Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

1.      House Passes Bill Requiring Army To Account For All Graves At Arlington Cemetery.  The Washington Post (12/17, Davenport, 605K) notes that on Thursday, the House “overwhelmingly passed a bill requiring the secretary of the Army to provide Congress with an accounting of all 320,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery.” The legislation, previously approved by the Senate, “comes on the heels of a growing scandal” involving “unmarked or mislabeled graves” at the “nation’s most hallowed military burial ground.” According to the Post, the bill passed on Thursday would also “require a review of the contracts issued to digitize the cemetery’s paper records and a study to determine whether authority over the cemetery should be transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

 2.      Changes To Post-Sept. 11 GI Bill Cleared By House.  In continuing coverage, CQ (12/17, Symes) says that by a vote of 409-3, the House “cleared a measure Thursday that would make changes to education benefits available under” the Post-9/11 GI Bill. President Obama is “expected to sign” the bill, which was passed earlier this week by the Senate. After noting that US Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) “emphasized that he and members of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee had worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans service organizations to develop the changes contained in the bill,” CQ adds, “While the measure expands many benefits, it would reduce the maximum possible allowance for tuition and fees to $17,500 from $20,000” and “would require that certain benefits not be paid out before Oct. 1, 2011.” In his “What’s Brewin'” blog for NextGov (12/17), Bob Brewin criticizes the bill, saying it will “effectively reduce housing stipends and cap tuition fees.”

HAVE YOU HEARD?
It was a day of celebrations at the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System Nov. 10. Three of the system’s facilities celebrated key milestones: the VA Medical Center in Omaha and the clinic and Community Living Center in Grand Island celebrated 60 years of service. Lincoln’s clinic celebrated two milestones: 80 years of serving Veterans. It was standing room only as patients and employees packed into the main lobby of the Omaha VA Medical Center to celebrate the facility’s 60th anniversary. Monsignor Richard Wolbach shared some of the history he has experienced in his 30 years as chaplain at the Omaha VAMC, and memories from his service as a Marine at Iwo Jima during World War II. Guest speakers Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE), also made comments and helped celebrate the medical center’s long tenure serving the Nebraska and western Iowa Veteran community. The Lincoln event hosted an open house including several historical displays such as historical VA uniforms going back as far as World War II. Grand Island’s event opened with a performance by the Grand Island Central Catholic Jazz Band, which led into a program including speeches from guest speaker Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and several employees, past and present. An informational brochure including timelines and historical photographs for the three sites was created to provide employees and guests a keepsake of the day.

3.      Head Of Spokane Veterans Program Honored.  The Spokane (WA) Spokesman Review (12/17) notes that during a ceremony last week in Washington, DC, the “head of Spokane’s homeless veterans program for the Department of Veterans Affairs received national honors.” John Davis, who “coordinates the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans program from his office in downtown Spokane, received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Services to Homeless Veterans from VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.” Davis’ program, which “last year provided medical care, housing and other social services to more than 1,200 veterans, was recently honored as one of the best in the nation.”

4.      Wal-Mart Helps Couple Assist Homeless Vets. NBC’s The Today Show (12/16, 8:45 a.m. ET) broadcast that “Lacey And Mike Bryant, a young couple” in Oregon, operate “Lacey’s House of Dreams, a home for the once homeless veterans” of US wars. After noting that the “home was recently forced to downsize from 30 beds to 10,” NBC informed the Bryants that Wal-Mart is giving $25,000 to Lacey’s House, as well as donating presents and food to vets living there.

