Family Financial Planning Assistance at WRNMMC for ALL Service Members

Mr Brian PAMPURO

Personal Financial Counselor

NSA Bethesda

Fleet & Family Support Center

WRNMMC Building 11; Room 109

Phone: 301 400-2414

EMAIL:   This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rules Liberalized for Veterans with Undiagnosed Illnesses

Application Window Extended for Five Years

WASHINGTON - Veterans of the Persian Gulf War with undiagnosed illnesses have an additional five years to qualify for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Not all the wounds of war are fully understood," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "When there is uncertainty about the connection between a medical problem and military service, Veterans are entitled to the benefit of the doubt."

A recent change in VA regulations affects Veterans of the conflict in Southwest Asia. Many have attributed a range of undiagnosed or poorly understood medical problems to their military services. Chemical weapons, environmental hazards and vaccinations are among the possible causes.

Legal Assistance for Wounded, Ill, or Injured Warriors

Pro bono (free) or reduced cost legal assistance is available to Wounded Warriors for issues beyond those that can be provided by military legal assistance officers.   These issues may include family law subjects such as divorce, custody and child support as well as legal protections available under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

WWs at Ft. Belvoir and Ft. Eustis, go to the Virginia Bar Association website:  VBA.org/veterans, complete the application form and send to the designated email address. You will receive a quick email response.  In the event there are questions, contact Bob Barrett at 804-756-7743.

WWs at Ft. Belvoir have another option through the George Mason University Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers and Veterans (CLASV).  Go to their web site at  http://clas.law.gmu.edu/ and click on “Apply for Services”, then click on “fillable application form” and follow instructions for sending to CLASV.

For issues outside the State of Virginia, WWs should go to the American Bar Association web site provided for military families at www.ABAHomeFront.org.  This site has three components – an information center, a directory of programs and a military pro bono center. 

Military Health-Care Reform Leaves Wounded Warriors Entangled in More Red Tape

By Steve Vogel, Published: November 18

Reforms meant to streamline military health care for severely wounded service members have in many cases worsened the bureaucracy, causing duplication, confusion and turf battles, according to families, congressional overseers and advocates for veterans.

After reports that troops recovering from catastrophic wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other facilities were getting lost in the military’s system, a high-profile commission recommended in 2007 that every severely wounded service member be assigned a federal recovery coordinator. This “single point of contact” was to cut red tape and shepherd the wounded through recovery and the transition back to military duty or civilian life.

But at least a dozen Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs programs have sprung up to coordinate the care.

U.S. Army Commanders Ordered To Help Soldiers Find Civilian Work

Defense News
October 10, 2011
By JIM TICE

FORT KNOX, Ky. ― Commanders throughout the active U.S. Army and Reserve soon will be ordered to help soldiers, family members and civilian employees prepare for life after military service, whether to attend school, get a job or start a business. An execution order launching the initiative will be based on an implementing directive issued August 29 by Army Secretary John McHugh.

The effort to improve the breadth, quality and integration of Army transition services comes at a time when departing soldiers face one of the toughest job markets in years.

“We want to prepare them so they can meet whatever their goal is when they leave the Army. Most importantly, we want them to be able to get a job,” Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli told Army Times on October 5.  “We’re working very, very hard to find ways that we can use information technology to provide jobs.” The effort will be important as the Army gets smaller, he said.

DCoE Tweets to Help Warriors and Families
By Sarah Heynen, DCoE Strategic Communications

Social media is changing the way the world communicates. It is also changing the way that service members, veterans and their families search for information. In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) held its first-ever “twitterview” Sept. 27, 2011. The live interview was conducted on the social networking site Twitter between Dr. Vladimir Nacev, DCoE resilience and prevention subject matter expert, and Sheri Hall, a Real Warriors spouse.

“Although online services could never replace face-to-face conversations, they can be a valuable resource when people are short on time, too far away, or unable to be seen soon,” said Nacev.

The interview highlighted available resources that promote resilience and provide help when needed. Hall kicked off the interview by sharing her personal experience as a military spouse. When her husband, Army Maj. Jeff Hall, returned from his second deployment to Iraq, she immediately noticed a difference. As Hall began to recognize that his change was something more than the regular challenge of homecoming that many warriors and military families faced, she reached out to her husband’s commanding officer. This led the Hall family to receive treatment at the Deployment Health Clinical Center, a DCoE component center.

