Forward Observer

Forward Observer — President Trump signs S. 544, The Veterans Choice Program Extension and Improvement Act

Click on image for the Military.com article

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Yesterday, the President signed Senate Bill 544 into law.  It extended and amended the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.  Otherwise, the controversial Veterans Choice (Card) Program would have expired in August, although $1 billion of the original $10 billion remained in the account and the number of veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system using  private care, under VA direction, had risen from approximately 10 to 33 percent.   Essentially, the bill was a no-brain’er, as no doubt the good senator from Montana, Jon Tester (D), would himself admit.  It was not a remarkable feat on the part of the Congress or the President — or the VA. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — VA finally establishes presumptive condition rules for exposure to contaminants in water supply at Camp Lejeune and other Marine Corps locations

VA to provide disability benefits for related diseases

LVMAC Poster Art 2005On 14 March 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) proposed regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection for eight diseases associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina became effective.  On September 9, 2016, VA had published in the Federal Register (81 FR 62419) a notice of a proposal to amend 38 CFR 3.307 and 3.309.  The Congress did not intervene. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Calling All Veterans. Need Your Help for a Good North Valley PIT Count

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Recently we learned the Lehigh Valley Regional Homeless Advisory Board (LVRHAB) is conducting a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homeless point-in-time survey the evening of 24 January extending through 25 January.

HUD is the government agency overseeing home mortgage lending practices and is centrally involved in solving the issue of homelessness by the nature of its purpose.  Every year it conducts a Point in Time (PIT) Count of the un-housed on the predicted coldest day of the year.  The count involves seeking out those who are unsheltered and those in emergency shelters or transitional shelters — that is, homeless households.  The numbers obtained are important to HUD’s reporting of its accomplishments and to their funding practices.  But as its name may imply, its tendency is to focus geographically on urban areas. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Regulation on Camp Lejeune’s Contaminated Drinking Water Presumptive Conditions Under Review.

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Finally on 9 September, after waiting nine months since the announcement it would do so and after announcing in August it was extending the period of consideration, the VA announced it has published proposed regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection of eight diseases affecting military members [and others] exposed to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Honoring POW/MIA Day Locally

LVMAC Poster Art 2005POW/MIA Day fast approaches and will likely be buried under a blitz of other days and month of this and that announcements, to include Suicide Prevention Month.  Yet for some, this day is not forgotten and it is deeply felt, for the loss is still deeply felt.

While also it is to deny history to believe that we as a nation have always supported our troops or have been actively concerned about the missing, Governor Wolf nevertheless properly expresses the sentiment of the day in his proclamation below.  It would be appropriate that we, as individuals, pause and reflect some time during that day on his words. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Lehigh Valley VA Homelessness Summit Needs More Community Involvement

LVMAC Poster Art 2005On 28 September, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center (VAMC) is holding a Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups (CHALENG) Meeting and Summit at the Charles Chrin Community Center of Palmer Township (Gym II).

While there has been a long history of annual CHALENG meetings, holding one in the Lehigh Valley has been a rarity.  Considering the recent efforts of the Lehigh Valley Regional Homelessness Advisory Board (LVRHAB), the time has come to encourage such meetings locally if the VA is to be a true partner in this region’s homeless efforts – and not off to the side.

Because a summit implies the meeting of leaders, LVMAC is reaching out to various organizations (police departments, school districts, public housing authorities, special social work agencies, county and city governments, for example) to have a key officer or “mover and shaker” attend. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Let’s Get the Toxic Exposure Research Act Passed

LVMAC Poster Art 2005The subject of the effect of hazardous, toxic exposures of military veterans has milled around in the houses of Congress for far too many years.  Involved is our our obligation to our veterans to find the root causes of birth defects, learning disabilities, and cancers afflicting too many of their children and grandchildren.  Therefore, “mill around mill” is not a Congressional virtue on such a topic.

Unfortunately, for years certain public officials have insisted and held sway on the issue without sufficient research to back their claim.  Their claim seems to revolve around the assertion that male veterans exposed to Agent Orange can not transmit genetic defects to their children.  While the VA has made provision for the children of Vietnam War Vietnam women veterans for certain diagnoses (without acknowledging the effects of Agent Orange, we might add), it has made absolutely none for the children of its male veterans.  In our opinion that is an awkwardly strange position and a discriminatory one. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Veterans Giving Back

LVMAC Poster Art 2005In this blog site, we often write of entitlements and benefits veterans can receive.  However, as a population category, veterans contribute far more through their labors than they take from their communities.  Indeed, many veterans have the wisdom to understand the benefits of giving of themselves to improve their communities and those of others.

Below is one fine example of local, Lehigh Valley veterans trying to do far-reaching good — in this case, for the poor —  while attending to the spiritual/psychic well-being of fellow veterans.  As it happens, an effort such as this also shows the world the better side of the American people and our way of life.  Therefore, they gain for us in another way.  Thought you might be interested and, perhaps, in helping them. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago