AMVETS JOINS HOUSE SPEAKER PELOSI FOR MILITARY/VETERANS’ ROUNDTABLE AMVETS discusses 2010 legislative priorities with House leader and nation’s other top military and veterans’ advocates WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2009—Today AMVETS leaders joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for a military retiree and veterans’ issues roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill. Critical discussion topics for AMVETS Deputy National Legislative Director Christina Roof included exacerbated military mental health issues, Post-9/11 G.I. Bill implementation and equity, female veterans’ issues, and transition issues from military to civilian life—all issues outlined in the upcoming AMVETS Legislative Priorities for the 111th Congress. READ MORE
COMMANDER MISKULIN'S VETERANS DAY MESSAGEREAD MORE
AMVETS REACTS TO VA’S SOLICITATION FOR G.I. BILL CONTRACTOR AMVETS calls it an unfortunate but necessary step to ensuring veterans receive benefits on time
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2009—This morning, VA announced its solicitation for a private contractor to assist the department in filing Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) claims. AMVETS, which helped call attention to the daunting payment delays, applauded VA for taking necessary action to fix the G.I. Bill issues, but labeled the move as unfortunate step to ensuring timely delivery of the new benefit. READ MORE
AMVETS, DEVRY UNIVERSITY HELP FUND VETERANS’ AND THEIR FAMILIES’ FUTURES Six veterans and four veterans’ family members earn 2009 fall scholarships
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2009— AMVETS, one of the nation’s largest and most inclusive veterans service organization, announced the ten fall scholarship winners for the AMVETS–DeVry University Scholarship Program. READ MORE
AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin (gold cover) looks on as President Obama address guests and media at yesterday’s historic bill signing. Photo by Ryan Gallucci
PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS ADVANCE VA FUNDING BILL AMVETS, nation’s top veterans’ organizations on hand to mark monumental step in assuring sufficient, timely and predictable funding for VA health care WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2009—Today President Barack Obama signed a bill into law authorizing Congress to finance veterans’ health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs one fiscal year in advance—the Veterans Health Care Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin was on hand at the White House with leaders from other top veterans’ organizations for the monumental signing. READ MORE
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AMVETS’ VETERANS HEALTH CARE PETITION TO CONGRESS
PASSES 5,000 SIGNATURES MARK AMVETS recently mailed a petition to its members calling for signatures in support of Petition #09-39 to the U.S. Congress. If you have already received your petition by mail but have not yet responded, please join us today in demanding Congress provide the sufficient, timely and predictable funding VA needs to give our returning heroes the care they deserve. You may read the petition here.
FROM THE BLOG:
AMVETS NATIONAL COMMANDER VISITS WITH LEADERS ON CAPITOL HILL WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2009—For the last two days, AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin has been meeting with leaders in the Senate and House committees on Veterans Affairs on Capitol Hill. Yesterday, Miskulin met with Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-N.C.), hand-delivering a copy of AMVETS' 2010 legislative agenda to each senator.
Following a quick meeting with Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Steve Buyer (R-Indiana), Miskulin delivered remarks during a special memorandum signing in the Cannon House Office Building. READ MORE
Commander Miskulin meets with Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) on Tuesday Oct. 20 to hand deliver a copy of AMVETS’ 2010 legislative agenda.
FROM THE BLOG:
POST-9/11 G.I. BILL UPDATE: VA CONTACTING VETERANS ABOUT THEIR BENEFITS VA announced that it will be making phone calls to student-veterans who have applied for Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) benefits throughout the week. The calls are designed to ensure that enrolled veterans understand the new benefits and that they are receiving their entitlements in a timely manner. READ MORE
SECRETARY SHINSEKI DESIGNATES 41 REGIONAL VETERANS DAY SITES WASHINGTON – As Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced today the designation of 41 regional Veterans Day observances. These sites are model community events for the observance of Veterans Day 2009. READ MORE
SECRETARY SHINSEKI ANNOUNCES NEW GRAVESITE LOCATOR National Cemeteries and Veterans Buried in Private Cemeteries
WASHINGTON (Oct. 16, 2009) – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made the gravesites of more than 6.7 million Veterans easier to locate using handheld devices with Internet capability, such as “smart phones.” READ MORE
AMVETS HONORS OHIO VETERAN By Leonard Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
COSHOCTON, OHIO (Oct. 16, 2009) - George Leach, of Coshocton, second from left, was honored Thursday at AMVETS Post 36 of Coshocton for having attended 1,000 military funerals as part of the Coshocton Honor Guard. Presenting Leach with certificates and a trophy for his achievement from left are Coshocton County Veterans Service Commission President Jack Patterson, AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin and AMVETS Ohio Commander Merle Pratt.
VA EXTENDS "AGENT ORANGE" BENEFITS TO MORE VETERANS Parkinson's Disease, Two other Illnesses Recognized
WASHINGTON (Oct. 13, 2009) – Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange. READ MORE
VETERANS' PARTNERSHIP HAILS HISTORIC HOUSE VOTE ON VETERANS HEALTH CARE FUNDING REFORM House passes advance appropriations 149-1. Bill moves on to Senate.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009—The following statement was released on behalf of the Partnership for Veterans Health Care Budget Reform, comprised of The American Legion, AMVETS, Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vietnam Veterans of America: READ MORE
FROM THE BLOG: POST-9/11 G.I. BILL UPDATE: VA VIDEO ON ADVANCE PAYMENTS WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2009— VA released a video explaining the G.I. Bill emergency stipend program. In the video, VA Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Tammy Duckworth apologizes to veterans experiencing payment delays and explains how affected student-veterans can take advantage of the advance pay system.
This afternoon, AMVETS received messages from veterans who registered online to receive emergency stipend checks but have not received payment. AMVETS urges veterans to be patient with the process. READ MORE
AMVETS HELPS VETERANS PROCESS COMPENSATION CLAIMS By Raymond Castile
Electricity fried Frank Nagle's military career nine months into his first tour. Nagle, 51, looked forward to life as a "military person" when he joined the Navy in January 1975. His life took an unexpected turn in September 1975. READ MOREClick here to locate your local AMVETS National Service Officer
FROM THE BLOG: EMERGENCY G.I. BILL PAYMENTS GOING SMOOTHLY AMVETS Service Officers report positive news from regional offices around the country; VA presents preliminary numbers
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2009—This morning, VA's 57 regional offices across the country started distributing checks to student-veterans experiencing G.I. Bill payment delays. AMVETS National Service officers were on hand at regional offices monitoring the situation and AMVETS National Headquarters has received updates throughout the morning.READ MORE
AMVETS APPLAUDS DIGITAL OPTION FOR EMERGENCY G.I. BILL CHECKS VA to allow veterans to register online for advance payments WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2009—Yesterday, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki announced that VA will allow student-veterans seeking to take advantage of the G.I. Bill emergency payments to register for their checks online, rather than forcing veterans to visit a VA regional office outside of reasonable commuting distance to collect payment. READ MORE
VA OFFERS EMERGENCY LIVING STIPENDS FOR STUDENT-VETS AMVETS, which first suggested advance payments of living stipends to affected student-veterans, applauds VA’s swift decision to offer $3,000 for veterans waiting on Post-9/11 G.I. Bill claims WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2009— VA Secretary Eric Shinseki announced that VA will offer student-veterans experiencing Post-9/11 G.I. Bill payment delays $3,000 in advance payment to make ends meet while VA sorts out the delays. READ MORE
