Veterans:
One of the first things you should do, upon returning home, is make 5-10 copies of your DD 214. One copy should be registered with your County Seat. In Nassau, it’s Mineola, at the Veterans Office on the fourth floor. Then fill out a form for your General and School tax exemptions. You will need the other copies to join military organizations to register for the GI Bill, for health care, loans and, lastly, to be buried.
Supreme Court Decision in Military Divorce Settlements:
The U.S. Supreme Court presented a unanimous ruling on the case of Howell v. Howell, to reverse an Arizona Supreme Court decision which awarded half of an Air Force veteran’s retirement pay to his former spouse, despite the veteran having to waive a portion of his retirement pay in order to receive VA disability benefits. The ruling declared that state courts may not order a veteran to pay a divorced spouse for the loss in the divorced spouse’s portion of the veteran’s retirement pay caused by the veteran’s waiver of retirement pay to receive service-related disability benefits. “We’re pleased with the Supreme Court’s ruling in this case,” said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy. “This will, hopefully, provide some much needed consistency across the country and ensure some certainty for veterans.” The VFW will continue to monitor the implementation of this decision among the individual states.
Senate Introduces VFW-Supported VA Health Care Bill:
Senators Tammy Duckworth, Susan Collins and Richard Blumenthal introduced bipartisan legislation to expand cost-free preventive health care and medicine to veterans using VA. The VFW learned last year that while preventive health care and medicines are provided cost-free by law to all other insured Americans—whether it be with the Department of Defense or private sector insurance—VA is required by law to charge for these services and prescriptions. “There is no excusable reason why every other American can receive breast cancer prevention medicine cost-free, but veterans must pay. It is unsatisfactory that every other American prone to falls and breaking bones can receive cost-free vitamin D supplements, but our warriors with TBI must pay,” said VFW Adjutant General Robert E. Wallace. The VFW urges its members and supporters to contact their members of Congress and tell them to support S. 1161 and H.R. 1100, the Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act.
GI BILL Education Roundtable:
The VFW participated in a GI Bill roundtable discussion with our strategic partners, Student Veterans of America and the American Legion, along with congressional staff, representatives from VA and other VSOs and MSOs. The intent of the meeting was to form a consensus regarding the future improvements needed for the GI Bill. Issues discussed were the reinstatement of educational benefits for National Guardsmen and Reservists activated without benefits, restoring eligibility for student veterans affected by school closures, full GI Bill benefits for Purple Heart recipients and full Yellow Ribbon Program eligibility for Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship recipients. The VFW fully supports these initiatives in order to improve educational benefits for our service members, veterans and their families. The next step is for Congress to approve these measures in a timely manner. This meeting was an excellent example of how the veteran community works together to accomplish common goals and speak with one voice.
VAOIG Evaluates VA Suicide Prevention Programs:
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VAOIG) released a report on their investigation into the VA suicide prevention programs. The report provides the Veterans Health Administration with six recommendations for improvement. One of the most alarming suggestions is for clinicians to complete suicide risk management training within 90 days of hire. This suggestion is crucial after VAOIG found that 46 percent of new clinicians at the facilities evaluated are not completing this training within 90 days of hire. These clinicians noted they were not allotted the required amount of time to complete the training.
Call Past District Commander Bob Fullam at 516-694-5539 or email vfwbob516@aol.com with questions or for information.
