Swords to Plowshares

A new report by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General [PDF Link] concluded that 76% of seriously disabled Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ claims are failing the Veterans’ Benefits Administration (VBA) own goal of being processed within 30 days. 20% of the claims filed by seriously disabled vets exceed 181 day to process.

VAROs [Veterans Affairs regional Office] did not process 3,776 (76 percent) of 4,969 seriously disabled veteran compensation claims within VBA’s 30-day goal. Of the 4,969 claims VAROs processed, 3,776 did not meet VBA’s goal by an average of 114 days and as much as 504 days.

VAROs did not process these claims promptly because transition assistance controls did not ensure identification of all seriously injured OEF/OIF veterans’ claims and adequate case management of claims. Claim processing delays can cause veterans financial hardships by depriving them of compensation they may need to successfully transition from military service to civilian life.

Moreover,

VBA procedures did not ensure VAROs received the DOD data necessary to identify claims received from seriously disabled OEF/OIF veterans. As a result, only 1,049 (21 percent) of the 4,969 seriously disabled OEF/OIF veterans’ claims were placed on VBA’s OEF/OIF registry for case management. Although VAROs processed the remaining 3,920 claims (79 percent), VBA did not identify them as seriously disabled OEF/OIF veterans’ claims and, as a result, VAROs did not assign the claims the required higher processing priority.

from SpokesmanReview: Lives lost at home

A distraught 26-year-old Navy veteran who had a history of mental illness hanged himself within three hours of seeking help at Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The July 7 death of Lucas Senescall was the sixth suicide this year of a veteran who had contact with the Spokane VA, a marked increase in such deaths… Citing confidentiality rules, officials would not identify the recent fatalities.

But the identity of one other veteran who killed himself this year became public when his family wrote U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in April about concerns with VA mental health care. Spc. Timothy Juneman, 25, a National Guardsman and former Stryker Brigade soldier who was injured in a roadside explosion in Iraq, died March 5.

The same VA psychiatrist, Dr. William L. Brown, attended Senescall on the day he died and Juneman in early January when he was released from inpatient suicide watch at the Spokane VA. Brown had prescribed Juneman several medications, including potent antidepressant, anti-anxiety and antipsychotic drugs.

The Spokane VA is reviewing the death of Senescall, who hanged himself with an extension cord in his garage between 4 and 5 p.m. July 7 after leaving the hospital at 2:30 p.m. His father said the veteran remained depressed and agitated when left the facility.

Senescall’s brother Jacob and his roommate found his body in his garage that evening.

Police told Steve Senescall his son was dead by 5 p.m. About 150 people attended a memorial service July 13.

Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, adds,

…the problem could get worse, that the VA is unprepared to absorb 1.7 million returning Iraqi and Afghanistan war veterans if they need care. The health care system currently is treating 325,000 of them; of those, nearly 134,000 are being treated for mental health conditions.

h/t Veterans for Common Sense

Homes for Heroes Act, S.1084/H.R.3329

Ask your senator to support S. 1084, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2007, legislation that would provide housing assistance for very low-income and formerly homeless veterans. The companion bill, HR 3329, the Homes for Heroes Act of 2008, passed the House of Representatives on July 9, 2008 by a vote of 412-9. Tell your senator you hope the Senate will take similar action and explain why permanent supportive housing will help to reduce, eliminate and prevent homelessness among veterans in your state.

Issue Status

The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) developed comprehensive legislation to develop and expand permanent housing opportunities for very low-income veterans to prevent homelessness. The legislation, the “Homes for Heroes Act of 2008,” would establish new programs and activities pertaining to veterans within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Senator Obama (D-IL) introduced S. 1084, the Homes for Heroes Act in the Senate and Rep. Al Green (TX-9) introduced a companion bill, H.R. 3329, in the House.

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED H.R. 3329 ON JULY 9, 2008. NOW SUPPORT IS NEEDED TO PASS THE BILL IN THE SENATE.

Why this Matters

• According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 1.5 million veterans have incomes that fall below the federal poverty level.

• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates between 150,000 and 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night; more than 300,000 veterans experience homelessness over the course of a year.

• Contrary to the perceptions that our nation’s veterans are well-supported, in fact many go without the services they require. This is nowhere more apparent than in their need for safe, affordable, and permanent housing.

• While the federal government makes a sizeable investment in homeownership opportunities for veterans, its commitment to housing for low-income veterans is non-existent.

• Veterans are not well-served through existing housing assistance programs due to their program designs.

• Veterans are not a priority population for federally assisted housing.

• There is no national rental housing assistance program targeted to veterans.

• The HUD-VASH program, which provides rental assistance vouchers for veterans with disabilities, matched with supportive services provided by the VA, is the only permanent housing assistance program targeted to any veteran population. For FY 2008, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 included $75 million for 7,500 new Section 8 vouchers for homeless veterans.

• HUD has no Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of HUD.

