VA Announces Contract for New Denver VA Medical Center
Spinal Cord Injury Center to Be Part of the Complex

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a $580.2 million construction contract to build the Denver VA Medical Center (VAMC) replacement facility on the same campus as the University of Colorado Hospital complex in Aurora, site of the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.
“This new medical center will not only help provide Veterans with the care they have earned, it will create good-paying jobs that benefit the local economy,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.
The new 182-bed medical center will include inpatient tertiary care and ambulatory care, a 30-bed Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder Center, a 30-bed nursing home community living center, a research building, and parking structures.
The medical center will employ approximately 2,000 people and serve approximately 82,700 veterans.
The construction component of the contract totaling $580.2 million was awarded to Kiewit-Turner Joint Venture from Englewood, Colo., on Nov. 17. The facility will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certified, making the most of renewable energy initiatives. More than 6,300 jobs will be created during the construction of the medical center.
The completion date of the hospital is scheduled for early 2015
 

DENVER - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) has awarded West Second Street Associates a 10-year lease to build and house Valor Point, a 40-bed Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) site.

Valor Point, scheduled to open in May 2012, will be located at 7350 W. Eastman Place, Lakewood, Colorado. The site offers 3.64 acres of land in a park-like setting and includes a 26,000 square foot existing building which will be renovated to meet the needs of Valor Point.

Denver is one of five locations nationwide to receive VA funding for construction of a new DCHV as part of VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki’s 5 year plan to eliminate homelessness among Veterans. Valor Point will identify homeless and at-risk Veterans who need residential treatment to overcome barriers to housing and provide them with transitional, recovery-focused treatment that increases their independent living skills so that they can obtain and maintain housing upon graduation.

Services for Veterans in the treatment program will include psychosocial rehabilitation, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, vocational counseling, and medical care. Residents of Valor Point are likely to stay for four to six months in the domiciliary, after which, they will transition to independent housing.

West Second Street Associates, founded in 1993, is a Michigan based Limited Liability Company that specializes in real estate development and long-term management of high quality General Services Administration buildings throughout the United States.

# # # #

RAY CITY, Ga. — April and Tom Marcum were high school sweethearts who married after graduation. For years, she recalls, he was a doting husband who would leave love notes for her to discover on the computer or in her purse. Now the closest thing to notes that they exchange are the reminders she set up on his cellphone that direct him to take his medicine four times a day.

'Since Mr. Marcum came back in 2008 from two tours in Iraq with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, his wife has quit her job as a teacher to care for him. She has watched their life savings drain away. And she has had to adjust to an entirely new relationship with her husband, who faces a range of debilitating problems including short-term memory loss and difficulties with impulse control and anger.

“The biggest loss is the loss of the man I married,” Ms. Marcum said, describing her husband now as disconnected on the best days, violent on the worst ones. “His body’s here, but his mind is not here anymore. I see glimpses of him, but he’s not who he was.”

Ms. Marcum has joined a growing community of spouses, parents and partners who, confronted with damaged loved ones returning from war who can no longer do for themselves, drop most everything in their own lives to care for them. Jobs, hobbies, friends, even parental obligations to young children fall by the wayside. Families go through savings and older parents dip into retirement funds.

Even as they grieve over a family member’s injuries, they struggle to adjust to new routines and reconfigured relationships.

The new lives take a searing toll. Many of the caregivers report feeling anxious, depressed or exhausted. They gain weight and experience health problems. On their now-frequent trips to the pharmacy, they increasingly have to pick up prescriptions for themselves as well.

While taking comfort that their loved ones came home at all, they question whether they can endure the potential strain of years, or even decades, of care.

“I’ve packed my bags, I’ve called my parents and said I’m coming home,” said Andrea Sawyer, whose husband has been suicidal since returning from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder. “But I don’t. I haven’t ever physically walked out of the house.”

Those attending to the most severely wounded must help their spouses or adult children with the most basic daily functions. Others, like Ms. Marcum, act as safety monitors, keeping loved ones from putting themselves in danger. They drive them to endless medical appointments and administer complicated medication regimens.

One of the most frustrating aspects of life now, they say, is the bureaucracy they face at the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, from problems with the scheduling of medical appointments to being bounced around among different branches of the system, forcing them to become navigators and advocates for their loved ones.

A variety of care services are offered to the severely injured. But many family members do not want their loved ones in nursing homes and find home health services often unsatisfactory or unavailable.

Despite Ms. Marcum’s cheerful manner and easy laugh, she has started taking antidepressants and an anti-anxiety medication when needed. She has developed hypertension, takes steroids for a bronchial ailment that may be stress related and wears braces to relieve a jaw problem.

“I just saw all of my dreams kind of vanishing,” she said.

Over the past few years, advocacy organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project lobbied Congress to enact a law providing direct financial compensation and other benefits to family caregivers of service members. In 2010 they succeeded, and by mid-September, the veterans agency had approved 1,222 applications, with average monthly stipends of $1,600 to $1,800. Caregivers can also receive health insurance and counseling.

“We know it doesn’t replace full lost income,” said Deborah Amdur, who oversees caregiver support for the agency. “It’s really a recognition of the kinds of sacrifices that are being made.”

While families express deep gratitude for the help, questions remain about who will qualify and how compensation is determined, advocates for veterans say. Furthermore, the law applies only to caregivers of service members injured in the line of duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, eliminating help for thousands who served in earlier conflicts.

And the emotional strain is still palpable as families struggle to adjust to what many call their “new normal.”

In a reversal of the classic situation in which adult children help out ailing parents, a substantial number of the caregivers of post- Sept. 11 service members are parents caring for their adult children.

Rosie Babin, 51, was managing an accounting office when a bullet tore through her son Alan’s abdomen in 2003. She and her husband rushed to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and stayed at his side when Alan, then 22, arrived from Iraq. He lost 90 percent of his stomach and part of his pancreas. His kidneys shut down and he had a stroke, leaving him with brain damage. He eventually underwent more than 70 operations and spent two years in hospitals, his mother said.

Ms. Babin fought efforts by the military to put her son in a nursing home, insisting that he go into a rehabilitation facility instead, and then managed to care for him at home.

But since her son’s injuries, her doctor has put her on blood pressure medication and sleeping pills. Now, while deeply grateful for her son’s remarkable recovery — he gets around in a wheelchair and has regained some speech — she sadly remembers the days when she looked forward to travel and dance lessons with her husband. Instead, she helps Alan get in and out of bed, use the bathroom and shower.

“I felt like I went from this high-energy, force-to-be-reckoned-with businesswoman,” she said, “to a casualty of war. And I was working furiously at not feeling like a victim of war.”

Research on the caregivers of service members from the post-Sept. 11 era is just beginning, said Joan M. Griffin, a research investigator with the Minneapolis V.A. Health Care System who is leading one such study. (The V.A. estimates that 3,000 families will benefit from the new caregiver program; 92 percent of the caregivers approved so far are women.)

What makes the population of patients receiving care different, Ms. Griffin said, is their relative youth. “The V.A. has not had a significant influx of patients of this age group since Vietnam,” she said, with a result that caregivers are looking at a “long horizon of providing care.” And one in five returning service members, a previous study found, report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression.

Ms. Griffin’s research shows that many family members spend more than 40 hours a week providing care. Half feel that they do not have a choice.

“They feel stuck,” Ms. Griffin said.

Some walk away.

For Ms. Marcum, 37 — who has an 18-year marriage and two sons, ages 14 and 11, with Tom, 36 — there was never a question of leaving. “I’m his wife and it’s my job, whether he’s hurt or not, to make sure he’s O.K.,” she said.

When she first asked for a leave of absence from work to care for him, she expected it would be for just a few weeks, while doctors got to the bottom of the migraines keeping him in bed for days on end. When he was up, he often seemed confused and sometimes slurred his speech. After 12 years in the Air Force, where he worked as a weapons specialist, he was suddenly having trouble taking a phone message or driving home from the base.

Mr. Marcum, who endured several mortar attacks in Iraq, one of which knocked him unconscious, eventually was given diagnoses of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“My wife, I would imagine, probably felt as if she was a single parent for a while,” said Mr. Marcum, who is now medically retired from the Air Force. “She had to raise two boys. And now at times she probably thinks that she’s raising three boys,” he added with a laugh.

Ms. Marcum has found relief at a weekend retreat for military wives in her situation, and on a private Facebook page where caregivers vent, offer emotional support and swap practical advice. Participants say online communities like these are often more supportive than their extended families, who sometimes retreat in the face of such overwhelming change.

Financially, at least, things are looking up for the Marcum family. Ms. Marcum was awarded the highest tier of coverage through the veterans agency’s new caregiver program, giving her a monthly stipend of $1,837. Physical, occupational and speech therapy have all helped Mr. Marcum improve, but she worries that his progress has plateaued.

“We kind of have been in the same spot for a while,” Ms. Marcum said.

As proud as she is of her husband’s service, Ms. Marcum feels guilty that neither of them now works, and hopes that one day she will again hold down a job, while continuing to care for him. She pictures herself working somewhere relaxed, like a Hallmark store, where she could chat with people and help them with cards and gifts. It would be an escape, she said, from the stress at home.

When: SAT., SEPT. 17, 2011, from 7:30 am –4:30 pm
Where: WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES AIR & SPACE MUSEUM 7711 East Academy Boulevard Denver, CO 80230-6929
All women Veterans are invited to join us for a day of learning, networking, and rejuve-nation. Free lunch will be provided. The event includes such activities and services as: Update and details of benefits and services from VA Colorado Workforce Development services and job search assistance Education and GI Bill benefit opportunities Workshops on health, education, employment and life skills Housing programs and preventing homelessness
COLORADO WOMEN VETERANS CONFERENCE AND
HEALTHFAIR EXPO 2011

Online Registration is open!
www.cowomenveteransconference.org

This event for women Veterans is a collaborative effort of several community partners whose mission is to serve women and Veterans:
US Dept of Veterans Affairs-Eastern Colorado Healthcare System Women Veterans Program and Denver VA Regional Office, US Dept of Health and Human Services-Office on Women’s Health Region VIII, US Dept of Labor-Women’s Bureau, US General Services Administration-Mountain Plains Service Center, US Housing and Urban Development-Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, CO Division of Veterans Affairs, CO State Board of Veterans Affairs, CO State Dept of Labor and Employment, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1, The Women’s College at the University of Denver, Volunteers of America, Denver Hospice, Challenge America, Stars and Stripes Marketing, Women Veterans of Colorado, and many more friends, sponsors and organiza-tions hosting tables providing information and services all day during the event.
REGISTER NOW!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2011

VA Expands Outreach to Women Veterans
Department Hosts 5th National Summit in D.C.
WASHINGTON – Over 700 participants plan to attend the Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans’ Issues scheduled July 16-17 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki will give remarks to open the summit this Saturday, which will focus on expanding outreach to women Veterans and increasing awareness of the enhanced VA benefits and services available to them.
“With more women serving in our armed forces than ever before, this summit is an opportunity to exchange ideas and focus attention on the issues and concerns unique to women Veterans,” Shinseki said. “Today, there are over 1.8 million women Veterans of all eras and one of VA’s highest priorities is to continue to expand our services and outreach to ensure they receive the care and benefits they have earned.”
This is the first time VA will provide targeted training, education, and collaborative cross training for its staff responsible for providing services and benefits specifically to women Veterans and their families. Participants include: women Veterans, women Veteran advocates from across the nation, active duty women service members (to include those in the Reserves and National Guard) VA employees who provide care to women Veterans, and representatives from a multitude of Veterans service organizations and nonprofit agencies. VA Medical Centers employ women Veterans program managers; community-based outpatient clinics employ a women’s liaison; and VA regional offices employ a women Veterans coordinator.

-More-

Women Veterans Summit 2/2/2/2

"The number of women Veterans using VA health care has doubled in the last decade,” said Patricia Hayes, chief consultant of VA’s Women Veterans Health Strategic Health Care Group. “This training, coupled with direct feedback from women Veterans, will enable VA to continue to enhance health care and services to meet their needs.”
Today, over 200,000 women are serving in the armed forces. About 11 percent of the U.S. forces currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are women. Recognizing the valor, service and sacrifice of America’s 1.7 million women Veterans, VA has stepped up its outreach efforts to women Veterans to increase their awareness of the comprehensive array of VA benefits and programs. Women Veterans are entitled to the same benefits and medical care as their male counterparts, including health care, disability compensation, education assistance, work-study allowance, vocational rehabilitation, employment and counseling services, insurance, home loan benefits, nursing home care, survivor benefits and various burial benefits.
In addition, VA also has a multitude of gender specific services and programs that respond to the unique needs of women Veterans, including pap smears, mammography, general reproductive health care, counseling for substance abuse, sexual trauma, depression, and evaluation and treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For more information about VA visit the website at www.va.gov and its Center for Women Veterans at http://www.va.gov/womenvet.
 

