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RAO Bulletin Update
15 July 2007


THIS BULLETIN UPDATE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:

-- Shad [04] ................................. (Studies Flawed)
-- DoD Mental Health TF [05] ... (Mental Health Shortfalls)
-- DoD Disability Evaluation System [02] . (Pro Bono Effort)
-- DoD Disability Evaluation System [03] .... (NDAA Includes S.1606)
-- Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (SVAC) .. (What it Does)
-- SVAC [01] ....................... (5 Bills Cleared)
-- NDAA 2008 [06] ......... (Senate Debate Begins)
-- Wounded Warrior Assistance [02] ........ (Hotline Call Center)
-- Reserve Retirement Age [11] ................. (NDAA amendment)
-- VA Cemetery Iowa .................... ($7.6 Million Grant)
-- VA Cemetery Wisconsin ............... ($622,580 Grant)
-- BRAVE & GIVE Acts ........................ (SSA Rating Acceleration)
-- VA Homeless Vets [05] ............ (Homeless Grants)
-- Tuition Aid for RC .................. (Summary by State)
-- Florida Vet Benefits [03] .................. (4 New Laws)
-- Vet Initiatives [02] ............................ (4 New Laws)
-- LCD Screen Cleaning .................... (Magic Eraser)
-- Silver Star .................. (3rdh Highest Valor Award)
-- Okinawa Agent Orange Use ................ (BVA 1998 Ruling)
-- Identity Theft [08] ...... (Prevention, Identification & Mitigation)
-- TSGLI [01] ......................... (Pay Out Retroactive)
-- CBO Military Compensation Report [01] ... (Pay Raise Questioned)
-- Concurrent Receipt Status .... (570,000 Not Yet Eligible)
-- SSA Retirement Application ....... (Applying Online)
-- VA 2007 Survey ............................ (Starts 8 July)
-- Navy Body Modification Policy ........... (Clarified)
-- Tricare Member Choice Center .......... (New Program)
-- Cell Phone Payment Suspension... (90+ Day Deployments)
-- Vet Benefits New York ....... (New Veteran Measures)
-- Funeral Honors [02] ............. (Bugler Ranks Thinning)
-- Psoriasis ....................................... (What it Is)
-- Travel Immunizations ................... (What to Get)
-- SSA Future Benefit Estimate ........... (Where you stand)
-- Vietnam War Facts ......................... (Stats)
-- Veteran Legislation Status 13 JUL 07 -------- (Where We Stand)


Editor’s Note 1:   The article on “Manila DEERS/RAPIDS Workstation” was
 sent in error 13 JUL to some of the non-Philippine subscribers.  It
 only applies to veterans residing in the PI and should be disregarded by
 all others.

Editor’s Note 2:  Attached is a listing of veteran legislation with
 current cosponsor status that has been introduced in the 110th Congress.
  To see any of these bills passed into law representatives need input
 from their veteran constituents to instruct them on how to vote.


SHAD UPDATE 04:  A group of Navy veterans says that findings from a
 study of the health effects of at-sea biological and chemical weapons
 testing on thousands of sailors 40 years ago are flawed because the study
 ignored those with the highest levels of exposure. The $3 million study,
 paid for by the Department of Veterans Affairs but conducted by the
 Institute of Medicine of the National Academy, took four years to
 complete. It was commissioned after years of complaints from veterans that the
 tests made them sick. The Institute of Medicine is a private
 organization created by the federal government to perform medical tests.
 Findings from a medical records survey and questionnaire mailed to more than
 6,000 sailors who were aboard 22 Navy ships and Army tugs during the
 tests cast doubt on claims that exposure to the tests led to severe
 medical problems in ensuing years. The findings, released last month, found
 that participants had higher death rates from cardiovascular disease and
 had higher self-reported rates of memory loss, attention problems and
 neurodegenerative disorders than a group of sailors who did not
 participate in Project SHAD, or Shipboard Hazard and Defense. But scientists
 were unable to point to medical links between these problems and the
 real and simulated chemical and biological weapons used during the tests.
 Moreover, since participants also reported higher rates of medically
 insignificant symptoms such as earlobe pain, scientists questioned
 whether some of the discrepancies were caused by participants’ belief that
 something was wrong with them.

     However, retired Cmdr. John Alderson, who served as a commanding
 officer of the five Army light tugs (numbered 2080, 2081, 2085, 2086 and
 2087) that were a central part of the tests, said the study was
 incomplete because it failed to include many of the sailors who served on the
 tugs, at a test laboratory on Johnston Island ( a small island about
 700 miles west of Pearl Harbor) and at a base near Pearl Harbor where
 the weapons were mixed. The study’s director William Page confirmed
 Alderson’s claims but said he could not be sure what effect the omission had
 on the findings because he did not know how many people were excluded
 or the severity of the illnesses they reported.  Page said, “We got as
 many people on the light tugs as possible.  They didn’t have complete
 rosters. We would have loved to have included the light tug personnel,
 but we just couldn’t find all of them”. Alderson estimated that more
 than 500 sailors served on the tugs during the experiments. Neither he nor
 Page could say how many were included in the study, but Page admitted
 that the majority of tug sailors were never contacted.  The IOM report
 says tug crew members were exposed to a nerve agent, staph bacteria and
 bacterial agents that could cause rabbit fever and Q fever. Alderson
 said tug crew members were exposed to at least four other biological
 weapons not mentioned in the findings, but he said he could not name them
 because they are still classified. A second veteran confirmed
 Alderson’s account, but asked not to be identified. Although the tugs’ crews
 were required to stay inside during the tests, and state-of-the-art paper
 filters and specially designed air conditioning systems were used to
 protect the crews, the filters sometimes failed after they were soaked
 with sea water. Sensors in the boats’ interior spaces periodically
 detected trace amounts of biological and chemical agents.

     According to Navy officials the SHAD tests, which were classified
 until a few years ago, were conducted between 1962 and 1973 to
 determine whether Navy crews could be protected from chemical or biological
 attacks. Alderson said he thinks the study had a more nefarious purpose:
 to determine how effective American chemical and biological weapons
 could be against enemy navies. The five tugs were sent to sail in a line
 formation that could be as long as 100 miles. Two Marine A-4 Skyhawks
 would then drop substances close to the first ship. Scientists would
 measure readings on each ship to determine how far weapons clouds would
 travel before they dispersed to levels that were ineffective. The larger
 ships had simulants blown aft from their bows by giant fans or had them
 dropped from passing aircraft which were later found to be toxic.
 Alderson said, “One reason they say it took so long to notice problems, is
 that most of the skippers are dead from cancer or respiratory illnesses.”
 Bernard Edelman, deputy director for policy and government affairs for
 the Vietnam Veterans of America, said sailors were given inoculations
 but that they were not entered on the sailor’s medical records, meaning
 the sailors don’t know what they received. We are still trying to
 uncover the facts, he said  As Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over til it’s
 over.” [Source: NavyTimes Chris Amos article 6 Jul 07 ++]


DOD MENTAL HEALTH TF UPDATE 05:   The Co-chairs of a recent DoD mental
 health task force pulled no punches at a hearing before the House Armed
 Services Committee on 12 JUL. Navy Surgeon General VADM Donald Arthur
 told the panel that military mental health programs and awareness had
 become deemphasized and atrophied over the last three decades in which
 the services experienced no sustained combat, and that urgent action is
 essential to meet spiraling mental health needs caused by repeated
 wartime deployments.  "We must give equal attention to mental and physical
 health as we train for war," he said.  He also stressed the important
 role of leadership emphasis and sensitivity to mental health issues in
 building members' resilience in the face of stress. Co-chair Dr. Shelley
 MacDermid, a Purdue University professor and Director of the Military
 Family Research Institute, said the primary need is increased and
 permanent funding.  The real key is to increase the number of military
 mental health professionals and increase Tricare reimbursement to providers
 to expand participation by civilian providers.  She pointed out that
 payments to mental health providers were recently reduced, and that
 Tricare pays proportionally even less for mental health than for other
 conditions.  In many cases, Tricare coverage is limited - not covering
 intensive outpatient therapy, for example.  She highlighted that coverage
 for Guard and Reserve families is a particular problem, and that DoD
 needs to improve its coverage to ‘hometown USA’. Assistant Secretary of
 Defense (Health Affairs) Dr. S. Ward Cassells also testified at the
 hearing and endorsed the task force report, emphasizing that the need is for
 family members as well as servicemembers.  He told the panel the top
 priority for DoD health care is mental health, indicating he expects to
 have an action plan by SEP 07.  He emphasized the need to attack the
 stigma often associated with mental health, particularly for those worried
 about how it may affect their security clearances, and leadership
 opportunities. The Committee members indicated their strong support, but
 requested prioritization of the task force's top 10 issues out of the
 seven pages of recommendations and asked for specific funding amounts
 needed to address them.  [Source: MOAA Leg Up 13 Jul 07 ++]


DOD DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM UPDATE 02:  Wounded service personnel
 who allege that the government is downplaying their injuries and
 cheating them out of benefits have some new legal ammunition: three major law
 firms offering free legal services.  Concerned that injured soldiers
 are getting a raw deal upon returning home, three firms — Foley &
 Lardner; Atlanta's King & Spalding; and New York's LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene &
 MacRae — have offered to do pro bono work on behalf of veterans who are
 appealing low disability ratings made by the government.  Those ratings
 dictate how much money injured veterans are entitled to, along with any
 medical and retirement benefits.  According to attorneys, numerous
 veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center who have served in Iraq and
 Afghanistan have claimed that the military is underrating their injuries,
 thus shortchanging them of benefits they've earned.  Ehren Halse, one
 of 15 King & Spalding attorneys, who has spoken with about 10 injured
 soldiers in the last week, noted that the bureaucracy and administrative
 procedures that involve disability rankings are confusing enough for
 attorneys, let alone injured soldiers who may not even be aware of their
 rights.

     Walter Reed, U.S. Army and U.S. Department of Defense officials
 were unavailable for comment.
Discrepancies in the disability rating system came to light about a
 year ago, when the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), a nonprofit
 organization that guides injured veterans through the medical evaluation
 process, started spotting low ratings.  The DAV investigation coincided with
 recent media reports that exposed poor conditions at Walter Reed,
 sparking a congressional investigation.  Ronald Smith, deputy general counsel
 for DAV who has handled several disability claims on behalf soldiers
 said the demand for DAV services has been very high. To date, he knows
 of at least 30 cases at Walter Reed in which injured soldiers received
 substantially low ratings and are appealing their medical evaluations.
  Among those is Fred Ball, an explosion victim with two children who had
 a substantial part of his skull blown off in Iraq and a metal fragment
 embedded in his brain.  According to Smith, the military should have
 given Ball a 100% disability rating, entitling him up to $2,471 a month.
 Instead, he got a 10% rating, entitling him to $337 a month. He's been
 declared unfit for duty, but not hurt enough to receive full benefits
 which Smith finds extremely troubling.

