1.      Concern Expressed About VA's Ability To Handle TBIs. In a front page story, the Washington Post (10/3, A1, Davenport, 605K) said that for "nearly a decade, the United States has been fighting wars in which soldiers are routinely exposed to brain-rattling blasts that can send ripples of compressed air hurtling through the atmosphere at 1,600 feet per second. Now, the military is struggling to come to terms" with traumatic brain injuries, which "can leave a soldier disqualified for service or require lifelong care that critics say the Department of Veterans Affairs isn't equipped to handle." The Post added that in August, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki "said...the military and the VA 'simply cannot afford to be less than aggressive in our effort to identify, treat and rehabilitate TBI victims.'"

2.      Governor, Veterans Affairs Criticized For Insisting On Medal Awards Ceremonies. The Monroe (LA) News Star (10/2, Hasten) reports that some Louisiana lawmakers "on a joint veterans affairs committee are upset with the Jindal administration for what they call 'politicizing' the award of medals" to service members. The paper notes that Gov. Bobby Jindal and Veterans Affairs Secretary Lane Carson "want veterans to attend patriotic ceremonies to receive the awards. They say it's paying honor to the veterans for their service. But some lawmakers say they have received complaints from veterans that it's promoting the governor more than veterans and they would like to receive their medals without a ceremony." Carson responds that while members of his staff have delivered medals to veterans physically unable to attend a ceremony, except in cases of "hardship," veterans should expect to receive their medals in a public ceremony. The head of the state veterans agency has also refused to allow state legislators to host medal awards ceremonies.

3.      Connecticut Veterans Commissioner Chosen To Lead National Group. The AP (10/2) reports, "The leader of Connecticut's state veterans service agency has become the first female president of a nationwide group of her peers. Linda Spoonster Schwartz was recently sworn in to lead the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs." Schwartz, a former Air Force officer and now a professor of nursing at Yale, has headed the Connecticut DVA since 2003.

4.      American Legion Sends Its Evaluation Of VAMCs To Congress. In a PR-USA.net release (10/2), the American Legion announces that its annual evaluation of VA medical centers, known as its "System Worth Saving Task Force Report," was delivered to Congress on September 28. Based on two-day visits to 32 VA facilities by American Legion national staffers, the report focuses on health care for women veterans, mental health care and timely budget appropriations. A 113-page executive summary notes that a challenge faced by VA health facilities "was not receiving the fiscal year 2010 budget in a timely manner. According to the finance officer at the Miami VAMC, during March 2010, the facility had not yet received their FY 2010 appropriations. Additionally, none of the medical centers have received confirmation about their FY 2011 budgets." Other problems identified included "lack of facility clinical space for veterans and administrative space for staff, insufficient parking spaces, lack of competitive salaries for recruiting and retention of highly skilled and in-demand medical professionals." Even so, the report stated that veterans questioned during all site visits "were content with their level of care and treatment at VA." The entire report should be posted on the Legion's website by the end of this month, the announcement also noted.

5.      US Military Attempting To Deal With Suicide Problem. The Dallas Morning News (10/4, Tarrant, 257K) says suicides among US "service members have occurred with disturbing frequency during the nine years of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, leaving family members and military leaders struggling for answers." The Army, which is "one year into a groundbreaking study with the National Institutes of Mental Health that could help explain the root causes" of the suicide problem, is, "along with the other military" branches, "adding mental health counselors and behavioral health programs to combat" the problem.

6.      Bloomberg Details Workings Of Controversial Retained-Asset Death Benefits Account. In continuing coverage of the controversy over the "Alliance Account" retained-asset accounts Prudential provided as death benefits to service members' survivors instead of lump-sum settlements, a nearly 1,100-word Bloomberg News (10/2, Evans) article appearing in nearly 100 media outlets details the workings of the decades-old arrangement. It reports that in Prudential Financials investments of death benefits, "the money comes from a source with deep pockets: the federal government. After a service member dies in combat -- including the more than 4,000 who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan -- the Department of Veterans Affairs sends Prudential the full amount of each family's life insurance coverage, usually $400,000. The government has paid Prudential $1.7 billion for these benefits since 2003, when the war in Iraq began, according to information provided by the VA." Then, if the survivors of a veteran killed in combat ask for a lump-sum payment, "Prudential opens a retained-asset account, a quasi-checking account that allows families to draw money when they are ready to spend it. Until the money is used, it stays in Prudential's corporate account. There, the insurer invests it, mostly in bonds, making returns as much as eight times what it is paying out to holders of the retained-asset account. What this means is that Prudential is investing -- and profiting from -- death benefits owed to service members' families, using money provided by the government." According to the VA, 95% of survivors have asked for lump-sum payments, but instead received from Prudential one of the 60,000 Alliance Account checkbooks it has sent out, covering over $7 billion in death

