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Agent Orange; "The Gift That Keeps On Giving"

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At the rate that Vietnam Veterans are dying from Agent Orange related illnesses, the cynicism in the ranks of us who have those illnesses, is such, that one might say, the contract disputes will assist in reducing the cost of delivery as many more will simply be dead before their claims are completed.
If a veteran dies with a disability rating and a service connected illness, the spouse will then be eligible for benefits.  Add those costs to the treatment costs of the returning combatants, and you have an actuarial nightmare.
There have already been grave concerns about the delays in Agent Orange claims for the past 30 years. One of those speculative concerns is that the bean counters realize, the longer the delay the less the outlay. They never quite planned for the overwhelming number of veterans with AO issues to still be in the system this long.
Now in our 60’s, we are a tenacious lot, evidenced by the 1980’s movie with the late John Ritter, titled, “Unnatural Causes.” A must see for anyone familiar with the subject. It is a docu-drama based on the true story of a Veterans Benefits Counselor named, Maude DeVictor, who refused to quit.
One thing is for sure, the true cost of war,  in prolonged real time,including the Un-Declared ones is now a matter of increasing transparency.
Must we really trouble ourselves with  wondering why there is no money left over for jobs?  How sophomoric to even worry about the answer.
While we build and prop up nations across the globe, without the substantial financial  support of our Allies, we cannot build or prop up our own.
Tax cuts, schmax cuts! Red State, Blue State.  Second Amendment

Mortality Clock

rights and Mosque mania, are all distractions from the cost of war. And they are working!

Humpty Dumpty  never did join a political party. He is awaiting his claim to be completed from his fall.
In my view, we are in an Alice and Wonderland, upside down world, America is the disabled veteran and we are the leaders, even with our Agent Orange, Senator Simpson.
The following is for your information and distribution to your members.
John A Miterko
Veterans Advocate

VA abruptly issues second contract for Agent Orange claims system

BY BOB BREWIN 09/08/2010

The Veterans Affairs Department awarded IBM a contract in July to develop within three months a system to process claims for veterans suffering from diseases related to the Vietnam-era chemical Agent Orange. But last week officials inexplicably issued another contract searching for a second contractor to do the job in one-third the time, while the IBM contract remains in place.

VA needs the new system to process up to 240,000 claims for 15 illnesses determined to be the result of military personnel being exposed to Agent Orange, a defoliant sprayed on the jungles during the Vietnam War. VA presumes all personnel who served in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange, and the 15 illnesses they might have are a result of coming into contact with the chemical.

According to VA, its policy of presuming the diseases are a result of exposure to the chemical will simplify the process for veterans receiving compensation because the department will forgo the normal process of requiring veterans to prove their illnesses began, or worsened, during their military service in Vietnam. Paying Agent Orange claims will cost the United States $13.4 billion.

Department officials decided this year to process the claims separate from the other systems the Veterans Benefits Administration uses. In March, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said he wanted to tap private sector skills to fast-track the development of the system. “This will be a new way of doing business and a major step forward in how we process the presumptive claims we expect to receive over the next two years,” he said at the time.

VA initially planned to award the contract in April, but delays pushed that move up to July. IBM eventually won the $9.1 million pact. The procurement calls for delivery of a production-ready prototype by October and full production by December.

VA asked IBM to develop a fully automated system and a machine-readable claims form that veterans can electronically download and, at their option, electronically submit.

Officials want the forms to be shorter than the current document, well-suited to an automated processing method, and they expect IBM to use commercial systems to the fullest extent possible. They also want employees and veterans to be able to access the system via the Web, with a separate data repository linked to existing departmental systems.

But on Sept. 3, officials quietly posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website a second procurement for the same processing system. The document was not accompanied by any public announcement. The new procurement includes roughly the samerequirements as the original contract, but a shortened delivery deadline.

VA wants the selected contractor to demonstrate the capability to electronically process claims within 15 days of the award and to provide a production-ready system 15 days later, a daunting task, according to one contractor who declined to be identified.

The system must be operational next month, and bidders must submit their proposals by Friday, only a week after the solicitation was issued, which are due Friday.

Harold Gracey, a consultant with Topside Consulting who served as chief of staff at VA from 1994 to 1998, said he assumed the department put out the second procurement as a backup plan in case IBM cannot deliver its system on time.

Gracey added VA could find a second contractor to meet its requirements, but bidders also have to recognize the negative publicity that would result if they fail to deliver. A source familiar with VA said he viewed the second source procurement as a poke at IBM to fulfill its requirements on time.

Veterans groups said whatever the reasons behind the second procurement they were worried the department might not be able to meet its deadlines. “VA’s unusual announcement for a second contract, without any details released to the public, raises significant concerns among veterans about VA’s transparency and VA’s ability to process Agent Orange claims in a timely and accurate manner,” said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense. “We hope VA issues an explanation about this and puts to rest veterans’ concerns.”

