VA News for Monday, December 20, 2010

1.      Medal Of Honor Recipient Dies.  NBC Nightly News (12/17, story 9, 0:40, Williams, 8.37M) reported, "This nation has lost another Medal of Honor recipient. Melvin Biddle was awarded the medal for his actions in Belgium in 1944. Acting as an Army infantry scout in the Battle of the Bulge, he took out three snipers, took out three machine gun nests and killed 13 Germans in a single volley. All single handedly which then allowed the Allies to advance into the town. When President Truman placed the medal around Biddle's neck at the White House, he famously said on that day, people don't believe me when I tell them that I would rather have one of these than be president. Melvin Biddle of Indiana was 87. His death now leaves 86 living recipients of the Medal of Honor."

2.      Veterans Affairs Faces Daunting Job Of Reducing Medical Claims Backlog.  CNN (12/17, Rizzo) reports, "Veteran claims for medical benefits are still piled high at the Veterans Affairs Department, despite a major push from the secretary of the department for quicker claims processing. There are a quarter of a million claims in the system that have not been assessed within 125 days of being filed, according to Mike Walcoff, acting under secretary for benefits. Backlogged claims amount to more than one-third of the cases in the system, a similar ratio to last year." The account notes Secretary Shinseki's statements earlier this year calling for the backlog to be eliminated by 2015, and setting a 125-day deadline for claims processing by the end of this year. It also notes that the agency "been hit with more claims this year after it increased the number of Agent Orange- and Gulf War-related illnesses that qualify for benefits, and put new rules in place that simplify the process for post-traumatic stress disorder claims." To meet Shinseki's goal, the article further notes, "Veterans Affairs has implemented 45 pilot programs, commissioned an innovation contest and started new procedures like Fast Track, a web portal aimed at speeding up the claims processing system to under 30 days."
     WPSD-TV Paducah, KY (12/17, 1:03 p.m. EDT) reports that Veterans Affairs chief of staff John Gingrich is joining hospital officials to discuss progress on claims backlogs. The VA has developed several claims transformation initiatives over the past two years in an attempt to better serve veterans."
     An American Forces Press Service release (12/17, Daniel) also covers VA efforts to eliminate its claims backlog.
     VA aims to eliminate claims backlog by 2015. Nextgov (12/17, Brewin) reports that VA Chief of Staff John Gingrich on Friday told a media roundtable that the VA "plans to completely eliminate its disability claims backlog by 2015, despite a sharp increase in claims filed during the past several years. The agency "expects to receive about 1.2 million claims for 2010, acting Undersecretary for Benefits Mike Walcoff told attendees at the briefing. The department currently faces a backlog of 274,142 cases awaiting a ratings review by claims examiners, according to a Dec. 13 weekly report." Gingrich added that the VA plans to use the same type of technology as it began using in November for handling Agent Orange claims. The Friday roundtable marked the start of monthly sessions top VA officials plan to hold, according to Gingrich.
     Utah VA Meets Physician Access Deadline In Over 80% Of Cases. The Salt Lake Tribune (12/17, LaPlante, 114K) adds VA's chief technology officer said Friday that the agency has "a transcendent moral mission" to provide prompt service to millions of former service members. The vice commander of Utah's American Legion "applauded the VA's intentions and commended the enormous bureaucracy for the tremendous strides it's already made in reducing the time that veterans wait for compensation." But he also noted that he had "been waiting five months to see my primary care doctor" at the VA. A spokeswoman for the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System said that it more than 80% of the time, it meets the 30-day deadline for fulfilling requests to see a doctor.

3.      Forum Addresses Homelessness Of Vets.  The lead item for the "Veterans' Journal" column in the Providence (RI) Journal (12/20, Reilly) reports, "More than 400 participants from across the country," including healthcare providers, "outreach coordinators, homeless specialists and service providers from various federal agencies," took "part in a national forum in Arlington, Va., on Dec. 7-8, on ending homelessness among veterans by strengthening preventive measures and by encouraging greater collaboration among government and private-sector organizations." During the event, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said, "We are intervening earlier in the problems that can lead to homelessness, such as mental illness, substance abuse, unemployment and financial problems."

4.      Shining Stars.  The Richmond (KY) Register (12/19) noted that on Saturday, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki "and Hall of Fame football coach Roy Kidd addressed more than 1,200 degree candidates at Eastern Kentucky University's annual fall commencement." Shinseki "told the graduates" that they should let not their graduation represent the end of their "quest for knowledge." Shinseki, who "received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the university, also reminded the graduates to credit all those who have helped them realize their educational dreams."

