Directed Care and Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers programs. You can also call the VA Hotline at (800) 827-1000 or go to the VA homepage (www.va.gov) for more resources.

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One of the many great military benefits that makes travel easier and more affordable is access to worldwide health care coverage. In this guest post, John Letaw, USN (retired) explains how to use your TRICARE benefits overseas and why you might not need other travel insurance.

Among the community of military travelers, one of the most frequently asked questions is: “What should I do about health insurance while I am overseas?” While this inevitably leads to a discussion of commercial policies, many beneficiaries don’t realize that the TRICARE plan you already have will work perfectly well for your overseas travels.

Whether you are retired or active duty; whether you are the sponsor, dependent or survivor; and whether you live in the USA or reside overseas full time, you can use your TRICARE benefits in virtually every country of the world. All you need is a little information, and you may find that TRICARE meets the needs of your mobile lifestyle.

Here are the basics of what you need to know about your TRICARE coverage while traveling overseas.

Resources Related to Using TRICARE Overseas

In addition to this guide, there are many resources available to help you learn more about using your TRICARE benefits while traveling:

• TRICARE Overseas Program Facebook group. Join this group to chat or ask questions about using your TRICARE benefits overseas. You will also find links to local groups about TRICARE in Thailand, Germany, and the Philippines.
• TRICARE 101 offers step-by-step lessons on TRICARE Overseas. The extensive curriculum covers everything from choosing and enrolling in a TRICARE plan, to finding a doctor overseas, to submitting your claim. It is well worth your time to go through the lessons one-by-one.
  
  (Note: The above groups are open to any beneficiary of TRICARE but are not part of DoD’s official TRICARE program.)

• The official TRICARE Overseas website has details on costs, enrollment, and claim submission.

Bookmark those sites for future reference, and keep reading for a primer on TRICARE overseas coverage.

What to Know Before You Travel

If you have not used TRICARE in many years, it pays to double-check that you are enrolled in a plan. This is especially true if you have not used it since January 2018, when some of the more popular plans, such as TRICARE Standard, were eliminated. Members who failed to choose a new plan may have fallen through the cracks at that time.

To find out which plan is recommended for you, use TRICARE’s Plan Finder tool. This tool not only leads you to the most appropriate plan, it provides links to details, including costs.

After running the Plan Finder tool, call your regional provider: TRICARE East, TRICARE West, or TRICARE Overseas, depending on where you live. They can confirm your enrollment. All contact info can be found here.

For any U.S.-based TRICARE beneficiary who will be traveling abroad, three tips apply:

1. You do not need to inform TRICARE or TRICARE Overseas in advance of your travel plans. Just pack and go!
2. Take care of routine appointments before your trip. In general, access to TRICARE Overseas for those in stateside plans is for urgent or emergency care only.
3. Obtain prescription refills before traveling. Your doctor may authorize up to a 90-day supply if you discuss your upcoming travel. Refills may be difficult or impossible to obtain while overseas. (See below for more information about prescription refills).

Getting Care While Overseas

If you or a family member gets sick or injured — don’t panic! Obtaining emergency care overseas is quick and easy.

Where and How to Seek Care

Active duty or their family members should try to visit a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) if at all possible. Retirees may seek care at an MTF, although this is not required by TRICARE. Many MTFs around the world offer limited or no services to retirees. Do not waste time trying to do this if you have a genuine emergency.

Except in the Philippines, TRICARE beneficiaries can go to any hospital or doctor for urgent or emergency care. No prior authorization is needed from TRICARE or TRICARE Overseas, and there is no special list of providers to choose from.

If you will be admitted overnight, notify TRICARE Overseas as soon as possible. You must contact TRICARE Overseas for pre-authorization if you choose to seek routine/elective care overseas and you are enrolled in a stateside plan. This type of care may well be denied, so plan on receiving routine care once you return home.

For travelers/residents in the Philippines, you should visit a TRICARE Certified or Preferred Provider. You can find them listed on this Philippines search page. In a genuine emergency (threat to life, limb, or eyesight), call an ambulance or go immediately to any emergency room.

