Veterans Affairs Caregiver Support Line Opens

Filed under Resources, Staff Stories, Veterans Affairs by on February 8, 2011 at 2:10 pm {2 comments}

By Alan Morales, WTC Stratcom

Day in and day out caregivers provide the support and care necessary to assist wounded warriors in achieving a successful transition post injury. However, it’s no secret that sometimes those we rely on for support are the ones that need support themselves—including those that support Army wounded warriors.

Last week the Department of Veteran Affairs opened the National Caregiver Support Line to serve as the resource and referral center for caregivers, Veterans, and others seeking caregiver information. The support line provides referrals to local VA medical center caregiver support coordinators who can provide information, education, and referrals to appropriate VA and community resources.

AW2 caregivers deserve additional support and, thanks to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there is now one more resource for them to access. The National Caregiver Support Line is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The National Caregiver Support Line Toll-free number is 1-855-260-3274.

What other resources do caregivers find helpful? If you have a resource in mind and would like to share this information with the Army wounded warrior community, please comment below or send your suggestions to warriorcarecommunications@conus.army.mil.

Caregiver Support Signed into Law

Filed under Veterans Affairs by on May 6, 2010 at 3:33 pm {3 comments}

By Jane Dulin, AW2 VA Liaison

On May 5, 2010, President Obama signed into law a bill that will be extremely beneficial to eligible AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and their Family member/caregivers. The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (S.1963) will establish a permanent program to support Veteran Family members who serve as the recognized caregivers of eligible Veterans, improve health care for Veterans in rural areas, help VA adapt to the needs of women Veterans, and expand supportive services to homeless Veterans.

The bill’s caregiver support provisions will fulfill VA’s obligation to care for the nation’s wounded Veterans by providing designated caregivers with training, counseling, supportive services, and a living stipend. Additionally, this bill will direct the VA to reimburse attendants for travel expenses, including lodging and subsistence, incurred in connection with authorized VA treatment for Veterans as well as provide healthcare services to Family caregivers under CHAMPVA (Civilian Health and Medical Program VA).

For the full version of the bill, please visit http://veterans.senate.gov or http://www.govtrack.us/ (search S.1963).

New Veterans Benefits Excite AW2 Advocates

Filed under Resources, Veterans Affairs by on April 23, 2010 at 12:03 am {no comments}

By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom
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AW2 Advocates were pumped up by the VA video and presentations that they gestured "V" and "A" while waiting in line to enroll in the VA's new eBenefits.

AW2 Advocates were so pumped up by the VA video and presentations that they gestured "V" and "A" while waiting in line to enroll in the VA's new eBenefits.

Yesterday at AW2 Annual Training, we focused on the Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits available to AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families. At the 2009 AW2 Symposium, AW2 delegates identified “Veterans Affairs Education for Army Wounded Warrior Program Advocates” as one of the top five issues facing the AW2 population. AW2 has acted on this over the course of the year, and today, we went through in-depth training on several specific VA programs.  

New! VA eBenefits

AW2 staff were very impressed by the new VA e-Benefits system – they literally broke into applause several times during the presentation. The new system is a collaborative effort between DOD and VA that will allow Active Duty servicemembers and Veterans to perform several essential functions online, including:

  1. Apply for VA benefits, such as a home loan
  2. File a claim and check the status of pending claims
  3. See a history of all payments, including the amount, reason, and payment method
  4. Get a copy of essential records, such as the DD-214
  5. Learn what actions they need to perform so VA can move forward with their claims

This was so impressive to AW2 staff that approximately 40 Veteran and Active Duty staff members leapt to their feet immediately after the presentation to enroll – VA graciously sent two staff members to enroll people on the ground.

I got to talk to AW2 Advocate Margarita Aponte from Puerto Rico, while she waited in line. She was ecstatic about the difference this online system will make for AW2 Soldiers and Veterans in Puerto Rico.

“This is the way of the future for our wounded warriors so they can manage their affairs from home,” Margarita said. “In Puerto Rico, it will help prevent Veterans from driving across the island looking for paperwork. This is a great investment that will allow Veterans to manage their own affairs, gain independence, and streamline their transition from the Army to the VA.”

 Post-9/11 G.I. Bill

AW2 staff also learned the details of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Veterans with at least 36 months of active duty service are entitled to 36 months of education benefits, and those with less than 36 months are entitled to a percentage based on their time in service. Depending on the individual’s circumstances, Veterans may also receive a book stipend and a housing allowance based on the cost of living for the area. In addition, servicemembers who attend school while on active duty will have their full tuition and fees funded.

