Veterans' Benefits Bill Passes House; Awaits President's Signature

Last night the House passed a comprehensive veterans' benefits bill that now awaits the president's signature. VFW leaders applauded the bill's passage as a major victory for veterans.

"The VFW has waited nearly two years for a comprehensive veterans’ benefits bill to make it through Congress, and we commend legislators on both sides of the aisle for demonstrating their continued support to our nation's veterans," said VFW Executive Director Bob Wallace. "The issues addressed in this bill demanded critical attention and difficult decision-making from our legislators, which is why we applaud the leaders in both the House and Senate who refused to let these ideas die in committee."

The bill was packaged as H.R. 1627, the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act, and includes more than 54 provisions designed to improve or streamline veterans' benefit programs that have moved through the House and Senate over the last two years. The bill also offers VA healthcare to veterans, employees and military family members exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune between Jan. 1, 1957 and Dec. 31, 1987, finally resolving a years-long dispute over how to best care for victims of the exposure.

Language for the omnibus bill was agreed upon in late June by legislators in both the House and Senate. The Senate passed its version of the bill on Wednesday, July 18, shortly before the VFW convened for the 113th national convention in Reno.

Among the bill's key provisions supported by the VFW are enhancements to VA's ability to deliver telehealth consultations to remote-located veterans; expanding services for victims of traumatic brain injury, or TBI; protecting veterans against sexual assault at VA facilities; and reauthorizing and expanding certain homeless veterans' programs.

To read more about the bill and the VFW's work advancing the bill though the Senate and ways to become involved in the legislative process, click here.

As this blog explained two weeks ago, the omnibus bill also includes provisions designed to streamline disability claims processing by adapting VA's duty to assist veterans in obtaining private medical evidence to support their disability claims.

The VFW voiced concerns over these two provisions before the House VA Committee last year, offering specific recommendations on how to best implement changes. Though the original legislation contained suitable language, the final version reverted to language that the VFW believes could prevent some veterans from receiving the maximum disability benefits to which they may be entitled.

To read VFW's original testimony on proposed duty-to-assist changes, click here.

However, VFW advocates in Washington believed that the omnibus bill contained too many critical provisions to help veterans, and encouraged the House to pass it, despite minor concerns over duty-to-assist. Instead, the VFW has already reached out to key staff on Capitol Hill to ensure discrepancies in the duty-to-assist process will be addressed quickly in the next Congressional term.

Your VFW will continue to fight to preserve and improve veterans' benefits programs, and the VFW urges the president to sign the veterans' omnibus bill in short order. Check back regularly with this blog for updates.

Senate Passes Camp Lejeune Treatment Resolution as Part of Veterans' Omnibus

This week the Senate moved forward on a veterans' benefits omnibus bill, the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act, which will finally offer care to veterans and family members exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

The bill clarifies that veterans and family members stationed or working at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between Jan. 1, 1957 and Dec. 31, 1987 who developed health conditions consistent with exposure to toxic water will be eligible to receive VA health care for the resultant conditions.

Before the Fourth of July recess, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., placed a hold on the bill when the Senate sought to hotline it for passage, voicing concerns about potential fraud within the system that could divert resources away from other veterans who need them.

The VFW Action Corps and National Legislative Committee quickly sprang into action, with advocates in South Carolina reaching out directly to DeMint to explain the VFW's stance on the bill.

After speaking to the Action Corps, DeMint recognized why the bill was a responsible solution for affected veterans and family members, and this morning, he praised it on the Senate floor.

Language for the omnibus bill was agreed upon in late June by legislators in both the House and Senate. With this afternoon’s passage in the Senate, the House will now be able to vote on a final package.

The compromise language on Camp Lejeune was packaged with H.R. 1627, a 2011 veterans' benefits omnibus bill that already passed in the House and includes more than 50 provisions to better serve veterans; many of which the VFW has testified in support of over the last two years.

