Dr.Michael Austin And Bowen Treatment for Veterans With Pain Management Issues

March 29, 2010 Michael Brewer 8 Comments

As I began to collect testimonies for the efficacy of this treatment modality, it struck me that the breadth and license of a blog allows us to simply solicit the testimonies first hand and encourage those who have been clients of Dr. Austin, who is a real treat by the way, to just post their own experience of his treatment sessions.

I am one of those beneficiaries and the potency of the Bowen method was felt throughout my body within in hours after the first treatment. I fell out of a helicopter in Vietnam during Operation Meade River in 1968. My back has been compromised ever since. There are times I am nearly paralyzed and cannot walk. On this particular visit, lasting 2 hours, I could feel some of the pain leaving my lower back. I was able to walk without my cane after the visit. I am always hesitant to use the word cure, but I can testify to the fact that any abatement of pain is at least a temporary cure. That is always heaven sent.

During the last session of Retreats for Combat Veterans that we conduct at the Merritt Center in Payson, Arizona, Dr. Michael was kind enough to come and spend the weekend with us and provide free treatments to all the veterans in the program. As one of the Mentors at the Center, I can testify to their experience being unanimously positive with all of them asking if he was returning for the next retreat.

Dr. Austin is an approved fee for service provider for the Veterans Administration.

Dr. Michael Austin

Chiropractor and Advanced Bowen Professional

What is Bowen Therapy

Bowen therapy is a soft tissue technique where the practitioner accomplishes small, gentle moves across a target tissue, be it muscle, ligament, or nerve. These moves, called “Bowen moves,” are done in sequences of three or four at a time. Sequences of moves are interspersed with crucial breaks where the patient is left on the table for two to five minutes. During these breaks, the nervous system initiates a healing response, or cascade, from the body, unlike any other technique. Subsequent moves done in sequence are further interspersed with these important breaks, with sessions lasting from one half-hour to one hour. Bowen sessions typically begin at the core (pelvis) of the body and work outward. Sequences of Bowen moves are utilized to treat a wide variety of conditions. Bowen therapy is a distinct technique. It is not massage, shiatsu, acupressure, or chiropractic.

Conditions that are improved with Bowen Therapy

Bowen Therapists have observed numerous effects of the therapy including detoxification of the body by increased lymphatic flow; normalization of muscular function through increased flexibility, decreased spasm, and pain; normalization of blood pressure; better sleep patterns; elimination of joint pain and inflammation; and normalization of bowel movements to name just a few. The healing responses experienced by patients include both a deep sense of relaxation and very often a drastic and sometimes total relief of pain following just one session. While the majority of Bowen practitioners treat musculoskeletal conditions, the Bowen procedures are named for the area treated, such as, neck, shoulder, TMJ (tempromandibular joint), pelvis, low back, hamstring, etc. Tom Bowen developed protocols for treating numerous internal disorders such as asthma, headache, and gallbladder. It has also been noted by practitioners that mild to moderate emotional conditions can also be positively effected with Bowen Therapy. There is even a protocol for infertility. Besides the treatment of pain there are many visserosomatic conditions that respond to Bowen Therapy including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, TMJ (jaw) pain, indigestion, reflux, PMS, carpal tunnel, bunions, and tennis elbow.

History

Tom Bowen (1916-1982), from Geelong Australia, developed Bowen Therapy. Tom Bowen had no specific medical training but had gifted diagnostic abilities. Tom referred to the technique as a “gift from God.” Being a man of few words, he gave little explanation for how Bowen worked or why he had chosen the moves he used to treat his patients. He would often comment to his apprentices “do it like this; it works.” Tom Bowen had a love for sports, particularly soccer. He would watch massage therapists and trainers, and it is believed this is how he began his informal studies. Tom referred to himself as an osteopath but was never recognized through licensure. In the late 1950s after helping Irene Horwood recover from a stroke, the Horwoods invited Tom to work from the front room of their home as an informal office. From these meager beginnings, Tom’s abilities as a healer spread through the region. As demand grew for Tom’s abilities, he outgrew the front room of the Horwood’s home and eventually practiced from three clinics, seeing upwards of 100 people per day.

During Tom’s lifetime, he trained six apprentices. Two of these apprentices, Ossie and Elaine Rentsch, began training with Tom in 1974. They further documented his work, and in 1976 opened their own clinic. Tom urged Ossie to teach this technique upon Tom’s passing. As promised, the Rentsch’s taught their first class in 1986 and have held a full-time teaching schedule since then. Through Ossie and Elaine’s efforts, approximately 75 instructors in 28 countries have been trained, who in turn have trained about 15,000 practitioners to date.

Effects of Bowen Technique

Common effects noted by Bowen practitioners include: 1. Improved muscle tone. As muscles relax and become less spasmodic, posture is improved. 2. The release of fascial restrictions. As the fascia becomes rehydrated, range of motion is increased reducing pain locally. 3. Stimulation of the central nervous system and balancing of the autonomic nervous system. Typically the sympathetic nervous system overrides the parasympathetic nervous system. When the body is in sympathetic overload it cannot heal its self. This is commonly seen in Western society’s type “A” personality with adrenal burnout. With the balancing of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, the patient experiences a profound sense of relaxation. This increased state of relaxation translates into increased energy, improved sleep patterns, and accelerated healing for the patient. Bowen practitioners have also observed an improvement or a normalizing of the lymphatic system and visceral function. This has been seen as a response of the body to rid itself of toxins through increased bowel function.

Cleansing Reactions

Cleansing reactions are not uncommon after Bowen Therapy. Cleansing reactions can occur on the structural level as the body seeks a new place of balance, on a biochemical level as toxins are released from the cells of the body, or on the emotional level, where patients experience a profound sense of relaxation or increased irritability as the emotions are being brought into balance. The symptoms most commonly experienced by patients are muscle aching, headache, and nausea. These are the reactions that can be seen more typically in patients with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. So for these types of patients less is more in terms of the Bowen sequences performed during a session.

While cleansing reactions do occur, they are typically in the minority of patients receiving Bowen. The majority of patients just feel better. By feeling better I mean that either they have no pain or they have significantly decreased pain in as few as three to four sessions. The speed in which Bowen achieves these results is one of the things that make it stand out from other alternative therapies.

Suggestions after Bowen therapy

Patients are directed to walk directly after a session for 20 to 30 minutes. This aids in pumping the lymphatic system and assists in detoxification of the body. Patients are also directed to drink eight to ten glasses of water daily. This also aids in flushing toxins from the body. While receiving Bowen therapy, it is recommended that the patient refrain from any other type of bodywork or energy work. Tom Bowen was of the opinion that these therapies interfered with the response of the body to Bowen therapy. Patients are also instructed not to take very hot baths or cold showers, as this will also interfere with the Bowen results. Subsequent Bowen sessions are spaced out anywhere from five to seven days, since Bowen therapy continues to work through the body’s nervous system subtly throughout that time period.

Possible mechanisms of action

While the exact mechanisms of action (meaning how does Bowen work) for Bowen therapy have yet to be determined, some theories have been postulated. One of these mechanisms already discussed is the balancing of the autonomic nervous system. It is theorized that this phenomenon occurs through stimulus of muscle cells called spindle cells and golgi tendon organs. These specialized cells tell the brain about muscle tension and tone. It is believed that these cells help to reset the resting length of the treated musculature through ganglion chains that communicate with the autonomic nervous system. It is further hypothesized that stimulation of proprioceptor cells inhibits pain. Proprioceptor cells tell the brain where your limbs are in space. A proprioceptor cell is a sensory receptor, found chiefly in muscles, tendons, joints, and the inner ear, that detects the motion or position of the body or a limb. Neurologically, proprioceptors override the pain nerves (nociceptors, which are sensory receptors that respond to pain) thereby inhibiting the sensation of pain.

