Is there some good news on the horizon now that our legislators have found a way to pay for it? We are talking about H.R. 299 (Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017), which passed out of House Veterans Affairs Committee on 8 May. There is a long way to go, but in the past this bill has been killed in this committee. (more…)
On 22 February 2018, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) announced the launch of Concierge for Care, a health care enrollment initiative that helps military servicemembers connect shortly after they separate with the VA’s healthcare system. (more…)
Were you or a family member stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C. for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953 and December 31, 1987? You may have been exposed to chemicals in the drinking water. In this video, the Secretary of the VA describes the health care benefits available. (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…)
On 29 November 2017, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that the White House VA Hotline (first launched in June as part of President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to reforming VA but which also had a shaky start) is now fully staffed with live agents working to serve veterans 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. The actual facility location is in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. (more…)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that the application process for the national Veterans Identification Card (VIC) is now available for veterans, an action overdue since 2015 and still causing controversy among some veterans organizations over the implementation of the character of service requirement (unlike the VA, the law excludes practically no one who has served). Currently only those veterans with honorable service will be able to apply for the ID card. However, this is a change from previous statements by others because it means those who have a general discharge (under honorable conditions) can now also apply, in addition to those with honorable discharges/releases. (more…)