Highlights of the bill include:

• Extending hospital care and medical services coverage for certain illnesses and conditions to eligible veterans and family members who served on active duty or lived at Camp Lejeune.
• Authorizing VA to waive co-payments for telehealth and enhancing VA’s teleconsultation and telemedicine capabilities
• Protecting veterans from sexual assault at VA facilities
• Expanding services for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury, or TBI
• Allowing veterans with service dogs access to all VA facilities
• Expanding travel reimbursement for veterans in highly rural areas and improving reimbursement for state veterans homes 
• Enhancing specially adapted housing programs for disabled veterans
• Commissioning annual reports to Congress on the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill 
• Reauthorizing certain homeless veterans programs and expanding eligibility for shelter services, allowing homeless veterans who are not mentally ill to take advantage of the services

The bill also includes provisions designed to streamline disability claims processing by clarifying VA's duty to assist veterans in obtaining private medical records and allowing VA to contact veterans electronically to adjudicate claims. 

The VFW voiced concerns over these two provisions before the House VA Committee last year, offering specific recommendations on how to best implement changes. VFW National Veterans Service staff are reviewing the specific language in the new veterans' omnibus to ensure duty-to-assist and electronic notification provisions meet our organization's standards. VFW staff will then make recommendations to the House on how to proceed with these specific provisions.

Check back regularly with this blog for updates as the 2012 veterans benefits omnibus package moves through Congress.

To learn how you can make a difference with your legislators, receive the Washington Weekly eNewsletter and other legislative priority alerts, sign up to be a member of the VFW Action Corps by clicking here. 

Watch: VFW Testifies on Disability Claims Process

This morning, the VFW appeared before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations to testify on VA’s ongoing efforts to eliminate the veterans’ disability claims backlog.

The hearing started at 10 a.m., in room 2247 of the Rayburn House Office Building. To view a webcast of the hearing and to read the prepared remarks of each witness, click here.

VFW Deputy National Veterans Service Director Jerry Manar testified before the subcommittee, discussing how the disability claims backlog came about, shortfalls in efforts to rectify the situation, and current initiatives VA has undertaken in an effort to solve the problem – specifically the new Veterans Benefits Management System, or VBMS.

VFW testified that the new program should be fully tested to identify shortcomings, but that VA must walk a fine line between rolling out the program too soon and delaying too long while seeking to fix all the problems.

Manar reiterated that the working relationship between the VA and the VFW's cadre of claims service officers has been excellent, giving accolades to VA Undersecretary for Benefits Allison Hickey for caring enough to listen to veterans service organizations' suggestions on what is best for disabled veterans and their loved ones.

However, Manar also criticized the VA's recent simplified notification letters to disability claimants, pointing out that the information included in the new letters were insufficient for veterans to determine why they received a certain rating.

Members of the committee expressed their frustration with the disability claims process, saying that too many veterans are still waiting for their claims to be adjudicated with little progress on the total number of claims in the backlog.

Manar recently testified on this issue before the House Veterans Affairs Committee, highlighting similar problems and potential solutions.

Your VFW will continue to follow the VA disability claims backlog closely, ensuring that VA initiatives to improve the situation yield results.

(Image: VFW Deputy Service Director Jerry Manar testifies before the House OGR Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations.)

VFW Calls For International Treaty for Disablity Rights

Your VFW was on hand yesterday morning for a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to hear testimony from U.S. State Department officials, senators, and others in support of Senate ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, or CRPD.

“As evidenced today by all who spoke in favor of ratification, disabled veterans face pretty steep challenges in other countries across the world when it comes to accessibility or securing a job,” said VFW Senior Legislative Associate Shane Barker. Barker went on to stress the importance of the convention because it “espouses the inherent dignity of all people, including veterans, and the conviction that we should work to include disabled men and women in all facets of societies across the world.”

After the hearing, Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., hosted a press conference to highlight the importance of this convention, where VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley offered words of support. Kelley reminded the audience of the sacrifices veterans have made not only for Americans, but for the numerous countries on behalf of which we have fought. Kelley also spoke about how future generations would be led by today’s veterans, stressing the importance of those men and women being able to visit, learn, and work in other countries as they see fit. Ratifying the CRPD is vital to such goals, and that is why the VFW has led the charge within the disability community to ensure Senate ratification, he said.

Because America has long been a global leader in disability rights, CRPD will require no financial cost and no changes to domestic law. According to the State Department, it provides no right of action by any party – individual or group – for legal recourse in the courts, and could be an economic boon for American companies providing consultation or construction opportunities overseas. For more information on the treaty, visit the U.S. International Council on Disabilities by clicking here.

(Image: VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley discusses CRPD alongside Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and advocates for people with disabilities and veterans. Photo by Shane Barker.)