A second mechanism of action thought to occur happens through stimulation of the fascia. Fascia is the most abundant tissue type in the body and its microscopic structure is crystalline. When a crystal is deformed it releases an electrical charge, this phenomena is called piezoelectric effect. This electrical charge has the ability to stimulate the acupuncture meridians. In addition, Bowen practitioners have observed in their patients the elimination of recruitment patterns. Recruitment patterns happen in the body as a result of an injury or trauma. For example, if an individual injures her knee or ankle and develops a limp, the nervous system learns how to limp. The longer this injury is maintained in the physical body, the more it is reinforced in the nervous system. Over time, more and more neurons will learn how to limp. Months down the road after the injury has long since been forgotten, the nervous system still remembers the limp. This results in an altered gait pattern. Altered gait patterns can create imbalance in the body as well as pain. It would take many months, sometimes years, of physical therapy to restore normal gait patterns and relearn walking, if at all possible. But even physical therapy will not eliminate the neurologic pathways that remember the limp. Bowen therapy appears to somehow eliminate or reduce the influence of the neurons that remember the limp. This is a remarkable process that is not seen in any other therapy.

Case Studies

55-year-old female with a greater than ten-year history of low back pain whose previous treatment included allopathic treatment (conventional western medical care such as pain medications), chiropractic care, acupuncture, and physical therapy. Her reported analog pain scale was eight out of ten. Initial Bowen treatment included the basic relaxation moves, hamstring, sacrum, and knee procedure. Follow-up visit one-week later patient reported no back pain. Patient related she went to a baseball game with her grandson the day after her initial treatment and didn’t realize that she had no back pain until she arrived home.

72-year-old female with history of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, bilateral knee and hip replacements. Her reported analog pain scale was nine out of ten. Previous treatment included allopathic treatment, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and physical therapy. Initial Bowen treatment included the basic relaxation moves, hamstring, sacrum, knee procedure, hammertoe, bunion, lung procedure, upper respiratory procedure, pelvic procedure. Upon completion of the Bowen session, the patient reported that she had no pain.

50-year-old male with history of bilateral knee pain. MRI results indicated partially torn meniscus in both knees. His reported analog pain scale was eight out of ten. His orthopedic surgeon had recommended surgery. The patient was informed that Bowen would not repair torn tissue; however, he should receive some relief from his pain. Bowen treatment included the basic relaxation moves, hamstring, knee procedure, ankle procedure, hammertoe procedure, and pelvis procedure. At a follow-up office visit one week later, the patient indicated his pain level was two out of ten. An over the counter homeopathic remedy was recommended with a repeat of the previous week’s Bowen session. At the follow-up office visit one week later, patient reported his pain level was zero out of ten.

44-year-old female with a history of bilateral shoulder pain and tendonitis. Previous treatments included allopathic care and physical therapy. Reported analog pain scale was seven out of ten. Initial Bowen treatment included basic relaxation moves lung procedure, upper respiratory procedure, shoulder and elbow procedure, and carpal tunnel procedure. At a follow-up visit one-week later patient reported a reduction of pain symptoms. A repeat of the previous week’s Bowen procedures was performed with the addition of one-half of an organic lemon juice added to each glass of water to alkalize her body’s chemistry. At the follow-up visit one week later, the patient no longer experienced pain in her shoulders with full range of motion restored.

There are currently sixteen instructors and about 1,200 certified practitioners in the United States.

Michael Austin D.C., a licensed chiropractor since 1994, is a certified Advanced Bowen Professional through the Bowen Academy of Australia. Dr. Austin is also a certified Reiki Master, Healing Touch Practitioner, and Craniosacral Therapist, with 13 years as an integrative medical practitioner. Dr. Austin may be reached through (520) 887-2428 by email at draustin@bowendoctor.com.

Dr. Austin is an approved contract service provider for the Veterans Administration.

Alternative Care, Health, Politics

Sore Losers Or Lousy Choosers

March 23, 2010 Michael Brewer 41 Comments

“Baby killer?” I have not heard that since my days fresh out of Vietnam, at least not with the same vitriolic force as these members of Congress are imbuing in their language.

“Por mi Dios,” my Mexican compadres say. How low can we set the bar for behavior before Mom calls the kids in for their daily chores?

Do these guys know there is a war going on, and the enemy is watching and listening to this family feud? Do they know that our soldiers have TV’s in Kabul? Do they know that the Al Qaeda record every little tristful aspect of American politics for their recruiting efforts?

For you conspiratorial thinkers, you might even suggest that the health care debate has been arranged by our enemy, first to divide us and then to distract us from the conduct of war. You know, war, the one that sucks off all our health care money. But of course we are more concerned with the dumber than a door knob Texan who spouts, “fess up baby killer, so we can get your face tattooed on our back.”

Just an isolated incident they say. Well, it was just a few isolated incidents that sparked the Watts Riots. I was there in August of 1965. It was just an isolated incident that caused the shooting at Kent State. I was not there, but the image is seared in my memory for life. I could not fashion a country that could be so angry. We have now made the Varsity Anger Squad.

You may ask, where are the similarities? Anger is an incremental affair. Collectively it is a function of symmetrical escalation. In this case an escalating chorus that is manufactured and paid for by thousands of lobbyists and millions of dollars. What is the end game of this mounting dysfunctional anger? Is it the National Guard? You smirk? Read the laws that govern the inciting of a riot and you will note the that many of our talk show pundits are teetering somewhere between the First Amendment, which states, “the right to peaceably assemble,” and a blatant violation of State Statutes that govern mob behavior.

I presume the constitutional scholars in the Tea Party will take the word peaceably in its literal sense, and adhere to the State laws which they currently idolize.

Remember, they are watching. As we import our government in a box to Afghanistan the Taliban are watching. The Hamas, who won in a democratic vote, are watching, while we lament that majority rule is not democratic. Huh? Their laptops are burning with anti-American rhetoric and we are giving them the sentence structure. This makes Jane Fonda look like Mother Theresa.

“We are 24 hours from Armageddon,” said Congressman Boehner. “They look at this country as one big criminal act,” says Rush Limbaugh, the self imposed titular head of the GOP and National Security and all intractably angry men.

“We are turning back the clock to the ghost of communism,” Congressman Nunes said. Does that mean that the ghost of Joe McCarthy will visit us? Or does it simply mean we will have to stop conducting business with the Communist countries who make our clothes, our refrigerators and the computers we are tethered to all day? Vietnam and China are pleased that we are so distracted with our ‘Hatfield and McCoy’ antics. Communism is just fine over here in this import/ export room.

The Bank of Singapore just helped bail out Wall Street. How totalitarian is that? Why are the PR firms who manufacture this outrage and subliminal support of indecent behavior not incensed about the Global financial take over of our sovereignty? Distraction has become the name of the game and 24/7 cable news is the de facto third party lending all of its support to tracking the mounting platform called permanent anger sans content.

“Totalitarian tactics,” they scream, as we buy our children’s school supplies, our underwear and the uniforms for our beloved college and professional sports teams from their factories. This makes the fears of socialism look like Mr. Rogers neighborhood. If you want to be pure in the elimination of socialism in America, then we must eliminate all College and High School Sports…now! They are all run by State governments. The Tea Party Pointman needs to go on the court at the Final Four Basketball Tournament and shut it down. it is Socialistic to the bone. I will let my pals in Indianapolis know they are coming. I can arrange for some free rooms, like the ones that are prepaid for all of their gatherings.

While Paul Krugman lauds the courage inherent in the passing of the Health Care Bill declaring that reason prevailed over fear, and George Will, who I admire, decries its passing, “this bill is a museum of hoary artifacts of liberalism’s antics,” erstwhile, my grandson cannot get health care because of a pre-existing condition, my Marine pal cannot get life insurance to insure the future of his highly disabled son, because he is diagnosed with PTSD. How’s that? So the citizen-soldier who defends his nation and is wounded in the line of duty, cannot get insurance from the nation he just defended! Does that not level all rhetoric from the Ivory Towers of punditry? What would that Texas bigot scream at him..”Baby Killer?”

So my point is that the mounting crescendo of anger, indecency and diatribes spewed with impunity must soon expire or we will be a snake eating our own tail. This is what I mean by lousy choosers. It is the choice of behavior and decorum that has made this country great. Programs come afterward.

It was the late Ronald Reagan who said, “deficits don’t matter, people do”

If only these self appointed seers had a plan, maybe the anger would abate. That is what I mean by a permanent zeitgeist of anger without content. That, my friends, is called an illness and requires treatment.

Doctors call it Intermittent Explosive Disorder, and many of these episodes of trumped up agitation, irritability, irrational outburst and retaliatory, explosive behavior our sweeping the nation. ” Symmetrical escalation,” is the term used by the anger management gurus, and we seem to be reveling in the mud puddle of anger. Is there a doctor in the house?

Most of the behavior we have witnessed in the past 48 hours would not only be sanctioned at your church, your school, your boss, or by your commanding officer, but you would be tossed from the room. Why so much impunity? Has the bar of decency and decorum really been lowered that far?

IED, (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), was first accepted as an illness and defined as such in 1980. Curiously the same time that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was given its imprimatur. This definition is currently being updated, revised and combined with a new condition called Temper Dysregulation Disorder. Many clinical psychologists believe that anger is not a stand alone mind state, but is coupled with the emotions of sadness, shame and grief. For years, professional therapists have coined anger as the chameleon emotion, because it masks so many other aspects of ones life.

As outlandish as it may sound, I am suggesting that the halls of the congress and the senate be populated not with Tea Party activists, but with a platoon of volunteer psychologists who can help our elected officials choose the right behavior without the shackles of their own uncontrolled emotions.

The nation is begging for a different kind of Poet Laureate, an individual who has the intellect and observational talents of a Robert Frost, and the compassionate clinical mind of a Carl Menninger. Without this type of leadership we will never again be the “United” States of America.

A local billboard says it well, “Don’t Make Me Come Down There– God.” And yes, they are watching.

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

VA Recognizes "Presumptive" Illness In Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans

March 22, 2010 Michael Brewer 1 Comment

The following is for your information and distribution to your members.

Subject: Gulf War, VA seeks to make getting benefits easier for vets

VA Recognizes “Presumptive” Illnesses in Iraq, Afghanistan
March 18, 2010

Decision Makes It Easier for Gulf War Veterans to Receive Benefits

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

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

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

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

For non-presumptive conditions, a Veteran is required to provide medical
evidence that can be used to establish an actual connection between
military service in Southwest Asia or in Afghanistan, and a specific
disease.

With the proposed rule, a Veteran will only have to show service in
Southwest Asia or Afghanistan, and a current diagnosis of one of the
nine diseases. Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted over the
next 60 days. A final regulation will be published after consideration
of all comments received.

The decision was made after reviewing the 2006 report of the National
Academy of Sciences (NAS), titled, “Gulf War and Health Volume 5:
Infectious Diseases.” The 2006 report differed from the four prior
reports by looking at the long-term health effects of certain diseases
determined to be pertinent to Gulf War Veterans.

The 1998 Persian Gulf War Veterans Act requires the Secretary to review
NAS reports that study scientific information and possible associations
between illnesses and exposure to toxic agents by Veterans who served in
the Persian Gulf War.

Because the Persian Gulf War has not officially been declared ended,
Veterans serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom are eligible for VA’s new
presumptions. Secretary Shinseki decided to include Afghanistan
Veterans in these presumptions because NAS found that the nine diseases
are prevalent in that country.

Noting that today’s proposed regulation reflects a significant
determination of a positive association between service in the Persian
Gulf War and certain diseases, Secretary Shinseki added, “By setting up
scientifically-based presumptive service connection, we give these
deserving Veterans a simple way to get the benefits they have earned in
service to our country.”

Last year, VA received more than one million claims for disability
compensation and pension. VA provides compensation and pension benefits
to over 3.8 million Veterans and beneficiaries. Presently, the basic
monthly rate of compensation ranges from $123 to $2,673 to Veterans
without any dependents.

Disability compensation is a non-taxable, monthly monetary benefit paid
to Veterans who are disabled as a result of an injury or illness that
was incurred or aggravated during active military service.

For more information about health problems associated with military
service during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and
Enduring Freedom and related VA programs go to
<http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/> or go to
<http://www.va.gov/> for information about disability compensation.
————————————————————————
———–

VA seeks to make getting benefits easier for vets
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iDTMFc36iJeT3Ld-G20KE
uRPLyhwD9EH60L80>
By KIMBERLY HEFLING (AP) – 20 hours ago

WASHINGTON – The Veterans Affairs Department took steps Thursday to make
it easier for veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars to get disability
benefits. To qualify for the new streamlined status, they must have
malaria, West Nile Virus or one of seven other diseases.

The VA has proposed a regulation change that lets veterans qualify for
benefits by showing only that they served in the recent conflicts, or in
the Gulf War, and have a diagnosis of any of nine diseases. Called
“presumptive status,” it’s easier to prove an illness stems from war
service.

Such status had been given to veterans from earlier eras with certain
diseases, but this is the first time veterans from the recent conflicts
qualified.

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

Shinseki made the decision after a recommendation by the agency’s Gulf
War Veterans Illnesses Task Force.

The seven other diseases are brucellosis, campylobacter jejuni, coxiella
burnetii, mycobacterium tuberculosis, nontyphoid salmonella, shigella
and visceral leishmaniasis.

<http://www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2010-03-18-2010-5980>

DATES: Comments must be received by VA on or before May 17, 2010.
Federal Register /Vol. 75, No. 52 /Thursday, March 18, 2010 / Proposed
Rules

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through
http://www.Regulations.gov;

by mail or hand delivery to
Director, Regulations Management (02REG),
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave., NW., Room 1068,
Washington, DC 20420

or by fax to (202) 273-9026.
(This is not a toll free number).

Comments should indicate that they are submitted in response to
”RIN 2900-AN24-Presumptions of Service
Connection for Persian Gulf Service.”

Copies of comments received will be available for public inspection in
the Office of Regulation Policy and Management, Room 1063B,
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except
holidays).
Please call (202) 461-4902 for an appointment. (This is not a toll free
number.)
In addition, during the comment period, comments may be viewed online
through the Federal Docket Management System at
http://www.Regulations.gov.

Politics

Sand Jam Is On Track and Ready to Rock And Roll May 30th Hotel Congress

March 22, 2010 Michael Brewer 8 Comments

Not unlike Steve Jobs and some of the dot.com inventors, Sand Jam started in a simple conversation with an Army veteran of Iraq named Rob Lavin. He quipped during a conversation about Nam Jam that, “the organizers should consider adding Sand Jam to the billing and we could all be together.” The ring of the name took hold and has moved forward with its own positive ions.

One of those reservoirs of positive energy, is the staff at Hotel Congress lead by Entertainment Manager David Slutes and his very able executive assistants and interns, Victoria and Alison. With Hotel Congress buying into the creation and launching of this event, it has an added level of credibility that should lead to its position as a permanent cultural event and gathering place in our evolving downtown for our nations veterans of modern warfare. A “Zocalo” if you will for our local vets. A place where they can find resources for their vocations and camaraderie for the soul.

Thank you Hotel Congress for being the Command Post and concert venue for a big, “Thank You To The Men and Women Of the Armed Forces.” What a perfect time to schedule the gathering, on Memorial Day weekend.

A special thank you is extended to the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #106, the creators of the trademarked “Nam Jam,” for providing an endorsement of the event and simultaneously lending their huge fund of knowledge about event management. The communication skills of Dennis St. Germaine and the organizational talents of Sarge Rodriguez are like having an event in a kit!

And last to thank, is Scotty Scotton, Army Corps of Engineers Veteran and founder of CARS4Vets. The creativity and boundless energy of Scotty is sort of the fuel for the whole program. I encourage you to come downtown on Memorial Day and discover what this man does for homeless veterans. It is most unique.

In my estimation the the Gates Foundation should know more about this incredibly compassionate man and his outreach to homeless veterans

So, here we go.

