News Blog

LVMAC Tidbit — Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center to Conduct Town Hall in Lehigh Valley

The Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is returning on 14 June 2017 to conduct its third Community Town Hall in the area since the establishment of the quarterly requirement a couple of years back.  It is part of an attempt by the VA to regain the trust among the veterans it serves.  Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center services 19 counties, to include one in New York.  The service area requires distributing the quarterly meetings over a wide area or we would have more of these useful events.  For details, see: (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbit — Department of Banking and Securities Offers Financial Management Conference

Register for 9 June Event Now

Although originally created to address a Pennsylvania Guard “Family” need, the program has application to veterans and their families as well.  In fact, the Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking and Securities is offering the event to both groups.   Click here to go directly to the registration site.  After attending, give us your feedback.  Perhaps an event can be arranged in the Lehigh Valley in the future, if we hear good words about it. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News — Last Call for Salute to the Troops

The Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council is holding its fourteenth, annual Salute to the Troops dinner.  It will be held on Friday, May 12, starting at 6 PM, at the Holiday Inn on Adrienne Drive in Breinigsville, PA. This annual event honors military and veterans as part of the observance of Armed Forces week.  The evening will include a distinguished speaker, dinner and dancing.

The featured speaker is Lieutenant General Joseph Martz (U.S. Army Retired), who retired in 2014 after spending forty years in service to our nation.  The General hails from Pennsylvania, and began his service as an enlisted man in 1974. After commissioning in 1979 as an Armor officer, upon graduation from the United States Military Academy, he rose in the ranks as a notable warrior-scholar. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Resolving the Suicide Issue: The Obvious Brings Its Own Complications

Veterans At Risk Of Suicide Negotiate A Thorny Relationship With Guns, NPR Reports

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Two key points are raised in the article which follows that affect the results, and work against what would seem to be common sense:

1) There is a question as to if the VA is really following a due or, at least, a fair process.  We know of a veteran who was not properly informed of the proceedings against him.  In addition, the VA, according to this article, is probably violating his/her Second Amendment rights, while trying to do the right thing.

2) Fear of being branded as mentally incompetent, may cause affected veterans not to access the benefits they’ve earned, including access to health care for conditions related to their military service.  When a veteran is most fragile, he/she may be effectively driven away.  Why is the term “mental incompetence” used in all instances in the first place? (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbit — Another “Veterans as Prey” Fraud Scam

The Veterans Choice Program has been beset with problems.  While the program is actually improving, a phone scam has now occurred to add to the VA’s and clients’ frustrations with the program.  Someone is after your credit card number.  Why would the VA be asking that?

See below.   One key thing to remember is that while many VA numbers start with 1-800, not all do, and the Veterans Choice Program is one of them — it uses a 1-866 prefix.

(more…)

By LVMAC, ago

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