2.      Vets Home To Be Constructed In Pell City, Alabama. In continuing coverage, the Pell City, Alabama-based St. Clair News-Aegis (12/2, Mee) said the Colonel Robert L. Howard Veterans' Home "will...be erected in Pell City." The facility, which "will cost $41 million," is "expected to be completed by the spring of 2012."

3.      City In Oregon May Still Get Veterans Care Facility. The KDRV-TV Medford, OR (12/2) website said Klamath Falls, Oregon, "might still be in the running for a multimillion dollar long-term care home for military veterans. According to the Herald and News , legislation that would put two long-term care facilities up for bid could be introduced during the next Oregon legislative session, which starts January 11. Klamath Falls was one of five Oregon cities that submitted bids for a proposed 250-bed facility," after which time, specifically in April, the "Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs announced...that it would instead build a 150-bed veterans home in Lebanon, and a similar facility in Roseburg. The Roseburg facility, however, has not received the necessary legislative approval."

4.      State Vets Cemeteries In Kentucky To Participate In Wreaths Across America. The Covington-based Kentucky Post (12/3) reports, "All four of Kentucky's State Veterans Cemeteries will participate in the national Wreaths Across America ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 11." Wreaths Across America is a "non-profit organization that began over 18 years ago when Worcester Wreath Company started placing wreaths on the headstones of fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery. Today, the tradition continues as the Civil Air Patrol, the Patriot Guard Riders and other civic organizations place wreaths during a special observance at each of the more than 230 State and National Cemeteries, and Veterans Monuments nationwide."

5.      Vets Groups, Military Retirees Preparing To Resist Tricare Spending Cuts. The Wall Street Journal (12/3, A5, Hodge, 2.09M) says veterans groups and US military retirees are getting ready to oppose possible spending cuts for Tricare, the military's healthcare system, which is funded by the Department of Defense (DOD). After noting that the DOD and Veterans Affairs Department budgets are separate, the Journal points out that some advocates for veterans are concerned because newly elected lawmakers will join Congress with a mandate to get government spending under control.

6.      Criminal Investigation Looking Into Misplaced Remains At Arlington National Cemetery. In a front page story, the Washington Post (12/3, A1, Davenport, 605K) says the US Army has "launched the first criminal investigation into the misplacement of remains at Arlington National Cemetery," after "discovering eight cremated remains dumped in a single grave site there." The investigation "comes after a series of revelations that...marred the reputation of the country's most prestigious military burial ground and led to the ouster of its top two leaders." A similar article appears on the front page of USA Today (12/3, Dorell, 1.83M).

7.      Baker, GAO Differ On VA's Ability To Use Agile Development. FierceGovernmentIT (12/2, Perera) reported, "The Veterans Affairs Department has tried agile development for the first time and pronounced it good despite what it might consider hissing" from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which in a new report "says the department could have done it better. Agile development is...a software development philosophy that emphasizes continuous and rapid incremental development and delivery of functionality along with close collaboration between programmers and users." As part of VA's "official response to the GAO's findings, VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker charged the watchdog with presenting 'incorrect assumptions as facts,' likely because agile development is not widespread within the federal government, meaning that GAO auditors might not have encountered it before."
     Blogger Highlights Spat Between Two Agencies. In his "What's Brewin'" blog for NextGov (12/3), Bob Brewin notes that on Wednesday, the GAO released a negative report on VA's Post-9/11 GI Bill claims processing system. Brewin points out that Baker and Valerie Melvin, GAO's "director for information management and human capital issues," have argued about the report, specifically GAO's knowledge of a software process called agile development. Brewin says "maybe Melvin and Baker should form rugby teams and have it out on the fields near the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on 14th Street."

8.      Officials From VA, GAO Argue About Software Process. In his "What's Brewin'" blog for NextGov (12/3), Bob Brewin notes that on Wednesday, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a negative report on the Department of Veterans Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill claims processing system. Brewin points out that VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker and Valerie Melvin, GAO's "director for information management and human capital issues," have argued about GAO's knowledge of a software process called agile development. After noting that GAO's report "skewers Veterans Affairs for its lack of full adherence to...agile development, which deploys software and functionality in chunks on an iterative basis," Brewin says "maybe Melvin and Baker should form rugby teams and have it out on the fields near the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on 14th Street."

9.      Former VA Employee Gets One Year In Jail For Faking Military Record. In an article run by at least 26 news sources, the AP (12/3) notes that on Wednesday, 57-year-old Nevada resident David M. Perelman was "sentenced to one year in federal prison for lying to obtain a Purple Heart and using the medal and phony paperwork to obtain $180,000 in veteran benefits." Assistant Federal Public Defender Rene Valladares "lost a bid to convince" US. District Court Judge Kent Dawson to sentence Perelman, a former Veterans Affairs employee, to probation. Valladares "told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Perelman will challenge the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act." KRNV-TV Reno, NV (12/2, 11:07 p.m. PT) also aired a report on this story.

10.    Vietnam Vet Welcoming Soldiers Home From Iraq, Afghanistan. The CBS Evening News (12/2, story 8, 2:15, Couric, 6.1M) broadcast that 66-year-old Walt Peters, who "served three tours in Vietnam and...came home to scorn," has "made it his mission to give" American service members returning from Afghanistan and Iraq a "hero's welcome home." Since 2004, Peters, who conducts his mission at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia, "estimates he has greeted or sent off 90,000 soldiers."
     Dover Hosting More "Dignified Transfers" Of US Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan. The Washington Post (11/3, Whitlock, 605K) reports, "As the death toll climbs" for US "troops in Afghanistan," the fallen arrive in cargo planes at Delaware's Dover Air Force Base "with greater frequency." After noting that public opinion surveys "show...most Americans now oppose the war," the Post says the "military refers to the ritual of bringing the fallen back to Dover as a 'dignified transfer.'"
     Ranks Of Fallen Include First Chaplain Killed In Combat Since Vietnam War. The Los Angeles Times (12/3, Zucchino, 681K) focuses on Capt. Dale Goetz, one of the US soldiers killed this year in Afghanistan. Goetz, who was 43 at the time of his death, was the "first chaplain killed in combat since the Vietnam War."

11.    First Lady Cuts Ribbon On Lodging For Injured Vets' Families. In continuing coverage, an AP (12/3) story run by at least 148 news publications notes that at the National Naval Medical Center on Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama "cut the red ribbon" for three Fisher Houses, which "will provide free lodging for...families" of ailing US soldiers and veterans. The ABC News (12/3, Saenz) "Political Punch" blog runs a similar story.

     New Fisher House In Minnesota To Be Fully Handicap Accessible. On its website, Minnesota Public Radio (12/3, Mador) says the "non-profit family-foundation" behind the Fisher House concept "will finish construction on a second Fisher House" at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, one that "will be fully handicap accessible. The original Minneapolis house isn't -- the only way to get to the bedrooms upstairs is by staircase."
     NFL Player To Host Fundraising Concert For Wounded Warriors Organization. In a story published by at least 56 news sources, the AP (12/3) reports, "Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen hosts a country music concert Friday to raise money for his Homes 4 Wounded Warriors nonprofit," which "raises money to build or modify homes of severely injured" US military veterans, so that the "homes are handicap-accessible." Allen's "first Country Warriors Concert begins at 9 p.m. at the Fine Line Music Cafe in downtown Minneapolis." KSTP-TV Minneapolis, MN (12/2, 3:40 p.m. CT) aired a similar report.

12.    Iraq Vet Aims To Draw Attention To PTSD. The KRCR-TV Chico, CA (12/2, Saam) website said Chico resident Frank Carrillo "recently ended his 19 year military career, unable to deal with memories of fighting in Iraq." Carrillo, who "said military doctors accused him of faking post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)," is now "fighting to draw attention to the issue of PTSD and make it easier for soldiers to get mental health treatment they need."

13.    Norwood VAMC Slowly Resuming Surgeries. The Augusta (GA) Chronicle (12/3, Corwin) reports, "After discovering a potential glitch in the sterilization of surgical instruments and shutting down nonessential procedures, the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center is slowly building back up its volume of surgeries as it adds new equipment and ensures protocols are followed, officials said. While some surgeries were farmed out into the community," Veterans Affairs officials "insist no one was actually put at risk and no one was harmed." And, while this is the "second problem with sterilization of reusable medical equipment at the Augusta facility in the past two years," officials "insist that the two are not at all related and involve different areas of the reprocessing and sterilization department."

14.    Creatine To Be Assessed As Depression Treatment By Vets Hospital. In continuing coverage, the WALB-TV Albany, GA (12/2) website reported, "Researchers have discovered" that creatine and uridine, "two natural substances made by the human body," may be useful in treating "depression and bipolar illnesses," respectively. WALB added, "Clinical trials...using creatine to treat depression in adults will soon begin at Salt Lake City's Veterans Hospital." The websites for KOB-TV Albuquerque, NM (12/2) and WSFA-TV Montgomery, AL (12/2) published the same stories.

15.    Donation To Pay For New TVs At Vets Hospital. The lead "Business News" item for the Pottstown (PA) Mercury (12/2, 19K) notes veterans were recently "honored...at the 2nd Annual Veterans' Banquet, sponsored by the veterans committee and held at the Pottstown Elks Lodge No. 814." The event included a "presentation...of a $5,600 check from the Vlahos Dunn Insurance Co." to "Ted Derr, who accepted the donation as the chairman of the veterans committee. Derr remarked that the money...would go directly to the Southeastern Veterans' Hospital in Spring City, where they planned on buying new flat-screen televisions for their newly constructed wing."

16.    Nonprofit To Perform Show At VA Hospital. The Wilkes-Barre (PA) Times-Leader (12/3) notes that on Sunday, "First Chance On Stage, a nonprofit organization for the disabled and mainstream, will present a 45-minute production, 'The Reason for the Season,'" for "veterans in Liberty Hall" at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Plains Township. The "seventh annual musical production...is free to all veterans and their families."

17.    Baucus Outlines Opposition To 'Anti-Rural' Deficit Commission Cuts. The Superior, Montana-based Clark Fork Chronicle (12/3, Donohue) notes that US Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) is "strongly" opposing "recommendations to raise the retirement age for Social Security and cut funding for veterans, agriculture and natural resources released by the co-chairs of the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform." The lawmaker, "who was appointed to serve as a congressional representative on the commission in February, called the reforms anti-rural and said he will oppose them when the Commission votes this Friday."

18.    VA Director Struchtemeyer Speaker For Eggs And Issues. The Tuskegee (AL) News (12/2, 4K) noted that at the Tuskegee University Kellogg Conference Center on Tuesday, December 14th, the Tuskegee Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) will host "an Eggs and Issues Breakfast on Tuesday, December 14 at 7:30 a.m." The speaker for the event will be "Glen E. Struchtemeyer, director, Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System."

19.    Deadline Approaching For VA Benefits. The KJCT-TV Grand Junction, CO (12/2, Wilkins) website.

20.    Holiday Shopping For Vets At VA Hospital. The KMSB-TV Tucson, AZ (12/2) website.

21.    Group Boosts Homeless Vets' Spirits For Season. The Brevard-based Florida Today (12/3, Moody, 78K).

22.    Suncoast Veterans Reach Out To Homeless Vets. The WWSB-TV Sarasota, FL (12/2, McQuiston) website.

23.    Resources For Unemployed Veterans. The Florence (SC) Morning News (12/3, 29K).

24.    Organizations Charging Veterans For A Free Service. The KTVX-TV Salt Lake City, UT (12/2) website.

25.    Kearney Finds His Calling In Wounded Warrior Program. The Tarboro (NC) Daily Southerner (12/3, Ashley).