VFW NJ Post 226

Retroactive Stop Loss Pay Deadline Approaching

Posted at 01:53 PM on Monday, July 26, 2010 by post226

Those eligible must submit a claim by Oct. 21, 2010.

The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act established Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP), providing $500 for each month/partial month served in stop loss status. Service members, veterans, and beneficiaries of servicemembers whose service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss between Sept. 11, 2001 and Sept. 30, 2009 are eligible for RSLSP.

To receive this benefit, those who served under stop loss must submit a claim for the special pay. Throughout the year, the services have been reaching out to servicemembers, veterans and their families through direct mail, veteran service organizations, and the media. But there is still money left to be claimed, and the deadline is approaching. The average benefit is $3,700.

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VFW Applauds New PTSD Claims Decision

Posted at 12:51 PM on Monday, July 12, 2010 by post226

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2010 - The national commander of America's largest combat veterans organization is applauding the Department of Veterans Affairs for eliminating a requirement for veterans to explicitly prove that a traumatic event directly caused their post-traumatic stress.

"From this point forward," wrote VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki in a statement released today, "VA will not require corroboration of a PTSD stressor related to fear of hostile military or terrorist activity, if a VA doctor confirms a diagnosis of PTSD and the stressful experience recalled by the veteran adequately supports that diagnosis."

Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., the national commander of the 2.1 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and its Auxiliaries, called the VA secretary's decision to ease PTSD claims requirements a sea-change in the mindset of the VA. It follows numerous other decisions that increased the list of presumptions for diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure; increased services and programs for women veterans, veterans who reside in rural areas as well as the homeless; and reduced the size of the claims form from 23 to 10 pages. Tradewell said even the VA's outreach to patients possibly exposed to improperly sterilized equipment at a small number of its hospitals reflects the department's proactive, veterans' first attitude.

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Operation Uplink's 4th of July Free Call Day!

Posted at 08:06 PM on Saturday, July 3, 2010 by post226

This July 4th, troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait can call the U.S for free for a full 24 hours in honor of Independence Day, courtesy of Sport Clips, beginning at 12:01AM July 4, 2010 and ending at 11:59PM July 4, 2010 (Eastern Standard Time).

Free Call Days are available at more than 800 MWR internet cafes using SPAWAR located on military installations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait.

Dialing Instructions for Soldiers Overseas:
To place a call, use regular dialing procedures using your SPAWAR prepaid PIN, if you do not have a PIN number, you can obtain one from the cafe manager. You will hear the sponsor announcement informing you that your call is FREE.

Feedback is welcomed and encouraged from participants!
uplink@vfw.org
www.operationuplink.org

VFW Washington Weekly - June 25, 2010

Posted at 01:44 PM on Friday, June 25, 2010 by post226

 In This Issue:

1. Senior Officer Changes

2. South Korean Presidential Thank You

3. Senate Discusses Military Suicides

4. House VA Committee Hearings

5. U.S.-Russia Joint Commission Update

6. WW I Marine Identified

7. Help VFW Win $250,000 Grant

 

1. Senior Officer Changes: The president on Wednesday nominated U.S. Central Command commander Gen. David Petraeus to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal as overall commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan.  The action was based on an in depth magazine article in which McChrystal and his senior staff were portrayed as being publicly insubordinate towards the White House and senior administration and diplomatic officials.  "I welcome debate, but I won't tolerate division," said the president.  Petraeus' nomination requires Senate confirmation.  A replacement for Petraeus at CENTCOM has yet to be named.

 

2. South Korean Presidential Thank You: Today marks the 60 anniversary of the start of the Korean War, and the Republic of Korea wants to personally thank every veteran of that war for their service and sacrifice on behalf of South Korea's freedom.  According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, almost 1.8 million servicemen and women served in-theater during the three-year war that resulted in 33,739 combat deaths and more than 103,000 woundings.  A letter signed by South Korean President Lee Myung-bako is available online at http://eng.koreanwar60.go.kr/apply.asp or by writing to: U.S. Branch, ROK 60th AKW Commemoration Committee, 2450 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008.

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The American Veteran - June 2010 Edition

Posted at 06:30 PM on Friday, June 18, 2010 by post226

VFW Washington Weekly - June 18, 2010

Posted at 06:18 PM on Friday, June 18, 2010 by post226

In This Issue:
1. VFW National Commander Meets With President
2. House Subcommittee Meets on Claims Backlog
3. Senate VA Committee Discusses Rural Healthcare
4. Help VFW Win a $250,000 Grant
5. Pearl Harbor Sailor Identified
6. Four Vietnam MIAs Identified

1. VFW National Commander Meets With President: VFW National Commander Thomas J. Tradewell Sr. met with President Obama yesterday to discuss issues of importance to America's veterans, servicemembers and their families.  He thanked for the president for signing into law advanced appropriations for the VA and family caregiver legislation, and also expressed VFW concerns about the high military suicide rate, the huge VA claims backlog, unemployed veterans, and burial accountability problems that recently surfaced at Arlington National Cemetery.  "It was good meeting and I am grateful for the opportunity, because it is clear that the president shares our concerns to make things right, as does the first lady, and the vice president and Dr. Jill Biden," said Tradewell.  A VFW press release is at http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.newsDtl&did=5515.

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Help the VFW "Return the Favor"

Posted at 11:01 AM on Monday, June 7, 2010 by post226

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