March 25, 2003
Local Volunteer Opportunities
With 250,000 service men and women defending us in Iraq
many are asking how do I help. Showing support is of
course one way. Displaying the flag really does help.
There are however many ways to really get involved. Nassau
County has a role for volunteers at the office of Emergency
Management. Call Jennifer Mincin at 516-571-9642. The
Red Cross needs organizations to sign up for by-county
shelter plan training 516-747-3500. Individuals interested
in assisting in homeland defense activities can volunteer
to join the American Volunteer Reserves. Initiated by
the Secretary of the Army several years ago, members
of this military-structured organization volunteer, without
pay, to assist FEMA when called upon. For information
call the Nassau county Veterans Service Agency.
The Department of Defense has
suspended "Operation Dear
Abby" and "Any Servicemember" mail programs due to force
protection concerns. Although these programs provide
an excellent means of support to friends and loved ones
stationed overseas, they also provide an avenue to introduce
hazardous substances or materials into the mail system
from unknown sources. Unsolicited mail, packages and
donations from organizations and individuals also compete
for limited aircraft space used to transport supplies,
war fighting material and mail from family and loved
ones.
The Reserve Officers Association is collecting information
to influence legislation in Congress. Reservists who
are students are complaining about grades, academic credit
and status, and failure to receive refunds if called
to active duty. Any one who knows a specific incident
where a reservist student has been penalized academically
or economically by a college or university is urged to
contact the ROA at roaspec@roa.org.
Veterans returning from the War in Iraq will have the
benefit of two years worth of free health care at a VA
Medical Center even if they suffered no service connected
injury or illness.
Concurrent receipt is back on the table. Sen. Harry
Reid D-Nav has introduced S -392 . The bill already has
38 cosponsors. Rep. Michael Bilirakis R-Fla has introduced
the house counterpart HR-303 and that bill has 120 cosponsors.
The House Veterans Affairs Committee has recommended
adding $3 billion to the 2004 VA budget. The Committee
has rejected the proposal to add a $250 enrollment fee
and is against increasing the prescription drug co-payment
of $7. The committee has not however come out against
continuing the ban on enrollment of non service connected
veterans whose income is above the poverty level. The
budget recommendations of the Veterans Affairs Committee
will now be submitted to the House Budget Committee.
The Academy Life Insurance Co. is seeking 110,000 current
and former service members who may be eligible to receive
payments from a fund established as part of a settlement
it reached with the Justice Department. Those who owned
a policy between January 1,1991 and December 31, 1998
may be eligible for a refund. For information call 1-800-523-5625.
DoD has released the results of an active duty Status
of Forces Survey. 83% surveyed said they were satisfied
with job security, 68% with military values and lifestyle
and 67% with commissary and exchange availability. However
only 41% said military family support services were adequate,
38% were satisfied with the pay and only 29% were satisfied
with housing.
The Supreme Court in the case of Dow Chemical Co.v.
Stevphenson, 02-271 is considering if Vietnam veterans
who contracted cancer after 1984 can seek legal action
against chemical companies years after the $180 million
settlement was agreed to and all the funds have been
expended.
Surviving spouses who lost access to the Civilian Health
and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs
by remarrying before Feb. 4, 2003 now can be reinstated
into the program if they remarried after becoming age
55 and if they apply for reinstatement before Feb. 4,
2004. 800-733-8387.
The Nassau County Executive's Service to Veterans Award
applications are available at the Veterans Service Agency,
1425 Old Country Road, Building H, Plainview, NY 11803.
Applications must be returned to the Agency by April
29, 2003. A candidate for this award must have a record
of service to veterans and be nominated by a civic, social,
religious, business or veterans organization in Nassau
County. Five awards will be presented by County Executive
Thomas Suozzi at Salute to Veterans Night, August 2,
2003 at Eisenhower Park. Any Questions? Call me at 516-572-8452
May
God bless our Country and all those who hear the
bugle and run to the sound of the guns.
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