Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

From the VA:

1.      Ad Campaign Urges Vets To Use VA Benefits, Services. In continuing coverage, the American Forces Press Service (10/14, Miles) reports, “The Department of Veterans Affairs launched a campaign” earlier “this week to encourage veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan to take advantage of available VA benefits and services. VA broadcast the first in a series of advertisements Monday night in six major US markets as part of its National Veterans Awareness Campaign, VA Press Secretary Katie Roberts said.” AFPS adds, “The new ad promotes one of VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki’s top priorities: providing more veterans access to VA services, Roberts said.”

 2.      Local Board To Send VA Clinic Resolution To Shinseki. After noting that the “Jersey County Board is asking voters to approve an additional quarter-cent public safety sales tax increase” on November 2nd, the Alton (IL) Telegraph (10/14, Bott, 23K) reports, “In other…business,” the board “adopted a resolution supporting the ongoing efforts” of US Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL) to “establish an outpatient clinic for veterans in South-Central Illinois.” The Telegraph adds, “Copies of the resolution will be sent” to US Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

 3.      VANWIHCS Proposing Veterans Village. The Des Moines-based Radio Iowa (10/14, Kelley) reports, “Hundreds of low-income and homeless veterans in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska would have a safe new place to live under” a Veterans Village proposal being developed by the Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Radio Iowa notes that Will Ackerman, a spokesman for the system, says the VA Secretary “has set a goal of ending homelessness amongst veterans in five years so this program is one of those steps to achieve that goal.” Radio Iowa adds, “A community meeting” on the proposal, which still requires local approval, is “planned for Thursday at 6 PM at the Field Club.”

 4.      Georgia Governor Honors Veterans Cemetery Staff. The Milledgeville (GA) Union-Recorder (10/14, Jackson) says Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has “recognized the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery for team excellence in customer service as part of his annual selections of individuals and offices in 42 different state agencies who provide ‘above and beyond’ service.” The cemetery operates “under the purview of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service.”

 5.      New Jersey Assembly Committee Passes Vets’ Hospital Bill. The Northfield, New Jersey-based Shore News Today (10/14, Linehan) notes that state Sen. Jeff Van Drew’s “bill to create a veterans’ hospital task force cleared its latest hurdle recently, breezing through the state Assembly Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee on the road to a vote before the full legislativebody.” After noting that the bill “passed the full Senate last June,” Shore News Today adds, “Past calls for a VA hospital in southern New Jersey have been rejected by federal officials who cite a lack of need in the region.”

 6.      Chief Technology Officer: VA Preparing To Launch Paperless Disability Claims System. FierceGovernmentIT (10/13, Walker) reported, “The Veterans Affairs Department is preparing to launch within days a paperless service-related disability claims system, said VA Chief Technology Officer Peter Levin.” After noting that Levin made his comments “while speaking Oct. 12” at Healthcare Innovation Day in Washington, DC, FierceGovernmentIT adds, “There are about one million backlogged service-related disability claims at the Veterans Affairs Department, but a paperless system could change that, he said.”

 7.      Officials Say VA Is Changing Its Culture. FierceGovernmentIT (10/13, Walker) noted, “The Veterans Affairs Department is embracing a new attitude, with plans to better engage VA employees and better meet veterans’ needs, according to several VA officials during an address” at Healthcare Innovation Day in Washington, DC, “on Oct. 12. ‘VA is in need of change,’ said Scott Gould, deputy secretary at the VA,” who stressed that “changing the culture at VA” means going from “adversary to advocate.” According to FierceGovernmentIT, Gould also pointed out that the VA Innovation Initiative is currently implementing employee suggestions.

 8.      VFW-PAC Leaders Reject Call To Rescind Endorsements. The AP (10/14, Freking) reports, “Endorsements from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee,” “have so enraged many VFW members that its elected leaders have asked the PAC to immediately rescind all endorsements for next month’s election.” On Wednesday, however, the “PAC’s leaders flatly rejected the idea,” saying in a statement on PAC’s website that the “VFW-PAC will not abandon those in Congress that have supported issues of critical importance to our nation’s security and veterans.” Politico (10/14, Shiner, 25K) and the Washington Times (10/14, Lengell, 77K) publish similar stories.

 9.      Official: VA Planning To Expand Use Of IT, Telecommunications. Government Health IT (10/14, Mosquera) reports, “The Veterans Affairs Department plans to expand its use of information technology and telecommunications – including mobile and landline phones and video conferencing – to deliver health care to aging veterans and others who suffer from chronic conditions, according” to VA’s chief consultant for telehealth services, Dr. Adam Darkins, who “spoke at an Oct. 12 conference on telehealth sponsored by West Wireless Health Institute, a medical mobile technology researcher.”

 10.    Duckworth Pays Tribute To USF Veterans. According to the University Of South Florida News (10/13, Chachere), when “L. Tammy Duckworth was shot down in the Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting over Iraq in 2004,” a University of South Florida (USF) “ROTC and College of Nursing graduate – Army Lt. Col. Tony Peverini – was among those who pulled her from the wreckage and helped treat her massive injuries. Tuesday, Duckworth – now the US Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs – paid tribute to what she called the culture of nurturing and support that has allowed injured veterans to create new lives for themselves at USF.” Duckworth made her comments while appearing “as the keynote speaker at Accessibull, USF’s celebration of people with different abilities.”