VFW NC Post 2573 - Wilmington

VFW Washington Weekly - November 13, 2009

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:54:00 -0500

In This Issue:
1. VFW / VA Members Among Fort Hood Victims
2. VFW Legislative Priority Goals for 2010
3. No Tricare For Life Changes
4. White House Employment Initiative Good for Veterans:

1. VFW / VA Members Among Fort Hood Victims: Last week's tragic shooting
at Fort Hood included VFW and VA members. Staff Sgt. Justin M. DeCrow,
32, was killed by Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who allegedly murdered 13
and wounded dozens before being shot and apprehended by two civilian law
enforcement officers. DeCrow was a member of VFW Post 11016 in Songnam,
South Korea. He graduated high school in 1996 in Plymouth, IN, and
leaves behind a wife and daughter at Fort Gordon, GA. Two VA employees
also slain were identified as:
* Dr. Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old Army Reserve captain
who led a mental health team at the VA medical center in Milwaukee.
* Lt. Col. Juanita L. Warman, a 55-year-old Maryland National
Guardsman who was a nurse practitioner at the VA medical center in Perry
Point, MD. She was a former member of VFW Post 8276 in Delmar, MD.
VFW Commander-in-Chief Thomas J. Tradewell Sr. said, "No words can
properly convey our condolences to the wounded and families of those
murdered. The entire military family is grieving right now. I just
want them to know they do not grieve alone. Our hearts and prayers are
with them." Read the VFW press release at
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.newsDtl&did=5280.

Read more VFW Washington Weekly

VFW National Jr Vice DeNoyer Reports on Tour of Europe

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:50:00 -0500

(Via Dept of Wisconsin)

" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" scrolldown="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" print="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" gotopage="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" changefullscreenbutton="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" zoomtocoordinate="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" scrolltocoordinate="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" getpage="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" getzoom="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" getscrollxpercent="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" getscrollypercent="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }" togglefullscreen="function () { return eval(instance.CallFunction("" + __flash__argumentsToXML(arguments,0) + "")); }">
2009 Europe Report -

Press the "Full Screen" button to see a larger image and/or print the document.

If the document above does not appear, you may need to update your Flash Player.
Click here to update it.

Businesses Honoring Veterans With Discounts

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:37:00 -0500

During Veterans Day Weekend, several retail businesses are raising money for programs, while other businesses are offering various discounts to veterans. VFW received the following notices about Veterans Day Specials:

Sport Clips nationwide on Veterans Day, November 11, is supporting VFW Operation Uplink™ with "The Biggest Haircut Day of the Year." On that day, Sport Clips will donate a dollar for every haircut given in our 660+ stores. Show your support for troops and veterans by getting your next haircut at Sport Clips.
Burger King restaurants in select states across the country are raising money for VFW Unmet Needs through November 30. More than 800 Burger King restaurants are participating in the “buy a burger; donate a buck” fundraiser in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

Click here for the VFW's full list of participating businesses.

Home Depot offering Post Improvement Grants

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:32:00 -0500

The Home Depot has once again revised their grant program which is now entitled “Building Healthy Community Grants.“

VFW Posts are eligible to apply for up to $2,500 in Home Depot gift cards to be used for remodeling activities to their Post building.

Visit Department of Wisconsin to learn more.

New GI Bill site to help select colleges and other features

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:49:00 -0500

Inside Higher Education has noted that a new site was created for Veterans. The underlined link will take you to the web page.

The American Council on Education has launched a new Web site, Today's GI Bill, to help veterans learn about the new education benefits available to them, the college selection process, and how to succeed in higher education. The site -- debuting just before Veterans Day -- was created with support from the Lumina Foundation for Education.

Free for Veteran's Day list supplied by American Legion Post 129

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:04:00 -0500

These notes were developed by Mike Sheehan who writes the newsletter for American Legion Post 129 on Pleasure Island.

