This military faker tricked a town - and a Gold Star family
Military Times
Kevin Lilley
Staff Writer
Oct. 4, 2014
The toothpick and sunglasses
were two red flags for veterans that
Richard Rahn was faking military service.
(Courtesy of Chet Blue)
In public, Richard Arthur Rahn was a Ranger-tabbed command sergeant major who attended American Legion gatherings and other ceremonies, swapped tales of combat with veterans and pressed the flesh with civic leaders.
In private, he offered comfort to a Gold Star family — visiting their Minnesota home, shedding tears with them over their fallen son, even offering a small statue of a praying soldier as a token of appreciation for their sacrifice.
In reality, he was a faker and a felon.
Rahn, 54, spent the summer attending various events while posing as a high-ranking noncommissioned officer, but when he donned his dress uniform at an Olivia, Minnesota, Legion post to greet participants in a motorcycle ride paying tribute to six fallen soldiers, the ruse was up.
Veterans spotted multiple problems with the uniform, everything from an out-of-whack ribbon rack to a Combat Infantryman Badge that would’ve required Korean War service. Tips came in to local law enforcement, and it soon became clear that unearned medals were the least of Rahn’s problems. read more here
Oak Ridge Boys unite with Legion
The American Legion
September 30, 2014
Grammy-winning and long-running country music group, The Oak Ridge Boys, will serve as spokespersons for The American Legion.
The American Legion and Grammy Award-winning artists, The Oak Ridge Boys, are uniting to raise awareness and support for needs of U.S. military veterans, including better detection and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), help with the VA benefits process, and education and career opportunities for those who served our nation in uniform.
The American Legion is the country’s largest veterans service organization, with 2.4 million members who work every day on behalf of the men and women who have served our nation in uniform.
The Oak Ridge Boys will participate in a national fundraising and awareness campaign to support the detection and treatment of mental health issues among veterans, 22 of whom are lost each day to suicide. As one of country music’s longest-running groups, The Oak Ridge Boys’ legacy extends back to the end of World War II.
The current group – which consists of lead singer Duane Allen, bass singer Richard Sterban, tenor Joe Bonsall and baritone William Lee Golden – recently celebrated more than 40 years performing together. In that time, The Oak Ridge Boys have produced more than 30 top 10 hit songs, 12 gold records, three platinum records, one double-platinum album and a double-platinum single, with combined sales totaling 41 million records sold. They maintain a vigorous touring schedule and released a live album in April, “Boys Night Out.” read more here
Today, President Obama will address the American Legion’s 96th convention and outline the five priorities the Administration is focused on to ensure we are fulfilling our promises to service members, veterans and their families: delivering the quality health care veterans have been promised; ensuring all veterans have every opportunity to pursue the American Dream; providing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with the resources our veterans deserve; protecting the dignity and rights of all veterans; and eliminating the decades-old disability claims backlog.
The President will announce 19 new executive actions to serve the military community, including new efforts to strengthen service members’ access to mental health care. The President will also highlight efforts to improve the transition between DoD and VA care for those leaving military service, and improve economic opportunity for our military families with new private-sector commitments that will make it easier to obtain mortgage interest rate reductions and reduced monthly payments – helping more of our troops save money through lower monthly payments. The President will also announce that the Administration is continuing to make significant progress toward reducing the number of veterans who suffer from homelessness. Over the past four years a third of homeless veterans, nearly 25,000, have moved off the streets, out of shelters and into housing. The President will also renew his call for community action -- asking every American to do their part to support our service members, Veterans, and their families.
All of these announcements, including the new executive actions and progress being made on existing efforts, reflect the commitment of the President and his administration to expanding opportunity for those who sacrifice so much to serve our country:our service members, veterans and their families.
Delivering the Health Care Veterans Have Been Promised
Access to Quality VA Healthcare
The President and VA are committed to ensuring that veterans have access to the timely, high-quality health care that they have earned and deserve. Over the last several months, we have seen inexcusable delays in care at some VA health care facilities. We have taken a number of steps already to change the way VA does business to ensure that this never happens again, and we will keep at it as long as it takes.
Improving Access to Care: To improve the access to care for our veterans, VA has taken several initial steps over the last several months, including: Reaching out to over a quarter million veterans to get them off waitlists and into appointments sooner and training or re-training approximately 10,000 schedulers. Additionally, VA has surged resources to the hospitals and clinics that need it most, including Phoenix. This includes deploying mobile clinics, adding more clinic hours, and recruiting additional and temporary staff members to VA medical centers nation-wide.
Accountability: As the President has made clear, those responsible for manipulating or falsifying records at VA must be held accountable. VA established an independent accountability review board to review employee actions and hold them accountable where there is misconduct. VA has proposed action to relieve several employees of their responsibilities; additional investigations continue.
Recruiting the Best Medical Professionals: This week VA will announce that it is launching a new recruiting campaign designed to help attract the best and the brightest medical professionals to work in the VA system, and to fill the shortages in health care workers, including doctors and nurses, at many VA facilities.
Electronic Health Records: Key to helping Veterans and Service members receive better, safer, and more efficient care is modernizing VA and DoD’s Electronic Health Record systems. Today, more than 5.3 million records are jointly accessible and more than 1.5 million pieces of health data are shared daily. By the end of this fiscal year, the Joint Legacy Viewer will be deployed to more DoD medical centers and every VA medical center. This viewer will allow DoD and VA providers to see nearly all of the electronic health records stored in both Departments’ systems, including doctors' notes, problem lists, and inpatient discharge summaries.