Air Force Wounded Warrior Child Care

Wounded warriors and the dependents of combat-fallen warriors now have priority placement privileges on childcare waiting lists for Air Force Child Care programs. This includes child development centers, family childcare homes and school-age programs. In order to receive priority placement, airmen must be enrolled in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. The base casualty assistance representative can help with eligibility verification. For families unable to access installations, community-based childcare subsidy assistance is available through the National Association of Resource and Referral Agencies website or by phone at 800-424-2246.

Google Offers Free Calls

Google announced that it is making it free for all active duty uniformed military personnel with a valid U.S. military (.mil) email address to call the United States, right from Gmail. The free calls will be available through at least 2011. For more information and to begin making free calls, visit the Google website.

The Wounded Warrior MENTOR Program Endorses America Corporate Partners

The Wounded Warrior MENTOR Program endorses America Corporate Partners and our WWMP contact there is Sidney E. Goodfriend,  212 850-4260 ; http://www.acp-usa.org/   

OR contact the WWMP "JOBS" Subject Matter Expert: Greg Wilcox at 703-247-8467 or EMAIL:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Mission & Objectives:

ACP's mission is to support and facilitate veterans’ transitions to the civilian workforce while simultaneously strengthening the network between Corporate America and those who have served in the military since 2001.
or
American Corporate Partners (ACP) is a nationwide mentoring program dedicated to helping veterans transition from the armed services to the civilian workforce through mentoring, career counseling, and networking with professionals from some of America's finest corporations and select universities. ACP is not a jobs program, but a tool for networking and long-term career development.

Description of ACP’s Program:

Professionals from ACP’s Participating Institutions volunteer to mentor veteran Protégés in a yearlong mentorship. Those who have served on active duty since 2001 as well as the spouses of those service members severely wounded or killed in action are eligible to apply to be Protégés, and those with service-related disabilities will be given preference. 

ACP offers two variations of the mentoring program: In-Person mentoring and E-Mentoring. The In-Person program is available to veterans who live within 100 miles of one of ACP’s cities of participation, and the E-Mentoring Program is available to veterans who live outside these cities. ACP’s programs have a limited number of openings and not all those who apply will be selected for a mentorship. Protégé applicants who demonstrate how they will benefit from a mentorship are most likely to gain acceptance.

Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video is Now Available

The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) just released the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video, a companion educational tool to help providers learn how to use the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Psychological Health.

The Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit, released in February 2011, is a comprehensive clinical guidance tool to help primary care providers assess and manage patients with co-occurring mild TBI and psychological health disorders.

DCoE partnered with the U.S. Army to develop the companion video to provide an overview of mild TBI and co-occurring conditions and offer detailed instructions on how to apply the toolkit to clinical practice.

Specific content of the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video includes:

·         Characteristics and descriptions of co-occurring conditions

·         Step-by-step instruction on how to use the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit in clinical practice

·         Patient case vignettes to illustrate the application of the toolkit

To order DVD copies of the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video, contact the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or call 800-870-9244. 

REEVALUATING YOUR IDES (MEB & PEB)

The Fiscal Year 2011 (effective October 1, 2010) National Defense Authorization Act (FY11 NDAA) amended the law to allow Medically Retired, Medically Separated, and Active Duty (Regular Components & Reserve Components) to have their PEB reevaluated. 

“….have their Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) reevaluated if there is reason to believe that a medical condition of the member considered by the Physical Evaluation Board during the evaluation of the member described in that subsection renders the member unsuitable for continued military service based on the medical condition.”

National Resource Directory: A Valuable Link for Military Community

Posted by Jennifer Hunt, Veteran & National Resource Directory Subject Matter Expert on December 8, 2010

This post is courtesy of the Disability Blog. http://www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/article.aspx?ID=1&postID=176

Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 2 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces have deployed across the globe. Overseas or stateside, these service members do not bear burdens alone; their loved ones share the challenges of reintegration to civilian life as well.

