The American Legion Department of Colorado Blog

As the Civil War ended, the government recognized the need for prosthetic devices. Limbs made out of wood, metal, and leather were supplied to amputee Veterans in an effort to help them return to a sense of normalcy and independent living. As time progressed, so did the field of prosthetics.

In the late 1940’s, the University of California at Berkeley invented a suction socket for above-knee prostheses. Electrically powered devices, which made the use of prosthetics easier, became popular in the 1950s. Nearly 60 years later, electric signals from existing muscles can enable users to open and close life-like fingers. Artificial legs are fitted with spring-loaded feet and synthetic coverings can be made to match skin tones.

Now, as servicemembers return from Iraq and Afghanistan with life-altering injures, VA supports and develops highly advanced devices. The PowerFoot, a robotic limb, takes stress off the rest of the body making it more comfortable for the amputee to walk. It also replaces the function of lost muscles and can even generate power. Veterans now have the ability to walk faster, run, and participate in activities once considered out of reach.

The video above details how 21st century prosthetics allow amputee Veterans to achieve a better quality of life. For more information visit our Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service site.

Bill giving flags to families of federal workers killed in the line of duty pulled from agenda.

A House of Representatives bill allowing for payment of “expenses incident to the presentation of a (U.S.) flag” for civilians who are killed while working for the federal government was pulled from the legislative agenda Wednesday night September 7, 2011.

The Civilian Service Recognition Act of 2011 (H.R. 2061) was introduced May 31 by Rep. Bill Hanna of New York. Noting that 3,000 federal employees have died since 1993, Hanna said, “Like members of the armed services, civilian federal employees are often in harm’s way. Ours is a grateful nation, one that values the sacrifices made in honor of this country. A life can never be repaid, but it can be honored.”

Legion staff are working with House officials to get the bill amended.

“This bill leaves far too much to be determined by a few individuals,” said Tim Tetz, Legislative director of The American Legion. “It allows agency heads to determine who may be eligible upon their deaths. It allows them to determine ‘next of kin.’ It doesn’t clearly identify associated costs, and it leaves far too much to be decided without any public feedback.”

The Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR) provides veterans who were medically separated from military service between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2009, with a new chance to have their disability ratings reviewed for fairness, consistency and accuracy.

Unfortunately, many who were discharged with “low-balled” disability ratings haven’t heard of the PDBR or haven’t applied for a review.

So far, only 2,700 have applied…a tiny fraction of the 75,000 troops medically separated during the eligibility period.

To be eligible, a veteran must have been medically separated between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2009 with a combined disability rating of 20 percent or less, and must not have been found eligible for retirement.

Former reserve members with fewer than 20 years of active duty service and who meet the criteria listed above can also apply.

If you know a veteran who could qualify for this important review please pass this information on to them.

For more information, visit the PDBR website.

By Wayne C. Sundberg

This year, 2011, marks the beginning of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, and the 70th observation of the outbreak of World War II. The Fort Collins Senior Center’s annual Cemetery Stroll is celebrating our veterans with this year’s theme, “Valuing Our Veterans: Service and Sacrifice.”

Seven Fort Collins veterans from five of our past wars will be portrayed at their respective burial sites. Two represent the Civil War, John Mandeville, a Union vet, and James Fletcher, a Confederate vet.

Richard Maxfield served during the Spanish American War, and George Beach lost his life in WW I. Two veterans of WW II, Alonso Martinez, who died in Belgium in 1944, and Fran Thompson will be portrayed by actors, as will Stewart Case, who served in both WW II and during the Korean Conflict.

Veterans from Viet Nam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as all peacetime vets will also be recognized at the event on Saturday, September 17. There will be two presentations, one at 10:00 AM and another at 1:30 PM, at Grandview Cemetery. The cost is $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for youths 12 and under.

Come to the Stroll and help us honor the service and sacrifices of our service members, past and present!

Contact:

Wayne C. Sundberg

970-493-3749

sunddayres@msn.com

The leader of The American Legion expressed his gratitude to Time Magazine for its inclusion of a Legionnaire on its Aug. 29th cover featuring veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Congratulations to Legionnaire John Gallina from Post 30 in Statesville, North Carolina. He served his country well in Iraq and now he continues to serve by bringing the important issues faced by his comrades into the public limelight.”

