Department of Veterans Affairs

Forward Observer — The Lejeune Matter, Some Good News Finally?

U.S. Senate Finally Steps In

LVMAC Poster Art 2005

For months there has been a hold-up in the passage of an omnibus veterans benefits bill in Congress, H.R. 1627, but this time to the good. The bill had started life providing only “…for certain requirements for the placement of monuments in Arlington National Cemetery …”, evolved into The Honoring Americans Act of 2011 from the House and finally emerged, mutated, from the Senate as the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012.  What idiot said bill ‘riders’ are bad? (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — DAV Van Driver Wanted

Wilkes-Barre VA Volunteer Transportation System Seeks Bangor Clinic Driver

The Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council needs the help of the community in finding volunteer drivers for the Northampton County (Bangor) Department of Veterans (VA) Affairs Outpatient Clinic.  The use of this free transportation service, manned by volunteers, for medical appointments at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is important to the care of veterans in the upper Northampton County area.

Leonard Croop, the Hospital Service Coordinator for the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) at Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center, is seeking at least one driver to continue the van service begun in 2007.  Otherwise, the service must cease. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

Forward Observer — Why We Need a State Dept. of Veterans Affairs, an Example

Veterans Are Getting Short Rations in the Governor’s Budget

LVMAC Poster Art 2005District 8 of the VFW has once again resolved we need a Department of Veterans Affairs not stuck under the National Guard.  Our Chapter 415 of the Vietnam Veterans of America has just passed their own resolution.  We have heard District 30 of the American Legion also recently passed a similar resolution and other districts like Districts 14 and 19 are also interested in the subject.  Perhaps these grassroots districts, will change the American Legion thinking at state level later in the year.  The state VFW and Military Order of the Purple Heart organizations have been an advocates for a separate department for a while.  The time has certainly come to change the Commonwealth’s manner of dealing with veterans affairs.

As an example, while the proposed executive budget for 2012-2013 just submitted by Governor Corbett increased general funding support to the Ft. Indiantown Gap itself, the veterans community has lost appropriated funding once again.  This was after the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (the National Guard) decided to offer up about $6 million in savings through staffing reductions and other efficiencies  in the State Veterans Home Bureau after a management review — and after about another projected $7 million in state veterans homes savings this fiscal year. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago