VFW NC Post 8989 - Kannapolis

October Survey

Posted at 8:29 AM on Monday, October 6, 2008 by POST 8989

The American Veteran - October Edition

Posted at 12:09 PM on Sunday, October 5, 2008 by POST 8989

(via The Pentagon Channel)

TRICARE Reserve and Guard Family Benefit Now Permanent

Posted at 12:04 AM on Sunday, October 5, 2008 by POST 8989

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Eligible families of activated National Guard and Reserve members will continue to save up to $300 in annual deductibles now that a TRICARE "demonstration" program is a permanent benefit.
 
Eligible family members of Guard and Reserve personnel activated for more than 30 days under federal orders in support of a contingency operation are made eligible for TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra, which have annual deductibles.  While they may be eligible to enroll into TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Prime Remote for Active Duty Family Members, which have no deductibles, many may choose to stay with TRICARE Standard or Extra.
 
Introduced as one of the first TRICARE healthcare enhancements after Sept. 11, 2001 to assist the increasing number of National Guard and Reserve service members activated to support the Global War on Terrorism, the benefit waiving annual deductibles has been a demonstration project for over seven years.
 
"The demonstration has worked well and the benefit is not changing," said the Deputy Director of TRICARE Management Activity, Maj. Gen. Elder Granger. "We simply want to make sure our Guard and Reserve families know this is a permanent benefit now that final federal regulation has been published."

Read more

2008 Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide

Posted at 7:04 PM on Friday, October 3, 2008 by POST 8989

The 2008 Veterans Day Teacher Resource Guide is now online. Parents and educators can download the guide as a PDF file from the VA Web site:

The guide includes: suggested activities for Veterans Day (such as a school assembly, musical performance, or flag-raising ceremony); information on how to contact veterans service organizations and staff at VA medical centers, benefits offices, and National Cemeteries; information for older students including handouts on the origins of Veterans Day, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, statistics on America’s wars, and scholarships; and subjects for younger students such as a Veterans Day maze and coloring pages. The guide, along with a Veterans Day poster, is being distributed on CD-ROM to principals at 118,000 schools nationwide. America’s veterans have shaped our history. Let’s share their example of courage and sacrifice with future generations.

Click on image to download .pdf file.

Source: VFW WebCOM Membership Forum

New Post Commander & Quartermaster

Posted at 8:03 PM on Thursday, October 2, 2008 by POST 8989

As of July we have a new Commander PETE HARMON and HOWARD BAKER, Quartermaster. 

We're planning new events for the upcoming year and hope that our members will come out to support us.  See our folder of photo's we've added and come visit us if you're in our area in Kannapolis, NC were right on Hwy 29 (or 2550 N. Cannon Blvd) we love for folks to drop in and visit us as your passing through. 

VA News - Week of September 29, 2008

Posted at 10:08 AM on Thursday, October 2, 2008 by POST 8989

VFW Salutes Passage of 2009 VA Budget

Posted at 3:28 PM on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 by POST 8989

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.”

Happy 109th Birthday VFW!

Posted at 4:44 PM on Monday, September 29, 2008 by POST 8989

VFW Washington Weekly - September 29, 2008

Posted at 4:36 PM on Monday, September 29, 2008 by POST 8989

In This Issue:
1. VA Funding Increased in CR
2. VFW Testifies on GI Bill Implementation
3. Senate VA Committee Examines VA/DOD IT Progress
4. FY2009 NDAA Update
5. Code Talkers Recognition Act

1. VA Funding Increased in CR: Both the House and Senate have cleared a comprehensive spending measure to fund most government programs at fiscal 2008 levels. The Continuing Resolution includes the FY2009 Military Construction/VA Appropriation (HR 6599) to fund VA at $4.5 billion above last year; the appropriation meets Independent Budget recommendations for healthcare. This is a victory for veterans and for the VFW. The President is expected to sign the bill this week. Some of the highlights include:

• $3.8 billion for mental healthcare and $584 million for substance abuse programs;
• $250 million to improve access for veterans in rural areas;
• $510 million for medical and prosthetic research;
• $130 million for homeless grants and per diem program
For complete coverage of the bill visit the House Appropriations website at:
http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/MCFY09CONFSummary09-22-08.pdf

Read more

VFW POST 8989 KANNAPOLIS, NC 28083

Posted at 10:16 PM on Sunday, September 28, 2008 by POST 8989

NEW OFFICERS AS OF JULY 1ST 2008

PETE HARMON = Post Commander

KEN CAMPBELL = Sr. Vice Commander

BOB PRICE = Jr. Vice Commander

HOWARD BAKER = Quartermaster

JOE CANNON JR. = Adjutant

DAMION CLAYCOMB = Advocate

NORMAN BASINGER = Chaplain

 

Home Repair Scam Appears to Target Military Families

Posted at 12:48 PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 by POST 8989

WASHINGTON - The letter that appeared in a Soldier's mailbox promised an offer almost too good to be true: a home improvement loan approved by Congress and backed up by a government agency.

Officials at the Federal Citizen Information Center fear it's a scam targeting military members that uses the center's credibility to lure victims in.

An eagle-eyed Soldier notified the Federal Citizen Information Center after receiving the ad from the "Home Information Center" linked to post office boxes in Dallas and in Owasso, Okla. The letter included a reference to FCIC's Web site in an apparent attempt to show a federal endorsement.

"The thing that immediately sends up a red flag is the fact that [the advertisement] says these loans are approved by the U.S. Congress," said Mary Levy, director of consumer education and outreach in the FCIC's Office of Citizen Services. "Congress would absolutely never approve any particular home improvement loan."

Source: DVIDS-Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System

Read Full Story Here: Home Repair Scam Appears to Target Military Families

VFW WebCOM Department Toolbar Tour

Posted at 10:36 AM on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 by POST 8989

What is the VFW WebCOM Department Toolbar?  What does it do?  Click the video below for a tour or click here for a larger version.