This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. AMVETS and American Veteran Online have received dozens of notes from veterans affected by the G.I. Bill delays around the country. AMVETS leaders will continue to discuss ways to remedy the situation with VA officials this week.

Last week, AMVETS National Service Director Denny Boller sent an "All Hands" message to AMVETS National Service Officers stationed around the country looking for veterans facing financial hardship as a result of the new G.I. Bill delays, sparking AMVETS to take action.

VA recently sent a letter to institutions of higher learning urging campus administrators to work with their student-veterans while payments continue to be processed. However, this letter does not serve as viable stop-gap measure for veterans with other expenses such as rent, groceries, mortages, and utilities.

AMVETS National Programs Department is investigating ways to ensure that veterans can make ends meet in the interim. Check back regularly with American Veteran Online for updates.

Also this week, American Veteran will be following several key hearings and round table discussions in the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Tomorrow, the committee will discuss the pharmaceutical needs of veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. On Wednesday, they will discuss the VA's bonus award process, which recently came under fire in an OIG report.

Thursday will be the busiest day for the committee and AMVETS when more than a dozen pieces of veterans' legislation will be up for discussion in committee.

To view a listing of the hearings on the committee's Web site, Click Here. Be sure to check back with American Veteran Online before each hearing for more updates.

Finally, the fall issue of American Veteran magazine will go to the printer this week. We appreciate all who submitted content for the upcoming issue's "Keeping Posted" section.

VA warns of prescription telemarketing scam

Yesterday, VA issued a formal warning about a telemarketing scam targeting veterans who receive prescriptions through the VA. The recent scam was brought to VA's attention by the veterans' service community.

To read VA's release, Click Here.

The scam asks veterans for credit card information over the phone, purporting that VA's prescription policies have changed and that VA is updating information.

VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. Gerald Cross said that the policies have not changed and that VA does not solicit personal information over the phone. Cross also called the plot an "inexcusable scam" that dishonors the service of America's veterans and the mission of the VA.

If you have received these calls or if you have questions about VA's prescription policies, VA advises you to call the local VA Medical Center or the national hot line at 1-877-222-8387.

Federal "Troops to Teachers" program receives donation from XAMOnline

Last week XAMOnline, a leading national publisher of teacher certification study guides, announced that they will partner with the Troops to Teachers program, a joint program through the departments of Defense and Education that assists prior-service military men and women who wish to pursue careers in education.

Through the partnership with Troops to Teachers, XAMOnline will offer PRAXIS-based diagnostic testing specifically for the Troops to Teachers program. Troops enrolled in the program will also receive a full-length study guide from XAMOnline along with offers for additional discounts, should they choose to purchase supplemental materials.

Troops to Teachers offices in 36 states across the country will also receive complementary supplemental materials to assist veterans at each location.

Troops to Teachers, which was launched in 1994, has already helped place more than 11,000 veterans in the teaching industry. However, since the start of the Global War on Terrorism, more than 42,000 troops have enrolled in the program, seeking to teach once they complete their military obligation.

In a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been hit particularly hard by the current economic crisis with unemployment rates approaching 12 percent. Recognizing the value of veterans in the civilian work force, XAMOnline is the latest company lending its resources to assist veterans in education and job placement.

To learn more about XAMOnline, Click Here.

To learn more about Troops to Teachers, Click Here.

Post-9/11 G.I. Bill Update: Military Coalition calls for G.I. Bill equity

On Monday, the Military Coalition, a consortium of the nation's top military and veterans' service organizations, sent a letter to Congress calling for expanded transferability benefits under the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which took effect Aug. 1.

The letter, which was sent to the chairmen and ranking members of both the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs, outlines the coalition's concern that transferability does not apply to uniformed officers in the U.S. Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

These officers who fall under the department of Health and Human Services and Commerce, respectively, have access to Chapter 33 benefits, but they cannot transfer these benefits to dependents in the same manner that Department of Defense uniformed service members can.

The coalition points out that transferability was added as a retention incentive for DoD, encouraging service members to stay in the military by offering tremendous educational opportunities to dependents. The coalition believes that HHS and Commerce could use transferability as another incentive to ensure retention among USPHS and NOAA Corps, which are experiencing critical manpower shortages.