     Participating attorneys will focus much of their energies on
 helping injured soldiers appeal their low disability rankings. They'll
 appear with the veterans at formal hearings before what is known as the
 Physical Evaluation Board.  This is the panel that actually gives out the
 ratings based on a medical evaluation by military doctors. If veterans
 disagree with the rating, they then request a formal hearing before the
 board.  Some lawyers also plan to appeal the soldiers' cases directly
 to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, which has
 jurisdiction over disability ratings appeals. Among the key arguments that lawyers
 plan to make before the court is that the military is unlawfully
 operating outside the congressionally mandated Veterans Affairs
 disability-rating system, which dictates exactly how much soldiers will be
 compensated for their injuries or diseases. Under the existing guidelines, a
 20% or lower rating entitles a veteran to one severance check and no
 other benefits. Ratings above 30% entitles a veteran and his family with
 lifetime benefits.   [Source: New York Lawyer Tresa Baldes article 19Jun
 07 ++]


DOD DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM UPDATE 03:  A package of improvements
 in treatment and benefits for wounded service members — including some
 precedent-setting changes in DoD disability policies — was attached 12
 JUL to the Senate’s $648 billion NDAA defense policy bill, approved by
 a 94-0 vote. The bill S.1606 initially introduced by Sen. Carl Levin
 (MI) called the Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act, would make a
 variety of changes in current policies, especially in helping troops
 whose injuries are so severe that they are unable to continue serving in
 the military and cannot get post-service treatment from the Department
 of Veterans Affairs. The bill orders a review of all recent disability
 discharges where a service member received a lump-sum severance
 payment instead of the lifetime disability retired pay that would come from
 being rated with a disability of 30% or more. It would also radically
 change the entire military review process by assuming that anyone who has
 served in the military was physically and mentally fit before entering
 service.

     The assumption of fitness, which would apply to anyone who has
 served at least six months, would prevent the services from deciding that
 a service member’s post-deployment problems, especially mental health
 issues, were the result of a pre-service condition that does not warrant
 severance or disability pay. Anyone medically retired from the
 military for combat-related reasons would be eligible for three years of
 military health care after discharge, a move aimed at reducing problems
 getting post-service treatment. The bill would address concerns that the
 military’s process for evaluating service members seems adversarial, and
 that the services — especially the Army — seem to consistently assign
 lower disability ratings than would be assigned by the VA by ordering
 the military to use the VA’s disability ratings schedule unless the
 military’s ratings are higher. The House of Representatives also included a
 wounded warrior package as part of its version of the defense
 authorization bill  passed earlier this year, which means congressional
 negotiators who meet later this year to work out a compromise bill will face
 questions about treatment, medical retirement and other issues. [Source:
 NavyTimes Rick Maze article 12 Jul 07 ++]


SENATE VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (SVAC):  The Senate Veterans'
 Affairs Committee (SVAC) was created in 1970 to transfer responsibilities for
 veterans from the Finance and Labor committees to a single panel. From
 1947 to 1970, matters relating to veterans compensation and veterans
 generally were referred to the Committee on Finance, while matters
 relating to the vocational rehabilitation, education, medical care, civil
 relief, and civilian readjustment of veterans were referred to the
 Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. Congressional legislation affecting
 veterans changed over the years. For the members of the armed forces and
 their families in the nation's early wars -- the Revolutionary War, the
 War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War and the Spanish-American
 War -- the response of the federal government had been essentially
 financial. This was clearly the legislative mission of the Senate Committee
 on Pensions which was created as one of the Senate's original standing
 committees in 1816 and continued until its termination in the
 Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946.

     During World War I the nature of the congressional response to
 veterans' needs changed towards a more diversified set of programs. A war
 risk insurance program, which was referred to the Senate Finance
 Committee, changed the consideration of veterans benefits in the Senate. The
 Finance Committee was the Senate standing committee most responsible
 for veterans programs from 1917 to 1946. After World War II, the Finance
 Committee handled the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, the "GI
 Bill of Rights," which extended to servicemen and their families, a
 number of benefits including unemployment assistance, education, vocational
 training, housing and business loan guarantees, as well as the
 traditional medical and pension benefits of previous times. Many experts
 believe this law was one of the most important elements in the expansion of
 the middle class following World War II. The Veterans Affairs Committee
 had nine members in its initial congress, the 92nd Congress (1971-73).
 It now has a total of 14 members inclusive of its Chairman.  At present
 Daniel K. Akaka from Hawaii is Chairman and Larry E. Craig from Idaho
 is the Ranking Member.

     The Standing Rules of the Senate direct that to this committee
 shall be referred all proposed legislation, messages, petitions,
 memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects:
- Compensation of veterans.
- Life insurance issued by the Government on account of service in the
 Armed Forces.
- National cemeteries.
- Pensions of all wars of the United States, general and special.
- Readjustment of servicemen to civil life.
- Soldiers' and sailors' civil relief.
- Veterans' hospitals, medical care and treatment of veterans.
- Veterans' measures generally.
- Vocational rehabilitation and education of veterans.

The SVAC is an oversight, investigative, and legislative committee. It
 solicits and appreciates learning of problems, concerns, and areas of
 success that can be applied nationally to help all veterans.  Input can
 be made at http://veterans.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?pageid=1.
  However, if you have a specific problem or need specific help with the VA or
 other federal agencies, the Senators from your home state can best
 assist you in that regard. Contact either one of your state's two Senators
 by referring to
 http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
[Source: http://veterans.senate.gov/public/ Jul 07 ++]


SVAC UPDATE 01:  The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) cleared
 five bills during a Senate mark-up.  The bills now move to the full
 Senate for a vote.  Three of them should clear easily within a week, while
 the other two may require some debate.  They are:
- S. 1233 which would open enrollment to new Category 8 veterans who
 have been prevented from enrolling since JAN 03.  Opponents of the
 measure argue that there is not sufficient funding to pay for the numbers of
 veterans who would have access to the VA.  The DAV, PVA, VFW, and AMVET
 veteran organization’s Independent Budget has asked for an additional
 $1.3 billion to fund their care.
- S. 1315 which is a large omnibus benefits bill that would improve and
 expand VA insurance programs, adaptive housing grants and automobile
 assistance, among other enhancements.  Critics, however, expressed
 concern that the benefits awarded to Filipino veterans would be too generous
 with respect to the lower cost-of-living in the Philippines.
- S. 423 which would provide an annual cost-of-living adjustment for
 veterans’ benefits should pass easily;
- S. 1163 which would provide benefits to veterans with partial sight
 in their second eye should pass easily; and
- S. 479 which would expand programs to deal with suicide prevention
 and other mental health problems among veterans should pass easily.
[Source:  VFW Washington Weekly 13 Jul 07 ++]


NDAA 2008 UPDATE 06: When the Senate returned from its Independence Day
 on 9 JUL, it immediately began deliberations on the 2008 NDAA.  So far
 several very important amendments have been offered to the bill.
  These include:

- Amendment 2000 by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), which would end the
 deduction of VA survivor benefits from SBP annuities and would start the
 “paid-up” provision of SBP premiums this October instead of next year.
- Amendment 2046 by Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) which is based on her
 bill S. 1444 known as the Supply Our Soldiers Act.  The amendment would
 give deployed and wounded troops a voucher every other month to allow
 families and loved ones to be able to send a letter or small package
 free of postage.
- Amendment 2018 by Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to provide .5% pay increase
 over the Employment Cost Index (ECI) for the military in each of the
 next five years.
- Amendment 2049 by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) to lower retirement age
 for reservists who have served since 9/11.
- An amendment by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) which would improve the
 capacity of VA to care for veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries, extend
 the time from two years to five that a veteran would have to receive
 care from the VA upon their release from active duty, address potential
 homelessness among newly discharged servicemembers, ensure access to VA
 mental health and dental programs and recognize the importance of the
 National Guard and Reserve forces in VA’s outreach programs.  It also
 orders a review of all recent disability discharges where a service member
 received a lump-sum severance payment instead of the lifetime
 disability retired pay that would come from being rated with a disability of
 30% or more, and calls for a review of DOD’s entire disability ratings
 system, to include the use of VA standards to make disability
 determinations. The Senate has already accepted this amendment and incorporated it
 into the bill.
- A joint amendment by Senators Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Hagel (R-NE)
 would specify that the percentage increase in retiree TRICARE fees in any
 year can't exceed the percentage increase in retired pay.
- An amendment by Sen. Lincoln (D-AR) would authorize 10 years of
 post-service benefit use by mobilized Guard and Reserve members (who now
 lose all benefits upon separation).
- Amendment 2006 by Sen. Sessions (R-AL) would reimburse up to $300 for
 drill-related travel expenses for drill periods conducted outside
 commuting distance.
- An amendment by Sen. Landrieu (D-LA) would authorize tax credits for
 employers to help offset impacts of mobilizations on their businesses.

Other proposed amendments are:
2014 Hagel: Allow designation of portion of death gratuity
2015 Hagel: Expand family readiness council to include servicemembers
 and spouses
2016 Hagel: $25K accession bonus for mental health professionals
2017 Hagel: G/R retirement age reduction proportional to longer service
 
2019 Levin: Wounded warrior bill passed by SASC
2026 Klobuchar: Allow unlimited sites for family assistance program
 (delete max of 6)
2027 Pryor: Authorize R&R for members whose Iraq tours extended to 15
 mos
2029 Gregg: Protect child custody for deployees (like House)
2030 Gregg: Ban deployment of both member spouses (like House)
2031 Gregg: Support for children of deployed members
2032 Hagel: Limit to 12-month deployment
2034 Murray: Military family leave program
2035 Murray: Child care
2036 Murray: G/R benefits at discharge
2037 Coleman: Authorize 3% end strength variance (vice 2%) (like House)
 
2039 Coleman: Reserves eligible for assignment incentive pay
2040 Coleman: 3% end strength variance (dupe?)
2043 Durbin: Incentive programs for nurses
2047 Clinton: Transportation for additional people to burial ceremonies
 
2050 Chambliss: Report on patient satisfaction survey
2051 Coleman: G/R licensure
2054 Lieberman: Female mental health
2055 Lieberman: Info requirements for separatees
2056 Harkin: Family support for deployed members
2057 Feingold: Cell phone contract termination protection
2059 Cornyn: Cut fed funds to schools denying JROTC access
2060 Sanders: Gulf War Illness

The White House released its Statement of Administration Policy on the
 2008 National Defense Authorization Act.  The document outlines the
 President’s position on several components of the bill and stipulates his
 intention to veto potential amendments.  Among the provisions that are
 not supported by the White House are those relating to the Insurrection
 Act and reduced retirement age.  Amendments that would likely draw a
 veto of the NDAA if passed include those relating to Iran, Guantanamo
 Bay, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.  A copy of the
 statement can be found at the White House’s Office of Management and Budget
 site at www.whitehouse.gov/omb.Veterans are encouraged to let their
 elected officials know how they feel about these and any other issues that
 affect them. This can be easily done by referring to website www.naus.org
 and clicking the CapWiz area, selecting the issue of concern, and
 entering their zip code.  Once the Senate completes action on the NDAA, the
 House and Senate will meet in conference to iron out differences and
 submit a single version of HR 1585, the Defense Authorization Act of
 2008.  [Source:  NAUS Weekly Update 13 Jul 77 ++]