5.      Probe Of Hastings Veterans Home Yields Mixed Results.  The KARE-TV Minneapolis, MN (12/16, Croman) website reported, “Investigators wrapped up their investigation into retaliation claims at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Hastings with mixed results. According to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the state agency that operates the residential center for 200 veterans, nursing director Connie Ball did retaliate against staff members but did not take such actions against residents who complained.” However, an investigation “carried out by the staff of the VA Hospital in Minneapolis, listed the claims of retaliation against residents and staff members as ‘substantiated.'” A story aired by WCCO-TV Minneapolis, MN (12/16, 6:37 a.m. CT) also took note of the report.
     Suspended Administrators Will Not Return To Home. The Duluth (MN) News Tribune (12/16) said two administrators at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Hastings “will not be going back to their old positions.” Administrator Chip Cox and “Director of Nursing Connie Ball were both placed on paid administrative leave” when the Minnesota VA’s “investigation began. According to a press release, both have ‘recently left state service.'”
     Minnesota Governor Impressed By New Facility For Homeless Vets. The KJBR-TV Duluth, MN (12/16) website said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was in Duluth earlier this week, “touring the new Veterans Place in West Duluth,” where “homeless veterans will live, while receiving support to get back on their feet.” In commenting on the facility, which has yet to open, Pawlenty “says he was impressed by what he saw. He hopes his successor will continue to support programs like this — as well as the proposal to develop a Veterans Cemetery near Jay Cook State Park.” KDLH-TV Duluth, MN (12/16, 6:48 a.m. CT) and WDIO-TV Duluth, MN (12/16, 6:15 p.m. CT) aired similar reports.

 6.      Veterans Go To The Supermarket.  The WALB-TV Albany, GA (12/16, Bulecza) website reported, “Nearly 3,000 veterans and their families learned about benefits they could qualify for Wednesday,” when the Georgia Department of Veterans Services sponsored its “45th Supermarket of Veterans Benefits in Valdosta.”

7.      Crowd Pays Special Holiday Tribute At Southern Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery.  The Sanford (ME) News (12/16, Todd, 6K) reported, “More than 100 people took the time from their holiday preparations” this past Saturday to “attend the first Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Southern Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Springvale.”
     Louisiana Vets Cemetery Graves Decorated With Holiday Wreaths. The KTBS-TV Shreveport, LA (12/16) website noted that on Thursday, More than “400 graves…were decorated with a holiday wreath” at the “Northwest LA Veterans Cemetery in Keithville.” This was “part of a national movement called Wreaths Across America.” KSLA-TV Shreveport, LA (12/16, 6:21 p.m. CT) aired a similar report, while the Shreveport (LA) Times (12/17, Prime) publishes a similar one.

8.      VA To Institute Medicare-Based Fees For Certain Services.  Government Executive (12/17, Sternstein) reports, “The Veterans Affairs Department is instituting standard fees based on Medicare rates for certain medical services performed at non-VA facilities to gain greater price consistency. But the change may restrict access to care for some retired military members with kidney problems, according to some members of the Senate Veterans Affairs committee, patient advocacy groups and health care providers.” The new regulations, to “take effect Feb. 16,” will “affect coverage of veterans who obtain treatments from non-VA clinicians for end stage renal disease, ambulatory surgical center care, anesthesia and clinical laboratory services.”

 9.      MedVirginia Shares Data With VA, DOD In Hampton Roads Pilot.  Government Health IT (12/17, Mosquera) reports, “The MedVirginia health information exchange has started sharing patient records with the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments in the Hampton Roads, Va., area, the second community to start testing the virtual lifetime electronic record (VLER).” According to Government Health IT adds, “VLER is the Obama administration’s effort to develop a single electronic system to track the medical, benefits and administrative records of service members when they enlist in the military throughout the remainder of their lives as veterans.”

10.    Yale Law Clinic Sues To Get Veterans’ Health Data.  In continuing coverage, the New Haven (CT) Register (12/16) said the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School has “filed a freedom of information suit in US District Court to get the Department of Defense to release records on disabled veterans believed to show they were incorrectly diagnosed. Law school intern Melissa Ader said the department discharged 22,600 veterans between 2001-2007, claiming they suffered from personality disorders, a pre-existing condition,” instead of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition that entitles veterans to benefits. The Register pointed out that the Ader’s clinic “wants to examine the records to determine if there is a pattern of misdiagnosis.”