Payment for Overseas Medical Care

In most cases, you will pay for your care up-front (out of pocket). Get a receipt, an itemized bill, and a medical report, then file a claim later for reimbursement. Paying out of pocket is not as bad as it seems; in many countries of the world, the cost of care is far less than in the United States, so most care is very affordable.

Regardless of who your normal regional contractor is, when you obtain care overseas, you will file your claim with TRICARE Overseas. You can create an account using their online portal and file online or by mail.

If you are facing expensive inpatient treatment, ask the billing/insurance department at the hospital if they can bill directly to TRICARE. Many hospitals will try to do this if they can. It may be helpful to research before your trip which hospitals will direct bill so you will know where to go in an emergency.

In many countries of the world, it is normal for providers to require payment in cash, not by credit card. Inquire about this before you travel and have ready access to cash in case you are traveling to such a destination.

Cost of Overseas Medical Care

Out of pocket costs for TRICARE beneficiaries are limited to your Annual Catastrophic Cap. In 2020, this cap is $3000 for a retiree family and $1000 for an AD family. In 2021, the cap will increase to $3500 for most retirees. This cap is per family, not per person.

If you are in TRICARE Select and obtain care through a non-network provider, you are responsible for a cost share (20% for ADFM, 25% for retirees). TRICARE reimburses the remainder after you file the claim. If you are in TRICARE Prime, your co-pay is probably $0. You can use TRICARE’s Cost Compare tool to evaluate and compare costs of different plans.

You may save money if you can find a network provider overseas. The price guidelines are too complex to cover here, but you can learn more on the TRICARE Overseas website. Network providers are most common around major U.S. military bases, such as in Germany or Japan, though they might also be found in major world cities like Bangkok or London.

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Prescriptions While Traveling

Another frequently asked question from military travelers is: What about prescription refills overseas? This can be a perplexing and confusing challenge.

Your best bet is to stock up on your meds before leaving home. You may be able to get a full 90-day supply before you go (especially if you use mail order via Express Scripts). Discuss this with your physician and/or pharmacist to see if you can augment your supply on hand.

It is quite possible that a medication you use at home is not available overseas. It is even possible that certain medications common in America are illegal overseas; mere possession could be a crime. Research this carefully before you go.

Overseas, there are several ways for TRICARE beneficiaries to get the medications they need. But for U.S.-based travelers, your choices are likely much more limited.

MTF Pharmacy

• Pro: This option is free, if you can do it.
• Con: You will likely need a prescription written by a military doctor. Also, many MTFs no longer serve retirees, so this route may not be open to you.

Mail Order (Express Scripts)

This is generally impossible for U.S. residents who are traveling overseas. It may be possible for TRICARE beneficiaries who live overseas.

• Pro: Affordable.
• Con: Express Scripts will send only to a U.S. address, including FPO/APO. It can be quite slow, and thus impractical for those who are on the road. Many formularies, medications needing refrigeration, and controlled items cannot be mailed. All-in-all, this option really only serves Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) members who reside overseas and can afford to wait.

Retail Pharmacy

Except in the Philippines, you can visit any pharmacy to purchase required meds. In some countries, certain medications that require a prescription in the U.S. are available over-the-counter. Otherwise, the pharmacy may require a locally-written prescription. In the Philippines, ensure the pharmacy is TRICARE Certified or Preferred.

RelatedReading: Expat Living in thePhilippines

If you wish to submit the receipt to TRICARE for reimbursement, make sure it is pre-printed with the name and address or phone number of the pharmacy. The receipt needs to include your name, plus the name, dosage, and quantity of medication purchased. This information may be hand-written.

In the end, you may find it’s too much trouble to have the pharmacy create the detailed receipt that TRICARE requires. You may choose to pay for it yourself without reimbursement. Medications, in general, are cheaper overseas than in the U.S.; in some cases, dramatically cheaper.

For example, I can get a 90-day supply of cholesterol AND blood pressure medication in Thailand for about $10 total. It’s not worth haggling about an itemized receipt or submitting a claim.

• Pro: Readily-accessible, as you can visit any pharmacy. Generally the simplest and most convenient option for medications overseas.
• Cons: Pay out of pocket and get reimbursed later or bear the cost. The pharmacist may be unwilling or unable to provide a receipt that meets TRICARE’s requirements. Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware): assure yourself that you are receiving genuine medication, not a counterfeit product.

Travelers in Medicare/TRICARE for Life

If you are enrolled in TRICARE for Life (TFL), you are aware that Medicare is your first payer inside the U.S. and territories. Overseas, however, TFL is entirely different.

Medicare is not available outside the U.S. or its territories. While overseas, TRICARE becomes your first payer. Your benefits outside the U.S. more closely resemble TRICARE Select.

In most cases, the provider you visit will be a non-network provider. You should expect to pay the entire bill up-front (out of pocket) and submit a claim for reimbursement. For non-network care, TRICARE will reimburse 75% of the expense, once your annual deductible has been met.

What About Medical Evacuation/Air Ambulance?

This question is also frequently asked in military travel forums: Does TRICARE cover medical evacuation?

The answer is: “It depends.”

TRICARE does offer air ambulance coverage, but its purpose is not to bring you to the U.S. or even to an MTF. TRICARE’s coverage is intended to bring you to the closest facility that can safely provide the care that you need.

The following are important considerations about TRICARE’s coverage for air evacuation:

• Applies only in the case of medical necessity (attending doctor must certify).
• Beneficiary must pay the cost up-front. This can easily reach tens of thousands of dollars.
• Beneficiary may have to coordinate attending medical care and transfer of medical records. International SOS (the TRICARE Overseas contractor) is not required to conduct this coordination for you. .
• You will be transported to the nearest location that can safely provide the needed care. This location likely will NOT be in the U.S. and may NOT be an MTF.
• When you submit a claim for reimbursement, your claim may be denied if TRICARE determines that the transport was not medically required.

Given these limitations, many beneficiaries may decide to purchase air ambulance insurance. Insurance can be purchased with or without medical coverage; it is much cheaper without.

With commercial medical evacuation insurance, no determination of medical necessity is required. They will return you to the United States in the event that extended hospitalization is needed, and the insurance provider will make all logistical arrangements, including medical attendant. You will not have to pay expenses up-front.

If this gives you the peace of mind you need during your travels overseas, you should investigate obtaining a commercial policy for air ambulance. Join our Facebook group to ask for recommendations.

Medical Care on Cruise Ships

You might be surprised to learn that TRICARE works even on a cruise ship. Just like all other settings, obtain the medical care you need, pay the bill upfront, and submit a claim later.

There is one precaution, however. TRICARE does have cost limits based on “normal and customary fees.” In most cases, these cost limits do not come into play overseas, because the cost of health care in foreign countries is almost always less than in the United States.

A cruise ship is an exception to that rule. You will find the cost of medical treatment on a ship is extraordinarily high, and you may well exceed TRICARE’s cost limitations. If this happens, a portion of your claim may be denied due to excessive cost.

To protect yourself against this possibility you might:

• Purchase travel insurance or a supplement to help cover the expenses that TRICARE does not cover (see the next section). – or –
• If possible, go ashore at your next port visit and seek care at a clinic or hospital in town. This is bound to be the far cheaper alternative, and TRICARE would cover the cost in the normal manner.

Should You Buy Other Health Insurance (OHI)?

Despite having access to TRICARE around the world, some military travelers may still feel more comfortable purchasing commercial travel insurance. There are several considerations when doing this.

Since TRICARE generally requires you to pay the entire bill out of pocket overseas, having OHI may cover this cash outlay for you. With a good travel policy, the medical provider can bill the insurer directly. In fact, depending upon your precise coverage, you might not have to file a claim at all. Many people value this simplicity.

Remember that a commercial policy is considered by TRICARE to be first payer. You are required by law to file with the other policy first, wait for it to settle, and then submit the OHI Explanation of Benefits (EOB) if you file with TRICARE for any unpaid expenses. Failure to do so is considered to be insurance fraud, a serious crime.