WOUNDED WARRIOR ASSISTANCE UPDATE 02:  The Wounded Soldier and Family
 Hotline Call Center received more than 3,000 calls during the three
 months since it began operating 19 MAR. The line was established for
 soldiers and family members in response to scandals regarding unsatisfactory
 treatment and living conditions, and unconscionable delays in
 processing for evaluation and compensation for wounds at Walter Reed Army
 Medical Center. Col. Ed Mason, director of the hotline, said that when a
 caller phones the hot line, the person who answers puts the caller in
 direct contact with the agency needed to address the problem. The hot line,
 staffed by Army officers and civilians at Human Resources Command in
 Alexandria VA, reports its findings to senior Army echelons in order to
 avoid the information vacuum that existed before the Walter Reed scandal
 broke. The Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline Call Center is at (800)
 984-8523.  [Source: Armed Forces News Issue 13 Jul 07 ++]


RESERVE RETIREMENT AGE UPDATE 11:  Senator Chambliss introduced S. 648
 earlier in this session of the 110th Congress to reduce age 60 as the
 age in which members of the Reserve Component are eligible to receive
 retirement pay.  S.648 as originally introduced would have amended Title
 10 to reduce the eligible age for receipt of non-regular military
 service retired pay for members of the Ready Reserve in active federal
 status or on active duty for significant periods on or after September 11,
 2001 (i.e. age to be reduced by three months for each 90 days of being
 called to active duty for Title 10 wartime duty or Title 32 response for
 a national emergency declared by the President). Under this provision,
 the age may not be reduced below 50 years of age. The Senate Armed
 Services Committee in its markup of the National Defense Authorization
 Act, S. 1547, incorporated most of S. 648 but would credit only qualifying
 service after the legislation is enacted, not any active duty service
 retroactive to September 11, 2001. To correct this inequity Senator
 Chambliss has offered a Senate floor amendment to the Fiscal year 2008
 National Defense Authorization Act, SA 2049, to restore the key omitted
 language of S. 648 by crediting all qualifying active duty service on or
 after 9/11.  The National guard Association of the United states
 (NGAUS) is asking all concerned to contact their legislators to support this
 amendment.  This can easily be dne by referrinfg to
 www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805&False and entering your zip cod. [Source: NGAUS Leg
 Alert 13 Jul 07 ++]


VA CEMETERY IOWA:  Ensuring that Iowa veterans have a final resting
 place to honor their service to the nation, the Department of Veterans
 Affairs (VA) announced the award of a $7.6 million grant to establish a
 new state veterans’ cemetery in Van Meter. The Iowa Veterans Cemetery,
 the first state veterans’ cemetery in Iowa, will be located in Dallas
 County near Des Moines.  Nearly 70,000 veterans and their families live
 within its service area.  The grant will pay 100% of allowable costs for
 the cemetery’s construction, which is scheduled to begin this fall.  It
 also covers construction of nearly 10,000 full-casket gravesites, 750
 in-ground cremation sites, 768 columbarium niches, a memorial walkway,
 a storage building, utilities, landscaping and irrigation.  Interments
 are expected to begin in the fall of 2008.  Keokuk National Cemetery,
 operated by VA in the southeastern part of the state, has space
 available to accommodate both casketed and cremated remains.  VA’s State
 Cemetery Grants Program complements VA’s 125 national cemeteries across the
 country.  The program helps states establish, expand or improve veterans
 cemeteries.  To date, the VA program has helped establish 66 state
 veterans’ cemeteries in 35 states, Saipan and Guam, which provided more
 than 22,000 burials in fiscal year 2006.  VA has awarded 155 grants
 totaling more than $283 million.  Information on VA burial benefits can be
 obtained from national cemetery offices, from the VA Web site on the
 Internet at http://www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices
 toll-free at 1-800-827-1000. Information about Iowa’s state veterans cemetery
 can be obtained from the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs at
 http://www.iowava.org/asp/cemetaries.asp or (515) 242-5331.  [Source:
  VA Press Release 12 Jul 07 ++]


VA CEMETERY WISCONSIN:   Continuing its mission of providing a final
 resting place for Wisconsin veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs
 (VA) has announced the award of a $622,580 grant to the state to expand
 the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner. The
 grant will pay for the construction of 460 full-casket burial sites, 444
 in-ground cremation burial sites, 704 columbarium niches, a memorial
 walkway, a storage building, utilities, landscaping and irrigation. The
 Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery, which began interments in
 2000, was also developed through VA’s State Cemetery Grants Program.  VA
 funded two other state veterans’ cemeteries in Wisconsin:  the Central
 Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King, and the Southern
 Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove. VA’s State Cemetery
 Grants Program complements VA’s 125 national cemeteries across the country.
  The program helps states establish, expand or improve state veterans
 cemeteries. To date, the VA state cemetery program has helped establish
 66 veterans’ cemeteries in 35 states, Saipan and Guam, which provided
 more than 22,000 burials in 2006.  Since the program began in 1980, VA
 has awarded 154 grants totaling more than $276 million.  Information
 about Wisconsin’s veterans cemeteries can be obtained from the Wisconsin
 Department of Veterans Affairs at http://dva.state.wi.us/Cemeteries.asp
 or 608-261-0179. For more info on VA burial benefits refer to from
 national cemetery offices, from the Internet at http://www.cem.va.gov or
 by calling VA regional offices at 1(800) 827-1000.  [Source: VA News
 release 10 Jul 07 ++]


BRAVE & GIVE ACTS:  Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-03) introduced legislation
 on 29 JUN that if approved will streamline the process in which
 disabled war veterans receive government benefits. The Benefit Rating
 Acceleration for Veterans Entitlement Act (H.R.2953), or BRAVE Act will allow
 a veteran who receives a 100% disability rating from the VA to receive
 Social Security benefits quicker than the prolonged waiting period now
 in place. The legislation, currently has 37 cosponsors and has been
 referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means..  “If you’re a veteran
 and you’re deemed 100% disabled ... the Social Security Administration
 still makes you go through a lengthy process,” said Pia Carusone, a
 spokeswoman for Sarbanes. “If the VA says you’re 100% disabled, the Social
 Security needs to agree with that, and expedite the process.”
     Additionally, Sarbanes offered an amendment to the Generations
 Invigorating Volunteering and Education Act (H.R.2857) or GIVE Act, that
 seeks to support our nations veterans and veterans service
 organizations. The National Conversation on Veterans and Community Service amendment
 was accepted by a unanimous vote in the final mark up of the GIVE Act
 and passed by the Education and Labor Committee. The Sarbanes’
 amendment would require:

1.)   The Corporation for National and Community Service, in
 conjunction with Veterans Service Organizations, the Department of Veterans
 Affairs, State Veterans Agencies, the Department of Defense and other
 organizations deemed appropriate by the Corporation, to initiate a “National
 Conversation”. It would identify:
- specific areas of need for veterans.
- how existing volunteer corps and programs could better serve
 veterans.
- gaps in service to veterans.
- prospects for better coordination of services.
- prospects for better utilization of veterans as resources and
 volunteers.

2.)   A report on the results of the conversation, together with a plan
 for a pilot program using promising strategies and approaches for
 better serving and utilizing the talents of veterans, which would be
 transmitted to Congress not later than one year following the date of
 enactment of this Act.
3.)   Implementation of the pilot program based on the findings of the
 report above.

The GIVE Act was voted out of the Education and Labor Committee on 27
 JUN by a vote of 46-0 and will reach the House floor for passage in the
 coming weeks. [Source: Rep. John Sarbanes Press Release 11 Jul 07 ++]


VA HOMELESS VETS UPDATE 05:   Homeless veterans in 37 states will get
 more assistance, thanks to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
 selection of 92 community organizations to receive funds for transitional
 housing this year. VA has identified the public and community non-profit
 groups eligible to receive payments for housing and supportive services
 to homeless veterans through three VA programs:

*       Fifty-three organizations will receive $10 million to provide
 about 1,000 transitional housing beds under VA’s per diem program;
*       Thirty-six groups will receive $12 million for programs for
 homeless veterans who are seriously mentally, women, including women with
 children, frail elderly or terminally ill;
*       Three organizations will receive about $2 million for various
 technical assistance projects.

        The grants are part of VA’s continuing efforts to reduce
 homelessness among veterans.  VA has the largest integrated network of
 homeless assistance programs in the country.  In many cities and rural areas,
 VA social workers and other clinicians working with community and
 faith-based partners conduct extensive outreach programs, clinical
 assessments, medical treatments, alcohol and drug abuse counseling and
 employment assistance. Much work remains to be done, but the partnership effort
 is making significant progress.  Today, it is estimated that fewer
 than 200,000 veterans may be homeless on an average night, which
 represents a 20% reduction during the past six years. For more info about VA’s
 homeless programs refer to http://www.va.gov/homeless.   [Source:  VA
 News Release 11 Jul 07 ++]


TUITION AID FOR RC:  The federal GI Bill has provided education
 benefits to veterans since 1944. Under the current program full-time
 servicemembers get up to $37,500 (not including $1,200 they must pay in). It can
 be used for up to 10 years after they leave the military. The Reserve
 contingent (RC) National Guard and Reserve get $11,124 (with increases
 for consecutive service of 90 days or more). It can be used only while
 in the Guard and Reserve. A growing number of states are cutting
 college tuition for recent veterans in a show of gratitude, but also in some
 cases to fill gaps in the federal GI Bill. Though most of the state
 laws honor veterans for their sacrifices, some also address disparities
 between the treatment of members of the regular military (Army, Navy,
 Marines and Air Force) and of RC troops, over whom states have
 jurisdiction. Today, every state offers some sort of tuition benefit for members
 of its National Guard units. With about 240,000 more Guard members (many
 of them college students) deployed to combat zones since 9/11, many
 state legislators are looking for ways to help them and other recent
 veterans. State benefits typically are available only to those attending
 state-supported institutions and who meet certain academic requirements.
 Following are highlights of recent developments for the RC:

