May 25, 2003

Eagle Scout Candidate Continues History Project

17 year old Eagle Scout candidate Carlo Nerko of Garden City will continue his Eagle Scout project on June 25, 2003 at the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, 1425 Old Country Road, Building H, Plainview, NY. Scout Nerko and his fellow scouts, working with the Library of Congress History Project have been recording oral histories of veterans from all wars. Veterans who participate will receive a copy of their interview a great keepsake to pass on to family members. If you would like to participate in this project and help Carl earn his Eagle Badge call me at 516-572-8452.

Veterans may find the information published on line weekly in the Armed Forces News informative and useful. Retired military certainly will. To subscribe go to www.armedforcesnews.com/ and click on sign up at the top of the page.

Anheuser-Bush has made a $1 million donation for scholarships for spouses and children of U.S. and coalition forces killed during operation Iraqi Freedom. The fund will be administered through the Intrepid Museum Foundation.

Veterans who had Medicare or Tricare supplemental insurance coverage from the Hartford Life Insurance Co. or the USAA Life Insurance Co. may be eligible for a refund of copayments they paid to the VA from Jan. 1, 1995 through Dec. 31, 2001. The VA will notify by mail those veterans who may be eligible for refunds according to its records. Other veterans who believe they may be eligible can request a claims application by calling 1-866-258-2772.

CARES ( Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services) the VA initiative that may affect the way medical services are delivered for the next 10 to 20 years has moved into phase 6 of an 8 phase process. The National Cares Commission will be scheduling hearings nationwide through out June and July. The Secretary of the VA, Anthony Principi will decide in October which projects recommended by Cares will be approved. The Northport VA has requested the building of three Community Based Out-Patient Clinics for Long Island.

A Large celebration is planned in Washington D.C., 25-27 July 2003 honoring Korean War Veterans and their Families. For information veterans can call the Department of Defense Commemoration Committee at 1-866-567-3250

The VA has released a Fast Training Letter to its Regional Office employees concerning "Specification of Hearing Loss Required for Compensation for Hearing Loss in Paired Organs. In rating hearing loss, this section requires consideration of deafness (partial or total) in a non -service connected ear in conjunction with the service-connected ear, if the service-connected ear is 10% or more disabling. Prior law required total deafness in both ears for application of the paired extremities rule…" Any veteran who feels this relates to their disability is urged to contact me or any other state or county service officer or the VA.

The VA has also amended a rule concerning government markers for marked graves. The previous date of December 27, 2001 has been rolled back to September 11, 2001. This means any veteran who passed away after Sept. 11, 2001 is entitled to a government marker even if the gravesite is also marked by a private headstone or marker. The authority to furnish this marker expires on December 31,2006.

The Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Health have created an on-line library and Human Services to cover government-sponsored Gulf War related research. This site was created to help service members, veterans and families learn about research efforts and related health concerns involving the Gulf War. www.gulflink.osd.mil/medsearch is the location.

The VA has discovered that hundreds of veterans in every VA medical facility have been undercharged for prescription drugs since Feb. 2002. If you are still paying $2 for your prescriptions instead of the $7 copayment , expect the VA to send you a bill for the difference. VA medical centers are being asked to be especially considerate of veterans requests to set up payment plans.

Congressman Jeff Miller ((R-F) reported that the DOD is about to release the application for combat-related special compensation, commonly referred to as "Concurrent Receipt". This compensation will cover 35,000 of the 500,000 retired veterans in the U.S.

Veterans who own an information technology or construction related business should be interested in "Small Business Resource Day" hosted by the U.S. General Services Administration, Small Business Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The conference will explain the Federal procurement opportunities available in information technology and construction. The event takes place Tuesday June 24, 2003 at the Department of Veterans Affairs, 245 West Houston Street, NY, NY. RSVP by June 20,2003 at the following e-mail address: R2.sbucevents@gsa.gov

The Nassau County Monument Fund will unveil 500 new names on the " Walls of Honor" Saturday, June 28, 2003 at the Veterans Plaza, Eisenhower Park, and East Meadow at 11:00 A.M. The public is invited.

If you have any questions on any items in this article please call me at 516-572-8452.