VA Expands Support for Families of Low-Income Veterans

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today an important program designed to provide enhanced services to low-income Veterans and their families who are at risk of being homeless. Under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, VA will provide grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives that will help break the cycle of homelessness among America’s Veterans at risk.
The program will deliver grants to community agencies for vocational and rehabilitation counseling, employment and training service, educational assistance; and health care services.
Agencies will also provide direct financial assistance for daily living, transportation, child care, rent and utilities and other expenses. Agencies may also propose funding for additional services in their supportive services grant application based on the specific needs of their communities and local Veterans.
“Ending homelessness for Veterans and their families will require all segments of our communities to work together,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “I am pleased this new program will help more local organizations support them when they need it most.”
“This new program will provide valuable new tools in our campaign to end homelessness among Veterans and their families,” said Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “Partnering with homeless agencies across this country, we will attack the problems that underlie homelessness and, for the first time, fund services for the spouses and children of homeless Veterans.”
By mid-December, VA officials will provide local agencies with the instructions necessary to apply for grants under the program.
Eligible Veteran families include those who are residing in permanent housing, are homeless and scheduled to become residents of permanent housing within a specified time period, or who have left permanent housing and are seeking other housing that is responsive to such very low-income Veteran family’s needs and preferences.
The program is available for public viewing at  http://www.ofr.gov/.
 

VA Health System Shines in Quality-of-Care Study

WASHINGTON -- A report in the November issue of the national publication Medical Care finds that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system generally outperforms the private sector in following recommended processes for patient care.
“This report is strong evidence of the advancements VA continues to make in improving health care over the past 15 years,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “The systems and quality-improvement measures VA actively uses are second to none, and the results speak for themselves.”
A research team with VA, RAND Corp. (a non-profit research institution) and two universities reviewed 36 studies published between 1990 and 2009. While the review did not include studies of surgical care, it did cover a range of studies of diseases common among Veterans, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.
The study authors, led by Dr. Amal Trivedi of the Providence, R.I., VA Medical Center and Brown University, cite possible reasons for VA’s more positive performance, including integration of health care settings, use of performance measures with an accountability framework, disease-management practices and electronic medical record or health information technology. Among the specific findings of the review were:
• Nine studies comparing VA and non-VA care in general showed greater adherence to accepted processes of care—or better health outcomes—in VA.
• Five studies of mortality following a heart attack or other coronary event found similar survival rates in VA and non-VA settings.
• Three studies of care after a heart attack found greater rates of evidence-based drug therapy in VA; one found lower use of clinically appropriate angiography (blood vessel imaging) in VA.
• Three studies of diabetes care found VA to have better adherence to guidelines.
• Three studies found higher rates of vaccination against flu and pneumonia for the elderly in VA.
To gain greater insight into differences between VA and non-VA care and to also identify ways to improve VA care even further, the authors recommend continuing research with even more recent data. They also say there’s a need for studies that compare VA specifically to high-performing private health care systems, rather than to a broad cross section of non-VA facilities.
Collaborating with Trivedi on the review were co-authors affiliated with RAND, the University of California-Los Angeles and the Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center.
For more information about VA health care, visit www.va.gov/health. To learn more about VA research, go to www.research.va.gov.

Department of Veterans Affairs Hosts Annual Women Veterans Gala

DENVER - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Eastern Colorado Health Care System’s Women Veterans Clinic will host its 14th Annual Women’s Veteran Gala and Health Expo on Saturday November 13 from 9:00 a.m. - noon at the Denver VA Medical Center Auditorium, 1055 Clermont Street, Denver.

This event is specifically designed to reach women Veterans, help them identify their VA benefits, and provide services that may be needed. Among the services at the Health Expo are screenings for blood pressure and height/weight for body mass index (BMI), assistance for smoking prevention and cessation, Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom specific information, and flu shots for those who meet the criteria.

Representatives from the Denver VA Medical Center, the Vet Center, the Department of Labor and local area colleges will also be attending with information on services, benefits, and education opportunities available to woman veterans.

Denver VA Medical Center Joins Consortium to Study Military Suicide

DENVER - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Eastern Colorado Health Care System announced today that it has joined a $17 million Military Suicide Research Consortium (MSRC). The consortium, established by the Military Operational Medicine Research Program (MOMRP) is part of an ongoing strategy to integrate and synchronize DoD and civilian efforts in implementing a multidisciplinary research approach to suicide prevention.
“The innovative, multidisciplinary approach of the MSRC facilitates rapid translation and dissemination of cutting-edge suicide research findings,” said Col. Carl Castro, MOMRP director. “This capability will enhance the military’s ability to quickly identify those at risk for suicide and will result in more effective evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies.”
Internationally recognized suicide researchers Peter Gutierrez, Ph.D. of the VA’s Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the Denver VA Medical Center and Thomas Joiner, Ph.D. of Florida State University will serve as co-directors of the MSRC. Each affiliated institution has been awarded $8.5 million over three years to address this urgent public health issue across the military as well as the general population.
“Assessing risk for suicide has been the focus of extensive research in the civilian sector,” said Gutierrez. “However, very little is currently known about how relevant existing tools are when applied to the military. The consortium will allow us to determine how best to screen and assess personnel, develop effective interventions and ultimately reduce suicides.”
Beyond the data are the lives of Soldiers and families these scientists hope to someday touch. “Soldiers see a lot of violence, they see death, they see the people who are closest to them in the world get killed, and they themselves are often seriously injured,” Joiner observes. “There’s no doubt that the trauma of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq plays a role, but that doesn’t explain why some Soldiers take their own lives and others who share the same experience don’t.”
Castro expects Joiner and Gutierrez’s research to yield new scientific data on suicidal behavior in the military and to provide the scientific basis for policy recommendations and clinical practice guidelines.

New Medical Forms Will Streamline Veterans Claims Process

Physician Questionnaires to Boost Disability Exam Efficiency

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released three new disability benefits questionnaires for physicians of Veterans applying for VA disability compensation benefits. This initiative marks the beginning of a major reform of the physicians’ guides and automated routines that will streamline the claims process for injured or ill Veterans.