House Passes Two Veterans' Bills

*Update: This week the Senate also passed H.R. 4155, meaning the "Veterans Skills to Jobs Act" now awaits the signature of the President. Stay tuned for details. 

Congress returned from the Fourth of July recess yesterday, and wasted no time in taking action on two pieces of pending veterans' legislation. Last night the House of Representatives passed two VFW-supported veterans’ bills, increasing cost-of-living allowances, or COLA, for veterans in 2013 and directing federal agencies to recognize military training for federal licenses.

The federal licensing bill, H.R. 4155, entitled the “Veterans Skills to Jobs Act,” was introduced by Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., and spells out how federal agencies must recognize military training and military certifications when evaluating veterans for federal licenses. The VFW sent a letter of support to Denham back in March, urging for the quick passage of the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act.

Currently, the federal government can issue licenses across various sectors, like aerospace operations and maintenance. Denham, who served as an Air Force crew chief, said he personally encountered the challenges to federal licensure when he was forced to attend an additional three years of school to receive a federal license for a field in which the military had already trained him.

In an official statement yesterday, Denham went on to say that his bill would finally close this loophole, ensuring that veterans with highly technical military training could easily secure federal licenses to continue their careers with the federal government.

A Senate companion bill, introduced by Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is also scheduled to be voted on this week.

The COLA bill, H.R. 4114, entitled the “Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2012,” was introduced by Rep. John Runyan, R-N.N., and ensures that VA compensation for disabled veterans and surviving spouses increases at the same rate as Social Security for 2013; a current projected increase of 1.9 percent.

In March, VFW Legislative Director Ray Kelley generally supported the Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act in testimony before the House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, but clarified that the VFW disagreed with the provision to round down any increases to the nearest dollar amount.

In his remarks, Kelley called it “a money-saving gimmick that comes at the expense of our veterans.”

Kelley went to say that the committee should also advance another piece of Runyan legislation, the “American Heroes COLA Act,” or H.R. 4142, which would permanently tie annual COLA increases to Social Security increases. Currently, the House must vote each year to link veterans’ COLA to Social Security growth. In his remarks, Kelley called the process “an added step that confuses and leaves veterans feeling uneasy until the COLA bill is passed.”

Both the Veterans Skills Jobs Act and the Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act will now move on to the Senate. Your VFW will continue to track both pieces of legislation. Check back regularly with this blog for updates.

House Moves Series of VFW-Supported Legislation

This week, each of the House Veterans Affairs subcommittees moved more than a dozen bills to the full committee for consideration, many of which the VFW has vocally supported in recent testimony.

House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: 

On Wednesday afternoon, the House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs marked up and passed three bills, H.R. 5735, H.R. 5881, and H.R. 5880.

H.R. 5735, which the VFW helped to draft, was amended to not only commission a "Place of Remembrance" for unclaimed remains of American service members, but it will also clarify that burial proceedings at National Cemetery Administration facilities must reflect the wishes of the grieving family and that veterans convicted as Tier Three sex offenders or who receive life imprisonment will be excluded from burial in national cemeteries.

H.R. 5881, the Access to Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, was amended to reflect the wishes of the VFW to ensure that only properly vetted employees, such as VA employees, tracking officers, county service officers and VSO service officers, with proper need to access a veteran's claim information can have access to sensitive VA database information.

H.R. 5880, the Veterans Disability Examination Access Improvement Act, was passed without amendments. VFW vocally supported this bill in testimony before the subcommittee earlier this month.

To read VFW's full testimony on each of these bills, click here.

House VA Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: 

On Wednesday morning, the House VA Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation marked up and passed three bills, H.R. 3730, H.R. 4481, and H.R. 5948.

H.R. 3740, the Veterans Data Breach Timely Notification Act, was amended and passed to require VA to notify the VA secretary of any data breach within 10 days, then notify the affected veteran within the next 10 days, finally notifying the public within the subsequent 10 days.

H.R. 5948, the Veterans Fiduciary Reform Act of 2012, was amended in the form of a substitute and passed to add further protections and oversight on VA fiduciaries to protect veterans. The amendment initiates harsher penalties to organizations and businesses that seek to scam or take advantage of VA beneficiaries or their fiduciaries.

H.R. 4481, the Veterans Affairs Employee Accountability Act, which would prohibit VA employees who violate federal acquisition laws from receiving bonuses, also passed the committee.

