Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 09-23-08

1. Peake Expected To Attend Healthcare Summit In Honolulu.
2. Disability Benefits For Mild Brain Trauma To Be Increased.  
3. VA Hospital Welcomes Home Iraq, Afghanistan Vets.  
4. Veterans Court Generates National Interest.  
5. VA Hospital In Colorado Offers Suicide Prevention Training.  
6. Stand Down Events Held In Vermont, Oregon.  
7. Veteran Credits VA Clinic With Saving His Life.  
8. Volunteering Now A More Complicated Process At VA.  
9. Veteran Mistakenly Declared Dead.  
10. VA Grants To Cover Cemetery Costs In Nebraska, Nevada, Hawaii.

1.      Peake Expected To Attend Healthcare Summit In Honolulu.   The Pacific News Center (9/23, Arroyo) reports Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. James Peake is expected to attend "an invitation only" healthcare summit "next week in Honolulu." Guam Lt. Governor Mike Cruz has also "been invited to the summit," and Cruz’s chief of staff, Carlotta Leon Guerrero, "says they expect that the summit will be used to unveil the plans for a veterans hospital on Guam." Guerrero "says Cruz will be included in conversations about the role" of the US Defense Department and the VA "in military and healthcare in the territories and freely associated states."

2.      Disability Benefits For Mild Brain Trauma To Be Increased.   USA Today (9/23, Zoroya) reports the US Department of Veterans Affairs "plans to substantially increase disability benefits for veterans with mild traumatic brain injuries, acknowledging for the first time that veterans suffering from this less severe version of the Iraq war’s signature wound will struggle to make a living." After the new regulation "takes effect in 30 days," compensation "could reach $600 a month, the VA said," up from the current $117. The VA "estimated the changes would cost an extra $120 million through 2017."

3.      VA Hospital Welcomes Home Iraq, Afghanistan Vets.   The Stow (OH) Sentry (9/23, Walsh) reports that on September 14th, the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center welcomed home veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Veterans in attendance at the event "were treated to a round of applause, at the request" of hospital director William Montague.

4.      Veterans Court Generates National Interest.   The Buffalo News (9/23, Michel) reports, "The national spotlight is shining on Buffalo City Judge Robert T. Russell Jr. and his Veterans Treatment Court, which…is believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Last week, a camera crew from NBC’s ‘Today’ show filmed" Russell "addressing the Bar Association of Erie County’s new ad hoc committee on legal issues involving veterans and service members." Tuesday, the show "will again film the judge and his staff in the courtroom at Buffalo City Court for the segment, which is expected to air in the near future. Russell, working with" several organizations, including the US Department of Veterans Affairs, "initiated the vets court in response to a disproportionate number of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans finding themselves on the wrong side of the law."

5.      VA Hospital In Colorado Offers Suicide Prevention Training.   The third story in the Grand Junction (CO) Sentinel’s (9/23) "Health Briefs" column reports, "Suicide prevention training is available for community groups on the Western Slope through the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Grand Junction. Groups interested in listening" to a VA suicide prevention officer "can make appointments or check scheduling by calling 263-2824 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday."

6.      Stand Down Events Held In Vermont, Oregon.   The Rutland (VT) Herald (9/22, Raspuzzi) reported, "Close to 25 federal, state and private organizations gathered at The Salvation Army in Rutland on Saturday with the same goal in mind – helping the homeless veterans who need it most." Veterans attending Saturday’s Stand Down "were offered two hot meals, a hair cut, help obtaining a job" from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, "and medical screening from the VA Medical Center in White River Junction." The Barre Montpelier (VT) Times Argus (9/22) publishes the same story.
      The Roseburg (OR) News-Review (9/23, Harshman) reports, "The Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus housed a small village of tents" this past weekend "for the three-day Southern Oregon Stand Down." The event "is aimed at assisting homeless and disadvantaged veterans."

7.      Veteran Credits VA Clinic With Saving His Life.   The Mason City (IA) Globe Gazette (9/22, Link) reported, "Gerald Barth is convinced" Department of Veterans Affairs physicians at the VA’s Mason City Community Based Outpatient Clinic saved his life. It was during Barth’s annual checkup at the clinic "that the Korean War veteran told a doctor he was having occasional shortness of breath. Dr. Virginia Geary Tidriri, a general physician, suggested Barth have a stress test at the VA Hospital in Des Moines." That recommendation eventually led Barth to undergo "an emergency triple bypass procedure."

8.      Volunteering Now A More Complicated Process At VA.   The Topeka (KS) Capital-Journal (9/23, Carlson) reports, "A few weeks ago, a woman walked into Suzanne Gray’s office" at the Colmery-O’Neil Veterans Affairs Medical Center "to offer her volunteer services." But "when Gray told her she would have to submit to fingerprinting and a background check, the woman became upset and left. That might not be a common occurrence, but new regulations requiring background checks of hospital volunteers may throw some people off." Jim Gleisberg, spokesman for the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, commented on the situation, saying, "The days of coming in and saying you want to play cards with the veterans…are gone."

9.      Veteran Mistakenly Declared Dead.   On its website, WAFF-TV Huntsville, AL (9/23, Ileto) reports that while Department of Veterans Affairs records say veteran Buford Lewis is deceased, "he’s clearly still alive." The mistake, however, is "costing" Lewis, because it has delayed a VA check being sent to him. Brenda McCormick, Lewis’ caretaker, "says the majority of Lewis’ checks fund his daily medications, and when she called to inquire about the missing check, she learned it was human error." WAFF "went to the Colbert County VA office to get answers. They tell us data was sent to the regional office in Montgomery about another Lewis who had passed away." The Colbert County VA Office "says they are personally working to rectify the situation. They say Lewis’ check…should be in his hands within 5 business days." 

10.    VA Grants To Cover Cemetery Costs In Nebraska, Nevada, Hawaii.   The AP (9/22) reported, "The Department of Veterans Affairs has granted nearly $3 million to build a new state veterans cemetery" in Alliance, Nebraska. Federal officials "say the grant will pay for the entire cost" of the facility. The KETV-TV Omaha, NE (9/22) website published a similar story.
      KLAS-TV Las Vegas, NV (9/22, 6:05 p.m. PT) broadcast that the VA "has announced a more than $2 million dollar facelift for the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery." The grant will pay for a "number of improvements" to the cemetery, "including…a new maintenance facility." The KTNV-TV Las Vegas, NV (9/22, 6:36 p.m. PT) website aired a similar report.
      The AP (9/22) reported the US VA "is awarding a grant of more than $2.7 million for improvements to the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery in Kailua, Kona." VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs William Tuerk "testified at a Hawai’i field hearing last year that the state led the nation in development and operation of state veteran cemeteries."