Dear Gary,
Hi Eileen;
Is he receiving compensation right now?
Give him a Welcome Home and tell him and you know that we have a great group of Quarter Cav Troopers who have his back covered and yours also.
Date of birth: 15-Oct-46
Awards and Citations
This week we have received two photos from the collection of John Hughes, B Troop, 67-68
Bill,
The other picture was taken by Michael P. Alongi Jr. He gave it to me before he was killed.
It's a M48 that hit a mine in the middle of a dry rice pattie. That's me trying to get it
out of the mud.
John Hughes
Below are the names of the troopers who have already signed up or plan on attending. I will update this
list weekly and post it on the Weekly Newsletter. Jim Skillings was making out his reseveration when he received news that he is scheduled for surgery and won't be able to attend. BB
Davidson, Ronald
A Troop, 1/4th Cav
Friday, Jerry
B Troop, 1/4th cav
Kramer, Jeff C Troop, 1/4th Cav
Baker, Daniel D Troop (Air)
Smith, James
4th Cav Regiment
Paul Miller
Other 4th Cavalry Troopers
Baker, Ralph
Please let me know subato so we can get you married up with each other. (No pun intended). BB
To many times a MOPH National Service Officer (NSO) has heard these words from a surviving spouse. When the NSO explains that this is not true, the response is that Aunt Bertha got Uncle Joe’s money, why can’t she get her husband’s? When the truth is finally realized, that there will be no money, despair sets in.
The question still remains: To which VA benefits is the surviving spouse entitled when the veteran dies? Before that is answered, one point must be made. Any VA benefit payable can be apid to the wifow or widower or even a minor or school child. VA does not differentiate between male or femail. But, VA does not recognize same-sex marriages.
There are two types of death benefits to which the surviving spouse may be entitled. The first is Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). The second is Death Pension. The former is based upon death being related to military service, and income is not a factor. The latter requires the veteran to have had wartime service, in this situation, income is a deciding factor.
For a survivor to be eligible for DIC, the veteran’s death must have resulted from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active duty. The death certificate issued by the veteran’s physician is the key. It will list the cause of death and any contributing factors. The VA will look closely at that as well as hospital and doctor reports when making its decision.
DIC may also bepayable to the survivors of veterans who were torally disabled due to service-connected conditions at the time of death. The cause of death does not have to be related to service. The qualifier is that the veteran was:
Continuously rated totally disabled for a period of at least 10 years immediately preceding death; or
The current entitlement for a surviving spouse is $1,154.00 monthly. There are additional add-ons ranging from $135.00 to $286.00, depending on the spouse’s health, dependent children and length of marriage.
The other benefit is Death Pension. It is a minimal benefit that is dependent upon the surviving spouse’s income and the veteran having had war-time service. A surviving spouse with no income is entitled to $7,933.00 annually. Unfortunately, this payment is reduced by income from sources such as Social Security. However, paid unreimbursed medical expenses can be used to reduce income similar to the reduction of income for income tax. This inicome limit may be raised if the claimant is disabled or in a nursing facility. There are provisions for dependent children. Because of the complexity of these programs, a claim for either of these benefits shuld be made with the assistance of a National Service Officer.
You often hear that you should have our will, a living will, and healthcare power of attorney. One more task should be added to that list; a review of your VA benefits with a National service Officer. This individual is a trained professional who recognizes the importance and the impact of VA benefits on one’s quality of life. The NSO appreciates the merit of preparation and is willing to spend time to ensure that you are fully informed of your benefits. The review will include the status of your current benefits, to determine if they are additional ones to which you may be entitled, and also what you may be entitled to should you become more seriously disabled. It should also include your spouse, so that he/she will know what benefits are available when you pass. This information should also be given to your adult children.
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. But this knowledge will prevent a great deal of anguish at a time when there is enough sorrow.
I found the following Photo on the back of the latest BRO "Duty First" Magazine.
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Thanks to Smokey for this forward. BB
75 year old rides motorcycle from NY to Oregon.
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Heres somethign you'll really enjoy from Dan Thompson.BB
Now this is a great Parking Garage. I would like to see more of them around the various downtowns versus those ugly things sticking up out of the ground.
Click below and turn on sound.
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Just when we think we know everything, Gary Chenett comes up with 33 things most
I never knew this????
1. Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.
2. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp
(marijuana) paper.
3. The dot over the letter i is called a 'tittle'.
4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will
bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.
5.Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller.
6. 40% of Mc Donald 's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.
7. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.
8. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor, who had red
eyes. He was albino.
9. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong
parents, daily.
10. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister.
11. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a
few ounces will kill a small-sized dog.
12. Orcas (killer whales) kill sharks by torpedoing up
into the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.
13. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
14. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he
doesn't wear pants.
15. Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine.
16. Upper and lower-case letters are named 'upper' and
'lower' because in the time when all original print had to be set in
individual letters, the 'upper case' letters were stored in the case on top of the case that stored the smaller, 'lower case' letters.
17. Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw
with the other at the same time, hence, multi-tasking was invented.
18. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during
World War II were made of wood.
19. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.
20. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan;
there was never a recorded Wendy before!
21. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with:
orange, purple, or silver!
22. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him
10 years to paint Mona Lisa's lips.
23. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it
instantly go mad and sting itself to death.
24. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original
'Halloween' was a Captain Kirk's mask painted white.
25. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four
pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
26. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back,
you can't sink in quicksand. (and you thought this list was
completely useless)
27. The phrase 'rule of thumb' is derived from an old
English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with
anything wider than your thumb.
28. The first product Motorola started to develop was a
record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
29. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories
to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's
the same with apples.
30. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
31. The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.
32. "Guinness Book of Records" holds the record for being
the book most often stolen from public Libraries.
33. Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go
into space because passing wind in a space suit damages it.
U.S. Savings Bonds Update: ********************************************************************
Researching Your Doctor: Want to know if your doctor has been accused of wrongdoing by state regulators? Has he settled a string of malpractice cases? Been convicted of a recent felony? Been ordered by a court to pay up for malpractice? Ask you state's Medical board. In California all of that – and more – is available at www.sacbee.com/2010/06/18/2833341/database-search-md-discipline.html , the website of the Medical Board of California, a state agency funded by largely by the fees doctors pay when they renew their licenses to practice. While consumer advocates and others who watch the medical board closely say it should move more quickly and reveal more, they say it's still a good starting point for patients and their families. "It's very useful" for people choosing a doctor, said Julie D'Angelo Fellmeth, an attorney with the Center for Public Interest Law in San Diego. "You have to be an assertive patient," she said. "You are putting the health and lives of your family in their hands. It doesn't hurt to invest five minutes in checking this person out in all of the places that you can."
Every case is different, but things that can cost a doctor his or her license to practice include sexual misconduct, mental or physical illness, substance abuse and insurance fraud, said board executive Whitney. Things that more commonly result in lesser penalties include record-keeping problems and some ethical issues, she said. The California Medical Association wishes the medical board would not release its formal accusations, and instead make records public only when it takes final action against a doctor, said Dr. Dev GnanaDev, the association's immediate past president. Other than that, he said, the association and the board agree on most issues. "The medical board is there for public protection. We all know that," GnanaDev said. ********************************************************************
Sure would have been nice to get this information a little sooner. bb ********************************************************************
Flag Presentation Update:
Heres one from Jeff Kramer to get us started this week. BB
An American tourist asks an Irishman:
To which the Irishman replies: ********************************************************************
This one comes in from Fred Currier BB
********************************************************************
Thanks to Smokey for this one. BB
After an hour of fishing, the following conversation took place:
First guy: You have no idea what I had to do to be able to come out fishing this weekend. I had to promise my wife that I would paint every room in the house next weekend..'
Second guy: That is nothing, I had to promise my wife that I would build her a new deck for the pool.'
Third guy: Man , you both have it easy! I had to promise my wife that I would remodel the kitchen for her.'
They continue to fish. When they realized that the fourth guy has not said a word, they asked him, “You haven't said anything about what you had to do to be able to come fishing this weekend. What's the deal?”
Fourth guy: I just set my alarm for 5:30 am.
'Fishing or Sex?'
And she said:…………….. 'Wear sun-block.'
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Heres a good one from Rob Ferguson. BB
Ernesto's Report
At dawn the telephone rings . . .
"Hello, Senor Rod?" This is Ernesto, the caretaker at your country house."
"Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?"
"Um, I am just calling to advise you, Senor Rod, that your parrot -he is dead."
"My parrot? Dead? The one that won the International competition?"
"Si, Senor, that's the one."
"Damn! That's a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?"
"From eating the rotten meat, Senor Rod."
"Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?"
"Nobody, Senor. He ate the meat of the dead horse."
"Dead horse? What dead horse?"
"The thoroughbred, Senor Rod."
"My prize thoroughbred is dead?"
"Yes, Senor Rod, he died from all that work pulling the water cart."
"Are you insane?? What water cart?"
"The one we used to put out the fire, Senor."
"Good Lord!! What fire are you talking about, man??"
"The one that destroyed your house, Senor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire."
"What the hell?? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle??!!"
"Yes, Senor Rod."
"But there's electricity at the house!! What was the candle for?"
"For the funeral, Senor Rod."
"WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL??!!"
"Your wife's, Senor Rod. She showed up very late one night and I thought she was a thief,
SILENCE........... LONG SILENCE.........
"Ernesto, if you broke that driver, you're in deep shit!!"
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Danny Horn says its time for a congressional joke. Uh, yes, it's definately non-partison. BB
A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a
remote mountainous pasture in Montana when suddenly a
brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust.
The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the
cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?"
Bud looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why
not?"
The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a
NASApage on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact
fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.
The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe
Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility inHamburg , Germany .
Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.
Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report
on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."
"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of the calves," says Bud.
He watches the young man select one of the animals
and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.
Then Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can
tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"
The young man thinks about it for a second and then
says, "Okay, why not?"
"You're a Member of congress for the U.S.
Government", says Bud.
"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie,
"but how did you guess that?"
"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even
though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew,
to a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment
trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a
thing about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that
matter. This is a herd of sheep. ...
Now give me back my dog.
********************************************************************
Here's Howard Greenfield's submission for the week.BB
How to correctly hold on in a moving train
No, No……..the older guy by the door…
by: Edmund Hayes, MD
NIH Scientists Advance Universal Flu Vaccine
The research, led by NIAID scientist Gary J. Nabel, M.D., Ph.D., appears online ahead of print July 15 in Science Express.
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Beware The Smell Of Bitter Almonds – Why Do Many Food Plants Contain Cyanide?
In murder mysteries, the detective usually diagnoses cyanide poisoning by the scent of bitter almonds wafting from the corpse. The detective knows what many of us might find surprising — that the deadly poison cyanide is naturally present in bitter almonds and many other plants used as food, including apples, peaches, apricots, lima beans, barley, sorghum, flaxseed and bamboo shoots.
There’s a reason that cyanide exists in all these plants, and it is — to paraphrase Sherlock Holmes — evolutionary, suggests Kenneth M. Olsen, PhD, an assistant professor of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.
Olsen, who studies white clover, cassava and other plants that produce cyanide, says the plants have an ingenious poison delivery system, one that evolution has designed to discourage herbivores from feasting on them.
Due to proper food processing techniques and strict regulations, cyanide-wielding plants pose little threat to the American food supply. But, in Africa, where cassava root has become a major part of subsistence diets, many poor people suffer from a chronic form of cyanide poisoning known as konzo
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Disappearing Needles: Vaccine-Delivery Patch with Dissolving Microneedles Eliminates “Sharps” Waste and Improves Protection
Patches containing micron-scale needles that carry vaccine with them as they dissolve into the skin could simplify immunization programs by eliminating the use of hypodermic needles – and their “sharps” disposal and re-use concerns. Applied easily to the skin, the microneedle patches could allow self-administration of vaccine during pandemics and simplify large-scale immunization programs in developing nations.
Details of the dissolving microneedle patches and immunization benefits observed in experimental mice were reported July 18 in the advance online publication of the journal Nature Medicine. Conducted by researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, the study is believed to be the first to evaluate the immunization benefits of dissolving microneedles. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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Cancer Drugs May Help Stop Major Parasite
A parasite estimated to afflict as many as 12 million people worldwide relies on a family of genes that should make it vulnerable to compounds developed to treat cancer and other disorders, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found.
Scientists searched the genome of the parasite Leishmania to determine that it has three kinds of TOR kinases, proteins that are linked to cell growth and cancer and have been longstanding targets for drug development. When they removed the proteins individually, they found that all three were critical either to the parasite’s ability to survive or its ability to cause infections.
“If we can hit any of these proteins with a drug that will inhibit them, we should be able to strike a significant blow against Leishmania,” says senior author Stephen Beverley, PhD, the Marvin A. Brennecke Professor and head of Molecular Microbiology. “Given the numerous inhibitors already available, I think there’s a pretty good chance that we’ll be able to identify a compound that specifically inhibits one of Leishmania’s TOR kinases.”
The finding appears online in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A Better Add/Remove Programs (All Windows Versions)
Have you ever been bothered with software applications that can't
be completely uninstalled by the standard Windows Add/Remove
Programs? You are in the right place!
With Perfect Uninstaller, you can uninstall unneeded applications
in your system easier and faster. The Standard Add/Remove Program
often can't completely uninstall some applications, leaving program
fragments and broken registry keys. Perfect Uninstall not only
uninstalls the applications themselves, but also cleans the
registry files they leave over. It will protect your PC from
corrupted registry errors and improve your PC performance and speed!
Features and Benefits:
* 3 times faster than the standard Windows Add/Remove program!
Just click on the link below to download the free demo. Remember, a
clean computer is a happy (and less error prone) computer! ;)
Download Perfect Uninstaller:
Click here to download
VA Hiring Update: ********************************************************************
VA Prosthetics Update: ********************************************************************
VA HIV Testing: Window period. This is the time it takes for your body to produce HIV antibodies after you have been infected by the virus. In most people, this period is between 2 and 12 weeks. In a very small number of people, the process takes up to 6 months. During the window period, you might be infected with HIV yet still test HIV-negative. Here's how that can happen. Let's say you have unprotected sex on Saturday night and become infected with HIV. On Monday, you get an HIV test. The test almost certainly will come back negative, because your body has not yet had a chance to make antibodies, which are what the HIV test is looking for. Even if you go for an HIV test 1 or 2 months later, your results might be negative because your body still has not produced antibodies. It may take 3 months after exposure for the test results to be 97% accurate, and 6 months to be absolutely certain. If you think you have been exposed to HIV, and your test results are negative, be sure to get retested in 3 to 6 months--just to be sure.
Should you get tested? Yes, public health experts now recommend that all adults should be routinely tested for HIV infection. In the past, doctors and other health care providers usually only tested for HIV if patients had symptoms that might indicate an immune deficiency or if there was something in the their medical history that suggested they might be at increased risk for the virus. Since mid-August 2009 the VA changed its policies and is now recommending that voluntary HIV testing be provided to all patients who receive medical care in VA. The reason for this change is to make HIV testing more "routine" so that persons who are infected can be diagnosed early on and receive life-saving care. Like many other diseases, it is better to diagnose and treat HIV early rather than late. Today we are fortunate that there are many effective treatments to offer persons who are found to be infected. Veterans with identified risk factors should get tested for HIV at least once a year. Medical clues to increased risk include a past or current history of a sexually transmitted disease like gonorrhea or syphilis, having unprotected sex (having sex without using a condom), especially with more than one partner, and sharing needles and syringes to inject drugs. Even if you do not think you are "at risk" you should talk to your doctor about taking the HIV test. A recent electronic survey conducted at 129 VA medical facilities showed that in 2009, fewer than one out of every ten Veterans in care had eveer received an HIV test and only one in every forty had been tested for HIV in 2009. Getting diagnosed and treated early can keep you healthier longer. It can even save your life. So, if your doctor doesn't bring up the subject of HIV testing, you should!