“This is a major step in the transformation of VA’s business processes that is yielding improvements for Veterans as we move to eliminate the disability claims backlog by 2015,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

These new questionnaires are the first of 79 disability benefits questionnaires that will guide Veterans’ personal physicians, as well as VA physicians, in the evaluation of the most frequent medical conditions affecting Veterans.

Accurate and timely medical evaluations are a critical element of VA’s continued commitment to high-quality and prompt decisions about the nature and degree of conditions afflicting Veterans. Streamlining this process by directly involving Veterans’ treating physicians in providing specific information needed to evaluate their claims will lead to completeness in the examination and faster compensation decisions.

VA’s goal is to process all claims in fewer than 125 days with a decision quality rate no lower than 98 percent, a mark Secretary Shinseki has mandated by 2015. The physician questionnaire project is one of more than three dozen initiatives actively underway at VA, including a major technology modernization that will lead to paperless claims processing.

The disability benefits questionnaires are part of VA’s automated health records system which prompts VA physicians conducting disability examinations to include precise information in a standardized way to assist claims adjudicators in ensuring

Veterans receive the benefits they deserve as quickly as possible. These VA examination results are electronically available to claims adjudicators in VA regional offices.

For Veterans who receive their care from private physicians, VA has placed the disability benefits questionnaires on its Internet site (http://www.vba.va.gov/disabilityexams) with instructions for physicians to submit examination results on Veterans’ behalf.

The first three questionnaires cover B-cell leukemia (such as hairy-cell leukemia), Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease. VA recently published a final regulation to be implemented Oct. 30 that will establish the presumption of eligibility to VA disability compensation benefits for Veterans with one of these three conditions who were exposed to Agent Orange, a herbicide agent used extensively in Vietnam.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war who have a “presumed” illness do not have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” establishes eligibility to VA compensation if their condition is disabling to a compensable level.

For additional information on the VA disability compensation program or additional presumptive disabilities for Veterans exposed to herbicide agents, contact VA at 800-827-1000 or visit http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm.

Denver 2010 Veterans Day Parade and
5K Race Now Accepting Entries
 

DENVER, CO ¬— August 30, 2010—Denver will celebrate Veterans Day 2010 by saluting veterans at its Annual Veterans Day Parade and 5K Veterans Day Race on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Groups that want to sign up to march in the parade and salute veterans can review rules and complete an application by visiting www.denvergov.org/veterans . The last day to submit an application to march in the parade is Oct. 15. All groups requesting to march must receive written approval from the Parade Chairman prior to marching.

Runners and walkers that want to sign up to participate in the Denver Veterans Day 5K Race can sign up by visiting www.DVD5K.com . The last day to pre-register for the race with a complimentary t-shirt and all day parking pass for the race and parade is Friday, Oct. 29, however, race only registrations will be accepted on race day. The race benefits the Metro State Army ROTC Running Club and the Rippetoe Foundation honoring Army Ranger CPT Rippetoe who was killed in action in Iraq.

The race will begin at 8 a.m. on the Auraria Campus Downtown Denver, with race packet pick-up beginning at 6 a.m. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. in downtown Denver near the State Capitol building.

The Veterans Day Parade is coordinated by the Denver United Veterans Council and Denver County Veteran Services Office. The 5K Veterans Day Parade is hosted by the Metro State Army ROTC.

      July 4 to July 10, 2010, the Mile High City will host one of the most strenuous and spirited athletic competitions in the world. More than 500 disabled athletes from across the United States, Puerto Rico and Great Britain will arrive to compete in the 30th National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

    The Games, presented each year by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), are open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition because of spinal cord injuries, certain neurological conditions, amputations or other mobility impairments.

    The 2010 event will be hosted by the VA Medical Center in Denver and the Mountain States Chapter of PVA. The theme for the 2010 Games – “Games with Heart, A Mile High” reflects the athletes’ enduring spirit and the Mile High City.

    The National Veterans Wheelchair Games’ events will take place at the Colorado Convention Center, the Apex Meyers swimming pool, the Cherry Creek Family Shooting Center and other venues in Denver.

Further information about this event can be obtained at:  http://www.mscpva.org/nvwg.html

Burr Resolution Recognizing Day to Honor Vietnam Veterans Passes Senate
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, March 19, 2010

CONTACT:
David Ward (202) 228-1616
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, announced that a resolution he introduced encouraging communities across the nation to establish “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” was passed unanimously by the United States Senate. The resolution designates March 30, 2010, as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day,” to honor the return home of our armed service members after serving in Vietnam.

“There’s no question that our troops served our country bravely and faithfully during the Vietnam War, and these veterans deserve our recognition and gratitude,” Burr said. “Tragically, when these service members returned home, they were caught in the crossfire of public debate about our nation’s involvement in the Vietnam War. As a result, these brave men and women never received the welcome home and gratitude they fully deserved.”

The United States became involved in Vietnam because policy-makers believed that if South Vietnam fell to a communist government, communism would spread throughout the rest of Southeast Asia. The US Armed Forces began serving in an advisory role to the South Vietnamese in 1961, and in 1965, ground combat troops were sent into Vietnam. After many years of combat, all US troops were withdrawn from Vietnam on March 30, 1973, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. Therefore, March 30, 2010, is an appropriate day to establish “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.”

More than 58,000 members of the United States Armed Forces lost their lives and more than 300,000 were wounded in Vietnam.

# # #

Brooks D. Tucker

Deputy Staff Director

Communications and Veterans Outreach

Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, Republican Staff

825A Hart Senate Office Building

Washington D.C. 20510

Phone: 202-228-2960

brooks_tucker@vetaff.senate.gov

VA Recognizes “Presumptive” Illnesses in Iraq, Afghanistan
Decision Simplifies Application for Disability Pay

WASHINGTON (March 18, 2010) – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is taking steps to make it easier for Veterans to obtain disability compensation for certain diseases associated with service in the Persian Gulf War or Afghanistan. This will be the beginning of historic change for how VA considers Gulf War Veterans’ illnesses.

Following recommendations made by VA’s Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force, VA is publishing a proposed regulation in the Federal Register that will establish new presumptions of service connection for nine specific infectious diseases associated with military service in Southwest Asia during the Persian Gulf War, or in Afghanistan on or after September 19, 2001.