benefits. In the first half of this year, Prudential earned 4.2% interest on retained funds, while paying survivors 0.5 percent. Bloomberg also notes that the VA "says it is taking steps to better help survivors." VA director for insurance Thomas Lastowka says the agency "is working to ensure that all aspects of the Alliance Account and all choices to the beneficiary are made absolutely clear and that all facts concerning the administration of the accounts continue to be fully transparent and disclosed." The VA announced on September 14 that Prudential would stop automatically sending checkbooks to survivors who request a lump-sum payment. The article also explores the 45-year history of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program, and notes the American Legion's consistent opposition to having the military insurance program run by a private firm rather than by the government.
     Survivors' Suits On Retained-Asset Accounts Have Seen Mixed Results. Another Bloomberg News article (10/2, Evans) notes that five survivors "filed a federal fraud lawsuit in Boston on Aug. 30 against Prudential claiming the insurer has earned as much as $500 million by improperly keeping beneficiaries' money instead of paying out lump sums" and tracks lawsuits filed by survivors. It notes a Prudential spokesman's insistence that several judges "have rejected claims against accounts like our Alliance Account, concluding that beneficiaries are in virtually the same position they would be in had the insurer sent them a check." Summarizing earlier litigation, Bloomberg reports that, "Prudential won a lawsuit in 1999 in which a survivor complained about the Alliance Account, and that on September 9 a federal district court judge in Boston approved a settlement in a class-action lawsuit on the retained-asset accounts of Unum Group. Earlier, "the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit wrote, 'The euphemistically named "Security Account," accompanied with a checkbook, was no more than an IOU which did not transfer the funds to which the beneficiaries were entitled out of the plan assets.'" But another federal judge in Reno "threw out a lawsuit on Sept. 10 against MetLife. A survivor argued that the insurer had unfairly profited from its retained-asset account. While the judge found the survivor hadn't suffered a loss, he wrote, 'The court finds that the name of the account, the 'Total Control Account Money Market Option,' is inherently deceptive' because it implies FDIC coverage.'" FDIC chair Sheila Bair in August wrote state insurance regulators noting that insurers should be careful not to imply that such accounts were FDIC-insured. An insurance law professor "said that regardless of the outcome of that lawsuit, it's clear that Prudential and the VA wrongly manipulated a federal contract at the expense of military members and their relatives."

7.      Small Operation Makes Big Headway In Locating WWII Crash Sites. The AP (10/2, Carola) profiles Pacific Wrecks Inc., a non-profit organization set up to ""locate undiscovered US airplane wreckage and determine the fates of the thousands of American airmen still listed as missing in the Second World War's Pacific Theater." The one-man operation makes extensive use of computerized data and tips and queries from veterans and their families, and has a well-regarded website; its founder estimates that he has visited the sites of over 250 plane crashes. Over 48,000 World War II veterans from the Pacific Theater are still officially unaccounted for.

8.      Ceremony Will Honor Revolutionary War Soldier. The Greater Binghamton (NY) Press & Sun-Bulletin (10/2, Swartz) reports, "It's been 235 years since a 14-year-old named Jonathan Hunt joined the Continental Army to fight against Great Britain. Buried in Riverside Cemetery, Hunt will be the honoree of a ceremony to mark his service to his country on Monday. The honor will be given by the Sons of the American Revolution." A survey of the Tioga County's 68 cemeteries begun two years ago has sparked local interest in marking veterans' graves.

9.      WWII Vet To Be Buried In National Cemetery 66 Years After His Death. The AP (10/2) said Lawrence Harris, a "West Virginia soldier whose remains went unidentified for decades after World War II," is "returning to home soil." Harris, who had been "buried...without identification" at the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium, "will be buried Oct. 8 at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Pruntytown, almost 66 years to the day after his death." According to the AP, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command identified Harris' remains.