Getting it done? You may or may not need an appointment to get tested at your local VA Medical Center, as different sites may have different practices. In VA, all testing for HIV requires the verbal informed consent of the veteran. Your provider will need to provide educational material to give you basic information about HIV testing and to answer any questions that you may have about HIV or the test itself. The health care provider may want to discuss your sexual or drug use history with you. This can help you better assess your risk for HIV and provide you with some recommendations on how to reduce your risk for HIV or for transmitting HIV to others. If you test positive, your spouse is informed of your HIV status only if it is clear that you have not told your spouse, and your provider has determined that you are unlikely to do so. Then your provider may notify your spouse or may use a partner counseling and notification service through a local health department. As part of the testing process in VA, you will receive written educational materials and a health care provider will answer your questions about HIV. The provider also can answer questions and offer advice about reducing your risk for HIV. At your return appointment, a health care provider will provide you with your test result and answer any questions that you may have. If your test result is positive, the provider will help you with a referral for medical evaluation and treatment in VA. The provider can also provide assistance with getting a referral for mental health or substance abuse care in VA if you want. If your result is negative, you will learn about ways to protect yourself against HIV. The results are entered in your
5
medical record. There are strict laws in VA to protect the confidentiality of your results. Anonymous testing is used which means you are referred to by an identification number so that you do not have to give your name. Only you can match your number with your test result. If you want more information about where you can be tested anonymously, call 1-800-CDC-INFO.
Testing negative. This can be a huge relief. Remember, though, it can take up to 6 months to test positive for HIV after being exposed. To be completely sure that you do not have HIV, you should get tested again in 3 to 6 months, and continue to protect yourself in the meantime. Testing negative for HIV does not mean that you are immune to the virus, so it is important to continue protecting yourself. Don't get discouraged or give up if you slip (by having unsafe sex or sharing needles). There are several things you can do to keep protecting your health, now that you know you are negative: If you do not already see a doctor regularly, start now. It is always a good idea to have regular checkups, and your doctor will have a medical history of your health to refer to if you get sick. Ask for support in staying HIV negative. There are support services that can help you stick to your decision to stay safe. Your health care provider and/or the clinic social worker should have a list of such service providers.
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ATTENTION ALL RETIREES, YOU NEED TO READ THIS! BB ********************************************************************
VA Lawsuit ~ Disability Claim Rejections: In 2007, a Harvard University study said it takes the Department of Veterans Affairs an average of six months to process a disability claim, and the appeals process takes a little less than two years. Because many veterans applying for disability benefits are elderly, many die before a final decision is rendered, the study said. The House Veterans Affairs Committee heard testimony last week about legislation that would give veterans more time to file appeals. Rep. John Adler (D-NJ) discussed the case of Korean War veteran David Henderson, a diagnosed schizophrenic, who was denied a hearing because his appeal was filed 15 days past the 120-day deadline set by the court. His disability, Henderson said, made it impossible for him to get the papers together in time to meet the court's deadline. "The veterans' claims process is extremely difficult to navigate, especially when doing so without the aid of an attorney or while suffering from a mental disability," Adler said. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) said he was distressed to hear about a veteran in his state who was cut off from his veterans' pension for a year, two days after he
voluntarily disclosed that insurance was paying some medical costs resulting from an accident in which an automobile struck his wheelchair, knocking him head first against the pavement. Given that it takes many months to qualify for benefits, Hastings said he found it disturbing that someone could be cut off benefits in just two days. "This means that the law effectively punishes veterans when they suffer from such an accident or theft," Hastings said. ********************************************************************
PTSD Update: Under the new rule, which applies to veterans of all wars, the department will grant compensation to those with PTSD. if they can simply show that they served in a war zone and in a job consistent with the events that they say caused their conditions. They would not have to prove, for instance, that they came under fire, served in a front-line unit or saw a friend killed. The new rule would also allow compensation for service members who had good reason to fear traumatic events, known as stressors, even if they did not actually experience them. There are concerns that the change will open the door to a flood of fraudulent claims. But supporters of the rule say the veterans department will still review all claims and thus be able to weed out the baseless ones. ―This nation has a solemn obligation to the men and women who have honorably served this country and suffer from the emotional and often devastating hidden wounds of war,‖ the secretary of veterans affairs, Eric K. Shinseki, said in a statement to The New York Times. ―This final regulation goes a long way to ensure that veterans receive the benefits and services they need.
Though widely applauded by veterans’ groups, the new rule is generating criticism from some quarters because of its cost. Some mental health experts also believe it will lead to economic dependency among younger veterans whose conditions might be treatable. Disability benefits include no-cost physical and mental health care and monthly checks ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $2,000, depending on the severity of the condition. ―I can’t imagine anyone more worthy of public largess than a veteran,‖ said Dr. Sally Satel, a psychiatrist and fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative policy group, who has written on PTSD. ―But as a clinician, it is destructive to give someone total and permanent disability when they are in fact capable of working, even if it is not at full capacity. A job is the most therapeutic thing there is.‖ But Rick Weidman, executive director for policy and government affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America, said most veterans applied for disability not for the monthly checks but because they wanted access to free health care. ―I know guys who are rated 100 percent disabled who keep coming back for treatment not because they are worried about losing their compensation, but because they want their life back,‖ Mr. Weidman said.
