By: John Raughter, American Legion Communications Director
It’s that time of year again. Time when The American Legion usually outdoes itself in the normal 100 percent support it shows the troops. Last year at about this time, Operation Comfort Warriors was born. By the end of December, $100,000 was raised to purchase comfort items ranging from hooded sweatshirts to socks to small electronics for our troops in military hospitals and warrior transition units around the world. These donations helped brighten the holidays for many of our wounded warriors.
Back in August, National Commander Hill set a goal to raise another $100,000 by the end of the year. We were at $189,000 at the time. Today, we have raised $227,938 since OCW’s inception. That means we need just more than $61,000 to reach this goal. I know that with your help, we can reach that goal.
Many worthy requests come from the various hospitals and units. One that sticks out is the request from the Fort Carson, Colorado, Wounded Warrior Battalion, to purchase 50 “Tens Units” at $31.48 each. Tens units are pain management devices. They are effectively used in the management of extreme debilitating headaches, often associated with head trauma, severe TBI and repeated blast concussions. Many of our wounded have these issues, and even with the abundant medications they are given, still suffer the head pain. The company, which manufactures the devices, will provide them at a 50 percent discount if we purchase them.
Other needs from Fort Carson include “barracks kits” filled with personal toiletries, bed linens, bathroom linens, pillow, pajamas, socks, books, phone card and other items for the room.
As most of you are aware, The American Legion spends no money on marketing or overhead for OCW. 100 percent of the donations go to the troops. Your National Security Division has been very efficient at responding to the needs of the bases worldwide and there is rarely more than $20,000 in the account at any given time. Other items purchased and future needs include DVDs, CDs, books, duffle bags, backpacks, gift cards, puzzles and even laptops for common areas. We have already helped Walter Reed, Landstuhl, Bethesda, Camp Pendleton, Fort Hood, Camp Lejeune, Fort Lewis, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg and more places than I can mention here. Operation Comfort Warriors will be contributing to just about every U.S. military hospital or warrior transition unit in the world.
Donations can be made online at www.legion.org/ocw or by mailing checks to Operation Comfort Warriors, PO Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Thank you for your continued support on this.
“Veterans More Likely to Avoid Foreclosure with VA-Backed Loan”
WASHINGTON (Dec. 7, 2009) – Despite problems in the nation’s housing market, mortgage loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had a lower foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan in the industry, as of the end of the last fiscal year.
“The dedication of VA’s loan professionals, the support of our partners in the mortgage industry and most importantly, the hard work and sacrifice of our Veterans have made this possible,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.“VA is making good on its promise to help Veterans buy homes, and Veterans are achieving their dreams.”
Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans were obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program.The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty members, and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.
More than 90 percent of VA-guaranteed loans are made without a down payment.Despite this, VA has the lowest serious delinquency rate in the industry, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, VA’s percentage of loans in foreclosure is the lowest of all measured loan types-lower even than prime loans, which require high credit scores and a 20 percent down payment by the borrower.
Much of the program’s strength stems from the efforts of VA employees and loan servicers nationwide, whose primary mission is to help Veterans stay in their homes, avoid foreclosure and protect their credit lines from the consequences of a foreclosure, Shinseki said.
Depending on the situation, VA’s loan specialists can intervene on a Veteran’s behalf to help pursue home-retention options such as repayment plans, loan modifications and forbearance.Additionally, under certain circumstances, VA can refund a loan, which involves purchasing the loan from the mortgage company and modifying the terms so the Veteran can afford the new mortgage payment.
Since 1944, when home-loan guarantees were offered under the original GI
Bill, through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, VA has guaranteed more than 18.7 million home loans worth $1.04 trillion.
To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program,
WASHINGTON — America’s last surviving World War I veteran came to Congress on Thursday to ask lawmakers to create a memorial to honor his fellow combatants from “The Great War.”
“What am I supposed to say? Oh yes — the memorial, it’s an excellent idea!” exclaimed 108-year old Frank Buckles, as camera bulbs flashed to capture the moment.
