Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

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Top Veterans Stories in Today’s News

1. UVM Sends Off Largest Class Ever at Sun-Filled Commencement Ceremony At a sun-splashed commencement ceremony on the University Green before a crowd of more than 10,000, United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki told the largest and most diverse graduating class in the history of the University of Vermont that what the world needs most is for them to make caring for others a personal devotion on a level that goes well beyond the traditional definition of volunteerism.
2. First step on burn pits The Veterans Affairs Department has issued guidance on how to determine benefits for vets exposed to environmental hazards, including burn pits, in the war zones. The move is significant: The 30-page training letter marks the first time VA has ever addressed potential battlefield exposures and the first time it has issued guidance on benefits for a war-related health issue without specific direction from Congress or the recommendation of large, independent health organizations.
3. Summer’s Worth of Free Art for Military Free museum admission for members of the military seems to be an irresistible idea. Last week Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, announced that more than 130 New York City museums and cultural institutions would let in veterans and active-duty military personnel free over the Memorial Day weekend.
4. Defending Blumenthal To the Editor: You have wrought an injustice to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut in your front-page coverage (May 18 and 19) of his statements before veterans groups. Veterans have a sincere friend and advocate in Mr. Blumenthal, but this is obscured by featuring a few infelicitous sentences said by him in a lifetime of accurate, publicly recorded statements.
5. Help for Veterans In an effort to reduce the financial burden on veterans living in rural areas, Senator Mark Begich representing Alaska introduced legislation on May 6th with Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa to waive copayments for telehealth and telemedicine visits for veterans. The bill amends title 38 of the U.S. Code related to Veterans Benefits to give the Secretary of Veterans Affairs authority to waive the fee.
6. LZ Lambeau event welcomes Vietnam veterans home with tears, hugs and thanks The LZ Lambeau tribute to Vietnam veterans Saturday night pleased many of them, but several said the event didnt and couldnt have provided the closure they have been looking for.
7. Calif. bill would mandate Veterans Day Sacramento, California – California’s Legislature and state agencies would have to observe Veterans Day on Nov. 11, not another day that is more convenient for government employees, under legislation that is supported by veterans’ organizations.
8. Web portal Warrior Gateway helps digital-age vets New York – For young veterans returning from duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, the process of re-entering society can be daunting, especially if they have been injured or have struggled with mental health problems. A new, free Web portal wants to help these warriors find the services they need in an environment they are comfortable in: the Internet.
9. Veterans’ wounds injure finances New York – Maria Del Carmen Del Toro couldn’t access her husband Israel’s bank account for more than four months while he lay comatose after a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan. With no income, she and her son Israel Jr. relied on the Air Force and friends for a place to stay and money for basic necessities. Meanwhile, the car loan, credit cards and other bills went unpaid. Penalties piled up, and the tab totaled nearly $20,000 when the severely burned technical sergeant awoke.
10. Iraq and Afghanistan U.S. women soldiers get new law for better care On April 23, Senator Patty Murray’s (D-WA) comprehensive bi-partisan legislation to prepare the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the influx of women veterans, who will access care there in the coming years, passed the Senate and House of Representatives. Senator Murray’s bill, the Women Veterans Health Improvement Act of 2009, will address many of the unique needs of female veterans, particularly those women who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.