Monday, February 27, 2012
New Jersey Aims To Open Veterans Haven North At Hagedorn This Summer
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie “announced plans last week to convert the Sen. Garrett W. Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital in Lebanon Township into a second such facility: Veterans Haven North.” Christie allocated “$2.3 million in state money to use 100 of Hagedorn’s 288 beds for the program, but provided few other details.” A spokesperson for Christie “said the governor would release more information later this week.”
Friday, February 24, 2012
Annual march Saturday to honor 82nd Airborne's role in Battle of Bulge
Stars and Stripes
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The 82nd Airborne Division in World War II played a central role in the Battle of the Bulge, with paratroops fighting in or near scores of Belgian towns.
On Saturday, some of those towns, such as Thier du Mont, Arbrefontaine and Goronne, will be revisited as part of an annual hike in southeastern Belgium that commemorates the division’s part in that epic battle. The focus this time is on the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
A similar trek occurs every December in Bastogne to honor 101st Airborne Division units.
This week’s walk “in the footsteps of the 82nd Airborne Division,” as the event is advertised, covers a distance of 24 kilometers, or about 15 miles. The 2012 route is one of five courses in a rotation used for the annual tribute, now in its 30th year.
“It doesn’t have the same atmosphere as the Bastogne march,” said Thomas Goode, a Ramstein High School teacher and regular participant. “We really are in the woods. You get the feeling for what it was really like back then.”
The 2012 trek to honor the successes and sacrifices of the 82nd begins at 9 a.m. in the village of Goronne. As always, Emile Lacroix, who founded the event, expects to be on hand, as well as a couple of World War II veterans from the 82nd Airborne Division, Ray Fary and Dirk Field. Both have traveled to Belgium before to participate in the annual walk. Field is a veteran of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, while Fary was assigned to the 80th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Lacroix said. A third veteran expected to participate is Gene Garren. Garren was severely wounded in Vietnam while serving with a U.S. Special Forces unit. Last year, Garren needed 11 hours to cover the distance, but supporters stayed behind to cheer him on, Lacroix said.
U.S. forces in the area of the battle to be covered in this year’s walk were on the defensive, offensive and going on raids, such as the assault on Noirfontaine farm, a German army stronghold. The old farm is along this year’s route. Also on the itinerary is Their-du-Mont, where a strategic hill changed hands a couple of times during the war.
“It was a very bitter battle,” Lacroix said.
The annual walk regularly draws roughly a thousand people, from families to WWII re-enactors. Hot soup will be served halfway through the hike and hot wine at the finish line. A certificate of participation is also provided. There is a 6-euro registration fee at the start of the walk.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Personalized VA Health Benefits Book Now Available
I would be impressed if any Veteran could sit and write down every VA medical benefit to which they’re entitled, and just as important, the benefits which they aren’t qualified to receive. There’s all kinds of things you may not know about, or don’t know enough to determine your own eligibility.
It’s a challenge I’ve experienced myself. What can I get? What can I not get? Who do I need to call at my local facility? I’ve heard the same thing from my buddies in VA care. Luckily, VA has (literally) written the book of medical benefits tailored specifically to you.
VA’s Health Benefits Handbook has already arrived at the doorstep for Veterans in Priority Group 1. The flow will continue through the different priority groups through the middle of next year. Of the 13 chapters of medical benefits information and resources, eight will contain information specially made for the recipient.
The book will explain which Priority Group the Veteran belongs to and why, the facility address and phone number they belong to, a sheet of available benefits at a glance, copay information, and more.
For female Veterans, gender-specific scheduling information and resources will be detailed, as well as the fee basis for care outside VA’s system.
A sample health benefits book is available to check out online.
This is a first for VA, and an overdue step in clarifying what Veterans know about their own health benefits. Many Veterans commented that they weren’t aware of various programs, so hopefully this book will help clear up confusion—and get more Vets the care they both need and deserve.
Have you received your book in the mail? Let us know what you think, or what needs to be included in the next iteration. And if you find something wrong, or need to find out more information, call the health eligibility line at 877-222-VETS.
by Alex Horton
It’s a challenge I’ve experienced myself. What can I get? What can I not get? Who do I need to call at my local facility? I’ve heard the same thing from my buddies in VA care. Luckily, VA has (literally) written the book of medical benefits tailored specifically to you.
VA’s Health Benefits Handbook has already arrived at the doorstep for Veterans in Priority Group 1. The flow will continue through the different priority groups through the middle of next year. Of the 13 chapters of medical benefits information and resources, eight will contain information specially made for the recipient.
The book will explain which Priority Group the Veteran belongs to and why, the facility address and phone number they belong to, a sheet of available benefits at a glance, copay information, and more.
For female Veterans, gender-specific scheduling information and resources will be detailed, as well as the fee basis for care outside VA’s system.
A sample health benefits book is available to check out online.
This is a first for VA, and an overdue step in clarifying what Veterans know about their own health benefits. Many Veterans commented that they weren’t aware of various programs, so hopefully this book will help clear up confusion—and get more Vets the care they both need and deserve.
Have you received your book in the mail? Let us know what you think, or what needs to be included in the next iteration. And if you find something wrong, or need to find out more information, call the health eligibility line at 877-222-VETS.
by Alex Horton
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Fort Harrison Chosen To Help Decrease Backlog Of Veterans’ Disability Claims
The Veterans Benefit Administration “regional office at Fort Harrison is one of three sites nationwide chosen to help decrease the backlog of veterans’ claims for disability and education benefits.” On Wednesday, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told US Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester (D) that the Fort Harrison office “along with sites in Wichita, Kan., and Milwaukee, Wis., will help test the VA’s proposal to streamline the claims process.” Tester said it could result in “seven new jobs” at Fort Harrison. At present, the VA has a “backlog of about 600,000 claims pending for over 125 days.”
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