SAND JAM 2010 MAY 30TH/ TUCSON SALUTES VETERANS AND FAMILIES OF DESERT WARS

PLACE: HOTEL CONGRESS & THE HISTORIC TRAIN DEPOT/ DOWNTOWN TUCSON

TIME; 12PM – 8PM

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT- BEER GARDEN- CARS 4 VETS BEST IN SHOW COMPETITION- MONSTER TRUCK SHOW- CAR RAFFLE- MUSCLE CAR SHOW- LOW RIDER CAR SHOW- VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR- M*A*S*H TENT (MILITARY APPRECIATION SPA HOSPITALITY)- CARNIVAL GAMES-JUMPING CASTLE-TRAVELING VA MUSEUM- FAMILY FRIENDLY VENDORS-KIDS ACTIVITIES-FOOD VENDORS -TROLLEY RIDES- FREE RETREATS FOR COMBAT VETERANS AT MERRITT RETREAT CENTER.

BENEFITING VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA CHAPTER # 106 AND CARS 4 VETS

HOTEL CONGRESS -301 E. CONGRESS, TUCSON , ARIZONA 622-8848 www. HOTELCONGRESS.com

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

Standards For Mental Health Coverage In Emergency Rooms

March 22, 2010 Michael Brewer 4 Comments

Department of Veterans Affairs VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
Veterans Health Administration
Washington, DC 20420 February 22, 2010
STANDARDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH COVERAGE IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AND URGENT CARE CLINICS IN VHA FACILITIES
1. PURPOSE: This Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directive provides policy to ensure the provision of safe and secure mental health services during all hours of operation for Emergency Departments (EDs) and Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) in VHA.
2. BACKGROUND
a. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recognizes the importance of providing emergent and urgent mental health services to patients seeking or requiring acute psychiatric care in VHA EDs and UCCs. It is estimated that 50 percent of behavioral emergencies requiring acute intervention in hospitals occur in the ED and UCCs.
b. In the interest of safety for patients and staff, emergent and urgent psychiatric care needs to be routinely available in all VHA EDs and UCCs. Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) needs to be considered an integral part of ED and UCC services and be readily available to improve safety and expedite handling of these complex and potentially difficult cases. NOTE: The majority of patients who present to EDs and UCCs with mental health problems are not violent. Patients determined to present a danger to self or others need to receive priority treatment by the ED and UCC physician and the psychiatric consultative staff, with disposition accomplished as expediently as possible.
c. Facility police must be available when requested by the ED staff to provide standby assistance or intervention for the management of any patient who presents a danger to themselves or others, who is potentially violent, or who exhibits violent or agitated, unpredictable behavior.
d. ED staff and facility police must follow current VHA policy regarding the use of breathalyzers when addressing intoxicated Veterans who are attempting to leave the ED and UCC. Specific attention is to be paid to the assessment of level of intoxication, mode of transportation, and withdrawal risk.
e. Suicidality must be treated as a life-threatening condition and needs to take priority as in any other life-threatening condition. Patients presenting with suicidal ideation are to be placed on one-to-one observation by clinical staff and evaluated immediately. One-to-one observation needs to remain active up until the time the patient is no longer deemed a risk by the ED physician or psychiatric consultant, or until the patient is transferred to another appropriate setting. Patients who exhibit highly agitated, disorganized, aggressive, or violent behavior require one-to-one surveillance while in the ED. For patients who are discharged from the ED, referral for mental health assessment and follow-up appointment must be completed prior to discharge.
THIS VHA DIRECTIVE EXPIRES FEBRUARY 28, 2015
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
2
f. It is recognized that patients seeking or requiring treatment may be identified as being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This limits the ability of mental health staff to perform an appropriate evaluation.
(1) Care must be used to establish and promote a clinical relationship of trust and compassion providing for an opportunity to engage the patient in further clinical assessment and appropriate follow-up with clinical services.
(2) In the case of suspected overdose, the patient, if medically stable, must be referred for further mental health assessment and follow-up to include direct assessment of substance use behavior. The referral for mental health assessment and follow-up must be completed regardless of the perceived intent of the overdose (accidental or intentional).
g. Facilities may consider using metal detectors (magnetometers) to screen patients for weapons upon entering the ED and UCC. Metal detectors provide some, but not absolute, assurance of safety with respect to metal weapons. When metal detectors are used, they are to be used for all individuals entering the ED and UCC and are not to be used selectively for psychiatric patients. VA policy requires that two VA facility police officers be assigned to a magnetometer station for the safety of the officers and the public. NOTE: A protocol needs to be established for the management of patients screening positive when using a metal detector. Persons found to be in possession of weapons or other contraband during metal detector screening are subject to arrest and prosecution (see VA Directive and Handbook 0730, and successor documents which address specific requirements for the use of metal detectors).
h. Creating national standards for psychiatric ED and UCC space is a challenge considering the variations existing in size, age, and existing design of facilities. Still, a system cannot function well without a sense of the requirements for an ideal design that would foster smooth functioning and be acceptable to Veterans, their families, and staff. Space design needs to take into account control of opportunities to exit, and access of patients to potentially hazardous medical equipment and other environmental objects which may be used as weapons or for self injury.
i. The Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist from the VHA National Center for Patient Safety found at: http://vaww.ncps.med.va.gov/guidelines.html (This is an internal Web site and is not available to the public) provides guidance in designing space used for the evaluation of patients presenting to EDs and UCCs with psychiatric issues. New construction need to take into account the requirement to care for both male and female Veterans, as well as the need to provide separate restroom facilities for men and women. NOTE: Some facilities have introduced the concept of a Psychiatric Intervention Center within the ED and UCC specially designed to assess and meet the initial needs for care of those outpatient Veterans experiencing emotional, behavioral, or psychosocial problems.
j. It is recognized that the training, quantity and quality of staff and the policies guiding their functions can overcome many design barriers. Good design alone cannot compensate for administrative and staff deficiencies.
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
3
k. VHA has a computerized warning system available for patients who have been assessed to be at “high risk for violence.” The Patient Record Flag (PRF) system has been shown to dramatically reduce violence in the ED. PRFs are also used for patients at high risk for suicide (see current VHA policy on National Patient Record Flags).
l. Definitions
(1) Emergency Care. Emergency care is the resuscitative or stabilizing treatment needed for any acute medical or psychiatric illness or condition posing a threat of serious jeopardy to life, serious impairment of bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
(2) Emergency Department (ED). The ED provides resuscitative therapy and stabilization in life-threatening situations; it is staffed and equipped to provide initial evaluation, treatment, and disposition for a broad spectrum of illnesses, injuries, and psychiatric disorders, regardless of the level of severity. Emergency care is provided in a clearly defined area dedicated to this function, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7).
(3) Urgent Care. Urgent care is unscheduled ambulatory care for an acute medical or psychiatric illness or minor injuries for which there is a pressing need for treatment to prevent deterioration of the condition or impairment to possible recovery.
(4) Urgent Care Clinic (UCC). An UCC provides ambulatory medical and psychiatric care for patients without a scheduled appointment who are in need of immediate attention for an acute medical or psychiatric illness, or minor injuries. UCCs can exist in facilities with or without an ED. In either case, UCCs are not designed to provide the full spectrum of emergency medical care. Urgent Care is to be provided in a clearly-defined area dedicated to this function and according to defined hours.
(5) Waiting Area (Rooms). The waiting area is a room where patients and families can wait until they can be seen. It needs to be a sufficiently spacious room with seating arranged so that patients do not feel crowded. It must be organized so that staff may observe any disturbed behavior. This may include direct observation (preferred) or by video camera.
(6) Psychiatric Intervention Room. A psychiatric intervention room is a room where seriously disturbed, agitated, or intoxicated patients may be taken immediately on arrival. It provides an environment suitable for the rapid medical and psychiatric evaluation of dangerously unstable situations and the capacity to safely control them. When possible, it should be away from the waiting area and near the nursing station. While it is not a seclusion room, it should meet the standards for seclusion room construction outlined in the Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist (found at: http://vaww.ncps.med.va.gov/guidelines.html ) NOTE: This is an internal Web site and is not available to the public.). If possible, all VHA EDs and UCCs need to have one room meeting these requirements in the ED or UCC.
(7) Interview Rooms. Interview rooms are where space is provided so that a psychiatric interview can take place with privacy, comfort, and safety. Such rooms need to be arranged so
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
4
that assistance may be summoned rapidly if needed to deal with a dangerous situation; it needs to be equipped with a panic alarm system. They need to be large enough to accommodate at least three persons without feeling crowded. Interview rooms need to meet the standards for staff offices outlined in the Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist found at: http://vaww.ncps.med.va.gov/guidelines.html NOTE: This is an internal Web site and is not available to the public.
(8) Observation Rooms
(a) Observation rooms need to allow for patients to be observed for up to 23 hours and 59 minutes, contain a bed where a patient can sleep, and allow crisis stabilization and brief treatment to take place. Examples of appropriate patients for observation rooms include those with drug or alcohol intoxication; those found to be a potential suicide risk, where the precipitant needs to be clarified; and those suffering from an acute situational disturbance that time or brief intervention may remedy. NOTE: This room does not have to meet the requirements for a Psychiatric Intervention room.
(b) Some large facilities provide observation using a small unit adjacent to the ED staffed by nurses, social workers, and psychiatry staff. Other facilities provide this function by having a similar unit within the ED itself or by utilizing some of their regular unit beds to serve in this capacity when needed. When present, the observation area needs to meet the standards for patient rooms contained in the Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist (found at: http://vaww.ncps.med.va.gov/guidelines.html NOTE: This is an internal Web site and is not available to the public).
(9) One-to-One Observation. One-to-one surveillance is defined as the constant observation of the patient by staff. Any staff member has the ability to initiate one-to-one surveillance, but only the ED attending physician or the psychiatric consultant can discontinue it. While under one-to-one surveillance, the patient is not to be allowed to leave the room for smoking or snacks; any restroom visit requires an escort who can visually monitor the patient for suicidal behavior. Such restrictions on the Veteran’s freedom must be consistent with statutory and regulatory authority.
3. POLICY: It is VHA policy that EDs and UCCs have mental health coverage by an independent licensed mental health provider (i.e., a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse) during all hours of operation, either on-call or on-site; however, Level 1a facilities must provide ED-based on-site mental health coverage from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
4. ACTION