“We recognize the frustrations that many Gulf War and Afghanistan Veterans and their families experience on a daily basis as they look for answers to health questions, and seek benefits from VA,” said Secretary Shinseki.

The proposed rule includes information about the long-term health effects potentially associated with the nine diseases: Brucellosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii (Q fever), malaria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontyphoid Salmonella, Shigella, Visceral leishmaniasis and West Nile virus.

For non-presumptive conditions, a Veteran is required to provide medical evidence that can be used to establish an actual connection between military service in Southwest Asia or in Afghanistan, and a specific disease.

With the proposed rule, a Veteran will only have to show service in Southwest Asia or Afghanistan, and a current diagnosis of one of the nine diseases. Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted over the next 60 days. A final regulation will be published after consideration of all comments received.

The decision was made after reviewing the 2006 report of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), titled, “Gulf War and Health Volume 5: Infectious Diseases.” The 2006 report differed from the four prior reports by looking at the long-term health effects of certain diseases determined to be pertinent to Gulf War Veterans.

The 1998 Persian Gulf War Veterans Act requires the Secretary to review NAS reports that study scientific information and possible associations between illnesses and exposure to toxic agents by Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War.

Because the Persian Gulf War has not officially been declared ended, Veterans serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom are eligible for VA’s new presumptions. Secretary Shinseki decided to include Afghanistan Veterans in these presumptions because NAS found that the nine diseases are prevalent in that country.

Noting that today’s proposed regulation reflects a significant determination of a positive association between service in the Persian Gulf War and certain diseases, Secretary Shinseki added, “By setting up scientifically-based presumptive service connection, we give these deserving Veterans a simple way to get the benefits they have earned in service to our country.”

Last year, VA received more than one million claims for disability compensation and pension. VA provides compensation and pension benefits to over 3.8 million Veterans and beneficiaries. Presently, the basic monthly rate of compensation ranges from $123 to $2,673 to Veterans without any dependents.

Disability compensation is a non-taxable, monthly monetary benefit paid to Veterans who are disabled as a result of an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service.

For more information about health problems associated with military service during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and related VA programs go to www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar/ or go to www.va.gov for information about disability compensation.

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May 1, 2010 Registration Deadline 3/25
June 5, 2010 Registration Deadline 5/54
ACT Test Dates:
April 10, 2010 Registration Deadline 3/5
June 12, 2010 Registration Deadline 5/7
Families interested in obtaining a FREE $200 SAT or ACT PowerPrep™ Program may order online www.eknowledge.com/usa Enter Sponsorship Code: Code: FDCE58621 or by telephone, 951-256-4076.
There is a small fee of $13.84 (per standard program) which enables eKnowledge to provide technical and customer support, registration, licensure, processing, handling and worldwide shipping. This nominal fee allows the sponsorship alliance to continue helping tens-of-thousands of military families each year.

For further information please contact Lori Caputo, LoriCaputo@eknowledge.com 951-256-4076
 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
1055 Clermont Street, Denver CO 80220
Contact:
Jordan Schupbach
Office of Public Affairs
jordan.schupbach@va.gov
Office: (303) 393-5205
Mobile: (720) 238-7795
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2010
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System Opens Brand New Clinic
DENVER, COLO. - VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System will host a Grand Opening Ceremony for the brand new Jewell Clinic at 14400 East Jewell Avenue in Aurora, CO on Friday, February 19 at 1pm. Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer and State Representative Nancy Todd, among others, will attend. The program will include a short ceremony, as well as tours of the facility and veteran demonstrations of the equipment and programs.
The new Jewell Clinic provides state-of-the-art rehabilitative and prosthetic care. This clinic is home to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, the Prosthetic Treatment Center, and the Call Center. Outpatient services include a new Polytrauma Program, the Assistive Technology Program, Drivers' Training Rehab, Outpatient Recreation Therapy, the Regional Amputee Center, Rehab Psychology, Speech Pathology and Voice Lab, Wheelchair Program, Orthotic and Prosthetic Lab, Shoe Clinic, Brace Clinic, Amputee Clinic, Gait Lab, Telemedicine Wheelchair and Amputee Clinics and our Visual Impairment Services Outpatient Rehabilitation Program (VISOR).
# # # #

DENVER, COLO. – Jan. 20, 2010 – The Denver County Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP) will receive the Homeless Veteran Outreach Award from the Colorado American Legion Economic Commission for its efforts in assisting homeless veterans get connected to employment and support services.

“It is a great honor to be recognized by such a prestigious veteran’s organization,” Denver County HVRP Program Coordinator Ian Lisman said. “I am proud to have served my country, and I enjoy serving homeless veterans in our community.”

According to Patricia Wilson Pheanious, manager of the Denver Department of Human Services, where Denver County HVRP is housed, “We have knowledgeable, caring veterans on our staff who are committed to serving their peers – they are the reason we have this award winning program.”

Last year, Denver County HVRP assessed over 600 veterans for eligibility and enrolled approximately 300 veterans into the program with an employment placement rate of approximately 70 percent. The program helps homeless veterans with job preparation, résumé writing, interviewing skills, job searching, and provides referrals to other services and resources.

“Our staff’s personal connection to the veteran community and understanding of how difficult it is for many veterans to re-enter society after war-time really helps them in their outreach efforts and ensuring veterans get connected to services and employment,” Wilson Pheanious said.

Denver County HVRP attributes its success to the diligent work of its staff, and strong collaborative partnerships formed with other agencies and organizations throughout the Denver metro area.

Denver County HVRP employer partners include High School Posters, Veterans Green Jobs, Securitas, Advantage, Wilson Trucking and Yankee Peddler. Community and veterans partners include Bo Matthews Center for Excellence, Brandon Center, Cherokee House, St. Joseph House, Denver’s Road Home, McIntyre House, American Legion, VFW, Veterans Stand Down and many more.

Denver County HVRP is also a nominee to receive this award from the National American Legion.

The Denver County Veteran Services Office (VSO) operates Denver HVRP. The Denver County VSO assists veterans and family members with benefits, compensation and pension claims, housing and more. Additional information about Denver County VSO and HVRP can be found at www.denverveterans.org.

RESPONSE TO 60 MINUTES STORY ON VA DISABLITY CLAIMS

STATEMENT + TALKING POINTS – JANUARY 3, 2010:

“Secretary Shinseki believes no Veteran should experience an adversarial relationship with VA. VA’s primary mission is to be an advocate for Veterans. The Secretary is deeply committed to changing the paradigm of today’s paper-bound disability claims process and believes that the entire system must become more transparent.”