Mr. Weidman and other veterans’ advocates said they were disappointed by one provision of the new rule: It will require a final determination on a veteran’s case to be made by a psychiatrist or psychologist who works for the veterans department. The advocates assert that the rule will allow the department to sharply limit approvals. They argue that private physicians should be allowed to make those determinations as well. But Tom Pamperin, associate deputy under secretary for policy and programs at the veterans department, said the agency wanted to ensure that standards were consistent for the assessments. ―VA and VA contract clinicians go through a certification process,‖ Mr. Pamperin said. ―They are well familiar with military life and can make an assessment of whether the stressor is consistent with the veterans’ duties and place of service.‖
More than two million service members have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001, and by some estimates 20% or more of them will develop PTSD. More than 150,000 cases of PTSD. have been diagnosed by the veterans health system among veterans of the two wars, while thousands more have received diagnoses from private doctors, said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, an advocacy group. But Mr. Sullivan said records showed that the veterans department had approved PTSD. disability claims for only 78,000 veterans. That suggests, he said, that many veterans with the disorder are having their compensation claims rejected by claims processors. ―Those statistics show a very serious problem in how V.A. handles PTSD claims,‖ Mr. Sullivan said. Representative John Hall (D-NY), and sponsor of legislation similar to the new rule, said his office had handled dozens of cases involving veterans who had trouble receiving disability compensation for PTSD, including a Navy veteran from World War II who twice served on ships that sank in the Pacific. ―It doesn’t matter whether you are an infantryman or a cook or a truck driver,‖ Mr. Hall said. ―Anyone is potentially at risk for post-traumatic stress. ********************************************************************
VA Presumptive VN Vet Diseases Update:
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I Look to Thee in Every Need
I look to Thee in every need, and never look in vain;
I feel Thy strong and tender love, and all is well again.
The thought of Thee is mightier far than sin and pain and sorrow are.
Discouraged in the work of life, disheartened by its load,
Shamed by its failures or its fears, I sink beside the road.
But let me only think of Thee and then new heart springs up in me.
Thy calmness bends serene above, my restlessness to still;
Around me flows Thy quickening life, to nerve my faltering will.
Thy presence fills my solitude, Thy providence turns all to good.
Enfolded deep in Thy dear love, held in Thy law, I stand;
Thy hand in all things I behold, and all things in Thy hand.
Thou leadest me by unsought ways, and turn my mourning into praise.
Amen
- Samuel Longfellow-
Thats all the news for this week. Check back next Saturday. Thanks, Ole' Bill
July30, 03: BRO Kosovo mission complete.
Aug 1, 06: BRO returns to Ft. Riley, Ka.
Aug 2, 42: 1st Inf Div Troops depart NYC on HMS Queen Mary.
Aug 7, 90: Operation Desert Shield begins.
I am writing to you on behalf of my father in law, Conrad A. Haubrich, who served in Vietnam, B Troop, 1/4th CAV. I believe he was exposed to Agent Orange as he has multiple medical and psycological condition -- diabetes type II, Periphral Neuropathy, possible Parkinson's and PTSD also heart problems leading to a 6 way bypass which may be related. Anyway, he is currently in a VA hospital and I am looking into Assisted Living facilities for him. He is only 67 and his illnesses started a long time ago. In fact, I have paperwork from 1993 in which he requested a VA benefit for his neuropathy and he was denied as they claimed he wasn't exposed to Agent Orange. I do not believe this. Do you know how I can find out if this troop was exposed. He served in 1965 in Vietnam B Troop 1/4th CAV. Served for a few years.
Any help would be appreciated. Also, please let me know more about the Silver Rose.
Thanks for your time,
Eileen Haubrich
I would be Honored to help you as will many of my friends and his Brother Veterans.
Please either send me your phone # or call me at 810-714-2748,
If I am not home please leave a message, I am almost here .
We will get this squared away and get him taken care of, I have many friends, just give me some time.
I can tell you this, we need you to file a immediate claim for him if he is not receiving compensation for the following Diabetes II ( depending on the severity of this and his P Neuro. is how much comp he will receive,) and Parkingson's if he is diagnosed with it, and much more.......
We need to talk before you file any claims.
He was exposed to AO, as long as he was In Country his illnesses are Presumptive and he does not have to prove a thing. So throw that rumor away.......
God Bless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gary Chenett
Date of death: 11 July 67
Home of record: Warington, Pennsylvania
Distinguished Service Cross
Awarded posthumously for actions during the Vietnam War
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918
(amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross
(Posthumously) to Private First Class William John Igoe (ASN: US-52674743), United States Army,
for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an
armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Troop A, 1st Squadron,
4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division. Private First Class Igoe distinguished himself by
exceptionally valorous actions on 11 July 1967 while serving as a machine gunner on an
Armored Assault Vehicle. In the early morning hours, his base camp was attacked by a large
enemy force firing mortars, recoilless rifles, automatic weapons and explosive charges.