a. National Director for Emergency Medicine. The National Director for Emergency Medicine is responsible for providing national guidance to ensure a standardized approach for the provision of safe, quality care within VHA’s EDs and UCCs; this includes policy and directions for the delivery of safe and secure mental health services during all hours of operation.
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
5
b. Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Director. The VISN Director is responsible for ensuring that all EDs and UCCs within the VISN are providing mental health coverage during operational hours.
c. Facility Director. Each facility Director is responsible for:
(1) Determining the need for on-site or on-call coverage at the facility.
(2) Ensuring the presence of appropriate mental health staff in the ED and UCC areas:
(a) All VHA EDs and UCCs must have mental health coverage available during all hours of operation either on-site or on-call. This coverage is to be provided by an independent licensed mental health provider (i.e., a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse). Psychiatric residents or post-doctoral psychologists may also be used with appropriate supervision.
(b) For VHA complexity Level 1a facilities (those facilities that have higher utilization, higher-risk patients, specialized intensive care units, and research, educational, and clinical missions), mental health coverage must at a minimum be on-site (based in the ED) from
7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. At other times, it may be on-site or on-call. Mental health providers covering on-site from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. may participate in activities throughout the medical center; however, they must not undertake any medical center activities that would prevent them from coming immediately to the ED if called. Psychiatric residents and psychology postdoctoral fellows, where available, may provide ED coverage. If that coverage is on-site, the psychiatry or psychology supervising attending must also be present in the ED. Psychiatry resident or psychology fellows who are on call and respond to requests for ED consultation are expected to contact their supervising practitioners while the patient is still in the ED, in order to discuss the case and to develop and recommend a plan of management. For other facilities, coverage may be either on-site or on-call at all times.
(c) When a VHA ED has on-call coverage for mental health, this requires a telephone response within 20 minutes and the ability to implement on-site evaluations within a period of time to be established on a facility-by-facility basis. Psychiatric residents and psychology postdoctoral fellows, where available, may provide ED coverage; when on-call and responding to requests for ED consultation, they are expected to contact their supervising practitioners while the patient is still in the ED in order to discuss the case and to develop and recommend a plan of care management.
(d) All VHA facilities with EDs are required to have resources that allow for extended observation or evaluation for up to 23 hours and 59 minutes.
(3) Ensuring all ED and UCC staff including receptionists, nurses, nurse extenders, and physicians receive training in Suicide Prevention and Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB). NOTE: PMDB is VHA’s accepted training in verbal de-escalation, personal defense, and safety/ physical containment for managing disruptive and potentially violent patients.
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
6
(4) Ensuring refresher training in all aspects of PMDB and routine drills are available on an annual basis.
(5) Providing a safe and secure area where patients seeking or needing mental health services can be evaluated and observed.
(6) Ensuring VA medical center police are trained and available to provide standby assistance when requested by ED and UCC staff. Facility police are to be available when requested by the ED staff to provide standby assistance or intervention for the management of any patient who presents a danger to self or others, who is potentially violent, or who exhibits violent or agitated, unpredictable behavior. Patients who have been determined by clinical staff to be a threat (or danger) to themselves or others, are not to be allowed to voluntarily leave the ED or UCC until a discharge plan is in place. In these situations, facility police are to prevent their departure, consistent with applicable statutes, regulations, or departmental policies. Whenever this occurs, the facility police are to use the minimum amount of force determined necessary to control the situation.
(7) Determining that the level of mental health services provided by the ED and UCC is congruent with the capabilities, capacity and function of that facility.
(8) Ensuring appropriate employees receive training in recognizing and responding immediately to the presence of all PRFs.
(9) Ensuring mental health providers in the ED and UCC are equipped with reliable cell phones or pagers.
(10) Ensuring the advice of the VA General or Regional Counsel, and the local U.S. Attorney’s Office, is sought concerning the applicability of Federal, state, or local laws regarding weapon possession by a psychiatric patient. Such advice must become a part of the local facility’s established policy and procedures.
d. The Chief of Staff, the Nurse Executive, and the Mental Health Care Line Manager. The Chief of Staff, the Nurse Executive and the Mental Health Care Line Manager are responsible for:
(1) Providing sufficient support services to the ED and UCC to ensure necessary and appropriate care is consistently delivered in a timely fashion.
(2) Mandating on-site or on-call mental health coverage for ED and UCCs during their hours of operation by an independent licensed mental health provider (i.e., a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse) or appropriately supervised psychiatric residents or postdoctoral psychologists. If the ED and UCC are not open 24/7, the telephone system must direct patients to the nearest ED that is able to provide appropriate emergency mental health service, and to provide the National Suicide Hotline number,
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
7
1-800-273-8255. Similarly, patients who arrive at UCCs when they are closed must be directed by appropriate signage to an ED that will best serve their needs; this signage is to include the National Suicide Hotline number.
(3) Ensuring that patients presenting with acute psychiatric emergencies, such as severe agitation, active psychosis, suicidal, or homicidal ideation receive priority treatment by the ED and UCC physician and the psychiatric consultative staff. This disposition must be accomplished as expediently as possible. If the patient with suicidal or homicidal ideation becomes highly agitated, assaultive, or attempts to leave and staff intervention is unable to stabilize the situation, the VA medical center police must be summoned to intervene, using only the minimum amount of force determined necessary to control the situation.
e. Facility Chief of Police. The facility Chief of Police is responsible for ensuring that:
(1) Local VA police standard operating procedures include legal guidance from the VA Regional Counsel and the United States Attorney’s Office regarding the handling of appropriately committed patients. Such guidance needs to address state commitment laws and define when the movement of committed patients may be restricted.
(2) VA police officers receive recurring in-service training on topics directly relating to dealing with psychiatric patients. Patients who have been determined by clinical staff to be a threat (or danger) to themselves or others are not allowed to voluntarily leave the ED or UCC until a discharge plan is in place. In these situations, VA police must prevent their departure, consistent with applicable statutes, regulations or departmental policies. Whenever this occurs, VA police are to use the minimum amount of force determined necessary to control the situation.
f. ED and UCC Directors and Managers. ED and UCC Directors and Managers are responsible for ensuring that:
(1) Staff has received requisite training in the initial evaluation, treatment, and stabilization of acute emergent and urgent psychiatric patients.
(2) A physician is physically present in the department 24/7 if the facility has an ED, and on-site during hours of operation of the UCC.
(3) All patients presenting to the ED and UCC are screened at some point during the visit for suicide and homicide risk. Patients recognized on screening as being at-risk for suicide or homicide or who exhibit disruptive, aggressive, or violent behavior require one-to-one observation while in the ED and UCC until the time they are no longer deemed a risk by the ED and UCC attending physician or a psychiatric consultant. Immediate treatment of life-threatening conditions always take precedence over this screening process.
(4) All patients admitted to the ED have appropriate physical and laboratory examinations to diagnose medical conditions that could be responsible for their psychiatric condition. As part of that diagnostic process, patients are asked to wear a hospital gown or pajamas and an inventory of their belongings must be carried out by clinical or nursing staff. These items must be safely
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
8
placed in a bag, separated from the patient. If during this process, weapons or contraband are discovered, facility police must be notified. NOTE: The question of whether a weapon found in the possession of a psychiatric patient can be returned to that patient is subject to Federal and state laws (see subpar. 4c(10)).
(5) A policy is in place for appropriate transfer of the patient after stabilization to a facility that can provide a higher level of care, or provide an involuntary admission if it is deemed necessary and not available at the VHA facility. Transfers need to comply with applicable provisions of Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, § 489.24 that implement the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). NOTE: While not technically subject to EMTALA and the regulations implementing the Act issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), VHA complies with the intent of EMTALA requirements regarding the transfer of acute patients among health care facilities.
(6) Patients who are or who appear to be intoxicated as evidenced by a breath or blood alcohol level greater than the legal limit (typically .08) or who are manifesting behavioral signs of intoxication and who indicate any verbal or non-verbal intent to operate a motor vehicle are encouraged, or assisted in making other arrangements for transportation. These patients may also remain at the facility for an extended period of time until additional follow-up indicates that the patient is no longer showing signs of intoxication. Should a patient elect to leave the ED or UCC, this patient must be informed, in the presence of a witness, of safety concerns and advised not to operate a motor vehicle, and informed that the facility police will be contacted due to concerns for public safety. This information must be documented in the medical record.
NOTE: For local procedures for notification of VA police in such situation see subparagraphs 4c(10) and 4e(1) and (2).
(7) In those patients for whom there is a reasonable likelihood that the presenting complaint may be related to a substance abuse problem, ED and UCC staff are to appropriately screen for alcohol, drug abuse, and dependence. Specifically, screening would be indicated in patients presenting with reported suicidal ideation and among trauma patients given the likelihood of increased risk and co-occurrence evident with these two patient populations. In all cases where there is reasonable likelihood to suspect that a patient may have a substance use disorder, referral for further evaluation and treatment, if appropriate, must be completed. Veterans who are at risk for withdrawal from a substance are to be referred for withdrawal management to a designated bed section as determined by local medical center policy.
(8) The facility Suicide Prevention Coordinator is informed of any patient presenting to the ED with suicidal ideation.
VHA DIRECTIVE 2009-008
February 22, 2010
9
(9) For patients who are discharged from the ED, referral for mental health assessment and follow-up appointment is completed prior to discharge.
(10) Transfer agreements are developed in advance with local and regional health care partners.
5. REFERENCES
a. Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist, VHA National Center for Patient Safety, Department of Veterans Affairs, Version 4-21-2008.
b. VHA Handbook 1160.01.
c. Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and Management Memorandum on Mental Health Care in VHA Emergency Departments, dated July 2008.
d. 2008 Joint Commission Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals (CAMH), The Joint Commission.
6. FOLLOW-UP RESPONSIBILITY: The Office of Patient Care Services (11), Medical-Surgical Services (111) is responsible for the contents of this Directive. Questions may be referred to the National Director for Emergency Medicine at (202) 461-7120.
7. RESCISSIONS: None. This VHA Directive expires February 28, 2015.
Robert A. Petzel, M.D.
Under Secretary for Health
DISTRIBUTION:
E-mailed to the VHA Publications Distribution List 2/23/2010