The subcommittee hosted a hearing on each of these bills earlier this month. To view a full list of witnesses and to read their prepared remarks, click here.

House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity: 

On Thursday morning, the House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity marked up and passed five bills, H.R. 4057, H.R. 4115, H.R. 4740, H.R. 3524, and H.R. 5747.

The VFW was paying close attention to H.R. 4057, the Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act of 2012; a bill which VFW legislative staff worked diligently to introduce. The bill was amended to include specific disclosures VA would have to make to potential student-veterans as part of pre-enrollment counseling available to G.I. Bill recipients. The VFW has been the leading voice in Washington advocating for improved student-veteran consumer information and consumer protections, which is why the VFW has pushed for this bill and similar bills in the Senate.

H.R. 3524, the Disabled Veterans Employment Protection Act, was amended to allow disabled veterans not covered under the Family Medical Leave Act an additional four weeks of leave from work in a calendar year for treatment of service-connected injuries. The subcommittee originally proposed 12 weeks of additional leave, but was concerned that employers would balk at the prospect of hiring veterans with such a strong provision.

During testimony earlier this spring, the VFW pointed out that VA must adapt its treatment options to allow service-connected disabled veterans to schedule care around reasonable work schedules. The VFW contends that it is not fair to the veteran or to his or her employer if VA can only schedule appointments during the work day.

H.R. 4115, the HIRE at HOME Act, which the VFW helped to craft, passed favorably, along with H.R. 4740, the Fairness for Military Homeowners Act, and H.R. 5747, the Military Family Home Protection Act.

The VFW testified on each of these bills within the last few months. To read our testimony on H.R. 4057 and H.R. 3524, click here. To read our testimony on H.R. 4115, H.R. 4740 and H.R. 5747, click here. 

House VA Subcommittee on Health:

On Friday morning, the House VA Subcommittee on Health marked up and passed two bills, H.R. 3337 and H.R. 4079.

The VFW has been a vocal advocate for H.R. 3337, the Open Burn Pit Registry Act, helping to introduce the bill late last year, and even helping to introduce a companion bill in the Senate, with the help of the burn pit exposure advocacy group Burn Pits 360. The bill easily passed the subcommittee.

H.R. 4079, the Safe Housing for Homeless Veterans Act, was also amended and passed the subcommittee, ensuring housing for homeless veterans meets safe living standards.

The VFW testified on each of these bills in April. To read VFW's full testimony, click here.

The VFW will continue to track each of these bills as they move through committee, possibly to be included in another veterans' benefits omnibus package later this fall. Check back regularly for updates.

Watch: VFW Testifies on VA Claims Process

Update: The archived webcast of this hearing is now available by clicking here. 

This morning the VFW testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee on the VA disability claims process transformation.

The hearing started at 10:30 a.m. in the committee’s chambers, room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building. To view a full list of witnesses and to read their prepared remarks, click here.

VFW Deputy National Veterans Service Director Jerry Manar presented the VFW’s thoughts on the transformation plan for the Veterans Benefits Administration, or VBA, which centers on the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), a program intended to digitize the disability claims process.

In his remarks, Manar commended current VA leadership for their initiative to improve the claims process, but he also told the committee that the veterans’ community should not expect too much from the initial VBMS roll-out. Manar compared the new program to a foundation for a new house, intended to replace an aging, ad-hoc infrastructure of computer systems incapable of interacting with one another.

Manar went on to say that VBA should not introduce VBMS until it has been fully stressed to identify short comings, but that VBA must walk a fine line between rolling out the program too soon and delaying too long while seeking to fix any and all problems.

During his testimony, Manar also discussed VA’s new Simplified Notification Letters for veteran claimants, which the VFW believes do not provide adequate information to properly inform a claimant on how VA arrived at its rating decision.

Your VFW and our cadre of claims service officers will continue to monitor progress and identify ways to improve the VA claims process to ensure timely delivery of benefits to our veterans.

VFW Joins Volunteers of America to Discuss Veterans' Transition

On Tuesday the VFW joined the Volunteers of America, or VOA, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. for a panel discussion on transitional issues faced by today's veterans. VOA brought together distinguished guests from across the military, media and veterans' advocacy in an effort to advance discussions in Washington on how to best serve the nation's newest generation of combat veterans.