The wheelchair-bound centenarian, who lives in nearby West Virginia, pleaded his case to lawmakers that the federal city — with monuments to honor veterans and fallen soldiers who fought in World War II, Vietnam and other conflicts — needs a symbol to honor veterans of World War I.
When the guns fell silent on November 11, 1918, exactly 4,734,991 Americans had served in World War I.Only one is known to be alive.Some 100,000 Americans lost their lives in the 1914-1918 First World War, one of the deadliest in history.
“It makes perfect sense to have a national memorial in DC,” said Buckle’s daughter, Susannah Buckles-Flanagan.
“Our national mall is an educational tool seen by the children, the students, the tourists from all over the country and abroad,” she said.
In response to reporter’s queries, she added that her father “is in good shape.” Obviously he has a hard time hearing, but he still enjoys reading and he is doing his exercises every day.”
Buckles fought in the war beginning at the age of 16, and later was also a combatant in World War II, when he was captured by the Japanese troops and spent three years in a prison camp.
The US government has awarded him the World War I Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal, while France bestowed upon him the French Legion of Honor medal.
‘We will pay his legal bills if necessary,’ says National Commander
WASHINGTON – The American Legion has joined the fight being waged by a Medal of Honor recipient against a Virginia homeowner association’s demands to remove a flagpole.
Col. Van Barfoot, 90, a World War II and Vietnam veteran, was ordered by the Sussex Square Homeowner’s Association to remove the flagpole from his front lawn after he flew the U.S. Flag on Labor Day and Veterans Day. The association is claiming that the flagpole is not “aesthetically appropriate.”
“The association underestimated the fight left in this elderly veteran and now they have to contend with the determination and persistence of Col. Barfoot’s 2.5 million friends in The American Legion,” said National Commander Clarence E. Hill. “Col. Barfoot has hired legal counsel. The American Legion is prepared to help with the expenses and fight these disgraceful actions by the association. Where is the common sense here? Is this anyway to treat any American, much less a true hero like Col Barfoot?”
Fighting for the flag is not new to The American Legion, the nation’s leading authority on flag etiquette. Since 1989, The Legion has been fighting for a constitutional amendment that would grant Congress the authority to protect Old Glory from desecration.
“The flag is a symbol of our country,” Hill said. “People should fly it proudly. That’s all Col. Barfoot wants to do. If he were desecrating the flag, instead, the association couldn’t do a thing to stop him. We proudly stand with Col. Barfoot and say ‘enough already!’ Let him keep the flagpole and fly the flag as often as he wants. He certainly earned that right.”
“What the association is doing is especially disgraceful given the fact that our president has ordered another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in defense of our freedom,” added Joseph Caouette, The American Legion’s Chairman of Americanism. “I wonder what they think of all of this.”
WASHINGTON (Dec. 3, 2009) – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a national survey of Veterans, active duty service members, activated National Guard and reserve members, and family members and survivors to learn if they are aware of VA services.
“By hearing directly from Veterans and their family members, we gain valuable information to help us serve them better.We hope those who receive the survey will respond to it,” Secretary Shinseki said.
In addition to assessing awareness levels, the National Survey of Veterans will collect important health care, benefits, employment, and demographic information that VA will use to inform policy decisions and improve benefits.Recognizing a broader client base than just Veterans, this is the first time VA has included others, such as Veteran family members, in its survey population.
VA is mailing out survey “screeners” to more than 130,000 households to identify potential survey participants.The screener asks if anyone in the household is a member of one of the identified survey groups – Veterans, family members and survivors, active duty, Guard or Reserve members.Eligible survey participants then may be requested to participate in a full-length survey.
Participants will be able to select a preferred survey method: through U.S. mail, telephone or a password-protected Internet address.VA expects approximately 10,000 Veterans to complete the full-length survey.
This is the sixth VA National Survey of Veterans since 1978.The information collected will help VA in its efforts to design and conduct outreach to Veterans.In addition, it will provide a clearer picture of the Veteran population’s characteristics to help evaluate existing programs and policies and measure their impact.