VA officials did not reply to numerous requests from Nextgov to comment on the status of the IBM contract and did not respond to a query on why they issued a second procurement. IBM executives also did not reply to calls and e-mails about the status of the company’s contract.

God Bless
Jose M. Garcia
Past National Commander
Catholic War Veterans,USA
josegarcia4@sbcglobal.net
Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot.
In God We Trust

Veterans Benefits

Happy Labor Day/China; The Day After

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As we  wander off to sleep tonight, having celebrated a Holiday dedicated to Labor in America, I just wanted to give a hearty thanks to the people of China who were awarded 31% of  our labor force over the past 9 years.

Thank  you China for my underwear, my new toilet seat, my new TV, my heart monitor for the gym, and  a special thanks to the  Bank of  Singapore, for bailing out our “free enterprise,”  Banking system.

I am ever so grateful for your Communist  charity. It is a pity our Tea Party citizens cannot lend us the same help that you do.

Health, Politics, Veteran Legislative Update, Veterans Benefits, Veterans Global, Veterans' Spouses, Partners & Families

VA Blue Button Intiative

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Does everyone remember that the Director of  Veterans Administration is a Cabinet Post? When did that happen?

And, for what it is worth, I think this Administration with the guidance of former General Shinsecki, is doing a stellar job with VA Health Care. It is one of the shining lights in these days of travail.

Blue Button Initiative

On August 2, 2010, President Obama announced the “Blue Button” capability that allows Veterans to download their personal health information from their MyHealtheVet account. VA developed the Blue Button in collaboration with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Department of Defense, along with the Markle Foundation’s Consumer Engagement Workgroup.

The MyHealtheVet Personal Health Record (PHR) is comprised of self-entered health metrics (blood pressure, weight, heart rate, etc.), emergency contact information, test results, family health history, military health history, and other health related information. The Blue Button extract that Veterans can download is a so-called “ASCII text file”, the easiest and simplest electronic text format (see a sample Blue Button file).

Blue Button PHRs can be printed, or saved on computers and portable storage devices. Having control of this information enables Veterans to share this data with health care providers, caregivers, or people they trust.

On August 29, 2010, VA will make the Blue Button available on our website. Throughout the month of September Veterans can login to their MyHealtheVet account and try out the Blue Button. In early October, VA and CMS will officially roll-out the Blue Button download feature at the Health 2.0 conference in San Francisco.

Additionally, the Markle Foundation has issued a Developer Challenge. VA looks forward to the innovative platforms, apps, and widgets that will result from this exciting competition. For more information, visit the Blue Button Challenge website or the CMS Blue Button website.

My HealtheVet is VA’s award–winning e–health Website, which offers Veterans, active duty service members, their dependents and caregivers anywhere, anytime Internet access to VA health care information and services. My HealtheVet is a free, online Personal Health Record that empowers Veterans to become informed partners in their health care. With My HealtheVet, America’s Veterans can access trusted, secure, and current health and benefits information as well as record, track and store important health and military history information at their convenience. Veterans who are enrolled in a VA facility can refill their VA prescriptions and more, so register today! Using My HealtheVet is easy and it’s for YOU!

God Bless
Jose M. Garcia
Deputy National Service Officer
Catholic War Veterans,USA
josegarcia4@sbcglobal.net
Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot.
In God We Trust

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Alan Simpson Is One Lost Soul

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I  had to take a half day to collect enough balance of mind to even speak of this man Simpson.

This dude who has been slamming Vietnam Veterans for forty years! Simpson now suggests that upon the announcement of true and compassionate care for men who were sprayed with chemicals; Agent Orange/Dioxin, that they may not being doing enough for their country by accepting disability benefits.  Holy crap, that is bold.  The emotion and enmity that wells up in response to this troll can only be released on a mountain top, not in polite company.

To join the siren cry of veterans across the nation who are asking for his ouster is way to cliche. I would like to see this cowardly man who  served only one year in the Army, a mystery to this day, be marched out in front of every victim of Agent Orange, who is living. That would be me. He could then sit in his local church auditorium while we host the families of all our warriors who died of  Agent Orange exposure. Chemicals folks, chemicals made and sprayed on us by our own Dow Chemical!

I would not ask him to resign, too light for this big wide Wyoming Worm.  I would mandate that his penance, which is never meted out for this smart aleck, be to wear an Orange Letter on his outer clothing for the next year.  His very own Scarlett letter of  shame.

Years ago, this Senator who is some odd form of GI Joe wanna-be, used to refer to the Vietnam Veteran as a “professional veterans.” He was peeved that we fought so hard for our health care rights and attention to disabling illnesses, including the diagnosis of PTSD being officially included in the DSM, (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Psychiatry), in 1980.  He must be mad that they did not include his own psychiatric illness—interminable sick sarcasm, like last weeks comment about social security being a cow with 310  million tits.  Who is this man? How can he speak like this with impunity?

