AMVETS APPLAUDS HOUSE PASSAGE OF 2011 VA BUDGET

LANHAM, Md., July 29, 2010—Last night the House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill by a vote of 411-6, providing VA for the coming year and advance appropriations for VA health care in 2012.

AMVETS leaders applauded the swift passage of the budget and called on the Senate to pass their version of the appropriations bill, ensuring timely delivery of the VA budget.
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AMERICAN VETERAN:
PENTAGON IDs MISSING SAILORS; AMVETS REACTS

This morning, Military Times reported that the two sailors captured last week by the Taliban in Afghanistan have been identified. One of the sailors was killed in the attack on the two men's armored sport utility vehicle in Logar province, Afghanistan on July 23. The Pentagon said that the July 23 incident is still under investigation.

"We owe it to our brave military men and women to ensure that no one is left behind on the battlefield and AMVETS hopes that the Pentagon and the State Department will exhaust any and all resources to make sure our POWs and those missing-in-action are brought home," said AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin. Full Story

AMVETS REACTS TO STOLEN VALOR RULING

LANHAM, Md., July 19, 2010—This weekend, a U.S. District Court in Colorado ruled that the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 was unconstitutional and that the false claims of military service by phony veteran Rick Strandlof qualified as protected free speech. Full Story

AMVETS APPLAUDS VA’S NEW PTSD RULES

VA Eases Evidence Requirements for PTSD Service-Connection

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2010—This week VA published new criteria for veterans seeking service-connected benefits and care for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. AMVETS applauded the rule change, which drops the “additional evidence” requirements for veterans suffering from the invisible wound. VA has published a Q&A on the new guidelines, which is available on the VA Web site by Clicking Here. Read Full Story

AMERICAN VETERAN: AMVETS ASKS FOR CLARIFICATION ON SERVICE DOGS

AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof sent a formal letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki asking for a formal update on VA's study of service dogs for wounded veterans and clarification on VA's outreach efforts on current benefits available to veterans using eligible service animals. Under the 2010 defense authorization, VA had 270 days to clarify how it would conduct its two-year study--a deadline which is approaching on July 8.

In the last few months, AMVETS and partner non-profit Paws With A Cause have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the issue with VA leadership and on Capitol Hill to ensure responsible implementation of veterans' service dog programs. Full Story.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR STUDENT-VET CENTER GRANTS

AMVETS helped to commission federal grant program for veterans returning to campus

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2010—The Department of Education is accepting applications for grants to commission student-veteran “centers of excellence” on college campuses nationwide. Full Story

AMVETS LEADERS VISIT MAINE VETERANS HOME

Earlier this month, AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Patty Piening paid a visit to the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor, Maine, prior to the 65th annual AMVETS Department of Maine convention.

Miskulin and Piening were joined by their fellow AMVETS for a tour of the facility and a luncheon where Kelley Kash, chief executive officer of the Maine Veterans Home, provided an overview of the state veterans' home program and discussed challenges facing the Maine home today. Full Story

ASK AMVETS QUESTIONS ON PROBLEMS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2010—This afternoon, AMVETS Communications Department will participate in a live online chat with the Washington Post, discussing the recent issues at Arlington National Cemetery, including this morning’s revelation of headstones discovered in a creek lining the cemetery. To ask your questions, Click Here.

VA ANNOUNCES CHANGE TO MEDICATION COPAYS FOR SOME VETERANS

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2010—As previously announced on January 7, 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs froze prescription copayment increases for six months. Veterans who generally have higher income and no service-connected disabilities - referred to as Priority Groups 7 and 8 Veterans - will now pay an additional $1 for each 30-day supply of outpatient medications. Taking effect July 1, the increase to $9 from $8 is the first change in VA’s medication copay since Jan. 1, 2006. Full Story

AMVETS SADDENED; UPSET BY MISMANAGEMENT AT ARLINGTON

Inspector General report finds more than 200 accountability issues, other deficiencies

Update: Army Commissions Hotline for Families

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2010—This afternoon, Army Secretary John McHugh and Army Inspector General, Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb, announced findings from a recent investigation, citing more than 200 “issues of accountability” on gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery, including two mismarked grave sites in Section 60, where heroes from the Global War on Terrorism are interned. Full Story

AMVETS SELECTS 2010 NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

AMVETS continues to help fund educational opportunities for veterans and their families

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2010—AMVETS, one of the nation’s largest and most inclusive veterans service organizations, announced the 2010 winners of its national scholarships, available to children and grandchildren of veterans currently in their senior year of high school, veterans seeking to further their personal education, and JROTC cadets seeking higher education. Full Story

AMVETS PAYS RESPECTS TO
FALLEN HEROES ON MEMORIAL DAY

Leaders participate in ceremonies at Arlington and around Washington, D.C.

