New DoD/VA Center to Improve Eye Care
April 8, 2010

CAP's Wounded Service Members Initiative would like to share the following information: The new Vision Center of Excellence (VCE) was formed to track eye injuries emanating from the war theater and improve treatment outcomes across the services and VA.

The need for the VCE is evidenced in the variety of injuries that impact soldiers' vision, from traumatic eye injury as a result of explosive devices and projectiles, to vision disorders associated with TBI, and eye injury caused by exposure to chemicals, biohazards, lasers or extreme environmental conditions. VCE is facilitating collaborative efforts that support optimal DoD/VA vision care transition, such as a process developed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for blind rehabilitation care.

The Center for the Intrepid

The Center for the Intrepid is a rehabilitation facility to treat amputees and burn victims. It is located next to the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. It was specifically built to provide care for United States servicemen and women who have served in military operations in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. Veterans from previous conflicts are also eligible to receive treatment as well as other military personnel who have sustained injuries in other operations, training exercises, or in non-combat situations.

The 4-story, 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m²) facility was officially dedicated on January 29, 2007. The structure was financed entirely by private donations. Over 600,000 people contributed to the $50 million construction cost.

MISSION OF CBHCO: 

"Department of the Army conducts medical hold-over (MHO) operations to expeditiously and effectively evaluate, treat, return to duty, and/or administratively process out of the Army, and refer to Veterans' Health Administration or TRICARE health system, National Guard and Reserve Soldiers who have suffered injury or illness while mobilized."

The Community Based Health Care Organizations (CBHCO) were designed for National Guard and Reserve Soldiers mobilized on 10 USC §12302 orders in support of contingency operations, and diverted from their normal mobilization mission or demobilization processing, or medically evacuated (MEDEVAC) from theater, who are in need of medical evaluation, treatment, and disposition, including definitive health care, for medical conditions identified, incurred, or aggravated while in an active duty (AD) status.

Enhanced VA Health Care Enrollment Opportunity Closing for Certain Combat Veterans

D.C. Area Becoming Test Bed Of Military Medical Reforms

Pacific Stars and Stripes
April 11, 2009
Military Update

Extraordinary steps in the evolution of military medicine are occurring in the Washington, D.C., area where new medical facilities are being built to consolidate services, and a joint command is being readied to adopt cutting-edge concepts to improve quality and efficiency of service health care.

Two famed medical facilities – Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Medical Center -- are being combined into one “world class” medical center, the biggest in the military, said the project’s top officer.

New Web Page Guides TRICARE Beneficiaries to Behavioral Health Resources

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – A new Web page for TRICARE beneficiaries takes the brainwork out of seeking help.

May is Mental Health Month, and at http://www.tricare.mil/mentalhealth/ TRICARE is committed to providing beneficiaries with the most up-to-date information about available its behavioral health resources.

Social Security Disability Claims and Payments

WW's should apply for Social Security Disability for all OEF/OIF Wounds including TBI and PTSD. A representative from the Social Disability Office will be in the SFAC at Walter Reed every Tues 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM to assist WW's in filling out the application.

Either Ms. Guadalupe Angulo, PH 202-673-5170 or 202-623-5159 Ext 3014, Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or Ms. White , her assistant, will be there to assist WW's apply.

Social Security Benefits for Wounded Warriors

(Separate from VA benefits)  

Eligibility 

·  You must be unable to do substantial work because of your medical condition(s); and

·  Your medical condition(s) must have lasted, or be expected to last, at least one year or be expected to result in death

·  In some cases, dependents may also be eligible for benefits

·  Active duty status and receipt of military pay does not, in itself, prevent payment of Social Security benefits

TRICARE and VA Work Together

Service members who became ill or injured while serving on active duty and are then medically retired have health benefits available to them through both the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Like all retirees, medically-retired veterans can choose TRICARE Prime where it’s available, or TRICARE Standard and Extra if they are not eligible for Medicare. Their family members have the same TRICARE choices. Veterans who are eligible for Medicare because of disability must maintain Medicare Parts A and B to keep their TRICARE coverage.

This page contains Websites and Other Sources for Medical Benefits information.