3/3 RVN Ass’n Vol 1 Issue 4 09/01/2005 
Page 5
Page 5Legion Leader Says Proposed Budget
Reaches Deep Into Veterans' Pockets
WASHINGTON, February 07, 2005 - The leader of the nation's largest military veterans organization reacted strongly to the effects that President Bush's budget plan will have on veterans. He called it a smoke screen to raise revenue at the expense of veterans.
"This is not acceptable," said Thomas P. Cadmus, national commander of the 2.7 million-member American Legion. "It's nothing more than a health care
tax designed to increase revenue at the expense of veterans who served their country."
Cadmus was referring to the portion of the proposed budget that would double the co-payment charge to many veterans for prescription drugs and would require some to pay a new fee of $250 a year to use their own their own health care system.
"Is the goal of these legislative initiatives to drive those veterans paying for their health care away from the system designed to serve veterans?" Cadmus asked.
"The President is asking Congress to make 'health care poaching' legal in the world's largest health care delivery system."
"When the President first came to Washington, among his first official acts was to triple the prescription co-payment from $2 to $7," Cadmus said. "Once again, the President wants to double the co-payment and fortunately, Congress has wisely rejected that proposal. Making veterans pay for timely access to quality health care is wrong."
This is the third year in a row the President has attempted to establish an enrollment fee for those veterans making co-payments and third-party
reimbursements to the VA.
"Many of these veterans are Medicare-eligible and already paying the federal government for their part A and B coverage, so why should they have to pay an additional enrollment fee? VA can't even bill Medicare," Cadmus said.
"Other veterans with private health insurance make co-payments and then VA is reimbursed for services.
Again, why should they be forced to pay an additional $250 to go to VA medical facilities?"
"During my visits to VA hospitals, I have not run into Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or Ross Perot seeking care. I see mostly veterans - many on small fixed incomes - trying to make ends meet and exercising their very best health care option." Cadmus observed.
"Veterans' health care is an ongoing expense of war," he added. "You don't thank veterans for serving their country and then tell them, 'By the way, better not get wounded or you'll have to pay extra for your health care.' This is offensive to every veteran in America. That is why this government must move VA health care out from under the umbrella of discretionary spending to mandatory spending," Cadmus stressed.
The American Legion has requested a $3.5 billion increase in health care spending in FY 2006. The President is proposing $9.5 billion in foreign aid; about $2.1 billion more than the current level.
"As young Americans in uniform battle terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as 119 other countries, it is incomprehensible that our veterans will pay for the shortfall in VA health care funding from their own pockets as tax dollars flow out the back door of America," Cadmus said.
"We reminded the President of our position on veterans' health care needs during his campaign and I personally testified on the issue on Capitol Hill last September," Cadmus added. "Our budget request is very realistic when you consider the Secretary has slammed the door in the face of hundreds of thousands of veterans eligible, but currently forbidden from seeking quality care from VA."
"The current appropriations process is broken and is not adequately funding VA medical care," Cadmus said. "President George W. Bush's Task Force to Improve Health Care Delivery for Our Nation's Veterans on May 26, 2003, identified the mismatch between demand and funding as a major obstacle in meeting the nation's commitment to veterans. The American Legion and nine other veterans' organizations believe the answer lies in changing VA health care funding from discretionary to mandatory appropriation."
"No active-duty service member in harm's way should ever have to question the nation's commitment to veterans. This is the wrong message at the wrong time to the wrong constituency."