As the need for transition resources grow, government agencies and grassroots organizations are expanding to support wounded warriors, service members, veterans and their families. These efforts by government agencies and non-profit organizations to support our wounded warriors, veterans and their families have created what the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen calls the “Sea of Goodwill.” The next step in assisting those who have served and sacrificed is to create a connection to those people, agencies and organizations available to help service members and veterans transition. The National Resource Directory provides that link.

New Army Wounded Warrior Website

The Army Warrior Transition Command has launched a new website designed to be a comprehensive source of information on Army warrior care.  The website contains information on: (1) the Army Physical Disability Evaluation System; (2) the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) program, (3) the Comprehensive Transition Plan; (4) career and education training options; and (5) resources for families and caregivers.  WTC also provides additional information on warrior care on the WTC blog. 

DOD Establishes Wounded Warrior Task Force

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness announced today the names of 14 members who will serve on the Department of Defense Task Force for Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured service members.

The four year mission of the congressionally directed task force is to provide independent advice and recommendations to the department, ensuring comprehensive services are provided to wounded service members and their families.

The task force will look at areas including medical and non-medical case management; staffing of wounded warrior units; performance and accountability systems; services for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as the effectiveness of the Centers of Excellence. Individual service members, their families, and the public will have the opportunity to provide input to the task force as it develops its recommendations on DoD’s wounded warrior programs.

'We Just Don't Know'

DOD Appoints New Director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury

The Department of Defense announced today the appointment of  Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, as the director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) in Arlington, Va.   He will take office in January 2011. 

"Capt. Hammer's proven performance demonstrates he will advance the quality and level of care we provide members of the armed forces who have suffered from TBI or psychological illness," said Dr. George Peach Taylor, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. 

The InTransition Program: Maintaining Continuity of Care through Transitions

Mr. John R. Campbell Appointed Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Wounded Warrior Care & Transition Policy

In 2010, Mr. John R. Campbell was appointed by the Secretary of Defense as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy, where he will be responsible for ensuring wounded, ill, injured and transitioning Service members receive high quality services and experience a seamless transition to civilian life.

The Mission of the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy is to ensure wounded, ill, injured & transitioning warriors receive high quality care & seamless transition support through proactive leadership, responsive policy, effective oversight & interagency collaboration.

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings.Healing Waters Fly Fishing, INC. (PHWFF) was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), with the help of local Trout Unlimited (TU) and Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) volunteers. Our mission: Assist in the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active duty military personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings.

Click here to go to their web site for more information.

New Virginia Veterans Services Measures Take Effect

24 Pieces of Legislation to Make Virginia the Most Veteran Friendly State in America Effective 1 July 2010

RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell today highlighted legislation taking effect July 1st that recognizes his commitment to make Virginia the most Veteran friendly state in America.  Included in this is legislation establishing a Veterans Skills Database, fee waivers for Veterans seeking small business permits, protecting the right to display the American flag at their home, and designating the Honor and Remember Flag as the Commonwealth's emblem of service and sacrifice.

WARNING-Please Pay Attention

The VA reports that a reprehensible scam is targeting veterans.

Scammers are calling VA beneficiaries under the guise of a phony "Patient Care Group". The caller claims that VA prescriptions are being administered by this company.

The scammers ask for personal information, including credit card information, claiming that this is necessary for the beneficiary to keep receiving prescriptions through the VA.

This is completely bogus.

The VA does not call vets and ask them to disclose personal information over the phone, and the VA hasn't changed any prescription dispensing rules.

Be safe. Never give out personal information to any unsolicited phone caller.

Travel Reimbursement Increases for Veterans

Mileage reimbursement rates for travel to Veterans Affairs medical facilities went up last week, from 28.5 cents per mile to 41.5 cents. VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake said he used his authority to make such an increase.

“We owe it to our veterans to give them the best care possible,” Peake said in a department press release. “The increase will once again provide assistance to our veterans, especially in these difficult economic times, to help offset gasoline costs and to assist veterans with access to the VA’s world-class health system.”

