Senator Murray's Washington View
August 2005Coming Home From Combat.................................................................................... Dear Friend:In this Issue: .................................................................................... Camp MurrayOn August 1st, I joined more than 90 Washington Guard members and their families at Camp Murray to hear about the challenges they are facing upon returning home from service in Iraq. I've been holding forums like this around the state, including:
This session at Camp Murray was a follow-up to a meeting I held back in January 2004 as Guard
LTC Diane Williams, who directs family services, began the session with an overview of the services offered to Guard families. "Our mission is to build strong and ready self-reliant families who can be independent while their soldiers and airmen are gone," Williams said. As Guard members have returned home, the need for services has increased dramatically. The family program's staff is working hard to reach out to families. In June 2005, they contacted more than 13,000 families to let them know what help is available.
Attending the session were Major General Timothy Lowenberg and General Scoggins. Some of the concerns raised include: Healthcare Many families said they had difficulty navigating through TRICARE, especially as a spouse was preparing to deploy. Many had trouble getting TRICARE coverage. Others had trouble finding doctors that accept TRICARE coverage. Some were kicked out of TRICARE when one set of orders expired (even though their new orders made them eligible). Other healthcare concerns mentioned include:
Need for Seamless Transition Some Guard members return home with injuries but are able – and eager – to get back to work. The Guard won't release them because they are being treated for their injuries, and they can't go back to work because they are still under orders. Other Guard members discussed concerns with medical holds and the unclear process for Guard members when they return home from Iraq and Afghanistan injured. I heard several concerns from members transitioning off of active duty and back into Guard and Reserve status. For example, upon returning home from service in Iraq, Guard members are often only eligible for services under Title 10 for just a few days. That means they lose access to benefits at the time they may need them most. Employment Two participants spoke about ensuring Guard members have adequate legal protections to get their jobs back when they return from being deployed (the relevant law has not been updated since 1994, when deployments were shorter and less frequent). One participant said he was concerned that some employers may be growing reluctant to hire Guard and Reserve members because they are frequently deployed. Family Adjustments One person noted that returning soldiers have a "6-month honeymoon" upon return, but then bigger problems can emerge including PTSD. The family services unit reported growing interest in marriage enrichment programs. Children Children often need help adjusting to a deployed parent. The
Need for Consistent Family Support Funding Many Guard members said the family service programs at Camp Murray are very helpful as they return home. Unfortunately, many of these services are funded through deployment funds. When units are back for several months and need these programs most, there may not be as much funding available. A Follow-Up Meeting The August 1st meeting was a follow-up to a similar meeting I held in January 2004, as Guard members were preparing to deploy. Back then, I wanted to know about the challenges they were facing pre-deployment. Based on what I heard then, I wrote legislation and passed several important protections for Guard and Reserve members. More on what's been accomplished so far. Thank You Camp Murray I want to thank everyone who participated in our discussion at Camp Murray and especially LTC Williams and the staff members who provide critical help for deployed and returning veterans and their families. After our formal discussion, I had a chance to meet and take pictures with many Guard members and their families. If you would like more information on the Washington Guard's family support group, please visit: http://familysupport.washingtonguard.com/ ................................................................................... Pasco – Meeting with Returning Veterans
On Tuesday, August 2nd, I met with returning veterans at the Pasco Armory. Here are some of the major concerns I heard: Difficulty Finding a TRICARE Doctor in Rural Areas Guard and Reserve members told me that there are very few service providers who accept TRICARE in central Washington. For example, one Guard member said that there were only two pediatricians who take TRICARE between Walla Walla and Yakima. This guardsman said it would be "hit or miss" for him and his wife if they will have the birth of their first child covered by TRICARE. When Guard members can't find a local TRICARE provider, they may be forced to go to the emergency room. TRICARE Not Paying Guard members told me that TRICARE frequently turns down requests for payment. As a result, soldiers need to push TRICARE several times to get those bills paid. Soldiers who have experience with TRICARE might already know to do this, but less experienced soldiers become fed up and just pay medical bills out of their own pockets. Need for Better PTSD Screening Guard members said that better follow-up is needed to screen Iraq War veterans for PTSD. When service members come home, they are often ready to leave the service so they don't focus on symptoms of PTSD. Later, however, if symptoms emerge, they may shy away from addressing it because of the stigma or because they fear it will hurt their careers. In addition, Guard members in rural communities may not know where to turn to get PTSD screening. A Troubling Transition