• VA fully shares Veterans’ concerns about the timeliness of disability benefit claims processing.

• VA’s primary mission is to be an advocate for Veterans. There is a family member, husband, wife, son and daughter behind every Veteran that uses VA benefits and we must never take that responsibility lightly.

• Every day our 298,000 employees care for those who have borne the battle. No Veteran should experience an adversarial relationship with VA – it is unacceptable. But in instances where we have not done right by a Veteran, we must learn from our mistakes and make sure to prevent them from ever happening again.

• One of Secretary Shinseki’s top priorities is to create an environment of advocacy for Veterans that is people-centric and forward thinking. We must help Veterans through our processes and make sure that our benefits programs are meeting their needs on a case by case basis.

• Technology is the key to transforming the department’s system and processes. VA has embarked on a series of initiatives to improve claims processing nationwide. VA’s goal is to convert to a paperless claims process over the next several years.

• VA has over 11,470 employees working to support compensation and pension claims processing. Our staff has grown by 4,200 people in the last three years and we are working diligently to leverage network automation and software productivity tools to manage our caseload effectively and deliver benefits quickly.

• VA needs a benefit rating system that reflects the current needs of our Nation’s Veteran’s and anticipates the needs of our future Veterans. We may not know the specifics of future conflicts, but we must be prepared to provide the best serves they deserve and have earned.

• VA is a large agency—the second largest cabinet-level agency in the federal government. We do have several communications challenges, but we must continue to work hard to improve our lines of communication and provide employees, Veterans, and all of our stakeholders with timely and accurate information.
 

Education Partners Making the Grade
Featured partner: Red Rocks Community College

In a record time of seven months from conception to implementation, Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) has become Veterans Green Jobs' flagship education program, geared to enable veterans to become a sought after workforce for the renewable energy industry.
Under the leadership of RRCC's Vice President of Instruction Colleen Jorgenson, Dean Joan Smith and Director of Renewable Energy Technology Larry Snyder, RRCC has developed Colorado's first accredited certificate program in energy auditing. The one-semester Home Energy Audit Training (HEAT) program trains vets in the Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification for Building Analyst - the OSHA standard for the construction industry - and in the use of standard energy audit software.
As the semester winds down, it is worth noting that the Veterans Green Jobs cohort has a success rate on the certification exam triple that of many other non-credit programs. The next cohort, comprised largely of the first women vets to participate in HEAT, will start in mid-January, 2010. With the recent change in the Xcel contractor requirements specifying a percentage of BPI-certified workers, this program will likely find plenty of opportunities for its graduates and RRCC will continue to be the technical leader in renewable energy and energy conservation in the state of Colorado. Read more about HEAT: 

 http://veteransgreenjobs.org/green-jobs-training/training-programs

VA Women Vet Programs Update 08

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is launching a comprehensive study of women Veterans who served in the military during the Vietnam War to explore the effects of their military service upon their mental and physical health. The study, which begins NOV 09 and lasts more than four years, will contact approximately 10,000 women in a mailed survey, telephone interview and a review of their medical records. As women Vietnam Veterans approach their mid-sixties, it is important to understand the impact of wartime deployment on health and mental outcomes nearly 40 years later. The study will assess the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental and physical health conditions for women Vietnam Veterans, and explore the relationship between PTSD and other conditions.

VA will study women Vietnam Veterans who may have had direct exposure to traumatic events, and for the first time, study those who served in facilities near Vietnam. These women may have had similar, but less direct exposures. Both women Veterans who receive their health care from VA and those who receive health care from other providers will be contacted to determine the prevalence of a variety of health conditions. About 250,000 women Veterans served in the military during the Vietnam War and about 7,000 were in or near Vietnam. Those who were in Vietnam, those who served elsewhere in Southeast Asia and those who served in the United States are potential study participants. The study represents to date the most comprehensive examination of a group of women Vietnam Veterans, and will be used to shape future research on women Veterans in future wars. Such an understanding will lay the groundwork for planning and providing appropriate services for women Veterans, as well
as for the aging Veteran population today.

Women Veterans are one of the fastest growing segments of the Veteran population. There are approximately 1.8 million women Veterans among the nation's total of 23 million living Veterans. Women comprise 7.8% of the total Veteran population and nearly 5.5% of all Veterans who use VA health care services. VA estimates women Veterans will constitute 10.5% of the Veteran population by 2020 and 9.5% of all VA patients. In recent years, VA has undertaken a number of initiatives to create or enhance services for women Veterans, including the implementation of comprehensive primary care throughout the nation, staffing every VA medical center with a women Veterans program manager, supporting a multifaceted research program on women's health, improving communication and outreach to women Veterans, and continuing the operation of organizations like the Center for Women Veterans and the Women Veterans Health Strategic Healthcare Group. The study, to be managed by VA's Cooperative Studies Program, is projected to cost $5.6 million.

[Source: VA Press Release 19 Nov 09 ++]

The Five Year Plan to End Homelessness Among Veterans: Actions for FY 2010

November 2009
Overview of Homelessness
• 131,000 Veterans estimated to be homeless on any given night*
• Homelessness is often a consequence of multiple psychosocial factors, including unstable family supports, job loss, inadequate job skills, health problems, substance use disorder, or other mental health concerns.
• Homeless services cannot be provided in isolation.
• Homeless services must be comprehensive
– recovery-oriented,
– support physical and mental health stabilization and treatment,
– provide substance use disorder treatment,
– enhance independent living skills,
– address vocational rehabilitation and employment maintenance,
– assist with housing searches and placement.