The data collection is expected to be finished by the end of February and the final report released by December 2010.
By Frank Ahrens | November 11, 2009; Washington Post Staff and Ticker Column Author
Washington Post Coverage Economy Watch of the Financial Crisis
November 6,20 news is that U.S. joblessness is now in double digits, at 10.2 percent.
It’s a mixed bag for veterans seeking jobs when returning from active duty, but especially tough for vets of what the government calls Gulf War II — the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere since 2001.
Vets enjoy some advantages, such as preferential hiring and added points on their applications for federal jobs. At the same time, many carry significant challenges, including physical and mental disabilities suffered in combat. (And not to mention homelessness.)
The first thing we need to do is try to get a handle on unemployment among veterans. The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) breaks down joblessness among veterans into eras, based on the wars they served in.
In October 2009 the overall rate of unemployment for all vets was 8.1 percent, according to the BLS — actually lower than the national unemployment rate.
But, older veterans who are entrenched in the labor force skew that number. The numbers for younger vets is higher.
Breaking down the BLS data:
– Unemployment among vets of WWII, Korea and Vietnam: 7.6 percent, up from 4 percent in October 2008.
– Unemployment among vets of Gulf War I (1990-91): 6.1 percent, up from 5.2 percent this time last year.
– Unemployment among vets of Gulf War II (post-2001 conflicts): 11.6 percent, up from 8 percent this time last year.
If you dig a little deeper into the data on Gulf War II vets, the employment news gets grimmer.
According to BLS data from all of 2008, which came out in March of 2009:
– Unemployment among 18-to-24-year-old male Gulf War II vets was 13.9 percent. Since the end of 2008, national unemployment has shot up from 7.2 percent to today’s 10.2 percent. So you can safely guess young male vet unemployment is up over 15 percent.
– Unemployment among 18-to-24-year-old female Gulf War vets was 15.1 percent. Adding in the rise in unemployment over the past year, and that number is probably closing in on 20 percent.
Enlisted vets of Gulf War I are now in their late ’30s and early ’40s (officers, slightly older) and many have moved into jobs with the government and private contractors whose work has carried on to Gulf War II.
Enlisted vets of Gulf War II, however, are in their mid-to-late ’20s, many without college degrees, and many with disabilities and already face challenges finding jobs. Couple that with the Great Recession, which began in December 2007 and rising unemployment and you’ve got a bad recipe for trying to find work once a tour of duty is done.
What kind of jobs are vets getting when they return from active duty? According to BLS data on the employment situation for vets in 2008, the answer is two-fold: government and manufacturing.
Among all vets in 2008, 20 percent were employed by the government. Coming in second was manufacturing, at about 14 percent of all vets.
By gender, there is a much higher percentage of female vets (30 percent of all Gulf War II) work for the government, as compared to male vets of Gulf War II working for the government (23 percent). The male vets have largely migrated to manufacturing jobs. Which, by the way, have vaporized over the past year.
Given that government jobs can provide a soft landing for returning vets, where can they look for resources for help?
On November 9, 2009 the White House launched a new veterans employment initiative, designed to “transform the federal government into the model employer of America’s veterans” by creating a Council on Veterans Employment. You can read a complete copy of this initiative at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-launches-major-veterans-employment-initiative.
The new initiative “establishes a Veterans Employment Program office within most federal agencies,” the White House release says. “These offices will be responsible for helping veterans identify employment opportunities within those federal agencies, providing feedback to veterans about their employment application status, and helping veterans recently employed by these agencies adjust to civilian life and a workplace culture often different than military service.”
One hurdle facing vets, however, is that trying to get a federal job is not easy. And that’s where people like Kathryn Troutman come in. Troutman runs a business called The Resume Place, which helps federal job seekers write effective resumes. Her website can be found at http://www.resume-place.com.
Many federal jobs require lengthy resumes and essays. Troutman has just launched a page aimed at vets, which you can see by clicking here. She’s giving away copies of her “Military To Federal Career Guide” book and showing samples of veterans’ resumes, a free service she plans to continue indefinitely at http://www.resume-place.com/military-and-veterans, there is a cost for the postage, so have a credit or debit care available.
Officers fare better in the civilian job market, Troutman says, because they can translate their managerial experience to non-military settings. But finding a job is especially hard for young enlisted vets, Troutman says.
“Most of them went into the military without hardly ever looking for a job before,” she says. “When they get out, they’ve never written a resume, never looked for a job. It’s kind of like they’ve landed on a new planet.”
Further, she says, “the work they did in Iraq has nothing to do with the work here. They simply cannot figure out how to repackage themselves to get back into civilian life.”
The best hope for most vets, Troutman says, is government work. Enlisted vets get points added to their applications — five points for having served, 10 points for have been injured — that can help push their resume to the top of the pile.
Bottom line, as we remember veterans today: Nobody drafted these vets. They enlisted by their own choice. They have given a service to this country — often times, at great personal expense — and the country owes them a solid shot at a good job when they re-enter civilian life.
The American Legion is praising President Obama’s decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, but is troubled by some reports that the administration might set artificial timelines for withdrawal.
“The American Legion is opposed to any exit strategy that takes place before the mission in Afghanistan is accomplished,” National Commander Clarence Hill said. “To do otherwise would more correctly be called a ‘surrender strategy’ to which the Legion would be opposed.”
Hill said the 30,000 additional troops that President Obama reportedly will send to Afghanistan are a step in the right direction. “As I said back in September, I would have liked for him to send the 40,000 that Gen. Stanley McChrystal requested, but at least the president is not heeding the call by many in Washington to scale down our efforts,” Hill said. “The best way to address the extremely high demands that we are placing on our military heroes is to increase our overall military troop levels, a policy that the Legion has advocated since long before the war on terrorism started.”
In October, The American Legion unanimously passed Resolution 1, which states, in part, “The American Legion fully supports the men, women and leadership of our armed forces as they are engaged in the global war on terrorism…” Although supportive of the military leadership, The American Legion was reminded that special weight must be given to the commanders in theater.
Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The American Legion National Convention that the war cannot be won from the Pentagon. “You have to be there,” he said. “You have to see and hear firsthand what the issues are. You can’t hope to see problems through someone else’s eyes if you aren’t looking into those eyes.”
“We wholeheartedly agree with Adm. Mullen on this point,” Hill said.
WASHINGTON (November 30, 2009) — The American Legion today praised the Supreme Court for vacating and remanding an appeals court ruling which would have ordered the release of photographs of detainees allegedly being abused by their U.S. captors. The Supreme Court ordered the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals to take another look at the case due to a recent change in federal law, advocated by The American Legion, which allows the government to withhold the release of the photographs.
“This is a victory for our troops,” said National Commander Clarence E. Hill. “Too often images are used to inflame tensions in the Middle East and are used as propaganda by terrorists. Whether these pictures depicted torture or not, we may never know. But we do know that the president, some members of Congress and many military leaders believed it would put our troops at greater risk. This may be a defeat for the ACLU but it is a victory for America.”
In a May 8 editorial in The Wall Street Journal, then-National Commander David K. Rehbein asked, “A picture may be worth a thousand words, but is it worth the life of a single American soldier? Is any photograph worth the life of your Marine Corps daughter? Or your neighbor’s deployed husband?”
The editorial garnered mentions in Time Magazine, blogs and other media. As Rehbein appeared at a media event in the Capitol with U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn to criticize the pending release, The White House announced it had reversed its earlier decision to release the photographs, which were requested by the American Civil Liberties Union.
“We are still very much at war,” Hill added. “The American Legion is calling on all Americans to remain aware of that and remember that our troops are in harm’s way and need all the support that their fellow citizens can offer. The American Legion will always oppose any efforts to undermine our troops. It’s one thing to say that you support the troops. It’s another thing to mean it.”