I wonder what he sacrificed in his generational Rosie the Riveter heart, for this last seven years of war in Iraq and ten in Afghanistan?  Is his lifetime free health care helping America balance the budget?  Maybe he should pay back his GI Bill benefits he used to get his JD.  Possibly the only reason for serving in the Army for one year?

This man has been about Corporate conquest and tax cuts for the top 2% his entire life. Are they sacrificing to pay for this war?

Maybe we could forgo paying for the disabilities and financial malfeasance of Halliburton, KBR and Blackwater, so as to have some chump change left over for a wheel chair for a veteran dying of Agent Orange.

Maybe the private contractors  making a quarter million each in tax free dollars could tithe, so as to pay for some medication for the veteran dying of lymphoma and leukemia.

Maybe Boeing and Dow Chemical could set up a fund to pay for the hospital visits at the VA. Just like the way you want to privatize Social Security.

With the exception of his most bizzare and shocking support for gays in the Military in 2007, he has been no friend of veterans. Makes you wonder why he lent his support for the gays? May have something to do with his dislike for tits.

Patriots support soldiers, Simpson supports the Military Industrial Complex, not the warrior. Shameful.

Since the man never saw a day of combat, I am suggesting that his service on the Armed Services Committee was some form of  compensatory guilt that  leaks out periodically with his very macabre brand of  “Freudian slips.” One thing is for sure, when he leaks, he lets us know his true self— a lost sad soul.

See you at Christmas Senator Simpson, we will hand deliver your Orange Sweater.

Alternative Care, Health, Veteran Legislative Update, Veteran Pals, Veterans Benefits, Veterans Global, Veterans' Spouses, Partners & Families

Good News For Victims Of Agent Orange

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Department of Veterans Affairs Promotes New Rule Expediting Claims Process for Veterans Thought to Have Agent Orange Exposure

Monday August 30, 2010

Washington, D.C. – Veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will soon more easily qualify for disability pay under a regulation published tomorrow by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The new rule expands the list of health problems VA will “presume” to be related to Agent Orange and other herbicide exposures.

Under existing regulations, veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their medical problems and their military service. Adding to the list of illnesses and conditions presumed to be connected to herbicide exposure simplifies and speeds up the application process for veterans suffering from those conditions.

The new rule expands the list of conditions for which service connection for Vietnam veterans is presumed. The VA is adding Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease and expanding chronic lymphocytic leukemia to include all chronic B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia. Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, said the decision is based on the requirements of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 and the Institute of Medicine’s 2008 Update on Agent Orange.

“This is an important moment for veterans who waited years for the support they deserved all along,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva of the decision. “Anyone who believes they were exposed to Agent Orange or other chemicals should immediately find out how this rule could help them. This decision is clearly overdue, and I applaud the VA for doing the right thing before any more veterans suffer needlessly.”

Veterans who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. More than 150,000 Veterans are expected to submit Agent Orange claims in the next 12 to 18 months, many of whom are potentially eligible for retroactive disability payments based on past claims.

Individuals can visit http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm to get an understanding of how to file a claim for presumptive conditions related to herbicide exposure, as well as what evidence is needed by the VA to make a decision about disability compensation or survivors benefits.

Additional information about Agent Orange and VA services for veterans exposed to the chemical is available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.

Veterans Benefits

Veterans Update From Catholic War Veterans Association

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WASHINGTON REPORT

Misplaced Priorities, Again?

This week we learn that an appeals court in California has ruled the three-year-old Federal Stolen Valor Act, which makes it a crime to falsely claim to have received a medal from the US military, is unconstitutional.

A panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the defendant in a 2-1 decision, agreeing that the law was a violation of his free-speech rights and that because there is no evidence lies such as those told harm anyone, there is no compelling reason for those kinds of lies to be banned by the government.

The decision involves the case of Xavier Alvarez of Pomona, California, a water district board member who said at a public meeting in 2007 that he was a retired Marine who received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration.

NAUS Note: NAUS agrees with Justice Jay Baybee’s judgment (see quotation above).  Unfortunately, Baybee’s view was on the losing side of the Appeals Court’s 2 to 1 decision.  While the Court says Alvarez is free to claim the Medal of Honor, an eleven time all-star baseball player and former seven time Cy Young Award winner faces jail for telling Congress he did not use performance-enhancing drugs in the later years of his career.  Don’t know how the Roger Clemens case will turn out but fully disagree with the 9th Circuit holding that the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional.

Clarifying Survivors Insurance Program

Over the past several weeks much fury has been expended on a possible instance of large insurance companies using funds meant for survivors of military members, making larger profits than they offer to those whose money they are holding.

As reported last week, Bloomberg Markets magazine reported on July 28 that Prudential Insurance Company, which administers the program for the VA, holds payments owed to the families of fallen soldiers in its general corporate account and instead deposits that money into its own general fund.

