VFW NC District 7

USPS Sets Holiday Mailing Deadlines for Military

Posted at 02:27 PM on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 by dist7

Washington, DC  -Holiday gifts from home are a big morale boost for military service members stationed around the world. To help the families and friends of military personnel, the Postal Service is offering a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat-Rate box.

Mail sent to overseas military addresses is charged only domestic mail prices. The domestic mail price for the largest Flat-Rate Priority Mail box is $12.95, but for packages to APO/FPO addresses overseas the price is reduced to only $10.95. Flat-Rate boxes are free at any Post Office, or can be ordered online at usps.com. Postage, labels and customs forms can be printed online any time using Click-N-Ship at www.usps.com/clicknship.

"Flat-Rate Priority Mail boxes offer the best bargain in holiday shipping," says Paul Vogel, managing director, Global Business and senior vice president. "The contents can be any weight for one low rate. If it fits, it ships."

The Postal Service continues to show its support by offering free Military Care Kits, designed specifically for military families sending packages overseas. The mailing kits can be ordered by phone by calling      1-800-610-8734 and asking for the Care Kit. Each kit includes two Priority Mail boxes, six Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, eight Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape and eight customs forms with envelopes.

"The best support for the troops this holiday season is a gift that's on time, so mail before the deadline," Vogel advises.

NC VFW Extends Invitations to Candidates to Connect

Posted at 01:18 PM on Friday, October 10, 2008 by dist7

The Department North Carolina: Veterans of Foreign Wars and Choices of Democracy are extending this open invitation to the Candidates seeking to represent NC in the elections to participate in our:

2008 VFW NC
Online Video Forums
These neutral, non-partisan, not-for-profit forums are part of  an ongoing effort to engage our membership, our deployed military community and our state's voters in the democratic process .
The VFW NC will be asking questions of the Candidates on behalf of our membership over the course of the 2008 Elections.

To view Invitations and Questions for the Candidates click on links below:

2008 VFW NC US Senator Video Forum
2008 VFW NC US Congress Video Forums
2008 VFW NC Governor & Lt Governor Forums
2008 VFW NC State Senate & State House Video Forums

Sponsorship on the VFW NC WebCOM Network

Posted at 03:46 PM on Thursday, October 9, 2008 by dist7

VFW Salutes Passage of 2009 VA Budget

Posted at 03:28 PM on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 by dist7

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2008--The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is saluting the 110th Congress for providing $50.2 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs fiscal year 2009 budget.

As part of the $634 billion Continuing Resolution signed by President Bush yesterday, VA discretionary funding is increased $4.5 billion over last year, which meets Independent Budget recommendations for healthcare funding. The Independent Budget is a detailed analysis of VA operations that the VFW has co-authored for the past 22 years with AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

VA budget highlights include $3.8 billion for mental healthcare, $584 million for substance abuse programs, $510 million for medical and prosthetic research, $250 million to improve access for veterans in rural areas, and additional funding for homeless grants, the hiring of 2,000 additional claims adjudicators, and to raise the mileage reimbursement rate from 28.5 to 41.5 cents per mile.

“We are very grateful to the president and to congressional leadership for keeping to their pledge to take care of our veterans,” said VFW National Commander Glen Gardner, a Vietnam veteran from Round Rock, Texas. “And we hope the delivery of an on-time budget is the start of a trend that will continue into the next administration and Congress.”

2008-2009 District Officers

Posted at 02:27 PM on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 by dist7

Position
Commander	Allen Daniels/10225	Allen.Daniels@ci.raleigh.nc.us
Sr Vice Cdr	Charles H. Fulghum/10225	910-779-8629
Jr Vice Cdr	David Hammell/9103	910-436-5654
QM	Larry F. Watkins/6767	910-892-5758
Judge Advocate
Surgeon
Chaplain
1 Yr Trustee
2 Yr Trustee
3 Yr Trustee
APPOINTED
Adjutant	Willie Robertson/10999	919-389-8446
Inspector	Larry F. Watkins/6767	910-892-5758
Americanism	Ken Parker/5955	919-553-6943
VOD Chair	Charles H. Fulghum/10225	910-779-8629
Poppy	David Hammell/9103	910-436-5654
Youth Activities	David Hammell/9103	910-436-5654
Service Officer	James Costin/10999	919-828-0278
Community Activities	Ed J. Parungo/10001	919-876-8091
Membership	Willie Robertson/10999	919-389-8446
Safety	Greg Chavez/5886	919-934-8263
Boy Scouts
Sergeant at Arms

VFW Demands Accountability Over Chantix Issue

Posted at 04:33 PM on Thursday, June 19, 2008 by dist7

WASHINGTON (June 19, 2008) - "Enough is enough," said George J. Lisicki, the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., in response to today's Washington Times article that provides additional information about the potential lethal effect a prescribed drug is having on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-diagnosed veterans who volunteered for a Department of Veterans Affairs smoking cessation program.

"Those in the VA who failed to properly serve America's veterans must resign their positions," said Lisicki, a Vietnam veteran from Carteret, N.J. "If not, then the VA secretary must take decisive action to terminate them."

The smoking cessation research program uses the drug Chantix, which Food and Drug Administration officials say helps people to stop smoking, but according to a Washington Times/ABC News investigative report on Tuesday, Chantix has also been linked to almost 40 suicides and more than 400 incidents of suicidal behavior. The drug's manufacturer and the FDA have recently cautioned healthcare providers about adverse side effects that could produce changes in behavior ranging from anxiety and depression to suicide.

All 940 veterans enrolled in the VA's smoking cessation program have PTSD. A test group of 143 of them were prescribed Chantix, which is also known as Varenicline.

Lisicki questions why VA clinicians who knew of Chantix's hazardous side effects would allow veterans suffering from PTSD to continue taking it, because "professional ethics and common sense just dictates that clinicians would stop their patients from taking the drug just to err on the side of safety for the veterans and their families," he said. As of May 21, the Federal Aviation Administration banned the use of Chantix by airline pilots and air traffic controllers.

The VFW national commander also questions the leadership ability of those who oversee these types of medical research programs, asks why it took the VA two more days before revealing additional details of those in the study; and wonders what other information has yet to be uncovered. Aside from Chantix, other drugs that are were reported to currently being used to treat veterans with PTSD are the anticonvulsant Divalproex, and the antidepressants Paroxetine, Mirtazapine and Citalopram, all of which carry warnings of potential suicidal side effects.

"The VA is known for quality healthcare that is delivered by highly trained and educated medical professionals and staff, but in recent weeks, the American public has read stories accusing the department of not properly taking care of veterans with mental health problems, to include veterans attempting suicide under VA care. These stories, to include the well-documented veterans' claims backlog, are having a negative cumulative effect on the overall image of the VA," said Lisicki.

Read more

Past National Commander's Visit

Posted at 09:44 AM on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 by dist7

  The Past National Commander will be visiting the Garner Post on 4-11-08 at 09:00hrs for breakfast and will be at the Cary post on 4-23-08 at 18:00hrs for dinner. We need a head-count ASAP. If you plan to attend, please contact Post 10225 (772-1062) and Post 7383 (467-8811). Thanks.

Allen Daniels, District Commander

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