By National Commander Clarence Hill | The American Legion – November 26, 2009
U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Nick Biggs, a C-130 Hercules copilot, enjoys a Thanksgiving dinner last year at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. U.S. Air Force
Chances are, you will gather around friends and family today, enjoying their company while probably eating more in any one sitting than you will the rest of the year. Later, you may sit down in front of the television and watch football. Or, if you have children, you may play games or watch a movie.
Regardless of your individual activities, it will be one of the most relaxing and enjoyable days of the year. Worries and cares will be swapped out for love and camaraderie.
Meanwhile, in another country thousands of miles away, a U.S. servicemember will stand guard against enemy attack. Thanksgiving dinner will have to wait. Duty comes first. The mission comes before the meal.
That servicemember will not be alone in his commitment. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are serving our country in overseas deployments today. In order to make family a part of their Thanksgivings, they will need to place phone calls or get in line to use the Internet. If they have access to a webcam, they might get to see the smiling face of a son, daughter or spouse.
Time with family is something the average person takes for granted around the holidays. But time away from family during the holidays is a fact of life that our servicemembers accept without complaint. They do the job because they know it needs to be done. Of course they miss their loved ones, but our soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and Coast Guardsmen know that by doing their jobs, they are making the world safe for those loved ones. They stand watch so that we don’t have to.
Today I will have the opportunity to eat Thanksgiving dinner with members of U.S. Forces Korea in Seoul, South Korea, 300 yards from the Demilitarized Zone, where our servicemembers stand guard every day. I, too, will be thousands of miles away from some of my family, but I will also have the opportunity to say “thank you” to the men and women wearing the uniform. I will get a chance to tell them how much their service means to me and to the rest of America. It will be a Thanksgiving I will remember for the rest of my life.
“Working Together to Share Records Safely, Improve Care”
Washington (Nov. 25, 2009) – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Kaiser Permanente today announced an exciting program designed to improve care and services to our Nation’s heroes.VA and Kaiser Permanente are launching a pilot program to exchange electronic health record (EHR) information using the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) created by the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The ability to share critical health information is essential to interoperability,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric K. Shinseki. “Utilizing the NHIN’s standards and network will allow organizations like VA and the Department of Defense to partner with private sector health care providers to promote better, faster and safer care for Veterans.”
This week, VA and Kaiser Permanente will send a joint letter to Veterans in the San Diego area who receive care from both institutions, to invite Veterans to participate in this first-ever pilot program.Veterans, who respond and ask to participate, will enable their public and private sector health care providers and doctors to share specific health information electronically, safely, securely and privately.This initial pilot is planned to begin in mid-December 2009.
“This partnership demonstrates the power of a large-scale EHR that safely connects several care systems.Securely digitizing American’s health care information is only the first step in realizing the cost saving and improved quality benefits possible with health care technology,” said Andrew M. Wiesenthal, MD, associate executive director of The Permanente Federation. “The reality is that most people receive care from multiple providers.Without the ability for caregivers and patients to have access to their data, all of the time, there is the possibility for wasted time and resources duplicating tests and procedures.Exchange of current health record data at the point of treatment also improves quality, allowing medical decisions to be made quickly, with the relevant background.”
The pilot program connects Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect(r) and the VA’s electronic health record system, VistA, two of the largest electronic health record systems in the country.
The program puts the highest priority on patient privacy and data security, and no exchange of information will occur without the explicit permission of the individual patient. Explicit policies and technologies to safeguard patient information are part of the NHIN. Patient information will not be shared without first obtaining their consent.
Veterans’ access to care will in no way be affected at either institution if they choose not to participate.Patients who do choose to participate will benefit by allowing their doctors at any one of the institutions to obtain key health record information from other participating institutions.
VA, DoD, and HHS have been working closely to create a system that will modernize the way health care is delivered and benefits are administered.DoD will be included in the next phase of the pilot program in early 2010.