This week, the Vice Chairman of Prudential Financial Mark B. Grier briefed NAUS in our offices.  Grier clarified that the “checks” are in fact “drafts” the same as used by people who use credit union accounts to pay bills.  The Prudential Vice President showed NAUS President Matz and the legislative staff that the interest rate paid to beneficiaries under the account was at the high end of the range of interest paid by banks and credit unions.  He also presented copies of the materials given to survivors at the first meeting.  He agreed that the paperwork needs could be written more clear and understandable, and he promised to work with the VA to make that happen.

In a separate VA briefing attended by NAUS, VA’s Director of Life Insurance Programs Thomas Lastowka stated that the purpose of the accounts, which have been in use for over ten years, is to provide beneficiaries the ability to immediately access needed funds and earn interest until they have decided what to do with the funds over the long term.  He stated that VA is satisfied with how Prudential handles these accounts and although there will be an inquiry, he did not expect VA to demand many, if any, changes.

NAUS will continue to watch this matter closely to ensure the program benefits, as intended, the survivors of deceased military.   We will pursue legislation, if necessary, to see that survivors receive financial counseling and disclosure information regarding life insurance payments

Sound Off on Key Issues – Make Sure Your Voice is Heard

As Congress continues its Summer District Work Period, your elected representatives are in their home districts/States working out of local offices, holding town hall meetings and attending various public venues.  This is the ideal time for members to make contact with their elected officials and make their wishes known.

There is plenty of military and veterans-related legislation awaiting congressional attention including the defense authorization and appropriations bills.  Lets not forget that in the not too distant future lawmakers must again address the ever-important issue of TRICARE and Medicare reimbursement rates.  The action they took to address the issue in June was only temporary; it expires at the end of November.

Many NAUS members are likely concerned with the recent announcement by Defense Secretary Robert Gates that he intends to seek higher premiums and fees for TRICARE programs next year.  Since the ultimate authority to increase rates rests with Congress, it’s a good subject to discuss with your representatives as well.  And as we look to November, let them know your vote is contingent upon their support.

Final decisions on unfinished legislation won’t take place until the summer break is over.  The House and Senate and House remain in recess until September 13.  Until then, we encourage NAUS members to take advantage of each and every opportunity to communicate with their elected officials on these important issues.

HEALTH CARE NEWS

Early Prescription Refills Authorized for Parts of Missouri

A Public Health Emergency has been issued by the Secretary of Health & Human Services due to severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes in the Missouri counties of Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Chariton, Clark, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Lafayette, Lewis, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Putnam, Ray, Schuyler, Scotland, Sullivan, and Worth.  Due to this issuance, TRICARE has implemented the Emergency Refill Too Soon Procedures which will remain in effect until Sept. 17, 2010.

Who is eligible for TRICARE benefits under the TAMP Program?

Members and their eligible family members who meet the criteria below are eligible for TRICARE benefits under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP):

  1. Members involuntarily separated from active duty.
  2. National Guard and Reserve members separated from active duty after being mobilized to active duty in support of a contingency operation.  The active duty period must be more than 30 days.
  3. Members separated from active duty after being involuntarily retained under Section 12305 (also referred to as “stop loss”) of Title 10, U.S.C., in support of a contingency operation.
  4. Members separated from active duty following a voluntary agreement to stay on active duty for less than one year in support of a contingency operation.
  5. A member who receives a sole survivorship discharge as defined in Section 1174 of Title 10, U.S.C.
  6. A member who is separated from active duty who agrees to become a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of a reserve component.

If you think you may be eligible for TAMP, contact the Defense Manpower Data Center Support (DMDC) Office to check your eligibility status in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).  You may do this by going to your nearest uniformed services ID card facility or by calling DMDC toll-free at 1-800-538-9552.  To locate the nearest ID card facility, click here.

ACTIVE DUTY NEWS

Crew Members Needed for USS Constitution

The Navy is currently seeking applications from enlisted personnel for duty aboard the USS Constitution.  Personnel with a projected rotation date of October 2010 through June 2011 are eligible.  Applications can be sent via e-mail to constitution.cc@navy.mil, by fax to (617) 242-2308, or by mail to USS Constitution, Command Master Chief, Building 5, Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA 02129-1797.  For more information, visit the USS Constitution website or contact CMDCM(SW/SS/AW) David Twiford at (617) 242-2863

Air Force Transition Program

Airmen with plans to separate or retire are encouraged to participate in the Air Force Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to help them make informed decisions after active-duty service.  DoD officials partner with Department of Labor and VA officials to provide TAP workshops at installations worldwide.  Airman and Family Readiness Center officials also offer congressionally mandated pre-separation counseling.  For more information about TAP and other services available, contact your local Airman and Family Readiness Center.  Additional information on TAP benefits available to those affected by force management can be found on the Air Force Personnel Center personnel services page.

