1.      Shinseki: New Contracting Plan Will Benefit Veteran-Owned Businesses. In continuing coverage, the Las Vegas Business Press (7/27, O'Reiley) reports, "On his second visit to Las Vegas in two weeks, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki used" a July 20th speaking engagement at the National Veterans Small Business Conference to promote Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology, a "plan that he says will open prime contracting opportunities for veteran-owned businesses. Borrowing a method employed by other agencies," including the US Army, "where Shinseki was formerly chief of staff," VA "will put the private sector in charge of overseeing a $7 billion information technology overhaul over the next five years." The Business Press goes on to say that a May report by the Government Accountability Office "found numerous shortcomings" in VA's program for allocating contracts to veteran-owned businesses.
     NextGov (7/27, Long) notes, "The Veterans Affairs Department's massive new information technology procurement will provide nearly $1 billion in contracts annually for veteran-owned small businesses during the next five years, according" to Shinseki. After noting that on Monday, Shinseki's agency "was expected to release a long-anticipated request for proposals for its Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology program, or T4," which "replaces VA's Global Information Technology Support Services contract," NextGov adds, "In a July 20 speech at the National Veterans Small Business Conference, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said seven of...15 prime contracts will be reserved for veteran-owned small businesses, including four for service-disabled veteran owners."

2.      Tennessee Fines Veterans Fundraiser Group. The WTVF-TV Nashville, TN (7/26, Kraus) website said it "first exposed" the questionable practices of the Veterans Support Organization (VSO), a "group claiming to raise money for veterans. Now, that group has been ordered to stop collecting donations in Tennessee and has been hit with a hefty fine" by Tennessee, through its Charitable Solicitations Division.

3.      Korean War Memorial Ceremony To Mark Armistice Anniversary. The eighth item in the "On Deadline" blog for USA Today (7/27, Winter) notes that on Tuesday, a "wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the Korean War Memorial to mark the 57th anniversary of the Korean War armistice."

4.      Concern Expressed About Mortgages Backed By VA, Other Government Agencies. Fox Business (7/26, Barnes) reported, "With little fanfare, the US government has rapidly become the nation's top backer of mortgages that require little or no money down, with taxpayer guarantees on them surpassing $1 trillion earlier this year, a FOX Business analysis shows. 'Zero down' mortgages as high as $1 million have been backed by the 

Department of Veterans Affairs, which by law offers most of its loans with no down payment required," while a report from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) shows the agency has greatly expanded its loan guarantees since 2007. According to Fox Business, "some housing-finance experts warn 'affordable' mortgage programs at the VA, FHA and Department of Agriculture could be laying the groundwork for another housing crisis -- and additional taxpayer bailouts." Fox News' Happening Now(7/26, 11:34 a.m. ET) aired a similar report.

5.      VA Clarifies Medical Marijuana Policy. In continuing coverage, MSNBC Live (7/26, 12:53 p.m. ET) broadcast that "state and local governments strapped for cash are looking for new revenue streams, and thanks to the Obama Administration's relaxation of enforcement of some pot laws, marijuana may" be their "new...cash crop." MSNBC added that "this weekend, the Veterans Administration will allow medical" marijuana "use for veterans."
     According to the Maine Public Broadcasting Network (7/26), VA "has announced that vets receiving treatment in any of the fourteen states that allow medical marijuana may use the substance without losing their access to pain medication." While VA officials "say the ruling should clarify an earlier policy that says veterans could be denied pain medication if they use illegal drugs," the "new ruling does not authorize VA physicians to prescribe medical marijuana." Advocates in Maine, however, are "calling on...VA to take that step."

6.      McCaskill: There Could Be Thousands Of Mislabeled Arlington Graves. In continuing coverage, the AP (7/27, Zagier) notes that US Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), "whose subcommittee is investigating potential contracting fraud at Arlington National Cemetery," on "Monday said the number of mislabeled graves there could be in the thousands." At a news conference in Columbia, Missouri, McCaskill "called the growing scandal a matter of 'heartbreaking incompetence' and said the military has spent more than $5.5 million over seven years in its unsuccessful attempts to computerize the cemetery's burial records." The AP adds, "The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' subcommittee on contracting oversight, chaired by McCaskill, will hold a hearing in Washington on Thursday on its cemetery investigation," a point also made by the websites for KRCG-TV Jefferson City, MO (7/26) and KSFX-TV Springfield, MO (7/26, Aldrich), which noted, "A key question is why the Department of the Army rejected...an offer of help from the Veterans' Administration, McCaskill said."

7.      Former Colleague Praises Roseburg VA's New Chief Of Mental Health. The Roseburg (OR) News-Review (7/27, Korengel) reports, "Being a psychiatric nurse was a calling, says Sandra Llecholech, the new chief of mental health" at the Veterans Affairs Roseburg Healthcare System, which "includes the Roseburg VA Medical Center and outpatient clinics in Eugene, North Bend, Brookings and Crescent City, Calif." Dr. Nicolaas Van 

Nieuwenhuysen, "who worked alongside Llecholech in the psychiatric inpatient unit at a VA hospital" in Loma Linda, California, "said the VA facility is lucky to have recruited her. 'She's a very genuine, caring, engaged person who really cares about her staff and the patients,' said" Van Nieuwenhuysen, who "praised her professionalism and expertise."