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

Veterans Administration Legislative Report

March 21, 2010 Michael Brewer Leave a comment

The following is for your information and distribution to your members. The following Legislative Report was compiled 18 March 2010.

Of the 4841 House and 3099 Senate pieces of legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to date, the following are of interest to the non-active duty veteran community. Bill titles in green (if any) are new additions to this summary, titles in orange have either passed either the House or Senate and been passed to the other for consideration or been incorporated into another bill, and those highlighted in blue have become public law. A good indication on the likelihood a bill of being forwarded to the House or Senate for passage and subsequently being signed into law by the President is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. An alternate way for it to become law is if it is added as an addendum to another bill such as the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and survives the conference committee assigned to iron out the difference between the House and Senate bills. At http://thomas.loc.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s text, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, who your representative is and his/her phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it. To separately determine what bills, amendments your representative has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d111/sponlst.html. To review a numerical list of all bills introduced refer to http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/111search.html. The key to increasing cosponsorship is letting legislators know of their constituent’s views on issues. Those bills that include a website in red are being pushed by various veterans groups for passage and by clicking on that website you can forward a preformatted message to your legislator requesting he/she support the bill.

H.R.32 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.315

Sponsor: Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] (intro 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (41)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/28/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Provisions of measure incorporated into H.R. 3949 .

H.R.82 : Veterans Outreach Improvement Act of 2009 to expand retroactive eligibility of the Army Combat Action Badge to include members of the Army who participated in combat during which they personally engaged, or were personally engaged by, the enemy at any time on or after December 7, 1941.

Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (18)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.161 : Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 1993 increase in taxes on Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.162 : Senior Citizens’ Tax Elimination Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the inclusion in gross income of Social Security benefits.

Sponsor: Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.333 : Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated less than 50 percent to receive concurrent payment of both retired pay and veterans’ disability compensation, to eliminate the phase-in period for concurrent receipt, to extend eligibility for concurrent receipt to chapter 61 disability retirees with less than 20 years of service, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (124) Committees: House Armed Services; House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12406456&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] and http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12888756

H.R.593 : CRSC for DoD Disability Severances Pay. To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the authorized concurrent receipt of disability severance pay from the Department of Defense and compensation for the same disability under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to cover all veterans who have a combat-related disability, as defined under section 1413a of such title.

Sponsor: Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (44)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/6/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12918951&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.775 : Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan to offset the receipt of veterans dependency and indemnity compensation.

Sponsor: Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] (introduced 1/28/2009) Cosponsors (324) Companion Bill S.535

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 2/17/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via or http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12541746

S.535 : SBP DIC Offset Elimination. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan by veterans’ dependency and indemnity compensation, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.775.

Sponsor: Sen Nelson, Bill [FL] (introduced 3/5/2009) Cosponsors (55)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/5/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senator send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=14275496&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.2243 : Surviving Spouses Benefit Improvement Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (74)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/8/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13303636&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id

S.1118 : DIC Compensation Rate Increase to 55%. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Lincoln, Blanche L. [AR] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (3)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

H.R.208 : National Guardsmen and Reservists Parity for Patriots Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to ensure that members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who have served on active duty or performed active service since September 11, 2001, in support of a contingency operation or in other emergency situations receive credit for such service in determining eligibility for early receipt of non-regular service retired pay, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.644.

