VFW Washington Weekly, December 17, 2010

[IJK3770]

In This Issue:
1. Congress Improves GI Bill
2. New Defense Bill Introduced
3. DHS Expands Security Awareness Campaign
4. WWI, Korean War MIAs Identified
 
1. Congress Improves GI Bill: Congress passed S. 3447, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010.  Though VFW did not support all of its provisions, the bill does fix a number of shortcomings in the current Post-9/11 GI Bill.  It will cover vocational and technical education courses, provide benefits to Guard and Reserve members, clarify tuition and fee reimbursement rates at private schools, and provide a living stipend to students taking classes from home (distance learning).  The President is expected to sign the bill soon.
For information on GI Bill benefits, go http://www.gibill.va.gov/.
 
2. New Defense Bill Introduced: A new defense bill has been introduced that omits some controversial provisions that held up the passage of the previous version — mainly the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and military hospital abortions.  HR 6523 will provide $725 billion in funding on a range of items, to include war funding and weapons systems modernization programs, as well as extend Tricare healthcare coverage to dependent children up to age 26, and provide a 1.4% across-the-board military pay raise.  The defense bill is expected to be voted on before the 111th Congress adjourns.  For a full summary of the bill, go to the House Armed Services Committee website at http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=47290df4-6149-481c-97dc-7d35f8c3f308.
 
3. DHS Expands Security Awareness Campaign: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has expanded her department's “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign to more than 9,000 federal buildings nationwide.  The security awareness campaign — originally implemented by New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority — is a simple and effective program to engage the public and key frontline employees to identify and report threats and suspicious activities to law enforcement officials.  Read the DHS press release at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1291831242174.shtm.
 
4. WWI, Korean War MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced the identification of remains of two soldiers who had been missing-in-action from World War I and the Korean War.  Army Private Henry A. Weikel, of Mt. Carmel, PA, was killed on Sept. 16, 1918, when his unit came under attack east of Paris near Jaulny, France.  He was assigned to the 60th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division.  Army Sgt. First Class Wallace L. Slight, of Yates City, IL, was killed on Nov. 1, 1950, when enemy attacks collapsed their defensive position in North Korea, along the Nammyon River.  He was assigned to M Company, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.  Read about their recovery and identification, and that of others, on the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/news/news_releases/.

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