Military Support

LVMAC Tidbits

Our VA Network is About to Conduct a Special Veterans’ Family and War Study

VISN-4’s  (the next higher organization to our Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center) Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC)  in Philadelphia is conducting a funded study to understand how war-related psychiatric symptoms may interfere with family reintegration and functioning.   The obvious is not apparent to them.  Nevertheless, there are benefits to such a study.  The means to improving care in the VA is most often  lead through documented study.  The VA has been known to be  loath to move without one.   The benefit we see?  … another step towards a more family-oriented VA.   Therefore, you can help by participating. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News — Swinfard Talks on Downstream Effects of War

SWINFARD ADDRESSES COUNCIL

Dr. Ronald W. Swinfard, M.D., President and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LHVN) spoke to the Council at its business meeting on 19 October.  During the Vietnam War, he served in the Medical Service Corps as a Battalion Surgeon (a lieutenant position)  of an Aid Station (a platoon equivalent organization) in 195th  Brigade of the Americal Division (23rd Infantry Division), circa 1970.  After a short stint as a high school teacher, upon return from service and decommissioning, he embarked on a career as a doctor, first training in internal medicine and later dermatology as a specialty.  In 2003, Swinfard was hired by the Lehigh Valley Health Network as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) after serving at fifteen years at the Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center in Columbia, Missouri, eventually rising to the position of Section Chief for Dermatology.  He was also a key figure in the University of Missouri Hospital – Columbia.  In November of 2010, he was selected for his current position.  He stated that he is ever mindful of the sacrifice of others who gave their lives and because of them, believes we should celebrate our lives and make them useful in the service of others.

In his talk, “The Downstream Health Effects of War,” he observed that few doctors are veterans and hence a learning curve is often required when it comes to their care.  He noted that that LHVN sees a lot of veterans in their Emergency Rooms; and that while the organization has done some work with the local VA Clinic, it intends to do more on the behalf of our local veterans. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits

Bethlehem Morning Star Rotarians Sponsor a Concert to Support Victory House A concert on 20 November conducted by the Allentown Band, America’s oldest concert band, and sponsored by the Bethlehem Morning Star Rotarians in recognition of the Armed Forces worldwide and the coming 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor will benefit Read more…

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits

18 April….Crayola Factory Family Day Camp….Sponsored by the PNG Children & Youth Program…..Many activities throughout the day….To register visit http://www.jointservicessupport.org/events/kioskRegistration.aspx?Mode=AddNew&ld-bd7eaaf6-0722-4b71-99b2-647a90fdbb36 or you can call the PNG Child & Youth Program @ 717.861.6289 22 April…….Keystone Wounded Warriors Day @ Hershey park.  the park is reserved for military and special organizations this day.  A Read more…

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits

Trout Unlimited – Hokendauqua Is Having Another Event for Injured Veterans Trout Unlimited’s Hokendauqua has arranged for its third Project Healing Water Fly Fishing event of the season to occur on 8 October just upstream of the Robin Hood Dell bridge in Little Lehigh Park.  Rain date is 9 October.  Read more…

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits

TTI’s “Supporting the Homefront”  has Launched A groundbreaking new program for the families of deploying and deployed military members and returned veterans has just become available in the Lehigh Valley beginning 27 September on Tuesday evenings. “Supporting the Homefront” offers a place to gather, understand and address the difficulties inherent Read more…

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News

Speaker:  On 17 August, BG (PA) Michael Gould, the Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans Affairs in the Commonwealth, spoke to the council.  He explained that most states have a Secretary of Veterans Affairs but in this state the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has the responsibility.  He is one of three deputies and serves at the pleasure of the Governor, though he sees his responsibility is in serving first the veterans.

His Office of Veterans Affairs is primarily consumed with the operation of six state veterans homes, requiring some 1800 employees.  Its other functional responsibilities, in comparison, are relatively small.  For example, the Office of Veterans Affairs has three small field offices of veterans service officers located in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Ft. Indiantown Gap which file VA claims on behalf of veterans and work in confederation with the County Directors of Veterans Affairs.

This does not mean he is not busy.  He has an open door policy for any veteran and has traveled approximately 63,000 miles on veterans business in the last year.

General Gould pointed out that his office manages six benefits programs, such as a paralyzed veteran pension and an emergency assistance fund, to the tune of $1 million but these touch only 1 to 2 per cent of the state’s veterans and as constituted are mostly redundant, considering the federal programs available for the same purposes.

He believes changes are necessary in his office (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC Tidbits — Review of Medical Separations

DoD Physical Disability Board of Review is Reviewing Medical Retirement Ratings

Share this with the younger veterans you encounter. It may be old news, but it is worth repeating.

Roughly 70,000 vet­er­ans rated at less than 30% disability and given a  med­ical sep­a­ra­tion between Sep­tem­ber 11, 2001 and Decem­ber 31, 2009 now have the chance to get their sep­a­ra­tions reviewed and pos­si­bly upgraded to a “med­ical retire­ment” status.  This could mean thou­sands in added ben­e­fits for dis­abled vet­er­ans who were orig­i­nally denied a mil­i­tary retire­ment.  The review is being con­ducted by the Phys­i­cal Dis­abil­ity Board of Review.  It will exam­ine each applicant’s med­ical sep­a­ra­tion records and make a rec­om­men­da­tion to the respec­tive  Ser­vice Sec­re­tary based on its find­ings. (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News

Speaker:  Ann Friedenheim, Clinical Supervisor for Confront Services, Treatment Trends, Inc. spoke about a new program to be launched by Treatment Trends and called, “Supporting the Homefront: Educational Footing for Families of Veterans and Active Duty Men and Women.”

After three years of planning and effort, (more…)

By LVMAC, ago

LVMAC News

Speaker:  On 15 June, Paul Hoffecker, founder and CEO of Renovating Hope (www.renovatinghope.org), spoke to the Council on the topic of “Renovating Hope … Finding a Better Way” and of his organization’s ambitions.

About three years ago he was asked to help a veteran in fixing his home. Shortly afterwards, ten more requests followed.  From this experience Renovating Hope, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization was born.

Renovating Hope is not an “Extreme Makeover” giveaway program [editor’s comment].  Instead it provides basic housing rehabilitation services (roofing repairs, plumbing, electrical and HVAC/ appliance purchases and installations, and the like) to those who are or have given military service and are in immediate need and in financial difficulty (and the widows of KIA). Those to receive the offer of help must first demonstrate they have been unsuccessful, after sincere effort, in securing sufficient funds to hire help and/or to effect the repairs to their homes themselves.

Renovating Hope is also about community working together to solve problems. It is an alliance between contractors (typically members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry) and suppliers and those being helped under the thoughtful guidance and negotiating power of Renovating Hope.

(more…)
By LVMAC, ago