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…)
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…)
During Military Appreciation Month, Operation Homefront is asking for your help in various ways to recognize our military families and thank them for their service. It is more than about fundraising. As a note, this is one national organization with a primary mission of serving military families (and recently disabled Read more…
May be heavily hospital-oriented initially, but it is also a way to feed new thoughts to the staff about customer service and events elsewhere. A vast portion of their activities are outside that pleasure dome known as Wilkes-Barre VA Hospital. Yes, it is an old idea with a face lift, Read more…
The 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…)
Homes on the Homefront, a program of Operation Homefront, is once again offering another renovated home in our vicinity. This one is in East Stroudsburg, PA. Deadline for application is 19 March. For details on the home, the program and how to apply, click here. Nice digs for a family! Read more…
Homes on the Homefront, a program of Operation Homefront, is again offering a renovated home in Pennsylvania. In the vicinity of our area alone, about five homes over the last two years have been offered and occupied. While this one is in Hanover, York County — well outside our operational Read more…
Homes on the Homefront, a program of Operation Homefront, is offering another renovated home in our vicinity — about the fourth or fifth one since the the program began. This one is in Effort, PA. Deadline for application is 13 December. For details on the home, the program and how Read more…
Attention, Lehigh and Northampton county veterans, children and unmarried spouses of military personnel killed in action, children of veterans — and high school seniors enrolling in a higher education institution’s ROTC program with the intention of entering military service, you may be eligible to receive one of eighteen, one-thousand dollar Read more…
Are you the spouse or child of a Veteran? You may qualify for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of VA (CHAMPVA), which can reimburse you for doctor’s visits, mental health care, prescriptions, and many other services. Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center would like you to know that on Wednesday, December 17, 2014, from 7–8 p.m. Eastern, VA and Blue Star Families (a nonprofit organization not related to Blue Star Mothers) will host a Facebook chat about VA benefits for Veterans’ spouses, dependents, and survivors. Anyone with a Facebook account can take part and it is not too late to sign up. The instructions follow: (more…)