Category Archives: Health

Health

Compensation benefits for Burn Pit related health problems

Leave a comment

Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems they believe are related to exposure to burn pits during military service. VA decides these claims on a case-by-case basis.File a claim online.

Type of Waste Burned

Waste products in burn pits include, but are not limited to:

  • Chemicals
  • Paint
  • Medical and human waste
  • Metal/aluminum cans
  • Munitions and other unexploded ordnance
  • Petroleum and lubricant products
  • Plastics and styrofoam
  • Rubber
  • Wood
  • Discarded foodCompensation benefits for health problemsCompensation benefits for health problems
Health

Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Supply

Leave a comment

From the 1950s through the 1980s, people living or working at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were potentially exposed to drinking water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals.

Under a law signed Aug. 6, 2012 (215 KB, PDF), Veterans and family members who served on active duty or resided at Camp Lejeune for 30 days or more between Jan. 1, 1957 and Dec. 31, 1987 may be eligible for medical care through VA for 15 health conditions:

  • Esophageal cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Renal toxicity
  • Female infertility
  • Scleroderma
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Lung cancer
  • Bladder cancer
  • Leukemia
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Miscarriage
  • Neurobehavioral effects

Veterans already enrolled in VA health care, contact your local VA health care facility to receive care under the new law. Those not already enrolled should call 1-877-222-8387 for assistance.

Family members will receive care after Congress appropriates funds and VA publishes regulations.

For more info please visit the VA’s site.

*This will also be permanently attached to our website for further access.

Health

Veteran’s Crisis Line

Leave a comment

To help prevent the suicide epidemic that is plaguing our returning vets this website supports the Veteran’s Crisis Line. If you know of any soldier in need do not hesitate to help. For more info about the Veteran’s Crisis Line read on…

To emphasis the fact recently Time had a story titled “The War On Suicide?”. It’s a sobering article and one every vet should read. (I have a copy for any who are interested.)

Regards,

Commander Sullivan

Benefits, Health, Politics

Military retiree benefits vulnerable as Congress struggles to cut debt

Leave a comment

As Washington looks to squeeze savings from once-sacrosanct entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, another big social welfare system is growing as rapidly, but with far less scrutiny: the health and pension benefits of military retirees.

Military pensions and health care for active and retired troops now cost the government about $100 billion a year, representing an expanding portion of both the Pentagon budget — about $700 billion a year, including war costs — and the national debt, which together finance the programs.

Making even incremental reductions to military benefits is typically a doomed political venture, given the public’s broad support for helping troops, the political potency of veterans groups and the fact that significant savings take years to appear.

But the intense push in Congress this year to reduce the debt and the possibility that the Pentagon might have to begin trimming core programs like weapons procurement, research, training and construction have suddenly made retiree benefits vulnerable, military officials and experts say.

Read more…

Benefits, Education, Health, Jobs, Politics

President Obama pledges to help ‘the 9/11 generation’ of veterans.

Leave a comment

MINNEAPOLIS — President Barack Obama committed on Tuesday to taking care of what he called “the 9/11 generation,” vowing to spare Iraq and Afghanistan veterans’ health, education and employment training programs from Washington’s budget ax.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/62324.html#ixzz1WXrkj1Md

Benefits, Education, Health, Jobs

New ‘reverse boot camp’ to prepare departing troops for civilian life

Leave a comment

Military officials will develop a “reverse boot camp,” with the goal of better preparing servicemembers who are leaving the military for civilian jobs or college classes. The program is part of a host of new initiatives announced by President Barack Obama on Friday to reduce unemployment among veterans.

Read more…

Benefits, Education, Health, Politics

Under debt deal, military pay, veterans programs in play for cuts

Leave a comment

Military pay raises, funding for veterans health care and the Post-9/11 GI Bill could be sacrificed to new fiscal realities as the result of the deal signed by President Obama on Tuesday to raise the federal debt ceiling, according to the Military Officers Association and veterans groups. The law requires the federal budget be cut $2.1 trillion over 10 years.

Read more…