Alabama - No tuition breaks for veterans, but since 2003, tuition has
 been waived for spouses and children of National Guard members called to
 active duty in Iraq.
Alaska -  A bill enacted this year is designed to ensure that a tuition
 waiver program for Guard members is fully funded.
Arizona -  A tuition waiver for widows and children under 30 of U.S.
 soldiers killed in the line of duty goes into effect Sept. 9. A tuition
 proposal this year that would have benefited current or former Guard
 members who have received a Purple Heart since 9/11 did not pass.
Arkansas -  A 2005 resolution encourages state schools to participate
 in a partial tuition waiver for Guard members. Under federal law, state
 Guard members can have 75% of their tuition waived at a state-sponsored
 institution. Schools that choose to participate cover the remaining
 25%.
California - California doesn't reduce or eliminate tuition or fees for
 veterans in state-supported colleges. A pending bill would waive
 resident fees for Californians after they leave active duty and exhaust
 federal GI Bill benefits. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the democratically
 controlled Legislature currently are at odds over his proposal for a
 $1.7 million college-fees assistance program for National Guard members
 to aid recruitment and retention.
Colorado -  A law this month makes members of the armed forces and
 their dependents eligible for in-state tuition if the member gets stationed
 in Colorado . A proposal that did not pass would have allowed schools
 to seek reimbursement from the state for refunds given to activated
 military personnel.
Connecticut -  The state has waived tuition for veterans since 1974;
 legislation did not pass this year that would have expanded the benefits
 to include fees.
Delaware - No legislation has been introduced or passed that would
 waive or reduce tuition for recent veterans enrolled in state-supported
 colleges or universities.
Florida - Proposals this year that would have required state
 universities and community colleges to waive a percentage of the in-state tuition
 rate for veterans did not pass. Last year, Purple Heart veterans
 became eligible for tuition waivers.
Georgia - In 2005, the state passed the HERO (Helping Educate
 Reservists and their Offspring) Scholarship for Guard and Reservists who, as of
 May 3, 2003, served in a combat zone.
Hawaii - Bills to waive tuition for Hawaii National Guard members to
 attend state schools have been introduced nearly every year for the last
 few years, but none have passed.
Idaho - A 2004 law says Guard members called up for duty beyond
 training for 30 days or more will have lost tuition refunded.
Illinois - Veterans have generally been given a free ride at state
 schools since 1920, but state funding in recent years has come up short. A
 proposal this year would ensure colleges that absorb the cost get
 reimbursed by the state.
Indiana - Legislation this year that would have provided free tuition
 to state universities for Indiana National Guard members called to
 active duty since Sept. 10, 2001, died.
Iowa - The state last year expanded a longstanding War Orphans Fund to
 include dependents of soldiers killed in action in a combat zone after
 9/11.
Kansas - The state Legislature this year for the first time
 appropriated $250,000 for scholarships for Kansans who served in Iraq or
 Afghanistan for at least 90 days after 9/11. The Kansas Board of Regents plans
 to distribute the funds on a first-come, first-served basis.
Kentucky - Tuition waivers for children and spouses of disabled and
 deceased National Guard and armed forces members were changed this year to
 increase the age of eligible children from 23 to 26 and to extend
 waivers from 36 to 45 months.
Louisiana - No new tuition legislation was introduced in 2007. A 2005
 law exempts some Guard members from all or part of tuition imposed by
 certain Louisiana public institutions.
Maine -  A bill introduced in the 2007 session that would have
 established a tuition waiver for veterans did not pass.
Maryland - The Legislature created a scholarship for veterans who
 fought in Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11, and funded it this year at
 $500,000. Available to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served
 basis, it has been offered to at least 67 veterans and 41 dependents.
Massachusetts - The state waives tuition, but not fees, for all
 veterans. Fees were waived for the first time last year for Guard members. A
 fee waiver for all veterans was reintroduced this year. Fees can
 represent up to 75% of college costs.
Michigan - A pending proposal would waive tuition for recent veterans
 and the families of soldiers killed in action. Since 2005, Michigan has
 had tuition grants for the children of veterans who are killed, missing
 in action or are permanently disabled.
Minnesota - Veterans attending public or private colleges in the state
 who served in the armed forces on or after 9/11, and who have exhausted
 other federal and state benefits, can be reimbursed $1,000 per
 semester up to $10,000 under a law that took effect this month. This also
 applies to Minnesota National Guard members with five years or more of
 service and surviving spouses and children of those who died serving in the
 military on or after 9/11. The state allocated $52,000 to extend
 education benefits to spouses, as well as children, of soldiers killed in
 action.
Mississippi - A handful of bills were introduced this past session,
 which ended in the spring. One passed; it expands tuition assistance for
 National Guard members to include room and board. No new funds were
 appropriated.
Missouri - In April, lawmakers debated but ultimately failed to approve
 a bill that would give combat veterans a 75% reduction in credit-hour
 costs. The bill may have failed because of high revenue losses that
 state universities likely would see. The University of Missouri, for
 example, projected a $1.3 million tuition shortfall if the bill had passed.
 The second-largest public university, Missouri State University,
 projected an $850,000 tuition shortfall, with no state money earmarked to
 make up the difference.
Montana - The state since 1989 allows state colleges and universities
 to waive tuition for veterans. That program was expanded in 1997 to
 include waivers for National Guard members.
Nebraska - No new legislation regarding tuition assistance for veterans
 or Guard members was introduced this year. In 2005, a bill was enacted
 that changed the tuition waiver for Guard members from 50% to 100%.
 Tuition has long been waived for dependents of veterans killed in combat.
Nevada - Lawmakers in 2005 made permanent 2003 legislation guaranteeing
 free tuition at state universities and colleges for Nevada National
 Guard members, including recruits. Lawmakers also approved legislation to
 reimburse Guard members for textbook expenses.
New Hampshire - A bill effective July 1 establishes a tuition voucher
 program for Guard members and changes the source of funding of Guard
 tuition assistance from schools to the state.
New Jersey - In January, a law passed that extended eligibility for
 tuition to former members of the New Jersey National Guard and increased
 the number of tuition-free credits available to Guard members and
 dependents. It extends the eligibility to 16 credits per semester and allows
 Guard members whose education was interrupted by their duty to continue
 to receive the free tuition benefit following discharge for one
 semester or a period of time equal to their length of deployment, whichever
 is longer. In the event of medical discharge as a result of illness or
 combat injury, a Guard member who was enrolled in a degree program can
 continue to receive the free tuition benefit through completion or for
 five years. Last year, New Jersey prohibited public colleges and
 universities from imposing non-resident tuition fees on members of the state
 Guard and their surviving children or spouses if the member was killed
 in the line of duty.
New Mexico - Legislation that was introduced this year but did not pass
 would have extended a scholarship for Vietnam veterans to include
 recent veterans. Certain dependents of combat veterans are eligible for
 full tuition waivers.
New York - Several bills that would have increased tuition awards for
 veterans died in the New York Legislature. Currently, veterans are
 eligible for awards of $1,000 per semester for full-time study or $500 per
 semester for part-time study.
North Carolina - Lawmakers this year proposed helping National Guard
 members pay off their student loans. It would be another expansion of the
 state's tuition assistance program for the Guard, following changes in
 2005 that raised the maximum tuition payment and provided money for
 buying textbooks. The tuition breaks, funded out of the state budget,
 help students at public and private colleges. Another recent change in
 tuition laws has allowed active-duty military personnel stationed in North
 Carolina, and their dependents, to take advantage of in-state tuition
 rates at public universities. Lawmakers this year have proposed
 expanding that benefit to all Defense Department employees, which would mean
 universities would lose revenue.
North Dakota - A 2005 law waives tuition for dependents of deceased
 veterans. A bill passed this year extends Guard tuition assistance to
 include all accredited post-secondary schools.
Ohio - No tuition-related laws passed recently to benefit recent
 veterans; a 2004 law requires public and private colleges to grant leave to
 students called to active duty and either refund or offer credit for
 tuition paid. Also in 2004, legislators expanded eligibility for a
 25-year-old Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Program to include Iraq veterans'
 families.
Oklahoma - No tuition assistance is offered to combat veterans. A bill
 currently pending would require the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
 Education to provide a tuition grant program for National Guard members
 taking graduate or professional courses.
Oregon - Under a proposal passed this year and expected to take effect
 this fall, resident student-veterans would receive up to $150 a month
 for up to 36 months. The aid could be used only after the student had
 exhausted federal GI Bill benefits.
Pennsylvania - A state agency extended the eligibility period for the
 Armed Forces Loan Forgiveness Program to the end of this year. The
 program forgives loans of up to $2,500 for veterans who haven't defaulted
 and who were on active duty between 9/11 and Dec. 31, 2007.
Rhode Island - While colleges are given state-appropriated money for
 Guard members, there has been little legislative action for combat
 veterans or their dependents. In 2005, a bill failed that would have given
 military Reserve members the same tuition assistance that is now offered
 to Guard members.
South Carolina - In South Carolina, Gov. Mark Sanford last month signed
 into law a bill that will offer members of the National Guard free
 tuition at state-supported colleges and universities and some private
 institutions. Another bill that would provide tuition assistance for
 full-time military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was
 introduced and is expected to go forward next year. The state also offers free
 tuition to the children of veterans who were killed, wounded or are
 missing in action. The new National Guard tuition program pays all tuition
 and fees up to $18,000. The Legislature appropriated $1.3 million for
 tuition grants for that program and another $1.7 million for a program
 that pays student loans for Guard members.
South Dakota - No legislation was introduced in 2007 pertaining to
 special tuition rates for veterans. But there were several laws passed in
 2006 and 2004 that improved educational access for military members and
 their families:
Tennessee - The state this year will begin freezing college tuition for
 members of the Reserves or the National Guard if they are mobilized
 for at least six months of active duty. The law went into effect on June
 25. Under this law, if a Reservist or Guard member is enrolled at a
 state school at the time their status changes to active duty, all school
 fees will be frozen at the rate when they departed school. The
 University of Tennessee system this August will increase tuition 6%. Upon their
 return, fees would not increase for a time period equal to one year
 plus the amount of time served on active duty. The offer is good only for
 servicemembers who complete their military obligations under honorable
 conditions and who re-enroll in a state school within six months from
 release of active duty.
Texas - Congress tweaked its 84-year-old tuition exemption so that
 veterans can use both the federal GI Bill and the state exemption in the
 same semester.
Utah - A law this year waives undergraduate tuition at state
 institutions of higher education for surviving dependents of Utah resident
 military members killed while serving in federal active duty.
Vermont - The 2004 Armed Services Scholarship expanded an existing
 benefit for children of National Guard members to also include Guard
 members, military veterans and spouses and children for both.
Virginia - The state this year created an in-state tuition benefit for
 active-duty servicemembers and for activated members of the National
 Guard and Reserve who are stationed in Virginia but are not Virginia
 residents.
Washington - Colleges are not required to waive tuition, but because
 waivers are available, legislation enacted last year directs state
 colleges and universities to take steps that would help them identify and
 assist veterans who need financial aid. Beginning this month, tuition and
 fees will be waived for dependents of combat veterans who are totally
 disabled, reported missing or killed in combat.
West Virginia - Beginning this month, tuition is waived for honorably
 discharged veterans who earned a Purple Heart. Legislators also passed a
 bill that covers tuition costs for active-duty National Guard members
 pursuing a master's degree.
Wisconsin - In 2006, Wisconsin passed legislation that waived 100% of
 tuition for veterans, up from a 50% waiver, enacted in 2005. But as the
 program's costs balloon, some lawmakers want to stop funding graduate
 school tuition and create a 10-year limit for claiming benefits.
Wyoming - Since 2006, Wyoming has had free tuition for overseas combat
 veterans, as well as widows, and orphans of deceased veterans. The
 state reimburses the schools for waiving tuition.
[Source: USA Today article 10 Jul 07 ++]