8.      New GI Bill Stipends A Problem For VA. Stars And Stripes (7/26, Shane) reported, "This time last year, officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs were scrambling to finalize their payout systems for the first wave of post-9/11 GI Bill recipients, but were confident the program would be ready in time for the start of classes. Two months later, they were apologizing for massive delays in tuition payments, missing housing stipends and growing anger among student veterans." After noting that while "many of those problems have been corrected," the "system is still far from perfect," Stars And Stripes added, "The Military Times last week reported that more than 150,000 students may have been shortchanged on their housing stipends since January because of a mistake in updating the department's records."

9.      VA, HUD Funding Homelessness Prevention Program. In continuing coverage, Affordable Housing Finance (7/27) magazine reports, "In an effort to prevent homelessness among veterans, primarily those returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq," the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs are "investing a combined $15 million in five selected communities." Under the "new Veterans Homelessness Prevention Demonstration Program, existing HUD grantees or 'Continuums of Care' located near the following military installations will each receive $2 million: MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.; Camp Pendleton in San Diego; Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas; Fort Drum in Watertown, N.Y.; and Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Wash. In addition, VA medical centers in the following areas will each receive $1 million: Tampa; San Diego, Dallas; Syracuse, N.Y.; and American Lake, Wash."

10.    Program Helping Vets, Families Reconnect. NBC Nightly News(7/26, story 8, 2:30, Williams) broadcast, "Coming home and then trying to reconnect with family and friends can be a tricky business" for US troops after long deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan. However, a "program called Operation Purple," run by the National Military Family Association, a private, non-profit group, is "making a difference along those lines in the mountains of Wyoming," by "helping military families reconnect in the great outdoors."

11.    Fort Wayne VA Reflects National Trend On Military Sexual Trauma. The WPTA-TV Fort Wayne, IN (7/26, Trent) website said a "staggering statistic" is that "about one in six female veterans has suffered some form of military sexual trauma. It's a disturbing national trend being seen...in Fort Wayne," where mental health professionals at the Veterans Affairs hospital "say they're currently treating nearly 100" people for military sexual trauma (MST). Donald Wilson, the hospital's chief of mental health services, "says even if a veteran doesn't qualify for military health benefits, he or she can still register with...VA and get a doctor referral for MST treatment."

12.    Black Hills VA Rolls Out Medical Foster Home Program. The Rapid City (SD) Journal (7/27) reports, "In an effort to keep aging military veterans in a home-like setting as long as possible, the Department of Veterans Affairs Black Hills Health Care System on Monday rolled out its new VA Medical Foster Home Program." The Journal adds, "According to officials, the program provides private and semi-private rooms with round-the-clock supervision in a safe, home-like setting with opportunities for physical therapy, socialization, medical care and more."

13.    VA Hospital To Hold Post-Traumatic Stress Workshop. On its website, KREX-TV Grand Junction, CO (7/26, Kroschel) said the local Veterans Affairs hospital is "holding a workshop for the friends and family" of post-traumatic stress victims.- The "workshop will be Wednesday, July 28, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the hospital."

14.    Overton Brooks Earns Radiation Oncology Accreditation. According to the Bossier (LA) Press-Tribune (7/26), the Overton Brooks Veterans Affairs Medical Center "recently received a three-year accreditation in Radiation Oncology as the result of an evaluation by the American College of Radiology." The Press-Tribune added, "Only 12 VA" hospitals, "10 sites in Louisiana and 210 sites in the nation" have "achieved this honor."
     Two Vans Donated To Hospital. The Shreveport (LA) Times (7/26) noted that on Monday, the Overton Brooks VAMC would "welcome two new vans to help move patients to and from the facility." The "vans, new 2010 Ford Explorer XLTs valued at more than $62,000," were to "be accepted at 10 a.m." in "front of the medical center. The vehicles are being donated by the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 30 with financial assistance from Barksdale Chapter 615 of the Air Force Sergeants Association." The Bossier (LA) Press-Tribune (7/26) published a similar story.

15.    VA: Money Can Be Saved By Turning Off Computers When Not In Use. CNBC's Squawk On The Street(7/26, 9:18 a.m. ET) broadcast a "few...cost cutting suggestions from government agencies that could save taxpayers some cash." After noting that the suggestions "are from the 2011 budget," CNBC said the "biggest suggestion," coming from both the Department of Labor and the Department of Veterans Affairs, is to turn off computers when going home for the day. According to CNBC, VA "estimates it could save $2 million this year, $7 million next year, just by using energy efficient computers and turning them off when not in use."

