| Here's
the
latest
CWVA
News…
Updated
April
27,
2008
CWVA
Goals
(1)
Build
sustainable
networks
of
altruistic
outreach
to
the
less
fortunate
whom
Cold
War
Veterans
are
dedicated
to
serving,
(2)
Ensure
access
to
quality
VA
health
care
for
honorably
discharged
Cold
War
Veterans,
(3)
Eliminate
discriminatory
treatment
of
Cold
War
Veterans
by
governmental
entities
and
fellow
Veterans'
Service
Organizations,
and
(4) Sustain the
continued
growth of the Cold War Veterans
Association.
______________________
(1)
Once
again,
May
1st
(2008)
is
being
recognized
as Cold
War
Victory
Day
around
the
nation.
As
in
years
past,
CWVA
Chairman
Vince
Milum
will
be
delivering
a
speech
to
the
Johnson
County
(Kansas)
Commissioners
and
other
attendees
at a
proclamation
ceremony.
(2)
In
conjunction
with
Cold
War
Victory
Day,
a drawing
was
held
for
a brand
new
AM-FM
CD
Player.
Cold
War
Veterans
Lynn
Norris
and Brian
Lawrence
conducted
the
drawing
(see
photo
below).
Eligible
for
the
drawing
were
all
Platinum,
Gold
and
Silver
Honor
Roll
members.
The
winner
was
CWVA
Platinum
member
José
Alfaras.
(NOTE:
Holding
the
drawing
prize
in
the
photo
is
CWVA
database
administrator
Norm
Kinnaugh.)

(3)
Cold
War
Veterans
Richard
Isaac
and
Nils
Parr
will
once
again
represent
the
CWVA
at
the 2008
Memorial
Day
ceremony
at
Arlington
National
Cemetery.
The
leader
of
this
event
will
be
President
Bush.
(4)
Cold
War
Veteran
Richard
Keeney
has
assumed
a leadership
position
for
the
CWVA
in
the
state
of Kansas.
He
will
represent
the
CWVA
before
the
Kansas
(state)
Commission
on
Veterans
Affairs.
______________________
Join
the
CWVA
or
renew
your
membership
today:
Join
/ Renew
Thanks
to
our Honor
Roll
Members
______________________
(1)
As
stated
above,
the
following
are CWVA’s
Current
Goals
(a)
Build
sustainable
networks
of
altruistic
outreach
to
the
less
fortunate
whom
Cold
War
Veterans
are
dedicated
to
serving,
(b)
Ensure
access
to
quality
VA
health
care
for
honorably
discharged
Cold
War
Veterans,
(c)
Eliminate
discriminatory
treatment
of
Cold
War
Veterans
by
governmental
entities
and
fellow
Veterans'
Service
Organizations,
and
(d)
Sustain
the
continued
growth
of
the
Cold
War
Veterans
Association.
(2)
In
keeping
with
goal
(a)
stated
above,
CWVA
Chaplain
Fr.
Patrick
Rohen
will
be
meeting
this
month
(January
2008)
with
the
CWVA
Chairman.
As
part
of
his
visit,
Fr.
Rohen
will
be
meeting
with
veterans
incarcerated
at
Fort
Leavenworth
military
prison.
(3)
In
keeping
with
goal
(b)
stated
above,
the congressional
advisory
task
force
upon
which
the
CWVA
chairman
serves
is
tentatively
scheduled
to meet
on
Monday,
February
11,
2008,*
at 1600
hours in
the
Overland
Park
office
of
Congressman
Dennis
Moore.
(*Updated
on
January
18,
2008)
The
group
will
focus
on
DoD
and
VA
health
care
issues
but
will
also
address
other
issues
as
time
permits.
(4)
In
keeping
with
goal
(c)
stated
above,
Mick
Stewart
has
assumed
the
role
of Texas
Legislative
Affairs
Director
for
the
Association
and
will
direct
all
related
interactions
with
Texas-based
government
officials.