New commitment to Transparency: For the first time ever, VA is providing the public with regular, updated information on the timeliness of VA care and will continue to report regularly on quality of care on VA.gov. This is more information than any private hospital in the United States currently provides.
Protections for Whistleblowers: VA has reaffirmed and strengthened its commitment to protections for whistleblowers and the new leadership has been clear that retaliation against, or intimidation of, whistleblowers will not be tolerated. In addition, the VA has been working to achieve compliance with the Office of Special Counsel's whistleblower protection certification program.
Reforming VA: Over the last several months, the Administration has taken action to reform the way VA operates. The 14-day scheduling goal has been removed from employee performance plans, and Secretary McDonald is convening a panel of experts to make recommendations on new standards for access to care. We will also establish a new board of physicians to advise the Secretary on best practices for delivering timely, quality care to our veterans, and to ensure that VA care remains the best care anywhere.
Veterans Mental Health
The President will announce 19 new executive actions to improve the mental health of service members, veterans, and their families, which builds on the progress the Administration has made since the President’s 2012 (Mental Health) Executive Order. In response to the 2012 Executive Order, VA has increased its mental health staffing, expanded the capacity of the Veterans Crisis Line, and enhanced its partnerships with community mental health providers; DoD and VA worked to increase suicide prevention awareness and, DoD, VA and the National Institutes of Health jointly developed the National Research Action Plan on military and veteran’s mental health to better coordinate federal research efforts. The new mental health executive actions will fall under the following six categories:
Improving Service Members’ Transition from DoD to VA and Civilian Health Care Providers: DoD will now be automatically enrolling all service members leaving military service who are receiving care for mental health conditions in the Department’s inTransition program, through which trained mental health professionals help these individuals transition to a new care team in VA. Currently, service members must be specifically referred to inTransition by their DoD provider or seek out the program on their own. Additionally, VA will implement a new policy to ensure that recently discharged service members enrolling in the VA health care system maintain accessto mental health medication prescribed by an authorized DoD provider regardless of whether the medication is currently on VA’s formulary, unless the health care provider identifies a specific safety or clinical reason to make a change.
Improving Access and Quality of Mental Health Care at DoD and VA: VA will pilot the expansion of mental health peer support to veterans being treated in primary care settings. In addition, DoD has initiated action to do what they can under its authority and will continue to work with Congress to take action to bring TRICARE, DoD’s health care coverage, up to full mental health and substance use disorder parity, meaning benefits for these conditions are generally on par with benefits for medical/surgical conditions.
Continuing our Commitment to Improve Treatments for Mental Health Conditions including PTSD. In support of the National Research Action Plan on military and veteran’s mental health, the DoD and the National Institutes of Health are launching a longitudinal project focused on the early detection of suicidality, PTSD, and long term effects of TBI, and other related issues in service members and veterans. VA is launching a $34.4 million suicide prevention study involving 1800 veterans at 29 VA hospitals. In support of the President’s BRAIN Initiative, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is announcing a new $78.9 million research program to develop minimally-invasive neurotechnologies that may help treat many diseases, including PTSD. In addition, the White House announced that this fall it will host the White House BRAIN conference, including a focus on PTSD and TBI.
Raising Awareness About Mental Health and Encouraging Individuals to Seek Help: VA and DoD are expanding their suicide prevention and mental health training for healthcare providers, chaplains, and employees who work directly with veterans.
Improving Patient Safety and Suicide Prevention: VA and DoD are taking action to provide new opportunities for servicemembers, veterans, and their families to give back unwanted medications, and thereby help reduce the opportunities for abuse. The Departments are also taking action to encourage firearm safety and reduce the risk of overdose.
Strengthening Community Resources for Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families: While all individuals can experience mental health conditions, service members, veterans, and their families may experience stressors unique to their time in the military. Understanding military culture and the experiences of service members and their families can help community providers best serve these individuals. DoD and VA will disseminate its existing military cultural competency training to 3,000 community mental health providers during FY 2015.
For the full list of executive actions, click HERE.
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ANSWER THE PRESIDENT’S CALL TO ACTION
The American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, is launching an innovative web-based PTSD Toolkit for registered nurses – all 3.1 million of them. The toolkit provides easy to access information and simulation based on gaming techniques on how to identify, assess and refer veterans suffering from PTSD. www.nurseptsdtoolkit.org
In collaboration with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forcesinitiative, the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) along with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the American Academy of Nursing (AAN), Give an Hour, and many others will collaborate to deliver “Joining Forces Wellness Week 2014.” The week-long series of educational topics and programs will occur around Veterans Day. The cornerstone event will be a webinar focusing on military cultural competency, taking a military health history, generational differences in veterans, unique needs of guard and reserve personnel, and the needs of parents and family members of veterans.
Ensuring All Service Members Have Every Opportunity to Pursue the American Dream
President Obama will announce a new voluntary partnership with financial lenders across the country that will help deliver important financial and home loan-related protections to our military community. Congress passed the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) in 2003 to provide protections for military members as they enter active duty. Our Service women and men have earned important financial protections under the law, but too many do not exercise these important rights. But when business and government work together we can make a difference.
Banks and Mortgage Servicers Answer the President’s Call to Action: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., CitiMortgage, Inc., Bank of America, N.A., Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC, and Quicken Loans are partnering with the Administration to make it easier than ever for active duty service members to obtain mortgage interest rate reductions and reduce their monthly payments. The partnership cuts red tape where possible and establishes concrete steps to reduce the burden on service members by having participating mortgage servicers proactively identify, notify and assist in enrolling eligible service members.
