Military Officer - June 2007 - (Page 40)

washingtonscene Smythe Answers Your Questions ■ Do you have more leg- islative questions about transition services for wounded servicemembers? MOAA’s medical readiness expert, Col. Ana Smythe, USMC-Ret., chatted online April 23 with MOAA members about their concerns. You can view the discussion at www.moaa.org/aprillegis chat. Send questions for upcoming chats to legis chat@moaa.org. medical record; a single discharge physical; an electronic military separation document; and continuity of counseling assistance between military and VA programs. President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors — The president has appointed a separate nine-member commission. IRG cochairman Togo West was invited to testify at the commission’s ﬁrst meeting April 14. “Who are we as a nation?” West asked. [On this score,] “we won’t like the answer.” He noted that four reports in the past 10 years have recommended ﬁxes for the same problems the IRG found, and yet the problems haven’t been ﬁxed. MOAA thinks it’s long past time for leaders at all levels of government to get past the rhetoric and ﬁnger-pointing and take every step to ensure care of our nation’s war wounded — now. Senate Leaders Pledge Support Commitment is expressed to meet veterans’ needs. L eaders from MOAA and other military associations were invited to a meeting March 28 by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) to discuss veterans’ needs. MOAA was pleased to hear a total of 17 Democratic senators in attendance say they’re giving this top priority. Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), and a host of others highlighted the billions of dollars added to the VA budget for FY 2007 and FY 2008 to address health care and other needs. “The nation and the Congress may be divided on the war,” said Levin, “but we’re united on supporting our troops and supporting our veterans.” An hour of dialogue between association leaders and senators addressed pressing needs in a wide range of areas, including: ■ more accurate budget planning; ■ cutting red tape for wounded servicemembers and families trying to navigate military and VA health care and disability systems; ■ faster and more sensitive processing of VA and military disability evaluations; ■ correction of disappointments experienced by returning Guard and Reserve servicemembers; and ■ long-term planning for trauma-related needs of wounded servicemembers and their families. Immediately following the meeting, MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., had an extensive discussion with Levin, highlighting additional needs for an improved pay raise for overstressed troops. He suggested establishing a Joint DoD/VA Seamless Transition Ofﬁce responsible for improving coordination of the two departments’ health care and disability systems and expressed the urgent need for additional progress to resolve concurrent receipt and Survivor Beneﬁt Plan inequities. We’re Having Hearing Issues Congress got active in March. T his is the season for hearings on Capitol Hill, and there were several in March that yielded some interesting testimony. Here are some selected highlights: March 22 — House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (Montgomery GI Bill): 40 MILITARY OFFICER JUNE 2007 http://www.moaa.org/aprillegischat http://www.moaa.org/aprillegischat

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - June 2007

Military Officer - June 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Getting the Best Care Stand By Me Promise for PTSD Cover Story: Heavy Duty Unified Medical Command Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar MOAA Scholarship Donors Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - June 2007

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