Corporals Course to Become Promotion Requirement for USMC

Beginning in FY 2012, attending a corporal’s course will be required before Marines can be promoted to sergeant.  Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway announced the upcoming change in All Marine Message 26/10.  Plans are in the works to create a nonresident version of the course so Marines who don’t have the opportunity to attend a command-sponsored course will still be eligible under the new requirements.

Coast Guard Academy Receives Top Marks

The Coast Guard Academy earned a perfect score of 100 and the top honor as the #1 regional college in the North based on the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges 2011 issue released earlier this week.  The academy was also recently named one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, for a second year in a row, by the Chronicle of Higher Education.  You can read the complete story by going to the Coast Guard Compass, the official blog of the US Coast Guard.

VETERANS NEWS

Special Hiring Event for Veterans

Several Federal Agencies have an urgent need to fill essential positions.  Veterans interested in continuing their service to America are encouraged to review open positions available now! Be sure to follow the specific instructions provided in the announcement no later than Aug. 24, 2010.  Additional information on the positions available can be found at this special link.

VA’s Home Loan Program Performing Well

According to a recent VA press release, mortgage loans guaranteed by the department continue to have the lowest rate for serious delinquency and foreclosures in the industry.  Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans have been obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program.  The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible surviving spouses by permitting low or no down payment loans and by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association National Delinquency Survey, VA’s foreclosure rate for the last eight quarters and serious delinquency rate for the last five consecutive quarters have been the lowest of all measured loan types, even prime loans.

Since 1944, when home-loan guaranties were first offered under the original GI Bill, VA has guaranteed more than 18.8 million home loans worth $1.06 trillion.

To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, Veterans can call VA at 1-877-827-3702.  Additional information can be obtained by visiting VA’s Home Loan Information page.

NAUS NEWS

NAUS on the Road

On Friday August 27, NAUS Legislative Director Rick Jones will be the keynote speaker at the Hill AFB, Utah, Retiree Appreciation Day.  Come out and bring a friend.

Society of Military Widows (SMW) Convention

This year the SMW convention will be held in Lawton, OK, at the Best Western Convention Center (580-353-0200) 10-17 October.  The hotel is $80 per night for two people.  The registration is $125, which includes the Welcome Dinner, lunch at the Patriot Club, a tea/lunch, and the Banquet.  Extra guests for the banquet are $38.  There will be various tours offered every day and more than enough to keep you busy.  NAUS Director of Chapter Management Jack Chmielewski will conduct a workshop on Friday.  Checks are payable to the Society of Military Widows and should be mailed to:  Gladys Thomas, 1108 NW 52nd Street Lawton, OK 78505.

Get Yours in Our Annual “I Got Mine!” Member-Get-A-Member Campaign

Do you have a son or daughter serving or who has served in the military? A cousin? A sibling? A friend? A neighbor?  Invite them to join you as a member of NAUS to help protect their benefits.  For each new member you recruit during the 2010 I Got Mine! Member-get-a-Member Campaign, you’ll receive one entry into the prize drawing pool.  The more members you recruit, the more chances you have to win!  You could win prizes like a NAUS sweatshirt or the Grand Prize: a $500 Marriott gift card!  The campaign runs through Oct. 15, 2010.  For a complete list of prizes, campaign rules, application forms and other information to help you get yours, click here.
Veterans Benefits

Church And State? What About Church and Pentagon?

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Forty years ago I told one of my pals in the JAG office that Roe vs. Wade would be  worse than Vietnam when it comes to divisions in America. Was I close?

Coming Soon: Turning Military Facilities into Abortion Clinics?

August 23rd, 2010 by Americans United for Life Print This Article Print This Article ·// ShareThis

Every American opposed to taxpayer-funded abortion should be aware of a major legislative battle coming in September. When the Senate reconvenes, debate is expected to begin on this year’s Department of Defense (DOD) Authorization bill. Last May, when the Senate Armed Services Committee was putting this bill together, Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) added an amendment that would strike a provision in the U.S. Code that prohibits DOD medical personnel or facilities from performing abortions.

The Burris amendment would – simply put – turn U.S. military facilities into abortion clinics.

Advocates for the amendment argue that the change would not amount to taxpayer funding for abortion, but this is completely false. American taxpayers will be footing the bill for elective abortions by paying for these military facilities, additional equipment, and the use of needed military personnel to perform abortions. Further, more money may be used to search for, hire, and transport new personnel to perform those abortions. From 1993 to 1996, when President Clinton allowed abortions in military facilities, the administration had to seek out civilians to perform the abortions – all military physicians refused to perform or assist in elective abortions.

Senator John McCain (R-AZ), arguing on the floor of the Senate that “abortion now is going to be performed in military hospitals,” temporarily stopped this bill from moving forward. But this was only a delay and the Senator is preparing to lead this fight again in the fall. We expect at least one amendment to be offered on the Senate Floor to strike the Burris Amendment. We’ll keep you updated on this important issue. For more information, check out the website of our sister organization, AUL Action.