Strict Deadlines, Disabled Veterans and Dismissed Cases

In Financial Peril, Troops Find Relief

N.J., Pa. grants help fill gaps when duty calls
By Edward Colimore, Inquirer Staff Writer
Philadelphia Inquirer March 22, 2010

Are You Eligible for Extra Money? Thousands of Reserve and National Guard Soldiers Are

Reserve and National Guard soldiers from every state and territory and the District of Columbia are among those eligible for additional money from the Post Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) Compensation Program, the Department of Defense has determined.

OCAR and the states and territories now are identifying their soldiers who are entitled to extra cash for serving long deployments overseas.

DoD Wounded Warrior Web Site Upgraded

The federal departments of Labor and Defense have unveiled an improved website for wounded warriors.

The National Resource Directory http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/ is a comprehensive, free, online tool for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, veterans and their families and caregivers. Visitors to the site can find an extensive range of information about veterans' benefits, including disability and pension benefits, VA health care and educational opportunities. The website also provides a single point of access to a wealth of information from more than 10,000 sites by federal, state and local governments and organizations offering services for wounded warriors.

See more Wounded Warrior http://www.military.com/wounded-warriors news on Military.com.

Vets Help Vets Through Chance Discovery for Improving Sleep

Vietnam veterans who were prescribed a medication for the treatment of blood pressure and prostate problems reported to their providers that the combat nightmares they had been living with for decades had considerably lessened. Researchers today are studying this finding to see if the medication can be beneficial to veterans of the current conflicts.

Researchers from the Deployment Health Clinical Center (DHCC), VA Puget Sound Healthcare System/University of Washington School of Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center are studying the impact that this medication can have on improving the quality of sleep for Service members and veterans. For the next two years, the DHCC is looking for participants to be a part of a 15-week study to test the benefits of this medication.

Homeowners Assistance Program Expands

The Department of Defense (DOD) is proud to offer the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) to eligible service members and federal civilian, including non-appropriated fund, employees. The program is authorized by law, and administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to assist eligible homeowners who face financial loss when selling their primary residence homes in areas where real estate values have declined because of a base closure or realignment announcement.

American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide

VETERANS RESOURCES NETWORK
http://www.valaw.org   http://38uscode.com

The Veterans For America have published a free ebook to help veterans. Title: the "American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide". The foreword is written by Mr. Robert Muller a founder of the Vietnam Veterans of America. The Guide has information for filing and winning a VA claim. (Click on Read more...  below to see a list of chapters.) You can right click the link and download the entire book to your PC. Or view individual chapters online.

Go to:
http://www.veteransforamerica.org/
http://www.veteransforamerica.org/download-the-survival-guide-for-american-veterans-and-servicemembers/

Less Than Two Weeks Away...
Operation Jump Start VI
Tuesday, February 2, 5:30 - 8:30PM
The Army Navy Club in Arlington, VA

Don't miss your chance to join the organizing sponsors, Federal CIO Council, 1105 Government Information Group and TechAmerica on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, from 5:30 - 8:30PM at the Army-Navy Club in Arlington, Virginia, as we hold our sixth annual "Operation Jump Start VI" event to help the soldiers of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom transition to civilian careers. The event is also supported by AFCEA-Bethesda, AFFIRM and ACT-IAC and open to all who want to give.

Pentagon Plays Catch-Up As Toll Of Repeat Combat Duty Rises

By Patrik Jonsson, Staff writer

Emotional pain, depression, and angst among US soldiers seeing multiple deployments in war zones are much more common than the Pentagon has reported, a new Department of Veterans Affairs survey says.

Soldiers facing multiple deployments, moreover, are at least three times more likely to anonymously report problems of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than are those with a single deployment, according to the study published Thursday in the American Journal of Public Health.

Coming as 30,000 more troops are being sent to Afghanistan, the findings in a study of nearly 3,000 New Jersey National Guardsmen are likely to spur additional debate over military and societal response to America’s heavy dependence on volunteer soldiers for repeated deployments in two wars.

The findings also raise questions about the military’s ability – and willingness – to properly screen soldiers for combat-related problems that could limit their effectiveness in war zones, writes Anna Kline, lead author of the VA study.

“The Pentagon has tried to downplay these problems, and now it’s a moral and strategic outrage that we’ve got on our hands,” says Lawrence Korb, assistant defense secretary in the Reagan administration and now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington. “They’re in essence playing catch-up.”