VA DIC Rates 2005:
Effective 12/1/04
DIC for Surviving Spouses
Veteran's Death Was On or After 1 January 1993: Basic Monthly Rate = $993
Veteran's Death Was Before 1 January 1993
1.E-1 thru E-6 $993 ~ E-7 1027 ~ E-8 1,084 ~
E-1 thru E-6 $993 ~ E-7 1027 ~ E-8 1,084 ~ E-9 $1,131
2. W-1 $1,049 ~ W-2 1,091 ~W-3 1,123 ~ W-4 $1,184
3. O-1 $1,049 ~ O-2 1,084 ~O-3 1,160 ~ O-4 1,217 ~
O-5 1,351 ~ O-6 1,523 ~O-7 1,645 ~O-8 1,805 ~
O-9 1,931 ~ O-10 $2,118
Additional Payments for Dependents: Veterans whose service-connected disabilities are rated at 30 percent or more are entitled to additional allowances for dependents. Depending upon the disability rating of the veteran, monthly allowances for a spouse range from $39 to $94 and for a dependent child, $26 to $88. Additional amounts are provided for each additional child and there is a higher scale for children in school after age 18.
Other Major Factors Affecting Payment Levels: Adjustments to rates are based on a number of factors in addition to dependents. Among factors that can have a significant effect on amounts are:
. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities may receive compensation at a basic rate as high as $6,576 per month. Various special monthly compensation rates apply when a veteran experiences loss or loss of use of one or more limbs; loses one or more of the senses of sight, hearing or speech; or experiences loss of a reproductive organ or its use, or loss of breast tissue by a female veteran.
. Allowances may be made for veterans requiring aides, such as bedridden individuals who need assistance with eating, bathing or certain other activities of daily living. This adjustment is referred to as "aid and attendance."
. Veterans whose service-connected disability leaves them unable to maintain gainful employment may meet criteria for allowances at the 100 percent compensation rate under a benefit called "individual unemployability." A veteran with a single service-connected disability may be eligible if the veteran's disability is rated at 60 percent or more. A veteran with multiple disabilities may be eligible if the veteran has a combined rating of 70 percent or more and at least one of the disabilities is individually rated 40 percent or higher.
[Source: VFW Post 3822 Panama City msg 23 DEC 04]
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Submitted by: Marine Forces Pacific Story Identification #: 004122817404528175323
Submitted by: Marine Forces Pacific
Story by - Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel J. Calderón
HONOLULU (Dec. 24, 2004) -- Sherrie Ingram, wife of Chief Petty Officer Daniel Ingram from Commander Destroyer Squadron 31, was among seven spouses representing seven services to receive a check and a plaque at the Christmas Eve 2004 Hawai’i Bowl recognizing her as a key spouse.
Rear Adm. Michael C. Vitale, commander Navy Region Hawaii and commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, and retired Navy Captain Kraig Kennedy, president of the Honolulu Council of the Navy League presented Ingram and the other spouses with a plaque recognizing their contributions. Tennyson Lum, president and CEO of Pioneer Pacific Financial Services presented each honoree a check for $1,000.
This event recognizes the spouses who provided support for service members throughout the year,” Vitale said. “On a daily basis, these spouses take care of the families of our men and women who are deployed.”
Kennedy said the award comes at a particularly apt time in history.
“The nation is at war and a lot of our young men and women are in combat,” Kennedy said. “When they leave, they leave behind families back home. These spouses we are recognizing today support those families. We thought it would be appropriate to recognize the contributions these spouses make to the armed forces.”
Each of the spouses said they were honored at receiving the recognition. “I’m, very honored and also very surprised,” said Lori Abrego, whose husband, Marine Staff Sgt. Gustavo Abrego – a member of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay – is currently deployed. “There were a lot of other spouses who were put in for the award.”
“It was an awesome feeling,” said Ingram about learning she was named as the Navy’s key spouse representative. “There are so many other spouses who are deserving. It’s an honor to win.”
Ingram is the Navy Region Hawaii ombudsman and is the liaison for other ombudsmen for commands throughout the region. She also conducts ombudsmen training at the Naval Station Pearl Harbor Fleet and Family Support Center.
Other spouses who were on hand were Amy Hargrave representing the Army, Jolande Murray representing the Air Force, Carrie Takenaka representing the Hawai’i Army National Guard, Lorna Souza representing the Hawaii Air National Guard and Debra Collier representing the Coast Guard.
Please note: Happy New Years to all of you! Beth sent this to me thought you would like to see it. Thanks again for all of your awesome support to us!
Semper Fi Lori
