[Editors Note: We are republishing this alert from the Vietnam Veterans of America’s Web Weekly of 23 February, since veterans are often treated as prey by unscrupulous businessmen:]
At the 21 February 2018 Council meeting — and among a gamut of topics including its Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for separating servicemembers, grants for homelessness efforts, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) — Mr. David Cummiskey, Assistant Director in Pennsylvania for the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), introduced the Veterans.gov website. Although we are convinced personalized, pro-active point-of-service can not be overlooked or replaced, this website is a welcomed addition for beginning the transition to civilian employment or, for older veterans, re-employment. It needs more marketing. (more…)
By now, most have their W-2’s, 1099’s and what else they need to file their taxes. Therefore, we thought this webpage might be of use to you or some of your comrades. ### As of 22 February 2018
We believe we are duty-bound to inform you that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Persian Gulf Conflict Bonus application period ends on 31 August 2018. Did you serve on active duty between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1991 in the Persian Gulf Theater of Operations? This bonus has been available Read more…
According to a 12 February post on the VA’s VAntage Point blogsite, the VA Veteran ID card (VIC) is available for registration once again. Previously the VA ID card was on hold due to a “high volume of traffic” according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. (more…)
You may not be aware of the fact that the VA maintains an “Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry” to allow eligible veterans and service members to document their exposures and report health concerns through an online questionnaire. Like its cousin, the Agent Orange Registry, it is often the first step towards VA long-term healthcare; and also in recognizing service related illnesses and diseases, to include making some presumptive. (more…)
If you are a Gulf War Veteran, know this date: December 31, 2021. On 24 October 2017, the VA made its final ruling on the extension of the deadline for Gulf War veterans to receive disability benefits for certain presumptive conditions: December 31, 2021. (more…)
[Editor’s Note: The following is a press release from the VA partially correcting what has been a longstanding problem related to emergency care received outside of the VA.]
WASHINGTON — Today [10 January 2018] the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has, through a Federal Register notice, revised its regulations concerning payment or reimbursement for emergency treatment for non-service connected conditions at non-VA facilities. (more…)
On 29 January 2018, the Ms. Kelsey Yoon, the national director for the Veterans Benefits Program (VBP) of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), wrote the state councils of her organization to provide general guidance on the Rapid Appeals Modernization Program (RAMP) put in place by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as one of the means to produce faster turnaround times for compensation claims, thereby reducing the backlog continuing to plague the VA. The letter was disturbing, and we believe it important to spread word of its contents to a wider audience, since it may affect you or one of your loved ones. The following is an extracted from her letter: (more…)
Occasionally, a local business comes to us in hopes of reaching out to our military-veterans community with a benevolent idea of worth not tied to the need to improve their business — in other words, playing their part in supporting those who often selflessly defend us with an act of selfless community-service of their own. Jack Lehr, Inc. is one of these. Its particular focus is on helping those Lehigh Valley families where a spouse has orders for deployment with a year’s worth of heating maintenance services at no charge. The problems and impositions of call-up on the families of reservists are little discussed topics. Jack Lehr “gets it.” (more…)