Getting the Word Out Several veterans' advocates and service providers spoke at our roundtable. They noted that it was sometimes hard for them to connect with returning soldiers, leaving many unaware of help that is available. Increase in Disability Claims Steve Prince, VSO for Vietnam Veterans of America, said he's experienced a huge influx of new disability claims. In a normal month, he receives about 30 requests. Last month, he received 166. Long Deployments Several participants commented on the impact long deployments have on families. The transition back to home life can be very difficult, as soldiers feel like guests in their own homes. If unaddressed, these growing family tensions can lead to divorce. .................................................................................... “Coming home from Combat: Are Veterans Getting the Help They Need?” - Official Hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs CommitteeOn August 3rd, I chaired an official field hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee at the Seattle Armory. I am grateful to all the witnesses who helped me build an official record of the true needs facing our returning veterans. In my opening remarks, I noted that:
Read my full opening comments From the hearing, four main themes emerged: Help with Transition First, the officials and Guard members addressed the need to address the transition of our service members between the Department of Defense and the VA. Too many service members are getting caught in medical hold and need changes to the processing system so that they are treated fairly and given the services they need. We heard from witnesses about how they had spent months in limbo waiting to get medical services and financial assistance. Help for Small Business Owners & Self-Employed
Second, Guard and Reserve members who run small businesses or are self-employed often end up losing their businesses since there are no services or benefits available to help them through their deployment. One Guardsman shared that the Small Business Administrations program did not work for Guard members and had too many requirements that did not reflect the current nature of our military. He ultimately lost his business due to his deployment. Support Programs Need to Be Updated Third, many said that virtually all of the services for families and our veterans were created to work for Cold War Veterans and do not work in an era when our military draws heavily on our Guard and Reserve. This includes TRICARE, the Transition Assistance Program and other programs needed now more than ever to help the veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Knowing What Help is Available Finally, a general lack of awareness of the services and benefits offered by the VA was outlined and the need for the VA to work more closely with active duty to increase awareness. One Guard member shared that after six years of service in the Army she had no idea what services and benefits the VA offered. In addition she discussed how she was trained in the Army to work on helicopters. She discussed the need for better employment services and although she is very proud of the skills she acquired in the Army, she made it clear that working on helicopters would not be a career she will pursue as a civilian. At the hearing, I heard from three panels of witnesses. Panel I: State & Federal Officials
The first panel of witnesses included officials from the Washington State Guard, the federal VA, and the state Department of Veterans Affairs. They provided a birds-eye view of what's happening throughout the state as veterans return home. Panelists included: Major General Timothy Lowenberg (Adjutant General of the State of Washington), Max Lewis (Acting Network Director, VISN 20, Veterans Health Administration), Kristine Arnold (Acting Network Director, VISN 20, Veterans Health Administration), and John King (Director, Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs). Panel 2 – Returning Veterans
The second panel included four witnesses who have served our country and recently returned home. They spoke about some of the financial, familial, medical, and other challenges of reintegration. Witnesses included: Specialist Blaine Hall (Washington Army National Guard) of Moses Lake, Staff Sergeant Kevin Romanelli (Army, retired) of East Wenatchee, Crystal Hampton (Army veteran) of Vancouver, WA, and former Sergeant Robert Kauder (Washington Army National Guard) from Spokane. Panel 3 – Veterans Advocates and Medical Staff
The third panel of the hearing included people who work directly with veterans as they return home from Iraq and Afghanistan, including: Dr. Stephen Hunt (Director Deployment Clinic, Puget Sound Healthcare System), Ronald Boxmeyer (Seattle Vet Center), Linda Holt (Human Services Director and Tribal Council Secretary, Suquamish Tribe), and Colonel Mary Forbes (Human Resources Director, Washington Army National Guard). I am grateful to all of the witnesses for their testimony and will use that as the Senate returns to session next month. ........................................................................ Longview Guard and Reserve Meeting
On Thursday, August 4, I held a roundtable meeting with veterans and veterans' advocates at the Longview Armory. I want to thank everyone who came and shared their experiences. Joining me as panelists at this roundtable were:
The panelists were so helpful and forthcoming in sharing their stories
One Guard member in Longview discussed his frustration with the lack of communication between medical staffs in the Army, within the VA and the civilian doctors that the VA contracts with for care. Another Guard member said his medical claims had not been worked through the system. He explained that he has not been able to work, and now his family is getting food stamps to pay for food. A father of three, he has returned home after serving his country honorably – only to find himself unable to work and struggling to make ends meet, with no income, no ability to get unemployment, and no health care. We cannot tolerate situations like this. Our veterans deserve so much better than that. I'm going to use the information I gathered at this roundtable – and all my roundtables – to fight for the health care and benefits our veterans deserve, and that they've earned through their service to our nation.
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