Scope of missing federal military records grows

The number of missing or destroyed military records at a federal government warehouse in St. Louis is significantly larger than initially reported.

      A 2012 audit found that a file clerk at the National Personnel Records Center wrongly filled nearly three-fourths of 1,200 files assigned to him over a three-month period. Archives workers could earn bonus pay through an incentive program for completing more filings.





Continue Learning:  http://www.ky3.com/news/local/scope-of-missing-federal-military-records-grows/21048998_24731574

Recent VA News Releases: VA Resuming Normal Operations as Government Shutdown Ends

WASHINGTON (Oct. 17, 2013) – Employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs are working to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.  Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) regional offices are re-opening their doors and resuming public contact services for Veterans today.

“With the shutdown over, we are all very grateful that the Nov. 1 benefit checks will go out to approximately 5 million Veterans and other beneficiaries as scheduled,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We at VA are working quickly to resume normal operations in order to fulfill our solemn obligation – to ensure that Veterans receive the benefits and services they have earned through their service.  I want to thank all of our VA employees for their dedication and resolve during this difficult period.”

During the government shutdown, VA medical centers, clinics, and other health services remained open.  Due to the shutdown, VA claims processors were unable to continue working 20 hours of overtime per month to reduce the backlog of claims, overtime that has helped VA significantly reduce the disability claims backlog by more than 190,000 claims over the last six months.  Mandatory overtime will resume immediately and will continue as planned through Nov. 16, at a minimum. 

“In the coming weeks and months, we will fight hard to regain ground lost as a result of the government shutdown,” said Shinseki.  “We remain committed to eliminating the disability claims backlog in 2015.”

Source

VVA PRESS RELEASE: Reopen the Government, Don't Use Veterans As Pawns; Allow Vets to Visit Memorials on the Mall

 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The following is taken in part from the text of a letter sent by VVA National President John Rowan to Senator Bernie Sanders, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

"It is a sorry state of affairs that our nation is stuck in a shutdown that should never have transpired but for the intransigence of a certain few who are blocking a clean Continuing Resolution (CR). The government needs to be reopened, by passage of a CR, because Congress has failed to pass the twelve appropriation bills necessary to fully fund the government for FY 2014. The looming threat of default, of being unable to pay veterans' compensation and pension payments on November 1, will cause many veterans who depend on this money for their survival to have a worsening of their condition, resulting in avoidable hospitalizations and possibly even preventable suicides.

"It is the role of Congress to pass the federal budget by the beginning of the federal fiscal year, October 1. Congress--on both sides of Capitol Hill-- has failed to accomplish this in a timely fashion in 23 of the past 27 years. For this reason, the veterans' service organizations, supported by The Military Coalition and other groups, united and won from Congress advance appropriations for the VA's medical accounts, which amount to some 86 percent of the VA's discretionary budget. In addition, Vietnam Veterans of America fully supports enactment of H.R. 813, the Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013, which would move the balance of the VA's discretionary accounts over to advance appropriations.

"The failure of the House to even permit a vote to go along with the Senate to enact a clean CR has failed America. Even if the appropriation to the VA was funded, the failure to fund the U.S. Park Service is but one example of how veterans rely on a federal government that works. Just as we do not want to see any disruption in the flow of benefits needed by many veterans and their families--disability, pension, education, survivor, and other programs under Title 38—we do not want to see veterans used as pawns in games of political one-upsmanship. For those in Congress to act as if they had nothing to do with closing access to the memorials is outrageous demagoguery. Using veterans as pawns in politics is dishonorable and a disservice to the honored dead who are memorialized at these sites."

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is the nation's only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated to the needs of Vietnam-era veterans and their families.  VVA's founding principle is “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”

No. 13-18

Contact:
Mokie Porter
301-585-4000, Ext. 146

Source

VA Chief: Shutdown Could Hit Millions of Vets: Sec. Eric Shinseki Explains Shutdown’s Impact on VA

He explained how Congress’ failure to pass a budget and prevent a government shutdown could impede VA’s ability to pay disability and education benefits, and has already halted progress on the claims backlog, which had been reduced by over 30 percent in recent months.