Defining Homelessness
A Homeless Veteran:
• Lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;
• Or resides in a public or privately operated shelter or institution;
• Or resides in a place not designed for use as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

A Chronically Homeless Veteran:
• Has been continuously homeless for 1 year or more or has had at least 4 episodes of homelessness in the past 3 years.
Health and Mental Health Needs
of Homeless Veterans
• 66% Alcohol Abuse
• 51% Drug Abuse
• 54% Serious Psychiatric Diagnosis
• 39% Dual Diagnosis
• 58% Health/Physical
VA Five-Year Comprehensive Plan to Eliminate Homelessness
Among Veterans
• VA will expand existing programs and develop new initiatives to prevent Veterans from entering into homelessness and to treat those who are currently homeless.
– Increase the number and variety of housing options including permanent, transitional, contracted, community-operated, and VA-operated
– Provide more supportive services through partnerships to prevent homelessness, improve employability, and increase independent living for Veterans
– Improve access to VA and community based mental health, substance abuse, and support services

These program enhancements will provide housing, VA health care and benefits, gainful employment and residential stability to more than 500,000 Veterans
VA’s Strategy to Eliminate Homelessness
Among Veterans

• VA’s philosophy of “no wrong door” means that all Veterans seeking to prevent or get out of homelessness must have easy access to programs and services. Any door a Veteran comes to – at a Medical Center, a Regional Office, or a Community Organization – must offer them assistance.

• Built upon 6 strategic pillars:
– Outreach/Education,
– Treatment,
– Prevention,
– Housing/Supportive Services,
– Income/Employment/Benefits and
– Community Partnerships.

VA Five-Year Comprehensive Plan to Eliminate Homelessness
Among Veterans
• The provision of safe housing is fundamental. However, programming must include:
– mental health stabilization; substance use disorder treatment services; enhancement of independent living skills; vocational and employment services; and assistance with permanent housing searches and placement.
Strategy to End Homelessness Among Veterans
Homeless Prevention Services
Homeless Prevention Services
Homeless Prevention Services
Outreach & Education

• Outreach by VA and community partners
– Shelters
– Soup Kitchens
– Street Outreach
– Stand Downs
– Justice Outreach and Re-entry Services
• VA National Homeless Call Center
Outreach & Education

FY 2010
• Homeless Registry
• Database to track and monitor prevention and treatment outcomes
• Dual focus: Program performance and outcomes for Veterans
• FY 09: No registry exists
• FY 10: 200,000 Veterans entered into registry

• National Call and Referral Center
• Resource for homeless Veterans and advocates seeking immediate assistance
• Linkage to wide array of VA and community resources
• FY 09: No formal system exists
• FY 10: 15,000 Veterans served

Treatment

Treatment
Housing and Supportive Services
• Provision of transitional and permanent housing with supportive services in collaboration with Federal and Community Partners.

• Provision of Community based Residential Treatment
Housing and Supportive Services
FY 2010
• HUD-VASH Program
• Nation’s largest supported permanent housing initiative; combines permanent housing with case management and supportive services that promote and maintain recovery and housing stability
• HUD Housing Choice vouchers
• VA dedicated case management services
• FY 09: 20,000 vouchers allocated
• FY 10: 30,000 vouchers allocated; 22-24,000 Veterans housed

• Grant and Per Diem
• Transitional housing (up to 24 months) and supportive services for homeless Veterans
• Enhancement will allow grantees to provide 1500-2000 additional beds
• FY 09: 18,000 Veterans served
• FY 10: 20,000 Veterans served

Income, Employment
& Benefits
• Employment assistance
• Entitlement assistance
– Expanded GI Bill
– Social Security Benefits
– Veteran’s Compensation and Pension
• Short-term financial assistance
– Shallow subsidies through HUD-VASH
– General Assistance (GA)
– Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Supportive Employment/CWT

Income, Employment
& Benefits
FY 2010
• Supportive Employment/Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)
• Employment program targeted at Veterans with significant health problems
• Access to full spectrum of available services, plus in-house programming
• FY 09: Approximately 5,000 Veterans served
• FY 10: 5,500 Veterans served
• Expedited Claims for Homeless Veterans
• Collaboration with VBA
• Ensure timely processing of homeless Veterans’ benefits claims
• FY09: 1,900 Veterans served
• FY10: 3,500 Veterans served
• Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program (HVRP)
• Collaboration with Department of Labor
• Provide Veterans with gainful employment
• FY 09: 15,000 Veterans served
• FY 10: 20,250 Veterans served
Three P’s to Go Forward
• Prevention- Providing services to prevent Veterans and their families from experiencing the first night of homelessness

• Expanding Partnerships- Building on the successful strategy that has made it possible to reduce Veteran homelessness

• Perseverance- Staying the course along with our community partners until the last homeless Veteran is off the street

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2009

Secretary Shinseki Details Plan to End Homelessness for Veterans
Five-Year Plan Unveiled at Homeless Summit
WASHINGTON –Today, at the “VA National Summit Ending Homelessness Among Veterans” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki unveiled the department’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness among Veterans by marshalling the resources of government, business and the private sector.
“President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years,” said Shinseki. “Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”
Shinseki’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness includes preventive measures like discharge planning for incarcerated Veterans re-entering society, supportive services for low-income Veterans and their families and a national referral center to link Veterans to local service providers. Additionally, the plan calls for expanded efforts for education, jobs, health care and housing.
“Our plan enlarges the scope of VA’s efforts to combat homelessness,” said Shinseki. “In the past, VA focused largely on getting homeless Veterans off the streets. Our five-year plan aims also at preventing them from ever ending up homeless.”
Other features of the plan outlined by Shinseki include:
• The new Post-9/11 GI Bill provides a powerful option for qualified Veterans to pursue a fully funded degree program at a state college or university. It is a major component of the fight against Veteran homelessness.
• VA is collaborating with the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration to certify Veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses for listing on the Federal Supply Register, which enhances their visibility and competitiveness – creating jobs for Veterans.
• VA will spend $3.2 billion next year to prevent and reduce homelessness among Veterans. That includes $2.7 billion on medical services and more than $500 million on specific homeless programs.
• VA aggressively diagnoses and treats the unseen wounds of war that often lead to homelessness – severe isolation, dysfunctional behaviors, depression and substance abuse. Last week, VA and the Defense Department cosponsored a national summit on mental health that will help both agencies better coordinate mental health efforts.
• VA partners with more than 600 community organizations to provide transitional housing to 20,000 Veterans. It also works with 240 public housing authorities to provide permanent housing to homeless Veterans and their families under a partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The VA/HUD partnership will provide permanent housing to more than 20,000 Veterans and their families.

Over the duration of the conference it is expected that over 1,200 homeless service providers from federal and state agencies, the business community, and faith-based and community providers will attend and participate in the summit.
“This is not a summit on homelessness among Veterans,” added Shinseki “It’s a summit on ending homelessness among Veterans.”