Life, Veteran Legislative Update, Veterans Benefits, Veterans Events, Veterans Global, Veterans' Spouses, Partners & Families

Ecstasy And War Resistant PTSD

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Combat veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan and other theaters of war are set for some new excitement–Ecstasy! Retro man!

Recently the FDA has approved the use of Ecstasy, on a trial basis coupled with ongoing psychotherapy, for the treatment of resistant forms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Some say this experiment is a step forward in the treatment of PTSD.  Au contraire, says me and a handful of my combat veteran pals; all of whom experience chronic PTSD and have been beneficiaries of alternative treatment programs sans the pharmaceutical cafeteria.

The Denver VA appears to be the premiere location for the administration of this new zapping treatment.  The premise is that the conventional treatment regimens of anti-depressants, psychotherapy and support groups have expired their usefulness. I am not a scientist, but I had plenty of science course work in Nursing School to question both the leaps of logic and the lack of scrutiny with the variables involved with pills, psychologists and the people involved in the support groups. For brevity, lets call this the PPP approach to treatment.

I have something to say about the spiritual dimension of the wounded warrior, which is outside the parameters of drugs and Doc’s, but I will reserve that for last.

As for the variables, pills are  intended to ameliorate the symptoms of a condition so as to peel back the behavioral and bio-chemical roadblocks to our insight into the core causes of the initial imbalance. The pills are a means to an end, not the cure.

The current claim in the use of  Ecstasy is that the initial results are excellent.  So how long is “initial?” And do the families of the veterans report the same results?

Timothy Leary, Dr. Richard Alpert and Dr. Albert Hofman  reported some dramatic results with the use of  LSD in the early 60’s. The theory that you can re-boot the brain and create a clean slate with Ecstasy is identical to the hypothesis of the early apostles of  LSD. Its  proponents included the former OSS officer turned spy; Captain Afred Hubbard, the Johnny Appleseed of LSD, Richard Helms, CIA Director, Major General William Creasy, chief officer of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps,Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, chief of CIA Technical Service Staff who ran the ran the super secret MK-Ultra program in the 1950’s.  Much of the testing was conducted and financed by millionaire William Mellon Hithcock at the Millbrook Estate in New York. These men were of the ilk that you had to “blow your mind to know your mind.”  Essentially clearing the slate,(temporary amnesia), so that new programing could occur.  Ergo, the reason for its potential use in International espionage work.  These men also spoke of  the use of LSD for the cure of a myriad of brands of mental conditions.  The revolution and abuse of this drug that followed was not their intent.  Can history repeat itself with the use of Ecstasy?

There are tomes of documents to read about the use of mind altering chemicals by the Department of the Army and the CIA. My observations are of a different order as they relate they relate to the use of  powerful chemicals in treatment programs for our returning combatants. However there is clearly an uncanny and alarming similarity to the experiments with LSD  with our soldiers at the Presidio in the early 1970’s.

Back to the variables and the experimentation that is required to determine  the efficacy of any treatment program.  Keep in mind that experimentation and diligent examination of variables takes time. Time is money to the Veterans Administration. And drugs cost a ton of money,(except the ones from Canada). PTSD is diagnosed as a chronic condition, meaning the time line for the medications for a veteran could be decades. The motivation for a “zapper” drug is quite high. Just when some of the variables are being worked out for other drugs.

By example, the use of Prazosin, which once went by the name of Mini-Press and was marketed for high blood pressure, has now become one the vogue drugs of choice for the treatment of PTSD. It has been discovered to remedy many of the hyper-vigilant symptoms of PTSD and somehow abates the bizzaro dreams and nightmares embedded in the brain of the combat soldier. That took time–easily decades to come to that scientific conclusion, inclusive of longitudinal studies and reports back from the veteran community.  The VA does not have that kind of time in the budget, particularly when we remain to be the Star Wars protectorate of the galaxy.

We are an instant gratification nation, with low tolerance for pain, both  psychological and financial. The drive to find a “Lourdes” like cure for the ravages of war is at the genesis of the use of Ecstasy.  Its efficacy and value will soon be known, yet I suggest that we remain vigilant with a prejudice, as there is a truckload of social engineering occurring as we sleep. To many, a medicated America is a safe America. Look out Second Ammendmenter’s, your bullet casings may have an aerosol!

Note, that I said nothing about the potency of  Ecstasy. It may well be the elixir of day. I am just making a siren caveat emptor call to be reminded of the widespread availability of alternative treatment programs for PTSD that do not fall in the zapper column and whose efficacy is known. They are not driven or guided by the Pharmaceutical industry. Watch closely the stock in the manufacturer of Ecstasy. With our luck the Chinese will buy the company!  Headline; China has cure for American Soldiers.

But my final musing is about the true nature of PTSD. It is first and foremost a violation of the soul. The bio-chemical stuff is secondary.

