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With every passing year, more and more of Americans’ lives are lived online. Why drive to the bank or the DMV when you can deposit checks with your cell phone and renew your driver’s license from home? Adults socialize with friends, pay bills and file their taxes online. High school seniors average a whopping six hours a day online,1  texting, playing games, and on social media.  All this Internet activity means we’re safer in some ways—we can’t lose our wallet in our living room or get into a traffic accident at our desk. But the online world carries its own dangers, and cybercrime is unfortunately exploding. A September 2018 Forbes article2 listed these five statistics: Every minute, 1,861 people fall victim to cyber-attacks and $1.14 million is stolen. Over the next five years, 146 billion records will be breached—four times the current rate. Ransomware attacks are increasing 350% per year, and damage costs will be $11.5 billion in 2019. (This is when hackers gain control of a person’s or company’s computer, lock out the owners, and demand a ransom to let them have access again.) In a survey of IT decision makers, 56% cited phishing attacks as their biggest cybersecurity threat, and more than a million new phishing sites are created every month. Close to 60 million Americans have been victims of identity theft. These are alarming statistics, especially for those with lucrative careers and sizable assets. Fortunately, as a member of the VFW, you can protect your entire family with Identity Guard® with a 20 percent discount.3 Identity Guard is unique among identity protection solutions because it’s powered by the artificial intelligence of IBM Watson®. Watson is able to continuously scan the Internet to identify information that indicates you might be at risk. If it finds data relevant to you, you’ll receive an alert so you can take action quickly—hopefully before trouble begins. Watson will let you know if your: Personal habits put you at greater risk than the average person Bank, PayPal or iTunes account has announced a security alert Personal ISP, email provider, or streaming service has a security issue Car or home insurance company had a security breach Health care provider has announced a customer data breach Computer, tablet or phone has a security issue Teen appears to be bullied on social media Favorite dating website or app has been hacked Favorite online store has issued a phishing attack warning Favorite restaurant’s point of sale system has been compromised Identity Guard is the only personal cybersecurity solution powered by Watson. To learn more about Identity Guard or to enroll, go to: www.identityguard.com/vfw.    1 San Diego State University study, 20182 A Scoville Heat Scale for Measuring Cybersecurity, Forbes, Sept 20183 Maximum savings based upon Identity Guard Premier Family package. Savings range from 40-57%

(Stars & Stripes) WASHINGTON — A cost-saving proposal that sparked backlash from veterans in 2017 has resurfaced in a new Congressional Budget Office report as an option to help reduce the federal budget deficit. The report suggests removing approximately 235,000 disabled veterans from a Department of Veterans Affairs program called Individual Unemployability in 2020, projecting it could save $47.6 billion in the next 10 years. Veterans removed from the program would see their monthly incomes decrease by an average of $1,300, according to CBO estimates. One veterans group, AMVETS, is urging the White House and the VA to publicly disavow the proposal before it creates a groundswell of anger within the veteran community. “We want the White House to immediately make a statement saying this recommendation is out of line and will not be considered,” said Joe Chenelly, director of AMVETS. “We understand that the White House is looking to trim costs, but this cannot be an option in that.” The program applies to veterans who have disability ratings through the VA of between 60 percent and 100 percent and are unable to secure jobs because of their disabilities. It allows them to receive the highest compensation rate. The CBO suggested removing veterans from Individual Unemployability once they reach age 67, claiming those veterans would be eligible for Social Security by that time. The cut was one of 121 cost-saving proposals included in the CBO report, titled “Options for Reducing the Deficit: 2019 to 2028.” The CBO periodically compiles the list of policy options to help inform lawmakers. The CBO’s inclusion of the cut to Individual Unemployability in its report doesn’t mean the White House or Congress will consider the proposal. However, now that it’s public, it’s likely to trigger concern among veterans who would face substantial financial consequences if the idea ever became law, Chenelly said. AMVETS and other veterans’ groups said they heard from thousands of veterans in 2017 when the same cost-saving measure was included in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget. Then-VA Secretary David Shulkin quickly backed off the proposal, but concerns have lingered. “We received hundreds of phone calls from veterans and emails and social media posts telling us how devastating this would be and how much anxiety and worry it was causing — and I’m talking about at dangerous levels,” Chenelly said. “We’re really worried since this became public again that the worry will come back. The White House can save these vets a whole lot of angst by being very clear and immediate in saying this is something we’re not going to ever consider again.” The White House did not respond Monday to a request for comment. The VA referred all questions about the report to Congress. Released Thursday, the CBO report comes as the White House prepares its budget recommendations for fiscal year 2020. The president’s budget is sent to Congress every February. In its report, the CBO offered an alternative option to allow veterans already enrolled in the Individual Unemployability program to keep their