5.      VA Processes First Claims for New Agent Orange Presumptives.  Investor's Business Daily (12/17, 132K) reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) "has decided more than 28,000 claims in the first six weeks of processing disability compensation applications from Vietnam Veterans with diseases related to exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange. 'With new technology and ongoing improvements, we are quickly removing roadblocks to processing benefits,' said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. 'We are also conducting significant outreach to Vietnam Veterans to encourage them to submit their completed application for this long-awaited benefit.'" VA issued final regulations at the end of August making veterans who served in Vietnam presumptively eligible for disability benefits and healthcare if they have been diagnosed for Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, or a B-cell (or hairy-cell) leukemia.

6.      Conference Helps Military Members, Veterans With Disabilities.  The Capital Flyer (12/16, 15K) reports that over 120 wounded service members, disable veterans and their families "traveled to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for the 6th annual Road to Recovery Conference. The conference took place from Dec. 7-11. The weeklong event was presented by The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes and the American Legion. Representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs provided on-site counseling and information about VA programs." VA Secretary Shinseki said that the agency "is honored to work with our partners in the private sector and veterans service organizations to help America's heroes and their families, particularly veterans who are facing unique challenges." The conference offered over 40 hours of seminars, workshops and panel sessions on benefits, services, insurance, healthcare, employment opportunities and other topics, including "the new joint VA-Paralympics program for disabled service men and women who might be interested in representing their country as a U.S. Paralympian."

7.      South Dakota Governor Says Military Tasks Were "Toughest Emotional" Duties.  KOTA-TV Rapid City, SD (12/17, 2:03 p.m. EST), in a retrospective of the two terms of Gov. Mike Rounds (R), touches on his military duties, saying that he soon learned after taking office that "his toughest emotional battle would be holding the title of commander in chief of the South Dakota National Guard. Rounds appears on camera, referring to the demands of "deployment ceremonies, coming-home ceremonies, the funerals, the day-to-day that we get, in that our veterans are concerned about their benefits."

8.      Quinn To Highlight Programs That Benefit Veterans. The Chicago Tribune /AP (12/19) reports that outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn (D) "is planning to highlight programs that benefit the state's veterans. Quinn has a news conference scheduled for Sunday afternoon in downtown Chicago. He's set to talk about programs including Operation Hero Miles, the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund and the Vets Cash lottery ticket." The Heroes Miles program "collects frequent flyer miles from business travelers and tourists and converts them into free airline tickets for the families of wounded servicemembers." The military relief funds provides grants to families of deployed National Guard members and reservists, while the Vets Cash lottery ticket is a scratch-off ticket benefiting veterans' services.

9.      Texas Veterans Commission Helps Soldiers Transition From Service. The El Paso (TX) Times (12/17, Hall) says the Texas Veterans Commission's Transition Assistance Program, which "works alongside the Army Career and Alumni Program to help soldiers preparing to leave" the service, "consists of a three-day course that covers topics such as job hunting and applying for veterans benefits. It builds on the information and counseling provided by Army Career and Alumni Program."

10.    Senate Democrats Unveil CR To Fund Government Through March 4.  CQ (12/20, Krawzak, Young) reports, "Senate Democrats on Sunday unveiled a stopgap funding measure that would increase government spending by $1.16 billion through March of next year, including additional money for veterans' programs." After noting that the Democrats' continuing resolution calls for a "$460 million increase to the Veterans Benefits Administration to prevent layoffs of claims processors and to help reduce processing times for disability claims," CQ adds, "The House is expected to return Tuesday to take up whatever spending legislation the Senate produces."
     Politico (12/20, Rogers, 25K) says Democrats have "predicted final approval this week of a year-end budget compromise ceding major leverage to Republicans in future battles but also giving the White House added protection for Pell Grants for low-income college students." An "estimated $459 million has also been added" to the compromise measure to "prevent...layoffs of claims processors at the Veterans Benefits Administration." The "Washington Insider" blog for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12/20, Dupree, 227K) makes the same point.

11.    Buerkle Named To Three Committees, Will Be Sworn In Jan. 5. The Greece (NY) Messenger Post (12/17, Seef) reports that NY25 Rep.-elect Ann Marie Buerkle (R) "will be serving on three committees, including the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Veterans Affairs." In a brief interview, she told the paper that Veterans Affairs "is a great opportunity to help our veterans, we have a veteran hospital in the district. We do talk about not spending and wasting our government's money but we should never do that on the back of our veterans."

