Disabled American Veterans

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that a life time member and extremely active member Mr. Albert Buster has passed away.  All within the community know of Al’s committment to the community and to the DAV.  He was a tireless worker and volunteer, he served in the US Navy from  1955 to 1975 and after receiving an Honorable Discharge went to work for DoD, ultimately working at Bangor and retired from them.  He then became a member of the DAV and became Commander of the Chapter in Bremerton and then Commander of the Department of Washington.  He didn’t stop then either and continued to volunteer as a Driver for the DAV transportation program (becoming the Director of that program) and then became Direcdtor of the Volunteers Program.  He is muchly missed.

New disabilities related to Agent Orange exposure are under consideration, as announced by the Secretary of the VA , for Ischemic Heart Disease, Hairy Cell Lukemia and Parkinsons Disease.  Senator Webb of Virginia has invoked a congressional review and the congress is receiving testimony about these new conditions being added to the “presumptive” list.  We will keep all informed and anticipate sometime in September before any final action is taken.  

The Service Office is open from 9am to 4pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays by Mike Kiser and the Commander Joel Courreges,——drop by and see them to answer your questions about
VA benefits.

We have had our annual election of officers, congratulations are in order for the following:

Joel Courreges – Commander

Albert Williams – Sr. Vice Commander

Gregory Wemhoff – Jr. Vice Commander

Roy Gross – Chaplin

Mike Kiser – Treasurer

Albert Buster – Adjutant

Kenneth Hooper – Sgt at Arms

Congratulations to all.  This is a reflection of the confidence that the members of the chapter have in your ability to satisfy the requirements of the position for which you’ve been elected for or appointed.

Information has been given out to the community of new disabilities that the VA recognize as being related to Agent Orange Exposure.  This is not “new” as the VA has recognized many disabilities that are considered presumptive….what is “new” is that three new disabilities have been added to that “presumptive list”, they are Parksons Disease, Hairy Cell Lukemia and Ischemic Heart Disease.  The VA is going through the comment period (as required by law) to the Federal Register, the comment period is closed and new regulations will be forthcoming for the VA to implement.  Go ahead and file a claim for the new conditons if you have evidence of the existence of that condition.  Once again the VA is accepting claims based on the newly added disabilities. 

The DAV service office is open in Bremerton at the DAV hall at 2315 Burwell on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 to 4 PM….. Come see us!!!!!!!

We want to thank all of the people who took the time and effort to provide a donation to our annual fundraising efforts to assist veterans who are using the veterans hospitals and nursing homes.  Our Forget Me Not campaign over the years has raised several thousands of dollars that goes directly into the Volunteer programs sponsered by the VA hospitals/Nursing Homes and the Disabled American Veterans. 

These monies are used to buy items such as toothpaste and shaving cream, the simple things that are needed, even a change of clothing for when a veteran is going to be released from care.

Your generous donation is appreciated by all of us at the DAV and we want you to know that your donations are going to be used for the purposes that they were raised.

For more than 88 years, it has been the DAV’s mission to ensure that disabled veterans receive all benefits they have earned and that the American people understand and respect the needs these veterans encounter as a result of their disabilities. It is a mission that the members of this great organization strive to fulfill every day.

The concept of serving those who have served our country has long been part of our Nation’s consciousness. Recognition of that responsibility follows the standard enacted by the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1636 which provided that any soldier who should return maimed from the defense of the settlers should be maintained by the colony for the rest of his life. President Lincoln reaffirmed this moral obligation to “care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”

In 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398 which consolidated the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau, the National Homes for Disabled Soldiers and the Bureau of Pensions into the new Veterans Administration (VA). In 1989, the VA was elevated to a Cabinet-level agency and became the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Over the years, much beneficial veterans’ legislation has been enacted, and many legislative initiatives and other actions that would have been detrimental to veterans and their families have also been defeated.

Today, about 1.7 million servicemembers have been called to serve in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and again the moral obligation to care for those who willingly step in harm’s way is being exercised. The men and women of our Reserves and National Guard are being asked to serve in a nontraditional manner, yet they fulfill the demand made upon them without hesitation.

Yet, the struggle to protect and enhance programs and services created to rehabilitate wartime disabled veterans continues. Thus, our convention delegates, who are the leaders within their states and local organizations of the DAV, have adopted resolutions this year to bring heavy consideration to and address the needs of service-connected disabled veterans. We will shape government policy and pursue what is right for today’s and tomorrow’s disabled veteran. As a Nation, we must not mistake symbolism for substance when our battles are not all won.

Don’t be surprised if the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki contacts you, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a national survey of Veterans, active duty service members, activated National Guard and reserve members, and family members and survivors to learn if they are aware of VA services.

“Shinseki believes thatb by hearing directly from Veterans and their family members, we gain valuable information to help us serve them better. We hope those who receive the survey will respond to it”.

In addition to assessing awareness levels, the National Survey of Veterans will collect important health care, benefits, employment, and demographic information that VA will use to inform policy decisions and improve benefits. Recognizing a broader client base than just Veterans, this is the first time VA has included others, such as Veteran family members, in its survey population.

VA is mailing out survey “screeners” to more than 130,000 households to identify potential survey participants. The screener asks if anyone in the household is a member of one of the identified survey groups – Veterans, family members and survivors, active duty, Guard or Reserve members. Eligible survey participants then may be requested to participate in a full-length survey.

Participants will be able to select a preferred survey method: through U.S. mail, telephone or a password-protected Internet address. VA expects approximately 10,000 Veterans to complete the full-length survey.

This is the sixth VA National Survey of Veterans since 1978. The information collected will help VA in its efforts to design and conduct outreach to Veterans. In addition, it will provide a clearer picture of the Veteran population’s characteristics to help evaluate existing programs and policies and measure their impact.

