Live Webcast of Service and Legislative Seminar at the 2010 National Convention
For the first time, the Service and Legislative Seminar at the 2010 National Convention will be webcast live on Monday, August 2, 2010.

To facilitate the question and answer session, which will include Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials, Capitol Hill staff and DAV staff, the DAV national site has added a link at http://www.dav.org/convention/2010.aspx to submit questions for the VA and Hill staff ahead of time. The deadline for submitting questions will be Wednesday, July 21, 2010.

Please keep in mind that your questions should be general enough to apply to all membership, not specific to your own claim or situation. Personal claim questions will be submitted to the Service Department and will not be included in the seminar. Your questions must also be in line with our specific DAV mission of building better lives for our nation's service-connected disabled veterans and their families and survivors. Questions will be chosen based on the above guidelines and, of course, the number chosen will depend on the available time.

To submit your question, please visit http://www.dav.org/convention/2010.aspx before Wednesday, July 21, 2010. Thank you for your interest.

VA EXTENDS "AGENT ORANGE" BENEFITS TO MORE VETERANS
VA Press Release

WASHINGTON (Oct. 13, 2009) - Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.

The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson's disease; and ischemic heart disease.

Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a "presumed" illness don't have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This "presumption" simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

The Secretary's decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will," Shinseki added. "Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence."

Other illnesses previously recognized under VA's "presumption" rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:

• Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy

• AL Amyloidosis

• Chloracne

• Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

• Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)

• Hodgkin's Disease

• Multiple Myeloma

• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

• Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

• Prostate Cancer

• Respiratory Cancers

• Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)

Additional information about Agent Orange and VA's services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.

VA HEALTH CARE FUNDING REFORM MAJOR VICTORY FOR VETERANS
DAV Press Release

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 - The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) today applauds President Obama for signing the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, calling it "the most significant legislative victory for veterans in a generation."

"This is a great, historic day for all veterans and their families," said DAV National Commander Roberto "Bobby" Barrera, who was at the signing ceremony in the White House. "Veterans, families, survivors and everyone else who cares about the plight of veterans can rejoice knowing that for the first time ever, the Department of Veterans Affairs' health care system can be assured it will be funded on time and adequately every year."

"We have worked for this for more than two decades as veterans suffered. Approval of advance appropriations is the most significant legislative victory for veterans in a generation," he said. "This legislation will help ensure timely access to medical care for the men and women who have served, are serving and will serve in defense of our nation."

"This long overdue legislation will make a difference for every disabled veteran and every future disabled veteran," said Commander Barrera. "This victory flows from the effective collaboration by veterans organizations in the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform, The Military Coalition and a dedicated group of former VA officials who joined our cause. Most important, this is happening because veterans across the country, including so many DAV members and supporters, stepped up and called on Congress to put an end to chronic funding lapses occurring for decades. Together, we stood up for veterans, and veterans and their families are going to benefit."

"This historic legislation will ensure an uninterrupted, predicable flow of funds for veterans health care programs even if Congress is unable to complete work on the rest of the federal budget by the start of a fiscal year," said DAV National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson. "With funding assured, VA hospital and clinic directors will no longer have to delay the hiring of new doctors or nurses, or the purchase of new medical equipment, due to Congress' failure to approve a budget on time; something that has occurred in 20 of the past 23 years, including this year. With advance appropriations in place, VA officials will be able to plan ahead how best to provide veterans with the medical care they have earned: when and where they need it."

The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act authorizes Congress to approve veterans medical care funding one year in advance to better meet the anticipated demand for veterans health care services. The advanced funding will give the Department of Veterans Affairs up to a full year to plan for the most effective and efficient way of delivering medical care. Additionally, this now requires the Government Accountability Office to audit the budget development process to ensure that sufficient funds are included.

MOBILE SERVICE OFFICE PROGRAM
The work of NSOs extends well beyond their offices and extends deep within the veterans community.

Part of their outreach activities involves DAV's Mobile Service Office (MSO) Program. This program is designed to educate disabled families on specific veteran's benefits and services.

These well equipped "offices on wheels" will eliminate long trips some veterans must take to visit our National Service Offices. This means providing better service to more veterans and their families.

Please click on the Claim Representation link for a list of dates, times and location of when the Mobile Service Office will be in the New York area.

VA BENEFITS GUIDE
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently published their Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents for 2008. An easy-to-read reference guide, it provides the most current information about your earned benefits.

Be careful before hitting the print button--it is 153 pages and may take some time to print. However, you may want to hit your "Save to" tab and download it for future reference into a folder of your choice. You can download or print your copy at http://www.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf.

VA INCREASES TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT FOR ELIGIBLE VETERANS
VA Press Release
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake: "Disabled Veterans Earned Increase"

WASHINGTON (January 31, 2008) - Over a million eligible veterans will see their mileage reimbursement more than double starting tomorrow for travel to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. "This increase helps veterans -- especially those living in rural areas -- offset some of the gasoline costs as they travel to VA's world-class health care," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "Increasing the mileage reimbursement is one more step by VA to help veterans access the health care they deserve. "The 2008 appropriations act provided funding for VA to increase the beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement rate from 11 cents per mile to 28.5 cents per mile. The increase goes into effect on Feb. 1. After little more than a month on the job, Secretary Peake used his authority to establish the first increase in the mileage reimbursementin in 30 years, fulfilling a pledge he made during his Senate confirmation hearing last month. While increasing the payment, VA, as mandated by law, also equally increased the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements. The new deductibles are $7.77 for a one way trip, $15.54 for a round trip, with a maximum of $46.62 per calendar month. However, these deductibles can be waived if they cause a financial hardship to the veteran.

FOR NEW YORK MEMBERS ONLY

If you're a member of the DAV, Department of New York and enrolled at the local VAMC for your medical care, we urge you to get your "DOG TAGS" to prove it.

The VA Medical Centers (VAMC) in New York are being short-changed everyday. As you know a portion of the monies formerly provided to our local VAMC's since April, 1997 are being distributed to other regions of the country, under "Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation" (VERA). The result is that thirteen Networks receive VERA funding increases over funding levels for FY 1997. Nine VISN's receive less funding. You guessed it, we're in the less-funding area.

Because some pandering bean counter sought to please his supervisor, by devising a way to save a buck, New York's VAMC's were and still are under funded.

But that's not all. The actions taken to date are not carved in solid rock. Things could get worse. Here's what Dr. Thomas L. Garthwaite, VA's Deputy Undersecretary for Health in 1998 when VERA was first implemented said, "We are continually reviewing VERA to assure that our healthcare resources are allocated in a manner that moves the VA system toward our goal of having equity of access to our services in all regions of the country, and in a manner that achieves the greatest return for the investment in taxpayer dollars."

Accordingly, further diversion of funds from New York's VAMC's to those in other regions is a serious possibility. For that reason, we've been requested more than once to use our presumed clout to encourage area veterans to enroll at New York's VAMC's for their medical treatment so as to justify the retention of sufficient federal dollars in our state to adequately provide the medical care and hospital needs of veterans here.

So, Rather than wait for the other shoe to fall, we are seeking ways to foster greater enrollment of veterans for treatment at our area VAMC's. As a matter of fact, check out our latest effort.

We hereby announce the availability of a pair of "dog tags" that enrolled veterans may obtain from Department Headquarters. Here's what they look like:

If you're enrolled at your local VAMC, you can get as many of these "dog tags" as you want. Just send in your donation and they're yours by return mail. You really should get them. It's a matter of pride.

Questions? Call us at (516) 887-7100.

Enabling the Disabled

A step-by-step process to help disabled drivers select the right vehicle and adaptive equipment is offered in a new brochure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The publication, Adapting Motor Vehicles for People with Disabilities, includes advice on investigating cost-saving opportunities and licensing requirements, evaluating needs, choosing a qualified dealer to modify the vehicle, and organizaions to contact for assistance.

The brochure is available by calling the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or by visiting NHTSA's web site at www.nhtsa.gov.

Listings of manufacturers that provide adaptive equipment ranging from mechanical and powered hand controls to wheelchair lifts are offered in the Disabled Driver's Mobility Guide from AAA. Available to members for free ($9.95 for non-members), the guide also lists driver-training facilities, evaluators and organizations that provide transportation options for the disabled.

To receive a copy of the NHTSA brochure (limited supply) or the AAA guide from the AAA Motor Club in New York, call 516-873-2364.