benefit while applying the age cutoff to veterans who enroll after December 2019. The CBO estimated that option would save $6.7 billion in the next 10 years. Cuts to other VA benefits also were included in the report. One option would stop disability compensation for seven medical conditions: arteriosclerotic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Crohn’s disease, hemorrhoids, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis and uterine fibroids. Another option would reduce veterans’ disability compensation by 30 percent once they reach age 67. The CBO also suggested ending VA payments to veterans with disability ratings of 30 percent or lower. In an October meeting, Trump requested each Cabinet secretary present ideas to cut costs, citing an increase in spending in his first two years as president. He told them to “get rid of the fat” and suggested the cuts could be as much as 5 percent of each department’s budget. Despite that, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in November that he believed next year’s budget could be bigger than the last one. Congress appropriated more than $200 billion for the VA in fiscal 2019 — another in a series of budget increases during the past decade. “In the last presidential campaign, the president committed with everything he had to making sure the Department of Veterans Affairs was the most robust it’s ever been,” Wilkie said at the time. “I am convinced that the budget that gets through both chambers will replace this last budget as the largest in our history.”

Statement ofKayda Keleher, Associate DirectorNational Legislative ServiceVeterans of Foreign Wars of the United StatesFor the Record Joint Hearing Committees on Veterans’ AffairsUnited States Senate and United States House of RepresentativesWith Respect To “Tracking Transformation: VA MISSION Act Implementation” WASHINGTON, DC After four years of tireless work and development, the VA MISSION Act of 2018 was signed into law on June 6, 2018. The main prerogative of the VA MISSION Act of 2018 is perfectly stated as Title I –– Caring for Our Veterans. The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) believes that to successfully implement this multifaceted portion of the law, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Congress, and veterans service organizations (VSOs) must collaboratively work together, while maintaining its implementation as the top priority of the 116th Congress. The VFW thanks the committees for the continued oversight of this important law and leadership in ensuring VA has the resources to properly implement it. If the law is effectively implemented, veterans’ health care will enter a new era of timely access to high-quality care. However, if implementation strays from the overwhelming consensus reached by stakeholders involved in development of the law, VA health care could decline, resulting in negative consequences for the millions of veterans who rely on VA for their health care, and threaten the viability of VA’s teaching, world-class research, and emergency response missions. While there are groups that believe VA facilities should be downsized and that veterans should receive more care through private sector doctors, the VFW’s numerous surveys show veterans want VA to hire more doctors and increase internal capacity. In fact, our latest VA health care survey indicates nearly 60 percent of veterans who were offered community care elected to stay with VA. The main reason veterans prefer VA is they like the quality of care they receive, which a recently published peer-reviewed study entitled Veterans Health Administration Hospitals Outperform Non-Veterans Health Administration Hospitals in Most Health Care Markets found is better than the private sector. The law requires VA to develop regulations for new access and quality standards to replace the current arbitrary rule of a 30-day wait and 40-mile distance standards, by March 6, 2019.  This will be done by consolidating seven current community care programs, including the Veterans Choice Program, into one. This program will be the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), and will use local health care networks and academic affiliates to provide care to all eligible veterans. The VFW has serious concerns about the lack of collaboration and working communication from VA with VSOs to establish these new regulations. While VA has held consistent meetings between VSOs and the Office of Community Care, the majority of such meetings have been one-sided conversations. Without proper stakeholder input, VA will fail. For example, VA is considering up to 20 different access standard models, none of which have been shared with VSOs. The VFW understands Congress intended for VSOs to receive specific data and to work in cooperation with VA to develop these future regulations that will affect the lives of millions of veterans. The VFW also has concerns with the lack of participation at Office of Community Care meetings from VA’s Executive Steering Committee, which will ultimately assist the Secretary in choosing access standard models and how the law is implemented. The VFW is encouraged by this past week’s decision to include VSOs in VA MISSION Act workgroup meetings with VA leadership. We hope such meetings will be more productive, and look forward to working with VA to ensure this important bill is implemented in the best interest of the veterans VA was created to serve. The VFW has made clear time and time again that VA must back away from setting arbitrary standards for when patients using VA are given the option to use community care. VFW members have made clear the many negative unintended consequences of not upholding the decision to use community care as a clinical decision made between a patient and their provider. It is optimistic to hear VA working toward solutions in overcoming this range of arbitrary barriers, such as when a patient lives within close proximity to a VA facility based on miles, but must overcome geographical difficulties