May 8, 2015
Happy V-E Day!
In This Issue:
1. Take Action
2. VFW Urges House to Approve Defense Bill
3. VFW Files Suit Against VA
4. Happy V-E Day!
5. Nomination Hearing Held
6. Obama Nominates New JCS Leaders
1. Take Action: Over the next few weeks and months, Congress will be debating changes to the military retirement system. One of the largest proposals that will be debated is to modernize the retirement system so all members of the military will walk away from their service with a government-matching retirement savings plan, similar to a 401(k). We need you to contact your members of Congress to let them know the VFW supports providing a retirement savings for all military service members. To Take Action, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=65681626.
2. VFW Urges House to Approve Defense Bill: The VFW is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to approve the National Defense Authorization Act when it comes up for a vote next week. The $495.9 billion base budget provides additional funding for fighter aircraft, helicopters, ship building and missile defense. It also includes VFW-supported provisions to improve financial literacy training and create a new blended military retirement system, beginning Oct. 1, 2017, that VFW National Commander John W. Stroud says has the potential of becoming the military’s greatest recruiting and retention tool ever. “Aside from hostilities, one of the greatest threats to an All-Volunteer Force is a strong economy that offers other employment options,” said Stroud, who also wants the Senate Armed Services Committee to retain the new retirement feature when it begins discussing the fiscal year 2016 defense bill next week. “In order to meet future enlistment and retention goals, the military must be able to compete with a civilian sector that by and large offers some type of contributory retirement program for its employees,” he said. Read more here.
3. VFW Files Suit Against VA: The VFW and Disabled American Veterans filed a joint lawsuit Wednesday to force the Department of Veterans Affairs to change a new claims submission procedure that eliminated the informal claims process and instituted a rigid, veteran-unfriendly system for filing claims for benefits, among several other disagreements. Previously, any form of written communication would have served notice to the VA that within one year, that veteran would be filing a formal claim for disability compensation. If approved, the claim’s effective date could be backdated to the day of the initial notification. Now the VA requires all veterans to use a standardized form, which essentially postpones the effective date and denies compensation to veterans. “The VFW doesn’t oppose the use of standardized forms,” said VFW National Veterans Service Director Bill Bradshaw. “Our opposition is to this all or nothing approach that VA is forcing on veterans — changes, that if left in place, will guarantee in this year alone that tens of thousands of service-connected wounded, ill and injured veterans will be denied benefits they were entitled to before the change became effective.” The VFW, DAV, and other veterans’ service organizations fought against the change after VA first proposed it in October 2013. “The VA’s move to a standardized form should not come at the cost of an informal claims notification procedure that works,” said Bradshaw. “The VA can and should accept both.” Read the lawsuit here.
4. Happy V-E Day! Thousands of veterans, family members and spectators packed the National World War II Memorial this morning to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Along with speeches and wreathes being laid by Allied embassies, the ceremony also included a massive, multi-ship aircraft flyover by vintage Army Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps trainers, transports, fighters and bombers from both theaters of war. Approximately 1 million of the 16 million men and women who served in uniform during WWII remain. Read more here.
5. Nomination Hearing Held: On Wednesday, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a nomination hearing for David J. Shulkin and LaVerne H. Council. Mr. Shulkin has been nominated to be the next Under Secretary for Health and Ms. Council has been nominated to be the next Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology. Both would bring private sector experience to their new roles. The Committee must now vote to advance these nominations for a final confirmation vote by the full Senate. To read the nominees’ written testimony and to watch the hearing click here: http://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings/pending-nominations05052015.
6. Obama Nominates New JCS Leaders: The VFW Washington Office was at the White House Rose Garden Tuesday to witness the president nominate Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva to serve as vice chairman. Dunford, who has served as commandant of the Marine Corps since Oct. 17, 2014, is a Boston native, the son of a retired Boston police officer and Marine veteran of Korea. The general is also a member of Boston’s VFW Post 1018. Selva is currently the commander of U.S. Transportation Command, headquartered at Scott AFB, Ill. Both nominees are expected to be confirmed by the Senate. Read more here.
