The House and Senate Committees on Armed Services held hearings on the DOD budget request for fiscal year 2024. In addition to outlining how the budget would enable the U.S. to counter growing international threats, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley both emphasized the need to take care of the military’s people with funding for initiatives like the requested 5.2 percent military pay raise, which would be the largest in more than two decades. Additional areas of discussion included DOD’s progress on implementing Uniform Code of Military Justice reforms to eliminate military sexual assault and harassment, the ongoing recruiting crisis, and the critical issues of food insecurity, mental health care access, and suicide prevention.
VFW Calls Out Proposal To Cut Veterans Benefits
Last week The Washington Post Editorial Board suggested America balance its budget on the backs of veterans. VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci issued a strong response to The Post’s position, chastising the Editorial Board directly and calling the endorsement a “lazy opinion piece … of anti-veteran talking points against which the VFW has fought for years.”
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention
VA offers online Bystander Intervention Training for Veterans. This training provides information and practical techniques to use if you observe harassment or sexual assault at a VA facility. It will help individuals recognize a situation is taking place, know how to get help, and know what to do or say to prevent it from getting worse.
Copayments Waived for Eligible Native Veterans
As of April 4, 2023, copayments for eligible American Indian and Alaska Native veterans are no longer required for VA health care services and urgent care. This change will impact approximately 25,000 veterans.
POW/MIA Update
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Peter A. Timpo, 24, of Ecorse, Michigan, was assigned to the 343rd Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force. Timpo was killed in action on Aug. 1, 1943. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, on a date yet to be determined.
Naval Reserve Ensign Stanley W. Allen, 25, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor. He was among the 429 crewmen killed that day.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Ellis Coon, 30, of Mount Herman, Louisiana, was a member of C Battery, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action on Dec. 1, 1950. The Army issued a presumptive finding of death in March 1954.
Till next week, praying for all service members.
– Charles Castelluccio