Real Warriors Campaign Launches New PSAs to Combat Psychological Health Stigma

DCoE in Action Newsletter for Defense Centers of Excellence VOL 2/NO. 7 | Nov. - Dec. 2009

Army Major Jeff Hall, Real Warriors PSA

Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Megan Krause, Real Warriors PSA

On October 13, 2009, the Real Warriors Campaign launched four new public service announcements (PSAs) to help combat the stigma associated with seeking treatment for psychological health concerns and traumatic brain injury.

In addition to being posted on the Real Warriors Campaign Web site, thePSAs will also air on DoD and civilian media nationwide and overseas.  “Every deployment is unique and impacts our service members in different ways,” said DCoE Director Brig. Gen. Sutton, M.D. “No one returns home the same way they left. These PSAs are an important part of tearing down the stigma that can keep our warriors from seeking the psychological health care they need to maintain resilience.”

Army Secretary: New Treatments For PTSD And TBI Must Be Explored

Stripes Central (Stripes.com) December 9, 2009 By Jeff Schogol

Army Secretary John McHugh sat down with Stars and Stripes Tuesday to talk about a broad range of issues, including the Army’s efforts to combat post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Where do you feel the Army needs to improve when it comes to treating PTSD and TBI?

Well, I just this morning returned from my my most recent visit to Walter Reed, and it’s clear as you go through those wards that obviously this is an ongoing challenge, and one that while I think we’ve made a lot of progress on, particularly from the diagnostic and treatment side, we have to continue to do better.

Walter Reed Patients Test Next Generation Prosthesis

By Christen N. McCluney Special to American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2009

Wounded warriors at the Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here are testing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee. The X2 microprocessor knee by Otto Bock HealthCare is the result of a medical research project funded in support of the Military Amputee Research Program.

This project, administered by the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, had the goal of developing "an electronically controlled prosthetic knee joint that meets the specific demands of military staff in real world activity," said Troy Turner, Advanced Technology Research Program manager at TATRC.

He added that in 2005, officials recognized that even the cutting-edge prosthetic devices weren't good enough.

DOD and VA Announce Disability Evaluation System Pilot Expansion

The Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that beginning in January 2010, the Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot will expand to an additional six installations across the country.

The new locations will include: Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Riley, Kan.; and Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Va. This expansion brings the total number of military facilities using the pilot to 27.

“The decision to expand the pilot was based upon favorable reviews focusing on the program’s ability to meet timeliness, effectiveness, transparency, and customer and stakeholder satisfaction,” said Noel Koch, deputy under secretary of defense, Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy.

Verizon Legal Volunteers Launch New Program to Provide Free Legal Services

Attorneys and Legal Staff at Verizon to Focus on Education, Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence, and Veterans Returning From Iraq and Afghanistan

THE CONTACT POINT AT VERIZON:  Alberto Canal of Verizon, 1-908-559-6367, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon (VZ) attorneys and legal staff have started a program that will provide free legal services to needy individuals and nonprofit organizations.

The program helps address a major issue: Nearly 1 million poor people will be denied representation in courts across the country this year because of insufficient resources, according to a recent study by Legal Services Corporation

.

Verizon (VZ) attorneys, who specialize in a variety of legal fields, and legal staff, will donate their time, talents and professional expertise, with an emphasis on civil matters involving education, domestic violence, and supporting veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Answering The Call Again

SFACs: New Centers Helping Families of Wounded

November 20, 2008Army News Service| by Lindy Kyzer

WASHINGTON - A key component of caring for wounded warriors is taking care of their families. That's why Soldier Family Assistance Centers now thrive at 34 Army installations across the globe, officials said.

SFACs are a one-stop shop where wounded warriors and their families can find assistance and information to get them through a difficult time.

Maj. Gen. John Macdonald, commanding general of the U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command and Delores F. Johnson, director, family programs, headquarters, U.S. Army FMWRC, joined bloggers and on-line journalists for a special Warrior Care month blogger's roundtable to discuss SFACs and other programs available to wounded warriors.

Travel Reimbursement Increases for Veterans

Mileage reimbursement rates for travel to Veterans Affairs medical facilities went up last week, from 28.5 cents per mile to 41.5 cents. VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake said he used his authority to make such an increase.

“We owe it to our veterans to give them the best care possible,” Peake said in a department press release. “The increase will once again provide assistance to our veterans, especially in these difficult economic times, to help offset gasoline costs and to assist veterans with access to the VA’s world-class health system.&rdquo.

Congress, which mandates such increases, recently provided funding to VA to increase the reimbursement rate, which went into effect Nov. 17. Service connected veterans, veterans receiving VA pensions and veterans with low incomes are eligible for the reimbursement.

Department of Defense Launches National Resource Directory For Wounded Warriors, Families And Caregivers

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release November 17, 2008

The Department of Defense today launched the National Resource Directory, a collaborative effort between the departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs.

The directory is a Web-based network of care coordinators, providers and support partners with resources for wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans, their families, families of the fallen and those who support them.

“The directory is the visible demonstration of our national will and commitment to make the journey from ‘survive to thrive’ a reality for those who have given so much. As new links are added each day by providers and partners, coverage from coast to coast will grow even greater ensuring that no part of that journey will ever be made alone,” said Lynda C. Davis, Ph.D., deputy under secretary of defense for military community and family policy.

Located at http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.org , the directory offers more than 10,000 medical and non-medical services and resources to help service members and veterans achieve personal and professional goals along their journey from recovery through rehabilitation to community reintegration. 

Military Official: Situation Improving; Troops Report Health Complications

By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Marine Corps Times
Posted : Thursday Nov 13, 2008 18:24:46 EST

Disabled American Veterans has issued a call to all service members and veterans who think they may have illnesses related to burn pits in Afghanistan and Iraq: Contact DAV so they can collect data and look for trends.

“Anyone out there who thinks they may have had a long-term health effect ... needs to file a complaint” with the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Kerry Baker, DAV’s associate national legislative director.

Noting that it took Vietnam veterans 20 years to gain benefits for exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange, Baker said, “We don’t want to see these guys have to wait 20 years. We want to see Congress act right away.”

Staying Power: Army Program Reinvents Wounded Care

Nov 06, 2008 by Fred W. Baker III. 
 

A new building serves as headquarters
for the Warrior Transition Brigade at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
DOD photo by Fred W. Baker III.

WASHINGTON (AFPS, Nov. 6, 2008) -- When the first news stories broke in February 2007 detailing a breakdown in Soldier and family care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., senior Army leaders scrambled into action.

Headlines screamed of neglect as the nation's highest leaders, from the Pentagon, Congress and the White House demanded an answer as to how this could have happened.

Wounded Troops’ Pay Overhauled

ARLINGTON, Va. — Wounded servicemembers whose combat-related injuries are diagnosed after they return home can keep their special pays while hospitalized, Defense officials said Tuesday.

The move is one of the major changes that are part of the Pay and Allowance Continuation Program, or PAC, which allows wounded servicemembers to continue to collect special pays after they are hospitalized.

Previously, wounded servicemembers’ injuries had to be diagnosed in the combat zone for them to receive the compensation.

Defense, VA Lay Out Plans To Improve Health Care For Wounded Soldiers

GovExec.com
March 11, 2008
By Bob Brewin

Top officials from the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense said on Tuesday that they plan to improve the health care for troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan by providing them with "a life map for recovery" that integrates all their heath records into one package and lays out a listing of follow-up services.

In a joint statement submitted to a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Dr. Lynda Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Military Personnel Policy, and Kristin Day, chief consultant for care management and social work at VA, said Defense and VA partnered in October to establish the Joint VA/Defense Federal Recovery Coordinator Program.

Heather Bernard (College Counselor) Assists Wounded Warriors 

In June, the American Council on Education will host a conference hoping to spur colleges to start or expand initiatives for veterans. Dartmouth College President James Wright said he realized after visiting wounded soldiers that most of them were eager to go to school but had no idea where to begin. He worked with the education council, raising money to pay for a counselor at four military hospitals.

So this past year, Heather Bernard, a former college counselor with a son serving in Iraq, has been working with wounded soldiers and Marines at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center. She helps them plan ahead, choose schools, dig up old transcripts, prepare for standardized tests.