“We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are”  Talmud

War at its root is an agent of negation. Our bodies and minds as warriors are the primary weapons of mass destruction. They need to be to survive. I was once one of those lean, mean, killing machines perfectly honed to warrior perfection by the Marine Corps. There is some conflicting Catholic guilt in the admission that I liked it, as I was always in the service of God, Country and Corps. However, when the show is over, the reconciling of love and death is a daily chore and a balancing act that takes decades of practice.

War remains encased in the barbed wire heart for many a moon.  War enslaves your imagination,(the Soul),  in a bunker that no pill can penetrate.  It is our soul that seeks love and intimacy. It is my body that was trained to kill. They need to re-unite. No pill can accomplish this. No pill can touch the heartstrings like some of the Native American rituals that know well the travels of the soul. Curiously, the VA uses many of the ceremonies of the Lakota Sioux in their treatment programs.

The Natives knew well that the terror of war makes the soul flee from the body. It is too dangerous to stay, so the soul leaves and gets stuck somewhere. I am not so sure that Ecstasy is the agent of the reunification of the soul and the body.

So, before trying the snap, crackle, pop of Ecstasy, I would suggest reversing the order of your existential triage.  Try some of the Retreat programs first. Many are free.

Plato spoke of soul as the seat of imagination. Attend a Retreat tailored for combat veterans and let your imagination run wild with fellow veterans. There is a high probability that you will experience your soul hopping back in your body, in the safe and secure environment of combat weary veterans. The validation of this collective experience exceeds any session with a non-combat psychologist or intern; (one of the variables).

To me, ecstasy, is the gut level laughing, crying and pain releasing roaring of battle buddies gathered together for the “soul” purpose of transcending our war.

I am not so sure that God wants us to forget war. What would that soul look like?

Resource:  Merritt Center Veteran Program/ Basic Training For Life

Merritt Retreat Center. Payson, Az.  800-414-9880– 928-474-4268

Life, Veteran Legislative Update, Veteran Pals, Veteran Statistics, Veterans Benefits, Veterans Events, Veterans Global, Veterans' Spouses, Partners & Families

Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans Transitioning Home From War

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When Johnny and Joan come marching home to their beloved United States of  America after service in Iraq and Afghanistan, are we prepared?

Very soon tens of thousands of soldiers, sailors, airman and marines will be rotating to their hometowns. They will be physically rotating home but their battle minds may be lagging behind a bit. Are we prepared?

Some of us crusty Vietnam vets recall the days when, “Peace With Honor,” was  being implemented and our troops started rotating home in large numbers.  The transition to civilian life  was not the joy filled experience that many anticipated.. Given, the times have changed radically.  I believe the operative word here would be respect.  There is no question about the notable respect we have for our troops and the zeitgeist of  gratitude that fills the air. We have learned much from the tumultuous 60’s and 70″s.  The most salient of all learning being the ability to separate the war from the warrior.  But can the warrior do that? And, I say again, our we prepared to help them in that separation of parallel lives they will  lead for at least a year or two?

The times are no less adverse and probably more so in the polarization of  political  positions. Are we prepared to submerge our intractable penchant to have opinions when in the company of a soldier who may just want to be left alone?  Can Americans shut up long enough to be a bridge of support for these returning troops?

“Think where man’s glory begins and ends, And say, “My glory was I had such friends.”                      -William Yeats

Many of these soldiers will be looking for work, many will not find work.  Are we willing to be at their side while they struggle? The unemployment statistics for OEF/OIF veterans are not good.  Add them to the ranks of the currently unemployed and we have a cinder box,  not unlike 1973.

Where are the bridges? Who are the bridge people?  Maybe Tucson could have the first and finest program in the nation for training bridge people to welcome these men and women back into polite society.  Platoons of caring people trained at all the libraries in the city, with long office hours, even night shift workers, ready to listen and help.

“When you’re weary, feeling small/ When tears are in your eyes/I will dry them all/ I’m on your side/ When times get rough/And friends just can’t be found/ Like a bridge over troubled water/ I will lay me down.      -Paul Simon

I challenge Tucsonans and the leadership to the task of making Tucson, Arizona one of the friendliest places in the nation to return home from war.  I declare that Tucson is a Bridge City.

Veteran Legislative Update, Veterans Benefits, Veterans' Spouses, Partners & Families

Beware Dear Veterans Of Those Who Come To Help

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Veteran Advocacy often entails some vigilance.  This story just burns me, as I know of other Out Reach Programs that have been in existence since right after the invasion of Iraq that have left the radar screen under the smallest amount of scrutiny. I am not inclined to name them as even bloggers can be sued for not fully corroborating evidence. I am happy to give an educated observation however, but only privately. Intuition alone can guide many donors. Yet, so many unsuspecting good souls have their heartstrings tapped in the name and honor of our soldiers. It is hard to imagine how one sleeps at night who engages in such fraudulent behavior. It seems to me they should be drafted to clean the honey pots for our warriors.
God bless Vietnam Veterans of America for alerting us.