12.    Denham To Serve On House Veterans Affairs Committee. The Merced (CA) Sun-Star (12/16, 16K) reports that CA19 Rep.-elect Jeff Denham released a statement on his appointment to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs," saying that as a veteran, "I understand the unique challenges our brave men and women face. It is the duty of Congress to fulfill its commitment to our veterans and ensure they have the care promised." The Modesto Bee (12/17, 67K) also reports his appointment.

13.    Runyan Recommended For Assignment On Armed Services, Veterans' Affairs and Natural Resources Committees. The Burlington County (NJ) Times (12/17, Levinsky) reports that NJ3 Rep.-elect Jon Runyan (R) "is in the running for a prized assignment on the House Armed Services Committee. The Republican Steering Committee recommended the incoming freshman for assignment on the Armed Services committee as well as the House Veterans' Affairs and Natural Resources committees." The incumbent whom Runyan ousted, Rep. John Adler, also served on Veterans' Affairs.

14.    Three Regional GOP Reps Assigned To House Committees. The Youngstown (OH) Vindicator (12/18, Skolnick) reports, OH6 Rep.-elect Bill Johnson (R), a retired 26-year Air Force officer, "will serve on three House committees: Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs and Veterans Affairs."

15.    CSC Awarded VA Work Worth $33 Million. The Washington Business Journal (12/17, Echols) reports that Falls Church-based Computer Sciences Corp. "will help the Department of Veterans Affairs develop new financial software applications under a new contract award that could be worth $33 million. CSC will be assisted by subcontractor Helpdesk Response Inc. in developing software and systems for the VA's Financial Services Center. The center provides a wide range of financial and accounting tools to both the VA and other government agencies."

16.    Pentagon Uses 'Personality Disorder' To Deny Veterans Health Care.  In continuing coverage, Courthouse News (12/17, Coughlin) reports that a court Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the Vietnam Veterans of America alleges that the Defense Department has wrongfully discharged almost 26,000 service members since 2001 "on the basis of so-called 'personality disorder'" rather than for post-trauma stress disorder, to save $12.5 billion in healthcare costs. The Vietnam Veterans charge that DoD "fabricated the overwhelming majority of PD discharges so that the VA would not have to provide disabled veterans with the health care and service-connected disability compensation that they had earned."

17.    "Invisible Wounds" Take Toll On Veterans.  In a story on troubled veterans that that originally appeared in the Livingston County (MI) Daily Press & Argus , the AP (12/19) noted that Rick Briggs, "head of the Veteran's Program at the Brighton-based" Brain Injury Association of Michigan, "said the suicide rate of soldiers returning home with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress has escalated dramatically in the past year or so." The AP added, however, that Michigan has "started its first veteran's court, in which veterans are given treatment options as an alternative to jail time when charges are believed to stem from war-related trauma." If candidates taking part in the court program meet its "criteria, Veterans Affairs provides treatment services at no cost."

18.    Sleep And PTSD: No Firm Ties Found.  The Minneapolis Star Tribune (12/17, Brunswick, 319K) reports that although people with PTSD see a connection between that condition and their sleeplessness, "a study conducted by the Minneapolis VA hospital says the evidence is not so clear. While preliminary, the study, conducted by Minneapolis VA psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Westermeyer and his colleagues, shows that more work needs to be done to reach a definitive conclusion. Westermeyer published his findings in the September issue of 'Psychiatry' under the title, 'Quality of Sleep in Patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.'"

19.    VA 'Fast Track' System Processes Claims Online.  In an interview on FederalNewsRadio (12/18), VA Chief Technology Officer Michael Cardarelli discusses the agency's new web-based "Fast Track" portal that the Veterans Benefits Administration is using to accept and process new claims for Vietnam-era disabilities connected to Agent Orange, which could serve as the model for processing other disability categories.

20.    Agreement Signed To Clean Up Ft. Detrick.  FederalNewsRadio.com (12/17) reports that the Defense Department and the Environmental Protection Agency "have signed a Federal Facilities Agreement to clean up contamination at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md.," announced MD Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D), who called the agreement "overdue." On EPA's Superfund list since 2008, Ft. Detrick had been the site for the formulation and testing of various herbicides, including Agent Orange. An investigation is underway to determine if contamination has caused cancer cases in the area.