TRICARE supplements are not considered to be OHI and are not first-payer, thus are excluded from the above provision.

TRICARE Beneficiaries Living Overseas

Much of this article has been written for U.S. residents who travel abroad. But what about TRICARE beneficiaries who live overseas?

If you are active duty, you have no choice in the matter. You will be enrolled in TRICARE Overseas Prime or Prime Remote. But for retirees, you need to take specific steps to support your expat lifestyle.

Why Retirees Living Abroad Should Enroll in TRICARE Overseas

If you are moving from the United States to an international destination, you might be tempted to stay with your U.S.-based plan. After all, it’s been working for you so far, and our earlier section stated that your stateside plan will work overseas. So why should you enroll with TRICARE Overseas?

There are several reasons:

• If you are enrolled in TRICARE Prime, you are paying a monthly premium. If you shift to TRICARE Overseas Select, this premium goes away (although in 2021, a small monthly fee will apply).
• TRICARE Overseas Select is not a managed care program and has no primary care manager (PCM). This means you can see any doctor or specialist at any time without referral, unlike TRICARE Prime where you must go through your PCM first. (Note: special rules apply for the Philippines.)
• Most importantly, if you are enrolled in a U.S.-based plan, then you should use TRICARE while abroad only for emergency or urgent care. You will need prior authorization for routine visits, and such authorization is not guaranteed. This includes the refill of prescriptions.

Important Exclusions for Use of TRICARE While Traveling

There are two TRICARE plans that do not travel well. If you are in either of these plans, you will not likely be able to use TRICARE during your travels.

The first is TRICARE Plus. This plan is offered only at selected MTFs around the world. If you are in TRICARE Plus, you have priority access to the Primary Care Clinic at the MTF where you are enrolled. You are not assured of access to other MTFs or even to other clinics within your enrolled MTF. Furthermore, members of TRICARE Plus will not be reimbursed for any care received off base. This makes TRICARE Plus unusable to those who travel away from home.

The other “plan” to avoid is Direct Care Only (DCO). DCO is not even a TRICARE plan; it is a designation they give you when you failed to select a TRICARE plan for you or your family members.

If you are DCO, you can only seek care at MTFs, and care is entirely on a space-available basis. Many MTFs have a blanket “no retiree” policy, so DCO would be of no use to you in those locations. DCO does not cover medical care off base.

No TRICARE-eligible beneficiary should be in a DCO status. If you are in DCO (or don’t recall ever enrolling in a plan), call your regional provider right away to discuss your enrollment options.

For Further Assistance While Traveling

To avoid the expense of international calling, consider adding Skype or a similar app on your laptop or smartphone. This allows you to call for a fraction of the cost of international roaming. U.S. toll-free numbers are free on Skype.

Useful TRICARE contact information:

• Country-Specific Contact Info
• Addresses to submit claims by mail
• Full directory of TRICARE partner phone numbers (includes billing, dental, Express Scripts, regional contractors, MilitaryOneSource, Crisis Line, and more)
• Tricare’s Contact Wizard (to find specific numbers)
• Military Health System (MHS) Nurse Advice Line: If you need medical advice, you may call or chat with a nurse. They are available 24/7 worldwide to consult on any range of health issues for TRICARE beneficiaries. Have you ID card available when you call or chat. You will need the Benefits Number on the back of your card to verify eligibility.

To join the thousands who are using their TRICARE benefits around the world, visit the Tricare Overseas Program (TOP) Facebook group. This is your gateway to a number of online resources that will help you in your travels.

Keep learning about your TRICARE benefits! You may find that your existing coverage is all you need for your next overseas travel.

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"My primary care patient is experiencing depression. Should I recommend the patient be seen by the behavioral health consultant (BHC) in primary care? Or should I refer the patient to the specialty behavioral health clinic? What’s really the difference?”

The Military Health System (MHS) has various levels of care available for patients with behavioral health concerns. Clinicians in the MHS may have questions about which level and location of care is right for a particular patient: primary care behavioral health (PCBH) or specialty behavioral health services.