The data collection is expected to be finished by the end of February and the final report released by December 2010.

Chapter 5’s service office is staffed with 2 service officers, we are open from 9 to 4 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, special arrangements can be made if an in home office is needed.

360-373-2397  is our phone number, call us for assistance with VA benefits.

Last week the Department of Washington Disabled American Veterans meet in Yakima to have their fall conference at the Howard Johnsons Hotel.  The meeting was a success and information regarding entitlement to veterans benefits was received by all attendees.  The National Service Office also conducted a training seminar for Chapter Servicer Officers,  and Department Service Officers.  The training was well attended and incredible information was distributed.  For those who are interested in attending the next training please feel free to contact the Supervisor of the National Service Office, Ms. Michele Colpeart at 206-220-6225.  The next traiing will be conducted in June 2010 also in Yakima and this training will be for certification.  In order to do service work for the DAV it is necessary to become “CERTIFIED”.  We are extremely proud of our service officers as we believe that the better prepared a claim is when it is filed, a better outcome can be expected.   Our office hours are from 9 to 4 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we can be reached at 360-373-2397, call for Mike Kiser or Joel Courreges……Hope all had a great veterans day.

We urge your support of the efforts by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) to improve the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims process. The DAV 21st Century Claims Process includes provisions that:

 * Streamlines certain duty to assist requirements in order to reduce the length of time it takes to process claims and reduces the number of hours required to process claims and also to gather new medical evidence, when VA determines that the claim already includes sufficient evidence to award all benefits sought by veteran;

 * Modifies current VA requirement to independently develop cases, including obtaining private medical records, unless the veteran specifically asks for such assistance;

 * Revises the standard time period for a veteran to appeal a ratings decision from 12 months to six months, but includes an automatic six-month extension granted upon request by the veteran, and adds a new provision to further extend the time period when the veterans is unable to file due to physical or mental disability;

 * Allows the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board) to directly hear new evidence if the case has been certified to the Board, rather than require VA’s Regional Offices to hear the evidence and submit supplemental statements of case unless the veteran specifically requests consideration at the Regional Office;

 * Requires that remands from the Board due to errors in the claims processing be sent back to the original rating team, rather than to the Appeals Management Center;

 * Creates a new administrative team to handle tasks that are not integral parts of the claims or appeals process, such as Freedom Of Information Act requests or attorney fees coordination; and

* Develops and deploys a new VA electronic document management system, capable of converting all claims-related paperwork into secure, official electronic documentation within 48 hours of receipt and is accessible, searchable database that can be securely accessed by all official personnel involved in the process.

 Thank you for taking the time to consider our views. I hope you will work with the DAV and other veterans service organizations to stand up for veterans by implementing the 21st Century Claims Process suggestions.

 Please contact your local congressional leaders and ask them to support the DAV’s suggestions for a new claims process.

Local Motorcycle club makes donation to Disabled Veterans

Mark and Rick Gilmer formed 2 Brothers Productions.  This summer the brothers hosted their annual (4^th) vintage motorcycle/bike show in Chehalis, WA at the Moose Lodge.

The turnout was fantastic and supported by many member of the local motorcycle club, with many vintage motorcycles and bicycles on display.  The local Moose Lodge also donated a portion of their proceeds.  The purpose of the activity as described by Mark and Rick Gilmer was to raise funds to assist disabled veterans.

Earlier this summer Mark and Rick visited the Disabled American Veterans with a simple request, they wanted the monies raised to be given to local disabled veterans from Bremerton.  They asked the DAV to name two deserving veterans who needed assistance.

The Local Chapter of the DAV (Chapter # 5) nominated Mr. Richard Carr a Korean Veteran and Jeremy Alexander of the Iranian/Afghanistan War.  An undisclosed donation was made to Jeremy and Richard.   Both veterans indicated that the monies will certainly assist them with immediate needs of food and rent.

The DAV wants to provide praise to 2 Brothers productions for their dedication to purpose of assisting veterans in need.  Rick provided a story of himself being a disabled veteran from Vietnam and how the DAV assisted him many years ago and how he wanted to return the favor.

For more than 88 years, it has been the DAV’s mission to ensure that disabled veterans receive all benefits they have earned and that the American people understand and respect the needs these veterans encounter as a result of their disabilities. It is a mission that the members of this great organization strive to fulfill every day.

The concept of serving those who have served our country has long been part of our Nation’s consciousness. Recognition of that responsibility follows the standard enacted by the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1636 which provided that any soldier who should return maimed from the defense of the settlers should be maintained by the colony for the rest of his life. President Lincoln reaffirmed this moral obligation to “care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”

In 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398 which consolidated the U.S. Veterans’ Bureau, the National Homes for Disabled Soldiers and the Bureau of Pensions into the new Veterans Administration (VA). In 1989, the VA was elevated to a Cabinet-level agency and became the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Over the years, much beneficial veterans’ legislation has been enacted, and many legislative initiatives and other actions that would have been detrimental to veterans and their families have also been defeated.

Today, about 1.7 million servicemembers have been called to serve in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and again the moral obligation to care for those who willingly step in harm’s way is being exercised. The men and women of our Reserves and National Guard are being asked to serve in a nontraditional manner, yet they fulfill the demand made upon them without hesitation.

Yet, the struggle to protect and enhance programs and services created to rehabilitate wartime disabled veterans continues. Thus, our convention delegates, who are the leaders within their states and local organizations of the DAV, have adopted resolutions this year to bring heavy consideration to and address the needs of service-connected disabled veterans. We will shape government policy and pursue what is right for today’s and tomorrow’s disabled veteran. As a Nation, we must not mistake symbolism for substance when our battles are not all won.