Happy V-E Day!
In This Issue:
1. Take Action
2. VFW Urges House to Approve Defense Bill
3. VFW Files Suit Against VA
4. Happy V-E Day!
5. Nomination Hearing Held
6. Obama Nominates New JCS Leaders
1. Take Action: Over the next few weeks and months, Congress will be debating changes to the military retirement system. One of the largest proposals that will be debated is to modernize the retirement system so all members of the military will walk away from their service with a government-matching retirement savings plan, similar to a 401(k). We need you to contact your members of Congress to let them know the VFW supports providing a retirement savings for all military service members. To Take Action, click here: http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=65681626.
2. VFW Urges House to Approve Defense Bill: The VFW is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to approve the National Defense Authorization Act when it comes up for a vote next week. The $495.9 billion base budget provides additional funding for fighter aircraft, helicopters, ship building and missile defense. It also includes VFW-supported provisions to improve financial literacy training and create a new blended military retirement system, beginning Oct. 1, 2017, that VFW National Commander John W. Stroud says has the potential of becoming the military’s greatest recruiting and retention tool ever. “Aside from hostilities, one of the greatest threats to an All-Volunteer Force is a strong economy that offers other employment options,” said Stroud, who also wants the Senate Armed Services Committee to retain the new retirement feature when it begins discussing the fiscal year 2016 defense bill next week. “In order to meet future enlistment and retention goals, the military must be able to compete with a civilian sector that by and large offers some type of contributory retirement program for its employees,” he said. Read more here.
3. VFW Files Suit Against VA: The VFW and Disabled American Veterans filed a joint lawsuit Wednesday to force the Department of Veterans Affairs to change a new claims submission procedure that eliminated the informal claims process and instituted a rigid, veteran-unfriendly system for filing claims for benefits, among several other disagreements. Previously, any form of written communication would have served notice to the VA that within one year, that veteran would be filing a formal claim for disability compensation. If approved, the claim’s effective date could be backdated to the day of the initial notification. Now the VA requires all veterans to use a standardized form, which essentially postpones the effective date and denies compensation to veterans. “The VFW doesn’t oppose the use of standardized forms,” said VFW National Veterans Service Director Bill Bradshaw. “Our opposition is to this all or nothing approach that VA is forcing on veterans — changes, that if left in place, will guarantee in this year alone that tens of thousands of service-connected wounded, ill and injured veterans will be denied benefits they were entitled to before the change became effective.” The VFW, DAV, and other veterans’ service organizations fought against the change after VA first proposed it in October 2013. “The VA’s move to a standardized form should not come at the cost of an informal claims notification procedure that works,” said Bradshaw. “The VA can and should accept both.” Read the lawsuit here.
4. Happy V-E Day! Thousands of veterans, family members and spectators packed the National World War II Memorial this morning to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Along with speeches and wreathes being laid by Allied embassies, the ceremony also included a massive, multi-ship aircraft flyover by vintage Army Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps trainers, transports, fighters and bombers from both theaters of war. Approximately 1 million of the 16 million men and women who served in uniform during WWII remain. Read more here.
5. Nomination Hearing Held: On Wednesday, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a nomination hearing for David J. Shulkin and LaVerne H. Council. Mr. Shulkin has been nominated to be the next Under Secretary for Health and Ms. Council has been nominated to be the next Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology. Both would bring private sector experience to their new roles. The Committee must now vote to advance these nominations for a final confirmation vote by the full Senate. To read the nominees’ written testimony and to watch the hearing click here: http://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings/pending-nominations05052015.
6. Obama Nominates New JCS Leaders: The VFW Washington Office was at the White House Rose Garden Tuesday to witness the president nominate Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva to serve as vice chairman. Dunford, who has served as commandant of the Marine Corps since Oct. 17, 2014, is a Boston native, the son of a retired Boston police officer and Marine veteran of Korea. The general is also a member of Boston’s VFW Post 1018. Selva is currently the commander of U.S. Transportation Command, headquartered at Scott AFB, Ill. Both nominees are expected to be confirmed by the Senate. Read more here.