Michael Peterson is loved around the world for million selling country music chart toppers like “Drink, Swear, Steal and Lie” and “From Here To Eternity.”

Grammy and Country Music Association award nominee, Michael Peterson has a consistent commitment to excellence and is passionate about sharing his gifts which has brought him repeated recognition for outstanding service to our nation, the most recent being the 2008 Bob Hope “Spirit Of Hope” award from the USO and the U.S. Army.  For nearly 25 years, Michael Peterson has consistently created, inspired and entertained audiences around the world.

Michael is also the national spokesperson for the American Legacy Scholarship.  As an unfortunate consequence of Operation Iraqi Freedom and America’s war on terror, many children of our active-duty military personnel are now members of single-parent families. In most cases, this also means their chances to attend college have greatly diminished. Children of military personnel killed on active duty are entitled to receive money toward a college education. But it’s not enough. Which is why the American Legion established this scholarship.  Michael shared his talents once again by creating the CD  “You Could Hear a Pin Drop” to benefit the American Legion Legacy Scholarship.

Support the American Legacy Scholarship and get a copy of Michael Peterson’s CD “You Could Hear A Pin Drop”.

Torrey Shannon, National Spokesperson & Co-Executive Director of “Cleaning For Heroes” will be joining the lineup for our 2010 Veteran’s Day Telethon. Torrey came on board with Cleaning for Heroes in April 2010.  She has a unique perspective on the benefits of this one-of-a-kind program.  She is the wife of a combat wounded veteran who was featured in the Pulitzer-Prize winning stories in The Washington Post in 2007 and later testified before Congress about veteran care issues. Torrey, a former maid service owner, has been a peer mentor and moderator on many online residential cleaning forums over the years and remains actively involved in the cleaning industry. She is most recognized as an advocate and expert on quality-of-life topics that affect veterans and their families.

“Cleaning for Heroes” gives honor and assistance to our veterans and service members EVERY day of the year and is setting the example for others to follow! Within four months of the launch of this ground-breaking program, the Cleaning for Heroes network of maid services were spanning the nation and reaching into Canada. The response from the public was overwhelmingly positive.

Anne Aldridge, Founder of “Cleaning For Heroes”, is no stranger to the the sacrifices of veterans. She is the daughter of a Vietnam-era Navy veteran, the granddaughter of a World War II veteran, and the great-granddaughter of a World War I veteran.

“Cleaning for Heroes” is the only non-profit dedicated to to providing free house cleaning, home and repair services to disabled veterans in need.  If you would like to help support this worthy organization, please visit their website!!!

Air Force Veteran, Victoria Collier. Founder of The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier.

Air Force veteran, Victoria Collier, grew up with a passion for senior citizens and after enlisting in the Air Force, her respect for our service men and women who served during WWII, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam Conflict became even more ingrained.  Victoria is a committed and result-oriented professional in the field of senior citizen and veteran care.

In 2003, Victoria founded the “The Elder & Disability Law Firm of Victoria L. Collier” for the purpose of serving the legal needs of senior citizens when their health care needs increase. The firm focuses its entire practice on Elder Law issues, which encompasses the areas of Life Care planning, VA Benefits planning, Medicaid and disability planning, Estate planning, geriatric care management, guardianship litigation, and mediation services.

Victoria now teaches and mentors attorneys nationwide in VA Benefits Planning.  Veteran’s and widow(er)s of veterans may receive additional benefits from the VA if they need assistance with their activities of daily living (bathing, walking, eating, toileting, dressing).

Victoria is also the co-author of the VisPro, a comprehensive veteran’s benefits assistance software program.  Veteran Information Services (VIS) founders have over 20 years of collective experience in educating, pre-qualifying, and assisting veterans and their widowed spouses understand the complicated VA claim process.  As such, they have provided educational seminars to both the general public and professionals throughout the country.

Victoria just released her new book “47 Secret Veterans Benefits for Seniors – Benefits You Have Earned…But Don’t Know About!“

Debbie Burak, Founder, Veteran Aid Organization

Debbie Burak, daughter of a World War II veteran and founder of Veteran Aid Organization, will be joining us live on the Veteran’s Day Telethon.

