The founder of Boots On Ground will be at Titusville VFW Post 5958 at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The post is located at 206 St. Johns Street in Titusville. Venus M. Azevedp-Laboda will be the speaker. Azevedp-Laboda is the founder and executive director of Boots on Ground. She is a certified peer specialist, speaker, educator and veterans advocate. The event is open to members and the public.
Erie VA to Host Veterans Resource Fair
Veterans and there families are invited to attend a free one-stop shop to learn about VA services and community resources available during the Health Fair. It will be held at 1-4 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Fort LeBoeuf American legion # 285 located at 120 W. 4th Street Waterford. Veterans that have never enrolled in VA healthcare are encouraged to bring their DD 214 service discharged papers with them to speak to an eligibility representative.
VA Revises Reimbursement Rules for Non-Service connected ER Treatment
On Wednesday, VA announced it’s revised regulations to pay and reimburse for non-VA emergency room treatment for non-service connected conditions. VA will begin to process the approximately 800,000 pending claims for reimbursement of reasonable costs that were put on hold after the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims found VA is legally required to pay certain hospital charges, professional fees and emergency transportation. While it will take VA several months to eliminate the backlog of claims, it informs the VFW that it plans to complete new claims within 45 days. To speak to a customer service representative specifically about this issue, Mondays through Fridays, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., call the VA dedicated hotline at (877) 466-7124.
POW/MIA Update
Army Pfc. Lonnie B.C. Eichelberger, 20, of Waco, Texas, whose identification was previously announced, was buried Jan. 10 in Houston.
Marine Corps Pfc. Harold P. Hannon, 28, of Scranton, Pa., whose identification was previously announced, was buried Jan. 13, in his hometown.
Navy Seaman 1st Class Willard H. Aldridge was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored off Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when Japanese aircraft attacked his ship on Dec. 7, 1941. Interment services are pending.
Marine Corps Pfc. Harry C. Morrissey was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Interment services are pending.
Army Pfc. Albert E. Quintero was among more than 1,000 members of the RCT killed or captured in enemy territory and was declared missing on Dec. 2, 1950. Interment services are pending.
Till next week, praying for all service members.
– Charles Castelluccio
