Veteran Issues Digest Number 1705

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Messages In This Digest (3 Messages)

1. Director of Calif Veterans Charity in Hiding, "Help Hospitalized Vet From: Colonel Dan 2. Grants for wounded Veterans From: Colonel Dan 3. TREA Update, House passes NDAA From: Colonel Dan

Messages

1. Director of Calif Veterans Charity in Hiding, "Help Hospitalized Vet

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:16 am (PST)

Note: Many of you have seen me go off on this before, There are many good
charities out there, but most of the money collected by Vet orgs, especially
local posts, should go towards veterans. How many times have you seen Posts
raising money or Aluminun cans/tabs for Ronald McDonald House, a Good
charity, but they should be doing this for Fisher House as an example, or
money going to Senior Olympics, Cancer societys, you name it, you each see
it at various Posts.. while local veterans are homeless, sleeping in
doorways within a block of the posts, Rents behind, bills unpaid, Kids sick,
Ramps needing built, etc. Non-Veteran Bartenders, club Mgrs, etc being hired
while Veterans..post members, are out of work. Get a report on what money,
and to where your local Posts donate their money.

http://blogs. abcnews.com/ theblotter/ 2007/12/director -of-vet.html


Full Report on Charities <http://www.charityw atch.org/>
http://www.charityw atch.org/

also see the 2nd report... Charities Respond to ABC News Report
<http://blogs. abcnews.com/ theblotter/ 2007/11/charitie s-respo.html>
http://blogs. abcnew
<http://blogs. abcnews.com/ theblotter/ 2007/11/charitie s-respo.html>
s.com/theblotter/ 2007/11/charitie s-respo.html

ABC News: The Blotter

Director of Veterans Charity in Hiding

December 13, 2007 12:18 PM,
<http://blogs. abcnews.com/ theblotter/ 2007/12/director -of-vet.html>
http://blogs. abcnews.com/ theblotter/ 2007/12/director -of-vet.html

Matthew Jaffe and Rhonda Schwartz Report:

<http://blogs. abcnews.com/ photos/uncategor ized/2007/ 12/13/directorof vet_mn_2
.jpg> The director of a national charity for veterans has gone into hiding
after defying a congressional subpoena.

Roger Chapin, head of the California-based charity, Help Hospitalized
Veterans, <http://www.hhv. org/> http://www.hhv. org/ refused to appear
today before a congressional hearing chaired by Congressman Henry Waxman,
D-Calif., who is investigating how the charity's money was spent.

Waxman said Chapin had evaded attempts by U.S. marshals to find him for the
past week to serve a warrant to compel Chapin to answer questions before
Congress about his charity, which raised more than $98 million last year.

"There have been serious allegations against Mr. Chapin, including
allegations that he is paying exorbitant salaries to himself and his wife,
using donations to pay for questionable expenses, such as new condos,
shifting funds among his various groups to skew reporting numbers and
concealing millions of dollars in payments to for-profit fundraising
corporations, " Waxman said.

Help Hospitalized Veterans was one of more than a dozen charities for
veterans rated "F" by a leading charity watchdog group, the American
Institute of Philanthropy.

At today's hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee,
Waxman criticized these charities for "intolerable fraud" and "a sickening
betrayal of our most fundamental values."

"A disturbing number of groups are raising millions of dollars in the name
of helping veterans but keeping most of the donations for themselves," said
Waxman. "Instead of using the money to provide financial assistance or help
veterans obtain care, these groups and the professional fundraisers they
employ blatantly line their own pockets. They betray their donors and the
troops who desperately need help."

"Right now there's incredible waste out there, and it's being done in the
name of our brave veterans," said AIP's Daniel Borochoff. "We owe a lot more
to these veterans than too many of these nonprofit groups are providing."

Ed Edmundson, whose son Eric was wounded in Iraq, fought back tears as he
described how some charities "use these soldiers as a commodity to raise
funds."

"I am concerned [about] the negative effect that the few self-serving
nonprofits will have on the ability of the legitimate nonprofits to obtain
funding from the general public," Edmundson said, choking back tears. "It
would be an unfortunate turn of events if the service they provide is not
available."

At one point, Waxman read a letter from former Sen. Bob Dole that called
these groups "parasites" and applauded Waxman's committee for "exposing the
downright fraud used by some [charities]. "

"I cannot imagine anyone, or any group, stooping so low to enrich themselves
by exploiting veterans' misery," Dole wrote.

Last month, Chapin walked out of an interview with ABC News' Brian Ross for
a report that appeared on "Good Morning America."

Waxman said the committee will hold a second hearing on Jan. 17, 2008 and
was issuing a new subpoena for Mr. Chapin today.

<http://abcnews. go.com/images/ Blotter/Chapin07 1213.pdf> Read Waxman's
letter detailing Congress' efforts to reach Chapin.

This post has been updated.

<http://abcnews. go.com/Blotter/ BrianRoss/ page?id=3247430> Do you have a tip
for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?


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Messages in this topic (1)
2. Grants for wounded Veterans

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:39 am (PST)


In order to apply for the grant you must contact your state's American
Legion headquarters. They should give you a contact person who will ask you
a couple of questions

http://www.legion. org/?section= pub_relations
<http://www.legion. org/?section= pub_relations& subsection= pr_listreleases& con
tent=pr_press_ release&id= 468>
&subsection= pr_listreleases& content=pr_ press_release& id=468

<http://www.salutehe roes.org> www.saluteheroes. org

_____

From: Chuck Zelinsky [mailto:mrchuckz@insightbb. com]
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 3:02 PM
To: Colonel Dan;
Subject: FYI From Chuck Zelinsky

Something you should know. Please pass info on to any wounded vet that you
feel may qualify. Note that this is a National Program and it is first come
first served. The Department of Illinois suggests that IL vet contact
Wayne Macejak at the Chicago VA & R Office Tel (312) 980-4267

Coalition to Salute America's Heroes Presents Legion with $500K

Individual grants to be awarded to disabled war vets

INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 4, 2007) -The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes
presented a check of $500,000 to The American Legion so the nation's largest
veterans organization can award grants to disabled veterans who served in
the Iraq or Afghanistan wars.

"These grants are just a small token of appreciation for the sacrifices made
by so many of America's men and women in uniform," said Thomas J. Palma,
general manager of the Coalition. "Our Coalition was able to raise a lot of
money from caring people but we do not have the distribution network of The
American Legion. The Legion is a well-respected organization with a presence
in communities across America. The American Legion will do an excellent job
in getting those grants to deserving veterans."

American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser said that The American
Legion is honored to participate in such a worthy project.

"We are extremely grateful to the Coalition for its generous contribution to
America's heroes. Some of these grants will be awarded just in time to
brighten the holidays for those who need the help," said Conatser.

The funds will be divided into $500 grants and awarded to veterans of
Afghanistan and Iraq who are rated with disabilities of 30 percent or more.
The American Legion will assume all distribution administrative costs,
meaning that 1,000 grants will be awarded - the entire amount of the
Coalition's contribution.

It is not the first time that the two organizations have teamed up to award
grants to disabled veterans. The American Legion distributed checks for the
Coalition in 2005.

"The program was so successful two years ago that The American Legion's
National Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution at our last
convention authorizing our assistance in this great endeavor," Conatser
said.

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, <http://www.salutehe roes.org/>
www.saluteheroes. org , is a nonprofit organization that was created to
provide a way for individuals, corporations and others to help severely
wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
veterans and their families rebuild their lives.

The American Legion, Veterans Largest Service Organization - The American Legion,

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3. TREA Update, House passes NDAA

Posted by: "Colonel Dan" colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net coloneldan1

Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:27 am (PST)

Bill at: http://thomas. loc.gov/cgi- bin/query/ D?c110:9: ./temp/~c110OMtF WV::

The Retired Enlisted Association
Partial reprint... full report at:
http://www.trea. org/leginfo/ printable/ 20071214. pdf

More Detail On The NDAA-On Wednesday the full House of Representatives
passed HR 1585 this year's NDAA by a vote of 370 to 49. While I am writing
this article, the Senate has not yet acted on the bill. It is expected to be
passed by the Senate and sent to the President for his signature before the
Christmas break. But, of course, that may still change. Last week I wrote a
very quick article on the NDAA when the bill came out of conference on
Friday. Now here is more detail:

. Freeze on any enrollment fee or co-pay increase-This was a huge
success; and a huge fight. It applies to all retirees under the age of 65
who are enrolled in TRICARE Prime or using TRICARE Standard, and applies to
everyone who uses the TRICARE Pharmacy program (active duty and their
families, all retirees including those in TFL and survivors). But please
remember this is only for this fiscal year. This will surely come up again
next year (indeed please see the article on the Task Force on the future of
Military Health Care for proposals on just that thing).