From the outset, Private Igoe poured heavy fire into the attacking insurgents killing many
and preventing penetration of his portion of the perimeter. When an enemy force succeeded
in breaking through another portion of the defenses, he continued his accurate fire though
wounded by mortar fragments. As the battle progressed, an explosive charge was thrown into
the assault vehicle but was deflected by Private Igoe. The ensuing explosion seriously
wounded him and set the vehicle afire, but he continued to fire on the attackers while
directing the other members of the crew to escape. As the men were leaving, a recoilless
rifle round hit the vehicle and mortally wounded Private Igoe. His courageous actions in
warning his comrades before the final explosion undoubtedly saved their lives. Private
First Class Igoe's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life,
were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great
credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 4429 (August 30, 1967)
Action Date: 11-Jul-67
Service: Army
Rank: Private First Class
Company: Troop A, 1st Squadron
Regiment: 4th Cavalry Regiment
Division: 1st Infantry Division
The B&W picture was taken in Jan 1968 at Di-an. We were on our way to Bein Hoa to unload.
According to the back of picture; A-17 and B-88, both mine damage. I was motor sergeant
in B Troop but not at this time. All M-99's in the line troops were A-9, B-9, & C-9 and
HHT had two, HQ-73 & HQ-74. Each line platoon had the same numbers assigned to each
platoon 0 to 9, (10 vehicles), 3 tanks & 7 ACAVS. Track #6 was always the Troop Commander
& 16,26,36 were the Platoon Leaders. I remember two Zippo Tracks, fort the track numbers,
could B-88 be one? I have a Time Life Book with a picture of a 1/4th Cav Flame thrower
track firing. For your information: if igniters were bad, the driver would ignite the
wet napalm with a cigarette lighter (Zippo). These tracks were not replaced when damaged
beyond repair. Also FYI, I saw one ACAV that was a 4.2 Mortar, the difference is in the
top doors at the back of the APC, they opened towards the sides of the APC instead of
towards the rear. There was no Mortar in it. HQ-84 was to become B-9, I can't remember
if we were discussing replacing B-9 at this point because of major mechanical problems or
having already burned up in the Iron Triangle after taking an RPG with HQ-74, Anyway HQ-74
became B-9.
Wilemon, Jimmy
Kenneth J Costich II
Esquilin, Jorge and Wife
Wilemon, Jimmy
Humphrey, Richard
Miller, Paul
Baty, Bill
Snyder, Duke
Warne, Gary
Joe and Barbara Dabney
Valentine, Terry
Corbin, Robert and Wife
Empey, Terry
Jones, Charles
Empey, Terry
Kampfert, Elke
Kintz, Gerald
Novak, Edward
Row, Nancy
Keech, James
Benoit, Alan
Brigance, Charles
Seibert, Wilmer
Karl Listl and wife
Capps, Jimmy
Jones Jr, James
Riley, William
Continuously rated totally disabled from date of military discharge and for at least five years immediately preceding death.
TROOPER's SOUNDOFF
After a little modification Here it is. Ah-h-h-h, The good ole days.... BB
If your would like to safe this photo to your computer, right click on it, select "save picuture"
then select the folder you want to place it in and click on "Save as".
most of us don't know. I would like to know why there are only 33. BBACTIVE DUTY NEWS
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) will stop all current Savings Bonds allotments processed for military personnel and military retirees effective 31 JUL. Allotments for federal civilian employees will end A29 AUG. This comes following the U.S. Treasury's decision to convert electronic transactions through www.TreasuryDirect.gov . DFAS customers who wish to continue purchasing savings bonds through payroll deduction will need to establish an online account with TreasuryDirect. Once they have an account with TreasuryDirect, they can a new allotment using the TreasuryDirect account number through their normal pay system. Information on purchasing Treasury securities is available on the DFAS website.
[Source: Military.com Military report 12 Jul 2010 ++]
[Source: Sacramento Bee Medical news Carrie Peyton Dahlberg article 12 Jul 2010 ++]
Military Discounts Update
: Blue Star Museums is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 750 museums in all 50 states to offer admission at no charge to military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, 31 MAY thru Labor Day 6 SEP 2010. The admission program is available to any bearer of a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card, or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card, which includes active duty military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard), National Guard and Reserve members and up to five immediate family members. For a listing of museums, what they have to exhibit, contact info, hours of operation, and locations refer to www.arts.gov/national/bluestarmuseums/index.php.
[Source: NAUS Weekly Update 9 Jul 2010 ++]
Prior to Flag Day, 14 JUN 1923, neither the federal government nor the states had official guidelines governing the display of the United States’ flag. On 14 JUN 1923, the National Flag Code was constructed by representatives of over 68 organizations, under the auspices of the National Americanism Commission of The American Legion. The code drafted by that conference was printed by the national organization of The American Legion and given nationwide distribution. On 22 JUN 1942, the Code became Public Law 77-623; chapter 435. Little had changed in the code since the Flag Day 1924 Conference. The most notable change was the removal of the Bellamy salute due to its similarities to the Hitler salute. Additional modifications were:
The Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 prohibits real estate management organizations from restricting homeowners from displaying the Flag of the United States on their own property.
The Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007 added a provision to fly the flag at half-staff upon the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who died while serving on active duty. It also gave the mayor of the District of Columbia the authority to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff. Federal facilties in the area covered by the governor or mayor of the District of Columbia will also fly the flag at half-staff as directed.[11]
The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Sec. 595.) allows the military salute for the flag during the national anthem by members of the Armed Forces not in uniform and by veterans.
[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Flag_Code Jul 2010 ++]
"Why do Scuba divers always fall backwards off their boats?"
"If they fell forwards they'd still be in the frickin’ boat."