10.    Texas Man Sentenced On VA Disability Fraud. The Kilgore (TX) News Herald (10/2) reports that a 60-year-old local man "has been sentenced to federal prison for health care related fraud in the Eastern District of Texas," according to the local US Attorney's office. Convicted July 1 of six counts of health care fraud and one count of making a false statement, Jim Bob Shipp of Mount Pleasant was sentenced on September 28 to 63 months for the fraud counts and 60 months for the false statement. He was also ordered to pay over $800,000 in restitution for defrauding the VA disability program by overstating the severity and extent of his disability. After falsely representing to doctors that he had extreme vision loss in both eyes, Shipp was rated 100% disabled, although he should not have been rated more than 30% disabled.

11.    Justice Department Will Appeal Decisions Voiding Stolen Valor Act. The AP (10/1, Elliott) reports that the Justice Department "will appeal two court decisions that said a federal law making it illegal to lie about being a war hero is unconstitutional. Federal prosecutors in Colorado said Friday they will appeal a ruling by a federal judge in Denver that the Stolen Valor Act violates free speech. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, ruling in a California case, also found the law unconstitutional. Late Thursday, prosecutors asked that court to reconsider." The statute makes it a federal misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year's imprisonment, to falsely claim to have earned a military medal.

12.    Two Companies Win VA Contracts. According to the Washington Post (10/4, Mizell), "Fedstore of Rockville won a $3.4 million contract from the Department of Veterans Affairs for information technology equipment." The Post adds, "AMBU of Glen Burnie, Md. won a $1.3 million contract from the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical, dental and veterinary equipment and supplies."

13.    Fort Custer National Cemetery Gets Renovation. The Kalamazoo (MI) Gazette (10/2, Roe) reports that the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan on Thursday "began a renovation project to raise, realign and clean 369 upright headstones, raise and realign 600 flat markers, and clean 10,000 flat markers." It is the first renovation of its size at the cemetery, one of the first to be designated as a National Shrine.

14.    Safety Net -- Much More To Do For PTSD-Afflicted Warriors. An editorial in the Fayetteville (NC) Observer (10/4, 56K).

15.    War Costs Keep Mounting. An editorial in the Pensacola (FL) News Journal (10/4).

16.    Visiting Veterans. In a letter to the editor of the Topeka (KS) Capital-Journal (10/4), Maj. Andrew McIntyre writes, "Six students from Fort Leavenworth's Command and General Staff College visited" the Colmery-O'Neil Veterans Affairs Medical Center "in Topeka Sept. 24 to spend time and share stories with military veterans." Based on the "success of this visit, the students are planning with the public affairs office at the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, to schedule additional visits. Our thanks go out to the wonderful volunteer staff at the VA Medical Center and to the veterans of Topeka."

17.    Soldiers Grateful For Local Generosity. In a letter to the editor of the Winona (MN) Daily News (10/4) Mary Singer wrote that her "fellow Sunset Lions, Janet Seaburn, Bill Clark, Paul Schumaker and Bill and Gaye Nepper were a tremendous help" at this "year's sixth annual USA Support Our Troops fundraising concert." Singer gave a "very special thanks to our sponsors," including "The Winona Vet Center."

18.    Baseball Field Tailored To Disabled Opens At Norwood VAMC. The Augusta (GA) Chronicle (10/3, Gay) reports that the Charlie Norwood VAMC in Augusta has opened the "Augusta Miracle League" baseball field, a barrier-free diamond designed for players 4 and up with developmental or physical disabilities. The field will also be used by veterans from the VAMC who have disabilities.

19.    Mountain Home VAMC Museum Expands Hours. The AP (10/2) from Johnson City, Tennessee reports, "With new military history displays, the museum at the Mountain Home Veterans Health Administration Medical Center in East Tennessee is opening its doors on Saturdays through Nov. 6. The military-themed displays include a World War I-era Army uniform and mess kit and photos and a story about the Japanese surrender in World War II aboard the USS Missouri."

20.    Green Bay Program Lets Disabled Vets Ride City Buses For Free. In continuing coverage, the AP (10/2) reports, "Disabled military veterans no longer have to pay to ride Green Bay city buses. Mayor Jim Schmitt announced the new program Friday." The mayor says he got the idea at a recent mayor's conference and sees it as "a small way to thank those who served and sacrificed." To be eligible, the veteran needs a DVA I.D. card with the words "service connected" or the initials "SC."