Debbie started VeteranAid.org in November 2005 and dedicated it to the memory of her parents, Frank & Lillie Cicirelli.  After the passing of her mother, Debbie discovered that the Allowance for Aid & Attendance special pension had been sitting idle and unknown for over 57 years.  She then launched her own personal mission to ensure that other caregivers of veterans knew about this benefit before it was too late.  Debbie is driven to make a difference for others while honoring the service and sacrifice of Veterans.

The Aid and Attendance (A&A) Pension provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who require the regular attendance of another person to assist in eating, bathing, dressing and undressing or taking care of the needs of nature. It also includes individuals who are blind or a patient in a nursing home because of mental or physical incapacity. Assisted care in an assisting living facility also qualifies. For more information and how to apply visit her website at VeteranAid.org.

Yes, it’s true.  Our 2009 Veteran’s Day Campaign site “Flag Still Stands For Freedom” is coming down this week in preparation for the 2010 Veteran’s Day Telethon.  If there is anything on the current site that you would like to have copies of, please contact me immediately at LauraKennedyLive@gmail.com and I will be happy to forward it along!

I sincerely hope that our site has brought you good content, shared memories and even a few laughs over the last year and I look forward to doing even more of the same in our 2010 campaign.

If you are interested in being part of the team that puts together our 2010 24-hour Veteran’s Day Telethon, or have an idea that you would like to share with us, please do not hesitate to contact us either via email or on our Facebook Fanpage.

As a side note, if you haven’t already joined our Veteran’s Membership site for ongoing and up-to-date benefit and association information, I encourage you to do so right away!  Join here!

God Bless each and every one of you and thank you for all you do to support our troops!

Laura Kennedy, USN-Ret

Press Release on June 10, 2010

WASHINGTON – As previously announced on January 7, 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) froze prescription copayment increases for six months.  Veterans who generally have higher income and no service-connected disabilities – referred to as Priority Groups 7 and 8 Veterans – will now pay an additional $1 for each 30-day supply of outpatient medications.  Taking effect July 1, the increase to $9 from $8 is the first change in VA’s medication copay since Jan. 1, 2006.

“Because of the harsh economic reality facing many Veterans, we delayed the change,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  “We’re now ensuring the Veterans most in need of VA care are those least affected.  Yet, even with this increase, VA medication copays are lower than much of the private sector.”

This change does not impact Veterans in Priority Groups 2 through 6 who will continue to pay $8 for each 30-day supply of medications for their non-service connected conditions unless otherwise exempted.  These Veterans will also continue to have their out-of-pocket expenses for VA outpatient medications capped at $960 per calendar year.

Veterans who have an injury or illness connected with their military service resulting in a disability rated 50 percent or greater – who are known as Priority Group 1 Veterans — are exempt from the copay.

VA generally sets its outpatient medication copay rate based upon a regulation that ties the rate to the Medical Consumer Price Index for prescription drugs.

Veterans who have difficulty paying co-payments for outpatient medications should discuss the matter with their local VA enrollment coordinator.  Veterans may also contact VA at 1-877-222 VETS (8387) or visit VA’s health eligibility Web site at www.va.gov/healtheligibility .

Did you know that even if you didn’t do 20 years on active duty, you could draw a pension?  This must be one of the VA’s best kept secrets!!! So I encourage you to spread the word.  It’s not a huge amount of money but every little bit counts! I had no idea about this benefit until a huge veteran supporter friend of mine Debbie Burak of the Veteran Aid Organization clued me in.  Here’s the scoop as quoted from her site:

The VA Improved Pension – The VA classifies any veteran at the age of 65 to be permanently and totally disabled regardless of your physical state. The classification of “Disabled” entitles the veteran or widow for a Basic Pension if he/she meets the net worth and income criteria. The same is true for the surviving spouse.  No Physician’s Statement is required for filing for Basic Pension.  To be eligible for Basic Pension:

• A veteran alone must have countable income LESS than $11,830 a year
• A veteran with a spouse must have countable income LESS than: $15,493 a year

For more information see Code of Federal Regulation Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1521(b) or (c)).  Also check this site for more information as it becomes available.  (Veteran Aid.org)

Recently I have been reading and hearing a lot about challenges that members of the National Guard are facing after returning from serving on active duty.