When it went off, I shut off my alarm,
Gave the wife a slap on her butt and said:
so I hit her with your new Taylor Made Super Quad 460 golf club."
A universal influenza vaccine—so-called because it could potentially provide protection from all flu strains for decades—may become a reality because of research led by scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Mp>
In experiments with mice, ferrets and monkeys, the investigators used a two-step immunization approach to elicit infection-fighting antibodies that attacked a diverse array of influenza virus strains. Current flu vaccines do not generate such broadly neutralizing antibodies, so they must be re-formulated annually to match the predominant virus strains circulating each year.
Could lima beans kill you? Probably not. Lima beans commercially grown in the United States are restricted to two varieties with low cyanide levels.
This sequence of images shows microneedles dissolving into pig skin before, one minute after and five minutes after pressing into the skin.
A new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could allow persons without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines – while providing improved immunization against diseases such as influenza.
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis recently showed that when a key protein was genetically disabled, the parasite Leishmania couldn’t start infections in cell cultures and animals. Parasites in this picture have been stained so that compounds known as polyphosphates appear yellow. The structures where the parasite normally stores these compounds are misshapen and empty in mutant parasites that lack the TOR kinase 3 protein.
* 3 ways of application view: by Icons, by List, by Details.
* Remove programs that could not be removed by Add/Remove program.
* Completely clean the empty/corrupt registry entries that a
certain application left over.
* Protect your registry from empty/corrupted errors, improve PC
performance.
* Forcibly remove hidden application installed in your system.
* Fast point to the folder where application installed.
* Navigate to a selected program's Registry Entry, Installation
Folder and its Web Site.
* View detailed information of a certain application installed on
your computer.
* Easy to use and friendly user interface.
* Show details about currently installed applications.
On 11 MAY 2010, President Barack Obama signed a memorandum calling on executive departments and agencies to transform federal government recruitment and hiring practices. The required reforms will enable VA to hire the employees needed to deliver on President Obama’s pledge to transform the Department for the 21st century. The memorandum calls for the elimination of lengthy application processes, including essay-style questions for initial applicants; a reduction in the time it takes to hire mission-critical and commonly filled positions; and greater involvement by managers in the hiring process. The VA Hiring Reform Taskforce, led by Annie Spiczak, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources Policy and Planning, is leading implementation of this mandate and includes Human Resources (HR) professionals and line managers
representing all of VA. Teams of HR professionals are working to make job announcements shorter and easier to understand; streamline and automate the hiring process; and train hiring managers in workforce and succession planning. For managers, the reform will put the focus on partnering with HR practitioners to develop staffing plans, with the overall aim of reducing hiring timelines and providing access to the highest-quality candidates.
[Source: VA Secy Vet Group Liason Officer Kevin Secor article 13 Jul 2010 ++]
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is pleased that President Barack Obama's administration has vowed that veterans and servicemembers would continue to receive prosthetic devices from the Department of Veterans Affairs or TRICARE at no cost. The White House announcement last week dispelled unfounded rumors that disabled veterans and servicemembers would face a new tax on prosthetic limbs and other vital medical services under the Affordable Care Act. While the health care law does impose a new tax on big medical device manufactures, the tax will not be passed on to veterans and servicemembers. "The President's statement should help put to rest unfounded rumors that have been spread among our nation's disabled veterans and servicemembers," said DAV National Commander Roberto "Bobby" Barrera. "Our veterans and servicemembers were suddenly struck by these rumors, and many feared that our government was abandoning them to pay for their own disability." Prices and reimbursements for medical devices will continue to be negotiated between manufacturers and insurance companies, retail establishments and, in the case of the federal government, for veterans and servicemembers. The full cost of prosthetic devices for veterans will continue to be borne by the government.
[Source: DAV msg.13 Jul 2010 ++]
On 12 JUL the Department of Veterans Affairs launched a major effort to both increase HIV testing in Veterans and to make it part of routine medical care. HIV test results will not affect your VA care or your eligibility for VA benefits. You have the right to refuse HIV testing without losing medical benefits or any right to care. The test is designed to determine whether you have been infected. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. When you get infected your body produces cells and particles to fight the virus. These particles are called antibodies. The test can detect antibodies to HIV in your body. (The HIV antibodies are different from antibodies for the flu, a cold, or other infections.) If you have HIV antibodies, then you have been infected. The test does not tell you if you have AIDS, how long you have been infected, or how sick you might be. Veterans who will be taking this test should be aware of the following:
What the test involves. It requires a sample of blood or fluid from inside the mouth. For the blood test, blood is drawn either from the arm or from the finger with a needlestick. Results from oral-fluid or blood tests usually take 1
to 2 weeks. For the oral-fluid test (called OraSure), a probe sits in your mouth between your cheek and gums for 2-5 minutes. However, there are now rapid tests for both oral fluid and blood that give results in less than 30 minutes. Rapid tests require special handling, and not every VA medical center or clinic offers them. What's more, positive results from rapid tests must be confirmed by another, more sensitive, test--and getting those results can take 1-2 weeks. A negative result from the rapid test does not need to be confirmed. (For more information, see HIV Rapid Oral Test brochure).
