Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

1.      Too Late For TERA?  The last item in the “Sgt. Shaft” column for the Washington Times (12/15, Fales, 77K) praises the Department of Veterans Affairs for “amending its adjudication regulations concerning presumptive service connection for medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses associated with service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations for which there is no record during service:” According to the column, the “amendment is necessary to implement a decision of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that there is a positive association between service in Southwest Asia during certain periods and the subsequent development of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), and to clarify that FGIDs fall within the scope of the existing presumption of service connection for medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illnesses.”

2.      Highlights From Monday’s “Capital Insider.”  The “Capital Insider” blog on the TBD-TV Washington, DC (12/14, Kenigsberg) website posted video of an interview the station conducted with Brandon Friedman, the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ director of new media, who talked about reaching out to veterans though social media, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. When Friedman, who also pointed out that VA “just launched a new blog called VAntage Point,” was asked how long this form of outreach has “been in the works,” he said, “When Secretary Shinseki…and Assistant Secretary Duckworth came in, they both decided that this was going to be one of the ways to reach veterans.”
The WLS-TV Chicago, IL (12/14, Baca) website said US service members returning home to Chicago “this holiday season — especially from Iraq and Afghanistan — may notice messages on billboards and bus stops,” because VA is “reaching out to try to prevent suicide and help those” with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

3.      Senate OKs GI Bill Improvements.  In continuing coverage, the Army Times (12/15, Maze, 104K) reports, “In an unexpected drive toward the goal line, the Senate approved a long-delayed package of improvements in the Post-9/11 GI Bill, raising the possibility this legislation, once thought dead, would become law by the end of the year.” Current year passage of the bill, which “now goes to the House for consideration,” has “been a high priority for veterans’ groups, especially Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which has been complaining about congressional inaction on veteran-related bills.”

4.      Omnibus Includes Construction Projects In Afghanistan.  CQ (12/15, Mulero) reports, “The fiscal 2011 omnibus package includes $141.1 billion to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects.” The levels in the bill, which “would provide Veterans Affairs $57 billion in fiscal 2011 discretionary funding,” are “nearly identical to those in a related spending bill (S 3615) appropriators reported out of committee in July,” when US Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), “chairman of the Appropriations panel’s Military Construction-VA Subcommittee, said the funding levels ‘give our veterans the resources they need.'”

 Politico (12/14, Lovley, 25K) said Congress “might finally start playing by its own rules on hiring veterans,” because on Friday, the Senate “passed the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act regulations that help vets land government jobs, applying the law to itself 12 years” after it “first passed. The House is expected to pass companion legislation after the House Administration Committee considers it on Wednesday, according to an aide.” Politico noted that this past summer, veterans groups “denounced the lack of enforcement” of the law.

6.      Help For Area Veterans Returning To Civilian Life. A Lafayette (IN) Journal And Courier (12/15, 30K) column says the veterans service office for Tippecanoe County has “been in contact…with Amy Blue,” a licensed clinical social worker at the “Gary Area Vet Center.” Blue has informed the office “that the Lafayette area falls under their vet center’s catchment area and that she would like to provide service to our veterans in this area.”

  The Somerset (NJ) Reporter & Messenger-Gazette (12/15) says United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman has announced that 59-year-old Lawrence Brotzen and 57-year-old Sally Wright, a former employee of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, have been sentenced to prison for healthcare fraud. Fishman “credited special agents with the FBI,” the US VA, and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for their work on the case.

8.      VA Halts Medical Procedures.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (12/15, Walker, 206K) reports, “Administrators at the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center have ordered a halt to medical procedures because of concerns raised by an employee about sterilization procedures.” Hospital spokesman Gary Kunich “said hospital officials” are reviewing the procedures and he is not sure when his facility will resume normal operations. However, the website for WUWM-FM (12/15, Toner) notes, “Officials at the VA hospital in Milwaukee say medical procedures will resume there on a limited basis within the next week.”

9.      Phillies Holidays And “A Merry Cliff-Mas” At Coatesville VA.  The West Chester (PA) Daily Local News (12/15, Dix, 23K) reports, “A holiday visit by Phillies manager Charlie Manuel to the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center was made even sweeter for ‘phans’ by the news that pitcher Cliff Lee” will “return to the team. The Tuesday morning visit was planned about two weeks ago as part of the Phillies’ ‘Holiday Week of Giving.’ Manuel, former player Marty Bystrom, the Philly Phanatic and Phillies Ballgirls came out to help veterans and staff ‘deck the halls’ in several residential buildings on the campus.” The WPVI-TV Philadelphia, PA (12/14) website published a similar story.
     Volunteers Wrap Gifts At Canandaigua VAMC. The Greece (NY) Messenger Post (12/15, Sherwood) reports, “A jolly band of volunteers, some 100 strong, socialized and got creative last week wrapping gifts that will be distributed to veterans at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center on Dec. 19.” The gifts were “bought with donated funds.”
      In her column for the Naperville (IL) Daily Sun (12/15), Angela Bender says veterans “spending the holidays” at Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital “will be treated to some Christmas cheer again this year. Supporters of Operation Welcome You Home, students and teachers from Washington Junior High School, The Heart of a Marine Foundation and the Firefighters Highland Guard of Naperville bagpipers will visit the hospital Thursday to host Veterans Christmas Cheer.”

10.    Man Found In Vacant Building At VA Hospital.  In a story carried by at least 60 publications, the AP (12/15) notes that Grant County coroner Stephen Dorsey says workers at a Veterans Affairs hospital in central Indiana have found the body of 50-year-old Charles Reno in a vacant building on the facility’s grounds. Dorsey “said he found three fentanyl patches for pain relief inside Reno’s pocket and another in his mouth. The patches can cause immediate overdose if put into the mouth.”