The federal government has been in a partial shutdown for more than four weeks because Congress and the Administration cannot reach an agreement on border protection. The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense have full-year appropriations and are not directly impacted by the shutdown. However, the U.S. Coast Guard and more than 150,000 veterans who are federal employees are very much impacted by the shutdown. Call your representatives and tell them to pay our Coast Guard. They are in harms way all over the world. Putting their lives on the line every day.
Independent Budget Releases VA Roadmap for 116th Congress
The VFW yesterday, along with coauthors Disabled American Veterans and Paralyzed Veterans of America, released The Independent Budget Veterans Agenda for the 116th Congress. It contains policy recommendations to ensure that VA remains fully funded and capable of carrying out its mission to serve veterans and their families both now and in the future. The Independent Budget is a road-map for Congress, VA and the Administration to navigate critical veteran issues in the areas of benefits, health care, infrastructure, education, employment, training and memorial concerns facing veterans and their families. The three partnering organizations have coauthored The Independent Budget for more than 30 years. “Ensuring veterans are able to achieve their post-military educational goals has never been more important, so the Independent Budget VSOs will hold VA and Congress accountable for the proper implementation of the Forever GI Bill,” said VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence. The Independent Budget is being delivered to congressional leaders and VA.
Burn Pit Legislation Introduced
Last week, Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Brian Mast, along with Sens. Amy Klobochar and Dan Sullivan, introduced the VFW-supported Burn Pit Accountability Act to help add service members and veterans to the burn pit registry. The bipartisan bill would improve how DOD and VA track, treat, and prevent the harmful impacts of burn pits.
Mare Island Legislation Reintroduced
Last week, Congressman Mike Thompson and Sen. Dianne Feinstein reintroduced VFW-supported legislation to transfer ownership and maintenance of the Mare Island Naval Cemetery in Vallejo, Calif., to VA. The final resting place for more than 800 veterans, including three Medal of Honor recipients, has fallen into disrepair after the Mare Island Navy Shipyard was closed. The VFW-supported legislation would ensure Mare Island Naval Cemetery is restored and maintained as a national shrine.
VA Million Veteran Program Tops 725,000 Enrollees
The results of most nationwide opinion surveys are based on just a few thousand respondents. The VA’s Million Veteran Program is different, and that’s why they want to enroll one million veterans to help researchers understand what illnesses might be associated with where and when veterans served. The goal of the voluntary research program is to partner with VA-enrolled veterans to study how genes affect health by safely collecting and storing blood samples and health information. The large sample population will then allow researchers to better study diseases like diabetes and cancer, and military-related illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
POW/MIA Update
Naval Reserve Lt. Richard C. Lannom was a bombardier-navigator aboard an A-6A Intruder assigned to Attack Squadron Three Five, USS Enterprise. On March 1, 1968, during a night strike mission over North Vietnam, contact with Lannom’s aircraft was lost and his plane did not return to the ship. An extensive search was conducted with negative results. Interment services are pending.
Army Air Forces Sgt. John Kalausich was a member of the 642nd Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group, 9th Bombardment Division, 9th Air Force. On March 21, 1945, Kalausich was aboard an A-26B when it was hit by anti-aircraft fire and went missing during a combat mission from Couvron, France, to Dülmen, Germany. Interment services are pending.
Army Air Forces Sgt. Vernon L. Hamilton was a member of the 642nd Bombardment Squadron, and was aboard an A-26B when it was hit by anti-aircraft fire and went missing during a combat mission from Couvron, France, to Dülmen, Germany. Interment services are pending.
Navy Fireman 1st Class Grant C. Cook was stationed aboard the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941. Interment services are pending.
Till next week, praying for all service members.
– Charles Castelluccio