FLORIDA VET BENEFITS UPDATE 03:   Gov. Charlie Crist on 11 JUL paid
 tribute to the military services with the ceremonial signing of four new
 laws passed in the Florida 2007 legislative session. Tammy Wise-Thrash
 attended the ceremonial signing of the law named for her son, an Army
 specialist who was killed in Iraq in 2003. The Robert A. Wise Military
 Protection Act increases civil penalties for unauthorized use of photos
 or other images of military members on commercial products. After Wise
 was killed, his picture was used on anti-war T-shirts, without his
 family’s permission.  Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-Palm Beach Gardens, said
 hucksters have peddled phone cards and other products with photos of service
 members, preying on the patriotism of potential purchasers. The bill
 provides fines up to $1,000 per item for products depicting service members
 without family authorization. Brandon Hensler, a spokesman for the
 American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said there could be First
 Amendment problems if the law is selectively enforced. He said a person or
 family can protect names and images from commercial exploitation, but
 that use of news photos or other information “in the public domain” is
 protected in political demonstrations. Other new laws would:

- Extend need-based emergency financial assistance to service members
 and dependents for up to 120 days after members leave active duty, to
 help with housing and other living expenses as they return to civilian
 life.
- Provide a permanent hiring preference for veterans seeking jobs with
 state government. Previously, the veterans' preference could be used
 only once.
- Provide greater property tax relief for wounded veterans. Under the
 new law, a veteran with a combat-related disability would get a tax
 reduction in proportion to their disability classification. Rep. Stan
 Jordan, R-Jacksonville, said that under his bill, a veteran with a 75%
 disability would get a 75% cut in property taxes. The exemption applies only
 to veterans over age 65 who were Florida residents when they joined
 the service.
[Source: Pensacola News Journal ill Cotterell article 11 Jul 07 ++]


INDIANA VET INITIATIVES UPDATE 02:  The Indiana Military Family Leave
 Act Public Law 151 is taking effect 1 JUL. The act will extend
 employment protections to Indiana resident family members in of military
 personnel. The law allows a relative of a military member called to active
 duty to take up to 10 days of unpaid leave per year from his job. The
 leave can be taken prior to deployment, during leave or after a tour of
 duty is completed.  The law only applies to employers with 50 or more
 employees. Employees that are covered under the law must have worked for
 the business for 12 months, have worked at least 1,500 hours during the
 last year for the company and be a spouse, parent, grandparent or
 sibling of the military member, and must give their employers 30 days notice
 that they intend to take the leave.

     A number of other measures that benefit past and present members
 of the Hoosier military will be enacted into law on 1 JUL that will: 

- Give National Guard members priority placement in any employment or
 training program administered by the Indiana Department of Workforce
 Management.
- Enable all males aged 16-26 to register for the Selective Service at
 any branch of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Registering
 for the Selective Service entitles young men to various benefits,
 including access to student loans and eligibility for state or federal jobs.
  Indiana was one of only 12 states not equipped to handle Selective
 Service registration at the BMV. As a result, only 77% of qualified 18
 year old men in Indiana are currently registered for the Selective
 Service. The BMV is required to have this system in place by January 2009.
- Extend the six year time frame that a National Guard member has to
 use their scholarship benefits if he or she is deployed into active duty.
- Establish employment qualifications for the Indiana Department of
 Veterans’ Affairs.
- Extend eligibility for resident tuition rates at a state college or
 university to all active duty soldiers stationed in Indiana and their
 dependents.
- Provide for honorary diplomas being awarded to Korea or Vietnam
 conflict veterans who were unable to complete their high-school education
 because of their involvement. the opportunity.
[Source: Indiana House Democratic Caucus 29 Jun 07 ++]


LCD SCREEN CLEANING:  Last week I woke up from a nap to find my 3 year
 old grandson had found a Sharpie Permanent Marker pen on my desk and
 with it used my laptop LCD screen for a drawing board.  I went to several
 places that sell computers and they could not tell me how to remove
 these black marks without damaging the screen.  I subsequently mentioned
 the problem at the doctor’ office and the receptionist told me to try a
 Magic Eraser made by Mr. Clean and sold at WalMart.  Following the
 instructions I wet a small part of the sponge like eraser and using single
 straight gentle stokes found to my surprise the black marks
 disappeared.  I do not recommend this for general LCD cleaning for which there
 are many products available.  I tried a couple of these more expensive
 products and they would not remove the marks.  If you experience a
 particular difficult mark/stain to remove on your computer or TV LCD screen
 you might try a Magic Eraser. [Source: Editor, RAO Bulletin 10 July 07]


SILVER STAR:   The Silver Star is the is the fourth highest military
 decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United
 States Armed Forces and the third highest award given for valor (in the
 face of the enemy). Well-known recipients include: Lt. Col. Oliver
 North, Generals George S. Patton and Douglas MacArthur, Senators John Kerry
 and John McCain. The Silver Star honors service personnel who display
 exceptional valor while engaged in military combat operations against an
 enemy force. Personnel can also be honored for their service with
 friendly foreign troops in combat situations, even if the opposing force is
 one that the U.S. is not engaged in military conflict with. It also
 can be awarded posthumously. In 1944, four nurses became the first female
 recipients of the Silver Star. 1st Lt. Mary Roberts, 2nd Lt. Elaine
 Roe, 2nd Lt. Virginia Rourke, and 2nd Lt. Ellen Ainsworth (posthumous)
 were cited for their bravery in successfully evacuating the 33rd Field
 Hospital at Anzio, Italy on 10 FEB.  They remained the sole female
 recipients until Leigh Ann Hester was awarded the Silver Star in 2005. Acts
 of heroism that earn a Silver Star, though not deserving of a
 Distinguished Service Cross or a Medal of Honor, must have been “performed with
 marked distinction.”

     The Silver Star was first awarded in 1932 to replace the Citation
 Star, which had been pinned on the ribbon of a service medal and given
 for gallantry from the Spanish-American War to World War I. The U.S.
 military then allowed World War I veterans to apply to have the Citation
 Star converted to the Silver Star. Despite its name, the medal is
 mostly gold. Gold rays emanate from a tiny silver star, encircled by a
 golden laurel wreath and then a larger gold star. The pendant hangs from a
 ribbon striped in red, white and blue. An inscription on the back reads
 "For gallantry in action." The Silver Star is awarded to a recipient in
 person, and usually with a ceremony. A commander-in-theater with at
 least the rank of three-star general must recognize the recipient for
 acts of valor. The next lower in precedence award is the Defense Superior
 Service Medal. Any false verbal, written or physical claim to the
 Silver Star, by an individual to whom it has not been awarded, is a federal
 felony offense punishable by up to a year in jail and up to a $10000
 fine.  [Source: About.com U.S. Military Rod Powers article Jul 07 ++]


OKINAWA AGENT ORANGE USE:   According to a board ruling uncovered by
 Kyodo News the U.S. Board of Veterans’ Appeals found in 1998 that the
 hazardous chemical defoliant Agent Orange was most likely used in Okinawa,
 and ruled in favor of a former U.S. service member who sought
 compensation for prostate cancer he blamed on his work there in the early
 1960s.  The discovery comes as the Defense Department has still to confirm
 whether Agent Orange was stored or used in Okinawa during the Vietnam
 War that ended in 1975. In its ruling, issued on 13 JAN 98, the board
 concluded that “credible evidence sustains a reasonable probability that
 the veteran was exposed to dioxins while serving in Okinawa.” The board
 further said it was granting him service-connected disability
 compensation “for prostrate cancer as being the result of Agent Orange exposure”
 while in Okinawa between 1960 and 1961. It found entirely believable
 his testimony about the U.S. military’s mixing, storage and even use of
 Agent Orange in Okinawa at a time when Japan’s southernmost prefecture
 was still under the control of the United States, which used it as a
 strategic transport hub during the Vietnam War.

     Agent Orange, a herbicide mixture containing the highly toxic
 substance dioxin, was sprayed by U.S. military aircraft over the southern
 portion of Vietnam from 1961 to 1971 to clear jungles and deny cover to
 communist fighters. It has since been blamed for numerous health
 problems, including various types of cancer and birth defects. The former
 service member, who worked as a motor transport operator on Okinawa Island
 but had never been to Vietnam, said in his testimony that while Agent
 Orange was mainly used to defoliate trees and shrubbery in lush war
 zones like Vietnam, “in Okinawa, we had other uses for it, particularly
 near base camp perimeters.” He said herbicides thought to include Agent
 Orange were sprayed from trucks or backpacks along roadsides, used for
 landscaping and also taken to the densely forested northern part of
 Okinawa Island to clear foliage to facilitate war game maneuvers there.
 Subtropical Okinawa’s heavy rainfall, he said, created a demand for
 non-water-soluble defoliants such as Agent Orange that would not just wash
 away with the next rain.  He testified that personnel were not told or
 warned about the hazards of the herbicides that they were handling, nor
 were they issued any protective clothing”.

     As recently as NOV 04, DoD stated that it has been unable to find
 any records of Agent Orange being used or stored on Okinawa Island
 during the Vietnam War era. The statement came in response to queries made
 in JUL 04 by then U.S. Rep. Lane Evans, a ranking Democrat on the House
 of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, who wrote to then
 Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld requesting any information on the use
 or storage of Agent Orange on Okinawa. That was replied to by Gen.
 Richard Myers, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told Evans
 in NOV 04 that “records contain no information linking use or storage of
 Agent Orange or other herbicides in Okinawa.” Myers further said there
 was “no record of any spills, accidental or otherwise, of Agent
 Orange. Therefore, there are no recorded occupational exposures of service
 members in Okinawa to Agent Orange or similar herbicides.” The Board of
 Veterans’ Appeals ruling said that while the U.S military had been
 “generally unable to document the use of herbicides in Okinawa,” experts who
 attempted to verify specific dioxin exposure there “do not negate that
 possibility.”
 
