VFW Remains Staunch Advocate of Equality: The Veterans of Foreign Wars stands for equity, inclusivity and diversity. No matter race, gender, age religion or sexual orientation, it is our duty as an organization to advocate for our employees, members, fellow veterans, service members and military families who may face systematic injustices. We owe this to every man and woman who dedicated their lives to selflessly defending our great nation, and in fact, every American who should reap the equal benefits of their service. As a nation, we should all be outraged and heartbroken over the tragic and senseless loss of human life. America must live up to its ideals and the fundamental truth that all human beings are created equal. The only way this can be accomplished is for our nation to continue to work to strive for the unity of all people with different backgrounds into a single nation of equal justice and equal opportunity. The VFW is proud to stand in this fight with our sisters and brothers.
Memorial Services Have Resumed at VA National Cemeteries: Last Tuesday, all but two VA National cemeteries resumed memorial services. Burials and visitation continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the memorial services with military honors had been paused for over two months. These services have resumed with a set of measures in place to ensure the safety of all who attend, including limiting the number of individuals at the ceremonies, requiring face masks, practicing physical distancing, and asking sick individuals to stay home. Families who were unable to have these ceremonies since the start of the pandemic will have a VA representative reach out to them to reschedule.
HVAC Hearing to Review VA COVID-19 Response: Last Thursday, members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing entitled, “Assessing VA’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: 90 Days Later.” Veterans Health Administration representative Dr. Richard Stone, Ms. Deborah Kramer, and Larry Mole testified on VA’s procedures for COVID-19 testing, telehealth supply chain for PPE’s and VA’s fourth mission. Dr. Mole stated VA’s testing capacity is being underutilized due to current limited supply of cotton swaps and testing media.
First African American U.S. Military Service Chief Confirmed: Last Tuesday, the Senate confirmed General Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the first African American Air Force Chief of Staff. Gen. Brown was commissioned in 1984 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Texas Tec University. He has served in a variety of positions at the squadron and wing levels, including an assignment to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School as an F-16 Fighting Falcon instructor. His last assignments were the Commander of Pacific Air Force; Air Component commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and executive director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The confirmation makes Gen. Brown the second African American officer to sit on the Joint Chiefs of Staff since Chairman Gen. Colin Powell. Gen. Brown is one of only two African Americans among the 41 four star general officers in the military. Last week, he delivered a timely message regarding his experiences as an African American Airman. His leadership was praised by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) shortly after the vote, “Not only is Gen. Brown accomplished in his military career, but he is an inspiring leader—brave, authentic, and unifying. I congratulate him on his historic promotion, and look forward to seeing his continued leadership in action.”
Washington Post to Host Toxic Exposure Event: Last Tuesday, June 16 at 12 p.m., EDST, the Washington Post will host a virtual event entitled, Veterans Frontline Concerns, to discuss the harmful effects of burn pits and other toxic exposures incidents during military service. The event will feature a discussion with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Rep. Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), and actor Jon Stewart on the legislative efforts to address toxic exposure. Learn more about the VFW’s proposed framework for providing VA disability benefits and treatment to veterans who were exposed to toxic substance during military service.
TBS Health Plan Reinstatement Request Period Extended: The Defense Health Agency has extended the period for TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) beneficiaries who lost coverage because of unpaid premiums to request reinstatement from three to five months. The extension is in recognition of the financial turmoil the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some members of the reserves. Once qualifying members pay all delinquent and current premiums, they can request reinstatement back to the date their coverage terminated. This policy is in effect until 90 days following the end of the national health emergency.