Integrated within primary care clinics, BHCs are licensed psychologists or social workers who assist primary care teams in the care of patients with a wide range of conditions and concerns. BHCs work with patients who would like to make changes to better manage their health, adjust to life changes, improve adherence to their primary care manager’s (PCM’s) treatment plans, or address behavioral health conditions or symptoms. BHCs provide focused, evidence-based assessment and intervention in appointments that are no more than 30 minutes in length. Many patients see the BHC for one or two visits; others engage in longer courses of care spaced out over time. BHCs typically work with patients until symptoms or functioning begin to improve, at which point care is continued by the primary care manager, who reinforces strategies that have been helpful and monitors the condition over time.

If the patient does not improve with interventions at the primary care level, the BHC can link the patient with a higher level of care in a specialty behavioral health clinic for a comprehensive assessment and full course of psychotherapy. In specialty behavioral health, appointments are typically longer in duration (e.g., 50 to 60 minutes). Assessment may include a comprehensive battery of psychological tests and integration of information from various sources. Evidence-based psychotherapy may include weekly or bi-weekly appointments delivered over longer courses of care (e.g., 10 to 12 appointments). Patients are often seen in specialty behavioral health care until symptoms have remitted. When specialty behavioral health care is no longer needed, patients may still benefit from periodic visits with their primary care clinic’s BHC to assist with maintaining gains and preventing relapse.

In considering level of care decisions, a PCM may wonder: “If I think my patient needs specialty-level care, should I still send them to the BHC?” Sometimes it is clear that a patient would benefit from a higher level of care. For example, a patient with serious mental illness or a need for more complex psychotropic medication management may have needs best addressed in specialty behavioral health. While PCMs can bypass the BHC in these situations, there is often value in discussing the case with the BHC and potentially involving the BHC in care. BHCs can work with patients to increase willingness to accept a referral to specialty care, can address barriers that may interfere with accessing care, and can provide care to bridge gaps until a specialty care appointment is available and attended.

Learn more about primary care behavioral health and the role of BHCs on the Psychological Health Center of Excellence website.

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Working with federal partners to distribute and administer

Planning is underway at VA to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available. VA is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a phased plan based on five core ethical pillars: safety, maximizing the benefit of the vaccine, equity, fairness and transparency.

Veteran and employee safety remain our #1 priority. The plan takes into consideration a number of risk factors, including risks of acquiring infection, severe illness and death if infected, and transmitting the disease, as well as the risk to essential workers, including health care personnel.

Offering the vaccine first to health care personnel and Veterans

Initially, we expect supplies to be limited. Based on these risk factors, VA will offer the vaccine first to high-risk health care personnel (HCP), as they are essential in continuing to care for patients throughout the pandemic. As more vaccines become available, VA will offer the vaccine to high-risk Veterans. VA’s ultimate goal is to offer it to all Veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated.

Preparing VA facilities

VA medical centers across the country performed planning exercises in late October to prepare for initial receipt of the vaccine. These exercises help sites determine how they will distribute immunizations. They based the decisions on the number of doses available and coordinated communications with Veterans to schedule their immunization.

They also addressed ordering, storage, handling, and administration of the vaccine.

Listening to Veterans

Additionally, VA has been conducting listening sessions and interviews with Veterans across the country to gauge their interest and determine the best methods for reaching out to our diverse Veteran population.

Your local medical facility will update you as vaccines become available.

Important resources

• CDC COVID-19 Vaccine website
• VA News Release on vaccine distribution

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The world is reopening, travel to many countries is now possible, and civilian flights have resumed their routes. Many military families are now asking, "When will Space-Available (Space-A) travel reopen?" We posed this question to Air Mobility Command and here, we will share their response, plus help you prepare for the eventual resumption of this popular benefit.

As many in the military community know, Space-A has been restricted due to COVID-19 since March 2020, and as of this writing, it is still only an option for active duty on emergency leave and a few other specific cases. All other travelers require an Exception to Policy letter from an O-6 or higher.