16.    Lawmakers Pushing For VA Archives Center In Dayton, Ohio. The WHIO-TV Dayton, OH (7/26) website said US Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) is "making a push for new jobs" with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Turner and "other Ohio lawmakers are asking that Dayton be selected as the location for a soon-to-be-created VA Archives Center."

17.    Longtime Participant Praises Wheelchair Games. In continuing coverage, the Kearney (NE) Hub (7/27, Epping) reports, "Fourteen years ago, Tamara Lawter of Kearney participated" in the annual "National Veterans Wheelchair Games for the first time." Lawter, who "hasn't missed" a games since then, said the event is a "lot of fun."

18.    House Appropriators Planning To Decrease VA's IT Funding. In continuing coverage, Federal Computer Week (7/27, Weigelt) reports, "House appropriators plan to decrease funds for the Veterans Affairs Department's IT projects because of sluggish spending and project delays." The fiscal 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which the "House is scheduled to take up" on Tuesday, contains $85 million less in IT funding than the "$3.307 billion in fiscal 2011" that President Barack Obama requested. Washington Technology (7/27) publishes the same story.
     Meanwhile, in the middle of "Today At A Glance," CQ (7/27) notes that on Tuesday, at 2 p.m. in H-313 Capitol, "House Rules considers rules for floor debate" for a fiscal 2011 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs "spending bill (HR 5822)." Also at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, in 334 Cannon, the "House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs marks up bills on pensions (HR 4541), access to benefits (HR 5064), disability claims (HR 5549) and reserve service eligibility (HR 3787)."

19.    Americans With Disabilities Act Marks 20 Years. The "Federal Eye" blog for the Washington Post (7/26, O'Keefe) said that as the "nation marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Justice Department is exploring how the law could apply more to Web sites, movie theaters, office furniture and equipment, and 9-1-1 call centers." Kareem Dale, the "White House adviser on disability policy, said advances in technology make revisiting the law a necessity." Dale is "one of several disabled people," including "Assistant Secretary Tammy Duckworth at the Department of Veterans Affairs," who "hold positions in the Obama administration."

20.    East Brunswick Soldier's Mom Feels Congress Paid Heed To Call For Steps To Deal With Veterans' Depression, Suicides. The Somerville (NJ) Courier News (7/26, Racz).

21.    The War Experience Project Painting Workshop For Veterans Explores Healing Through Art. The Tacoma (WA) News Tribune (7/26, Ponnekanti).

22.    Injection Helps Treat PTSD In War Veterans. The WNDU-TV South Bend, IN (7/26, McFadden) website published a story that was first run by the KMGH-TV Denver, CO (7/20) website, under the headline, "Can A Jab to the Neck Treat PTSD?"

23.    Groundbreaking Ceremony For Homeless Veteran Housing Unit. Construction Digital (7/27, Ibanez).

24.    Rica Lewis-Payton Talks About Coming Home To Run VA Hospital. The Birmingham (AL) News (7/27, Williams).

25.    Cutting After-Surgery Complications Could Save Lives, Money. The Palm Beach (FL) Post (7/27, Singer) notes that the "Florida Hospital Association is teaming with the American College of Surgeons on a program called the Florida Surgical Care Initiative." The "quality program originated with the Veterans Health Administration in the 1990s. The Florida program is based on an outgrowth of that initiative called the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, which saw two-thirds of its 118 participating hospitals reduce their death rates and more than 80 percent improve complication rates, according to results published in the Annals of Surgery."

26.    Rice Appointed Chair Of Medicine. The Brown Daily Herald (7/26, Mancone), the student newspaper of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, reported, "Effective Sept. 7, Louis Rice will be taking on the positions of chair of the Department of Medicine at Alpert Medical School and chief of medicine at Rhode Island Hospital and the Miriam Hospital." Rice "will also be appointed as executive chair" of the Veterans Affairs hospital in Providence, "Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island."

27.    People On The Move. The fourth "People On The Move" item for CQ (7/27, Khatami) reports, "Sam Eden has been hired as a consultant in business development" for Federal and "commercial health care for The Winkenwerder Company LLC, a health care consulting firm. Eden served as director of non-VA care programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs."

28.    Togo West, Elections Board Nominee, Sails Through DC Council Hearing. A Washington Post (7/27, DeBonis) blog reports, "Despite a few pointed questions about his relationship" with DC Mayor Adrian Fenty "and lightning-rod Attorney General Peter Nickles," former US Veterans Affairs secretary Togo West "sailed through" Monday's "confirmation hearing" on his nomination to DC's Board of Elections & Ethics.

29.    Call To Duty: From Call Up To Homecoming. The KDRV-TV Medford, OR (7/26, Tupper) website.

30.    Waterloo Family Awaits Return Of Son Wounded By Iraq Bomb. The Waterloo And Cedar Falls (IA) Courier (7/27, Magee).

31.    Remembering Veterans Of 'The Forgotten War.' The WTOP-FM Washington, DC (7/25) website.