. Improvements in the Montgomery GI Bill-The NDAA includes many
changes in the MGIB. Most of the improvements are focused, (not surprising)
on the Guard and Reserve MGI bill. The changes include: 1) allowing
mobilized members who earn entitlement under Chapter 1607, 10 years of
post-service use 2) allowing the same right to "buy-up" that the active duty
now has. They can contribute $600 in $20 increments and receive up to $150
more a month in their package. 3) Permitting former reservists with Chap.
1607 benefits who rejoin the G-R to recover their Chap. 1607 entitlement and
to have the new 10 years post-service access to them after finishing up
their new contract. However, with these and other changes they did not
recodify the Reserve's MGIB and move it under the VA Chapters.

. Concurrent Receipt/Combat Related Special Compensation- The NDAA
includes two great improvements in this area. It allows Chapter 61
(Medically Retired) military retirees to participate in the Combat Related
Special Compensation program with no limits in the years served and no end
date for the program. They also, after years of pushing, made IU (Individual
Unemployability) 100% VA Service Disabled retirees eligible for full 100%
concurrent receipt. And they made it effective January 1, 2005.

. Survivor Benefits-The NDAA provides a $50 a month to respond to
our push to end the SBP/DIC offset. This allowance to replace a small part
of the SBP payment will go up in small increments each year until it reaches
$100 a month in 2014. However, this allowance then ends in 2016. Therefore
we will need to keep working on permanently ending the full offset. While
this clearly is a very small payment, it is an important "foot in the door".
It was crucial that we made some progress this year-and we did.

2) Senate VA Committee Votes on General Peake's Nomination to be Secretary
of the VA-On Thursday the Senate VA Committee unanimously approved the
nomination of Dr. James Peake to be the new Secretary of the VA. They then
sent their recommendation to the full Senate. It is expected that Dr. Peake
will be confirmed before the end of the year.

3) Task Force On The Future Of Military Health Care Finishes Its Report-This
week I attended a public meeting of the Defense Health Board where the Task
Force gave a briefing where they gave a general description of what their
recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and Congress are going to be.
(They will not present any specific numbers etc. until they present the
report to the SecDef on December 19). While they were not a surprise; they
are a real disappointment and worry for the future.

. Along with many structural changes the Task Force made clear that
they are going to suggest increases in enrollment fees and deductibles for
retirees under 65 enrolled in TRICARE Prime

. A new "modest" yearly enrollment fee for TFL

. Changes in the incentives for everyone using the TRICARE Pharmacy
program (that translates into making co-pays to direct patients to choose
the mail order pharmacy plan or the MTFs)

. Automatic increases in enrollment fees, cost shares and
deductibles every 5 years

We will have much more on this when we see the report on December 19.
Remember these are just recommendations- nothing is final. But it is clear
that there will be much more work to do on this again next year.

4) Small Business Administration puts out Public Service Announcement-

PSA ADVISORY
PRESS OFFICE
____________ _________ ___

Release Date: December 12, 2007
Contact: Dennis Byrne (202) 205-6567
Release No.: MA07-38
Internet Address: www.sba.gov/ news
<http://capwiz. com/trea/ utr/1/LYMIHYLKRK /IUEDHYLKVU/ 1615848681>

SBA Releases PSA on New Vet Loan Program

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Small Business Administration today released an audio
public service announcement (PSA) encouraging veterans and other members of
the military community to become entrepreneurs and take advantage of SBA's
new Patriot Express Loan program to start or expand a small business.

The 30-second spot for rebroadcast by radio or internet, also tells
listeners where to find more information about the program on the SBA
website.

The audio PSA is available in a downloadable MP3 format on the SBA Web site
at
http://www.sba. gov/idc/groups/ public/documents /sba_program_ office/patriotex p
ress_12-10-07_ video.mp3
<http://capwiz. com/trea/ utr/1/LYMIHYLKRK /BKVGHYLKVV/ 1615848681>

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