Key Provisions of the Partnership
Proactive Identification of Active Duty Service Members: Under the partnership, participating servicers will proactively identify active duty personnel no less than once a quarter by querying the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), a searchable database of individuals who were or on Title 10 active duty status, against their loan portfolio, reducing the burden on the service member.
Proactive Outreach to Eligible Service Members: Participating mortgage servicers will proactively reach out to individuals that have been identified as being eligible for benefits under SCRA to notify them of their benefits. Servicers will leverage multiple marketing and communication tactics including telephone, mail, e-mail, or other reasonable forms of communication.
Simplify the Application Process: Participating mortgage servicers will work together to ease the burden of enrollment and satisfaction of the SCRA written notice requirement.
Ensure Active-Duty Military Get the Student Debt Relief They Are Entitled to: In addition to the Administration’s efforts to work with banks and mortgage servicers to ensure service members have access to the benefits they are eligible under the SCRA, the Department of Education has directed its federal student loan servicers to match their student borrower portfolios against DoD’s database to identify active-duty service members who are eligible to cap interest rates on student loans – including federal student loans -- at 6 percent and to reduce those interest rates automatically for those eligible without the need for additional paperwork. This week, the Department released additional guidance to encourage Federal Education Loan program servicers to provide for a similar streamlined process.
Ensuring Veterans Have Access to a Quality Education
Principles of Excellence: Making good on our commitment to support Student veterans, President Obama will announce that this week, VA will launch an updated version of the GI Bill® Comparison Tool and that nearly 6,000 education institutions are now meeting the goals set out in the “Principles of Excellence” (POE) Executive Order. POE ensures schools are providing meaningful cost and quality information, preventing deceptive recruiting practices, and providing high-quality academic and student support services. We know through the work of organizations like the American Council on Education, Institute for Veterans and Military Families, and Student Veterans of America that a successful student veteran is an informed student veteran. The Comparison Tool leverages many of the lessons learned from these organizations and others and makes it easier to calculate GI Bill® benefits and provides key information about college affordability and value so beneficiaries can choose the best education program to meet their needs. Since its launch in February 2014, there have been over 350,000 unique visitors to the tool. (benefits.va.gov/gibill/comparison)
Operation Educate the Educators and the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children: Through First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, all 50 States have now signed on to “Educate the Educators” with over 100 institutions of higher education committed to help train future teachers for the unique needs of military students. 50 States have also signed on to participate in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children that helps provide consistent policies across school districts and states to help ease the transition for military connected students.
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ANSWER THE PRESIDENT’S CALL TO ACTION
The President will announce that commitments to the 8 Keys to Veterans Success on Campus have increased to more than 1,000 community colleges and university campuses and he called on more educational institutions to join this effort. Last year, the President challenged to educational institutions to adopt best practices supporting educational success and fostering postsecondary educational opportunities for veterans. At that time, only 250 community colleges and universities had signed up.
Ensuring Veterans Have Access to Good-Paying Jobs
Economic Communities of Interest: The Administration is announcing that VA has developed specific campaign plans in 20 communities where public/private partnerships can make a significant difference in the lives of our transitioning service members, veterans and their families. These community based campaigns will last for two years and will promote awareness and use of education benefits and build veteran skill sets by expanding VA’s existing partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Veteran Service Organizations and federal agencies. Each campaign will kick off with a two-day hiring summit.
Making it Easier for Qualified Service Members to Earn a Commercial Driver’s License: Thanks to the local community based efforts of many, including our Veteran and Military Family Service Organizations like the American Legion and others, for the first time all 50 States and the District of Columbia, now waive the skills test for qualified service members and veterans applying for a State Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). For four years, the Administration has worked state-by-state, partnering with DoD, DoT, other Federal agencies and outside stakeholders to make it easier for military truck drivers to earn a CDL. The waiver process saves the CDL applicant time and money, making it easier to transfer the skills learned in the military to civilian life and a job. To date more than 6,000 service personnel have taken advantage of the Skills Test Waiver.
Veterans Employment Center: Earlier this year, the Administration announced the Veterans Employment Center, the first government-wide effort that brings together public and private employers with real job opportunities, and provides the military community with the tools to translate their military skills into plain language and build a profile that can be shared – in real time – with employers who have made a public commitment to hire veterans. The VEC lists over 1.5 million private and public sector jobs and consolidates over a dozen redundant sites. Employers have made commitments to hire over 150,000 individuals from the military community. The site averages over 50,000 users daily.
Veteran and Military Spouse Employment: Through the Administration’s Joining Forces initiative, businesses have trained or hired more than 540,000 veterans and military spouses. Furthermore, over 64,000 military spouses have been hired with 224 private- and public-sector partners since the program began three years ago. In addition, 48 States have removed credentialing impediments for separating service members and another 47 States are facilitating military spouse transition and licensure portability.
EMPLOYERS ANSWER THE PRESIDENT’S CALL TO ACTION
The President has emphasized the important role employers play in increasing economic opportunity for veterans through stable employment opportunities—not just because it’s good for veterans but because it’s good for the bottom line. He is calling for more employers and educational institutions to take on innovative veteran training partnerships. For example, corporate leaders like Blackstone have made veteran hiring a priority. Together with their portfolio company, Hilton Worldwide, they are partnering with Kendall College to develop a hotel management education and training program to provide transitioning service members and veterans on-the-job experience and an inside track to available jobs upon graduation from the program. All of this is bolstered by the veteran’s use of their GI Bill® benefits.
