Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 1-19-09

1. Reopening Of VA Health Care Enrollment Noted.  
2. 23% Of Veterans Who Sought VA Treatment Since 2002 Have Been Diagnosed With PTSD.  
3. Galveston Clinic Damaged By Hurricane Ike To Move.  
4. Today Is Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day.  
5. Disability Board Of Review Accepting Applications.  
6. Ground Broken For $100 Million Long Beach VA Hospital Center.  
7. Public Encouraged To Send Valentines To Veterans.  
8. Tennessean Named 2008 Disabled American Veteran Of The Year.  
9. Veterans Introduced To Paralympic Sports In Houston.
10.  Wounded Veterans Offered Fly-Fishing Lessons.

1.      Reopening Of VA Health Care Enrollment Noted.   The Honolulu Star-Bulletin (1/18) notes, "The VA will reopen enrollment in its health care system by July 2009 to about 265,000 veterans whose incomes exceed current limits. Congress provided funds in VA’s fiscal year 2009 budget to support the new enrollment. In 1996, Congress established a priority-based enrollment system for VA and a uniform package of medical benefits for all enrollees. The legislation required that each year the VA assess veterans’ demand for services and determine if the necessary resources are available to provide timely, quality care to all enrollees. Enrollment for the lowest priority of the eight groups – veterans who are not being compensated for a military-related disability and who have incomes above a set threshold – was suspended in 2003. The VA’s computer systems are being modified to accommodate the changes. The rule will take effect by June 30."

2.      23% Of Veterans Who Sought VA Treatment Since 2002 Have Been Diagnosed With PTSD.   The AirForceTimes.com (1/17, McMichael) reports, "More than 44 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who have sought treatment at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility have been diagnosed with one or more possible mental disorders, according to the agency’s most recent summary of veteran health care. All told, a total of 178,483 veterans who came to VA for help were diagnosed with possible mental disorders from fiscal 2002 through September 2008, according to the January report of the VHA Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards. Of that total, 92,998 service members, or 23 percent, were diagnosed with possible post-traumatic stress disorder, while 63,009, or 16 percent, were found to have possible depressive disorders. The VA figures overlap to an unknown extent because officials say a veteran may have been diagnosed with more than one disorder. … Because the service members seeking treatment were not randomly selected and are less than one-quarter of the total population of veterans of the wars, VA cautions that they are not a true representative sample. VA also says that up to one-third of its diagnoses might not have been confirmed because they were provisional pending further evaluation, and that revising records is a resource-intensive effort rarely done in the public or private sector. At the same time, the number of VA’s possible diagnoses of PTSD has risen ‘quite steadily’ over the past seven years. And, said Antonette Zeiss, VA’s deputy director for mental health services, ‘there’s a steeper rate of increase between each of the quarterly reports as time goes on.’ In addition, the 23 percent of veterans seen by VA who were initially diagnosed with PTSD, Zeiss agreed, is generally in line with outside estimates." An April study by the Rand Corp. "found that many service members say they don’t seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they fear the repercussions will harm their careers. ‘We know there are guys who desperately need help who aren’t coming to us,’ said Phil Budahn, a VA spokesman."

3.      Galveston Clinic Damaged By Hurricane Ike To Move.   The Galveston County Daily News (1/18,Meyers) reports, "The veterans clinic in Galveston, closed since it was damaged in Hurricane Ike, will move in the next few months. The island clinic, 6115 Ave. L, has been closed since Sept. 13, when Hurricane Ike slammed ashore. Island veterans were redirected to the Texas City clinic, 9300 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, until operations could resume on the island. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has decided to not renew a contract with the company that has been running the clinics in Texas City and Galveston – Valor Healthcare of Miami, Fla., said

Bobbi Gruner, public affairs officer for the Veteran’s Administration. Therefore, the administration is forced to find new homes for the island clinic, and possibly the Texas City clinic, as well."

4.      Today Is Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day.   The Stevens Point Journal (1/17, Strittmater) reports, "Exposure to toxic chemicals sickened one in four of the nearly 700,000 veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, a condition caused by exposure to toxic chemicals, according to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Research Committee report. In honor of those who still suffer from post-deployment physical and mental disabilities, Jan. 17 — the day Desert Storm began — has been recognized as Gulf War Illnesses Recognition Day. Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to designate an annual observance, with the first being in 2006."

