1.      Forum Planning To Send Letters About Roseburg VA Services To Shinseki. The Roseburg (OR) News-Review (8/11, Korengel) reports, "About 2,500 people signed form letters at the Douglas County Fair stating they want the VA Roseburg Healthcare System to restore services to 1990s levels, a veterans group said Monday. 'The response was absolutely overwhelming,' Douglas County Veterans Forum President Jim Little said at a news conference." According to the Review, members of the forum, which is "composed of officers from 21" veterans groups, "plan to send copies of the letters to Booz Allen Hamilton, a consulting company the Veterans Administration has retained to review services at the VA Roseburg Healthcare System," to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, "and to three congressional committees that work on veterans issues."

2.      Nonprofit Offering Sports-As-Therapy Programs To Disabled Vets. On the front page of its "Style" section, the Washington Post (8/11, C1, Tucker) says that "as part of the Warfighter Sports Challenge, a series of seven extreme events for permanently disabled veterans," three vets – injured in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam -- recently summited the "19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and one of the seven highest in the world." According to the Post, Warfighter Sports Challenge is "run by Disabled Sports USA, a Rockville-based nonprofit that offers sports-as-therapy programs for soldiers and civilians across the country."

3.      VA Clinic Expanding Mental Health Services, Care For Women Vets. On its website, WSAU-AM Wausau, WI (8/9) reported, "The Veterans Administration has hired three women providers and expanded mental health services in the year since it opened a larger community-based outreach clinic in Wausau." According to WSAU, those "changes reflect the agency's goal to accommodate a growing number of women veterans and more adequately treat veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues."

4.      VA Hospital Celebrates Women's Right To Vote Anniversary. The Muskogee (OK) Phoenix (8/11, Purtell) notes that on Tuesday, the Jack C. Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center "celebrated the 90th anniversary of women's right to vote." The "event featured Col. Jane L. Curtis, a member of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 45th Infantry Combat Team and a family practice physician. Curtis highlighted pioneering women in the military."

5.      Former Senator, A WWII Vet, Dies In Plane Crash. In covering the death of 86-year-old Ted Stevens, a former US senator who died in a plane crash, many major media outlets note that he was a World War II veteran. For example, the AP (8/11) says Stevens was a "decorated World War II pilot," a point also made by ABC World News(8/10, story 2, 1:05, Stephanopoulos, 8.2M) and NBC Nightly News(8/10, story 3, 2:30, Curry).

6.      Following Discovery Of His Remains In Germany, WWII Vet Buried In California. The New York Times (8/11, A9, Wollan) reports, "Sixty-six years after riding a B-24J Liberator on a bombing mission over Berlin," World War II veteran "John P. Bonnassiolle is finally home." On Tuesday, Bonnassiolle's remains, which had been found during an excavation in Germany, were buried in a family cemetery plot in California. The Times notes that the "remains of more than 72,000 Americans are still unaccounted for after World War II." The AP (8/11, Hunnicutt) publishes a similar story.

7.      Woman Sentenced To Prison For Exploiting Elderly Vet. The Helena (MT) Independent Record (8/10, Byron) noted that 63-year-old Maureen Molina, who in May was found guilty of "exploiting an elderly man by living off of his income," will "spend at least three years in prison" and has been "ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution." According to the Independent Record, an "assessment by a psychologist at the veterans hospital at Fort Harrison diagnosed" the elderly man "with post-traumatic stress disorder from extended combat service and wounds suffered in the Philippine Islands." The Billings (MT) Gazette (8/10) ran the same story.

8.      US Destroyer Named After John McCain Arrives In Vietnam. The CBS Evening News(8/10, story 9, 0:30, Couric) broadcast, "Fifteen years after the US And Vietnam normalized relations, there's now a floating symbol of their growing bond. The USS John McCain arrived in Denang" Tuesday, for "joint exercises with the Vietnamese military. The destroyer is named after two admirals, the father and grandfather" of US Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who "spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam but later championed renewed ties."
     The AP (8/11, Mason) reports, "An American warship docked Tuesday in central Vietnam where the former foes planned to conduct naval training in a sign of growing military ties amid new warnings from China for the US to stay out of its backyard." The port call for the warship "comes as the US and Vietnam celebrate 15 years of normalized diplomatic relations following a bloody war that remains an open wound for many veterans."

9.      Stimulus Funding VA Hospital Improvements. The Johnson City (TN) Press (8/11, Barber) reports, "Most patients and visitors" to the Veterans Affairs medical center "at Mountain Home may not notice many of the nearly $3 million in improvements to the campus in the past year" were "made possible by federal stimulus money." The "nine projects provided upgrades to often overlooked aspects of the 109-year-old hospital campus."

10.    County VA Director Worried About Upcoming Clinic Move. The Muskegon (MI) Chronicle (8/10, Hart) noted that this fall, the "Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic is moving from downtown Muskegon to a larger location near the airport." And, while proponents "say the larger space will allow for more services," some people, including Muskegon County Department of Veterans Affairs Director David Eling, are "concerned about transportation for veterans without cars." Eling "said the move will make transportation more difficult for veterans without cars, because the airport is not a regular stop on any bus route."

11.    County Supervisors Agree To Let VA Clinic Project Move Forward. The Saranac Lake, New York-based Adirondack Daily Enterprise (8/10, Brown, 6K) reported, "The federal Veterans' Administration is moving forward with a clinic in Westport to replace the one at Elizabethtown Community Hospital, according to county officials." During an "Economic Development Committee meeting" held "Monday morning, Essex County supervisors agreed to proceed with a 'no comment' letter on the project, meaning it can move forward without further approval from the county planning office," although "county Planner Vic Putnam" said the projects must still go through the Westport Planning Board. The Daily Enterprise added, "VA spokesman Peter Potter said he couldn't confirm which site...VA is looking at since the contract hasn't been signed yet."

12.    Local Officials Uncertain About Status Of Planned VA Clinic. The Carrollton (GA) Times-Georgian (8/11, Boan) reports, "It's been two months since a site was purchased in Carrollton for the future development of Veterans Administration clinic, but ground has yet to be broken and local officials are in the dark about when the project might get off the ground." Greg Kendall, public affairs officer at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, said though it will ultimately be a VA clinic, the construction of the building is being handled exclusively" by the Trinka Davis Foundation, which, according to Kendall, will "ultimately...determine the timeline" for the facility.

13.    VA Nurse Featured In AFGE Radio Ad. The "Federal Eye" blog for the Washington Post (8/11, O'Keefe) reports, "The nation's largest federal worker union is taking to the airwaves to defend rank and file federal workers against growing anti-government sentiments. The American Federation of Government Employees plans to spend about $200,000 to air a 60-second radio ad in more than 30 markets, including Washington and several Southern cities, according to a spokeswoman." The Post notes that among others, the ad stars a "Veterans Affairs registered nurse," who "tells listeners, 'I care for veterans like family.'"

14.    Research Co-Funded By VA Urges Discussion Of Merck Drug With Prostate Cancer Patients. Bloomberg News (8/11, Fridson) reports, "Researchers urged doctors to discuss with patients the benefits of Merck & Co.'s Proscar for preventing prostate cancer, after a study" in journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention "found that prescribing of the product didn't increase when a 2003 trial showed the medicine wards off tumors." According to Bloomberg, the "research was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department."

15.    VA Studies Examining Impact Of Race On Healthcare. In a report aired by CNN Newsroom(8/10, 12:47 p.m. ET), CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen said research has shown black men are less likely than white men to survive strokes and cancer. Cohen went on to say "experts think that access does have something to do with this, since African-Americans are often less likely to have health insurance.... However, what's interesting is that many...studies" on this matter "have been done in places like the Veterans Administration, where everyone has the exact same insurance, and they still are seeing worse outcomes for African-Americans."

16.    Hearing Examines Programs For Vets Transitioning From Military To Civilian Career. The last item for the "Sgt. Shaft" column in the Washington Times (8/11, Fales) said the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity "recently held a hearing to examine programs developed by the Departments of Labor, Defense and Veterans Affairs to assist veterans transitioning from a military to civilian career:" Among other things, hearing "participants noted that some veterans who have worked in the capacity of a mechanic or electrician during their service in the military have to essentially start from step one when they transfer to the civilian equivalent. This is because the civilian occupation requires a state accredited license, something that the military, as a federal entity, cannot grant," although, according to the column, Defense and Labor have partnered with "public and private organizations in order to address this issue."

17.    Washington Stage Guild Takes Its Kitchen Act To Walter Reed. The "backstage" column for the Washington Post (8/11, Horwitz).

18.    Area Soldiers See Surgeons By The Dozen. Sam Cook's syndicated column, appearing in the Fort Myers (FL) News-Press (8/11) and the Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times (8/11).

19.    Musician-Turned-Professor Gets Back To Roots Helping Veterans. Rodney Hart's column for the Quincy Herald-Whig (8/10).

20.    Nebraska Veterans Cemetery At Alliance. An op-ed in the McCook (NE) Daily Gazette (8/10) by Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman.

21.    World War II Veterans Honor Allies In Liberated French Towns. John Kelly's column for the Washington Post (8/11, B2).

22.    Ruling On Antipsychotic Gives AstraZeneca Hope. The Philadelphia Inquirer (8/11, Hill) reports, "A government panel opened the door a crack" this week "toward allowing AstraZeneca P.L.C. to sell its Seroquel XR more widely, after an emotional meeting that included stories from two families who say their loved ones died after taking the powerful antipsychotic." After noting that the "Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended the agency approve Seroquel XR for use as an additional therapy in patients suffering from depression who do not respond adequately to their current medications," the Inquirer says that prior to making its recommendation, the panel heard from Stan and Shirley White, who "have asked Congress to look into the unexpected deaths of about 40 young members of the armed services. The Veterans Administration determined that White and Layne died 'from combined drug intoxication involving prescribed and nonprescribed medications,' and said it could not 'draw conclusions about the relationship between medication regimens and these deaths.'"

23.    Feds Rethink Policies That Encourage Home Ownership. USA Today (8/11, Wiseman) reports, "In the next few months," policymakers will "weigh whether there can be too much of a good thing when it comes" to the Federal government "helping families finance the American Dream" of owning a home. According to USA Today, government support for homeownership comes through several organizations, including the Department of Veterans Affairs.

24.    VA To Test Paperless Claims Processing System. Federal Computer Week (8/11, Lipowicz).

25.    VA To Convert To Paperless Claims Processing. Middletown, New York's Mid-Hudson News (NY) (8/11).

26.    Finasteride Use Up In VHA System But Not For Prevention. HealthDay (8/11).

27.    Prudential Fin'l Payouts To Veterans OK In New Jersey. Reuters (8/11).

28.    Drug-Resistant Staph Infections Decline In Hospitals. The NPR (8/11, Knox) website.

29.    VA Breaks Ground For New Outpatient Clinical Addition. The KGWN-TV Cheyenne, WY (8/10) website.

30.    VA Moving Forward On Sending E'town Clinic To Westport. The Saranac Lake, New York-based Adirondack Daily Enterprise (8/11, Brown).

31.    Proposed VA Clinic Could Aid New Mercer Health Facility. The Bluefield (WV) Daily Telegraph (8/11, Coil).

32.    New VA Clinic Eyes Fore Street. Mainebiz Daily (8/11, Cook).

33.    New MU Neuroscience Center Uses Collaborative Research For Treatment Studies. The KOMU-TV Columbia, MO (8/10, Martin) website.

34.    New VA Cemetery Will Be Dedicated. The Chadron (NE) News (8/11\).

35.    Trio Steals Money From Disabled Vet, Police Say. The WFSB-TV New Haven, CT (8/10) website.

36.    Playing The Hero: Phony Veterans' Decorations, Exploits Exposed By Watchdogs. McClatchy (8/11, Kavanaugh).

37.    Group Helps Injured Service People Find Purpose In Community. The Jefferson County (MO) Journal (8/11, Merkel).