Protecting the Dignity and Rights of All Veterans
Ending Veteran Homelessness: President Obama will announce that the number of veterans who suffer from homelessness has dropped by a third over the past four years as nearly 25,000 veterans have moved into housing. This announcement follows the First Lady’s event in June, with HUD and VA, announcing the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. Through this Challenge, mayors, county executives, and governors are signing on to end veteran homelessness in their communities in 2015. To date, over 200 communities have signed on.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ANSWER THE PRESIDENT’S CALL TO ACTION
There are over 4,000 homeless women veterans in our country today. These women veterans struggle to find employment and short and long-term housing, and subsequently may be faced with the unthinkable possibility of losing their children. The VA has entered into a public-private partnership with TriWest Healthcare Alliance to connect women veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, especially those with children, to the services and benefits that lead to employment. This effort will initially focus on five cities: Seattle, WA; Phoenix, AZ; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Honolulu, HI. Partnerships in each city will be established among community leaders, employers, government and non-government organizations, and committed citizens who can work together, individually and collectively to help reduce barriers to employment for homeless women veterans and connect them with employment. The President will call for more public-private partnerships to help end veteran homelessness.
Two years ago, The National Guard Bureau announced their own community based effort last year, and launched Joining Community Forces to leverage their local community foot-print and family support centers to connect Guardsmen and Reservists of all services, Veterans and military families to local community based resources. They are re-doubling their efforts, and are challenging all 54 Guard Bureaus in that effort.
Ensuring that Veterans Affairs Has the Resources to Serve Our Veterans
On August 7, 2014, the President signed into law the bipartisan Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014. At a time of crisis, our Veteran and Military Family Service Organizations called the country and Congress to action. This legislation provides VA with additional resources to improve access and quality of care for Veterans. This law will help VA hire more doctors, nurses and other medical staff, as well as to provide needed additional space and modernize VA’s hospitals and clinics. It authorizes the new Veterans Choice program, which allows eligible Veterans to choose to use non-VA care when they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility or cannot be seen by a VA doctor within a reasonable amount of time. And finally, the law will give Secretary McDonald more authority to hold senior VA leaders accountable.
Ending the Disability Claims Backlog
Disability Claims Backlog Update
Improving quality and reducing the length of time it takes to process disability claims is integral to the Administration's mission of providing the care and benefits that Veterans have earned and deserve in a timely, accurate, and compassionate manner. Through initiatives supported by President Obama, VA has decreased the backlog by more than 50 percent since its peak in March 2013. Continuing this work in 2014, VA is implementing additional changes to the Veterans Benefits Management System to increase automation and integration, system-wide. Thanks to transformation initiatives and the creative and impactful partnerships with our VSOs like the Disabled American Veterans, VFW, The Legion and others, VA is on track to meet the President’s goal and eliminate the claims backlog by completing all claims in 125 days in 2015.
UPDATE
I wonder if we'd get kicked out too?
MOH Sammy Davis and me at the Nam Knights
MOH Melvin Morris and me at the Nam Knights.
Florida American Legion motorcycle rider, veteran claims he was discriminated against by restaurant Restaurant says it's a misunderstanding
WPTV
Jeff Skrzypek
Jun 11, 2014
“He goes, 'we don’t want you here, we don’t like what you stand for.' I looked at him and just went, ‘Wow,’” said Thompson.
LANTANA, Fla. -- - Bikers all across South Florida are threatening to boycott and protest the Old Key Lime House after an American Legion rider said he was discriminated against for riding a motorcycle and wearing patches that proclaim his military service.
Robert Thompson of Pompano Beach said he was at the Old Key Lime House on Saturday and was told to removed his leather vest. A manager told him they do not allow “gangs or colors” at the restaurant.
Thompson did not understand since the patches on his vest are affiliated with his service overseas in Iraq in the Navy. The patch on the back of the vest proclaimed his affiliation with American Legion Post 180.
“You don’t see anything that’s derogatory. You don’t see anything that’s intimidating. All it is, is just a bunch of bright colors. That’s like if I bedazzled my shirt,” said Thompson.
When Thompson pushed the issue with the manager, he was reportedly told “his kind” was not welcome at the Old Key Lime House.
“He goes, 'we don’t want you here, we don’t like what you stand for.' I looked at him and just went, ‘Wow,’” said Thompson. read more here
The headlines are about rolling heads at the VA again. Seems that while that may be the fasted answer to the ongoing suffering of our veterans, it isn't the right answer. How about instead of rolling heads folks actually start using them? After all, none of this is new.
Two recently opened Minneapolis VA clinics in western Wisconsin were abruptly shut down this week by the company under contract to run them. Kentucky-based Corporate Health and Wellness says it lost hundreds of thousands of dollars opening the clinics. It blames the closings on a lack of additional funding from the VA.
St. Paul, Minn. — The two clinics that sit idle now opened to much fanfare this summer and fall. The VA said, and local veterans agreed, the facilities in Hayward and in Rice Lake would make it much easier for area vets to get basic health care. No longer would they have to travel long distances to VA facilities in places like Duluth-Superior or the Twin Cities.
But without warning, the clinics closed this week.
VA spokesman Ralph Heussner says the locked doors are an unexpected disappointment.