On Sept. 9, the coalition also sent a letter to Congress, asking for key changes in the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill to ensure equity in the new benefit. To view the Sept. 9 letter, Click Here.

The coalition recognized that certain individuals and certain types of education were excluded from coverage under Chapter 33. The coalition also recognized a need to address private and graduate school shortfalls, such as the California debacle, which we have discussed on this blog.

The coalition recommended that Congress consider authorizing National Guard members activated under Title 32 orders to take advantage of the benefit, similar to active duty Title 10 counterparts. The coalition also asked for living stipends for full-time distance learners, setting a national reimbursement standard for private schools and graduate programs, and adopt rules similar to the Montgomery G.I. Bill in regard to vocational and other non-degree training programs.

The Military Coalition is comprised of more than 30 of the nation's top military and veterans' service organizations, including AMVETS, representing more than 5.5. million current and former service members, their families, and survivors.

(Image: First page of the Military Coalition letter to Congress on G.I. Bill transferability. A full version of the letter should be available on the coalition's Web site shortly.)

This Week at American Veteran

After technical difficulties yesterday, American Veteran Online once again has the ability to post. We apologize for the inconvenience.

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and the reported delays in benefits payments. Over the last couple of weeks, AMVETS has received numerous complaints from veterans and their loved ones over missed payments and the resulting financial hardships. AMVETS leaders continue to pressure VA for answers on Chapter 33 and when benefits will be delivered. In the meantime, we are still eager to hear about the issues student-veterans face across the country.

American Veteran will also be following the AMVETS Riders, who will take part in the 61-day national ride, raising money to support "Camp Hope," a retreat in North Carolina for wounded and disabled veterans to enjoy outdoor sports. The retreat was founded in honor of Marine Pfc. Christopher White, who was killed in Iraq in 2006. The ride kicked off yesterday and AMVETS Riders from around the country are slated to participate in all 53 legs of the ride over the next two months. Check in regularly for updates on the ride.

The print edition of American Veteran magazine also closes this week, which means this is the last chance to submit content for Keeping Posted. We are always eager to hear what is happening in the field, and if we cannot fit it in the print edition, we are always open to posting stories on this blog.

If there is anything else you would like to share with us on American Veteran Online, we're always eager to hear from you.

I Will Never Forget: My personal 9/11 story

I was an undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island on Sept. 11, 2001. I was dating a girl, Kerry, at the time and she happened to stay over my dorm room in Fayerweather the night before. My roommate, Danny, had to be up early for an 8 a.m. class.

Shortly before nine, our phones started to ring. We thought nothing of it, let them go to voicemail, and rolled back over. But they both kept going off. Kerry and I were getting annoyed. After all, we had been up late the night before and neither of us had class until the afternoon.

Finally, I answered. It was Danny. He told us to turn on the TV. His mother in Hoboken, N.J. had just called frantic, saying that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.

I was worried, but I quickly thought back to the 1994 attacks and how benign they seemed at the time. Regardless, I turned on the TV and saw the smoke billowing from the north tower. I was stirred, but not shocked--I still had no concept of what was actually happening. The shock came when the second plane slammed into the south tower as we watched live. Speculation over whether or not this was an accident could immediately be thrown out the window.

I turned to Kerry and said, "well, the shit hit the fan."

I had joined the Army Reserve just after graduating from high school in 1999, and we often used that phrase to describe the most unlikely of doomsday scenarios under which we could all be instantly called to go to war. I was now watching this unlikely scenario unfold right in front of me.

As the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 rolled on, the gravity of the situation became apparent. News came in that a third plane had struck the Pentagon and another was hijacked somewhere over western Pennsylvania. This was the real deal. How many planes were hijacked? America was clearly under attack, but on what scale? Were we even safe in Middle-of-Nowhere, R.I.?

Kerry and I were glued to the TV as innocent people jumped from the towers to avoid the horrors of burning alive. We heard reports from the ground that police and firefighters were running into the building and other first responders were thinking of ways to possibly evacuate those stranded above the points of impact.

This was all for naught. As reporters struggled for words to describe the situation that was unfolding, the south tower gave way, plummeting to the street below.

Smoke and dust quickly swallowed up downtown Manhattan and nobody could say for sure what just happened. Then came confirmation that the south tower had collapsed. What now? How many people were inside? How many people got out alive? Could the north tower possibly be saved?

The grim answer to that last question came a mere 29 minutes later when the top floors succumbed to the burning jet fuel, leading to another chain reaction as the north tower's internal support structure buckled, collapsing to the ground with thousands more innocent civilians and first responders trapped inside.

Danny finally returned from class and the three of us did our best to sort through what we had just seen. Danny, Kerry, and our other friends from the New York metro area scrambled to try and contact loved ones potentially caught in the mess. Cell phone lines were clogged and many of my friends were left wondering what exactly had happened to their families. Later in the day, we learned that Danny's mother had watched the towers fall from her office window across the Hudson River.

In an effort to calm down, Kerry and I retired to her sorority house and talked for the rest of the morning about what we had witnessed. Class was an afterthought. She finally managed to get a hold of her mother in northern New Jersey and her father on Long Island. Though they were never really in danger, it was comforting to know they were safe. That night, as expected, I received the dreaded call from my Reserve unit. They had put together a security roster and were calling us in for overnight rotations.

Upon hearing the news, I called my friend Rish, a member of the Rhode Island National Guard at the time. He had received a similar call. We talked outside of my dorm for about an hour amid the eerie calm of empty skies. I would get off easy at the time. I only had to pull about a week of overnight guard shifts at my Reserve center before they formally activated some of my fellow soldiers for 90 days of duty. Rish was not so lucky. He was put on orders from the National Guard to pull similar shifts at his unit, eventually forcing him to withdraw for the semester.

After 9/11, the fall semester was by far my worst at URI. With the war ramping up in Afghanistan, my friends working around the clock, and Reserve training kicking up about 10 notches, it was hard to focus on anything else. Eventually, I turned it around in the spring, but now Iraq was closing in our radar.

Fall 2002 I made the dean's list, but in late December my Reserve unit was put on alert. We were going to Iraq. I quickly withdrew from URI, made arrangements to move out of my house, and basically packed up my life for a year to go serve my country.

The moment the two planes hit the towers has now come to define the subsequent eight years of my life and great deal of my personal character--a week of balancing overnight armed guard duty at my Reserve unit while juggling fall classes, my year-long deployment to Iraq, my subsequent motivation to graduate upon returning home, my work at the Naval War College, my move to Washington, D.C., and my work today for AMVETS and American Veteran magazine.

As the war in Afghanistan continues to heat up, I implore all Americans to remember the mission at hand: Holding those responsible for the 9/11 attacks accountable for their actions. Osama Bin Laden remains at large, Al-Qaeda continues to carry out attacks on our allies around the world, and the Taliban continues to inflict harm on Americans looking to bring stability to Afghanistan.

Today, I hope we each pause to not only remember the victims at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pa., but also the 2.5 million brave men and women who answered the call to serve our nation in the wake of 9/11--especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

To me, Afghanistan is a war worth winning--something that we must never forget, even in the wake of discouraging polls about the "value" of our involvement.

I will never forget and I will continue to support all the brave men and women serving in harm's way. This is my personal story of 9/11 and how it has affected me. We're eager to hear your personal stories on this blog.

-Ryan

(Photo: The World Trade Center towers burning on Sept. 11, 2001 with the Statue of Liberty in the foreground. National Parks Service photo, released.)

AMVETS' letter to Congress on health care reform

Last night, President Obama addressed Congress on his proposals for health care reform. In the wake of the speech, AMVETS leaders remain skeptical of the current bill, H.R. 3200, and its potential impact on the veterans' community.

To read AMVETS' press release about last night's speech, Click Here.

This morning, AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley sent a letter to House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-Calif.) asking Congress to amend the bill to reflect the best interests of the veterans' community, ensuring that all veterans who rely on the VA will be considered to have adequate health coverage and that veterans and their dependents still have access to the exchange option to sufficiently satisfy their health care needs without penalty.

A copy of the letter is included here:

Live from Capitol Hill: House VA Committee to host hearing on VA/SPAWAR partnership of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill

This afternoon, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs will host a hearing to discuss the partnership between VA and Navy SPAWAR tasked with developing an electronic filing system for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. AMVETS will be on hand in Cannon 334 at 1:30 p.m. for the hearing.

To view the live video feed of today's hearing, Click Here.

In recent weeks, AMVETS has been tracking the implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, tracking payments and the backlog of claims. Though today's hearing is supposed to simply address the next phase of implementation, AMVETS wants to see Congress address the outstanding issues facing veterans already enrolled for the new Chapter 33 benefits.

Since the VA started accepting enrollment verifications on July 6, it has come to AMVETS' attention that most veterans will not receive timely payment of their living stipends and that VBA has also missed its deadlines for reimbursing schools for tuition.

While many schools have been understanding of the situation, landlords and utility companies will not be so understanding of the financial hardships.

American Veteran has already received numerous comments from veterans who have been forced to take out student loans in order to make ends meet.

After numerous calls and meetings with VA leaders to discuss the G.I. Bill and the payment processes, AMVETS has only been left with more questions about workload and benefits-delivered. AMVETS leaders will continue to ask these questions, until they receive satisfactory answers and solutions.

Check back with American Veteran Online this afternoon to learn more about today's hearing.

Indiana AMVETS Post No. 99 hosts Honor Flight

This morning, AMVETS leaders were on hand at the National WWII Memorial alongside former Sen. Bob Dole and staff from Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar's office to greet WWII veterans taking part in the third Honor Flight hosted by Indiana AMVETS Post No. 99.

To read about today's Honor Flight, Click Here.

Here are some additional photos from today's visit to the National WWII Memorial and other historic landmarks around the nation's capitol.

(Photo: Edward Willett, a member of the original Tukeegee Airmen, speaks with AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin and a staffer from Sen. Lugar's office. Photo by Jay Agg.)

(Photo: Cmdr. Miskulin shakes hands with an Air Force Staff Sergeant visiting the National WWII Memorial, alongside WWII veteran John D. Shipman and his son John A. Shipman. Photo by Jay Agg.)

(Top photo: Cmdr. Miskulin shakes hands with a WWII veteran arriving at the National WWII Memorial as part of Post 99's Honor Flight. Photo by Jay Agg.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow Post-9/11 G.I. Bill implementation and potential issues for student-veterans around the country. We will also be on hand as Congress reconvenes, with committees set to address critical veterans' issues like advance appropriations for VA health care.

This morning, AMVETS National Executive Director Jim King met with Patrick Dunne, VA's benefits chief and a retired Navy rear admiral, to discuss the new G.I. Bill. AMVETS continues to look for answers on how many veterans have been paid and how VA plans to handle the backlog of claims, while veterans potentially face financial hardships.

This afternoon, King will also meet with House Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman Bob Filner (D-Calif.) and leaders from the nation's other top veterans' organizations to discuss advance appropriations.

American Veteran is also on hand on the National Mall in Washington this morning, where Indiana AMVETS Post No. 99 is hosting an Honor Flight for Indiana WWII veterans. Post 99 raised $200,000 to finance the third annual Honor Flight, which brings local WWII veterans to the nation's capitol to see the National WWII Memorial and other historic sites around the city.

The deadline for the print edition of American Veteran magazine is quickly approaching, which means we need all Keeping Posted content as soon as possible. If you have any compelling story ideas for the print edition or American Veteran Online, please let us know.

Post-9/11G.I. Bill Update: More payment issues

This morning, AMVETS took part in another discussion with the Veterans Benefits Administration to discuss issues with the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and widespread reports of missing payments and possible disenrollment of veterans.

AMVETS leaders who participated in the conversation said they were confused by the lack of information available from VBA on schools that had received payments and a hard number on outstanding Chapter 33 benefits claims.

Last week, AMVETS raised questions about the VBA's weekly report, which showed more than 236,000 education claims that still required action by the VA. At the time, VA explained that the alarming number did not represent the actual number of veterans that would experience delays in payment.

However, since Sept. 1, AMVETS and other leading veterans' organizations have heard reports from colleges and universities around the country of missing payments for both veterans and schools, with some schools threatening to disenroll veterans or charge late fees for outstanding bills.

The editor of American Veteran magazine, Isaac Pacheco, filed his claim for Chapter 33 benefits on May 1 for graduate classes this fall. However, as of this morning's call, Pacheco's book stipend remains MIA.

AMVETS wants to hear from veterans who are experiencing problems with their Chapter 33 G.I. Bill benefits particularly if:

- You did not receive your first month's living stipend for class time in August.

- Your school has not received your tuition payment for fall classes.

- You did not receive your book stipend for the academic year as of Aug. 3.

- You did not receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from VA and applied for benefits before Aug. 1, 2009.

-Your school is threatening disenrollment or late fees for missed payments.

If you meet any of these criteria above, please comment here on this blog, or contact AMVETS National Headquarters.

AMVETS will continue to look for a solution to these issues in an effort to stave off financial hardship and potential disenrollment, and American Veteran Online will continue to monitor this situation in the coming days.

AMVETS marks 70th anniversary of WWII

Yesterday, world leaders gathered in Poland to mark the first belligerent action of WWII, when the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein fired on the Polish military installation, Westerplatte, in Gdansk Harbor in 1939. To view CNN's report on the gathering, Click Here.

As an organization born out of WWII, AMVETS also took the time to commemorate the somber day when new National Commander Duane J. Miskulin delivered remarks in the USS Arizona room at AMVETS National Headquarters.

"This is a day that demands our reflection," said Miskulin. "The first move of Nazi aggression against Poland would come to define an entire generation of Americans--Americans who succeeded in defeating a brutal, tyrannical enemy; Americans who put the preservation of freedom and the welfare of our nation ahead of personal concerns."

WWII is very personal for Miskulin, who had two uncles, Jerome Miskulin and Lloyd Cater, who served in the conflict. Jerome served as a Marine during the historic battle of Iwo Jima, earning the Purple Heart. Cater served in the Army, but also worked as a cook aboard a ship during the Pacific campaign.

Originally established as American Veterans of WWII, AMVETS has long been a vocal advocate for WWII veterans and preserving the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

AMVETS played an integral role in commissioning the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor. AMVETS also helped to finance its renovation in the 1980s. Original artifacts from the USS Arizona and the original memorial are permanently on display at the AMVETS National Headquarters, where Miskulin delivered his remarks.

In the 64 years that have passed since the unconditional surrender of Japan and the 65 years that have passed since the first meeting of AMVETS, the organization has grown to accept all veterans and current members of the military who have served honorably. However, the organization has remained dedicated to preserving the memory of the "Greatest Generation" through coordinating Honor Flights to the National WWII Memorial, visiting with allies to honor American veterans laid to rest on the former battlefields of Europe, and countless other local projects at AMVETS posts and departments nationwide.

(Photo: AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin looks over the painting of the USS Arizona Memorial and other historical pieces in the USS Arizona room at AMVETS National Headquarters. Photo by Isaac D. Pacheco.)

VA launches suicide-prevention chat room

Today, the VA launched its new chat room to assist veterans who may be thinking of committing suicide. Military.com reported on the new chat room this morning.

Veterans and their loved ones may now seek council 24 hours a day, seven days awake digitally through the live chat room. Veterans can remain anonymous while speaking in the chat room. Should counselors feel that the veteran is at a significant risk, the online counselor will encourage the veteran to call the hotline.

Accoring to Military.com, VA launched a pilot of the online chat room in July and has already produced positive results.

Since VA launched the veterans' National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-823-TALK) in 2007, AMVETS has helped to raise awareness of the free service by posting the hotline information on the AMVETS National Web site, American Veteran Online, and in numerous print materials.

Past National Commanders John C. Hapner and John P. "JP" Brown III both vocally touted the merits of the hotline, something new AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin says he will continue. In his year as national commander, Miskulin says his top priority will be addressing the mental health issues many veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have been facing--something with which the suicide-prevention hotline plays an integral role.

Since its launch in 2007, VA said that the suicide-prevention hotline has received more than 150,000 calls from veterans and concerned loved ones, helping refer at-risk veterans to proper counseling and possibly preventing thousands of suicides.

If you are a veteran thinking about taking your own life, or if you think a loved one is at risk, call 1-800-823-TALK (8255) and press "1" for veterans.

(Image: Screengrab of the veterans' page for the National Suicide-Prevention Lifeline. The link to the new chat room is located at the bottom right.)

Post-9/11 G.I. Bill Update: VBA presents figures on living stipends; AMVETS satisfied with tomorrow's projected delivery

This afternoon, AMVETS leaders took part in a conference call with Keith Wilson, Veterans Benefits Administration Director of Education Service and the primary representative responsible for implementing the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, to discuss AMVETS' concerns with purported delays in Chapter 33 living stipend payments.

Last week, AMVETS was concerned over a significant reported backlog in claims for the new Chapter 33 benefits, which VA documents confirmed could have been as high as 236,000. In response to this grim news, AMVETS devised a plan that could have helped veterans avoid financial hardship as a result, which was presented to VA and VBA officials on Friday.

After today's discussion, AMVETS concerns have been addressed and AMVETS leaders say they are satisfied with tomorrow's projected delivery of the first living stipend payments.

According to Wilson, the reported 236,000 claims outlined in the weekly VBA report represented the total number of claims that needed some kind of action--such as a letter to be mailed or a simple query for additional information on G.I. Bill benefits. Wilson reported that the actual number of claims that must still be processed for Chapter 33 was closer to 67,400, and that 168,600 claims should be paid out Sept. 1.

At first glance, the 67,400 figure is still a daunting shortfall. However, Wilson assured AMVETS that two-thirds to three-quarters of those claims were only filed within the last month, meaning that the last-minute influx made it impossible for VBA to process and deliver these particular claims on time.

AMVETS remains concerned that 20,000 veterans who did file their claims in a timely manner will still not receive their first living stipend payments by Sept. 1. However, Wilson assured AMVETS that the claims were being processed and that all accounts should be current by Oct. 1.

In recent testimony before Congress, VBA voiced concerns over a sudden influx of claims prior to the start of the fall semester, which appears to be the situation VBA faces today. From the beginning, VBA advised veterans and schools to file all claims as early as possible to ensure proper payment, noting that the complicated new benefit took a significant amount of time to process--roughly 30 days. A failure to submit a claim on time cannot be held against the VBA.

However, AMVETS will continue to monitor the situation closely and AMVETS Legislative Director Ray Kelley has asked Wilson for a follow-up call in two weeks to discuss progress on implementation and to ensure that everything has gone according to plan.

Though AMVETS leaders left the call optomistic about tomorrow's delivery, AMVETS will continue to monitor the situation closely, speaking with veterans and leaders within the academic community to ensure benefits are delivered on time as promised.

If you have an issue with Chapter 33 benefits delivery, please let us know about it by commenting on American Veteran Online or through an E-mail to AMVETS national communications department.

(Image: VA's official Post-9/11 G.I. Bill logo.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow the VA's implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Tomorrow, the first living stipend checks are scheduled to be deposited in veterans' accounts. AMVETS has expressed concerns that this will not happen and, on Friday, developed a contingency plan which AMVETS leaders plan to discuss with VA.

The latest data from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) indicates that 234,260 education work items remain pending within the administration. To view the data in VBA's weekly report from Aug. 24, Click Here. Pending education claims can be found in column P.

AMVETS is concerned that many veterans will face financial hardships as a result of payment delays--a situation that must be avoided at all costs. Congress imposed an ambitious timeline on VBA, so rather than blaming the VA, AMVETS would rather propose solutions to the issue.

This week, American Veteran will also continue to follow the "Your Life, Your Choices" debacle, since accusations continue to fly unabated, in spite of the responses from AMVETS and the American Legion acknowledging that the document is not an attempt to steer veterans toward ending their lives.

Tomorrow is Sept. 1, which means that we are coming close to the submission deadline for the fall issue of American Veteran magazine. Please send on your photos and submissions as soon as possible for consideration for Keeping Posted and potential feature content.

Thank you to everyone who read the write-up last week on "Your Life, Your Choices" and the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy. We hope you will continue to comment on our postings, and, as always, we're eager to hear what's happening in the field so that we may highlight it on this blog.

AMVETS member John Abshire to serve on La. Gov.'s Veterans' Commission

Last week, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal appointed Louisiana AMVETS member John Abshire to the state’s Veterans' Affairs Commission.

The Veterans' Affairs Commission serves to advise the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs, State Secretary of Veterans Affairs Lane Carson, and the governor on matters relating to the welfare of veterans. Abshire was selected by AMVETS leaders in Louisiana to represent the organization on the governor’s commission.

Abshire is an Army veteran and a native of Prairieville, La., who served in the Army Reserve in 1992-2000 and active duty Army in 2002-2005. However, an injury sustained during Special Forces training precluded him from serving overseas.

In 2007, Abshire helped charter AMVETS Post No. 2007 in Lafayette, recognizing a need to reach out to today’s veterans. Abshire served as the post’s commander until relocating to Baton Rouge. Today, Post No. 2007 is the largest in the state, bolstering a diverse membership including more than a dozen members of the local National Guard unit.

In addition to his work with AMVETS, Abshire is an academic affairs manager for University of Phoenix, a strong educational partner with AMVETS. Over the last couple of years, Abshire’s unique position has allowed him to speak with members of the Louisiana National Guard during pre- and post-deployment battle assemblies on both the benefits of veterans’ organizations like AMVETS and taking advantage of their G.I. Bill education benefits.

Today, Abshire lives in Baton Rouge, La., where he is working to re-establish Louisiana’s first AMVETS Post, Post No. 2, leaving Lafayette Post No. 2007 in the competent hands of AMVET Alfred Lager.

Gov. Jindal’s Veterans’ Affairs Commission is comprised of nine appointed positions, each subject to state senate confirmation. Each member must be an honorably discharged veteran nominated by a nationally chartered veterans’ organization with a Louisiana affiliate.

Many state governors have similar commissions across the country to advise state leaders on critical local veterans’ issues. AMVETS is eager to highlight each of our representatives nationwide on the national Web site and American Veteran Online.

(Photo: John Abshire's official photo from the University of Phoenix. Photo courtesy of John Abshire.)

Post-9/11 G.I. Bill Update: Thousands of veterans could receive late living stipends

Over the last few weeks, AMVETS has heard grumblings in Washington that the VA may be unable to deliver September's living stipend on time to thousands of veterans seeking Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) benefits.

AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley has asked for specifics on potential issues from the VA several times, only to have his inquiries fall on deaf ears.

However, according to the most recent data, more than 200,000 claims for Chapter 33 remain unprocessed. VA, which hired hundreds of new claims processors to handle the influx, only has a few short days remaining to file the additional claims and issue checks.

Earlier this month, Keith Wilson, VA's primary representative handling Chapter 33, placed the blame on many of the colleges and universities, saying that they failed to file veterans' paperwork in a timely manner, leading to a flood of claims to be processed in August.

College representatives refute this claim, saying that the VA's self-imposed start date of July 7 to accept paperwork was far to late to adequately process all of the new benefits claims.

Regardless of where the disconnect occured, the delay in payment could leave many of the 200,000 veterans without their first month's living stipend.

When the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill was signed into law, the nation made a promise to veterans that they would not incur any outlandish costs pursuing higher education. The living stipend--based on the military's basic allowance for housing for an E-5 with dependents--was designed to cover the costs of rent, food and other expenses so that veterans could focus on their studies.

Now, will veterans need to hastily apply for loans to cover these costs in the interim? What happens when veterans cannot make the rent for the month of September?

American Veteran will continue to follow this story closely. Check back regularly, as we approach Sept. 1 for updates. In the meantime, let us know what you think.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, Army veteran and AMVET, dies at 77

After a year-long battle with brain cancer, the second most senior U.S. Senator, Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), died last night at his home in Cape Cod.

Kennedy, who long served on the Senate Armed Services Committee and left his mark on such noteworthy military and veterans' legislation as defense appropriations for up-armored humvees, anti-IED technology, and the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, was one of the most recognizable political figures in the United States and an astute leader capable of reaching across party lines.

In 1951, Kennedy enlisted in the U.S. Army and served on the honor guard at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Paris. He left the military honorably in 1953 as a private first class. Kennedy's name appears on the official membership rolls of AMVETS.

In 1991, Kennedy played an integral role in passing the bill that paved the way for women to serve as combat aviators. This first rule change ultimately set the stage for women to achieve greater equality in today's armed forces.

Kennedy is most remembered for his work championing social causes stateside, such as disabled Americans' rights, anti-discrimination, and education.

In the summer of 2008, Kennedy worked to pass the Higher Education Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008, providing significant improvements to the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Included in the 2008 act, which was signed into law by President Bush, was a provision AMVETS introduced commissioning federal grants for student-veterans' "centers of excellence" on college campuses nationwide.