I found the following article of potential interest at http://militaryfinancenetwork.com/2007/11/07/free-dinner-at-golden-corral/

Veterans Day is just around the corner, and it is a popular holiday to say thanks to our country’s military members. Many restaurants, stores, and other businesses offer free items and discounts to military members, retirees, and other veterans. Most places require proof of service such as a military or retiree ID card, DD Form 214, VFW or American Legion card, or other proof of service, so be prepared if you are asked for proof of service.

In the spirit of the season we thought we would share a few of this year’s promotions with our readers.

Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday

Golden Corral’s 9th annual Military Appreciation Monday dinner is scheduled for Monday, November 16, 2009, from 5 to 9 pm in all Golden Corral restaurants nationwide (note that it is NOT on the actual Veterans Day). The free dinner meal is open to anyone who served in the US Military and is open to all veterans, retirees, active duty military members, and members of the National Guard or Reserves.

· Free “Thank You” Dinner

· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Applebee’s Free Meal on Veterans Day

Applebee’s is supporting military veterans again this year by offering military members and veterans a free meal on Veterans Day. Simply show proof of military service, including showing up in uniform, military ID, military service organization ID (American Legion card, etc), a picture of you in uniform, or other proof, and select a free meal from a special menu. For more information, visit the AppleBee’s Veterans Day page.

Other Veteran’s Day Discounts:

Many companies, stores, and restaurants offer Veteran’s Day discounts to Active Duty military members, retirees, and/or veterans. Be sure to ask if you are in doubt! Other offers:

· Lowe’s and Home Depot military discounts. The big box home improvement stores often give military members and veterans a 10% discount on military holidays such as Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, and around the 4th of July. Be sure to ask and bring your ID!

Mike Sheehan

American Legion Post 129

November Newsletter and Calendar

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:58:00 -0500

Please note that the calendar has some changes, breakfast continues every week...see Fred's notes below followed by the links:

Sorry for any confusion on breakfast. It was first decided to hold breakfast on the 2nd and 3rd Saturday's but was later changed to every Sat. with the Men's Aux cooking on the 1st and 4th Sat. and the regular members on the 3rd and 4th. The first schedule made to the printer before it could be stopped. The next news letter will have the correct schedule. Thanks, Fred

November Newsletter

November Calendar

Holiday Mailing Deadlines for Military Delivery

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 08:47:00 -0500

Recommended Mailing Dates to APO/FPO Addresses

WASHINGTON — For military service members stationed around the globe, holiday gifts are a big morale boost. To help the families and friends of U.S. military personnel, the Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate box.

The recommended mailing date for the most economical postage to overseas military installations, including Iraq and Afghanistan, is Nov. 13.

Mail sent to overseas military addresses is charged only domestic mail prices. The domestic mail price for the Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is $13.95, but for packages to APO/FPO addresses overseas the price is reduced to $11.95. Additional discounts are available for customers printing their Priority Mail postage labels online at Click-N-Ship.

Flat-Rate boxes are free at any Post Office, or can be ordered online at shop.usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using Click-N-Ship.

The Postal Service continues to show support to those serving in the armed forces by offering free Military Care Kits, designed specifically for military families sending packages overseas. The mailing kits can be ordered by phone by calling 1-800-610-8734 and asking for the Care Kit. Each kit includes two “America Supports You” large Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, four medium-sized Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, six Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape and six customs forms with envelopes.

For online ordering of the Large Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate boxes featuring the “America Supports You” logo and APO/FPO addressing block, Click here. More information about mailing letters and packages to military destinations is available online at Supporting Our Troops.

“Mailing holiday gifts to service members early will help insure that a piece of home arrives in plenty of time to make the celebration complete," said Pranab Shah, vice president and managing director, Global Business.

To ensure delivery of holiday cards and packages by Dec. 25 to military APO/FPO addresses overseas, the Postal Service recommends that mail for service members be entered no later than the mailing dates listed below. Mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to certain conditions or restrictions regarding content, preparation and handling. APO/FPO addresses generally require customs forms. To see an online table of updated APO and FPO addresses and mailing restrictions by individual APO/FPO ZIP Codes, Click here, select “Pull-Out Information” and click on “Overseas Military/Diplomatic Mail.”