21.    Journalists Expose The Legacy Of Agent Orange. A release from San Francisco State University (12/17, Springer) reports that a Ford Foundation-funded campus-based journalism project "is showing that the toxic effects of a defoliant used by US forces during the Vietnam War continues to cause serious illness and physical deformities among generations of Vietnamese. The Vietnam Reporting Project, a program of the Renaissance Journalism Center at SF State and headed by Professor of Journalism Jon Funabiki, commissioned 15 journalists to travel to Vietnam to report on Agent Orange's long-term impact on human health and related social justice issues."

22.    Blood Test Can Predict Complications From Kidney Disease.  Scientific website RedOrbit (12/17) reports that researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco have found that cystatin C, a blood marker of kidney function, "proved significantly more accurate than the standard blood marker, creatinine, in predicting serious complications of kidney disease." Lead author Carmen A. Peralta, MD, MAS, an SFVAMC researcher and an assistant professor of medicine in residence in the division of nephrology at UCSF, also noted that cystatin C also identified a "small but important segment" as being risk of serious complications who were missed by creatinine. The study appears online on December 16, 2010, in the 'JASN Express' section of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

23.    White House Issues Policy On Political Interference With Federal Scientists.  Nextgov (12/17, Sternstein) reports, "White House officials on Friday issued long-delayed guidance for federal agencies on protecting scientific research from political interference. The rules, which President Obama ordered the Office of Science and Technology Policy to produce by summer 2009, are the administration's response to years of allegations that agency appointees have forced researchers to suppress facts on controversial issues, such as global warming and stem-cell research, for political reasons." Under the rules, agency leaders "are supposed to strengthen the credibility of government research by ensuring applicants selected for federal science jobs are chosen based on their scientific and technical knowledge, credentials, experience and integrity" and set clear standards for conflicts of interest and protections for whistleblowers.
     The New York Times (12/18, Chang, 1.01M) adds that, under the guidelines, "government scientists are in general free to speak to journalists and the public about their work, and agencies are prohibited from editing or suppressing reports by independent advisory committees." Holdren said the guidelines "set 'minimum standards' that federal agencies will be expected to meet." McClatchy (12/18, Schoof) and The Hill (12/17, Restuccia) also have reports.

24.    Women Vets' Secret War: Sexual Trauma. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (12/18, Ode, 319K) reports, "According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 66,342 female veterans reported being raped, sexually assaulted, or experiencing another form of military sexual trauma (MST) from 2002 through 2008. Almost 3,000 military sexual assaults were reported by men and women in 2008, with 163 sexual assaults reported in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another way to look at the numbers: More than 100 American women have died in Iraq; more have been sexually assaulted. As Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, observed, 'A woman who signs up to protect her country is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire.'" Similarly, for all veterans, the odds of developing post-traumatic stress disorder from sexual assault are higher than from exposure to combat, according to a report presented at a 2008 Department of Defense conference for sexual-assault response coordinators.
     Lawsuit Reveals Military's Sex Assault Problem. The Connecticut Law Tribune (12/20, Nolan) reports that two Yale Law School students and a team of public interest groups "hope to raise awareness to the issue of military sexual trauma, or MST. They claim that, in trying to research the problem, they have been thwarted by the federal government. So they have filed a federal lawsuit that would force the release of thousand of documents." They cite a recent Department of Defense report stating that military sexual assaults rose 73 percent between 2004 to 2006, and increased by another 11 percent from 2008 to 2009. The students, working with the Service Women's Action Network and the American Civil Liberties Union, have "filed freedom of information requests with the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs."

25.    Lawsuit Seeks Military Records On Sexual Trauma.  In continuing coverage, the "public interest" blog Public Record (12/18, Fisher) reports that three prominent civil liberties advocates "are suing the government to obtain records documenting tens of thousands of incidents of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. The Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of Connecticut are charging that military sexual trauma (MST) results from these kinds of acts, which they say occur nearly twice as often within military ranks as they do within civilian society. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in New Haven, Connecticut against the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs because the government failed to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests." The executive director of SWAN, a former Marine captain, says that the DOD and VA "should put the interests of service members first and expose information on the extent of sexual trauma in the military to the sanitizing light of day."
     Columnist: "Astounding" That DOD, VA Are Not Providing More Sexual Assault Data. In her column for Bloomberg News (12/17), Ann Woolner notes that the Service Women's Action Network, along with the "American Civil Liberties Union and its Connecticut," have "gone to court with its claim that the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are stonewalling its request for more data" on sexual assault in the US military. Woolner concludes, "The idea that members and veterans" of the US military "would have to go to court to get this information is astounding."