such as mountains. VA must adapt lessons learned from the Veterans Choice Program and study recommendations from industry experts, such as the Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access: Getting to Now independent review conducted by the National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, to establish access standards that are appropriate for the users of the VA health care system. The VFW warns VA against adopting arbitrary standards which would fail to address the uniqueness of the VA health care system and the needs of our nation’s veterans. It is important for VA to establish access standards that define objective criteria for access to VA community care networks. Unless these standards are pragmatic and clinically appropriate, both veterans and VA will suffer negative consequences. VA must establish standards that are sensible for VA’s capacity, and comparable to measures of local health care systems outside VA. As with access standards, quality standards must balance the need to maintain the unique features of VA that effectually serve veterans, but are different than those in the private sector. The VFW also has concerns with feedback from facilities that veterans are being automatically placed into community care based on arbitrary guidelines without discussion or input from their providers. The VFW continues to oppose patients being involuntarily placed into community care simply because their appointments may not be scheduled within 30 days. First and foremost, veterans and their providers must remain part of this process to ensure patient understanding and continuity of care. Second, many of these patients would prefer to stay with VA. Finally, not every appointment must be fulfilled within the 30 days. If the appointment is not medically necessary in that timeframe, veterans must be able to choose whether to wait for VA or seek care through the community care networks.  The VFW also urges VA to account for how the implementation of a new electronic health care record impacts productivity. In partnership with the Defense Health Agency (DHA), the VFW has kept a keen eye on the implementation of the Military Health System GENESIS electronic health care record, which is the same system VA has elected to adopt for the VA health care system. While the VFW hopes VA adopts lessons learned from DHA to ensure a more seamless implementation, we are certain VA medical facilities will experience a temporary reduction in productivity that comes with change management. However, military treatment facilities report an eventual increase in productivity after full implementation. The VFW suspects VA medical facilities will experience a similar trend in productivity, which will lead to a temporary increase in demand for community care.  This and other temporary spikes in demand for community care, such as snowbirds, will require VA to adjust its community care networks and VA medical facility capacities to ensure veterans can receive the care they need where they need it. VA must make certain that temporary increase in demand for community care does not jeopardize the long-term viability of capacity at VA medical facilities. That is why the VFW urges VA and Congress to consistently evaluate whether VA should be expanding its community care networks or increasing internal capacity. This must be done by hiring more doctors or having VA deploy a quick reaction force of VA doctors to areas facing temporary spikes in demand for care. VA facilities with service lines that fail to meet established quality standards will undergo remediation. Patients who rely on the 36 service lines that fall under the quality standards will have the opportunity to choose if they would rather stay with a VA doctor or use private sector doctors in their community. It is important that VA take into account what options veterans use and where they would prefer to go when developing remediation plans. VA must also take into account the ability for VA medical facilities to provide severely disabled veterans, such as those in spinal cord injury centers or polytrauma network sites, a full continuum of care. Simply closing such service lines in favor of community care would fail veterans who prefer to see a VA doctor and those who are unable to use community care.  To ensure access and quality standards are fully vetted and understood, the VFW urges VA to issue notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to allow sufficient time for public comments. It would be unacceptable for VA to issue an interim final rule, which does not allow for public input, specifically if stakeholders were not incorporated in developing it. Aside from stakeholders who must be consulted in the development of these rules, veterans and individuals who will be impacted by them must have their voices heard and considered through public comment. Doing so may mean that VA will not meet the deadlines established in the law. To the VFW, it is more important that VA produce high-quality and accurate regulations than it is for VA to rush the decision-making process and repeat previous mistakes in order to meet such deadlines. Also, there must be an organized outreach campaign for veterans who use VA once these regulations are finalized. Since the VA MISSION Act became law, VA has worked with VSOs to design pamphlets and other educational materials to share with patients when the law is ready to be implemented. This must be done so thoroughly and on multiple platforms, while also promising that all VA employees who will be involved in this transition completely understand the program and are able to explain it to patients.  As the regulations for the VA MISSION Act continue to be planned and implemented, the VFW looks forward to continuing to prioritize the remaining sections of the law. This includes working with VA and Congress to perfect billing, market assessments, expansion of the caregiver program, provider education and training programs, and the asset and infrastructure review.  