According to Capt. Christopher Herbert, AMC Public Affairs, AMC does not yet have an approved timeline for reopening of Space-A flights.

"United States Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command continuously monitor the environment for the potential to ease restrictions on the Space-A program. We are hopeful that the Space-A program will resume soon and in a capacity that balances risk to the force with the use of this valuable benefit," Herbert said.

When Space-A travels reopens, it may not be at pre-pandemic levels right way.

"We anticipate a scaled approach to the resumption of AMC Space-A flights," he said.

Also, any restrictions from host nations that are still in place will also apply to Space-A travelers. If a country is not accepting tourists, you won’t be able to fly there using Space-A.

"Restricted access to such countries will remain in place until the host nation authorizes leisure travel," Herbert said.

While we don’t know exactly when Space-A will resume, it’s good news that AMC is actively looking for a way to reopen the program. In the meantime, there’s a lot you can do to get ready for the day when you can pack your bags and head over to the military passenger terminal to "compete" for a seat.

Learn the ins and outs of Space-A travel

Flying Space-A is an entirely different process from taking a civilian airline. You must get to know the process. Start by visiting the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Space-Available Travel page to figure out your category. Your category determines your priority for Space-A travel and where you are eligible to fly.

The AMC website also has a list of passenger terminal social media pages, where many terminals post their 72-hour flight schedules. Review those pages to learn which bases have the most flights and where they fly most often.

Familiarize yourself with the sign-up options on the AMC page linked above. Also, read through the FAQs linked in the upper righthand corner of the page.

Finally, review the full Space-A process to learn what you should do on the day of your flight, how to "mark yourself present," and what to do if you don’t get a seat.

Research your departure and arrival terminals

Know what to expect when you get to the military passenger terminal at both ends of your journey. For example:

• Does the terminal have eateries or vending machines?
• What local transportation is available to get you to/from the terminal?
• Where are your lodging options?
• If you’re flying to an overseas location, what are the immigration procedures, and what base facilities are you eligible to use?

Research your Space-A location in advance so you’re not trying to figure these things out when you’re jetlagged and have cranky kids in tow.

Know what to wear and what to pack in your carry-on

When flying Space-A, you may not know in advance what type of aircraft you will get, so it’s best to prepare for all possibilities. If it’s a cargo plane (C-5, C-17) or tanker (KC-10, KC-135), chances are good that it will be quite cold for most of the flight. Wear long pants, and dress in multiple breathable layers so that you can adjust your clothing to the temperature.

After the aircraft reaches altitude, the crew may allow passengers to stretch out on the floor or across the seats, so bring a lightweight, inflatable sleeping pad and a blanket or thin sleeping bag. You may also want an inflatable pillow.

If you’re traveling with kids, bring plenty of snacks, water bottles, and airplane-friendly activities. You may have to wait in terminals for hours, and some military passenger terminals do not have good WIFI, so download movies and books to your electronic devices in advance.

Finally, make sure you have all of the required documentation and paperwork.

Space-A travel is not "hard," but there is a lot to learn about how the process works. Do your research now so when Space-A reopens, you and your family are prepared for your next adventure.

Visit Air Mobility Command for updates on Space-A travel.

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Four members of New Jersey's Congressional delegation want answers about the timeline for construction of a new Veterans clinic in Ocean County.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Dr. Joan McInerney, network director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in New York, U.S. Reps. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, and Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, both D-New Jersey, said Veterans in Monmouth and Ocean counties have grown frustrated by delays in building the new clinic.

The VA began seeking space for a new clinic in Ocean County in the spring of 2015, but in 2018, the agency decided to reopen the siting process for the clinic in an effort to "increase qualified competition" for the project, according to the senators and congressmen.

The existing facility on Route 70 in Brick has too little room for patient parking and the medical staff required to serve 10,000 to 12,000 patients per year. Brick's clinic is currently among the busiest in the state, and serves three to four times as many patients as a majority of other VA clinics in New Jersey.

The clinic offers medical care for Veterans, including primary health care, dental care, women's health care, mental health counseling and physical therapy.

