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VFW Washington Weekly - March 19, 2010

Posted at 07:45 PM on Friday, March 19, 2010 by southcarolina

In This Issue:

1. VA to Ease Gulf War Benefits

2. Claims Summit Draws a Crowd

3. Vietnam MIA Identified

2. Claims Summit Draws a Crowd: VFW participated in a claims summit held by House VA Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA). More than 50 witnesses discussed problems, ideas and potential solutions to help the disability claims process. Overhauling the veterans' benefit delivery system is the number one priority goal of the VFW. We have asked VBA to improve their process by enhancing training and quality, improving IT infrastructure, and demanding a total commitment from leadership to accurately adjudicate claims the first time. For a list of VFW's 2010 legislative priority goals, go to http://www.vfw.org/PR/Legislative/2010PriorityGoals%20PROOF.pdf.

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VA Recognizes "Presumptive" Illnesses in Iraq, Afghanistan

Posted at 07:32 PM on Friday, March 19, 2010 by southcarolina

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today [Thursday] announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking steps to make it easier for Veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in the Persian Gulf War or Afghanistan. This will be the beginning of historic change for how VA considers Gulf War Veterans' illnesses.

Following recommendations made by VA's Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force, VA is publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register that will establish new presumptions of service connection for nine specific infectious diseases associated with military service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War, or in Afghanistan on or after September 19, 2001.

"We recognize the frustrations that many Gulf War and Afghanistan Veterans and their families experience on a daily basis as they look for answers to health questions, and seek benefits from VA," said Secretary Shinseki.

The proposed rule includes information about the long-term health effects potentially associated with the nine diseases: Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis and West Nile virus.

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NY Man Attempting 4,500 Mile "Patriot Walk" for Veterans

Posted at 11:35 AM on Monday, March 15, 2010 by southcarolina

BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) -- Mark Klodzinski, a Western New York native, will embark on a cross-country walk to raise money and awareness for American Veterans.

Mark will begin his 4,500 mile journey on March 16th, and hopes to raise over $1 million for the cause.

Mark hopes to travel 25 miles a day, meaning his entire trip will take him about 8 months, stopping at local American Legion and VFW Posts across the country.
View Source

View route and follow on his website here

Follow Mark's Facebook page here

VFW Cites Backlog, Health Care as Top Legislative Priorities

Posted at 04:35 PM on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by southcarolina

Washington D.C.,March 9, 2010 — In his opening statement today before a joint hearing of the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees, Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., testified about his organization's concern with the national health care debate, and whether or not it will impact the health care programs currently provided to veterans and military retirees by the VA and the military's Tricare system.

"Many promises have been made — by the president and by this Congress — that VA and Tricare will be protected, but a free press and an even freer Internet continue to fuel speculation that both health systems will be lost and/or absorbed into a larger national plan," said Tradewell, who leads the nation's largest and oldest major combat veterans' organization. "America's veterans and military retirees look to you — our champions in Congress — to protect both programs, and to do so vocally at every opportunity."

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"Making Virutual Friends" VFW Blogger Interviews of D.Peirce & IJK

Posted at 08:54 PM on Sunday, March 7, 2010 by southcarolina

Donald Peirce	Iris Joe Kelley

D. Peirce, a  senior blogger on the VFW Network  says making virtual friends is " better than buying drinks in a canteen."   "It's like a living history." says IJK, one of the first VFW Post bloggers online with VFW WebCOM.* 

Donald Peirce and "IJK," Iris Joe Kelley have been blogging for their VFWs for years.  Recently they responded to email Interviews with MyVFW.  Here's what they had to say:   MORE>

VFW Washington Conference Live Stream

Posted at 06:19 PM on Sunday, March 7, 2010 by southcarolina

You can also join us for chat while watching the live stream at My VFW WebCOM.

Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation Donates $100,000 to VFW Foundation’s Voice of Democracy Student Essay Contest

Posted at 12:59 PM on Friday, March 5, 2010 by southcarolina

Kansas City, MO, March 4, 2010 - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Foundation announced today that it has received a $100,000 gift from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in support of its Voice of Democracy student essay contest.

Each year more than 65,000 U.S. students (grades 9-12) from public, private, parochial and home schools, research write and record an essay based on a patriotic theme.

Winners advance from their local geographic areas to state then national levels, all the while earning money for educational scholarships. The national winner is awarded a $30,000 prize.

Currently, 70,000 teachers/counselors receive informational materials relating to the Voice of Democracy program.

The donation from the Bradley Foundation will be used to increase distribution to approximately 350,000 teachers and school counselors across the United States, thereby dramatically expanding student participation in the scholarship contest.

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