Historically the National Guard has been seen as the key players right here in our own backyards aiding in natural disaster cleanup and civil emergencies. However, the President has the authority to call the National Guard to active federal duty. Since 9/11, more than 210,000 have been called to active service and 211 have already died in Iraq. As of 2008, the Guard represented 7 percent of the force in Iraq and 15 percent in Afghanistan.

Now these same men and women that are fighting along side our regular active men and women are struggling to receive health care after returning home. And if you can imagine, even more so than their active duty counterparts because of the way that eligibility requirements written long before the start of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I know change in legislation cannot be made overnight, but I also know that it only takes 72 hours to deploy a completely stocked and manned aircraft carrier. Since sometimes all it takes is someone to spell out the “plan”, here it is:

Step 1: Prior to deployment:

• Enlist each of the federally activated guardsmen into the regular Army
• Complete and submit regular military life insurance paperwork
• Exchange each of the National Guard member’s ID cards with regular military ID cards
• Issue regular dog tags
• Deploy

Note: Cost and manpower minimal since we already have active duty personnel performing these functions!

Step 2: Post Deployment:

• Debrief on eligible benefits and where to obtain transition assistance
• Discharge back to National Guard
• Re-issue National Guard ID Card
• Provide copies of all medical and service record paperwork accumulated while on active duty
• Thank them for their service!!!

Note: Again, NO additional resources or manpower is required because we already have personnel performing these functions!

Will this solve the problems with receiving care at the VA in general, NO. But this will solve the problem of National Guardsman being treated as outcasts at the VA after filling the call to duty!

Those of us that have already made the transition know just what a difference our military backgrounds can make in the civilian sector.  But if you haven’t already figured it out…this video will bring it home!  Don’t give up guys…there is a place for us when we come home!

by John McChesney

The Department of Veterans Affairs is struggling to cope with tens of thousands of veterans filing for disability benefits. Because there are applicants from two current wars — plus a new wave from the first Gulf War and Vietnam — thousands are now stuck in the clogged pipeline.

Although the department and its critics differ on exact numbers, everyone agrees that way too many vets are waiting way too long to get benefits.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is experimenting with ways to get the old, crippled bureaucracy to do better.

A Tidal Wave Of Applicants

The number of outstanding claims at the VA for service-related disabilities — amputations, injured limbs, PTSD, brain trauma — hovers around 500,000. Nearly 40 percent of those have been waiting on a decision for more than four months.

And to make matters worse, another 100,000 claims are waiting for a decision at the Board of Veterans Appeals. The department has responded by hiring thousands of new claims adjudicators, a kind of brute force approach.

But Paul Sullivan of Veterans for Common Sense says that won’t solve the problem.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs is so complicated, it would drive a normal person insane in 3 minutes,” Sullivan says.

Sullivan has been battling the VA for years over the backlog issue. For six years, he worked inside the VA. Complexity, he says, is the department’s backbreaking burden, beginning with a veteran’s first perplexing hurdle: a 23-page application form.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs takes three years to train a new employee on how to read that 23-page claim form,” he says.

Because of the intense training, those new hires won’t be online for some time. And Sullivan says the department’s problems are only beginning — he says 440,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have filed disability claims.

“We expect that number to go up to about a million in the next four or five years,” he says. “And more tidal waves are right behind it.”

Those tidal waves will be rolled in by Secretary Shinseki’s new rules allowing claims from Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam and chemical exposure in the first Gulf War. The VA acknowledges that at least 200,000 new applicants will slow down claims processing even more in the future.

A Faceless Bureaucracy

Vietnam veteran John Wood knows something about how long it can take to get benefits. He served in the Army from 1969 to 1972. In Vietnam, he was a cavalry reconnaissance scout near the border with North Vietnam, where he saw several of his fellow soldiers cut down in combat.

“It took me from 1972 to 2006 for the VA to admit that I had post-traumatic stress disorder,” he says. “They were saying that I couldn’t prove that I had any combat status in Vietnam, and so it couldn’t possibly be post-traumatic stress disorder because I wasn’t in combat, which I was.”