"It's an inconvenience and we apologize for that," says Heussner. "The reason we set the clinics in those communities is to provide service so the veterans would not have to travel long distances."
Many times during the hearing, both legislators and VA officials stated that "the exact numbers should not matter" in a discussion of veteran suicide; that one suicide is one too many. Still, a lot of time was spent arguing over just how prevalent the problem is.
The hearing was prompted in part by a CBS news story in November on suicides in the veteran population that put last year’s number of veteran suicides at over 6,000. VA officials refuted that number, questioning its validity. But a VA Inspector General report released in May of 2007 found that as many as 5,000 veterans commit suicide a year—nearly 1,000 of whom are receiving VA care at the time.
The hospital in Marion, Ill., initially drew scrutiny over deaths connected to a single surgeon, but two federal reports found fault with five other doctors.
The hospital undertook many surgeries that its staffing or lack of proper surgical expertise made it ill-equipped to handle, and hospital administrators were too slow to respond once problems surfaced, said Dr. Michael Kussman, U.S. veterans affairs undersecretary for health.
"I can't tell you how angry we all are and how frustrated we all are. Nothing angers me more than when we don't do the right thing," Kussman told reporters during a conference call after releasing findings of the VA's investigation and summarizing a separate inspector general's probe.
The VA will help affected families file administrative claims under the VA's disability compensation program, he said. Families also could sue.
...........The VA investigation found that at least nine deaths between October 2006 and March last year were "directly attributable" to substandard care at the Marion hospital, which serves veterans from southern Illinois, southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky.
Kussman declined to identify those cases by patient or doctor, though Rep. Jerry Costello, an Illinois Democrat, said those nine deaths were linked to two surgeons he did not name.
Of an additional 34 cases the VA investigated, 10 patients who died received questionable care that complicated their health, Kussman said. Investigators could not determine whether the care actually caused the deaths.
That report came out in January of 2008. We could keep going on this since it has happened over and over again. It never seems to change. It also never seems to dawn on any member of congress to fix it all the way. We're seeing more and more problems repeated while members of congress scratch their heads and other parts of their anatomy, service groups come out swinging demanding action and heads to roll, however, what do they do in between the breaking news and the next big crisis?
Veterans are not a political issue but they should be a priority no matter what party is in charge of the mess or blamed because it didn't get fixed fast enough. President Clinton left over 400,000 for President Bush and he left over 800,000 for President Obama. How many will this President leave for the next one in the chair? The answer depends on what congress decides is worthy of the lives risked for the sake of the nation.
Getting rid of Nicholson didn't work. Replacing heads of the VA has done little good but that is what the American Legion is calling for as a solution to the issues you were just reminded of. They want Shinseki to pay for what was created a long time ago.
"It's a story of poor oversight and failed leadership," said American Legion Cmdr. Daniel Dellinger, who also hailed the former Army chief of staff's decorated military record. "This is the most difficult thing I've ever had to do."
Other major veterans groups did not make the same demand for a leadership change, but all expressed growing outrage over allegations that many veterans have been harmed -- and some have died -- because of delays in cancer screening tests and other types of medical care.
As you can see, nothing got fixed before because people forget they need to make sure that veterans are taken care of 365 days a year for the rest of their lives.
American Legion Post #1 Supports Veteran Health Motorcycle Outreach Mission
Salem-News.com
Portland Veterans support our annual ride to help educate Veterans.
(PORTLAND) - The American Legion Post #1 in Portland made a generous donation to Operation Red Dragonfly, Salem-News.com's Veteran Health Outreach Mission that is taking place for the second year in a row.
Salem-News.com editor Tim King will traverse the nation, giving talks about critical life and death issues affecting Veterans, their families, and all Americans.
In the video below, recorded Wednesday night in Portland at the American Legion Hall on SE 122nd, Tim gives examples of what his talks are about. read more here
Apr 17, 2014
The American Legion Post #1 in Portland made a generous donation to Operation Red Dragonfly, Salem-News.com's Veteran Health Outreach Mission that is taking place for the second year in a row. Salem-News.com editor Tim King will traverse the nation, giving talks about critical life and death issues affecting Veterans, their families, and all Americans.
In the video below, recorded Wednesday night in Portland at the American Legion Hall on SE 122nd, Tim gives examples of what his talks are about, the objectives including sharing information about deadly toxic base contamination, raising awareness of existing and developing answers for those who suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury, with an emphasis on lowering the rate of Veteran suicide, and other issues that have heavy impacts on the Veteran population in America, including Agent Orange, and the effects that toxin has on the children of Vietnam Veterans.
Legion post helps legless Vietnam vet to go hunting with all-terrain wheelchair
Indystar
Bill McCleery, Indianapolis
March 5, 2014
Vietnam veteran Jesus Quintana loves to hunt, but crossing fields and forests is not easy for the Eastside Indianapolis double amputee.
Each year, he typically is driven a few times to his favorite spots, such as areas around Camp Atterbury in Johnson County, then helped to a hunting blind.
The wheelchair the 65-year-old retired Marine uses does not maneuver well over ruts, rocks, mud or thick vegetation.
Next month, however, Quintana plans to hunt turkey for the first time, and he will have a new means of getting around: a $12,000 all-terrain wheelchair donated this week by American Legion Post 182 in New Palestine.
The chair has a higher clearance than a typical wheelchair and uses tanklike treads rather than wheels.
"I am very grateful," Quintana said Wednesday. "Beyond helping me hunt, it's going to be a big help with a lot of everyday things. Just on my own property, I've wanted to go out there and repair a fence some dogs tore up. But I haven't really been able to get to it. I think I can get out there with this thing."