David Gregory, the host of NBC's Meet the Press, moderated the discussion, which featured Lee Woodruff, author and wife of severely wounded war correspondent Bob Woodruff; Barbara Banaszynski, senior vice president for VOA; retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey; and Dr. Betty Moseley Brown, associate director of VA's Center for Women Veterans.

Much of the discussion centered on the unique issues veterans of the current conflicts will face for years after the wars have ended, as a result of the kinds of injuries sustained on the modern battlefield. Woodruff, whose husband survived a severe brain injury from an improvised explosive device, pointed out that many wounded service members who experience injuries like the one sustained by her husband would not have survived in past conflicts. She went on to say that while advances in technology have saved lives, the rehabilitation process can be long and difficult for both the wounded warrior and his or her loved ones.

Panelists said that VA was making a concerted effort to improve its services for today's veterans, but acknowledged that the job was entirely too daunting for the agency to handle alone. Banaszynski called for improved public/private partnerships between VA and non-profit organizations in communities across the country that have competencies to fill gaps in veterans' services. McCaffrey went so far as to suggest that VA restructure itself from a direct care provider to more of a care manager, allowing veterans to seek out resources in their communities.

Brown highlighted VA's efforts to change the ways in which they reach out to veterans, acknowledging that today's veterans will not stand for long wait times on toll-free phone numbers. She said today's veterans expect immediate access to the goods and services they use in their every day lives, and they expect no less from VA.

At one point, McCaffrey unintentionally highlighted an issue with which many veterans express continued skepticism -- misunderstandings about mental health issues and the negative stigma associated with those who seek treatment. While discussing long-term recovery processes and combination injuries many wounded warriors face today, McCaffrey said that PTSD was usually "cured within a year" after returning. Veterans in the audience balked at the comment. One attendee, Iraq War veteran and PTSD blogger Max Harris, later wrote on his blog, www.combatveteranswithptsd.com, that he would be writing to McCaffrey directly, seeking an explanation of the comment.

As the panel drew to a close, Gregory pointed out that national media would need to play a critical role in ensuring that veterans' issues remain at the forefront of the public conscience once the wars end. The VFW has long echoed these concerns, pointing to historical examples of how Americans can quickly forget that the cost of caring for veterans is a true cost of war.

Overall, attendees said the discussion was productive and that the discourse will give high-level decision-makers the kinds of input they will need to affect positive change as the current wars draw to a close. VOA has already scheduled a follow-up panel for next spring at the National Press Club, and your VFW plans to once again join in the discussion.

(Image: NBC's David Gregory introduces the panel assembled by Volunteers of America to discuss veterans' transition issues yesterday at the National Press Club. Panelists, left to right, included Lee Woodruff, Barbara Banaszynski, retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, and Dr. Betty Moseley Brown. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

House Veterans Affairs Committee Questions VA on Mental Health Care Delivery

On Tuesday, the VFW was on hand as the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing to discuss the findings of a recent VA Office of Inspector General report, highlighting serious concerns with access to mental health care within the VA system. At the request of Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., VA Secretary Eric Shinseki testified alongside Dr. Robert A. Petzel, VA undersecretary for health, and other distinguished members of the VA team.

To view an archived webcast of the hearing, click here. To view a full list of witnesses and to read their prepared remarks, click here.

The panelists defended VA efforts and practices against the recent damaging OIG report which found, among other things, that the measurements used by VA to calculate wait times for mental health appointments lack accuracy and reliability. The report explicitly said that the measurements offered “no real value” and should be replaced. OIG also found that nearly half of veterans seeking a mental health episode of care waited approximately 50 days -- a figure in stark contrast to the 14-day standard VA has regularly promoted.

Much of the hearing focused on VA’s recent announcement that the agency would hire 1,900 new mental health staff -- 1,600 clinicians and 300 support staff -- to help overcome shortfalls across the country that currently prevent veterans from receiving timely care.

Unfortunately, The VFW believes many questions remain unanswered. VA does not yet have a true staffing model to ensure the mental health contingent within VA is right-sized or properly distributed across the system. Because of that, many committee members and other witnesses questioned the effectiveness of VA’s response, and whether or not 1,900 is the optimal number of new hires. Questions of how VA would pay for the additional staff were also raised, and VA’s response that they would be taking the money out of the dollars allocated to the VISNs did not seem to satisfy many on the committee.

