VFW WI District 4

NEW LAW HELPS TROOPS AVOID UNFAIR CELL PHONE FEES

Posted at 05:30 PM on Friday, October 3, 2008 by dist4

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold announced today that Congress has passed legislation based on a provision he authored allowing servicemembers deployed overseas to terminate cell phone contracts free of penalties. Feingold introduced the Servicemembers’ Cellular Phone Contract Fairness Act in 2006 after learning Wisconsin servicemembers were being forced to pay early termination fees or pay for a service they could not use when they were transferred overseas. The Feingold measure, which passed as part of the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act, will expand the rights servicemembers already have to terminate similar contracts like residential and automobile leases without penalty. The measure now heads to the President for his signature.

VFW Salutes Passage of 2009 VA Budget

Posted at 03:28 PM on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 by dist4

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.”

SENATORS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO GUARANTEE ADVANCE FUNDING OF VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE

Posted at 10:07 AM on Friday, September 19, 2008 by dist4

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, was joined by a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing legislation today to secure timely funding of veterans’ health care, through a process known as “advance funding.”  Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Ted Stevens (R-AK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and John Thune (R-SD) joined Akaka as original cosponsors.    

Under the bill, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) would be funded one-year in advance.  Currently, VHA is funded one-year at a time, and is too often the victim of delays and short-term budgets. 

 

Home Repair Scam Appears to Target Military Families

Posted at 12:48 PM on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 by dist4

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

Wisconsin Native Helps Iraqi Schools With Support From Home

Posted at 10:41 AM on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 by dist4

4-H volunteers and Green Bay, Wisc. radio host John Maino pose while packing school supplies for shipment to Iraq, July 1, 2008.

Date Taken: July 1st, 2008

Location: HORTONVILLE, WI

Photographer: Capt. Casey Plamann
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

Read Full Story Here: Wisconsin Native Helps Iraqi Schools With Support From Home

Source: DVIDS-Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System

POW-MIA RECOGNITION DAY EVENT FRIDAY AT HALES CORNERS!

Posted at 02:17 PM on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 by dist4

SEPTEMBER 19, 2008... NATIONAL POW-MIA RECOGNITION DAY... HALES CORNERS, WISCONSIN... IN FRONT OF K-MART ALONG THE ROAD

 ALL VETERANS GATHERING AT 6PM THAT DAY

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Texas VFW Establishes Hurricane Relief Fund

Posted at 11:55 PM on Monday, September 15, 2008 by dist4

From: "Phyllis Cale"
To: "_All State Depts"
:
Subject: Department of Texas
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:58:37 -0500

MEMORANDUM
FROM
ALLEN F. "GUNNER" KENT
ADJUTANT GENERAL
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES

To: Department Adjutant-Quartermasters
Date: September 15, 2008

As you are aware, homes, businesses and land from Galveston Island to Port Arthur to Beaumont in Texas have been destroyed by Hurricane Ike. However at this time, we do not know if any VFW Posts were lost.

As a result of the devastation, the Department Texas has established a special fund to assist our members who have been evacuated and or suffered a loss due to the hurricane.
The Department of Texas is asking for our support. Please notify the Posts in your Department and ask them to contribute to this immediate relief effort. Monetary donations may be sent directly to;

Roy Grona
Adjutant-Quartermaster
Department of Texas Headquarters
8503 N IH 35
Austin, Texas 78753-5722.

Thank you for all you do for this great Organization.

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