April 2001 Newsletter, Disabled American Veterans, Department of New York

Disabled American Veterans Department of New York, 200 Atlantic Avenue, Lynbrook, New York 11563

NEWSLETTER
A PUBLICATION FOR MEMBERS OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK
Volume 10, Number 4, April, 2001, PAGE 4 of 4

GIBNEY TO LAHART TO ROSENSWEIG - - THEY DID IT RIGHT!

Since 1987 the DAV has provided transportation for thousands of grateful disabled veterans to VA medical facilities for necessary medical care. The extraordinary success of the program is directly attributable to the selfless, compassionate dedication of National Service Officers working harmoniously with our Department Hospital Service Coordinators and, most important of all the men and women who serve day after day as volunteer drivers.

Often we receive heartfelt expressions of thanks for the contributions of our transportation personnel. Recently we received a particularly interesting letter from the relieved wife of a seriously ill veteran for the assistance he received, demonstrating the cooperation between our supervising National Service Officer at Albany VA Medical Center, William Gibney, our Albany Hospital Service Coordinator, Danny LaHart and our volunteer driver, Henry Rosensweig.

Read the following testimonial and be proud of your DAV.

Dear Mr. Gibney:
On February 2, 2001 your organization was kind enough to help my husband with transportation to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City where he had to undergo a rigorous endoscopic ultrasound. I cannot even state to you now how much transporting my husband meant to us. He is fighting for his life right now and the fact that the DAV was able to, without hesitation, transport him to a destination three hours away from our home helped us so much. Your driver, Henry Rosensweig, was the most caring person we could have hoped for. He went over and beyond his duty as a volunteer for us. Never once did he complain -- on the contrary he did everything he could possibly do to make my husband comfortable. I could never thank him enough.
It is heartwarming to know that such an organization exists like the DAV to help when there is a need.
From the very beginning, Danny in your Office of Transportation didn't hesitate. He coordinated the drive; the other men in the office followed through when I had questions about time, etc. They were professional, compassionate and so loyal. I thank them also.
Please accept our sincere appreciation. What my husband has had to endure over the years is mind-boggling. He has been ill for nearly 20 years now and it is nice to know that the DAV is there for him and others like him.
Sincerely yours,
Myrna L. Sak
February 18, 2001

DEPARTMENT SECRETARY LAYS DOWN THE LAW

Here's what Diane declared the morning after last month's No-Storm:

Rules For Work:

Never give me work in the morning. Always wait until 4:00 P.M. and then bring it to me. The challenge of a deadline is refreshing.

If it's really a rush job, run in and interrupt me every 10 minutes to inquire how it's going. That helps. Even better, hover behind me, and advise me at every keystroke.

Always leave without telling anyone where you're going. It gives me a chance to be creative when someone asks where you are.

If my arms are full of papers, boxes, books, or supplies, don't open the door for me. I need to learn how to function as a paraplegic and opening doors with no arms is good training in case I should ever be injured and lose all use of my limbs.

If you give me more than one job to do, don't tell me which is priority. I am psychic.

Do your best to keep me late. I adore this office and really have nowhere to go or anything to do. I have no life beyond work.

If a job I do pleases you, keep it a secret. If that gets out, it could mean a promotion.

If you don't like my work, tell everyone. I like my name to be popular in conversations. I was born to be whipped.

If you have special instructions for a job, don't write them down. In fact, save them until the job is almost done. No use confusing me with useful information.

Never introduce me to the people you're with. I have no right to know anything. In the corporate food chain, I am plankton. When you refer to them later, my shrewd deductions will identify them.

Be nice to me only when the job I'm doing for you could really change your life and send you straight to manager's hell.

Tell me all your little problems. No one else has any and it's nice to know someone is less fortunate. I especially like the story about having to pay so many taxes on the bonus check you received for being such a good manager.

Wait until my yearly review and THEN tell me what my goals SHOULD have been. Give me a mediocre performance rating with a cost of living increase. I'm not here for the money anyway.

FY 2002 VA BUDGET PROPOSALS ARE INADEQUATE

The President's VA budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2002 recommended only a $1 billion increase for all discretionary spending, which includes veterans' medical care and related programs under the VA's Veterans Health Administration, general operating expenses, cemetery programs, and construction.

Then we learned on Wednesday, March 7th, that The House Veterans' Affairs Committee approved what Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) called "a work in progress," a fiscal year 2002 budget calling for a $2.1 billion increase in discretionary VA spending.

The VA Committee recommended increases of more $1.525 billion in VA health care and $49.8 million to address the backlog of disability and pension claims.

Chairman Smith said the President's recommended $1billion, 4.5 percent increase in discretionary VA spending outlined Tuesday by VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi would "just about keep veterans health care even."

"But we need to do more than keep health care even," Chairman Smith said. "We know from our hearing yesterday that veterans programs have some specific needs for which funding has been too long deferred."

In addition to the $2.1 billion increase in discretionary spending, the VA Committee recommended $300 million in additional direct spending for further benefit increases in both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Veterans Opportunities Act of 2001 introduced on February 28.

All well and good, but hear this:

The Independent Budget that the four major veterans organizations, AMVETS, DAV, PVA, and VFW, recommended, called for a $3.5 increase in discretionary spending, with a $2.667 billion increase for VHA alone. The President's and House Committee's budgets fall far short of what is necessary for veterans' health care and other programs, The increase recommended for VHA by the Independent Budget is required to cover inflationary costs, wage increases, mandates of expanded services in last year's legislation, and restoration of certain services to acceptable levels. Inadequate funding will adversely affect health care services for our Nation's veterans.

However, at least we've got the eyes and ears of the Administration and Congress. Nothing is carved in stone yet and there's still time to educate these people so that they do the right thing. Keep pushing, Folks!

BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE 107TH CONGRESS

The following bills have been introduced in the House or Senate since January 2001. This list includes bills of interest to disabled veterans and their families.

H.R. 51 would provide that persons retiring from the Armed Forces shall be entitled to all benefits which were promised them when they entered the Armed Forces.

H.R. 65, the Military Retirement Equity Act of 2001, would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive a portion of their military retired pay concurrently with veterans' disability compensation.

H.R. 179, the Keep Our Promise To America's Military Retirees Act, would restore health care coverage to retired members of the uniformed services.

H.R. 208 would direct the Secretary of the Treasury to determine and report to Congress an appropriate tax incentive to encourage individuals other than members of the Armed Forces to participate as members of honor guards at funerals for veterans.

H.R. 290 would revise the effective date for an award of disability compensation by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 1151 of title 38, United States Code, for persons disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation.

H.R. 303, the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001, would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both military retired pay by reason of their years of military service and disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs for their disability.

H.R. 435 would improve access to medical services for veterans seeking treatment a VA outpatient clinics with exceptionally long waiting periods.

H.R. 439 would extend commissary and exchange store privileges to veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more and to the dependents of such veterans.

H.R. 440 would authorize transportation on military aircraft on a space-available basis for veterans with a service-connected disability rated 50 percent or more.

H.R. 442 would increase the maximum amount of a home loan guarantee available to a veteran.

H.R. 510/S. 281, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Education Act, would authorize the design and construction of a temporary education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the District of Columbia.

H.R. 511 would improve outreach programs carried out by the VA to provide for more fully informing veterans of benefits available to them under the law.

H.R. 609, the Veterans' Compensation Equity Act of 2001, would provide limited authority for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation in the case of certain disabled military retirees who are over the age of 65.

H.R. 612, the Persian Gulf War Illness Compensation Act of 2001, would clarify the standards of compensation for Persian Gulf veterans suffering from certain undiagnosed illnesses.

S. 38 would permit former members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability rated as total to travel on military aircraft in the same manner and to the same extent as retired members of the Armed Forces are entitled to travel on such aircraft.

S. 43 would authorize certain disabled former prisoners of war to use Department of Defense commissary and exchange stores.

S. 170, the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2001, would permit retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both military retired pay by reason of their years of military service and disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

H.R. 303 and related House Bills, and S. 170 and related Senate Bills, dealing with the issue of full concurrent receipt, will be a top priority for the DAV during the 107th Congress. DAV will be working with key congressional staff members and eleven other veterans and military service organizations to get Congress to remove the prohibition on concurrent receipt of military longevity retired pay and veterans' disability compensation. A number of initiatives to achieve this goal are being pursued. Success on this legislation depends largely on the strength of our grassroots lobby. You should tell other veterans, family members, and friends to take action now to correct this injustice.

If the DAV doesn't do it, who will?

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