   Hundreds more former U.S. service members who were stationed in
 Okinawa during the Vietnam War have lodged medical compensation claims with
 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, citing Agent Orange exposure,
 according to information viewable online in the archives of the Board
 of Veterans’ Appeals. But most cases have either been denied or sent
 for review on the grounds of insufficient evidence linking their
 illnesses to Agent Orange exposure. The various documents surface at a time
 when Washington and Tokyo are realigning the U.S. military presence in
 Japan following years of protests from Okinawans who have long complained
 about crime, noise and crowding associated with U.S. bases on the
 island since the end of World War II in 1945. U.S. bases occupy about 20
 percent of Okinawa’s land area and have also been viewed as being a large
 part of the island’s environmental problems. Under the realignment,
 about 4,000 hectares of the 7,800-hectare U.S. jungle warfare training
 area in northern Okinawa, mentioned as a place where Agent Orange was
 sprayed, are due to be handed back to Japan. Kunitoshi Sakurai, president
 of Okinawa University who specializes in environmental engineering,
 expressed concern over the possibility of residual dioxin there, pointing
 out that the northern area is the source of most of Okinawa’s water
 supply.  [Source: Marine Corp Times 9 Jul 07 ++]


IDENTITY THEFT UPDATE 08:  Are you as safe as you think you are? Take
 the identity fraud safety test at www.idsafety.net.  In 2006 identity
 theft affected 8.4 million Americans, resulted in $49.3 billion in
 losses, and cost victims an average of $587 in out-of-pocket costs plus 40
 hours of their time to resolve.  Of identified thieves 53% were known by
 their victims.  Obtaining your personal information without your
 permission is considered identity theft.  Use of that data to commit fraud or
 theft is considered identity fraud. Months or years and thousands of
 dollars are spent each year cleaning up the mess the thieves have made
 of good names and credit records. Identity theft results in lose of job
 opportunities, loans for education and weddings, housing, cars, or even
 arrests for crimes people didn’t commit. Despite the best efforts of
 many victims, skilled identity thieves gain access to their data
 through:
- Stolen wallets and purses.
- Stealing your mail or diverting your mail to another location.
- Rummaging through your trash, or the trash of businesses, for
 personal data in a practice known as “dumpster diving.”
- Fraudulently obtaining your credit report.
- Obtaining information from the businesses in a practice known as
 “business record theft” (customer, employee, patient or student; bribing an
 employee who has access to your files; or “hacking” into electronic
 files).

ATM use can expose users to a practice known as skimming through
 equipage designed to obtain your card information. Equipage typically used
 is:
• False fronts on terminals with built in magnetic stripe readers.
• Hidden cameras to capture you entering your PIN with the information
 being transmitted to a nearby crook. Recent cases have Bluetooth
 transmission to a remote receiver
• Sniffing devices installed in ATMs that can capture the credit or
 debit card PIN and magnetic stripe information before encryption.  These
 devices are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and can capture
 over 2500 credit card account numbers, expiration dates and CVV codes.
  The units which cost about $500 can operate continuously for 40 hours
 on a single 3V battery (6000 swipes) and are designed to erase all
 info with the press of a button by the user to avoid prosecution. .

Phishing is another instrument of identity theft. They scam you, often
 through email, by posing as legitimate companies or government agencies
 you do business with. Last year 73 million adult email users reported
 receiving more than 50 phishing emails during the year.  Of these, 11
 million reported clicking on the links provided in the messages and 2.42
 million reported losing money because of phishing attacks ($929
 million). Pay Pal and E bay are the top spoofed sites. Citibank is the
 primary bank target for phishing scams.  The following guidance can be used
 to determine if a message is a phishing action:   
1.) Does the email ask you to go to a website and verify personal
 information?  Banks won’t ask you to verify your personal information in
 response to an email.
2.) What is the tone of the mail?  Most phish emails convey a sense of
 urgency by threatening discontinued service or information loss if you
 don’t take immediate action.
3.) What is the quality of the email? Many phish emails have
 misspellings, bad grammar, or poor punctuation.
4.) Are the links in the email valid? Deceptive links in phishing
 emails look like they are to a valid site, but deliver you to a fraudulent
 one.  Many times you can see if the link is legitimate by just moving
 your mouse over the link.
5.) Is the email personalized with your name and applicable account
 information? Many phish emails use generic salutations and generic
 information (e.g. Dear Customer or Dear Account Holder) instead of your name.
6.) What is the sender’s email address? Many phish emails come from an
 email address not from the company represented in the email.
7.) When in doubt type the valid web address of the alleged sender
 directly into your web browser. If you suspect an email to be phishing,
 don’t click on any links in the email.  .

With Your Personal Information, Identity Thieves can  Counterfeit
 checks or credit/debit cards on open accounts, Change the mailing address on
 your accounts, Open a new credit card, checking or wireless account,
 file for bankruptcy under your name, buy cars by taking out auto loans
 in your name, use your identity during an arrest, etc.  Risk cannot be
 eliminated but it can be minimized by:
- Placing passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts.
- Using a Firewall and Virus Protection and Anti-Spyware Software.
- Securing personal information in your home.
- Asking about information security procedures in your workplace.
- Routinely ordering a copy of your credit report from each of the
 three major credit bureaus. This can be done by phone at  1-877-322-8228 or
 online at www.annualcreditreport.com.
- Knowing when your bills should arrive and following up if they do
 not.
- Not giving out personal information on the phone, mail or over the
 Internet.
- Guarding your mail and trash from theft.
- Carrying only the identification information and credit and debit
 cards that you’ll actually need.
- Giving your SSN only when absolutely necessary.
- Being wary of promotional scams and keeping your purse or wallet in a
 safe place at work.

If you are a victim you can receive free and confidential assistance
 from trained counselors at 1-866-ID-HOTLINE. Your first 5 steps should
 be:
1.) Notify Credit Bureaus and review your credit reports.
2.) File a report with your local police or the police in the community
 where the identity theft took place.
3.) Contact the Fraud Department of Creditors.
4.) File a complaint with the FTC.
5.) Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened
 fraudulently.
[Source: NCMA World Congress Briefing 22 Apr 07 ++]


TSGLI UPDATE 01:  Service members who have suffered serious injuries
 resulting from their wartime service are reminded they can get financial
 help thanks to two congressionally legislated programs. Congress
 established the Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) program
 in 2005 in response to the experiences of some former and current
 military members who found themselves financially strapped after they
 suffered severe injuries during the war on terrorism.  Coverage applies to
 active-component and reserve-component members. This program provides up
 to $100,000 per event, depending on [the type of] injury.  All service
 members covered under the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance program,
 whether active duty, reserve or National Guard, were enrolled for
 TSGLI coverage on 1 DEC 05. To date, the Army has paid out a total of more
 than $126 million under TSGLI, The TSGLI benefit has both retroactive
 and prospective aspects. The benefit is provided retroactively for
 service members who suffered severe combat-zone-related injuries between 7
 OCT 01, and 1 DEC 05. The prospective aspect applies to service members
 with injuries received “any time, anywhere” from Dec. 1, 2005, forward.
  [Source: TSGLI Army Human Resources Command Chief Col. John Sackett 6
 Jul 07 ++]


CBO MILITARY COMPENSATION REPORT UPDATE 01:   The House and Senate
 Armed Services Committees have both endorsed a small improvement over the
 Pentagon proposed 3% military pay raise for 2008.  Both agreed with The
 Military Coalition (TMC) that Congress hasn't yet eliminated the pay
 gap caused by decades of capping military raises below private sector pay
 growth, and bumped the 2008 raise to 3.5%.  The House of
 Representatives went a step further, approving a plan to reduce the current 3.9%
 shortfall by one-half percentage point a year for the next five years.
  The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported to the Senate Budget
 Committee on 29 JUN that the full compensation package for active-duty
 enlisted personnel increased by 21% between 2000 and 2006 and that the
 military-civilian pay gap is dwindling.  This conclusion may be used by DoD
 to argue for increases in TRICARE costs, etc. The report also addressed
 the possibility of substituting cash for non-cash benefits like
 tax-free grocery allowances (while consolidating commissaries and exchanges),
 giving a tuition grant of $8,600 a year per student (while closing
 domestic schools) and “cafeteria style” health plans for active duty
 members’ dependents.
     The CBO report questions whether there's any shortfall to fix.
  They say their pay comparisons put the average enlisted member in the top
 25-30% of equivalent civilian workers' earnings.  CBO also cites
 various studies that claim average enlisted pay actually amounts to $90,000
 to $138,000 a year, once the cost of all military and veterans'
 benefits is added in.  MOAA contends it is not unreasonable to compare
 military people's earnings with their private sector counterparts’, but
 hanging your hat on some arbitrary percentile leaves you at the mercy of
 whatever assumptions the budget analysts choose to make. Unknown is whether
 or not CBO comparisons take into account:
- The fact that large numbers of civilians can't meet mental or moral
 or other standards for military entrance?
- The military's up-or-out system that winnows out the less capable
 performers over the span of a two or three decade career? 
- Comparison of military people to their true equivalents - people who
 spend their entire careers with a single company - or does it include
 the income-depressing effects of layoffs and other career interruptions
 among private sector workers?

If comparisons are going to be made by CBO they should use the
 transparency, clarity, and independence provided by the same measure of private
 sector pay growth that the government sees fit to use for every other
 purpose - the Employment Cost Index (ECI) measured by the Bureau of
 Labor Statistics.  MOAA tracked military pay basic pay raises vs. ECI
 growth year-by-year since 1982, when military pay was last generally
 recognized as "reasonably comparable" with the private sector.  And by that
 objective measure - even giving credit for extra raises "targeted" at
 specific grade and years-of-service combinations - cumulative military
 raises still lag cumulative ECI growth by 3.9%. As for trying to claim
 military pay comparisons should include the cost to the government of
 every military benefit, that's pure hogwash.  The budgeters like to:
- Add up every nickel of the cost of military and VA health care and
 disability compensation, while completely ignoring the cost of those
 disabilities to wounded servicemembers and their families. 
- Add up the cost of every PCS move, and refuse to recognize that those
 reimbursements only cover about 70% of the costs members incur in
 complying with government-ordered moves. 
- Add up the cost of child care facilities and omit any reference to
 the overtime and deployment requirements that forced the troops to use
 that care. 

Military retirement, health, disability, and other benefits have
 nothing whatsoever to do with pay comparability.  They're essential offsets
 to all of the unquantifiable but extraordinarily arduous demands and
 sacrifices inherent in a multi-decade service career.  They ought to be
 pretty clear to anyone who reads the front page of the morning paper or
 the lead story on the evening news. At least most members of 110th
 Congress seem to get it, even if the budget analysts don't. [Source: MOAA
 Leg Up 6 Jul 07 ++]


CONCURRENT RECEIPT STATUS:   Last month, the Army recognized its
 100,000th Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) applicant at an Army
 Personnel Command ceremony in Alexandria, VA. The CRSC program, initiated
 in 2003, has grown substantially over the past four years and
 effectively eliminates the offset for qualifying members with combat or
 operations-related disabilities.  Members with 50% or greater non-combat
 disabilities are in the fourth year of a 10-year phase-in of Concurrent
 Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP).  Today, a little over 30% of all
 disabled retirees are eligible for payment under either the CRSC or CRDP
 programs.  As of the end of FY2006 54,000 retirees were in receipt of some
 amount of CRSC and 199,000 were in receipt of some amount of CRDP.
  Disabled vets not yet eligible for concurrent receipt total 432k retirees
 (20+ years) with VA rating 10-40% and 138k Chapter 61 retirees less
 than 20 years. Both the House and Senate versions of the FY2008 Defense
 Authorization Bill contain provisions that would extend eligibility to
 some (House) or all (Senate) Chapter 61 retirees with less than 20 years
 of service who endured combat-related injuries.  [Source: MOAA Leg Up
 6 Jul 07 ++]


SSA RETIREMENT APPLICATION:   In a few short months, the first of
 America's 77 million baby boomers will start applying for Social Security
 retirement benefits.  That's about 10,000 boomers every day.  If you're
 one of them, think about applying online.  It's quick, easy and secure.
  Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov/applytoretire. Here you can:
- Apply for Retirement/Disability/Spouse’s Benefits
- Restart your incomplete application.
- Check your claim status.
 