MILITARY MAILING DEADLINES

Military Mail Addressed To	Express Mail® Military Service (EMMS)1/	First-Class Mail® Letters and Cards	Priority Mail®	Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) 2/	Space Available Mail (SAM)3/	Parcel Post®
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 090-092	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13
APO/FPO AE ZIP 093	N/A	Dec-4	Dec-4	Dec-1	Nov-21	Nov-13
APO/FPO AE ZIPs 094-098	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13
APO/FPO AA ZIP 340	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13
APO/FPO AP ZIPs 962-966	Dec-18	Dec-11	Dec-11	Dec-4	Nov-28	Nov-13

Waiting for your new GI Bill education benefits? Don't hold your breath!

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:14:00 -0400

I excerpted one paragraph from the linked Inside Higher Education article to show how long the wait really could be. Of course, emergency money can be made available by going to one of 57 VA regional offices. In North Carolina we have one, in the Durham area...good for those vets attending Duke but not much help for those in Wilmington which is 170 miles away. Oh well!

First the quote:

The fix, however, may be some time coming. The department’s working goal is to pay out all eligible benefits by the start of the spring semester, which Wilson conceded could “theoretically” mean some veterans will go through the entire fall semester without receiving full benefits. That said, Wilson testified that he had not heard of any colleges kicking veterans out because they haven’t received the benefits to which they are entitled.

Then the link:

Inside Higher Education article

VA Extends Agent Orange Benefits to More Veterans

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:41:00 -0400

WASHINGTON (Oct. 13, 2009) - Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.

The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson's disease; and ischemic heart disease.

Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a "presumed" illness don't have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This "presumption" simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

The Secretary's decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will," Shinseki added. "Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence."

To read more and visit links to more information click here.

Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Legislation Needs Your Help!

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:36:00 -0400

Your action is urgently needed to help pass this important legislation authorizing a commemorative coin to honor our nation's Medal of Honor Recipients.

Visit the Department of Wisconsin for more information.

October Newsletter and Calendar

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:54:00 -0400

Please send us your email address to reduce postage costs for distribution of the Post Newsletter. If you are reading this you also know we post both here on the VFW blog page.

Here are the links:

October 2009 Newsletter

October 2009 Calendar

VFW Applauds VA GI Bill Check Authorization

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:48:00 -0400

KANSAS CITY, Mo, September 29, 2009 —The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. has voiced support on the decision by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs authorizing checks for up to $3,000 to students who have applied for educational benefits and who have not yet received their government payment. The checks will be distributed to eligible students at VA regional benefits offices across the country starting Oct. 2, 2009.

"We are extremely pleased with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki's announcement that VA is moving positively in response to recent reports of veterans experiencing financial difficulty or problems enrolling for college classes since the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill." said VFW National Commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr. "This clearly demonstrates Secretary Shinseki's concern and willingness to take action on behalf of the student veteran community." The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. will continue to dialogue with the secretary and the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to ensure college-bound veterans receive the education entitlements they have earned."

Starting Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, students can go to one of VA's 57 regional offices: www.vba.va.gov/VBA/benefits/offices.asp with a photo ID, a course schedule and an eligibility certificate to request advance payment of their housing and book allowance. Because not all these offices are located near students, VA expects to send representatives to schools with large veteran-student bodies and work with Veteran Service Organizations to help students with transportation needs.

Subsequently, VFW National Commander Tradewell has issued a ‘call to action' by asking VFW Posts nationwide to mobilize their resources on behalf of student veterans and assist those needing transportation to a VA regional office or college campus.

"Today, I urge every VFW Post to reach-out to their respective student veteran communities. One easy way to do this is to first determine if there is a Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapter on campus. The SVA has a chapter locator that can be accessed by going to their website: http://www.studentveterans.org/chapters/chapterlocator.php and makes it easy to contact the student group and offer assistance. Since one of the SVA's primary goals is to connect with groups with resources from outside their campuses to help meet the common needs of student veterans, they can help coordinate with VFW Posts and students needing transportation assistance. Otherwise, I encourage any VFW Post with a college campus anywhere in their in their vicinity, to contact the campus veterans representative or Dean's office to help facilitate assistance."