The Time article by columnist Joe Klein titled, “The New Greatest Generation: How Young War Veterans are Redefining Leadership at Home” details some of the challenges America’s most recent war heroes face, including medical treatment, economic hardship and societal transition.

The American Legion has been at the forefront of improving conditions for all wartime veterans and was pivotal in the passage of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which according to former U.S. Representative Chet Edwards, “would not have happened without The American Legion.”

Foster added that while he was pleased with the Time article, he challenged the assertion of one recent veteran who said his generation wasn’t joining The American Legion. “More than 250,000 dues-paying members of the 2.4 million member American Legion have served in the U.S. military since the Gulf War. They do so because they believe in our principles. We have raised more than $1 million for the wounded warriors at Landstuhl, Walter Reed, Bethesda, Fort Hood and just about every military hospital and warrior transition unit in-between. We also have the best youth programs anywhere. I invite all veterans to visit their local American Legion post or our national website at www.legion.org.”

American Legion Commander says the backlog of VA claims should come before the concerns of those who violated the law to enter the United States.

Undocumented aliens wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol Agents in Yuma, Ariz. U.S. Air Force photo

The American Legion adamantly opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, and National Commander Jimmie L. Foster is deeply concerned about reports suggesting the Department of Homeland Security is considering a leniency policy that would forgive foreign law-breakers on a “case-by-case basis.”

“Not only does this constitute an amnesty not authorized by the U.S. Congress, but it represents a horrible misuse of government assets,” Foster said. “Reports suggest ‘prosecutorial discretion’ for certain violators, meaning the law won’t be applied evenly, if at all. That does neither the illegal immigrant nor our nation any good.”

The American Legion has repeatedly spoken out against any amnesties for illegal aliens. Across the country, dozens of American Legion posts conduct citizenship and naturalization programs for legal immigrants. But for those who enter the nation illegally, tap into public services funded by U.S. taxpayers and provide under-the-table labor, the Legion opposes amnesty, no matter what it is called. “Legalization, regularization, guest-worker program, earned-status adjustment – these are all just euphemisms for amnesty,” Foster said.

A recent New York Times article stated that “Cecilia Muñoz, a White House official who helped develop the new policy, said officials would suspend deportation proceedings in low-priority cases that, for example, involve ‘military veterans and the spouses of active-duty military personnel.’”

Anyone who joins the U.S. Armed Forces must already be in the United States legally. Section 328 of the Immigration and Naturalization Act specifically allows for naturalization of all foreign-born active-duty personnel, and those who are honorably discharged after service of at least one year.

Ceremonies are often conducted to recognize military service as a route to legal U.S. citizenship. One such naturalization ceremony took place last Presidents Day in Baghdad when 53 foreign-born soldiers became U.S. citizens.

Foster questioned the fiscal thinking of case-by-case handling of illegal immigration claims. “Where are we getting the resources for all this protection of illegal immigrants?” he asked. “If there is sufficient government funding currently allocated for a case-by-case analysis of those here illegally, it stands to reason some of those funds could be shifted to address the backlog of veterans claims which has been called a top priority of the past two administrations.

“At a time when there are 842,687 claims pending before VA, 502,599 of which have been pending over four months, why would we dedicate federal resources to analyze the claims of people who are here illegally? Shouldn’t our men and women who risked their lives in defense of this country have priority over those who openly flouted our immigration laws?

“Any such amnesty policy would send a clear message that the interests of law-breakers take precedent over those of our servicemembers,” said Foster. “Like many Americans, our veterans need jobs, health care, and other benefits they earned and deserve by serving our nation in uniform, often during times of war.

“I am astonished,” Foster said, “that the individual interests of illegal immigrants would ever move ahead of veterans, military personnel and their families when it comes to case-by-case analysis.”

Department updates Legion on numbers of returning veterans receiving health care.

Jacob Gadd, deputy cirector for Healthcare for The American Legion Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division, recently received an update from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Public Health’s Environmental Epidemiology Service on the numbers of transitioning veterans that have enrolled in VA for health care.

Since 2002 through the second quarter of fiscal 2011, 1,318,510 Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) veterans have left active duty and become eligible for VA health care. Of these, 683,521 (52 percent) have obtained VA health care since fiscal 2002. Of the cumulative total of 683,521 OEF/OIF/OND veterans who utilized VA health care between fiscal 2002 and the second quarter of Ffiscal 2011, 431,453 veterans accessed this care from April 2010 to April 2011.

Some of the demographic characteristics of OEF/OIF/OND veterans utilizing VA health care are: 88.1 percent are male, 45.3 percent were born between 1980-1995, 54.7 percent were active duty, 61 percent were Army veterans and 91.2 percent were enlisted.

The increase of enrolled veterans can be attributed to several factors, including the ability to submit VA Form 10-10EZ, “Application for Health Benefits,” online without a signature requirement for processing at the Health Eligibility Center in Atlanta. Another factors is the five-year combat veteran rule. Veterans, including activated reservists and members of the National Guard, are eligible for Combat Veteran Eligibility if they served on active duty in a theater of operations after Nov. 11, 1998, and have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. Under the Combat Veteran authority, cost-free care and medications are provided to veterans for conditions potentially related to combat services.

The Veterans Health Administration is responsible for more than 1,300 sites of VA-related health-care facilities, including 153 VA medical centers, 965 ambulatory care and community based outpatient clinics, and 278 readjustment counseling (Vet) Centers across the country. Veterans have to enroll for VHA health care and based on their eligibility status are assigned to one of VA’s eight priority groups. If veterans have a Veterans Benefits Administration service-connected disability of 50 percent or more or need care for a compensable disability, they are eligible for cost-free medical care for those conditions.

A veteran may apply for enrollment at any VA health-care facility or veterans benefits office at any time. A form, “Application for Health Benefits,” VA Form 10-10EZ, is available online at https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/. The form can be completed online and mailed to the Health Eligibility Center. More information is available by calling VA toll-free at (877) 222-8387.

For questions on VA enrollment and eligibility for health care, please contact the Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division Health Care Policy Staff at var@legion.org or by phone at (202) 861-2700.

For the past year, I have traveled through every state and several foreign countries meeting with veterans, servicemembers and military families. This experience has given me the opportunity to listen and learn from the heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow. While meeting our young warriors of today, I saw the same dedication, resolve, and honor that was apparent when I served in uniform. It made me happy to be a veteran, national commander of The American Legion and, most importantly, an American.

Yet I realized these young men and women have earned our unwavering support and unconditional dedication in return for their service. These warriors are fighting for us, our country and our ideals. While they are focused on our enemies, a debate has begun over how we can change their retirements, their benefits and their quality of life; these kinds of proposals are unconscionable and The American Legion opposes them outright. The Department of Defense must not support changes to its military retirement system that would prove detrimental to the men and women in our armed forces.

The American Legion is mindful of the difficult economic times faced by Americans, and the importance of fiscal responsibility by our federal government. We understand that we have to make sacrifices together as a nation to get through these especially challenging times.

We must draw a line in the sand when it comes to reducing military retirement benefits earned by our warriors.

Last month, the Defense Business Board issued a plan to “modernize” the military retirement system by introducing a 401(K)-style alternative, based on the current Uniformed Military Personnel Thrift Savings Plan. In most private-sector savings plans, employees contribute portions of their salaries to 401(K) accounts (usually over many years) to build their retirement funds. Some observers argue that military retirement, earned after a minimum of 20 years service, is unfair when compared to such private-sector plans.

Much of the problem inherent in this argument rests upon what Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen has referred to as “a growing chasm developing between civilian and military populations in this country.” How does one compare the sacrifices made by career servicemembers to those made by civilians? Why should military retirement benefits be measured with a private-sector yardstick?

For about 99 percent of our population, their “sacrifice” in fighting the global war on terrorism consists mainly of standing in long lines at the airport, and taking off their shoes and belts whenever they fly. The remaining one percent of Americans – our men and women in uniform – understand the real meaning of sacrifice in this decade-long war.

These are the people who have sacrificed their lives, their bodies, their peace of mind and – in some cases – their hopes and dreams for this nation. These heroes have slept on rocks in godforsaken places, taking the fight to those who have vowed death and destruction to America. These are people who have witnessed upheaval in their families, who have missed seeing their children grow up, and who often return home unable to find a job.

Some plans being discussed would require active-duty servicemembers to put a percentage of their salaries into a retirement fund; this type of “solution” has been rejected in the past. A 1978 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, “The Military Retirement System: Options for Change” found serious problems in a contribution-based system.

One major disadvantage was that junior enlisted servicemembers with families did not have the available income to make such contributions. If they were allowed to opt out of such a retirement plan, they would do so for many years and thereby defeat the plan’s purpose.

