Wounded Warriors

The Purple Heart medal, awarded to soldiers injured in the line of duty.

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. It is specifically a combat decoration.

Task Force Marne Soldiers dedicate themselves everyday to their mission in Iraq; a mission to provide a hopeful future for the people of Iraq and to ensure the security of their families and Americans back home.

Soldiers wounded in battle deserve the highest quality medical care our country can provide. But even in the best military hospitals, Soldiers who face weeks or months of recovery and rehabilitation sometimes experience difficulty maintaining their Warriors’ spirit. But hanging on to that spirit is as important as physical healing they go through and you can help. The value of a note or a card offering well wishes is immeasurable in that recovery process.

Our wounded troops are cared for at locations in the United States and Germany. The email addresses below allow you to correspond with the places of healing for our Wounded Warriors. In some cases, visits may even be welcomed.

Please contact one of the liaison officers below to see how you can help these dedicated and deserving Soldiers.

The "Military Order of the Purple Heart," was formed in 1932 for the protection and mutual interest of all who have received the decoration. Composed exclusively of Purple Heart recipients, it is the only veteran’s service organization comprised strictly of “combat” veterans.

You can support them at www.purpleheart.org

VA HEALTH CARE FUNDING UPDATE 08:

On the heels of Memorial Day, Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL), a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, introduced the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2007, a bill to make VA health care a mandatory spending item within the federal budget. He was joined by co-sponsors of the bill and representatives from the American Legion, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the VFW, the Disabled American Veterans, the Blinded Veterans Association, and the Disabled American Veterans. Below are his remarks, as prepared. Hare made a number of remarks in support of the legislation which included wake-up calls for the following:
- The fact that a backlog of 600,000 VA disability claims is not only inefficient, it’s immoral.
- The fact that our nation’s vet centers are short on staff and many veterans suffering from PTSD are going without the counseling they need.
- The fact that it’s hypocritical to say you support the troops while our wounded soldiers are living in rat-infested rooms at Walter Reed.
- The fact that it is wrong to give senior VA officials lucrative bonuses at the same time veterans are waiting in line to see a doctor.
- The fact that the way we budget for the needs of our veterans is inadequate in an era of terror.
- The fact that the VA actually ran out of money the last 2 years—suffering shortfalls of $1 billion in 2005 and $2 billion in 2006.
- The fact that VA health care is currently the only major federal health program that is not funded through mandatory appropriations.

He commented that the system is broken and said, “It is nearly impossible to continue to meet the growing needs of our veterans through discretionary spending. It is a 19th century solution to a 21st century challenge”. The Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act of 2007 has 73 co-sponsors, including the Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. In addition, the idea of multi-year funding has bipartisan support. Representative Smith of New Jersey, a Republican, has introduced legislation to fund VA health care in two-year blocks.
[Source: Congressman Phil Hare Press Release 24 May 07 ++]

FYI
If Interested in Wearing Medals.

A website has been established to assist veterans desiring to display their pride.
 
Subjects include:
Where To Wear Your Military Color:
Clothing The Military Medal Ribbon Should Not Be Worn On:
When Military Medal Ribbons Should Be Worn:
Which Military Medal Ribbon should You Select for Daily Wear.
 
 REFERENCES:
 How To Wear A Military Ribbon on civilian clothing
 http://www.amervets.com/mypride/index.htm
 
 Military Medal Order of Precedence
 http://members.aol.com/warlibrary/display

Florida Middle School named in Honor of 3rd ID Hero
Click Here for photos and stories

The National Personnel Records Center is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to get copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents, including Discharge Documents DD 214.
Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time.
Former military personnel and their dependents can get more information at the National Archives website. Military personnel records can be used for proving military service, or as a valuable tool in genealogical research. Most veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and other military and medical records several ways:
Click Here for details:
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html

Contributed by Martin Markley

Click Here for House Committee on Veterans Affairs website

Click Here for latest headlines and stories

The new edition of the popular VA handbook Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents can be downloaded free at http://www.va.gov/opa/feature/
It may also be ordered from the Government Printing Office at 1-866-512-1800 (Toll Free) for $7.00

Veterans ID Cards Now Available
Click Here for details

 VA Vet Centers Coming to 23 More Communities:
Vital Services More Accessible for Returning Veterans

WASHINGTON -February 7, 2007- The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) vet center program, which provides readjustment counseling and outreach services to combat veterans, is expanding into 23 new communities across the nation in the next two years, the Department announced today. These facilities are an important resource for veterans returning from the Global War on Terror and their families.
“Our vet centers lead the world in helping combat veterans successfully readjust to life at home,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. “It’s an important service which combat veterans have earned. VA continues to expand into more communities with our vet centers to bring our services closer to the veterans who need them.”

