. Suicide Prevention Bill Blocked from Passage: The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act failed to pass the Senate after Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) put a hold on the bill, citing cost considerations. The SAV Act was considered non-controversial in the House, and passed that chamber by voice vote the previous week. This critical legislation would have begun to address the crisis of veterans’ suicide by allowing VA to hire more psychiatrists, collaborate with local non-profit mental health organizations, and expand successful peer support networks. The SAV Act was named after Clay Hunt, an OIF/OEF Marine from Texas who became active in the veterans’ community after leaving the military. After years of battling PTSD, Clay tragically took his own life in 2011. The VFW strongly supported the SAV Act, assisting with its creation, testifying in support, and speaking at press conferences when it was first introduced and shortly before it hit the Senate floor. Because the Senate adjourned before the procedural hurdles could be overcome, the bill never came to a final vote. The VFW is deeply disappointed by this, but plans to immediately begin pushing for its reintroduction and passage in the 114th Congress. We would like to thank all of our advocates who helped raise awareness about the SAV Act, and will be calling for your support again in the new year. To read VFW testimony on the SAV Act (H.R. 5059), click here: veterans.house.gov/hearing/legislative-hearing. 2. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Pilot Program Expansion: The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (VACAA) extended VA’s authority to carry out the TBI Assisted Living Pilot Program. This week, Congress passed H.R. 4276, the Veterans Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2014, to further expand the program. If signed into law, the bill will provide additional oversight of the program by requiring quarterly reports to Congress on the program’s status. It would also allow community-based brain injury residential rehabilitative care centers to participate in the program. The VFW strongly supported VACAA and the expansion of VA’s TBI Assisted Living Pilot Program. Since June 1, 2014, this program has helped 187 veterans in 22 states reach functional gains and improve their quality of life. Read more: va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2648. 3. Army Launches OTH Discharge Upgrade Site: The Defense Department announced in September a decision that will enable potentially thousands of Vietnam veterans and others to request upgrades to their other-than-honorable military discharges due to an extenuating factor not known or recognized at the time of their separation - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In response to the DOD directive, the Army has launched a new webpage to assist former soldiers who seek to upgrade their discharges at arba.army.pentagon.mil/adrb-ptsd.cfm. The Departments of the Navy and Air Force have yet to release a similar help site. 4. Defense Bill Adds New Child Custody Protections: Included in this years annual defense authorization bill is a new rule that prevents state judges from using military deployments against troops in child custody cases. According to Military Times, versions of the measure have passed in the House 12 times since 2007, but Senate and Pentagon objections have repeatedly sidelined the changes, primarily because military leaders wanted the states to voluntarily adopt their own regulations dealing with military custody issues. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and former Kentucky National Guard Capt. Eva Slusher said those efforts do not account for the transient nature of military life. After waging a successful two-year fight all the way to the Kentucky Supreme Court, Slusher had pushed for a national law to prevent others from facing the same heartbreak. This is about having peace of mind, she said. When youre deployed, there are so many things to deal with. Worrying about your kids shouldnt be one of them. This action now fulfills VFW Resolution 414, passed by delegates attending the VFW’s 113th National Convention, which urged Congress to prevent permanent changes to child custody arrangements while service members are deployed. Read the Military Times article at: militarytimes/story/military/capitol-hill/2014/12/15/ndaa-military-custody-fights/20303991/. 5. Prescription Tracking: VA recently implemented a new tool that allows veterans to track the delivery of their VA prescriptions through My HealtheVet. This tool grants veterans the opportunity to track their medication refills online, 24/7, without having to rely on calls to their VA medical facility for status updates. VA reports that more than 4,000 veterans currently use the prescription tracker every day. Read more: https://myhealth.va.gov/mhv-portal-web/resources/jsp/help.jsp?helpDirectRequest=VA_Prescription_Tracker_Learn_More.html. 6. VA Nominees Confirmed: Before the United States Senate ended its business for the year, it confirmed two nominees for executive positions at VA – Leigh A. Bradley as General Counsel and Helen Tierney as Chief Financial Officer. Bradley served as VA’s General Counsel from 1998 to 2001. Since then, she has served in numerous public service appointments including her current post as Director, DoD Standard of Conduct Office. Bradley served on active duty as an Air Force judge advocate from 1982 to 1986. Read more: whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/01/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts. Helen Tierney currently serves as VA’s Acting Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for managing VA’s over $160 billion budget. Tierney joined VA in March, 2011, as Executive Director for Operations in the Office of Management. Prior to joining VA, Tierney served in several public service positions at the Department of Homeland Security and the United States Army. She is the daughter of a WWII veteran and the wife of an Army veteran. Read more: whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/10/04/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts. 7. Keep Spirit of ’45 Alive: The VFW attended a kickoff ceremony at the National Press Club this week to support “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive” through the coming 70th anniversary of the end of World War II next August. With fewer than 10 percent of the 16 million men and women who served during WWII still with us, now is the time to recognize their service and sacrifice not only then, but the accomplishments they made to America after they returned home. Numerous events are being planned in cities and towns, battlefields and cemeteries, both nationally and around the globe. Learn more at: spiritof45.org/home0.aspx.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:38:32 +0000
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