Top 10 Veterans News from Around the Country 5-4-09

What’s Inside Today’s Local News for Veterans 

1. Bike Run Raises Funds For Wounded Warriors.  
2. New GI Bill Available To Vets.  
3. Double-Murder Suspect May Cite PTSD In His Defense.  
4. Imprisoned Iraq Veteran Says He Suffers From PTSD.  
5. VA Project Seeks To Improve Mental Healthcare For Vets.  
6. Deal Expected To Improve PTSD Options For Navajo Nation.  
7. County In Wisconsin Considering Veterans Treatment Court.  
8. Task Force Hoping For New Minnesota Veterans Home.  
9. Veterans Stand Down To Be Held In Washington’s Kitsap County.  
10. Few US Hospitals Taking Advantage Of VistA.

1.      Bike Run Raises Funds For Wounded Warriors.   In continuing coverage, Military.com (5/2, Jordan) noted that on Thursday, 40 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans took part in an event called the "White House to the Lighthouse," an annual bike ride from Washington to Annapolis. The ride, which is "sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project" and which "raises funds for Wounded Warriors programs," is "now in its fifth year." This year’s event "marks the third between Washington and Annapolis." Military.com added that Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and Assistant VA Secretary Tammy Duckworth, who were both wounded in combat, were there to see the veterans off.
      The American Forces Press Service (5/1, Miles), which published a similar story, pointed out that the ride "is the first of 14 scheduled across the country as part of the 2009-2010 Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride National Tour."

2.      New GI Bill Available To Vets.   In continuing coverage, Fox News said , "Last year, more than 500,000" US veterans "received GI Bill education benefits," but that "number could increase 20-25 percent by 2010." Fox said a new GI Bill "offers thousands more dollars in benefits for most military members who’ve served on active duty since September 11, 2001, making a degree virtually free, even at certain private universities" that are "participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program, where schools will join the Department of Veterans Affairs in covering the difference in fees." The VA’s Keith Wilson was shown saying that the new GI Bill "sends a message to veterans and servicemembers alike that the country recognizes the sacrifices they’ve made." This story was also aired by local Fox affiliates WTTG-TV Washington, DC (5/3, 10:24 p.m. ET), WBRC-TV Birmingham, AL (5/3, 9:46 p.m. CT), KRIV-TV Houston, TX (5/3, 9:33 p.m. CT), and WDAF-TV Kansas City, MO (5/3, 9:25 p.m. CT).
      In a related story, the American Forces Press Service (5/3, Miles) said, "Servicemembers and veterans who enroll in the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will be able to attend some of the…most prestigious" and "high-cost" US colleges "thanks" to the Yellow Ribbon Program, which is "gaining momentum in academic circles." Wilson, "director of education service for the Veterans Benefits Administration, reported growing interest" in the program, saying, "We’re getting a lot of activity in that area." AFPS noted that the VA "began accepting applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill May 1." The benefit is "among several VA-sponsored educational benefits available to servicemembers and veterans."
      VA Urging Vets To Learn About New GI Bill Before Applying For Benefits.   In a separate article, the American Forces Press Service (5/2, Miles) said that as the VA "begins accepting sign-ups for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, officials are encouraging anyone considering enrolling in the program to get educated about it first to ensure it’s right for them." Before "electing to shift to the new program from the Montgomery GI Bill or another VA-sponsored education program — an irrevocable" decision – Wilson "recommends that they get the facts to make sure it’s the best move for them." Meanwhile, Tammy Duckworth, recently confirmed as VA’s assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs, is "going to some unprecedented lengths," including taping a YouTube video, "to ensure servicemembers and veterans alike understand the opportunities available to them through the Post-9/11 GI Bill."

      Various Websites Provide Information About New GI Bill.   The lead item in George W. Reilly’s "Veterans’ Journal" column in the Providence (RI) Journal (5/4) says that for a "full explanation of all the new GI Bill factors before making the switch," readers can "go online to military-education.military.com/2009/04/new-gi-bill-application-start-date-annonced.html." The Department of Defense also offers a website "devoted to this topic at www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/. Finally, a Pentagon official explains transferability rules for the Post-9/11 GI Bill at www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54127."                                                                   Veterans Frustrated By Forms Website For New GI Bill.   NextGov (5/2, Brewin) reports, "Veterans nationwide, trying for the first time on Friday to log on to online forms to apply for a rich package of educational benefits, encountered a network that either failed or was extremely slow." The VA "launched the Veterans Online Application (Vonapp) site to begin taking applications from veterans interested in the benefits offered in the new GI Bill, whose formal title is the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act." But "veterans became frustrated when they tried to log onto the site." Others "who were able to log on to the system…found the site slow." The VA "did not respond to a query on the amount of traffic the site experienced on Friday and what it could have done to resolve connection problems."

3.      Double-Murder Suspect May Cite PTSD In His Defense.   The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown, PA (5/3, Penna) reports, "For friends and family, 19-year-old Scott Garlick was a teenager just starting his life, and 64-year-old Raymond Williams was a loving husband of many years. Both were innocent victims of a senseless shooting rampage in Blair County on April 6. But perhaps the two also will be remembered as casualties of war. Nicholas Horner, who is charged with those murders and also accused of shooting and critically injuring Michelle Petty, said he has post-traumatic stress disorder. Horner, formerly of Johnstown, has seen multiple tours of duty in Iraq, and the former Army sergeant may use PTSD during his defense in court." According to the Tribune-Democrat, "Military records…show that Horner was discharged from the Army because of a service-related disability. He served eight years and five months in the Army, including a tour in Kuwait and two tours in Iraq. Blair County Judge Jolene Kopriva last week ordered a mental evaluation to help determine Horner’s state of mind on the day of the shootings."