(5)
In
keeping
with
goal
(d)
stated
above,
CWVA
Europe
member
Joe
McColgan
will
be
flying
to
the
states
to
meet
with
the
CWVA
Chairman.
As
part
of
their
itinerary
they
will
be
exploring
expansion
of
CWVA
representation
abroad.
(6)
In
keeping
with
the
goals
stated
above,
CWVA
Florida
Director
Scott
Sutherland
reports
that
he
is
"looking
into
some
mass
communication
options
in
an
effort
to
reach
out
to
the
Florida
Veterans
community
and
increase
our
membership.
My
affiliation
with
the
AIR
FORCE
SERGEANTS
ASSOCIATION
is
proving
to
be a
real
benefit
in
that
regard."
(7)
In
keeping
with
the
goals
stated
above,
CWVA
New
York
Director
Nick
Valhos
reports
the
following:
(a)
At a
recent
Veterans
Advisory
Board
meeting
for
Congresswomen
Kirsten
Gillibrand
(upon
which
he
serves),
they
discussed
(i)
legislation
that
she
has
supported
for
veterans
and
their
families
and
(ii)
her
support
for
the
NYS
Military
Museum's
Veterans’
Oral
History
Project
(which
will
preserve
the
stories
of
New
York's
Veterans).
(b)
(Per
Nick:)
"We
also
discussed
her
desire
for
better
communications
with
veterans
and
their
families
to
better
serve
them.
For
a
congresswoman
in
her
first
term
she
is
doing
a
great
job
and
truly
concerned."
(c)
(Per
Nick:)
"I
have
spoken
to a
little
over
100
veterans
at
American
Legion
Posts
1303,
1466,
and
VFW
Post
170.
I
talked
about
the
Cold
War
Veterans
Assoc.,
and
why
they
should
join
and
many
of
the
incidents
that
happen
during
that
time
period
and
the
number
of
veterans
who
died
during
this
period.
I
told
them
that
congresswomen
Gillibrand
supported
the
Cold
War
Medal
and
handed
out
a
membership
form
to
each
veteran."
______________________
The
minutes
for
the
October
15,
2007
meeting
of
Congressman
Dennis
Moore's
Military
and
Veterans
Affairs
Task
Force
are
now
available
______________________
As
previously
announced
by
the
CWVA
(see
the
bottom
of
CWVA
News
below),
an
integrated
(i.e.,
seamless)
disability
system
for
DoD
and
VA
is
in
the
works. The
following
is
the first
formal
announcement
as
to
the
status/progress
of
that
integration:
VA
and
DoD
Pilot
Single
Physical:
One
Exam
Used
for
"Fitness
for
Duty"
and
Disability
Pay
Opening
paragraph:
In a
landmark
agreement
to
simplify
life
for
service
members
with
medical
problems
as
they
leave
the
military
and
return
to
the
civilian
world,
the
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
(VA)
and
the
Department
of
Defense
(DoD)
signed
a
memorandum
to
pilot
a
single
physical
examination
to
be
used
by
both
Departments.
______________________
Study:
1
out
of 4
homeless
are
veterans
WASHINGTON
-
Veterans
make
up
one
in
four
homeless
people
in
the
United
States,
though
they
are
only
11
percent
of
the
general
adult
population,
according
to a
[new]
report.
Click
here
for
the
complete
story
Check
out
the member
profile
of
CWVA
Chaplain
Matt
Davison
who
is
leading
our
efforts
to
address
this
travesty.
______________________
US
Navy
Cold
War
Veteran
Ronald
Lackey
has
accepted
the
position
of Illinois
Legislative
Director
for
the
CWVA.
Ronald
brings
a
wealth
of
professional
and
academic
experience
to
his
new
position.
______________________
US
Army
Cold
War
Veterans
Jim
Lederle
and Jim
Miller
have
accepted
the
positions
of Indiana
Legislative
Director
and Director
of
Communications
—
Midwest
(respectively).