On Memorial Day, AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Patty Piening joined Vice President Joe Biden, the nation's military brass, and leading veterans' advocates at Arlington National Cemetery to honor America's fallen heroes.

Throughout the day, AMVETS also participated in a variety of events around the nation's capitol ranging from the culmination of the annual Run for the Wall motorcycle ride to the national Memorial Day concert at the U.S. Capitol and the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. Full Story

TIME TO PULL THE PLUG ON THE JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER ALTERNATIVE ENGINE

Over the last few years, both the Bush and Obama Administrations have sought to remove funding for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s alternate engine program. As a leader in veterans’ advocacy for more than half a century, AMVETS supports this year’s latest efforts to kill funding for the alternate engine, meeting the needs of today’s military and relieving an unnecessary burden on the American taxpayer Full Story

AMVETS: “NO HASTY REPEAL OF DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL”

AMVETS calls for completion of Pentagon study before making legislative changes

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2010—This afternoon Congress is set to vote on an amendment to the 2011 defense budget that would set the stage to overturn the controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, or DADT, barring homosexuals from openly serving in the U.S. military. Full Story

eKNOWLEDGE & MLB PLAYERS HIT A GRAND SLAM WITH SAT & ACT TEST PREP

Kevin Youkilis joins eKnowledge sponsorship program offering FREE SAT/ACT Test Prep Programs to military families.

Atlanta, GA--May 4, 2010 Thanks to eKnowlege and patriotic professional athletes, free $200 SAT and ACT PowerPrep™ programs are available to military service members and their extended families. In its fifth consecutive year, the eKnowledge NFL and MLB sponsorship has donated over $30 million of SAT/ACT software programs to 142,000 recipients. Full Story

AMVETS LAUNCHES WARRIOR TRANSITION WORKSHOPS

National partnership with Freedom & Honor to benefit veterans coast to coast

ELKINS PARK, Pa., May 14, 2010—This afternoon AMVETS along with Freedom & Honor team launched the new national series of AMVETS Warrior Transition Workshops at Elkins Estate in Elkins Park, Pa. Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), and retired Army Maj. Gen. William Terpeluk joined AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin, Freedom & Honor program director Martin Richardson, and local veterans to introduce the new program. Full Story

AMERICAN VETERAN: AMVETS JOINS HOUSE SPEAKER FOR VETERANS’ ROUNDTABLE

Yesterday, AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof joined House leadership and the nation's top veterans' advocates for a roundtable discussion on veterans' issues.

The afternoon's discussion centered around the VA claims backlog (AMVETS' top legislative priority for 2010), Post-9/11 G.I. Bill updates, and veterans' unemployment. Veterans' groups were given the opportunity to candidly discuss each of the issues, receiving critical feedback on potential next steps from Congressional leaders. Full Story

VA CLARIFIES VETERANS’ ASSISTANCE DOG
POLICIES, OFFERING BENEFITS FOR NEW AND PREVIOUSLY-DENIED CLAIMS

AMVETS works with VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aides Services to Clarify Title 38 Entitlement

WASHINGTON, April 26, 2010—This week VA clarified a scarcely known benefit in Title 38, offering benefits to veterans using certain types of assistance dogs. AMVETS, which recently called attention to Title 38 Section 1714, successfully received guidelines from VA on how to properly file for the benefit. Full Story

AMERICAN VETERAN:
AMVETS SUPPORTS BOCCIERI/HUNTER RESOLUTION ON MILITARY FUNERALS

Last week, two Iraq veterans serving in Congress, Reps. John Boccieri (D-Ohio) and Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the Supreme Court to preserve privacy for military families mourning their loved ones. Full Story

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2010—AMVETS leaders were on hand this afternoon at the U.S. Capitol, alongside Congressional leaders to applaud today’s passage of the landmark veterans’ family caregiver bill by a vote of 419-0.
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