Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
New Deal For Vets With PTSD
In response to a class-action lawsuit, The Department of Defense has agreed to retroactively upgrade the disability ratings of more than 4,000 Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since 2002, but who received low military disability ratings. The new agreement will increase these Veterans’ disability rating to 50 percent.
The increase rating is a critical victory for these Veterans who suffer from PTSD. It provides them with eligibility for disability retirement and access to the military’s triple health insurance option, for Veterans, their spouses and dependent children. The new benefits will be effective as of their original date of discharge.
These newly-classified disabled “retirees” could also receive retroactive compensation for any out-of-pocket medical costs incurred since their discharge. They will also receive retiree access to military base shopping and recreational services.
The settlement comes as a result of a class action lawsuit brought by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP). The organization argued that former service members, diagnosed with PTSD and then separated as unfit for service, were illegally denied retiree status and medical benefits for years.
The increase rating is a critical victory for these Veterans who suffer from PTSD. It provides them with eligibility for disability retirement and access to the military’s triple health insurance option, for Veterans, their spouses and dependent children. The new benefits will be effective as of their original date of discharge.
These newly-classified disabled “retirees” could also receive retroactive compensation for any out-of-pocket medical costs incurred since their discharge. They will also receive retiree access to military base shopping and recreational services.
The settlement comes as a result of a class action lawsuit brought by the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP). The organization argued that former service members, diagnosed with PTSD and then separated as unfit for service, were illegally denied retiree status and medical benefits for years.
New Bill for Homeless Vets
Last week the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee approved a bill that could provide job opportunities and housing for homeless Veterans, especially women and Veterans with families.
Including two amendments by Sen. Jon Tester, these services would be offered to struggling Veterans across rural America.
S. 1237 would increase the Veterans Affairs grant program that pays up to 65 percent of construction costs associated with modernizing, expanding or building Veterans housing. It would also establish a new grant program to assist homeless women Veterans and homeless Veterans with children in rejoining the labor force.
Tester’s unanimously approved amendments, appropriate at least 5 percent of the bill’s funds for programs in frontier and rural communities, It would also create an automatic enrollment system for National Guardsmen and Reservists. 5 percent is the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans’s estimate of the number of homeless Veterans in rural communities.
Including two amendments by Sen. Jon Tester, these services would be offered to struggling Veterans across rural America.
S. 1237 would increase the Veterans Affairs grant program that pays up to 65 percent of construction costs associated with modernizing, expanding or building Veterans housing. It would also establish a new grant program to assist homeless women Veterans and homeless Veterans with children in rejoining the labor force.
Tester’s unanimously approved amendments, appropriate at least 5 percent of the bill’s funds for programs in frontier and rural communities, It would also create an automatic enrollment system for National Guardsmen and Reservists. 5 percent is the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans’s estimate of the number of homeless Veterans in rural communities.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
VA Home Loans a success
WASHINGTON – Despite problems in the nation’s housing market, mortgage loans backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had a lower foreclosure rate than any other type of home loan in the industry, as of the end of the last fiscal year.
“The dedication of VA’s loan professionals, the support of our partners in the mortgage industry and most importantly, the hard work and sacrifice of our Veterans have made this possible,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is making good on its promise to help Veterans buy homes, and Veterans are achieving their dreams.”
Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans were obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program. The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty members, and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.
More than 90 percent of VA-guaranteed loans are made without a downpayment. Despite this, VA has the lowest serious delinquency rate in the industry, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, VA’s percentage of loans in foreclosure is the lowest of all measured loan types—lower even than prime loans, which require high credit scores and a 20 percent downpayment by the borrower.
Much of the program’s strength stems from the efforts of VA employees and loan servicers nationwide, whose primary mission is to help Veterans stay in their homes, avoid foreclosure and protect their credit lines from the consequences of a foreclosure, Shinseki said.
Depending on the situation, VA’s loan specialists can intervene on a Veteran’s behalf to help pursue home-retention options such as repayment plans, loan modifications and forbearance. Additionally, under certain circumstances, VA can refund a loan, which involves purchasing the loan from the mortgage company and modifying the terms so the Veteran can afford the new mortgage payment.
Since 1944, when home-loan guarantees were offered under the original GI Bill, through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, VA has guaranteed more than 18.7 million home loans worth $1.04 trillion.
To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, Veterans can call VA at 1-877-827-3702. Information can also be obtained at http://www.homeloans.va.gov.
“The dedication of VA’s loan professionals, the support of our partners in the mortgage industry and most importantly, the hard work and sacrifice of our Veterans have made this possible,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “VA is making good on its promise to help Veterans buy homes, and Veterans are achieving their dreams.”
Currently, about 1.3 million active home loans were obtained using VA’s Home Loan Guaranty Program. The program makes home ownership more affordable for Veterans, active-duty members, and some surviving spouses by protecting lenders from loss if the borrower fails to repay the loan.
