Obama mulls making vets foot bill for service injuries

This is just wrong!!!

By David Goldstein
McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON—The Obama administration is considering making veterans use private insurance to pay for treatment of combat and service-related injuries. The plan would be an about-face on what veterans believe is a long-standing pledge to pay for health care costs that result from their military service.
But in a White House meeting Monday, veterans groups apparently failed to persuade President Obama to take the plan off the table.
“Veterans of all generations agree that this proposal is bad for the country and bad for veterans,” said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “If the president and the OMB [Office of Management and Budget] want to cut costs, they can start at AIG, not the VA.”
Under current policy, veterans are responsible for health care costs that are unrelated to their military service. Exceptions in some cases can be made for veterans who do not have private insurance or are 100 percent disabled.
The president spoke Monday at the Department of Veterans Affairs to commemorate its 20th anniversary and said he hopes to increase funding by $25 billion over the next five years. But he said nothing about the plan to bill private insurers for service-related medical care.
Few details about the plan have been available, and a VA spokesman did not provide additional information. But the reaction on Capitol Hill to the idea has been swift and harsh.
“Dead on arrival” is how Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington described the idea.
“ . . . when our troops are injured while serving our country, we should take care of those injuries completely,” Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told a hearing last week.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said at the same hearing that the plan was “a consideration.” He also acknowledged that the VA’s proposed budget for next year included it as a way to increase revenue. But he told the committee that “a final decision hasn’t been made yet.”
For veterans, that was little comfort. (Read More)

Looking for Military Families to Help

I just received this & thought that it was good information....PLEASE SHARE!

Subject: Looking for Military Families to Help

Department Adjutants, please read over the below information and distribute throughout your state. Should you have any questions or need any assistance please don't hesitate to contact me.
Andrew Tramontana
The American Legion
National VA&R Commission
Assistant Director of DoD Outreach
Heroes to Hometowns Program Coordinator
Office: (202) 861-2700, ext. 1408
Mobile: (202) 631-9924

Hello,

As you may be aware, Rebuilding Together and Sears Holdings have for combined forces to assist veterans and military families in need with free home repairs and modifications through the Heroes at Home program. I am hoping you can let these heroes in need know that help is available and direct them to their local Rebuilding Together affiliate.

We are actively seeking more veterans to assist. The program is open to low-income and disabled veterans of various military backgrounds, military widows and active duty military families. We are writing today because we need your help in spreading the word about our services.

Please ask veterans in need to contact their nearest Rebuilding Together affiliate as soon as possible. Affiliates can be easily found at http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/content/organization/map

Since the inception of Heroes at Home in 2007, we have completed nearly 300 projects across the country with a combined market value of over 3.8 million dollars. In 2009, we plan to complete hundreds more projects and we need your help to find more veterans who need assistance.

If you would like to learn more about our program, or if you have a veteran to recommend for our services, please contact any one of Rebuilding Together's Veterans Housing team,
Vanessa Georgeson mail to: vgeorgeson@rebuildingtogether.org ,
Hyewon Kim hkim@rebuildingtogether.org ,
or T.J. Cantwell tcantwell@rebuildingtogether.org ,
who will be happy to assist you.

Also, feel free to visit our website at www.rebuildingtogether.org/heroesathome

With the assistance of people like you, we will continue to help our veterans and service members remain comfortable and safe in their homes and give back to those who have given us so much

HAPPY BIRTHDAY US AIR FORCE!!

Today is the Air Force's 60th Birthday & Diane & I are off to a celebration in San Jose. Will post photo's later.

Here are some of the photo's I took today....this event was held at the San Jose City Hall & there was a reception before the city council meeting. The City issued a Proclamation declaring today, September 18, 2007 as United Air Force Day. There were several WWII Air Force Vets in attendance as well as other Air Force Vets....one of which was an Operation: MOM member, Tom Ballard who came with us. We also heard the story of John Buecheler, My Glide for Life, which he told to Stories-of-Service.org in the Spring of 2006. Mr. Buecheler died in December 2006 but will never be forgotten because of this wonderful organization. I strongly suggest that you check out this website to listen to these stories & also to see how you can help preserve this valuable history. Do you have a veteran in your family that you would like to be remembered forever?


Me & the Lt. Colonel's






This is the San Jose City Hall.