There are several other important aspects to this program, and AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Family members should talk to their AW2 Advocates for more information about:

Yellow Ribbon Program: participating private schools that will work with the VA and the Veteran to cover the difference between VA-approved public school tuition and the private school’s tuition

Housing Allowance: there are a lot of rules governing the housing allowance; Wounded warriors should look at these closely to ensure that they’re getting the maximum benefit

Transfer of Entitlement: Servicemembers may transfer their education benefits to a spouse or dependents, but must do so before separating from the Army

Specially Adapted Housing Program and Home Improvement and Structural Alterations

The VA has several programs to assist wounded warriors with adaptive housing. I’ve summarized the presentation’s key points below, but AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families should work with their AW2 Advocate and the VA for the most up-to-date information that affects their personal situation.

Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Program, the Special Housing Adaptations (SHA) grant, the Home Improvement and Structural Alterations (HISA) Programs are all excellent resources for AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and Families that want to adapt their homes to address the wounded warrior’s mobility challenges.

VA Guaranteed Home Loan Program: VA home loan guaranties are issued to help eligible servicemembers, Veterans, reservists and unmarried surviving spouses obtain homes, condominiums, residential cooperative housing units, and manufactured homes, and to refinance loans. It can be used to obtain a loan to:

  1. Buy or build a home
  2. Buy a residential condominium unit
  3. Buy a residential cooperative housing unit
  4. Repair, alter, or improve a residence owned by the Veteran and occupied as a home
  5. Refinance an existing home loan
  6. Buy a manufactured home and/or lot
  7. Install a solar heating or cooling system or other energy efficient improvements

VA Claims and Fiduciary Process

In addition, AW2 staff received training on the VA Claims and Fiduciary Process. The overview of VA claims included service-connected disability compensation, the non-service connected pension program, and Benefits Delivery at Discharge, a new pre-discharge claims process that will allow active duty service members to begin their relationship with the VA within 60-180 days before formally being discharged.

In addition, the VA representative explained the way the VA assigns fiduciary representatives to minors and those who cannot manage their own VA benefit funds, the oversight process, and the ways it ensures that VA benefits are used appropriately.

Today’s VA session was incredibly informative, and AW2 staff have a much deeper understanding of the VA benefits available to AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families. By working closely with the VA, AW2 can continue to ensure that all AW2 wounded warriors receive personalized support and the resources available to them.

VA and DoD on the Mental Health Costs of War

Filed under Behavioral Health, DoD, Veterans Affairs by on October 30, 2009 at 10:49 am {2 comments}
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates meet before the first-of-its-kind National Mental Health Summit in Washington, D.C. on October 21, 2009.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates meet before the first-of-its-kind National Mental Health Summit in Washington, D.C. on October 21, 2009.

(Cross-posted from the White House Blog)

By Brandon Friedman

Brandon Friedman is the Director of New Media at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.

When troops leave the active military after service in Iraq and Afghanistan, many find themselves lost in a blur of reality shows and superficiality–in a world where nothing explodes but tempers, and in a place where the rush of combat is soon dulled by the slow drip of alcohol. The symptoms of most Veterans might not be so pronounced, but there’s always someone living through this.

For my part, when I returned home in 2004, I sympathized with Martin Sheen in the opening scene of Apocalypse Now – though, in my case, I made post-combat stress look way less cool. And while I never punched a mirror, I learned quickly that I wasn’t immune from the foundation-shaking effects that war can have on the mind.

The problem of post-traumatic stress is new for neither Veterans, nor for the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. However — from “soldier’s heart” after the Civil War to “shell shock” to “combat fatigue” — the services have typically handled PTSD only to the point that it doesn’t boil over into a major social or political problem. And while that’s been good enough for many, it hasn’t been good enough for America’s combat Veterans.

However, that’s why DoD and VA are now coming together to not only seek practical solutions to mental injuries, but to de-stigmatize them as well. This week, for the first time, the departments are holding a joint national summit meant to harness “the programs, resources and expertise of both departments to deal with the aftermath of the battlefield.”

In his opening remarks at the event, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki noted that “as a provider of mental health services, VA is challenging all of our assumptions about mental health care. We are undergoing a fundamental and comprehensive review of our programs to see that our approaches are Veteran-centric, uniform, and accessible.” But, he continued, “VA does not operate in a vacuum. Our collaboration with DoD is mission-critical because we share the same clients — the same population — at different stages in their lives. There can be no ‘seamless transition’ or ‘continuum of care’ without serious and high-quality collaboration between both departments.”