He and his wife, Betty, live near 21st Street and Emerson Avenue.
"I'm looking forward to taking it around my neighborhood on warm summer nights and smoking a little cigar," he said. "I don't like to smoke in the house."
Quintana lost his legs in an explosion during an Aug. 29, 1968, combat mission. Quintana and his unit had marched into a rice paddy near the Ho Chi Minh trail when an artillery shell exploded. read more here
Orlando Lake Nona VA Hospital Q and A
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 11, 2014
Town Hall meeting for veterans in the Central Florida at the American Legion Post 286 in Orlando last night was filled with information veterans need to know.
If you read the Orlando Sentinel article from yesterday, "New VA Hospital unlikely to open by December" they got the projected opening date wrong. It is not "an additional 90 days" but more than 120 days after construction is done.
You can hear more about that in this video. Parking has been a huge issue as well and according to the VA it is ok to park on the grass since there are not enough spaces at the Lake Baldwin Clinic. Remember, as you'll hear in the video that it is just a clinic and was never intended to be a full hospital. Space for what is needed is the reason why we are getting the new Lake Nona VA Hospital.
The Orlando Sentinel also got the number of veterans a bit wrong. While there are 400,000 veterans in Central Florida, according the the VA they only have a little over 100,000 veteran patients. There are 2,800 employees and 1,100 volunteers. Counties served are brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia.
Who is eligible for VA and the Affordable Care Act were also addressed.
Transportation has been an issue as well and projected to become a huge issue but the DAV and the VA have been working on it for a while. Part of the confusion regarding the vans the DAV supplies the VA with has come from funding. The federal government does not supply funds or the vans. The DAV does and funds come from members and donations. You'll hear that cleared up as well.
Public service announcement
A Veterans Town Hall meeting for veterans in the Central Florida area will be February 10th, 2014 at 7 p.m. to gather information on the services of the VA Medical Center. The information gather will assist in the medical benefits and services of the Medical Center.
Each year the System Worth Saving Task Force members conduct a series of site visits to the Medical Facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs.
As part of the System Worth Saving initiative, guest representatives attending the Monday night Town Hall meeting are the National American Legion Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation program chairman, the VA Medical Center Director, Orange County government officials and National/State American Legion officers.
We want to know:
Why do you come to the facility?
What is the biggest challenge that you face at the facility?
What can be improved in the services you receive?
All area veterans and interested individuals are invited to attend. The meeting agenda will focus on services and benefits render by the VA Medical Center. Hosted by American Legion Post 286, (529 E. Fairlane Ave., Orlando, FL 32809, 407-859-1460).
The American Legion Family (Legionnaires, Auxiliary, Son of Legionnaires) founded in 1919, the world's largest patriotic service organization continues to serve veterans and their families across American. We need your input on how better to serve. Please attend this free Veterans Town Hall meeting.
Military honors for homeless veteran
The Wichita Eagle
Local affiliates of the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program sponsored a military funeral for homeless Army veteran Joseph Pluimer at Resthaven Cemetery.
Mike Hutmacher/The Wichita Eagle, Jan. 9, 2014
VA Hit on Planned Disability Rules Changes
Military.com
by Bryant Jordan
Jan 02, 2014
Some of the country's leading veterans service organizations have rejected changes proposed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that might create disparities between veterans filing for a disability on paper and those filing electronically.
Additionally, some say the new changes are only to slow the VA's receipt of new claims while it tries to eliminate its backlog by 2015. The VA published the proposed changes to the Federal Register on Oct. 31.
"VA wants to make it as fast and easy as possible for veterans and their survivors to file for and receive an accurate decision on their claim," the department told Military.com in a statement. "This proposed rule would require the use of standardized forms to help streamline the claims process and modernize the VA system to ensure veterans and their families receive the benefits they deserve more quickly."
But that's now how the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, and other groups see it. In official comments to the VA, the groups said the changes would penalize veterans who do not have access to a computer or the internet by relegating paper-initiated claims to a second-class status.
"This proposed regulation separates claimants into two groups," the Legion said in its letter to the VA. "Claimants who can access the internet and claimants who are not able to access the internet. This bifurcated separation of claimants penalizes those claimants not able to access the internet and therefore is not fair."
DAV National Service Director Marszalek, in his comment to the VA, said the change "violates the law and intent of Congress," which directed the VA to provide assistance to veterans expressing an intent to file a claim or who file an incomplete claim, and give them one year from date of notification to submit the application.
"Setting aside special consideration for claimants capable of filing electronically, and excluding those who cannot, will cause a certain portion of the eligible claimant population to be treated differently," Marszalek said. read more here
Purple Heart donation to bar inspires help for others
Northwest Herald
Jeff Englehardt
Published: Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013
CRYSTAL LAKE – For the small fraternity of Purple Heart recipients, the award is often seen as a symbol of courage and pride.
But for Lakewood’s Pat Fimon, the medal was nothing more than a trinket in the bottom of a cardboard box in an attic. For decades he buried it as far as he could. His parents died without ever knowing he received the honor.
Fimon served as a machine gunner in the Marines during the Vietnam War on two tours. The last thing he wanted to do was to revisit the memories he had from 1967 to 1971.
“I hated the Marine Corps. It ruined my life,” Fimon said. “May 28. I didn’t go to work on that day for 30 years for a reason.”