Built in 1991, the Brick clinic was initially intended to serve 5,000 Veterans annually.

“Ocean County Veterans deserve better than what they’re getting right now, and they can’t wait for results," Kim said. "I hear from Veterans almost every day who simply want answers. We’re going to keep working, across party lines and as quickly as possible, to get our Veterans the clinic and the care they’ve earned through their service and sacrifice.”

Ocean County has more Veterans — nearly 40,000 — than any other county in New Jersey, according to U.S. Census data.

In their letter, Kim, Smith, Menendez and Booker said that the VA should produce a more specific timeline for when a final decision will be made about where to locate the clinic. The VA has said that site selection will happen by the first or second quarter of 2020.

Brick's Planning Board recently approved a proposal for a 75,000-square-foot medical facility on a triangular 9.4-acre parcel between Route 88, Jack Martin Boulevard and Burrsville Road. The facility is called the "Project" in planning board documents, but Brick Mayor John G. Ducey said in early October that the planned medical facility meets the VA's specifications for a replacement clinic.

Toms River officials have made a pitch for a new, expanded medical center for Veterans to be located on land off Hooper Avenue, near Caudina Avenue that's close to the Seacourt Pavilion and Ocean County offices.

Kim, Smith, Menendez and Booker said local Veterans face issues accessing care at the Brick clinic, which they say has "unacceptably long wait times," "too few providers," not enough parking and no easy mass transit access. The facility also lacks automatic doors at its entrances, making access hard for wheelchair-bound Veterans, they said.

The senators and congressmen posed several questions for the VA's McInerny and said they expect answers by Dec. 8. Included in their letter are questions about staffing at the Brick clinic, transportation options for Veterans, and what can be done to alleviate the parking shortage there.

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The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has brought hardships to citizens with mortgage or rent payments, along with citizens that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) manages federal programs designed to help Americans with their housing needs. HUD provides resources to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination.

Where can I find resources for homelessness assistance?

Many citizens are experiencing homelessness or at serious risk of homelessness. HUD provides resources outlining help available and infection control guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. In shelters, citizens should use the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus by washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as often as possible and cover their coughs and sneezes. For assistance with homelessness, contact a designated person in your community by visiting HUD’s resource page with information for each state.

A HUD-approved housing counselor can also be a valuable resource to use during this time. Housing counselors provide advice on buying a house, renting, defaults, foreclosures, and credit matters. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provides a comprehensive list of nationwide HUD-approved counseling agencies or you can call 1-800-569-4287.

How can I find affordable rental housing near me?

HUD helps apartment owners offer reduced rents to low-income tenants. Search for affordable housing by using the HUD resource locator tool. HUD’s Public Housing Program provides low-income families with safe rental housing. To check if you and your family may be eligible and apply for this benefit, visit the Public Housing Program benefit page. Another benefit that provides affordable housing to low-income families is the housing choice voucher program. Housing can include single-family homes, townhouses and apartments and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and are used to subsidize rent. To check for eligibility and apply, visit the Housing Choice Voucher Program benefit page.

For additional affordable rental housing information, visit the HUD rental assistance resource page.

I am at risk of foreclosure, what resources are available?

During this unprecedented time, many Americans are struggling to pay their next mortgage payment. If you are at risk of missing a payment, you should contact your lender immediately. This will allow you the opportunity to explain why you are unable to make the payment and provide details about your current income and expenses. Your lender will explain any plans set up to keep your home. For more information on programs that can best assist you, visit HUD’s Avoiding Foreclosure page.

To explore housing loan programs, please explore the Housing Loans category or take our Benefit Finder questionnaire to find additional government benefits that you may be eligible for and learn how to apply.

What resources are available during the coronavirus crisis to help low-income Americans with housing?

The HUD allocated additional funds specifically for coronavirus relief to help low-income Americans residing in public housing. The funding made available by the CARES Act legislation will be awarded to PHAs across the nation.

To learn more about available assistance during the coronavirus, check out our article: Finding the Right Help During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) Outbreak.

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