The VA insisted that because he had been trained as a clerk, he would not have been sent into combat. But Wood was reassigned when he got to Vietnam. The burden was on Wood to prove that he had been in combat. He solicited testimonial letters from fellow soldiers and dug up after-action reports from Army records to make his case. Thirty-four years later, the VA Board of Appeals acknowledged that he had been in the shooting war and granted his claim.

Another veteran who faced a hard process was Tia Christopher, who was raped in her barracks while she was attending language school to learn Arabic. When she got out of the Navy, she went to a VA hospital for psychological help. Staff at the hospital advised her against filing for disability benefits.

“Even though we got really good health care, they told us it would be really traumatic, a re-traumatizing process to file a claim, and that you basically have to kind of defend yourself. You would basically be put on trial to do this claim. That idea scared the hell out of me,” Christopher says.

But it didn’t scare her enough to keep her from filing a claim, which was denied. Then, with the help of the veterans service organization Swords to Plowshares, she filed an appeal. Eight years later, she won.

For both of these vets, the VA remained a faceless bureaucracy throughout their ordeal.

Critics say it’s not surprising that the VA’s medical branch advised Christopher against filing a claim with the benefits branch because it would be too traumatic. There is a widespread perception that the VA stands against vets rather than for them, they say. And that’s something Secretary Shinseki has set out to change.

“When the new secretary came in, one of the first things that he said to us was a recognition of the fact that many veterans do perceive us that way,” says Michael Walcoff, the VA’s undersecretary for benefits, “and that we need to do whatever we can do to make sure that our people understand that their role is to be an advocate for the veteran, not an adversary.”

It’s a tall order to turn around a huge bureaucracy encumbered by a culture and rules developed over the decades since World War II. But the VA has launched a number of pilot programs to streamline and simplify the application process.

A Possible Solution: Team Delta

One program is in the VA regional office in downtown Pittsburgh. Downstairs in the service center, row after row of white file cabinets stretch across the room, and piled on top are thick bundles of files so big they can’t be put away. Paper rules at the VA; electronic files are years away as the VA builds a new system. All of this paper now lumbers back and forth between the veteran and the VA via snail mail, while veterans almost never have any face-to-face — or even telephone — contact with people handling their claims.

Beth McCoy, the regional office director, says the staff of the pilot program, known as Team Delta, aims to change that by actually making personal calls to veterans.

“We’re surprising them,” McCoy says. ” ‘Is this really the VA calling? No one from VA has ever called me before.’ It’s a positive experience for the veterans, and it’s really a positive experience for our employees. Rather than working with paper files, they’re working more directly with veterans.”

And there are almost unheard-of face to face contacts with veterans — contacts which, the team has discovered, can be wrenchingly emotional.

Vietnam veteran Arthur Rhone says his experience with Team Delta is the best he’s had with the VA.

“They all introduced themselves to me, they’re all nice people and they seem like they’re concerned for me,” he says. “They not here for a paycheck; they here for me.”

Rhone starts his session about a PTSD claim with a tense recitation of the horrors he witnessed in Vietnam, and he ends with a story about the time a mother and daughter were stopped at an American checkpoint. The mother was a Viet Cong suspect carrying a large sum of money. Rhone’s squad leader told him to use the daughter to pressure the mother to confess that she had more money hidden away.

“So they told me … it was during the rainy season … get the girl, jump down in the rice paddy. I’m up to here, I grabbed the girl, she’s about 8 years old, and I ducked her down in the rice paddy till the mama-san told where the money was. I almost drowned her. I live with that every day of my life, OK? It’s with me all the time. I wish you could take your hands and scrub it out my damn brain. You think you can do that for me? Y’all think you can help me do that?”

Rhone jams his chest with his thumb for emphasis. People in the office calm him, but when he sits to sign a document, his hand is shaking so badly he has to steady it with his other hand.

“I appreciate that, you guys. Thank you,” he says.

But Team Delta has only eight people in a bureaucracy of nearly 20,000. The jury is still out on whether its personalized approach is feasible for the entire Veterans Benefits Administration.

Article Source: Disabled Veterans