You cannot use this Internet application to:
- Apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. However, you
 can begin the process of applying for SSI disability benefits for an
 adult or child by completing an online disability report at
 www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/
- Apply for benefits for children.
- Apply for benefits as a surviving spouse.
- Apply for the Lump Sum Death Payment.
- Apply for Medicare coverage only (e.g., you are working and do not
 intend to file for monthly retirement or spouse's benefits at this time).
 

For these non-Internet actions call 1(800) 772-1213 M-F 07-1900. If you
 are deaf or hard of hearing call the TTY number 1(800) 325-0778. If
 you have previously filed for Social Security disability and have been
 denied those benefits within the last 60 days, do not use the Internet
 application to file an appeal. If you are not sure whether you are still
 within your appeal period, call the 800 number for assistance before
 proceeding with your Internet application.  If you want to use your local
 SSA office to apply at you can choose to have a representative help
 you when you do business with Social Security. SSA will work with your
 representative, just as they would work with you.  If you are acting as
 someone's authorized representative to do business with the Social
 Security Administration, you must first complete Form SSA-1696-U4
 (Appointment of Representative).  This can be downloaded at
 www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ssa-1696.html.   To review a comprehensive explanation of the
 'Representative' process, refer to
 www.socialsecurity.gov/representation.  [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 6 Jul 07 ++]


VA 2007 SURVEY:  The VA has asked VSOs and MSOs to pass the word that
 the VHA’s Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health
 (ADUSH) for Policy and Planning will soon be conducting the 2007 update of
 their national VHA Survey of Enrollees.  The purpose of the survey is
 to provide information for its annual projections of enrollment,
 utilization, and expenditures. The 15-30 minute telephone survey provides
 information on veteran use of health services and is used in projecting the
 resources and services needed in developing the healthcare budget. The
 survey collects information on a random sample of 42,000 veterans
 enrolled in the VA system.  Each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN)
 will have approximately 2,000 enrollees surveyed.  The survey will
 begin on 8 JUL and will continue for 8 weeks. Your support in this survey
 will help ensure that VA provides its best care, where it is needed,
 when it is needed, and to those who need it.  This is NOT a fishing
 expedition to get information on specific veterans.  Your participation will
 benefit ALL veterans. If there is a need to discuss the survey or
 there are any questions, contact Anita Taylor or Crystal Elliott at 1(866)
 922-7173. Previous survey reports are available at
 http://www.va.gov/vhareorg.  [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 6 Jul 07 ++]


NAVY BODY MODIFICATION POLICY:   The Navy Uniform Matters Office has
 clarified what is acceptable for servicemembers regarding body
 modification.  According to the Navy Uniform Regulations, any mutilation of the
 body is prohibited.  The Navy Uniform Regulations Manual gives several
 examples of mutilation: (1) forking the tongue; (2) enlarged or
 stretched holes in the ears; (3) foreign objects under the skin that create a
 design or pattern; (4) intentional scarring; (5) intentional burns; and
 (6) dental ornamentation.  Body piercings are prohibited while in
 uniform, working in any Navy-related capacity or while on any military
 property.  Women, however, are allowed to wear one ball-studded earring in
 each ear. [Source: NAUS Weekly Update 6 Jul 07 ++]


TRICARE MEMBER CHOICE CENTER:  Express Scripts Inc., the company that
 runs the Tricare Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP), is implementing a new
 program for Tricare beneficiaries. Effective 29 AUG  the new program will
 give Tricare beneficiaries access to a Member Choice Center (MCC), where
 live customer service representatives will assist in making the
 registration process easier.  This new program will also reach out to
 physicians to make them aware that prescriptions can be filled through mail
 order. Tricare Management Authority will advertise the program to
 beneficiaries through various communication materials to include newsletters,
 websites, and military base publications.  This communication effort
 will begin in late August and will run through the year and into early
 2008. [Source:   NAUS Weekly Update 6 Jul 07 ++]


CELL PHONE PAYMENT SUSPENSION:  The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
 has approved The Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 (S.1315),
 which includes a provision to suspend or terminate cell phone call-plan
 payments without penalty for deployed service members. They must be
 deployed overseas for 90 days or longer to be eligible. The provision is
 needed, says chief sponsor, Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) because
 deploying service members often have long-term contracts that are expensive to
 cancel.  In addition to individual plans, the measure also would apply
 to group and family plans. It would not affect transfers within the
 United States. The bill will now go to the floor for a vote.
[Source: Armed Forces News 6 Jul 07 ++]


VET BENEFITS NEW YORK:   The New York Legislature recently passed
 several measures to provide assistance to veterans and their families,
 according to Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, D-Endwell, chair of the Assembly
 Subcommittee on Women Veterans:

*  New York Military Family Relief Fund: Provides grants of up to
 $2,000 annually to members of the National Guard and their families if their
 military pay is 30% less than their civilian pay. Also provides
 monetary grants for those who sustained injury or died.
*  Veterans' Geriatric Mental Health Act: Creates a demonstration
 program for older veterans and provides grants to mental health service
 providers. Also, establishes an interagency mental health planning council.
*  Veteran Burial Fund: Provides grants to honorably discharged New
 York veterans who would like to be buried or interned in their own
 communities, rather than in a veterans' cemetery.
*  Gold Star Parents Annuity: Awards a $500 annual annuity to gold star
 parents of deceased veterans.
*  Eligibility for Veterans Homes: expands the eligibility for
 admission for veterans' spouses to conform to federal requirements that the
 marriage must have lasted for one year, rather than 10 years, prior to the
 spouse's application for admission.

The legislation awaits approval by Governor Eliot Spitzer.  For
 additional info on New York state’s veteran benefits refer to
 http://www.veterans.state.ny.us/benefits.htm.  To locate a New York VA
 office in your area refer to http://www.veterans.state.ny.us/ofcs.htm.
  [Source:  Press & Sun Bulletin article 2 Jul 07 ++]


FUNERAL HONORS UPDATE 02:  Every veteran is entitled under federal law
 to be laid to rest to the iconic strains of taps. But the number of
 military buglers is dwindling at the same time burials are increasing,
 forcing national veteran cemeteries, and organizations working with them,
 to come up with creative alternatives. South Florida is one of the
 busiest veterans cemeteries among 125 nationwide, averaging 73 burials
 weekly since it opened 1 APR. Only four buglers are officially on call
 there, and three of them also travel and perform with Florida's Army Band.
 Buglers, a generic term that encompasses musicians who play several
 types of horns including trumpets and cornets, once were a fixture in
 military life. But they have become more scarce as their routine duties
 were eliminated, so cemetery officials have lined up other options. The
 South Florida cemetery honor guards are equipped with a "ceremonial
 bugle". This is a $500 nickel-plated faux horn sold by a New York company
 that plays taps through a tape recorder hidden inside.  It was developed
 in response to the bugler shortage and was considered a more respectful
 alternative to punching the button of a boom box.  The military has
 purchased more than 3,500 horns since 2002. The committal shelter at
 South Florida, where services are held, also has a tape recorder loaded
 with taps that is discreetly lodged in the rafters and can be activated by
 remote control.

     To fill the bugle gap civilians are stepping forward. Christina
 Encinosa, an Episcopal priest at the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Lake
 Worth, is part of an organization called Bugles Across America (BAA).
 Founded seven years ago by Tom Day, a Chicagoan who taught Army ROTC
 high school classes and has been involved in military drum and bugler
 corps since childhood, the organization has 5,200 volunteer horn players
 nationwide, with 256 in Florida, willing to play gratis at local military
 funerals. For additionl info on BAA and to request their services
 refer to http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/volunteer.php.  Few honor guard
 buglers play an actual field bugle, an instrument with no valves, but
 military regulations aren't specific. Day has heard taps played on a
 French horn.

     Buglers once were part of all Army units, a job that included
 clerical duties as well as sounding calls that signaled wake-up time, flag
 raisings and lowerings, assemblies and the end of the day. But bugler
 positions were eliminated sometime between 1944 and 1950, according to
 the U.S. Army Center of Military History in Washington, D.C. Bugle calls
 still regulate military life but now, at most bases, they are taped
 and played over a speaker system. The Department of Defense estimates
 there about 500 buglers in the armed forces today, with most performing in
 honor details when possible. They are stretched thin, as the ranks of
 World War II soldiers and sailors, who once numbered 16 million, die at
 the rate of about 1,200 a day. There were 96,797 deceased interred in
 national veterans’ cemeteries last year, according to the federal
 Department of Veterans Affairs. This is the most on record since the VA took
 over the cemetery administration 34 years ago.  [Source: South Florida
 Sun-Sentinel Diane Lade article 3 JUL 07 ++]


PSORIASIS:  Psoriasis is a common and chronic condition that usually
 causes patches of itchy, scaly and sometimes inflamed skin. Although they
 can appear anywhere, these patches -- called plaques -- are most
 likely to crop up on your knees, elbows, hands, feet, scalp, or back.
 According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the fingernails and
 toenails are also affected in about 50% of cases of active psoriasis.
  The symptoms of psoriasis can vary a great deal depending on its
 severity, ranging from mildly annoying to truly debilitating.  While the
 itchiness and pain can be unpleasant, some of the worst effects of psoriasis
 can be emotional. People with severe psoriasis sometimes are so
 overwhelmed by their condition and self-conscious of their appearance that
 they feel isolated and depressed.  AAD estimates up to seven million
 people in the U.S. have psoriasis. That's about 2.6% of the population.
 Unfortunately, there isn't a cure. But there are many effective treatments
 that can help keep psoriasis under control.

     Psoriasis normally is the result of cell turnover. Normally, skin
 cells are constantly being formed deep beneath the surface of your
 skin. Over about a month, these cells are pushed up to the surface. The
 cells eventually die and flake off, revealing new skin cells. In people
 with psoriasis, the skin cells grow too quickly. Cell turnover can happen
 in a matter of days. Layers of skin build up, forming a whitish, flaky
 crust. Blood vessels increase flow in an attempt to nourish this skin,
 which leads to redness and swelling. The classic symptoms of psoriasis
 are reddened, inflamed skin with a whitish, flaky layer of dead cells
 on top. Although psoriasis usually appears as a skin condition, recent
 discoveries show that its real cause is a problem with the immune
 system. Your body naturally fights infections and heals injuries with blood
 cells that battle viruses or bacteria. Normally, these cells go to the
 site of infection or injury to help repair wounds and prevent
 infection. One byproduct of this normal process is inflammation (redness and
 swelling).