Background

The Homes for Heroes Act of 2008 consists of eight sections:

Section 1 establishes the measure’s short title.

Section 2 establishes a position of Special Assistant for Veterans Affairs within HUD.

Section 3 authorizes the HUD Secretary to establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veteran families. HUD would provide housing assistance to such veteran families via planning grants, capital advances, project rental assistance, and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives proposing to develop such housing. VA would provide funding for supportive services to residents.

Section 4 authorizes an increase in budget authority under the project rental assistance component of the Housing Choice Voucher program to finance 20,000 rental assistance vouchers for homeless veterans.

Section 5 requires states and localities to include veterans as a special needs population in their public housing agency plans and their comprehensive housing affordability strategies.

Section 6 exempts from calculation of a family’s rental payment for federally assisted housing the amount of income the family receives from VA compensation.

Section 7 authorizes the HUD Secretary to establish a technical assistance program to assist veteran service providers on federally assisted housing matters.

Section 8 requires HUD to issue an annual report on its programs and activities pertaining to veterans.

Who is your Senator?

To find out who your senator is and contact information for him/her, log on to www.senate.gov.

Army Times: House approves aid bill for homeless vets

A bill aimed at helping low-income veterans avoid homelessness passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday by a 214-9 vote.

The Homes for Heroes Act would create a $200 million assistance program for veterans making less than 50 percent of the median income for the area where they live, and also would authorize $20,000 in annual rental assistance vouchers for veterans.

About one-quarter of the estimated 800,000 homeless people in the U.S. are veterans, said Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, chief sponsor of the bill, HR 3329.

The legislation also would create a new post at the Department of Housing and Urban Development solely to oversee veterans’ programs. The new special assistant for veterans’ affairs would coordinate programs within the federal government and with state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations, Green said. Read on…

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a new benefit providing educational assistance to individuals who have served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.

When Can I Receive Benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are payable for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. No payments can be made under this program for training pursued before that date.

Am I Eligible?
At a minimum, you must have served at least 30 days of continuous active duty service after September 10, 2001 and be discharged due to a service-connected disability, or served an aggregate of 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, and—

- Be honorably discharged from Armed Forces; or

- Be released from Armed Forces with service
characterized as honorable and placed on
the retired list, temporary disability retired
list, or transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the
Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or

- Be released from the Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable for further service in a reserve component; or

- Be discharged or released from Armed Forces for:
o EPTS (Existed Prior to Service)
o HDSP (Hardship) or
o CIWD (Condition Interfered with Duty); or

- Continue to be on active duty.

If I am eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30), Montgomery GI Bill- Selected Reserve (chapter 1606), or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (chapter 1607), am I eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill?
You may elect to receive benefits under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill if, on August 1, 2009, you have met the requirements to qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and you are eligible for chapter 30, 1606, 1607, or are serving in the Armed Forces.

How many months of assistance can I receive?
Generally, you may receive up to 36 months of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

How much will I receive?
You are entitled to a percentage, as determined by your length of active duty service, of the following:

- Amount of tuition and fees charged, not to exceed the most expensive in-State public institution of higher education (paid to school);

- Monthly housing allowance equal to the basic allowance for housing (BAH) amount payable to a military E-5 with dependents, in same zip code as school* (paid to you); and- Yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1000* per year (paid to you); and - A one time payment of $500 may be payable to certain individuals relocating from highly rural areas. (paid to you)

NOTE: Housing allowance and books and supplies stipend is not payable to individuals on active duty. Housing allowance is not payable for those pursuing training at half time or less or to individuals taking distance learning.

Length of Service Requirements and the Percentage of Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 36 months: 100% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 30 continuous days on active duty and must be discharged due to service-connected disability: 100% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 30 months, but less than 36 months: 90%Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 24 months, but less than 30 months: 80% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 18 months, but less than 24 months: 70% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 12 months, but less than 18 months: 60% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 06 months, but less than 12 months: 50% Maximum Benefit Payable

At least 90 days, but less than 06 months: 40% Maximum Benefit Payable

Examples:
Tuition and Fees charged for full time: $6700
Highest In-State Tuition and Fees: $7000

Example 1: If you served for three years on active duty and separated, and you are going to school full time, in the above example you would be eligible for $6700 for tuition and fees, the monthly housing allowance, and $1000 for books and supplies.

Example 2: If you aggregated 12 months of active duty service in the guard or reserves, and were going to school full-time, you would be eligible for $4020 (60% of $6700) for tuition and fees, $600 (60% of $1000) for books and supplies stipend and 60% of the monthly housing allowance.

How long am I eligible?
You will be eligible for benefits for 15 years from your last period of active duty of at least 90 consecutive days. If you were released for a service-connected disability after at least 30 days of continuous service, you will also be eligible for benefits for 15 years.

What does The Post- 9/11 GI Bill cover?
You may receive benefits for training programs approved for chapter 30 that are offered by an institution of higher learning. This includes graduate and undergraduate training, vocational/technical training and foreign training. You may also receive benefits for tutorial assistance and reimbursement of a licensing and certification test. Additionally, if you were eligible for chapter 30, 1606 or 1607, and you elected to use benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you would be eligible to receive benefits for on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, correspondence courses, flight training, preparatory courses, and national exams.

Can I transfer my entitlement to my dependents?
If you are a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009, the Department of Defense (DoD) may offer you the opportunity to transfer benefits to your spouse or dependent children. Please contact DoD or your military service branch for more information.

DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PAMPHLET TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. Always submit an application for benefits to receive a formal decision.

Visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/ for up to date information on this and other education benefits.

PDF Link: The Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008 Fact Sheet

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For additional info click here, here.

New G.I. Bill Aims to Provide Expanded Educational Benefits to Troops

A new G.I. bill signed into law Monday doubles funding for education benefits available to military personnel who have served since Sept. 11, 2001, and allows transfer of benefits to a spouse or children. Analysts discuss the law and its meaning for veterans.

Click here for full transcript and higher resolution video.

War photo brought Dwyer an unwelcome fame

PINEHURST — Joseph Patrick Dwyer, a former Army medic who became famous after he was photographed helping a wounded Iraqi boy, died Saturday from an apparent overdose. He was 31.

Dwyer is survived by his wife of five years, Matina Brown Dwyer of Pinehurst; a daughter, Meagan Kaleigh Dwyer; his parents, Patrick Dennis and Maureen Higgins Dwyer; a sister, Christine Dwyer-Ogno of New York; four brothers, Brian, Patrick and Daniel Dwyer, all of New York, and Staff Sgt. Matthew Dwyer of Andrews Air Force Base. Please read on…

Honor the fallen.

Eric Hilleman, deputy director of Veterans of Foreign Wars’s National Legislative Service, conducted an online question and answer session on how the New GI Bill will be implemented, and how veterans can access the increased benefits it provides.

New GI Bill: Implementation and How to Get Benefits

San Diego: I was active duty in the Navy from July 1998 through June 2002. I then went into the Inactive Reserves for 12 months, then went into Active Reserves for six months (June 2003-December 2003), and then returned to Inactive Reserves from January 2004 to June 2006. Will I be entitled to anything at all under this new program?

Eric Hilleman: You should be eligible for MGIB benefits for your 1998 to 2002 service. Any months of usage, of the total eligible 36 months, will count against full time usage of the 21st Century GI Bill. However, in your case you did not complete three years post 9-11-2001, the requirement for full-time active duty usage. Though, you did have time post 9-11 both on active duty and in the activated reserved. What dose all this equate to? Simply, you will be eligible for a percentage of the full Webb bill, but the regulations have yet to be written about how combined periods of service will equate. Read On…

DEDICATION
What: Santa Rosa Veterans’ Memorial Monument dedication
When: 2 p.m. Wednesday July 3
Where: Southwest corner of Santa Rosa City Hall (Santa Rosa and Sonoma avenues)
Opening remarks by Sonoma County Supervisor Tim Smith
Dedication by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena
Contributions to the memorial can be sent to to Santa Rosa Veterans Monument, c/o Community Foundation of Sonoma County, 250 D St., Santa Rosa, 95404


Veterans memorial to open Wednesday

“It will be one proud day forward for all veterans,”

Crews added final touches to the Veterans’ Memorial Monument on Monday, which features five granite columns bearing the names of 448 Sonoma County veterans who have died in seven wars ranging from the Philippines-American War in 1899 to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Monday’s work also included the solemn task of engraving on a column the name of the county’s latest casualty, Santa Rosa-born Ryan Connolly. Connolly, an Army paratrooper, was killed by a bomb blast in Afghanistan on June 24. Read on…

Senator Daniel Akaka, World War II veteran and Chairmen of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, issued this statement supporting the passage of the 21st Century GI Bill.

AKAKA CHEERS ENACTMENT OF 21ST CENTURY GI BILL
Promises to assist with transition to new education benefit

“I am pleased that with the President’s signature affixed to the Emergency War Supplemental, we will finally provide a new GI Bill to the veterans and troops who have served since September 11, 2001. I especially want to congratulate Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) on this occasion, who introduced the 21st Century GI Bill as S. 22 in the first days of the Democratic Congress.

“This new GI Bill will not only shape the nature of today’s military, it will also shape the future of the military – and our nation – for many years to come. Today’s new veterans will find that we fully appreciate the contributions they have made in service to the Nation. We understand the sacrifices they make, the hardships they endure, and the toll that is taken on their lives and the lives of their families. With this new GI Bill, we say to our newest generation of citizen soldiers, we appreciate you. We recognize that the ability of our Armed Forces to attract and retain quality personnel in the future – and consequently our national security – depends on how we meet the needs of those serving today.

“As Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, I am committed to assisting with the transition to this new educational benefit. In its oversight capacity, the Committee will work with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to resolve potential problems before the new benefits begin.”