New vet centers will be located in Montgomery, Ala.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Modesto, Calif.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Orlando, Fort Myers, and Gainesville, Fla.; Macon, Ga.; Manhattan, Kan.; Baton Rouge, La.; Cape Cod, Mass.; Saginaw and Iron Mountain, Mich.; Berlin, NH; Las Cruces, NM; Binghamton, Middletown, Nassau County and Watertown, NY; Toledo, Ohio; Du Bois, Penn.; Killeen, Texas; and Everett, Wash.

During 2007, VA plans to open new facilities in Grand Junction, Orlando, Cape Cod, Iron Mountain, Berlin and Watertown. The other new vet centers are scheduled to open in 2008.

All vet centers are community-based. They provide counseling on mental health and employment, plus services on family issues, education, bereavement and outreach, to combat veterans and their families. They are staffed by small teams of counselors, outreach specialists and other specialists, many of whom are combat veterans themselves.

The vet center program was established by Congress in 1979 in recognition that a significant number of Vietnam veterans were still experiencing readjustment problems. Today, all veterans who served in combat are eligible for care at a VA vet center at no cost, as are their families for military-related issues. Also eligible are veterans who were sexually assaulted or harassed while on active duty and the families of service members who die on active duty.

Currently, VA maintains 209 vet centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Public Affairs
Media Relations
Washington, DC 20420
(202) 273-6000
www.va.gov

Military Awards Replacement

AWARDS REPLACEMENT: Retirees who have lost medals or decorations, or never received ones they earned, may request them at any time. The government will generally replace lost or destroyed decorations for service or valor at no cost. There may be a charge for campaign ribbons and badges. At www.thestrelz.com/mildec.htm  you can view decorations and ribbons, Army right breast pocket ribbons for citations and commendations, specialty and staff badges for each service, U S Merchant Marine ribbons, plus State and Other Foreign Decorations. Former service members and the survivors of deceased veterans can obtain replacement medals or make appeals by writing to their respective service below. For Air Force (including Army Air Corps) and Army personnel, the National Personnel Records Center will verify the awards to which a veteran is entitled and forward the request with the verification to the appropriate service department for issuance of the medals. The Standard Form (SF 180), Request Pertaining to Military Records is recommended for requesting medals and awards. This form can be downloaded in PDF format at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html.

Air Force: National Personnel Records Center, Air force Reference Branch NRPMF, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. For appeals or problems write to Headquarters Air Force Personnel Ctr, AFPC/DPPPR, 550 C Street West, Suite 12, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4714.

Army: National Personnel Records Center, Medals Section (NRPMA-M), 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. Send appeals to: Commander PERSCOM, Attn: TAPC-PDO-PA, 200 Stovall Street, Alexandria, VA 22332-0471

Navy: Bureau of Naval Personnel, Liaison Office Room 5409, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. For appeals or problems write to Chief of Naval Operations, (OPNAV 09B33), Awards & Special Projects, Washington, DC 20350-2000.

Marine Corps: Bureau of Naval Personnel, Liaison Office Room 5409, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. For appeals or problems write to Commandant of the Marine Corps, Military Awards Branch (MMMA), 3280 Russell Road, Quantico VA 22134-5100.

Coast Guard: Bureau of Naval Personnel, Liaison Office Room 5409, 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. For appeals or problems write to Commandant U.S. Coast Guard, Medals and Awards Branch (PMP-4), Washington, DC 20593-0001

Your letter should include as much of the following information as possible:
Full name
Social Security Account Number and Former Service Numbers if any
Date and place of Birth
Inclusive dates in the service
Complete Mailing Address
Telephone & Fax Number plus Email address (if you have one)

Make it easy for them to contact you, the easier the better. Be sure and include a copy of your DD214 and/or Separation Documents plus any other documents germane to your request. Indicate what you are looking for in the way of an award or correction regarding an award in your letter. If it is for corrections spell it out. Highlight the error on a copy of the related document and in your letter include what you think it should be. On medals and campaign ribbons if you are not sure indicate that you believe an award is indicated for a specific time frame and place of service and that you feel you qualify. Ask that your records be reviewed for additional unit or individual awards and decorations not reflected on the enclosed DD Form 214, or DD 215 correction of the DD Form 214, and issuance of a complete replacement set of awards and decorations. The more information you provide them the easier it is for them to verify and award you the ribbon. If your information is lengthy then put it on another sheet of paper and reference it in your letter. Be sure and put your full name, SSN and date on that sheet at the top and bottom. Upon receipt NPRC pulls the records, attaches the request and sends the case to AFPC to work. Veterans should be prepared to wait at least four-six months for a response. Any request for changes to a DD Form 214 should be accompanied by the necessary documents to substantiate the claim. [Source: TREA News Flash 10 May 07 ++]

Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Bill:
HR 1382

To all: a Bill, HR 1382, has been introduced in to the US House which will amend Title 38, US Code, to provide for an assured adequate level of funding for veterans health care.

For full details go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas.

The was introduced by NY Representative Randy Kuhl (R-29th District) and is entitled "Mandatory Funding for Veterans Act of 2007". VVA has been requesting this type of legislation for over four years. It is imperative that you contact your US Congressmen and request their support by co-sponsoring this Bill.

Dennis Koehler, a member of the VVA National Government Affairs Committee, advises us that Illinois Congressman Phil Hare (D-17th District) is also preparing to introduce similar Assured Funding legislation within the next two weeks. Rep Hare is planning to send a "Dear Colleague" letter presenting the draft bill to his fellow Congressmen soliciting bill co-sponsors.

Representatives Kuhl and Hare have shown their support for veterans. It is time for us to give them our support. Make your calls, send your emails and line up your Congressmen behind this critical piece of legislation.

John A Miterko
Chair, Government Affairs Committee

Survivors dealt 2nd blow with benefit plan
5/2/2007

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=12&a=292582
Rochester, MN

By Deanna Salie
Deanna Salie is the widow of Sgt. 1st Class David J. Salie, who was killed in Iraq on Feb. 14, 2005.

My husband was certain that he was going to die in Iraq. Sgt. 1st Class David J. Salie had been an American soldier for almost 17 years. He'd deployed many times, and he'd been to war before. He'd parachuted into Panama with the 82nd Airborne Division, served in the Gulf War and gone to Haiti with the 25th Infantry Division. But he'd never been so certain that he was going to die that he prepared for death. David told me that he wouldn't be coming back. I didn't believe him. I felt that he was just under so much stress thinking of our children and me, and about the 40 soldiers in his platoon who were his responsibility.

In the month before he left for Iraq with B Company, 2nd of the 69th Armor, 3rd Infantry Division, David went over his will with a fine-toothed comb, and he checked out his Survivor's Group Life Insurance, which provides protection for military people. David even gave away some of his personal belongings. He also checked on the death benefits that a soldier's family receives. My husband came home and proudly announced that if he died in Iraq, his family would be taken care of. I tried to tell him that he shouldn't worry about things like that. He said that every soldier going to war worries about his family and wants to make sure that if he's killed, his family will be taken care of just as they would be if he were still alive.

We were "all squared away," David told me. I wish I could say that he was wrong about dying and right about the rest of it. Instead, he was correct in his premonition about his own death, but wrong that we were "squared away."

On the evening of Feb. 14, 2005, a little after 9 p.m., I heard a knock on the front door of our house at Fort Benning, Ga. I got up from the couch in the living room, where I'd been resting with a sick child, and I saw two soldiers in dress green uniforms standing on the front porch. As my 11-year old daughter watched, they informed me that David had been killed that day by a roadside bomb in Baqubah, Iraq. I can't tell you what they said after I heard the words, "... regrets to inform you" because I was crying and screaming too loudly to hear much.