And that collaboration, according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates is something that has, thus far been lacking.

As a Veteran myself, of course, I’m happy to see these steps being taken and I’ve been happy to attend. But much work remains to be done in terms of turning the dialogue at the summit into real change. I’m confident, however, that we’re now at a point where that can happen — primarily because both Secretaries understand that such change much start at the top with leaders who are willing to set the example.

Because, in reality, for the ideas from this summit filter down through the ranks, troops must be made to feel comfortable talking about and seeking assistance for these injuries. And if a company commander or a squad leader says it’s okay, then a young PFC coming off his or her first deployment, will be more at ease. And it is there — in the heart of military culture — where the real solution lies. Because, ultimately, it is those in uniform who will change the way America — and its military class — views mental injuries sustained in combat.

Both the military and the nation at large have far to go in terms of treating and de-stigmatizing the mental wounds of war, but any first step in a comprehensive process must include joint efforts on the part of VA and DoD. And now that Secretaries Shinseki and Gates are driving the dialogue between the medical field and ground combat commanders, that step has been taken.

We as troops, Veterans, and family members — just need to keep it going.

AW2 Veteran Throws First Pitch of World Series

Filed under Soldier Story, Veterans Affairs by on October 29, 2009 at 3:59 pm {one comment}
world series 2_0

AW2 Veteran Tony Odierno throws the first pitch of the 2009 World Series, as First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and Yogi Berra look on. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies fans cheered widely last night when AW2 Veteran Tony Odierno threw out the ceremonial first pitch to kick off the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series between the two clubs. Prior to the throwing out the first pitch, Odierno was joined on the field by First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and baseball legend Yogi Berra, who served in the U.S. Navy during D-Day as a Gunner’s Mate.

Retired CPT Odierno currently works for the New York Yankees in stadium operations and his father is General Ray Odierno, U.S. Commander in Iraq.

To watch video of AW2 Veteran Tony Odierno with Mrs. Obama, Dr. Biden, and Yogi Berra, click here to watch the highlights from game one of the World Series on ESPN.com.

Update: To view more photos from the event, click here to view the official White House photo gallery.

In addition to attending the World Series, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden also honored Veterans by visiting the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx and gave out gift bags with Yankees baseball caps and teddy bears to Veterans at the hospital according to the Associated Press.

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Groundbreaking on New Polytrauma Center

Filed under Behavioral Health, General, Veterans Affairs by on August 27, 2009 at 3:50 pm {one comment}

Construction started today on a new Level I Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio, TX,  that is set to be completed in 2011.  According to the San Antonio Express, the new facility “merges the familiar look of Audie Murphy VA Hospital with the modern indoor features of the Center for the Intrepid.”

When complete, the $66 million, 84,000-square-foot Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center will be one of only five Level I centers in the country that specializes in acute treatment and recovery for our country’s wounded or ill Soldiers and Veterans. In addition to having much of the same innovative treatment and rehabilitation equipment as the Center for the Intrepid, the polytrauma center also will place an emphasis providing support and services for mental and emotional illnesses and injuries such as depression and traumatic brain injuries.

The article quotes the project’s architect, Carlos Moreno, on how the building’s design will inspire a welcoming and healing environment for Soldiers, Veterans, and Families:

As visitors enter the three-story center, their eyes will be drawn up to an atrium with perimeter glass walls that project a silhouette of live oaks in shades of green and brown, Moreno said. At night, light will filter through for starlight effect.

The building, set for completion in late 2011, also will have a café and an interior courtyard with elms, oaks and benches. It will house 12 inpatient beds and 12 transitional apartments where disabled veterans can re-learn daily living skills.

“As with the CFI (Intrepid), there will be some severely physically disfigured people who don’t want to show themselves, but want the freedom to walk about,” Moreno said.

San Antonio was chosen as the location for the new Level I polytrauma center because more than 4,300 out of the over 16,000 servicemembers that have been wounded in the Global War on Terrorism have received treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston.

During AW2′s Annual Training, I had an opportunity to tour the Center for the Intrepid, and it is a beautiful facility with a wide-array of innovative technologies and a truly amazing staff that have done amazing things for our country’s most severely wounded and ill Soldiers and Veterans. Having more facilities like the Center for Intrepid is a positive step to ensuring that all wounded or ill Soldiers and Veterans get the treatment and rehabilitation that they need and deserve.

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