Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News – July 26, 2013

Veterans! Here’s your Top 10 News stories of the day compiled from the latest sources

We encourage you to browse our list so that you can take what you want and keep what you need

 
1.   President Barack Obama Proclaims National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.  President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation marking July 27th as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.   The following is the text of the President’s proclamation:  Today, America pauses to observe the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War — a conflict that defined a generation and decided the fate of a nation. We remember the troops who hit the beaches when Communist forces were pressing south; who pushed back, and
 
2.   Korean War foes gather in North Korea to remember war .  Two decorated U.S. war veterans who survived one of the worst battles of the Korean War found themselves among former foes at a memorial ceremony Thursday as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un launched the country’s commemoration of the war’s end 60 years ago.
 
3.   DCoE Releases Clinical Guidance on Neuroimaging for Mild TBI. The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) developed a clinical recommendation and reference card to help primary care providers determine whether to use neuroimaging when evaluating service members with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The new…

4.   Report: More should be done to prevent US money from going to terrorists.  Nearly 12 years after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, the U.S. government still lacks proper safeguards to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not end up in the hands of insurgents and terrorists, according to a report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

5.   Lawmakers: Sexual assault cases best kept in chain of command.  Senate supporters of a scaled-down measure dealing with sexual assault in the military fought back against their portrayal as uncaring obstructionists Thursday, saying their proposal is the best option for both victims and the service.
6.   Should congressional pay be based on productivity, as House would do with VA?  Hyperlink to Story The Washington Post:  The notably unproductive House wants to cut the pay of top Veterans Affairs officials if the department doesn’t significantly reduce its disability claims backlog by next year.
7.   VA extends public comment period on new burn pit registry.  Hyperlink to Story Army Times:  The Veterans Affairs Department has extended the deadline for the public to comment on its planned registry for service members exposed to open-air burn pits through Aug. 20.

8.   Veterans’ Affairs Committee Advances Gay Couples’ Benefits Bill.  Hyperlink to Story Buzzfeed:  The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee advanced legislation Wednesday to expand veterans’ benefits eligibility for same-sex couples who are legally married.
9.   Bill extends benefits to Filipino WWII veterans.  Hyperlink to Story Las Vegas Review-Journal:  A bill that aims to sort out government benefits for Filipinos who fought alongside Americans during World War II advanced in Congress on Wednesday.
10.   Senate panel passes vets bills, but won’t release details.  Hyperlink to Story Army Times: The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee passed eight bills Wednesday, but given the panel’s secretive approach, it is hard to judge the potential impact.
 

Have You Heard?

OEF/OIF/OND and 1990–91 Gulf War Veterans: Submit your comments through August 20, 2013 about the proposed questionnaire (PDF) for the planned Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.
Please don’t complete the proposed questionnaire instead provide your comments about it. Learn more.
Visit www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures to learn about military exposures and VA benefits.