Sponsor: Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (123)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/vfw/dbq/officials and /or http://capwiz.com/ngaus/mail/compose/?mailid=13672261&azip=92571&bzip=7311

S.644 : National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Sponsor: Sen Chambliss, Saxby [GA] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (13) Companion Bill H.R.208 Related Bill S.831

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via http://capwiz.com/ncoausa/issues/alert/?alertid=12995086&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id] or http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/bills/?bill=12960556

S.831 : National Guard and Reserve Retired Pay Equity Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to include service after September 11, 2001, as service qualifying for the determination of a reduced eligibility age for receipt of non-regular service retired pay.

Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] (introduced 4/20/2009) Cosponsors (27) Related Bill S.644

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

To support this bill and/or contact your Senators send a message via www.ngaus.org/content.asp?bid=1805

H.R.433 : Ready Employers Willing to Assist Reservists’ Deployment (REWARD) Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax equal to 50 percent of the compensation paid to employees while they are performing active duty service as members of the Ready Reserve or the National Guard and of the compensation paid to temporary replacement employees.

Sponsor: Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] (introduced 1/9/2009) Cosponsors (40)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 1/9/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.466 : Wounded Veteran Job Security Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination and acts of reprisal against persons who receive treatment for illnesses, injuries, and disabilities incurred in or aggravated by service in the uniformed services.

Sponsor: Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] (introduced 1/13/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/9/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1089 : Veterans Employment Rights to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the enforcement through the Office of Special Counsel of the employment and unemployment rights of veterans and members of the Armed Forces employed by Federal executive agencies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/13/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1647 : Veterans’ Employment Transition Support Act of 2009 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax for hiring veterans.

Sponsor: Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Ways and Means

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R.293 : Homeless Women Veteran and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration Grant Program Act of 2009 to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Labor to carry out a grant program to provide reintegration services through programs and facilities that emphasize services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children.

Sponsor: Rep Buyer, Steve [IN-4] (introduced 1/8/2009) Cosponsors (14)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

S.1237 : Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs to include male homeless veterans with minor dependents and to establish a grant program for reintegration of homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 6/11/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 1/28/2010 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Date of scheduled consideration. SR-418. 9:30 a.m.

H.R.1211 : Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill S.597

Sponsor: Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (51)

House Reports: 111-165 Latest Major Action: 6/24/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12833716&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

H.R.2583 : Women Veterans Access to Care Act to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to improve health care for women veterans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] (introduced 5/21/2009) Cosponsors (8)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

S.597 : Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand and improve health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Companion Bill H.R.1211

Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 3/16/2009) Cosponsors (20)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/16/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1232 : Far South Texas Veterans Medical Center Act of 2009 to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct a full service hospital in Far South Texas.

Sponsor: Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

S.699 : South Texas Veterans’ Hospital. A bill to provide for the construction by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of a full service hospital in Far South Texas.

Sponsor: Sen Cornyn, John [TX] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/25/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1428 : VA Parkinson’s Disease Compensation. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson’s disease.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 3/11/2009) Cosponsors (82)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/13/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=12986021&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.1752 : Parkinson’s Disease VA Compensation. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain veterans with Parkinson’s disease.

Sponsor: Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] (introduced 10/5/2009) Cosponsors (1)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

H.R.2254 : The Agent Orange Equity Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.

Sponsor: Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] (introduced 5/5/2009) Cosponsors (249)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 5/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

To support this bill and/or contact your legislators send a message via http://capwiz.com/usdr/issues/alert/?alertid=13301656&queueid=[capwiz:queue_id]

S.1939 : Vet Presumptive Exposure in Vietnam. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 10/27/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/27/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.2926 : VA Special Care for Vietnam-era & Persian Gulf War Vets Exposed to Herbicides. To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide, without expiration, hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care for certain Vietnam-era veterans exposed to herbicide and veterans of the Persian Gulf War.

Sponsor: Rep Nye, Glenn C., III [VA-2] (introduced 6/17/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Latest Major Action: 7/9/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

H.R.3491 : Thomas G. Schubert Agent Orange Fairness Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service connection for certain cancers occurring in veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam and were exposed to certain herbicide agents, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] (introduced 7/31/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 9/11/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

H.R.177 : Depleted Uranium Screening and Testing Act to provide for identification of members of the Armed Forces exposed during military service to depleted uranium, to provide for health testing of such members, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsors (None)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 1/30/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.2419 : Military Personnel War Zone Toxic Exposure Prevention Act to require the Secretary of Defense to establish a medical surveillance system to identify members of the Armed Forces exposed to chemical hazards resulting from the disposal of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan, to prohibit the disposal of waste by the Armed Forces in a manner that would produce dangerous levels of toxins, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] (introduced 5/14/2009) Cosponsors (23)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 6/8/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Readiness.

S.642 : Health Care for Members of the Armed Forces Exposed to Chemical Hazards Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to establish registries of members and former members of the Armed Forces exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed to such hazards, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 3/19/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1779 : Health Care for Veterans Exposed to Chemical Hazards Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide health care to veterans exposed in the line of duty to occupational and environmental health chemical hazards, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Bayh, Evan [IN] (introduced 10/14/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

S.1518 : Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.

Sponsor: Sen Burr, Richard [NC] (introduced 7/27/2009) Cosponsors (15)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.

H.R.568 : Veterans Health Care Quality Improvement Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the quality of care provided to veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, to encourage highly qualified doctors to serve in hard-to-fill positions in such medical facilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] (introduced 1/15/2009) Cosponsors (4)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs; House Oversight and Government Reform

Latest Major Action: 1/15/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R.952 : Compensation Owed for Mental Health Based on Activities in Theater Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of “combat with the enemy” for purposes of service-connection of disabilities.

Sponsor: Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] (introduced 2/10/2009) Cosponsors (94)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 6/10/2009 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

S.1452 : COMBAT PTSD Act. A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of “combat with the enemy” for purposes of service-connection of disabilities.

Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 7/14/2009) Cosponsors (5)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 7/14/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1544 : Veterans Mental Health Accessibility Act to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for unlimited eligibility for health care for mental illnesses for veterans of combat service during certain periods of hostilities and war.

Sponsor: Rep Driehaus, Steve [OH-1] (introduced 3/17/2009) Cosponsors (7)

Committees: House Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 3/17/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

H.R.1701 : PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review For Heroes Act to amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a special review board for certain former members of the Armed Forces with post-traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] (introduced 3/25/2009) Cosponsors (11)

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 4/27/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

H.R.4051 : Cold War Service Medal Act of 2009 to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] (introduced 11/6/2009) Cosponsors (26) Related bill: S.2743

Committees: House Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 11/18/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

S.2743 : Cold War Service Medal Act of 2009. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the award of a military service medal to members of the Armed Forces who served honorably during the Cold War, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] (introduced 11/5/2009) Cosponsors (6) Related bill: H.R.4051

Committees: Senate Armed Services

Latest Major Action: 11/5/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

S.1556 : Veteran Voting Support Act of 2009. A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] (introduced 8/3/2009) Cosponsors (6)

Committees: Senate Veterans’ Affairs

Latest Major Action: 10/21/2009 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Hearings held.
God Bless
Jose M. Garcia
National Executive Director
Catholic War Veterans,USA
josegarcia4@sbcglobal.net
Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot.
In God We Trust

Politics, Veteran Legislative Update

The Pledge of Allegiance and the Ninth U.S Circuit Court

March 15, 2010 Michael Brewer 10 Comments

Our readers can be certain that one of our loyal commenters, “leftfield” will have some editorial from the bush on this one. It will be difficult to vilify the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court for being too liberal. But then the last time I looked, God is pretty liberal in the care and love for the people under that Flag.

Knights of Columbus wins Pledge of Allegiance case in Federal Appeals Court

Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds constitutionality of “under God” in Pledge

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) — The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that he words “one nation under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance “do not violate the Establishment Clause” of the First Amendment to the Constitution.