But now Fimon is proud of the Marines and his medal. He donated it to Brink Street Restaurant and Bar, where it is displayed prominently behind the bar. It has helped bolster donations for the restaurant’s Toys for Tots drive and, more importantly to Fimon, brought awareness to the services that restored his life.
Three years ago, Fimon met people such as Ted Biever at the Woodstock Armory and counselors through Veterans Affairs who helped him realize there was a better way to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and receiving help was OK.
The services even saved his life after a doctor’s visit revealed he had cancer, which was attributed to Agent Orange exposure during the war. He will begin radiation treatment next year. read more here
American Legion: veterans helping veterans
Navajo-Hopi Observer
Katherine Locke
Reporter
November 26, 2013
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Orrin Chimerica, 40, has haunted eyes. Slightly watery and red, likely from the three shots he received hours ago for his lingering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
His eyes have seen more of the horror of war than many people. As a combat coreman (medic) in the United States Navy, he was the first person to patch up the injured on the battlefield.
The suicide a week and a half ago of a friend and fellow veteran who had completed two combat tours shook him but also made him more determined to inform veterans that there are places to go for help. As the new American Legion Post No. 3 Commander in Flagstaff, and the only Native American and Hopi to assume the post, Chimerica is in a position to deliver on that determination.
"I want to do this for everybody, not just Native Americans, but any veteran who comes through these doors, that's my job," Chimerica said. "A lot of people died for the flag."
The American Legion, while a closed and private club restricted to those who are veterans, Sons of the American Legion or part of the Ladies Auxillary, reaches out to the community in a number of ways all with the goal of helping veterans. read more here
Veterans Charities Helping All Generations
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 24, 2013
There are many groups I belong to but my heart is devoted to Point Man International Ministries for several reasons. The first is Point Man has been leading the way on healing veterans as well as their families for almost 30 years.
"Since 1984, when Seattle Police Officer and Vietnam Veteran Bill Landreth noticed he was arresting the same people each night, he discovered most were Vietnam vets like himself that just never seemed to have quite made it home. He began to meet with them in coffee shops and on a regular basis for fellowship and prayer. Soon, Point Man Ministries was conceived and became a staple of the Seattle area. Bills untimely death soon after put the future of Point Man in jeopardy.
However, Chuck Dean, publisher of a Veterans self help newspaper, Reveille, had a vision for the ministry and developed it into a system of small groups across the USA for the purpose of mutual support and fellowship. These groups are known as Outposts. Worldwide there are hundreds of Outposts and Homefront groups serving the families of veterans.
PMIM is run by veterans from all conflicts, nationalities and backgrounds. Although, the primary focus of Point Man has always been to offer spiritual healing from PTSD, Point Man today is involved in group meetings, publishing, hospital visits, conferences, supplying speakers for churches and veteran groups, welcome home projects and community support.
Just about any where there are Vets there is a Point Man presence. All services offered by Point Man are free of charge."
Point Man
"It isn't about who got a parade! When I came home from Vietnam, my cousin, a WWII Vet invited me to a VFW meeting and I was all but ignored because I was not in a "real" war and so how could I have any kind of problem? All these guys stuck to each other like glue and pretty much ignored the "new" Vets. And you all remember how it felt. I see the same "new guys" 35 years later with the same baloney coming out of their mouths. How in the world can you say you support the troops and then ignore them when they get home?
Seems to me that no matter how many are killed, the survivors have an obligation to each other and to our posterity to insure the "new guys" don't go through the same stuff our dads, grandfathers and ourselves had to endure...
So to all you "NEW GUYS", Welcome Home. Thank you for a job well done. Your sacrifice is deeply appreciated here. We support you regardless of when or where you served; we understand what you've been through and what you're dealing with now. Continue through the site and get connected!
Dana Morgan (President of PMIM)"
If you faced the horrors of war and wondered where God was, He was right there within the men and women who cared. He was in you. He is there now in the people of Point Man Ministries, waiting for you to remember you are loved.
We take care of the spiritual healing of all veterans and their families but what we don't do is raise funds. It seems as if every conversation we get into turns into being about helping and less about financial support for us. It doesn't cost a lot of money to show compassion, offer advice, lend an ear, say a prayer or comfort someone. It is offered for free.
Veterans and family members have the option of calling me, emailing or if they are local, meet face to face. While I have traveled to many states doing presentations, I am a lot more comfortable behind the camera covering veterans events right here in Central Florida. I am Florida State Coordinator and always looking for people to start Out Post for Veterans and Home Fronts for family members. If you are interested in leading a small group, please call me at 407-754-7526.
These events are wonderful but covering them has me talking to veterans from all generations and the one thing they all have in common is the issue of some charities taking care of all veterans while others do not. Point Man is for all generations and so is Vietnam Veterans of America "Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another." Congressional Charter 1986
These are some the charities taking care of all veterans, no matter what war, no matter where they are, they are treated equally the way it should be. These are some of the other major groups.
92 YEARS OF SERVICE We are dedicated to a single purpose: Empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. Congressional Charter June 17, 1932
The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service: Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans' pension for them,and they were left to care for themselves.
Congressional Charter 1936
If you are planning on donating to a charity make sure you know what they are doing with your money and if they take care of all generations or not. It is up to you where your heart leads you but as we enter into the "season of giving" remember these charities need help all year long because veterans are veterans 365 days a year, not just one.