      For reasons that doctors don't yet understand, the immune systems
 of people with psoriasis malfunction. One type of white blood cell -
 the B-cell - begins creating antibodies that destroy normal skin cells.
 Another type of white blood cell - the T-cell - begins overproducing a
 substance called cytokines. This overproduction turns off a signal that
 controls the growth of skin cells. Thus, psoriasis is considered an
 autoimmune disease - your own immune system malfunctions and attacks
 normal body tissues. Other autoimmune diseases include lupus and rheumatoid
 arthritis. Psoriasis of the skin or nails may look like a rash or
 fungus, but you cannot catch psoriasis from another person, give it to
 anyone else, or spread it from one part of your body to another by touch.
 Experts now know that if psoriasis runs in your family, your chances of
 developing it are higher. There are several different types of
 psoriasis. About 90% of all cases of psoriasis are plaque psoriasis, but other
 varieties include:

- Guttate psoriasis. This form of psoriasis usually affects children,
 teenagers, and young adults. It often appears after a bacterial
 infection, such as strep throat. Its typical symptoms are red, scaly,
 raindrop-shaped spots on the skin, usually over the abdomen, arms, legs and
 scalp. It can often clear up on its own without treatment.
- Pustular psoriasis. The typical symptoms of pustular psoriasis are
 pus-filled blisters on the skin. The blisters usually dry up, turn brown,
 become scaly and peel off. The lesions usually occur on the hands and
 feet.
- Erythrodermic psoriasis. Symptoms include red and scaly skin over
 large areas of the body. This condition can evolve from other forms of
 psoriasis or be triggered by psoriasis treatment. It can also be triggered
 by withdrawal from drugs such as corticosteroids (often taken for
 diseases such as asthma).
- Inverse psoriasis. In people with this condition, dry and bright red
 patches appear in folds of skin, for instance under the breasts, in the
 armpits, or on the genitals. This type of psoriasis can be exacerbated
 by obesity.

      Psoriasis doesn't have any set way of progressing. It develops
 differently depending on the person. Some people may only have occasional
 and minor symptoms for their entire lives. Others may have to cope
 with severe symptoms on a regular basis. In most people, the symptoms come
 and go. Flare-ups might be brought on by some of the conditions
 mentioned above, such as dry weather or stress. Untreated, extremely severe
 psoriasis can be dangerous. Although it happens very rarely, if lesions
 cover enough of the body, the immune system can become overwhelmed.
 This increases your risk of developing serious bacterial infections. Be
 sure to see your doctor immediately if your psoriasis spreads to cover
 large parts of your body or if you show signs of infection, such as
 fever. Coping with psoriasis can be exhausting and frustrating. It's
 important to try to stay emotionally and physically healthy during treatment.
  [Source: WebMD article 26 May 07 ++]


TRAVEL IMMUNIZATIONS:   Travel immunizations and vaccines can ensure
 better health on your trip and for years afterward. Even domestic travel
 may put you at risk if you go to an area with a high rate of certain
 infectious disease such as hepatitis A.  Diseases that are rare in this
 country are still prevalent elsewhere.  Check with your health care
 provider well in advance of any extended travel plans to see if any special
 immunizations are recommended. If vaccines are required, they can take
 as many as four to six weeks to take effect, and some may require more
 than one shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
 divides vaccines for travel into three categories:
- Routine.  These are the vaccines that the CDC and The Advisory
 Committee on Immunization Practices (AICP) recommend that all adults and
 children receive to protect them from infectious diseases here at home. You
 can check the schedule for yourself and your family by looking at the
 most recently updated schedules available at:
 www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/adult-schedule.pdf ; www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule-bw-print.pdf ; and
 www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule.htm#chgs .
- Recommended.  These are vaccines that the CDC recommends to protect
 you from diseases that could be present in other countries and to
 prevent the spread of infectious disease from one country to another. The
 recommended immunizations and vaccines vary based on the country, your
 travel plans once in that country, and your age and overall health. You
 can find a world map with recommended immunizations at
 www.cdc.gov/travel/vaccinat.htm.
- Required.  International Health Regulations currently require only
 two vaccines for travel to specific parts of the world. They are Yellow
 fever for travel to certain parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South
 America & Meningococcal vaccination required by the government of Saudi
 Arabia for annual travel during the period of the Hajj

The CDC generally recognizes that if you are traveling to most
 industrialized nations, such as Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
 Europe, your risk of exposure to infectious disease is no greater than it
 is here in the U.S. However, for those with certain health conditions,
 such as individuals with compromised immune systems, the risk can be
 greater no matter where you travel. If you know that you have an
 immuno-deficient condition, including HIV/AIDS, discuss your travel plans with
 your health care provider. More information about travel vaccines and
 compromised immunity can be found at
 www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yb/utils/ybGet.asp?section=special&obj=hivtrav.htm.
     Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding also have specific
 concerns and different recommendations when it comes to international travel
 and immunizations. Pregnant women or breastfeeding moms can find more
 information at
 www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yb/utils/ybGet.asp?section=special&obj=pregnant.htm. Or check with your own doctor four to six weeks
 prior to traveling. And finally, what you do when you travel can increase
 your risk. The following activities can increase your exposure to
 disease and local infectious organisms: Visiting rural areas, zoos, farms,
 and other animal habitats; Hiking and backpacking; Staying with local
 persons; Extended length of stay.  [Source:  WebMD Medical Reference &
 CDC 30 Mar 07 ++]


SSA FUTURE BENEFIT ESTIMATE:   Whether you plan to retire in 5 years or
 25, it's good to know what you can expect to receive in Social
 Security benefits. You've probably heard that Social Security is in financial
 trouble, and the 2006 Social Security Trustees Report says that the
 Social Security Trust Fund has declined from 2005. SSA provides three
 different types of easy-to-use earnings calculators at
 www.ssa.gov/planners/calculators.htm that will provide information based on present
 projections which assume the program will remain viable.  They can show you
 the amount of Social Security benefits you can expect to receive based on
 your estimated income and the number of years you plan to work. The
 calculators will also show your disability and survivor benefit amounts
 if you should become disabled or die.  When using the calculators you
 should be aware that:

• None of these calculators are linked to your Social Security earnings
 record. They use the earnings amounts you enter.
• All the calculators assume you have enough credits to qualify for
 benefits. They produce an estimate even if you do not actually have enough
 credits. Information on credit requirements can be found at
 www.ssa.gov/retire2/credits.htm.
• Calculator estimates will differ from those on your Social Security
 Statement if you use different assumptions. For example, if you had
 earnings last year, your Social Security Statement benefit estimate assumes
 you will have similar earnings for every future year until you turn
 62. However, if in using the calculator you indicate you will stop
 working before the year you turn 62, the calculator estimates will not
 include earnings for the years after you stop working.

This website is also a good place to look for answers to questions
 about your annual Social Security statement, and to correct name or address
 changes, or incorrect information about your annual earnings. If you
 need a benefit estimate on someone else's record, such as your spouse or
 parent contact your nearest social security office or call 1(800)
 772-1213. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, use 1-800-325-0778 .If you
 are over age 25 and pay Social Security taxes on your income, you should
 receive a statement from the Social Security office every year about
 three months before your birthday. This statement includes:
- The adjusted gross income for every year you worked, and
- The current estimated amount of Social Security benefits you will
 receive when you retire at three different age levels, starting at age 62.
The longer you continue to work and pay into the Social Security system
 the more you can expect to receive in benefits once you retire. Of
 course, this assumes that Social Security will continue to pay benefits at
 current levels. [Source: www.ssa.gov/planners/calculators.htm Jun 06]


VIETNAM WAR FACTS:
-- 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the
 official Vietnam era from 5 AUG 64 to 7 MAY 75.
-- 2,709,918 Americans served in uniform in Vietnam which represented
 9.7% of their generation.
-- 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War
--58,148 were killed in Vietnam. The first man to die was James Davis,
 in 1958. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Davis Station in
 Saigon was named for him.
-- 75,000 were severely disabled of which 23,214 100% were disabled
-- 5,283 lost limbs & 1,081 sustained multiple amputations
-- Average age of men killed: 23.1 years. Of those killed, 61% were
 younger than 21, 11,465 of those were younger than 20 years old, and
 17,539 were married
-- Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. The oldest man
 killed was 62 years old.
-- As of 15 JAN 04, there are 1,875 Americans still unaccounted for
 from the Vietnam War
-- 97% of Vietnam Veterans were honorably discharged
-- 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served
-- 74% say they would serve again, even knowing the outcome
-- Vietnam veterans have a lower unemployment rate than the same
 non-vet age groups.
-- Vietnam veterans’ personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran
 age group by more than 18%.
-- 87% of Americans hold Vietnam Veterans in high esteem.
-- There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and
 non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group (Source: Veterans
 Administration Study)
-- Vietnam Veterans are less likely to be in prison.  Only one-half of
 one percent of Vietnam Veterans have been jailed for crimes.
-- 85% of Vietnam Veterans made successful transitions to civilian
 life.
[Source: NM e-Veterans News 9 Jan 06 - Research accredited to Capt.
 Marshal Hanson, USNR (Ret.) & Statistical Source Capt. Scott Beaton]


VETERAN LEGISLATION STATUS 30 JUN 07:   For a listing of Congressional
 bills of interest to the veteran community that have been introduced in
 the 110th Congress refer to the Bulletin attachment.  By clicking on
 the bill number indicated you can access the actual legislative language
 of the bill and see if your representative has signed on as a
 cosponsor. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is
 critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative
 process for a floor vote to become law.  A good indication on that likelihood
 is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. A cosponsor
 is a member of Congress who has joined one or more other members in
 his/her chamber (i.e. House or Senate) to sponsor a bill or amendment.
 The member who introduces the bill is considered the sponsor.  Members
 subsequently signing on are called cosponsors. Any number of members may
 cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At http://thomas.loc.gov you
 can also review a copy of each bill, determine its current status, the
 committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor
 or cosponsor of it.  To determine what bills, amendments your
 representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to
 http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110/sponlst.html.  The key to increasing
 cosponsorship on veteran related bills is letting our representatives know
 of veteran’s feelings on issues.  At the end of some listed bills is a
 web link that can be used to do that. Otherwise, you can locate on
 http://thomas.loc.gov who your representative is and his/her phone
 number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or
 letter of your own making.  [Source: RAO Bulletin Attachment 30 Jun 07
 ++] 

Lt. James "EMO" Tichacek, USN (Ret)
Director, Retiree Assistance Office, U.S. Embassy Warden & IRS VITA
 Baguio City RP
PSC 517 Box RCB, FPO AP 96517
Tel: (760) 839-9003 when in U.S. & Cell: 0915-361-3503 when in
 Philippines.
Email: raoemo@sbcglobal.net (Primary) & raoemo@mozcom.com (Alternate)
Web: http://post_119_gulfport_ms.tripod.com/rao1.html
AL/AMVETS/DAV/FRA/NAUS/NCOA/MOAA/USDR/VFW/VVA/CG33/DD890/AD37 member

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