More than 90 percent of VA-guaranteed loans are made without a downpayment. Despite this, VA has the lowest serious delinquency rate in the industry, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Furthermore, VA’s percentage of loans in foreclosure is the lowest of all measured loan types—lower even than prime loans, which require high credit scores and a 20 percent downpayment by the borrower.
Much of the program’s strength stems from the efforts of VA employees and loan servicers nationwide, whose primary mission is to help Veterans stay in their homes, avoid foreclosure and protect their credit lines from the consequences of a foreclosure, Shinseki said.
Depending on the situation, VA’s loan specialists can intervene on a Veteran’s behalf to help pursue home-retention options such as repayment plans, loan modifications and forbearance. Additionally, under certain circumstances, VA can refund a loan, which involves purchasing the loan from the mortgage company and modifying the terms so the Veteran can afford the new mortgage payment.
Since 1944, when home-loan guarantees were offered under the original GI Bill, through the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, VA has guaranteed more than 18.7 million home loans worth $1.04 trillion.
To obtain more information about the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program, Veterans can call VA at 1-877-827-3702. Information can also be obtained at http://www.homeloans.va.gov.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Top Two Worst CEO's
AT&T's David Dorman
Lets start with David W. Dorman of AT&T (T, news, msgs). This one is almost too pathetic to make fun of. Though its true he inherited a junkyard dog of a company from the overrated prior chief executive, C. Michael Armstrong, he hasnt done a thing to improve Ma Bell in the past two years. With such an immensely well-known brand name and legendary research and development team, you would think that Dorman could make his company synonymous with the global growth of networking as a way of life.
Yet he appears to be pushing the company ever deeper into the background, outsourcing its wireless business in an expensive deal with Sprint, losing the price wars on bundling home wire line and broadband services to the more aggressive Baby Bells and the formerly bankrupt MCI, making its long-distance plans more ridiculously complex than ever, experimenting with a high-quality-but-high-cost enterprise strategy, pursuing Internet-based telephony too slowly and timidly -- and now, through no fault of its own, losing its local phone service connection in the recent court battle over FCC unbundling rules.
Since Dorman, who was once a Bell system wunderkind, has taken the reins, the value of AT&T shares have sunk about 60% -- which has been kind of a cool feat, since they had fallen about 60% in value in the three years prior to his installment. The stocks 5.8% dividend is a nice start on a return, but Dorman needs to find a way to grow the business -- not just cut expenses -- to keep capital losses from making the yield immaterial. Revenues have been down every year since 2000, and earnings-growth trends are negative.
Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina
Its fashionable these days to suggest that Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, news, msgs) CEO Carly Fiorina is a genius for improving results slightly in the past couple of quarters, but lets be frank: Shes not. Not even close. Under her egotistical direction, a company that was once a paradigm of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship has simply failed to make any progress at enhancing shareholder value. It is now trading at the same value as it did in 1995. Almost 10 years of marking time.
Fiorinas reign at Hewlett -- combined with that of the CEO just before her -- makes a great case study of exactly what not to do. They took a company that was fantastic at doing one thing (printers), and made it a company that is increasingly marginalized at that one thing, and truly lousy at everything else. Her stubborn, ill-conceived purchase of fading, unprofitable computer giant Compaq has utterly failed to deliver on its promise of making shareholders richer with a soup-to-nuts strategy. The printer business still brings in the majority of the earnings of the entire entity.
And yet because Fiorina decided to pick a fight with Dell (DELL, news, msgs) in the personal computer business, Dell has turned the tables and made a strategic decision to return the favor. Dell has steadily released a very nice suite of new low-cost devices made by
Lets start with David W. Dorman of AT&T (T, news, msgs). This one is almost too pathetic to make fun of. Though its true he inherited a junkyard dog of a company from the overrated prior chief executive, C. Michael Armstrong, he hasnt done a thing to improve Ma Bell in the past two years. With such an immensely well-known brand name and legendary research and development team, you would think that Dorman could make his company synonymous with the global growth of networking as a way of life.
Yet he appears to be pushing the company ever deeper into the background, outsourcing its wireless business in an expensive deal with Sprint, losing the price wars on bundling home wire line and broadband services to the more aggressive Baby Bells and the formerly bankrupt MCI, making its long-distance plans more ridiculously complex than ever, experimenting with a high-quality-but-high-cost enterprise strategy, pursuing Internet-based telephony too slowly and timidly -- and now, through no fault of its own, losing its local phone service connection in the recent court battle over FCC unbundling rules.
Since Dorman, who was once a Bell system wunderkind, has taken the reins, the value of AT&T shares have sunk about 60% -- which has been kind of a cool feat, since they had fallen about 60% in value in the three years prior to his installment. The stocks 5.8% dividend is a nice start on a return, but Dorman needs to find a way to grow the business -- not just cut expenses -- to keep capital losses from making the yield immaterial. Revenues have been down every year since 2000, and earnings-growth trends are negative.
Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina
Its fashionable these days to suggest that Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, news, msgs) CEO Carly Fiorina is a genius for improving results slightly in the past couple of quarters, but lets be frank: Shes not. Not even close. Under her egotistical direction, a company that was once a paradigm of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship has simply failed to make any progress at enhancing shareholder value. It is now trading at the same value as it did in 1995. Almost 10 years of marking time.
Fiorinas reign at Hewlett -- combined with that of the CEO just before her -- makes a great case study of exactly what not to do. They took a company that was fantastic at doing one thing (printers), and made it a company that is increasingly marginalized at that one thing, and truly lousy at everything else. Her stubborn, ill-conceived purchase of fading, unprofitable computer giant Compaq has utterly failed to deliver on its promise of making shareholders richer with a soup-to-nuts strategy. The printer business still brings in the majority of the earnings of the entire entity.
And yet because Fiorina decided to pick a fight with Dell (DELL, news, msgs) in the personal computer business, Dell has turned the tables and made a strategic decision to return the favor. Dell has steadily released a very nice suite of new low-cost devices made by
Lake Worth Day Labor Center
The Lake Worth Resource Center, a day-labor center established last fall in the city shuffleboard building to get workers off the streets, will celebrate its first anniversary Friday .
City Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill is scheduled to speak along with laborers and employers who have used the center during the ceremony, set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center at 1121 Lucerne Ave.
Director Lisa Wilson said the center has made 722 job matches, registered 240 employers and logged more than 3,700 volunteer hours.
A graduation ceremony is planned Friday for workers who have completed classes in computing, customer service, carpentry, cake decorating and other skills.
City Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill is scheduled to speak along with laborers and employers who have used the center during the ceremony, set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the center at 1121 Lucerne Ave.
Director Lisa Wilson said the center has made 722 job matches, registered 240 employers and logged more than 3,700 volunteer hours.
A graduation ceremony is planned Friday for workers who have completed classes in computing, customer service, carpentry, cake decorating and other skills.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
VA Losses at Ft Hood
WASHINGTON - - In the midst of providing mental health services and other support to the Ft. Hood community following the recent shooting, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) learned about its own losses from the violence. Two VA employees, both serving on active duty with their Army Reserve units, were among the slain. A third VA health care worker on reserve duty was seriously wounded.
“Speaking for the entire VA family, I offer heart-felt condolences to the families of these dedicated VA employees,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “They devoted their working lives to care for our Veterans, and they died in uniform, preparing to safeguard our Nation’s freedom.”
Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old nurse practitioner at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee was killed in the deadly attack. He was a captain in the reserves. In his VA duties, he led a mental health team treating a wide variety of Veteran patients, from the youngest combat Veterans just back from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, to World War II Veterans dealing with depression.
“Speaking for the entire VA family, I offer heart-felt condolences to the families of these dedicated VA employees,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “They devoted their working lives to care for our Veterans, and they died in uniform, preparing to safeguard our Nation’s freedom.”
Russell G. Seager, Ph.D., a 51-year old nurse practitioner at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee was killed in the deadly attack. He was a captain in the reserves. In his VA duties, he led a mental health team treating a wide variety of Veteran patients, from the youngest combat Veterans just back from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, to World War II Veterans dealing with depression.
No Child Left Behind Act:Data for Recruiters!
Mother Jones reports on the Pentagon's frightening and underhanded methods to mount a "virtual invasion into the lives of young Americans" in order to recruit them to the US Army. Even when kids don't give recruiters their phone number, when a recruiter calls, he's got information about ethnicity, shopping habits, college plans and sometimes an idea of which video-games they play.
It's not all so underhanded, but it does gets worse. David Vitter (R-La.) is to blame for slipping a provision into the No Child Left Behind Act to give recruiters high school kids' contact details. Schools that don't agree lose funding. David Goodman explains in the Mother Jones piece that "this little-known regulation effectively transformed President George W. Bush's signature education bill into the most aggressive military recruitment tool since the draft." Scary stuff.
It's not all so underhanded, but it does gets worse. David Vitter (R-La.) is to blame for slipping a provision into the No Child Left Behind Act to give recruiters high school kids' contact details. Schools that don't agree lose funding. David Goodman explains in the Mother Jones piece that "this little-known regulation effectively transformed President George W. Bush's signature education bill into the most aggressive military recruitment tool since the draft." Scary stuff.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
VA's Effort to end Vet Homelessness
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.”
“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.”
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
VA's Latest take on Agent Orange
Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.
The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease.
Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.
In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.
The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”
Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s “presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:
· Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy
· Chloracne
· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
· Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
· Hodgkin’s Disease
· Multiple Myeloma
· Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
· Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
· Prostate Cancer
· Respiratory Cancers, and
· Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)
Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
# # #
The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease.
Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.
In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.
The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”
Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s “presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:
· Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy
· Chloracne
· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
· Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)
· Hodgkin’s Disease
· Multiple Myeloma
· Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
· Porphyria Cutanea Tarda
· Prostate Cancer
· Respiratory Cancers, and
· Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)
Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
# # #
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
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