The Knights of Columbus led the campaign to add the words “under God” to the Pledge in the early 1950s, and the trial court agreed to allow the Knights of Columbus to join the present case as defendants when it was originally filed in 2005.

“This decision is a victory for common sense,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said. “It is also a welcome reversal of the Ninth Circuit’s 2002 decision in a similar case that was ultimately thrown out by the Supreme Court on technical grounds. Today, the Court got it absolutely right: recitation of the Pledge is a patriotic exercise, not a religious prayer. Best of all, the Court said that the words ‘under God’ add a ‘note of importance which a Pledge to our Nation ought to have and which in our culture ceremonial references to God arouse.’Every reasonable person knows that, and today’s decision is a breath of fresh air from a court system that has too often seemed to be almost allergic to public references to God. This is a very good day for America,” Anderson concluded.

In today’s ruling, the Court noted that, “Among the ‘self-evident truths’ the Framers believed was the concept that all people are entitled to certain inalienable rights given to them by the ‘Laws of Nature and Nature’s God’ and that the purpose of government should be to “secure those rights.'” Such beliefs provide the context in which the words of the Pledge must be understood, the Court said.

The Knights of Columbus and several individual Knights and their families were defendant-intervenors in the case, and the court’s 2-1 decision incorporates many of the arguments presented to the Court by The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty a public interest law firm that represented the Knights in the case. Oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit panel had been heard in December 2007. Other defendants in the case included the United States government and a Sacramento-area school district.

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

Veterans Employment Status for Arizona

March 13, 2010 Michael Brewer Leave a comment

Media Advisory
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics March 12, 2010
San Francisco

BLS NEWS RELEASE: Veteran’s Employment Status for Arizona- 2009

BLS released employment figures on veterans for the State of Arizona in 2009.

Highlights:

· The civilian, non-institutional veteran population in Arizona was 525,000 in 2009.

· Of those veterans, roughly 266,000 or 50.6-percent were employed in 2009.

· In 2009, the unemployment rate for veterans in Arizona stood at 6.7-percent.

· Nationally, the veteran unemployment rate was 8.1-percent in 2009.

· On average, veterans in Arizona had lower unemployment rates than the general population in Arizona.

For questions or media interviews, please contact BLS staff at 415-625-2270 and select option ‘1’.

Amar Mann
Regional Economist – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mann.amar@bls.gov
415-625-2270

—— End of Forwarded Message

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

Veterans Affairs Committee Update

March 11, 2010 Michael Brewer 2 Comments

I apologize for shoving these press releases in front of all of our readers, but I do believe that the mission statement of this Blog, which is advocacy, must include the most current information I can find about the machinations of the Veterans Administration. That information frequently trumps my opinions. Rest assured there are many opinions in the wings. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” is waiting to come to center stage this weekend.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 12, 2010

AKAKA AND MAJORITY OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS SUPPORT OBAMA BUDGET FOR VETERANS, URGE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) was joined by a majority of Committee members in recommending a $380 million increase in discretionary funding above the President’s VA budget proposal. This recommendation came in the Committee’s views and estimates letter on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget for veterans’ programs, submitted to the Senate Budget Committee Friday.

“We can never forget that caring for veterans is a cost of war, and must be treated as such,” said Chairman Akaka. “I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Administration to build on the President’s strong VA budget proposal. Our recommendations are for stronger funding to help disabled veterans train for new careers, provide support to family caregivers, and invest in medical and prosthetic research.”

Chairman Akaka was joined in signing the letter by the following Committee members: Senators John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mark Begich (D-AK), Roland W. Burris (D-IL), and Arlen Specter (D-PA).

Akaka and co-signers recommended the following additional discretionary investments for veterans programs:

Upgrading an Aging Hospital Infrastructure: $235 million for VA construction;
Supporting Family Caregivers: $57 million for a new program to support family caregivers, tied to Akaka’s effort to establish a permanent caregivers support program;
Helping Disabled Veterans Train for new Employment: $20.5 million for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment;
Improving Technology: $30 million for Information Technology;
Investing for the Future: $25.5 million for VA Research; and
Strengthening Oversight within VA: $12 million for the Office of Inspector General

Akaka and co-signers also recommended that the budget provide mandatory funding to avoid imposing a Cost-of-Living Adjustment round-down in the coming fiscal year and to support a reasonable increase in the Specially Adapted Housing Grant programs which make it possible for severely disabled veterans to live more independently in residential housing.

Views and estimates are a formal part of the federal budget process, in which Congressional committees recommend funding levels for programs and activities under their legislative jurisdiction. (For the Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s jurisdiction, click here.) The House and Senate Budget Committees review these recommendations when formulating the proposed Budget Resolution for the following fiscal year.
The President proposed to increase VA’s budget by nearly $11 billion for the next fiscal year. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki testified before the Senate last week that this budget will improve the Department’s ability to transform VA into a 21^st Century organization and ensure veterans timely access to care and benefits. (To view that hearing, click here.)

The full views and estimates document can be viewed here: LINK.

Politics

Veterans Affairs Secretary Urges Higher Education for Veterans

March 10, 2010 Michael Brewer 2 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ozzie Garza
March 9, 2010 (204) 505-4315

Veterans Affairs Secretary Urges Higher Education for Veterans

PHOENIX – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today told the American Council on Education that VA’s goal is to open the door to higher education to as many Veterans and servicemembers as possible.

The Secretary, a member of President Obama’s Cabinet, stressed that education has always been the catalyst for this country’s national growth and professional achievement. Speaking to university presidents, chancellors and educators, Shinseki told the group that the Post-9/11 GI Bill is a tremendous investment in the future of the country. He said the achievement of our ‘greatest generation’ is poised to repeat itself in the latest generation of Veterans who are putting the Post-9/11 GI Bill to use.

VA finished the fall semester with 173,000 Veterans in classrooms at 6,500 colleges and universities nationwide. Last month VA began sending checks to an estimated 180,000 Veterans enrolled in school at that point. To date, VA has received over 255,000 spring enrollment certifications for over 192,000 Veterans, and has already paid 96 percent of these Veterans. In Arizona, there were 33,986 students enrolled in education programs in Fiscal Year 2009.

To help address the high volume of claims received for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA has hired an additional 530 employees, bringing the total number of education claims processors to 1,200. Shinseki emphasized the shared responsibility of VA, colleges and universities, communities and student Veterans to ensure the success of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. VA is reaching out to student Veterans, administrators, state education officials, and members of Congress about the Department’s efforts to implement this historic program.

Veterans, servicemembers, reservists, and members of the National Guard who served on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, are potentially eligible for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides payments for tuition and fees, as well as a housing allowance and stipend for books and supplies.

Information about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as VA’s other educational benefit programs, is available at VA’s Web site, www.gibill.va.gov <http://www.gibill.va.gov/> , or by calling 1-888-GIBILL-1 (or 1-888-442-4551).

Jessica Jacobsen, APR
Deputy Director
Dallas Regional Office of Public Affairs *
Department of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 817-385-3720
Cell: 214-649-8380
*Dallas Region includes: AR, AZ, LA, MS, NM, OK, TX

Veteran Veritas

Monthly Archives: March 2010

Dr.Michael Austin And Bowen Treatment for Veterans With Pain Management Issues

What is Bowen Therapy

Conditions that are improved with Bowen Therapy

History

Cleansing Reactions

Suggestions after Bowen therapy

Sore Losers Or Lousy Choosers

VA Recognizes "Presumptive" Illness In Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans

Sand Jam Is On Track and Ready to Rock And Roll May 30th Hotel Congress

Standards For Mental Health Coverage In Emergency Rooms

Veterans Administration Legislative Report

The Pledge of Allegiance and the Ninth U.S Circuit Court

Knights of Columbus wins Pledge of Allegiance case in Federal Appeals Court

Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds constitutionality of “under God” in Pledge

Veterans Employment Status for Arizona

Veterans Affairs Committee Update

Veterans Affairs Secretary Urges Higher Education for Veterans

Hang out for combat veterans and families.