Shinseki admitted that VA had much to do to resolve this problem, and made clear his belief that the problem could get worse in coming years as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan draw to a close and more service members seek VA care. Dr. Petzel offered that VA needed to do more fee-basis mental health authorizations, and more mental health contracting with private providers, especially in rural areas. VA also discussed a new and ongoing peer counselor program in which VA is currently training 400 veterans to become peer counselors. Tele-mental health and the future deployment of an integrated electronic health record were also mentioned as facets of VA’s plan to address the need to provide more mental health treatment for our veterans.

In the midst of all these efforts, committee members and veterans’ advocates did not seem satisfied. As your voice on Capitol Hill, your VFW will continue to keep VA’s feet to the fire to improve the delivery of mental health care for our veterans. Check back regularly for updates.

Sierra Club Offers Outdoor Leadership Opportunities to VFW Members

The Sierra Club has long recognized that veterans and their families have a great love for the outdoors. Now the Sierra Club is working hard to get our veterans outside to enjoy the freedom of the lands they defended through the Mission Outdoors Military Family and Veteran Initiative, and has asked the VFW to help spread the word.

The Sierra Club’s mission statement is simple:  “Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet,” while at the VFW:  “No one does more for veterans.” At first glance, some may be surprised that the Sierra Club would look to the ranks of the VFW to support their new initiative, but when you get down to the core values of both organizations, working to offer unique outdoor opportunities to veterans is a natural fit.

Outdoor activities can be a fundamental step in helping service members and their families reintegrate into their communities and mitigate issues related to post-traumatic stress, depression, and other physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Whether it is a short walk in the woods or a multi-day expedition into one of America’s great wildernesses, outdoor recreation allows our service members and veterans the opportunity to come home and enjoy the beauty they helped protect.

Unfortunately, a lack of trained leaders to take our veterans into the great outdoors often creates a significant access hurdle to outdoor activities. Without experienced leaders who are trained to safely take other people into our heartland, veterans can miss out on the beauty America has to offer. To actively combat this Sierra Club is excited to pilot its first leadership training course in coordination with the National Outdoor Leadership School. The course runs from April 25 through May 2 in the Gila National Forest in Arizona; the world’s oldest officially designated wilderness area; and participants from the VFW taking part in the training. What new veteran leaders will learn together on this course, they will be able to implement in other outdoor opportunities.

In keeping with the strong traditions of grassroots organizing, the Sierra Club will also be offering weekend training opportunities in August in Washington State; October in Colorado; and November in North Carolina to train new outings leaders to lead military, veteran, and other community members outside. Details on these additional outings will be available in the coming months on this blog and the Sierra Club’s military Web sites.

Participation is free, and VFW members are encouraged to sign up. However, space is limited, so contact Stacy Bare from Sierra Club, stacy.bare@sierraclub.org, to learn more about these opportunities or to reserve your spot today.

It is the VFW’s sincere hope that we can continue to work together to ensure our veterans and their families have all the opportunities to get outside as often possible, and our aim is to work with you side by side to get you out on the trail.

For more information and opportunities to get outside please check out: www.sierraclub.org/military or http://sierraclub.typepad.com/military. Meanwhile, we’ll update you in this space when we get back home from Arizona in early May!

(Images: Veterans participate in a variety of outdoor expeditions as part of the Sierra Club's Mission Outdoors Military Family and Veteran Initiative. Photos courtesy of the Sierra Club.)

Watch Live: Senate Hosts Hearing on Vets' Mental Health Care

UPDATE: The archived webcast from yesterday's hearing is now available on the Senate VA Committee's Web site. To view a full list of witnesses, read their prepared remarks, and view the archived webcast, click here. 

This morning the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will host a hearing to evaluate the ease-of-access for veterans seeking mental health care at VA facilities. The hearing comes in the wake of an alarming report from the VA's Office of the Inspector General, indicating that VA may have misled Congress and the veterans' community on how it ensured prompt access to care for veterans seeking treatment for mental health conditions.

Your VFW will be on hand when the hearing is scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. in Senate Dirksen Office Building room 138. To view a live webcast of the hearing on the committee's home page, click here.