Both
gentlemen
bring
outstanding
résumés
including
a
doctorate
degree
(in
the
case
of
Dr.
Lederle)
and
Membership
on
the
China
Roundtable
at
the
Chicago
Council
on
Global
Affairs
(in
the
case
of
Mr.
Milller).
______________________
Number
of
uninsured
veterans
nears
2
million
By
Gregg
Zoroya,
USA
TODAY
WASHINGTON
—
The
number
of
uninsured
veterans
jumped
sharply
in
the
first
half
of
the
decade
to
1.8
million
in
2004,
a
new
study
shows.
Conducted
by
researchers
at
the
Harvard
Medical
School,
the
study
shows
the
uninsured
veteran
population
rose
twice
as
fast
as
the
uninsured
in
the
general
population.
The
increase
in
veterans
lacking
insurance
coincides
with
Bush
administration
policies
aimed
at
limiting
the
number
of
veterans
eligible
for
VA
coverage,
according
to
the
study
published
online
Tuesday
in
the American
Journal
of
Public
Health.
In
2002,
the
administration
stopped
marketing
veterans
health
care
and,
in
January
2003,
cut
off
access
to
future
veterans
earning
more
than
$30,000
to
$35,000
annually
on
average.
Both
times,
VA
officials
cited
budgetary
constraints
and
backlogs
in
untreated
patients.
Only
a
minority
of
veterans
—
those
disabled
by
military
service
—
are
automatically
eligible
for
VA
care,
the
study
says.
Coverage
continues
for
veterans
already
enrolled,
poor
veterans,
Purple
Heart
recipients
and
former
prisoners
of
war.
"Most
uninsured
veterans
are
low-
to
middle-income
workers
who
may
be
too
poor
to
afford
private
coverage
but
are
not
poor
enough
to
qualify
for
Medicaid
for
Medicaid
or
free
VA
care,"
the
study
says.
Click
here
for
the
complete
story
As
we
have
stated
previously,
addressing
this
issue
is
paramount
on
the
CWVA
legislative
agenda.
______________________
Tax
Breaks
for
Cold
War
Veterans
-
Sullivan
County,
New
York
Cold
War
veterans
will
get
a 15
percent
break
on
their
assessment,
not
to
exceed
$12,000,
after
the
Sullivan
County
Legislature
unanimously
passed
a
new
county
tax
exemption
yesterday
[November
15,
2007].
With
roughly
1,700
Cold
War
vets
in
the
county,
the
exemption
could
reduce
county
revenue
by
$100,000.
About
25
veterans
attended
the
public
hearing
yesterday
to
speak
in
support
of
the
exemption.
But
they
also
spoke
out
against
the
state,
which
created
the
tax
break
but
did
not
fund
it.
The
state
bill,
veterans
said,
was
written
sloppily.
Cold
War
veterans
have
to
send
away
for
a
special
certificate
before
receiving
their
break
and
reapply
every
year.
The
cut
only
benefits
veterans
who
own
property.
The
state
passed
enabling
legislation
in
August,
allowing
counties,
towns,
cities
and
villages
to
adopt
the
tax
break.
______________________
Cold
War
Veteran
Scott
Sutherland,
who
served
in
the
US
Air
Force
(and
is
an
an
active
member
of The
Air
Force
Sergeants
Association),
is
assuming
a
leadership
position
with
the
CWVA.
Among
other
duties,
Scott
will
help
coordinate
technology
matters
for
the
CWVA
as
well
as
help
guide
recruitment
in
the
state
of
Florida.
In
Scott's
own
words:
"I
am a
very
'hands
on'
type
of
volunteer.
I
enjoy,
whenever
possible,
visiting
returning
and/or
wounded
Vets
and
helping
them
with
whatever
personal
or
familial
needs
they
may
have.
I
likewise
enjoy
visiting
senior
Veterans
at
their
homes
and/or
facilities
in
which
they
reside.