To All:
For your information!
Bill Meeks, Jr.
Chair, VVA Membership Affairs
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 7:42 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: The United States Fallen Heroes Foundation

Got this from LtGen, USAF (retired) Brett Dula
Subject: The United States Fallen Heroes Foundation

IT APPEARS THAT THE SUBJECT NAMED ORGANIZATION IS A FRAUD.
Begin forwarded message:

I just wanted to let you know about something that I’ve been working on for a few months that is finally coming out.  This group, The United States Fallen Hero Foundation, is a complete fraud.  They’ve been using the families of our fallen brothers and sisters to raise money for a phony Memorial that was to be built in Texas .  The PR firm they hired approached me to set up a meeting with me and Jan to get our advice on building a National Memorial, but things seemed fishy from the start.  The PR firm later became suspicious of the founders activities and came back to me again for advice on how to proceed.  We notified the Texas Attorney General and the FBI, but did not want to go public until we were sure.  They have contacted thousands of families who have gotten very excited about this project and we didn’t want to risk hurting them until we were positive this guy was a dirt bag.  Well, the Attorney General’s subpoena tipped of a Dallas TV reporter and he asked to have an exclusive.  His story aired last night.  I’m not sure if you guys want to do anything to actively warn people, but I just wanted to let you know about it.  His website is still up and he’s still raising money.  He’s claimed to have raised over $2 million.

Here is the Story.  Just let me know if you want any more detail.

http://www.wfaa.com/news/investigates/Unanswered-questions-about-plans-for-military-memorial-99437514.html

I have also informed the leadership of American Legion, VFW, and IAVA.

*********************************************************************************************************************
Unanswered questions about plans for military memorial
by BYRON HARRIS

WFAA

Posted on July 27, 2010 at 10:38 PM

Updated Wednesday, Jul 28 at 8:42 PM

Gallery

NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES

KENNEDALE — Questions are swirling around a $50 million project in Kennedale to honor veterans who have died since the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The Texas Attorney General is looking into documentation behind the United States Fallen Heroes Foundation.

  • What exactly is the United States Fallen Heroes Foundation?
  • Why does its founder use two names?
  • And is it a tax-exempt organization?

The memorial project was introduced to the public during a slick presentation at a news conference two months ago. An animation showed 15 acres of land in Kennedale that would be the site of a memorial. A Web site honoring veterans was set up, and TV spots in which families of vets were used to solicit money.

“This memorial will also include all military personnel that have died post-9/11 and have died as a result of combat and non-combat injuries and trauma,” said Walter Coleman, who said he was chairman of the U.S. Fallen Heroes Foundation.

But while Coleman was happy to be on TV to raise money then, he canceled two appointments with News 8 to discuss the organization. When he finally did show up, he would not let us record an interview.

“I’ll be interviewed, but not on camera,” he said.

Coleman did not want to be interviewed about his application to the IRS for tax-exempt status. The IRS has no record of the the U.S. Fallen Heroes Foundation.

News 8 discovered Coleman signs documents with two signatures and two names: “Evan Coleman” and “Walter Coleman.”

“I’m both,” he said when asked about the dual identity. “I’m Walter Raleigh Evan Coleman Jr.”

He said his use of one name of the other “depends on the documents.”

Records indicate that Coleman used “Walter” as a first name after a credit union sued him for $10,000 in debt under the name of “Evan Coleman.

Another question surrounds Coleman’s military record. Kennedale City Manager Bob Hart is one of several people who say Coleman represented himself as a veteran.

“My impression is that he would have served in Vietnam, because he’s made comments in that regard,” Hart said.

But when pressed, Coleman told News 8 he was never in the military.

He runs the Fallen Heroes Foundation from his home in Mansfield, which until recently was also the home of the Texas/Louisiana Fallen Heroes Foundation.

Although Coleman has given documents to the City of Kennedale which include a non-existent employer identification number, or EIN, Coleman passes it off as an innocent error.

In Kennedale, construction crews are already working on a new road that would have gone by the memorial. The City of Kennedale says it will now investigate the background of the Fallen Heroes Foundation.

The city has signed a contract to sell 15 acres of land to the foundation, but Hart says Kennedale has not lost any money in the deal. “They’ve signed the contract, yes. But the contract allows for an 18-month window in which to raise funds to acquire the land,” Hart said.

The Texas Attorney General has asked the Fallen Heroes Foundation for all of their records.

The man who says he is “Walter Raleigh Evan Coleman Jr.” says he has only collected $1,000 for his $50 million project. But he’s the only one who knows the real total.



This article was in the Fort Worth Star Telegram this morning. It is about the supposedly scam that I previously sent out

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/08/02/2378827/manfield-mans-past-questions-about.html

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