VA policy dictates that veterans who seek treatment for mental health must be seen with 14 days of requesting treatment. However, the report, which can be read here, claims that VA misrepresented how it tracked whether or not veterans received treatment in a timely manner, many times only starting the 14-day clock from the earliest date on which a veteran physically entered a VA facility for treatment.

For example, if a veteran were to contact VA on April 1 to seek treatment, VA could offer an appointment date on April 16. If the veteran accepted the April 16 appointment and was actually treated in a VA clinic on April 16, VA would report that the veteran waited zero days for his or her treatment, as opposed to the actual 15-day waiting period.

As a result, OIG determined that VA's reports on wait times and treatments were neither accurate nor reliable, and called on the VA Undersecretary of Health to revise policies to clarify how patient scheduling and treatment should be tracked and identify staffing shortfalls that may impede timely treatment.

Senate VA Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash.,  and Ranking Member Richard Burr, R-S.C., called for the IG report. The results come less than a week after VA pledged to hire an additional 1,900 mental health care personnel to include marriage and family therapists and licensed professional mental health counselors.

VFW leaders were disturbed at the report that VA may have misled the public and the veterans’ community on how it delivers mental health care. Your VFW will continue to keep its finger on the pulse of this critical issue, putting pressure on VA officials and leaders in Congress to take decisive action. Check back regularly for updates.

VA Introduces VOW to Hire Heroes Act Web Site

The VA today launched a new Web site, highlighting the latest programs implemented through last year's VOW to Hire Heroes Act, the comprehensive veterans' employment bill that VFW helped sign into law.

The new site, benefits.va.gov/VOW,  focuses on four specific improvements to VA programs designed to help veterans find quality careers or hone the skills necessary to compete in a cut-throat civilian job market. Each section describes new programs in detail, offering specific eligibility information and policy changes that will allow veterans to more easily access available employment and job training resources.

Two of the most significant programs are the extension of additional G.I. Bill-style education benefits for unemployed veterans between the ages of 35-60 through the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, or VRAP, and the extension of additional Vocational Rehabilitation benefits for unemployed disabled veterans.

Unemployed veterans who qualify for VRAP will be offered an additional 12 months of education benefits to help develop new job skills. Program enrollment is limited to 45,000 veterans during fiscal year 2012, and to 54,000 participants from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014.

Department of Labor and VA will begin to accept applications for VRAP starting on May 12, 2012. Your VFW will keep you posted with details on how to apply.

Unemployed disabled veterans who have already completed Vocational Rehabilitation will also be eligible for an additional year of Voc Rehab benefits starting June 1, 2012, and VA is already accepting applications to participate in the new program.

The VFW has made veterans' employment a top priority for the last few years and scored a major victory for veterans with last year's passage of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act. With this in mind, we encourage all eligible veterans to learn about the new programs included in the law and take full advantage of the benefits and programs you have earned.

Watch Live: VFW to Testify on VA Claims Process

Update: To view the archived webcast of the hearing, click here, and to read highlights from the hearing, check out Military Times' coverage here.

This morning the House Committee on Veterans Affairs will host a hearing to examine the role of veterans' representatives throughout the VA disability claims process. Assistant Director for Veterans Benefits Policy Jim Wear will testify on behalf the VFW.

The hearing is scheduled to come to order at 10 a.m. in the committee's chambers, room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building. To watch the hearing live, click here.

During his remarks, Wear plans to fully outline how the 1,300 claims service officers accredited by the VFW help veterans navigate the complex VA disability claims process. Wear plans to highlight not only the 80-plus hours of training required of VFW service officers, but also the specific tasks with which service officers may assist veterans and dependents seeking service-connected benefits.

Wear also plans to discuss how the VFW's relationship has evolved with VA under the direction of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, and how the VFW believes transparency from the agency will improve outcomes in the future, helping to alleviate the current VA disability claims backlog.

To view a full list of witnesses from this morning's hearing and to read their submitted remarks, click here, and check back later today with this blog for updates from the hearing.

In 2011, the VFW's service officers helped more than 97,000 veterans and survivors receive more than $2 billion in compensation and pension benefits. VFW claims assistance is offered to all veterans free of charge at VA regional offices around the country. Veterans represented by the VFW were also more likely to be granted service-connection for their disabilities upon appeal than veterans represented by attorneys or veterans with no representation. To find a VFW claims service officer near you, click here.