[Source: http://www.hiv.va.gov Jul 2010 ++]
DBIDS Update:
The Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) is a physical access control system that is used by the Department of Defense (DOD) to manage personnel, property and installation access. The Coast Guard does not use DBIDS to manage access to Coast Guard facilities; however, you may be required to register in DBIDS if you access one of the DOD installations that do use it. The DBIDS program registers and maintains a database of ALL Department of Defense identification card or common access card holders requiring access to an installation and is currently installed at 27 DOD installations in the continental United States. ALL personnel will include active duty, reservists, civilians, contractors, dependents, retirees, and visitors. During registration, DBIDS will capture and store your digital photograph and biometrics. Once you are registered, a hand-held device that scans the bar code on the Department of Defense identification card or common access card will allow the gate guard to view personal identifying information and whether or not you are authorized to enter the base. If you are required to register in the DBIDS program at an installation, you will be told where to go to register
by the gate guard.
Additional information:
The Civilian Retiree ID card cannot currently be used for registration and access because the card does not have the bar code required. A DBIDS card will be issued for eligible Civilian retirees.
Some installations using DBIDS have experienced difficulties registering some of the older Teslin cards (blue retiree, red reserve, etc) because of the way the data in the barcode was stored. If you are required to register in DBIDS and have one of these older cards, you may need to have a new Teslin ID card issued. The RAPIDS Site Locator can be used to find the RAPIDS ID card issuing facility closest to your location . http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/owa/home
Children under the age of 10 that have not yet been issued a DOD dependent ID card may be issued a DBIDS card if required by the installation.
Questions regarding DBIDS requirements should be directed to the local installation (Visitor Center, Pass & ID Office, etc).
[Source: The Coast Guard/NOAA Retirees’ Newsletter Issue 3/2010 Jul 2010 ++]
A Louisiana veterans advocate 6 JUL accused the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims of rejecting many valid disability claims. "Veterans are not being treated fairly," said Paul Labbe, who heads the Louisiana Veterans Advocacy Group of Lake Charles. He also said he fears that a civil rights lawsuit alleging improper treatment by a doctor at the VA Alexandria Medical Center in Pineville will be thrown out if a federal judge accepts the arguments of Veterans Affairs lawyers. A filing by government lawyers argues that the suit doesn't meet the criteria for a civil rights case and shouldn't be allowed to continue to trial. Members of Congress have been looking at the issue of rejected disability claims after Assistant U.S. Solicitor General Anthony Yang admitted during a Supreme Court hearing in FEB 2010 that between 50% and 60% of veterans disability cases are mishandled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Chief Justice John Roberts was surprised by the admission. "Well, that's really startling, isn't it?" Roberts said. "In litigating with veterans, the government more often than not takes a position that is substantially unjustified?" Labbe said the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims continues what he called the injustice of rejecting the vast majority of appeals by veterans denied disability benefits by the VA. "Veterans aren't getting any justice at this court," Labbe said at a news conference outside the court's Washington, D.C., headquarters.
[Source: Times-Picayune Bruce Alpert article 6 Jul 2010 ++]
insurance was initiated. Veterans can check their eligibility for the Department of Veterans Affairs Aid & Attendance program at www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/pension/vetpen.htm#3 . [Source: www.Mass.live.com Stephanie Barry article 8 Jul 2010 ++]
The government is preparing to issue new rules that will make it substantially easier for veterans who have been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder to receive disability benefits, a change that could affect hundreds of thousands of veterans from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. The regulations from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which will take effect as early as 5 JUL and cost as much as $5 billion over several years according to Congressional analysts, will essentially eliminate a requirement that veterans document specific events like bomb blasts, firefights or mortar attacks that might have caused PTSD., an illness characterized by emotional numbness, irritability and flashbacks. For decades, veterans have complained that finding such records was extremely time consuming and sometimes impossible. And in the wars in Afghanistan and
Iraq, veterans groups assert that the current rules discriminate against tens of thousands of service members — many of them women — who did not serve in combat roles but nevertheless suffered traumatic experiences.
[Source: New York Times James Dao article 7 Jul 2010 ++]
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs said during a brief visit 6 JUL to Salt Lake City said, "The federal government did not address military members’ exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War ―the way that might have been and the way that should have been.‖ Thousands of Vietnam veterans waited for decades before medical conditions they acquired during the war were connected to exposure to the toxic defoliant. And that meant that many went without the medical care and compensation they deserved while suffering from debilitating diseases caused by their service. But as evidence mounts suggesting that many of the nation’s latest generation of veterans have been sickened by service in Iraq and Afghanistan, Secretary Eric Shinseki defended a century-old standard requiring scientific proof before veterans can be compensated for their suffering. Thirty-five years after the end of the Vietnam War, the V.A. is still slowly adding to the list of conditions recognized as related to Agent Orange exposure, including three illnesses — Parkinson’s disease, ischemic heart disease, and B cell leukemias — that have been added to the list under Shinseki’s watch. The former Army general, himself a combat-wounded veteran of the Vietnam War, said ―nothing‖ was done to immediately respond to veterans who grew inexplicably sick after returning home from Vietnam. Shinseki said his department was working tirelessly to help veterans establish proof sooner. ―What we’re trying to change is the opportunity to establish the connection,‖ he said, noting that millions of federal dollars have been poured into research into military members who have been exposed to open-air burn pits — one of the probable culprits in a variety of medical conditions suffered by veterans, including cancer, skin conditions and blood disease. But in the meantime, the secretary said, the standard requiring medical proof of a disease’s cause is ―the law.
[Source: Salt Lake Tribune Matthew D. LaPlante article 6 Jul 2010 ++]
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