The next week was filled with contacting family members, trying to hold myself together for my three children, making funeral arrangements and dealing with all the red tape that a military death forces upon you. Had it not been for my Casualty Assistance Officer and the Rear Detachment Command of my husband's brigade, I'm not sure I would have made it through those first weeks. I was one of a lucky few who had wonderful help after my husband's death. Many other Army wives are less fortunate.

After making it through my husband's funeral, I was greeted with mountains of paperwork. I was escorted from office to office by my casualty officer as my military identification card was changed and reissued; as I signed up for the Veterans Administration's Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and the military's Survivor's Benefit Plan (SBP).

I reviewed the paperwork after all of these appointments, and I was shocked to discover that David had been wrong: We weren't going to be cared for as if he were still alive. My husband didn't know that dependents' compensation offsets the Survivor's Benefit Plan. If he'd known that, it would have made him very angry.

DIC is a payment made to widows, their children and some parents who've lost a husband, father or son. Widows are entitled to the benefit for the remainder of their lives, unless they remarry. DIC comes from the Department of Veterans Affairs. SBP pays a deceased soldier's income, and it comes from the Department of Defense. The offset, a dollar-for-dollar deduction, is supposedly intended to prevent double dipping from two similar benefit plans. But the Survivors Benefit Plan and Dependents Indemnity Compensation are provided for different reasons, and the offset leaves many military families with no survivors' benefits at all. Others receive only the pittance that's left over after the offset is deducted.

As we try to rebuild our shattered lives, the offset deals us a second blow. Grief and loss are hard enough to handle, but now we have more important worries, such as providing homes, food, clothing and schooling for our families. This is not a partisan political issue. This is not a matter of whether you're for or against the war in Iraq. This is about those who died serving our country, standing between our enemies and us and believing that their families would be cared for if they gave their lives.

It's a shame that that isn't true. There are two bills pending in Congress -- S. 935 in the Senate, sponsored by Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, and H.R. 1927 in the House of Representatives, sponsored by Rep. Solomon Ortiz of Texas -- that would eliminate the offset and help the families of our fallen. Please contact your senators and representatives and urge them to vote for these bills.

Web links
* Senate bill S. 935
* House bill H.R. 1927

Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the Internet at www.cem.va.gov  or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.

The College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has partnered with the State of Illinois to award up to 110 new academic scholarships for Illinois-based military veterans and active-duty military personnel. The scholarships offer Illinois veterans an unprecedented opportunity to receive free tuition while earning an MBA degree. Applicants must qualify for regular admission to the MBA Program and satisfy IVG residency, duty service and eligibility unit requirements. For more information on the Executive MBA Program, visit www.mba.illinois.edu/veterans, or call van der Hooning at 312-575-7905. For more information on the College of Business and programs in Urbana-Champaign visit www.business.uiuc.edu.

2007 edition of the VA Federal Benefits
for Veterans and Dependents booklet

The 2007 edition of the VA Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents booklet is now available.
You can find it online at: http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf
 Printed copies are available from most VA facilities
or you can print it out from the pdf.

The National Personnel Records Center is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to get copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents, including Discharge Documents DD 214.
Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time.
Former military personnel and their dependents can get more information at the National Archives website. Military personnel records can be used for proving military service, or as a valuable tool in genealogical research. Most veterans and their next-of-kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214 (Report of Separation) and other military and medical records several ways:
Click Here for details:
http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html

Contributed by Martin Markley

Mel Smith
Secretary/Administrator

Special Forces Association
PO Box 41436
Fayetteville, NC 28309-1436
Tel: (910) 485-5433 Fax: (910) 485-1041
Email: sfahq@sfahq.org  Website: http://www.sfahq.org

The Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission is traveling around the country to various cities getting input. They may not hit your town, but if you have something you wish that they know, visit their website at http://www.va.gov/vetscommission  There you will find out exactly the input, and the message format they need, and their e-mail address.  USDR Legislative Affairs

Many states offer veterans benefits. These benefits may include educational grants and scholarships, special exemptions or discounts on fees and taxes, home loans, veteran's homes, free hunting and fishing privileges, and more.

Each state manages its own benefit programs. The following is a list of links to the websites for each of the individual states that offer veterans benefits. Be sure to take advantage of the benefits you have earned by clicking on the link to your State Department of Veterans

The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center's mailroom processing time.