21.    Jersey VFW Post Notes Anniversary Of National Cemetery. The Salem, New Jersey-based Today's Sunbeam (10/2, Williams) reports that a local VFW post will hold a service at Finn's Point National Cemetery to mark the anniversary of its being declared a national cemetery in 1875.

22.    VA Will Break Ground On Two Homes. The Danville (IL) Commercial News (10/2, Wicoff) reports, "The Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System is a ground-breaker in the nation with its new housing plan for veterans needing skilled nursing care. Now, it's literally breaking ground on the project. A ceremony will be at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 12 on the former golf course at the VA campus in Danville. Invitations have been sent to state and local leaders and politicians, as well as representatives from the Veterans Affairs offices in Washington, D.C." It's the first VA system in the nation to adopt the Green House Project model, a new approach to long-term care where nursing homes are replaced with small, home-like environments. The Danville structures, to be completed by the end of June 2011, will each be about 7,000 square feet and accommodate 10 veterans, giving each a private living space and private bathroom.

23.    Ride 2 Recovery Starts Golden State Challenge. The San Mateo County Times (10/1, Frazier) reports, "On Sunday morning, 200 veteran and civilian cyclists participating in Ride 2 Recovery's Golden State Challenge will begin a feat some were told was impossible. Veterans having sustained physical and mental injuries will ride custom road bikes, handcycles and recumbents on the 450-mile cycling course starting in South San Francisco down the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles." Veteran and professional cyclist John Wordin in 2007 "founded Ride 2 Recovery after he was contacted by the VA Palo Alto Health Care System to start a physical therapy program for returning military personnel."

24.    Iliana Health Care System Recognized POWs-MIAs. The Danville (IL) Commercial News (10/3) reports, "Area former prisoners of war attended a ceremony in their honor hosted by the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System on National POW-MIA Recognition Day."

25.    VA Facilities In Minnesota Set Flu Shot Clinics. The St. Cloud (MN) Times (10/2) reports that flu shot clinics" have been scheduled this month in St. Cloud and Alexandria for veterans who receive Veterans Affairs health care."

26.    Vets Help Raise Money For Nonprofit That Teaches Wounded Warriors About Kayaking.  WUSA-TV Washington, DC (9/3, 6:33 p.m. ET) broadcast, "Wounded warriors took over the Potomac River" Sunday. Professional kayakers, "veterans, and veterans who were injured while serving their country teamed up to raise money and awareness for the nonprofit Team River Runner," an organization that "teaches wounded warriors and veterans about white water paddling." Sunday's Potomac River event was "one of several kayaking fundraisers held across the country."

27.    'Bad Paper' Discharges Can Stymie Veterans' Health Care. The Austin (TX) American-Statesman (10/4, Schwartz).

28.    A Home For Homeless Veterans. The KFVS-TV Carterville, IL (10/3) website.

29.    Wounded Face New Foe: Drug-Resistant Infections. The Army Times (10/1, Maze, 104K).

30.    Bed And Breakfasts To Offer Free Stays To Veterans On Veterans Day. The Glens Falls (NY) Post Star (10/4, Jones).

31.    A Welcome Mat For Soldiers And Sailors. The Wall Street Journal (10/4, A31, 2.09M) says 85-year-old Ivan Obolensky, a former US Navy pilot, is trying to restore two Victorian townhouses in Manhattan, New York, that house a hotel called the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club. According to the Journal, Obolensky is chairman of the club, which is a run by a nonprofit that provides rooms to active-duty members of the military and veterans, as well as their families, when they visit New York City.

32.    Project Aims To Put A Face On War. The San Antonio (TX) Express-News (10/4, Huddleston) notes that on Monday, veterans and "local leaders will announce...an all-out effort to gather photos and biographies of all of the 300-plus troops and veterans from Bexar County whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial" in Washington, DC. The "'Faces with Names' project is part of a national campaign honoring the more than 58,000 veterans whose names are on the wall. Organizers will discuss the project at 10:30 a.m. in Veterans Memorial Plaza, by Municipal Auditorium."

33.    Memories Stand As 'Wall' Leaves. The Pueblo (CO) Chieftain (10/4, Bonham).

34.    Dover Honors Its Veterans. The Brattleboro (VT) Reformer (10/4, Stilts).

35.    Lynchburg Firefighters Honor Comrade Lost In World War II. The Lynchburg (VA) News & Advance (10/3, Trent).