“The momentum achieved over the past six months has now stalled with the government shutdown,” Shinseki said. He also pointed out that if the shutdown continues into late October and mandatory funding is exhausted, payments to more than 5.18 million beneficiaries may not be made as of Nov.1.

Continue Learning:  http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/10454/sec-eric-shinseki-explains-shutdowns-impact-on-va/

Veterans' Benefits During the Shutdown: Bills Related to Veterans During the Shutdown

Veterans' Benefits During the Shutdown

The VA says it has funds available to "ensure claims processing and payments in the compensation, pension, education, and vocational rehabilitation programs will continue through late October." About 3.8 million veterans will not receive disability compensation next month if the partial government shutdown continues, and 315,000 veterans and 202,000 surviving spouses and dependents will see pension payments stopped.

Already, "death gratuity" payments have stopped (the $100,000 payment normally wired to relatives of fallen soldiers within three days to help with funeral costs and travel of Dover Air Force base). And yesterday, the VA closed (temporarily) its regional offices and furloughed 7,000 workers responsible for claims processing due to the government shutdown. (Learn more.)

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki will be testifying before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs this morning on the effect of the government shutdown on veterans' benefits. In the meantime, we hope you share your voice on these related bills. We'll deliver your message to your lawmakers. (Learn how POPVOX works.)


Bills Related to Veterans During the Shutdown

1) -- Fallen Heroes and Families Assistance Act (HR 3274): "would require that the military also pay death benefits, reimbursement for funeral expenses and travel, survivors' basic housing allowance and other expenses incurred because of the death of a service member." - https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr3274

2)  -- Honoring the Families of Fallen Soldiers Act (HJRes 91): Making continuing appropriations for death gratuities and related survivor benefits for survivors of deceased military service members of the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2014. https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hjres91

3)  -- Honoring our Promise to America's Veterans Act (HJRes 72): "would have ensured that veterans in receipt of VA disability compensation, pension, GI Bill, and other critical benefits could continue to receive those benefits in the event of a prolonged government shutdown." (House passed Oct. 3.) - https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hjres72

4)  -- Save Our Veterans Act (HR 3225): Making continuing appropriations for veterans benefits in the event of a Government shutdown. - https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr3225

5)  -- Protecting Those Who Protected Us Act (S 1564): making continuing appropriations for veterans benefits and services in the event of a Government shutdown. - https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/s1564

6)  -- Pay Our Veterans and Seniors First Act (HR 3152): To prohibit Members of Congress, the President, the Vice President, and the head of any Executive department from receiving pay for any period in which there is a Government shutdown and to provide for payments to seniors, military and veterans during a Government shutdown. - https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr3152


Link to this list online: http://www.popvox.com/blog/2013/issue-spotlight-veterans-during-shutdown/
 

Government shutdown: VA backlog at risk

"The backlog will go in the wrong direction by 2,000 claims every day"” Soltz said. "They’ve cut into that thing a lot, and they’re going to lose that momentum. Every day that the government is shut down, the claims begin to build up"”

"As U.S. service members continue to work tirelessly, our government threatens to shut down tomorrow: prioritizing political point-making over the people it is charged with serving"” she said in a statement. "It is unthinkable that veterans who have sustained career-ending injuries, dependent on the disability benefits they earned, could be needlessly cut off from support"”

The VA is doing what it can to lessen the effects on the backlog in case of a shutdown, Soltz said, but a long shutdown will make missing payouts unavoidable.

"There is a real argument right now that the backlog will grow, the question is how much"” he said. "The assumption is that in 30 days they’re out of money, and veterans don’t get their service-connected checks anymore"”

Continue Learning:  http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/veterans-backlog-at-risk-under-shutdown-97593.html?hp=r3

VFW National Commander Takes Action Against Continued Government Shutdown & Veterans Field Guide To Government Shut Down

TAKE ACTION:  
The Pay Our Veterans and Seniors First Act


SEE BELOW:  Veterans Field Guide to Government Shut Down 

We expect more from our elected leadership, and not a piecemeal approach that would use the military or disabled veterans as leverage in a political game.

VFW National Commander Takes Action Against Government Shutdown by Agent Orange Legacy

Veterans Field Guide To Government Shut Down by Agent Orange Legacy