4.      Imprisoned Iraq Veteran Says He Suffers From PTSD.   The Tribune-Democrat of Johnstown, PA (5/3, Penna) reports, "He does not want to die, but he cannot live like this anymore. He cannot remember the actions that have him wearing a prison uniform, but he cannot forget the actions he took while wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army. John Fletcher is tired, but John Fletcher does not want to sleep. Life is a contradiction for the one-time defender of freedom who is currently not free – a nightmare-laced, drug-induced haze of a contradiction soaked in cheap booze and night sweats. Fletcher is charged with robbing a bank at knifepoint after phoning in a bomb threat to a local school as a diversion. The threat prompted the evacuation of two schools. He does not deny the charge or admit to it for that matter. Fletcher said he just does not remember. … Forgetting what he allegedly has done would come in handy for Fletcher – who said he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder – if the loss of memory could only be applied to the visions of Iraq that haunt his dreams."

5.      VA Project Seeks To Improve Mental Healthcare For Vets.   The Canandaigua (NY) Daily Messenger (5/3, Sherwood) said veterans "in cities across the United States will have a better chance of receiving" mental healthcare "because of work being done" at the Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Safe Vet, one "of several projects under way at the VA’s Center of Excellence," involves "getting civilian emergency departments to work with VA hospitals and clinics to ensure no veteran falls through the cracks." The "project entails hiring and training coordinators to work at selected VA facilities. So far, Safe Vet programs are being started in Denver and Philadelphia, said Kerry Knox, executive director of the Canandaigua VA’s Center of Excellence," who added, "We are bringing up different sites gradually."

6.      Deal Expected To Improve PTSD Options For Navajo Nation.   In continuing coverage, the AP (5/4) reports, "Members of the Navajo Nation should have an easier time getting treated for post-traumatic stress disorder under a new agreement to place social workers on tribal land." The Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System and the Navajo Area Indian Health Service "have agreed to locate social workers in the Fort Defiance Hospital and the Chinle Veterans Center. Indian Health Service spokeswoman Jenny Notah says though both facilities are in Arizona, their services likely will be available to any Navajo veteran who needs help."

7.      County In Wisconsin Considering Veterans Treatment Court.   The La Crosse (WI) Tribune (5/4, Jungen) reports the unidentified father of an Iraq veteran who has been in trouble with the law "is a strong advocate for developing a local veterans treatment court, a concept being explored by a 20-member commission of local and regional leaders, most with military background, and those who work with veterans. The court would screen veterans facing criminal charges, guide them to treatment services for issues stemming from combat," such as post-traumatic stress disorder "and substance abuse, and require ongoing meetings with a judge, said La Crosse County Circuit Judge Todd Bjerke." Those "exploring a local program now are surveying to show need for such a court." Rock County "on July 1 will become the first to institute the court in Wisconsin. At least three other counties are considering the concept, said Randy Kraft, spokesman for the state public defender’s office."

8.      Task Force Hoping For New Minnesota Veterans Home.   The Bemidji (MN) Pioneer (5/3, Swenson) reported, "Assured the 2009 Legislature won’t take action on Minnesota veterans home proposals, a Beltrami County task force prepared Saturday for a summer hiatus." But members still "want to keep the issue of a 90-bed Minnesota veterans home in northern Minnesota before the public eye. Dr. Ralph Morris, task force vice chairman, suggested a float during the annual July 4 Bemidji Jaycees Water Carnival parade." But "while the task force – which had only nine members attend Saturday morning – doesn’t want to lose steam over the summer, it’s the lawmakers that have to be convinced a Bemidji project is viable. That hinges on a state Department of Veterans Affairs-commissioned study" on the need for such a facility.

9.      Veterans Stand Down To Be Held In Washington’s Kitsap County.   The Kitsap (WA) Sun (5/4) reports, "The Kitsap County Veterans Advisory Board and the Kitsap Area Veterans Alliance are sponsoring a stand down for veterans and their families on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Presidents Hall at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds." During the event, representatives "from the Veterans Administration, the Washington Department of Veteran Affairs, the county’s Veterans Assistance Fund, WorkSource, the Department of Health and Social Services, the health department and several other organizations will offer a variety of free services, including hot meals, clothing, immunizations, haircuts, financial assistance, VA benefits and claims."

10.    Few US Hospitals Taking Advantage Of VistA.   The Boston Globe (5/4, Wangsness) reports, "In a country where just 1.5 percent of US hospitals have fully computerized records," West Virginia, "one of the poorest and least technologically advanced states," has "created a paperless records system for its state-run hospitals and nursing homes." The state "did it on the cheap by using an electronic medical records system built" by the Department of Veterans Affairs "with taxpayer dollars, saving millions in software licensing fees charged by commercial software vendors. The VA software, known as VistA, is open-source software — its code is freely available to the public and is constantly being improved by users," but "very few US hospitals have taken advantage" of it. However, Senator Jay Rockefeller, "a West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Finance Committee’s health subcommittee, is introducing legislation that would promote the widespread adoption of VistA and other open-source systems among hospitals that serve the poor. He also successfully pushed to include provisions in the stimulus bill to make VistA more accessible."