Field Report: Nevada VFW Joins Veterans' Congressional Town Hall

Members of Congress are in their home districts this week, and VFW advocates are once again taking the opportunity to meet directly with their elected leaders on veterans’ issues.

Members of the VFW Department of Nevada, including Nevada Legislative Chairman Gil Hernandez, joined a Congressional veterans' town tall meeting with Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., in Elko, Nevada, on Tuesday, April 3.

Amodei took the time to hear from dozens of area veterans and veterans' advocates, who focused primarily on the VA disability claims backlog. Veterans reported that the VA Regional Office in Reno can take up to 300 days to properly process a disability claim for a veteran; more than double the 125-day benchmark VA has set for reasonable claims-processing.

Hernandez said that he believes the VA Regional Office in Salt Lake City faces similar backlog issues, but  that Salt Lake City was in the process of converting to a paperless claims system and streamlining their ratings decisions, which could result in better service and shorter wait times for Nevada's disabled veterans.

Amodei later took to the local news to discuss why the veterans' town hall was important to him.

"It seems to me that Congressman Amodei stands ready to help veterans in any way he can," said Hernandez after the event.

To submit your Field Reports for consideration on the VFW’s Capitol Hill blog, simply fill out our online form here, or send photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org. Information for this story was provided by Nevada VFW Legislative Chairman Gil Hernandez.

(Image: Nevada VFW Legislative Chairman Gil Hernandez poses for a photo with Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., and a fellow Nevada veteran during last week's veterans' town hall meeting in Elko. Photo courtesy of Gil Hernandez.) 

VFW Marine Completes Walk to Arlington

On Monday afternoon, VFW member and Marine Corps veteran Justin Kuhel walked onto the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery and into the arms of his mother, Nancy, completing a 17-day, 400-mile trek from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to help raise the nation's awareness of wounded veterans.

Kuhel, an active member of VFW Buckeye Post No. 1598 and a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, set out on the journey as a way to raise funds to support wounded veterans through the Wounded Warrior Project. Kuhel's goal was to raise $10,000 to support his brothers and sisters-in-arms, and surpassed his goal shortly after arriving at Arlington with a $2,000 pledge from Azalea Charities in Fairfax, Va.

VFW Washington Office staff were on hand to greet Kuhel as he reached his destination, and accompanied the Marine to Section 60 so he could pay his respects to a fallen comrade.

In order to successfully complete the journey, Kuhel walked about 25 miles each day, followed closely behind in a car by fellow Marine veteran Steve Stucky. Family, friends, veterans and supporters came out at points all along the journey to cheer on Kuhel, who proudly carried the American flag along his route.

Kuhel chronicled his journey via Facebook, posting photos and messages along the 400-mile route.

(Image: Marine Corps veteran and VFW member Justin Kuhel hugs his mother, Nancy, upon his arrival at Arlington National Cemetery, completing his 400-mile walk to support wounded veterans. Photo by Joe Davis.)

Watch Live: House Subcommittee Discusses VA Fiduciaries

*Update 1:45 p.m.: The archived webcast is now available here. 
*Update 11:05 a.m.: The hearing has reconvened. Tune in live now. 
*Update 10:13 a.m.: The hearing is in recess for votes in the House. We will keep you posted once the hearing reconvenes. 

This morning the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will host a hearing on the VA’s fiduciary system, which has come under scrutiny in recent years over concerns for severely disabled veterans’ financial interests.

The hearing commences at 10:00 a.m. in the committee’s chambers, room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building. To view the live webcast of the hearing, click here.

VA assigns fiduciaries to oversee VA benefits paid to severely disabled and incapacitated veterans incapable of managing the funds. However, a 2010 report from the VA’s Office of the Inspector General indicated that loopholes persist in the program that keep VA from properly auditing fiduciary accountings and prohibit VA from balancing delinquent accounts.

The VFW most recently testified on these inequities during last spring’s legislative hearing before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, calling for improvements to the program, and VFW advocates in Washington will be watching this morning’s proceedings closely in the House.

This morning’s panelists include Dave McLenachen, VA’s director of pension and fiduciary service, alongside fiduciaries who have been tasked to represent veterans’ financial interests. To view a full list of panelists, click here.

Prepared remarks for each panelist should be available later this week. VFW will keep you posted through this blog on this morning’s hearing. Check back for updates.