5.      Disability Board Of Review Accepting Applications.   The Associated Press (1/17, Maurer) reports, "A board mandated by Congress to review disability ratings of wounded veterans is finally accepting applications after months of delays. Congress created the Physical Disability Board of Review after investigations found inconsistencies in how the military assigns ratings. The board has been delayed since its creation in 2007. It wasn’t until June 2008 – months after the panel was to begin operating – that the Defense Department formally announced its creation. ‘Even at this late date, it is still good news to hear that the board is finally taking applications,’ Vanessa Williamson, the policy director at New York-based Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said Friday. ‘But unless they are doing active outreach to troops and veterans, those with wrongly decided claims will not even know that recourse is available.’ The board posted its application on a Defense Department Web site last week after it was approved by the federal Office of Management and Budget. Vic Donovan, the board’s legal adviser, said Friday the board has 7 applications under review and another dozen on the way. It is unclear how long it will take to review applications because the board is still establishing its procedures, Donovan said."

6.      Ground Broken For $100 Million Long Beach VA Hospital Center.   The Contra Costa Times (1/17, Hale-Burns) reports, "The Veterans Affairs Hospital broke ground Friday on Project 600-402, a $100 million, major multistructure project that will house a 25-bed Blind Rehabilitation Center and much more. Although plans were developed in 2001, it wasn’t until 2004, as part of CARES, the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhancement Services Initiative, that Congress OK’d funds needed to start the project. ‘Part of the CARES initiative was to figure out where the most need was,’ said Richard Beam, director of Public and Community Affairs at the VA Long Beach Healthcare system."

7.      Public Encouraged To Send Valentines To Veterans.   Nationally syndicated column Annie’s Mailbox (1/18) publishes a letter from James Reynolds, National Salute Chairman, who writes, "With compassionate professionals providing an outstanding level of care, it is still the human contact that provides comfort to the mind and soul of the veteran. Many of your readers give that contact during the VA National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. The 2009 National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans is Feb. 8-14. Last year, more than 1 million valentines were received at our VA medical centers, and 25,688 caring individuals visited over 56,398 veteran patients during the National Salute Week."

8.      Tennessean Named 2008 Disabled American Veteran Of The Year.   The Cleveland Daily Banner (1/18, Wright) reports, "John Simmons of Cleveland was recently named 2008 Disabled American Veteran of the Year for his veteran’s advocate activities and relentless legislative and administrative support. The Bradley County native dedicates most of his retired life to helping veterans in getting their claims approved and serving his community. He also participates in the annual Memorial Day, Veterans Day, POW/MIA Remembrance and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremonies. Despite being classified as 100 percent disabled and in constant pain, Simmons, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1966 to 1970, is known for his commitment to acquiring a State VA Nursing Home in Bradley County and pushing through Tennessee House Joint Resolution 807 supporting such a VA nursing home. He was also instrumental in getting a $3 million anonymous donation as well as a donation of land for veteran’s use."

9.      Veterans Introduced To Paralympic Sports In Houston.   The Houston Chronicle (1/18) reports, "The sound of the wheelchairs crashing together rivals that of a gunshot – a loud and sudden smack that grabs the attention of anyone in earshot. The bloody knees and absolute ferocity of some competitors is also stunning. The sport’s official name is Quad Rugby, but many still call it by a less PC, yet still understandable, name: Murderball. The loud crashing sounds echoed through the George R. Brown Convention Center Saturday, folding into the cacophony at the city’s first ‘Metal & Muscle Expo,’ organized to introduce disabled veterans to paralympic sports. ‘This is really important for our local veterans to come and link up with people who have this excitement for these competitive outlets,’ said Buddy Grantham, director of Houston’s Office of Veterans Affairs. … The competitions were hosted by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and funded by a $40,000 grant from the U.S. Paralympic Military Program with funds that were seeded by the Department of Defense."

10.    Wounded Veterans Offered Fly-Fishing Lessons.   The Indianapolis Star (1/18) reports, "If there’s anything that members of the 40-year-old Indianapolis Fly Casters (IFC) club have learned, it’s this: If you cast a lure long enough and into the right spots, you’re bound to get some action. That’s what they hope they’ve done at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center. A couple of months ago, the club got permission from Medical Center officials to introduce a national class program, ‘Project Healing Waters,’ to men and women who served in the military and were being treated for wounds and illnesses. The idea was that it might be good therapy — emotionally and physically — for patients to learn how to fly-fish and to tie flies.