Rockets
Today at the American Legion in Sanford Florida, veterans got a real treat with this group of young men and their drums. Military Appreciation Day -- Sat. Nov 16 at American Legion Post #53. To honor those who sacrifice so much, ask so little, and deserve so much more than we can ever repay. Veterans of all ages welcomed along with their families. Bounce house, contests, award, Color Guard ceremony, Honor Flight attendees, and Food! Sponsored by Pay It Forward Project, FAACES, Candlelight Catering.
Jackson VA hospital alarms Congress, American Legion
Clarion Ledger
Written by
Curt Cashour
Guest columnist
November 15, 2013
American Legion National Cmdr. Daniel M. Dellinger said he is “appalled” by conditions at the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Jackson.
A Nov. 13 congressional hearing focused on a variety of serious, ongoing problems at the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center, including poor sterilization procedures, understaffing, misdiagnoses and poor management practices.
“The VA facility in Jackson has failed in its responsibility to protect veterans who depend on it for their health care,” Dellinger said. “When pieces of bone are still attached to surgical instruments that are being used on other patients, putting the lives of our veterans at risk, it is time to overhaul the entire hospital and remove — not transfer — the responsible parties.”
The hearing, held by the House Veterans Affairs’ Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, examined a variety of serious problems at the Jackson VA center and featured testimony by two “whistleblowers”: Dr. Phyllis Hollenbeck, a former physician of family medicine at the Jackson VA hospital, and Dr. Charles Sherwood, former chief of ophthalmology at the facility.
Each witness described a situation at the Jackson facility plagued with deficiencies. Hollenbeck has alleged the Jackson hospital had about 19 nurse practitioners in its primary care unit but only three doctors, including her. She estimated that about 85 percent of primary-care patients were getting medical care from nurse practitioners instead of physicians and that patients were frequently unaware they were not being seen by doctors. read more here
Brief history lesson on VA Budget
Left over from the Clinton Administration we had this
Before Afghanistan and Iraq we had Gulf War veterans not being taken care of as well as Vietnam veterans. The American Legion was fighting for the Gulf War veterans.
The Legion has also been fighting for increased funding for so-called “undiagnosed illnesses,” such as “Gulf War Syndrome” and other unexplained sicknesses that plague military veterans.
Democrats slam budget cuts for veterans' services
Pa. governor: Bush budget cuts for critical programs 'unconscionable'
Saturday, March 19, 2005
(CNN) -- The governor of Pennsylvania on Saturday said the federal government must do a better job helping America's war veterans and criticized proposed budget cuts affecting them.
"During this time of war, it is absolutely the wrong time for our federal government to step back from any of its commitments to our veterans. To do so would be penny wise but pound foolish," said Gov. Ed Rendell in the weekly Democratic radio address.
"In today's parlance, the cost of health care for these vets may be half a billion dollars but their sacrifice for our nation, priceless," he said.
His remarks followed the weekly radio address of President Bush, who defended the Iraqi invasion and operation and marked its second anniversary. Rendell said that Pennsylvania and other states have programs helping veterans and their families.
"While we the governors do all we can for our vets and our returning soldiers, our federal government still has the primary responsibility for meeting the needs of our veterans. And that's why I find the president's budget cuts for critical veteran services to be unconscionable."
He maintained that budget cuts include "a $350 million reduction in veterans home funding, which wipes out at least 5,000 veterans' nursing home beds."
"If the president's proposed budget cuts are enacted, nearly 60 percent of the 1,600 veterans will lose their daily stipend that allows them to stay in our state's nursing homes, literally forcing them out into the cold." read more here
Do you think we can finally cut the crap out of our conversations about how bad it is for our veterans by finally acknowledging we've heard it all before and it has gotten worse?
Maybe congress will finally get serious about fixing the VA once and for all the right way so we don't repeat all the mistakes of the past all over again.
Vets frustrated with the shutdown rally at WWII Memorial
PBS News Hour
BY: CINDY HUANG
October 15, 2013
"We have been assured that budget won't be balanced on backs of veterans, but here we are today," Steve Gonzales, from the American Legion, said to the morning crowd at the memorial.
Dressed in navy sweat pants and sweatshirt and sporting an "Iraqi Freedom Veteran" hat, Bill Garcia used two canes to navigate his wheelchair around the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. He lost the use of legs in the Iraq war and has since been receiving veterans disabilities and vocational rehabilitation. But if the partial government shutdown -- now on Day 15 -- drags on much longer, the federally employed veteran fears his disabilities payments could soon stop along with his salary.
"The uncertainty broods over you, adds to the PTSD, adds to the anxiety," Garcia said. "It's stressful."
Garcia said he lost two friends in the war. And another one of his friends lost an arm in combat.
"We were there when we were called to war," said Garcia. And looking out onto the memorial, he said, "You said you'd take care of us after we do this." read more here
Military groups protest handling of veterans affairs during shutdown
The Washington Times
By Meredith Somers
October 15, 2013
A coalition of military associations on Tuesday lambasted Congress for its handling of veterans affairs in the wake of the government shutdown and demanded a permanent solution to balancing the federal budget.
Standing along the eastern plaza of the National World War II Memorial, dozens of veterans and military advocates pleaded their case that using veterans as political leverage harms the country.
“We were assured the budget would not be balanced on the backs of veterans, and yet here we are today,” said Steven Gonzalez, assistant director of the American Legion’s economic division.
Tuesday’s protest was different from other recent shutdown-inspired rallies at the war memorial, several of which devolved into confrontational shouting matches and aggressive dismantling of National Park Service-enforced barriers. read more here