Read more

Don't get kicked out of this post's canteen then try to burn their flag

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:15:00 -0400

This is an interesting article from the Times Union. The tri-city area of New York is about 150 miles north of NYC. Apparently VFW post members took things into their own hands when their flag was burned.

In my opinion the post members did a good job. Here is the link to the Times Union article

Times Union article

VA tries to break GI bill payment backlog but...

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:05:00 -0400

The VA is offering emergency payment checks to fix some of the issues created by the backlog of processing. Unfortunately the way to get a check is to go to one of 57 regional offices. For those of us in North Carolina that means a trip to Winston Salem. Apparently the VA will be willing to work with some campuses that have large veteran enrollments, however that leaves vet students at smaller institutions to fend for themselves. This is where the VFW and other veteran's organizations can come in by providing transportation or other assistance. Below are links to the VA announcement and to our North Carolina regional VA center.

VA Announcement

Winston Salem VA regional Center

Citizen Soldier in North Carolina, sorry the money has been spent but not on you!

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 09:36:00 -0400

Is this a scandal in the making or just another example of incompetence? Certainly it is a shining example of mismanagement in our university system, and a failure of the federal government to set performance standards when handing out money. The public (our) funds were squandered.

There are three links below, the first to Friday's Charlotte Observer article which details some of the abuses and the bureaucratic response from the agency, the second is a web site showing the benefits our citizen soldiers should have received.

Maybe we should share our outrage over this scandal with the University of North Carolina by emailing the system president and then contact our state and federal representatives. President Bowles email address is the third link.

Charlotte Observer Article

Citizen Soldier Support Program

ebowles@northcarolina.edu

New GI Bill slow to pay, some vets are hurting due to the delay is the money AWOL?

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:34:00 -0400

The new GI Bill provides enough support for eligible veterans to actually go to school and not have to hold 3 part time jobs to survive. It also has other good features. So what is the problem?

The VA is slow getting money out to the veterans causing financial hardship. In addition the VA had no understanding of minor issues like rent, food, and utilities needing to be paid when due rather when a check finally arrives. Most schools have helped by waiting for tuition and fees but this is causing cash flow drains for the schools. For some details see the link to the Washington Times article below and read your local newspapers for similar coverage.

Washington Times

VFW Legislative Alert: Save the Women's Health Care Bill

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:03:00 -0400

Current Status:

S. 252, which passed the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee earlier this year, is stuck in the Senate. With time winding down in the year and the Senate is taking on many complicated bills, we need to ensure that the Senate approves this before the end of the session.

Background:

S. 252 includes a broad range of health-care improvements for all veterans, including expanded mental-health services and grants for homeless veteran programs. It also includes a number of significant improvements for female veterans and the health care and services VA provides to them.

Improving the care and treatment of female veterans is a VFW Priority Goal. This is among our highest priorities.

The women veterans' provisions include:

Studies into what access barriers exist
Requiring VA to provide a detailed plan on services and how to provide
A detailed study on the long-term health consequences of female vets serving in the Gulf Region
Improvements into training and care for military sexual trauma
Providing limited child care services for veterans seeking treatment at VA
Providing limited newborn care

Other important provisions: improvements to recruiting and retention of medical professionals; pilot program on dental care; expanded mental health counseling through Vet Centers.

Action Needed:

Contact your two Senators to urge them to support this critical bill and to pass it before adjourning for the year. Its provisions - especially the ones aimed at female veterans - are among the VFW's highest priorities. Let them know that you expect their strong support for this legislation and that you expect them to quickly approve the bill.

September Newsletter and Calendar...NOTE Calendar for Bingo showing Thursdays

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:01:00 -0400

The calenday shows Bingo on Thursdays, however after September 10th Bingo moves to Wednesdays.

Newsletter

Calendar

Bingo moves to Wednesdays starting September 16th

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 11:31:00 -0400