PROJECT EAGLE UPDATE
Monday, October 12th, 2009
Last week, Brad McCollam, Chief of Facilities Management Service, traveled to Washington DC as a part of the process to select a General Contractor for the construction of the Denver VA Medical Center Replacement Facility. During those meetings, all of the contractors who submitted proposals were reviewed. Each contractor was examined and rated based on 2 factors: Past/Present Performance and Technical Qualifications. Phase 2 of the selection process, which will occur in the near future, will further examine the contractors based on their Technical Proposal and Cost. We anticipate awarding the General Contractor contract by January, 2010.
Status summary for the week of 10/5/09 Site preparation inspection was conducted on 10/9/09. Contractor has been approved to start the site preparation tasks; Site Preparation Contractor met with representatives from Xcel Energy on 10/9/09 to discuss disconnection of electrical services on the site.
Proposed tasks for the week of 10/12/09 No work on 10/12/09 due to Columbus Day; Mobilize and setup for site preparation. Kemwest will perform final inspection for the setup; Install project and safety record signs at the SE corner of Wheeling and 17th Street on 10/14; Mobile toilets to be delivered on 10/13/09; Security guard starts on October 12th or 13th.
As always, you may contact me with questions at (303) 393-5205 or jordan.schupbach@va.gov.
Respectfully,
Jordan Schupbach
Public Affairs Officer
VA ECHCS

Where: National Guard Armory, 5275 Franklin ST.

When: Thursday, November 5, 2009   8am to 2:30pm

Services: VA Medical Center, Employment and Rehabilitation Services, VA Regional Office, Veteran Service Organizations, Social Security, Social Service Agencies, Housing Referrals, Legal Service, Clothing Items, Sleeping Bags, Boots, Free Flu Shots, Hearing Aid Repair, Dental Screening, Haircuts, and Glasses Repair.

Food: Coffee, Juice, Breakfast Burritos, Donuts, and Lunch will be served

Pickup Locations: St. Francis Day Shelter, Samaritan House, The Stout Street Clinic, and The VA Medical Center.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has authorized advance payments up to $3,000 for Veterans who have applied for VA educational benefits and who have not yet received their monthly education payments.

If you are a Veteran who has applied for one of VA’s education programs and have not yet received your monthly benefit payment for the Fall 2009 term, you can submit a request for an advance payment on this website.

Advance payments will be issued by the U. S. Treasury within 3 workdays (Monday through Friday) following submission of this request. Payments will be in the form of a check sent through the U.S. mail. You should therefore anticipate an additional 3 days (excluding Sundays) for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver your check.

You can also visit one of VA’s 57 regional offices across the country to immediately receive an advance payment. You will need to bring a photo ID and your course schedule when you visit the regional office. A list of VA’s regional offices is available at www.vba.va.gov/VBA/benefits/offices.asp.

The advance payments will be reconciled with future education payments owed to you.

The amount of the advance payment will be determined as follows:

Post-9/11 GI Bill $3,000
Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty $3,000
Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve $1,000
Reserve Education Assistance Program $2,000
Post Vietnam Era Educational Assistance Programs $1,000
By completing this site, VA will be collecting personally identifiable information. If you choose not to provide this information over the internet you may visit a VA Regional Office to request assistance in person.

The Denver Regional Office will be open from 8 to 6 this week and from 8 to 12 on Saturday.

Thomas G. Riegle

Education Liaison Representative - Colorado

Denver VA Regional Office (339)

Phone: 303-914-5780

FAX: 303-914-5879

Toll Free: 888-442-4551

Email: thomas.riegle@va.gov
 

The Denver County Veteran Services Office invites you to visit it online, chat on its blog and be a fan on Facebook.

The new Denver County Veteran Services Web site, www.denverveterans.org, is funded through a pilot study by the Colorado Division of Military and Veterans Affairs. The purpose of this Web site is to increase outreach to civilian veterans in the community by providing information and a social network for veterans.

“The Denver County Veteran Services Office is thrilled to be able to reach veterans through social networking,” said Denver County Veteran Services Officer George Cassidy. “We believe in ‘Veterans Helping Veterans’ and now veterans can interact with us and each other on our blog and on Facebook, in addition to meeting with us in person.”

The Denver County Veteran Services Office employs veterans who are trained and authorized by the Veterans Administration to assist veterans and their families in filing for benefits to which they may be entitled. The Department of Labor funds an employment program for homeless veterans, Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program, which is also administered through the Denver County Veterans Services Office.

Visit the new Denver County Veteran Services Office Web site: www.denverveterans.org
 

written by: Trevor Hughes, Fort Collins Coloradoan, posted by: Sara Gandy The law, signed Tuesday by Gov. Bill Ritter, permits honorably discharged veterans -- and, depending on the university, their spouse and dependents -- to pay the much lower resident tuition rate immediately upon establishing Colorado residency. The difference between resident and nonresident tuition at Colorado State University is significant: Resident tuition last year was $5,830, while nonresident students paid $21,550, according to CSU's Office of Student Financial Services. The current federal GI Bill only covers college costs up to the highest in-state tuition in a state, which means returning veterans who lack residency have had to make up the difference. "I think we all benefit from having veterans in our community, and I think students benefit from having veterans in the classroom," said bill sponsor Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch. The Coloradoan last fall highlighted the plight of Patrick Brady, a soldier who deployed from Pennsylvania in 2004 and spent the next four years stationed in Iraq and Germany. During his deployment, Brady's family moved to Colorado, and he registered to vote here and received his Colorado driver's license. But under the old state law, because he had deployed from Pennsylvania and hadn't been physically present in Colorado for 12 consecutive months, Brady wasn't considered a resident. CSU officials said they couldn't help Brady because the law provided little flexibility. The new law changes that. McNulty said the issue has come up "a couple times" during the past few years, and he thought the law was an appropriate way to show support for returning veterans and their families. Under the law, universities must offer in-state tuition to the returning veterans but may also extend it to their families, McNulty said. "I certainly hope that colleges do provide that benefit. Far too often, we forget about the husbands and wives and sons and daughters," he said. Ann Ingala, veterans coordinator at CSU, said the university welcomes the change. "Military people move around a lot," said Ingala, a Desert Storm/Desert Shield veteran of the Army. "This keeps us competitive for that population of student veterans." Ingala said it's hard to tell how many veterans will take advantage of the law, which goes into effect Aug. 5. (Copyright Fort Collins Coloradoan, All Rights Reserved)

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090604/CSUZONE01/306040012/1110