AMVETS envisioned these grants as a way for colleges and universities to prepare for the next generation of leaders returning from the front lines to take advantage of their G.I. Bill benefits. AMVETS recently learned that the provision for these centers has been included in the House version of the 2010 budget for the Department of Education.

Kennedy's courageous return to the Senate last summer while battling brain cancer made the passage of the higher ed bill possible.

Kennedy is the only one of four brothers to die of natural causes. His oldest brother, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., died as a bomber pilot during Operation Aphrodite in WWII, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963, and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated during his presidential campaign in Los Angeles in 1968.

Kennedy is survived by his wife Victoria Kennedy, sons Edward Jr. and Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), daughter Kara Kennedy Allen, and two stepchildren, Caroline Raclin and Curran Raclin.

To read Kennedy's New York Times obituary, Click Here.

(Photo: Sen. Edward Kennedy sits in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet at Naval Air Station Miramar in California on a visit with the Senate Armed Services Committee in 1985. U.S. Navy photo, released.)

VA's "Your Life, Your Choices" a non-issue for veterans

Over the weekend, cable news pundits bashed the continued use of VA's end-of-life care planning manual, "Your Life, Your Choices," mislabeling the handbook as "Obama's Death Book for Veterans." AMVETS would like to set the record straight on this handbook, which has been in use with the VA for more than a decade.

"Your Life, Your Choices" is a document designed to help veterans draft a living will to determine how they will be cared for, should they be unable to make decisions for themselves. The document is very similar to documents offered by major health care providers across the U.S., including the sections dealing with end-of-life care. The book was originally issued in 1997. In 2007, the Bush Administration commissioned a panel to review the book. The panel overwhelmingly praised the manual's benefits and decided to continue circulation. The VA has decided to review "Your Life, Your Choices" as a matter of routine, but the handbook remains in publication today and VA officials continue to list it as a viable free resource. To read the latest version of "Your Life, Your Choices," Click Here.

Last week, an op-ed was published in the Wall Street Journal by Jim Towey, founder of the non-profit "Aging With Dignity." Towey's group disagreed with the continued circulation of "Your Life, Your Choices," purporting that President Obama has recommissioned the handbook. This assertion is false. "Your Life, Your Choices" was continually circulated under the Bush Administration. Plus, Towey's motives in publishing his misleading op-ed may not be entirely benevolent. "Aging With Dignity" has its own guidebook to end-of-life care called "Five Wishes," which is available for sale on Towey's Web site. This mess is the latest act of political grandstanding, which has derailed critical work on veterans' issues.

In the op-ed and on Fox News, critics took many passages from "Your Life, Your Choices" out of context, leading viewers to believe that the book advocated assisted suicide and "pulling the plug" on aging veterans. Both of these assertions are, again, false. The book outlines all aspects of end-of-life care, including religious obligations. It advises veterans to discuss end-of-life care with their religious leaders and to suggests ways to have difficult conversations with loved ones.

There is one line in the book that addresses assisted suicide by pointing out that such procedures are illegal and irrelevant to the contents of the book, since living wills are for people who can no longer speak for themselves.

Towey's argument that Obama reissued the book is a flat-out lie and the continued propagation of this message is yellow journalism. This kind of red herring distracts all of us from the important work that needs to be done. Veterans' organizations such as AMVETS are sworn to protect the best interests of our veterans, and arguing over this is a waste of our time.

New veterans are returning from the front lines in the Global War on Terrorism. With these new conflicts come new challenges that VSOs must address, such as PTSD, TBI, women veterans' health, claims-processing issues, employment and re-employment rights, education benefits, transition assistance--the list goes on. In the current Congress, more than 400 individual pieces of legislation have been introduced that could have an effect on the veterans' community and the Obama Administration has proposed significant changes to modernize the VA. This is where our energies must be focused--not on a manufactured issue designed to stir public dissent and sell books.

AMVETS National Service Officer Elliot Miller discusses the VA claims backlog

On Friday, AMVETS National Service Officer Elliot Miller spoke with CNN about the VA claims backlog and his work helping veterans file claims and appeals out of the VA Regional Office in Philadelphia.



Every week, Miller takes at least one day to visit with troops at the wounded warrior transition unit at Fort Dix, N.J. This is where CNN caught up with Miller to discuss VA claims.