I
also
enjoy
and
am
very
adept
at
speaking
with
young
people,
ROTC
etc.,
and
explaining
the
importance
of
our
Nation’s
military
history
and
current
role
as
well
as
helping
develop
tomorrow’s
leadership."
______________________
Cold
War
Veteran
LCDR
Nicholas
Valhos,
who
is
currently
serving
with
the
New
York
Naval
Militia,
(and
who
previously
served
in
the
Navy
and
is a
Retired
Special
Agent
with
the
US
Dept
of
the
Interior),
has
assumed
a
leadership
position
with
the
CWVA.
Initially,
his
duties
will
include
serving
as a
Veterans
Advisory
Board
member
for
Congresswoman
Kirsten
E.
Gillibrand
of
the
Twentieth
Congressional
District
in New
York.
He
will
also
coordinate
meetings
with
other
Veterans
Organizations
to
develop
awareness
and
issues related
to
the
Cold
War.
______________________
The
CWVA
participated
in a
ceremony
in
honor
of Korean
War
and
Era
Veterans,
hosted
by
the York
County
Pennsylvania
delegation
to
the
Pennsylvania
House
of
Representatives.
The
Ceremony
in
Honor
of
Korean
War
and
Era
Veterans
took
place
on
Thursday,
October
11th
in
Memorial
Hall
at
the
York
Expo
Center,
York,
Pennsylvania.
As
part
of
the
ceremony
CWVA
member
Nils
Parr
(who
is
an
Air
Force
veteran)
received
a
pin
and
certificate
from
his
local
State
Representative,
Ron
Miller.
______________________
CWVA
Chairman
Vince
Milum
(who
is
an
Army
veteran)
is serving
on a
nine-member
task
force
for
the
third
(U.S.)
congressional
district
in
Kansas.
"The
primary
purpose
of
the
task
force
is
to
look
at
what
Congress
and
the
[Bush]
Administration
are
doing
for
yesterday’s
and
today’s
defenders
of
freedom
[and
to
give
our]
thoughts
and
recommendations
about
how
these
actions
are
affecting
Third
District
residents
and
how
further
actions
can
benefit
[third
district]
residents
and
families."
The
task
force
is chaired
by a
retired
Marine
Corps
(Brigadier)
General.
"The
Task
Force
is
nonpartisan
and
[is]
autonomous
in
that
its
considerations
and
recommendations
[are]
up
to
the
members
to
determine." At
its meeting
on
October
15,
2007,
the
3rd
District
task
force
reviewed
the
report
generated
by
the
Veterans'
Disability
Commission
entitled,
"Honoring
The
Call
To
Duty:
Veterans'
Disability
Benefits
in
the
21st
Century".
Forthcoming
from
the
reviewed
report
will
be
the
implementation
of a
new
VA
Rating
Schedule
along
with
an
integrated
(i.e.,
seamless)
disability
system
for
DoD
and
VA.
On
October
16,
2007,
President
Bush
proffered
new
federal
guidelines
for
implementing
recommendations
from
the
Dole-Shalala
report*
which
had
been
the
previous
subject
of
review
by
the
nine-member
task
force.
(*The
formal
title
of
the
Dole-Shalala
report
is
the "Report
of
the
President’s
Commission
on
Care
for
America’s
Returning
Wounded
Warriors".) For
an
announcement
regarding
the
forthcoming
integrated
disability
system,
see: VA
and
DoD
Pilot
Single
Physical:
One
Exam
Used
for
"Fitness
for
Duty"
and
Disability
Pay
Opening
paragraph:
In a
landmark
agreement
to
simplify
life
for
service
members
with
medical
problems
as
they
leave
the
military
and
return
to
the
civilian
world,
the
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs
(VA)
and
the
Department
of
Defense
(DoD)
signed
a
memorandum
to
pilot
a
single
physical
examination
to
be
used
by
both
Departments.
______________________
Join
the CWVA or
renew your
membership
today!
Thanks to our Honor
Roll Members
for
your
continued
support |