Airmen medically separated between Sept. 11, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2009, who had a combined disability rating of 20 percent or less and received separation pay rather than a medical retirement may request a review of their disability rating, according to Air Force officials. Modifications to assigned ratings can potentially allow veterans and their families to receive benefits that were previously unavailable to them. “The intent is to ensure fairness and accuracy as well as consistency across the services,” said Troy McIntosh, president of the Physical Disability Board of Review. Those who are eligible and wish to have their rating reviewed may do so by including any documents supporting their case, including: briefs, statements and medical records, according to an Air Force news release. However, they may not appear before the board in person. Applicants will be notified of the board’s decision after all documents have been reviewed, according to the release. For more information, visit www.health.mil/PDBR .

It’s time to rethink a veteran disability system that “incentivizes disability,” Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said during a forum in Washington. That doesn’t mean pulling back disability compensation benefits, he . “Everybody recognizes we have a responsibility as a country to provide and be able to supplement resources for veterans that were harmed or injured during their time of duty. I don’t think anybody‘s suggesting that we take away our commitment to that,” he said.
Potential new offerings could include wellness programs, rather than simply monthly compensation payments.

On June 27, 2017 VA Secretery Dr. DAvid Shulkin released finalized plans that lay the framework for providing emergency mental health coverage to former service members with “Other than Honorable” administrative discharges..
Effective July 5, 2017 all VA medical health centers will be prepared to offer emergency stablization care for former service members who present at the facility with an emergency need. Under this initiative, former service members with an OTH administrative discharge may receive care for their mental health emergency.

Previously, Secretary Shulkin made it a point to let everyone know that he was pulling the individual unemployability plan from his proposed budget but he forgot to tell the public that he has reversed his decision.
VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin’s reversal on cutting a major benefit for elderly and disabled vets left the VA with a $3.2 billion budget hole to fill to meet President Donald Trump’s demand for an expanded Choice program. Despite Shulkin’s change of course 14 JUN, veterans service organizations urged their members to keep pressure on members of Congress to block any attempt to revive the plan in the $186.5 billion proposed budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which would have eliminated the Individual Unemployability (IU) benefit once veterans reached Social Security age. “It shouldn’t have been proposed to begin with,”
We need to keep pressure on our elected officials and let them know that we don’t appreciate saying one thing to the public and then turning around and quietly change your mind.

In 1979, Jan C.Scruggs, a Vietnam veteran, conceived the idea of building the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., as a tribute to all who served during one of the longest wars in American history. He felt a memorial would serve as a healing device for a different kind of wound—that inflicted on our national psyche by the long and controversial conflict.
“The country was going to forget the Vietnam War, there’s no doubt about that,” Scruggs said. “It was a bad memory for the nation in many ways.” As the nation wrestled with the war’s aftermath, Scruggs became the head of a team of young, impassioned veterans and their allies who got legislation and $8.4 million in
funding to build the memorial. The Wall was more of a calling, “It needed to be done,” he said.
To find a design for the memorial, in 1981 he launched what he says was the largest architectural
competition in history. More than 1,400 submissions poured into the anonymous panel of judges. When the
time came to display the entries, Scruggs had to rent a hangar at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The
winning submission was from 21-year-old Yale undergrad Maya Ying Lin. Her design was simple and
unconventional — a black wall engraved with the names of more than 58,000 Americans killed in the war.

This bill will allow all of America’s veterans to have a permanent ID card that proves their military service. It now goes to the president’s desk for his signature. This sounds like one of those things that should exist already. Even now, however, there is no universal way for our veterans to prove their status. Some have special ID cards, but many have to carry around old forms that contain sensitive information and, of course, weather over time. It’s another hassle and headache our veterans shouldn’t have to bear. With this bill, introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), we’re fixing the problem, making it easier for our veterans to access the services they need and better protecting them from identify theft