I’m sure that many of us have heard of – or met – junior enlisted servicemembers who qualify for food stamps. If you haven’t, you should be aware that they exist out there – even as they sacrifice for our security and freedom. Some military families simply can’t get by these days without assistance. So how much worse will they fare if DoD makes contributions to military retirement mandatory?

The CBO report said that, in order to compensate servicemembers for their retirement contributions, base salaries would have to be increased proportionately. This expense, combined with DoD’s matching contributions, would actually increase the overall budget.

You can’t start tinkering with this retirement system without reevaluating the whole pay structure in the military. It isn’t something you can do piecemeal. Military salaries and benefits are an inter-related package and have to be considered that way.

The shorter periods of military service, compared to several decades of private-sector employment, reflect further differences between military and civilian life. Service in uniform is a young person’s game. After 20 or 25 years of high-tempo, physically demanding circumstances, it’s time to move on to other things. You can’t compare it to a lifetime career as a broker or an insurance salesman.

Military service is a high-pressure job that takes a physical and emotional toll – 20-year enlistments that often include four to six combat deployments, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and all the aches, pains and worn-out joints that arise from carrying a 70-pound rucksack.

At home, our mistakes at work may be measured by bar graphs or profit margins. Mistakes in combat are measured by body bags.

National defense remains a key concern of The American Legion. We will not lie dormant while ‘bean counters’ sabotage the compensation package earned by servicemembers through their years of sacrifice and dedication to duty.

I call on The American Legion’s 2.4 million members, as well as The American Legion Auxiliary, the Sons of The American Legion – and all Americans – to join me in protecting those who are fighting for us. This is a serious threat to America’s security that must not go unchallenged.

“Website Encourages Sports Participation by Disabled Veterans”

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched its Paralympic Program website as part of VA’s ongoing commitment to support the rehabilitation and recovery of disabled Veterans through participation in adaptive sports.

“Adaptive sports participation among disabled Veterans has many proven benefits such as increased independence, reduced dependency on pain and depression medication and stress reduction,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “Providing resources for disabled Veterans to participate or compete in adaptive sports supports the holistic wellness of Veterans, which is a key component of VA’s Veteran-centric care.”

The website is located at www.va.gov/adaptivesports .

One of the highlights of the new website is the “Success Stories” page, which features disabled Veterans and their stories of how participating in adaptive sports has positively impacted their lives. Veterans who participate in adaptive sports at any level, as well as Paralympic competitors, are encouraged to submit their stories and share their challenges and triumphs with the entire Veteran community.

The site also provides users with a comprehensive overview of the benefits of disabled Veterans participating in adaptive sports, sports by disability, training allowances, the VA Paralympic Grant Program, and resources for caregivers and VA clinical personnel. Another resource is the “Sports Club Finder” feature, a searchable database developed by U.S. Paralympics that connects disabled Veterans with local sports programs throughout the country.

“We are excited about the launch of this new website and all that it offers to the disabled Veteran community,” said Christopher J. Nowak, national director, VA Paralympic Program Office. “It is full of information disabled Veterans, their caregivers, VA clinical personnel and Veterans Service Organizations will find useful. It also highlights our partnership with U.S. Paralympics and contains information on our mission to sustain participation in adaptive sports among disabled Veterans in local community-based sports programs.”

For more information, visit the website www.va.gov/adaptivesports or send an email to vacoadaptiveSP@va.gov.

Vietnam-era veterans who have medical diagnoses for three presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure need to file by deadline.

Vietnam-era veterans who have medical diagnoses for three presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure need to file their disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs by August 30, 2011 in order to qualify for up to one year of retroactive benefits.

The three diseases recently added to VA’s list of presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure or other herbicides during the Vietnam War are ischemic heart disease, hairy cell and other B-cell leukemias, and Parkinson’s disease.

“Veterans who suffer from these presumptive conditions can apply for disability benefits at any time,” said Verna Jones, director of The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division. “But they need to apply by the August 30 deadline in order to possibly get up to a year’s worth of benefits retroactively,”

Widows and widowers whose spouses have died from Agent Orange presumptive conditions may also qualify for retroactive benefits and are encouraged to file for dependent indemnity compensation by Aug. 30.

Veterans can file for disability claims online at VA’s https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack.