1.      Decrease In Homeless Vets Gives Shinseki Hope Pledge Can Be Kept. The Army Times (12/8, Maze, 104K) reports, "An 18 percent drop in the number of homeless veterans over about two years gives hope" to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki "that he'll be able to keep a pledge made last year to end homelessness among veterans within five years." Speaking "Tuesday at the National Forum on Homelessness Among Veterans," Shinseki "said the current estimate of homeless veterans is down from about 250,000 a decade ago, a sign that this 'national shame' can be solved through coordinating government programs."

2.      Baker Criticizes GAO Report. In continuing coverage, FedInsider (12/8) notes that Veterans Affairs Chief Information Officer Roger Baker has "sharply rebuked the Government Accountability Office for a new report about a project that has been a problem child from the get go: namely, the system to process education benefits claims under the Post 9/11 GI Bill." Baker "suggests GAO doesn't fully understand agile development, stating, 'this may have been the first exposure the GAO team performing this audit had to this methodology.'" Baker's "remarks were backed up...by VA Secretary Eric Shinseki," who "has made clearing of claims backlogs across VA a priority."

3.      Tymeson To Run Iowa VA. The AP (12/8) reports, "Gov.-elect Terry Branstad has announced five new appointments, including" that retired Brig. Gen. Jodi Tymeson will head the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, a point also made by the "Iowa Politics Insider" blog for the Des Moines (IA) Register (12/8, Jacobs). Reports on this story were also aired by WOI-TV Des Moines, IA (12/7, 10:19 p.m. CT) and KDSM-TV Des Moines, IA (12/7, 9:08 p.m. CT).

4.      Monument Dedicated At Vets Cemetery In Texas. The Abilene (TX) Reporter-News (12/8, Roberts) notes that during a ceremony held at Abilene's Texas State Veterans Cemetery on Tuesday, a "monument honoring men and women who have served in defense of the United States" was dedicated.

5.      Louisiana Governor Touts Potential Of Teaching, VA Hospitals In New Orleans. In a story pointing out that there "have been some very big concerns about" Louisiana "moving ahead" with a "new teaching hospital after" New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu "criticized some of the specifics of the state's plan for the proposed $1 billion design," the WWL-TV New Orleans, LA (12/7, Paulsen) website reported, "According to the governor, that has all been worked out, and any delays because of the mayor's concerns won't affect the cost of the hospital in the long run." WWL said that with teaching hospital and a new Veterans Affairs hospital both being built in New Orleans, Gov. Bobby Jindal "feels Louisiana will be getting a lot more bang for its buck."

6.      Pending Caucus Approval, Miller To Lead House Veterans Affairs Committee. In the middle of a story emphasizing that "House Republican leaders demonstrated a commitment to their term-limit rule Tuesday in passing over candidates for top committee posts who needed a waiver before they could take a gavel," CQ (12/8, Goldfarb) reports, "There was no vote on who should chair" the House Veterans Affairs Committee, "because Cliff Stearns of Florida, a candidate for the Energy and Commerce gavel, did not end up challenging Jeff Miller of Florida for the spot. The full House Republican Conference will meet to ratify the decisions of the Steering Committee on Wednesday." In a story run by at least 34 publications, the AP (12/8) also notes that Miller is slated to head the Veterans Affairs panel, as does Bloomberg News (12/8, Faler, Lerer).

7.      Vets More Likely To Quit Smoking When PTSD Therapy, Clinical Treatment Combined.  WebMD (12/8, Hendrick) reports, "People with military-related posttraumatic stress disorder have a better chance of quitting smoking if their PTSD therapy is combined with clinical treatment for fighting their nicotine habit, new research indicates." Miles McFall of the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System helped conduct research for the study, which appears "in the Dec. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association." Similar coverage is offered by HealthDay (12/8, Goodwin), Science Daily (12/8), and the WRAL-TV Raleigh, NC (12/7) website. A report on the study is also aired by KIFI-TV Idaho Falls, ID (12/7, 10:50 p.m. MT).

8.      Funding To Provide Mental Healthcare Assistance For Vets. The Chicago Tribune (12/8, Cameron, 488K) reports, "A five-year grant worth more than $3.6 million will allow Lake and McHenry counties to overhaul their community mental health systems for veterans, particularly those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan." The grant was "awarded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration."

9.      Murder Case Latest Mental Health Challenge For US Army. In a story appearing in at least 136 publications, the AP (12/8) says 20-year-old David Lawrence, who is charged with murdering a Taliban prisoner, is the "latest challenge" to the US Army's "ability to address mental health problems in the ranks while fighting two lengthy wars." According to the AP, which points out that Lawrence's father says his son has been admitted to a mental health treatment center, the legal case against Lawrence "comes as the military grapples with a rising numbers of suicides, post-traumatic stress disorder cases and traumatic brain injuries."

10.    Prosecutors Asking Court To Uphold Stolen Valor Act. In a story run by at least 113 publications, the AP (12/8) reports, "Prosecutors trying to preserve" the Stolen Valor Act, "which makes it a crime to falsely claim to have won a military" medal, "say the act won't discourage legitimate free speech because it targets only deliberate falsehoods." After noting that prosecutors are "asking the 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold" the law, following a lower court ruling that it violates the First Amendment, the AP says the original case involves a man "charged with...claiming to be a former Marine who was wounded in Iraq and received two medals."

11.    VFW Posts In Missouri, Illinois Reaching Out To Younger Vets. In an article published by at least 36 sources, the AP (12/8) says, "VFW posts in Missouri and Illinois are getting younger. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that about 2,600 new members signed up with Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Missouri last year, and about 8,000 did so in Illinois." Many posts are "reaching out to younger veterans by adding Wi-Fi, hosting sports leagues and providing dances with live music," others are "using social media such as Facebook to recruit," and some "have simply taken the old-fashioned approach of reaching out in person to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, asking them to join."

12.    Afghanistan Vet To Receive Silver Star. According to an AP (12/8) story appearing in at least 23 publications, a US Army "helicopter pilot from Maine is going to be awarded the nation's third-highest military honor for helping rescue German soldiers after an ambush in Afghanistan." Next week, during a "ceremony in Germany," Chief Warrant Officer Jason LaCrosse is "going to receive the Silver Star." LaCrosse has "already received Germany's highest award for valor, the Gold Cross." The Portland (ME) Press Herald (12/7, Hench, 59K) also covered this story.

13.    Company Making Golf Clubs For Wounded Vets. The Phoenix-based Arizona Republic (12/8, Young, 380K) says a company called Ping is "incorporating the knowledge it got from working" with a quadruple amputee into golf club "sets it builds for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who take part in the Wounded Warrior Project," which "utilizes sports as a rehabilitation tool for servicemen."

14.    Pearl Harbor Anniversary Marked. In continuing coverage, NBC Nightly News (12/7, story 6, 0:40, Williams, 8.37M) broadcast that on Tuesday, Americans "marked the 69th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor." In Hawaii, "120 survivors" of the attack were "among those who gathered at Pearl Harbor," while in New York, veterans "gathered aboard the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier and tossed a wreath into the cold Hudson River."
     Visitor Center Dedicated In Honor Of Attack Survivors. In the report it aired on the Pearl Harbor anniversary, ABC World News (12/7, story 7, 0:15, Sawyer, 8.2M) said the 120 attacks survivors, "many of them in their 90s, traveled from around the country" to Hawaii, to "watch as...a new visitor's center" was "dedicated in their honor." MSNBC (12/8) publishes a similar article on its website. Stories about the Pearl Harbor anniversary were also aired by many local TV stations in various parts of the country, including WUSA-TV Washington, DC (12/7, 7:10 p.m. ET).
     Survivors Told Their Story Will Not Be Forgotten. In an article run by at least 105 publications, the AP (12/8, McAvoy) notes that "about 120" aging "Pearl Harbor survivors on Tuesday heard reassurances their sacrifice would be remembered and passed on to future generations as they gathered" near the USS Arizona in Hawaii to "mark the 69th anniversary of the attack. 'Long after the last veteran of the war in the Pacific is gone, we will still be here telling their story and honoring their dedication and sacrifice,'" said Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service, which built a "new $56 million visitor center that was dedicated at the ceremony."
     An earlier AP (12/7) story appearing in at least 15 publications noted that on Tuesday, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds asked that all US "and state flags be flown at half-staff...in remembrance of those who fought and died" in the attack on Pearl Harbor. President Barack Obama, meanwhile, "issued a proclamation designating Dec. 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day."
     Three VA Hospitals Commemorate Anniversary. The Nashville-based Tennessean (12/8, Wilemon, 135K) says Morris Looney, Edgar French, and George Westover, "all in their 90s, were the only veterans of Pearl Harbor who made it to the annual commemorative ceremony at the Veterans Administration medical center in Nashville." The men "came with their wives and families, along with the widows and children of other Pearl Harbor veterans."
     The KAKE-TV Wichita, KS (12/7, Herndon) website said numerous ceremonies commemorating the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack took place across the country on Tuesday, including in Wichita at the Robert J. Dole VAMC. The website pointed out that the Dole event was organized to honor survivors of the attack, as well as "all who...died that day."
     The KSEE-TV Fresno, CA (12/7) website reported, "Pearl Harbor survivors" recently "gathered in Fresno for a ceremony" at a Veterans Affairs hospital. According to KSEE, the ceremony provided a "way for veterans to remember the men and women who died and celebrate the local survivors." KMPH-TV Fresno, CA (12/7, 10:40 p.m. PT) aired a similar report.
     Minnesota VA Holds Remembrance Ceremony. An AP (12/8, Lynn) story run by at least 22 sources says the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs recently "held a remembrance ceremony at the state Veterans Service Building near the Capitol with the Pearl Harbors Survivors Association and the Fort Snelling National Cemetery Memorial Rifle Squad." There are "about 25 surviving veterans living in Minnesota who served at Pearl Harbor." KSTP-TV Minneapolis, MN (12/7, 11:15 p.m. CT) and KEYC-TV Mankato, MN (12/7, 10:06 p.m. CT) aired similar reports.
     World War II Memorial Rededicated In Washington State. On Tuesday, according to the Tacoma (WA) News Tribune (12/8, Shannon), about "200 military veterans and their family members helped rededicate the state" of Washington's "refurbished World War II memorial." The ceremony "coincided with the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941." The Olympia, Washington-based Olympian (12/8) published the same story.

 15.    Vet Accused Of Stalking Westboro Church Members Released. The KSN-TV Wichita, KS (12/7) website said veteran Ryan Newell, who has been "accused of stalking members of Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church out of Topeka," is "out of jail after a judge allowed him to be released." Newell was "released by Judge Ben Burgess on the agreement that he report" to the Veterans Affairs hospital in Wichita, "presumably for treatment of some kind." In a story headlined "Ryan Newell released from Sedgwick County Jail," the KWCH-TV Wichita, KS (12/7, Strader, Durden) website said the church is "known for picketing at soldier funerals."

16.    VA To Establish Patient Secure Messaging By March.  Government Health IT (12/8, Mosquera).

17.    VA To Host Town Hall. The Roseburg (OR) News-Review (12/8, Bajandas).

18.    Tulsa Veterans Center Moves To New Location. The KOTV-TV Tulsa, OK (12/7) website.

19.    Tri-C Veterans Education Connection Center Opens. The WEWS-TV Cleveland, OH (12/7, Arnold) website.

20.    VA Center Offers Free Gifts For Vets. The KDFW-TV Dallas, TX (12/7, Felps) website.

21.    Post 70 Auxiliary Plans Santa For Vets. The Troy (AL) Messenger (12/8, 3K).

22.    Vietnam Vet To Be Buried Near Son. The Omaha (NE) World-Herald (12/8, Burbach).