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has launched the Physician Ambassadoe Progeam in an effort to recruit volunteer medical providers, at the more than 1,700 VA health-care facilities across the nation. The physician and clinician “ambassadors” are qualified, trained and licensed health providers who will meet the same requirements as VA professionals in terms of credentials, supervision and evaluation.
Our Veterans deserve the highest quality of care — at all times,” said Dr. Poonam L. Alaigh, VA’s Acting Under Secretary for Health. “The Physician Ambassador Program is one of the many ways we are working to keep and honor our promise to care for Veterans and their families. Working with the health-care teams and staff in our VA facilities, these incredibly skilled and qualified volunteer physicians and clinicians will improve our ability to deliver great care and service.” The Physician Ambassador Program will enhance access to urgent care, rural health care and emergency medicine for Veterans. In addition, the program will create stronger collaboration and allow both VA and community health providers to benefit from the sharing of best practices and experiences

According to a June 1 Military Times article by Leo Shane III, the President’s long-promised hotline for veteran complaints was officially launched on June 1. The phone line—live now at 855-948-2311—is designed to “collect, process, and respond to the complaints of individual veterans in a responsive, timely, and accountable manner,” according to Department of Veterans Affairs officials. VA Secretary David Shulkin on Wednesday described the initial rollout of the line as a soft launch, with “live-answer agents” receiving and processing some of the calls. He promised that by Aug. 15, the hotline will have continuous coverage from a live operator 24 hours a day, every day of the week

Over the past several weeks, DAV has received hundreds of inquiries from DAV members and other concerned parties regarding the proposal to eliminate the total disability rating based on Individual Unemployability (IU) benefits for veterans over the age of 62 contained in the President’s fiscal year 2018 budget. Specifically, the proposal would terminate existing IU total disability ratings for veterans when they reach the minimum retirement age for Social Security purposes (age 62), or upon enactment of the proposal if the veteran is already in receipt of Social Security retirement benefits. In the May 24 House Veterans’ Affairs Committee budget hearing, DAV expressed its strong opposition to this proposal. We are aware that the elimination of these benefits would affect not only the veteran’s family income, but other critical ancillary benefits, such as dental coverage, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA (CHAMPVA), commissary and exchange privileges, and the value of Social Security benefits. Additionally, this will impact access to some state benefits such as property tax exemptions for veteran homeowners, free vehicle registration and free access to state parks.

Please be assured this is a key priority for DAV and we are trying to respond to your phone calls and email messages as quickly as possible. DAV is actively working to educate Capitol Hill lawmakers and the public about the devastating impact this proposal would have upon service-disabled veterans and their families.

Steps DAV has already taken:
Action alert for members: DAV members and their supporters have sent almost 24,000 emails to Members of Congress through the DAV Commander’s Action Network, advising them of our strong opposition to the proposal.
Testimony: On May 24, 2017, DAV, along with our Independent Budget (IB) partners, Paralyzed Veterans of American and Veterans of Foreign Wars, testified on the Administration’s budget to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and expressed our opposition to the IU proposal. DAV and its IB parnters will again condemn the IU proposal at a hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on June 14th at 2:30 PM. There will be a live feed of the hearing on that day.
Press Release: The IB veterans service organizations issued a press release concerning our opposition to the President’s budget and IU proposal on May 25, 2017.
Planned actions:
OP/ED from DAV Washington Headquarters Executive Director Garry Augustine to be distributed to major media outlets nationwide.
Meetings with Members of Congress to educate them about the negative impact of the IU proposal on veterans and their families.
Letter to House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees and Congressional leadership to highlight the impact of the IU proposal and express our strong opposition to it.
Developing an information sheet for DAV members to use in their own meetings and conversations with elected officials

Please keep in mind this is ONLY a proposal and the start of the budget process. But it is critical we protect our benefits by educating our elected officials about the negative impact this proposal would have on service-disabled veterans and their families. Please send a message to your elected officials to express your views on this important issue. We appreciate your support in our efforts to assure that America’s veterans with wartime injuries and illnesses continue to receive all the benefits they are due from a grateful nation.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/jbNcjxQN1B81IiTc3qq3Jw