While the Department of Wisconsin American Legion Family – led by its District 8 American Legion Riders – were leading an effort that placed more than 7,200 wreaths on one of the state’s veterans cemeteries, American Legion posts across the nation were either leading or taking part in Wreaths Across America events in their own communities. The following are just a sampling of the American Legion Family’s involvement in the 27th annual Wreaths Across America day. Colorado • American Legion Post 9 of La Junta conducted Wreaths Across America events at both Fairview and Calvary cemeteries in La Junta. • Colorado’s District 7 Legionnaires helped support an event at Memorial Gardens in Colorado Springs. According to KOAA-TV, Joseph Schmidt – historian at Post 209 in Colorado Springs – said it’s important to remember those buried at the cemetery. “You die twice. Once when you breathe your last breath, and then the second time when they forget your name,” Schmidt said. “So, we always make sure to say the name of each veteran out here at the cemetery so that they know that they’re remembered.” Connecticut • American Legion Post 50 put its own stamp on Wreaths Across America, placing wreaths on veterans memorials across Ansonia. “In our own mini-version of Wreaths Across America, we mean to capture the essence of its spirit, which is to remember our deceased comrades during the Christmas and holiday season,” Post 50 Adjutant Pat Henri told the New Haven Independent. • In Meriden, approximately 50 people attended a Wreaths Across America ceremony at Walnut Grove Cemetery sponsored by American Legion Post 45. Auxiliary Unit 45 member Georgetta Sharpe led a short memorial service before people began decorating veterans’ graves. “We are here not only to remember their deaths but also their lives,” said Sharpe, according to the local Record-Journal. Florida Hundreds turned out for the fifth annual Wreaths Across America Cemetery at Highlands Memorial Park in Ocala. The event was organized by Eddie Jaworski, a member of Al Krietemeyer Memorial Post 284, while fellow Post 284 members assisted with the ceremony. Jaworski told the Ocala Star-Banner that 2,038 wreaths were sponsored this year, the largest number to date locally. State Sen. Dennis Baxley was one of the speakers at the ceremony, which included a ceremonial wreath laying at the flags of each branch of the military. The Post 284 Honor Guard gave a gun salute before volunteers began placing wreaths. Iowa Dozens of volunteers took part in the wreath-laying effort at Graceland Cemetery. Baty-Tucker Post 168 in Knoxville was able to gather more than 210 wreaths to place on the graves. Wreaths with miniature American and service flags were also put at the base of the flag poles, along with the banners of all the branches of the service. Maryland Joseph L. Davis American Legion Post 47 in Havre De Grace conducted a wreath-laying ceremony at Angel Park. Families, volunteers and members of the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Merchant Marines participated in the wreath laying. Wreaths for POWs and MIAs were presented by Post Commander 47 Bud Lilly. Massachusetts American Legion Post 144 and other community members placed wreaths at the graves of veterans at Cudworth Cemetery. A wreath was also tossed to the North River from the Sgt. Michael J. Kelley Bridge to honor the Army National Guardsman killed June 8 when his helicopter landing zone came under enemy fire in Shkin, Afghanistan, in 2005. Oklahoma American Legion Post 141 in Claremore organized a community Wreaths Across America event that placed 1,000 wreaths on the graves of veterans buried at Woodlawn Cemetery. Guest speakers included State Rep. Mark Lepak, County Commissioner Ron Burrows and Mayor Bill Flanagan, while Post 41 Legionnaire Ray Watts presented a specially decorated wreath to a local Gold Star Mother and her sons. According to the Claremore Daily Progress, Watts wrapped an arm around the older son’s shoulder and asked all the veterans present to raise their hands. He told the boys that while these men didn’t know their brother personally, their shared oath to the United States meant they were all brothers, so if the boys ever needed anything, they need only call on one of those men. South Carolina American Legion Post 45 in Inman helped organize a community event that places more than 80 wreaths on veterans’ graves at Inman Cemetery. According to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, members of Trail Life USA Troop 2331 also helped place wreaths, including on the graves of World War II veterans Arthur E. Turner and James Wilbur Woodfin, who served in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard. Virginia American Legion Post 242 in Sandston raised over $9,000 to buy the wreaths so each of the 1,244 graves at the Seven Pines National Cemetery would have a wreath for the holidays.

Mackenzie Wolf American Legion Deputy Director of Claims Services Greg Nembhard testified Nov. 29 before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Nembhard’s testimony focused on reports published by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VAOIG) on unwarranted medical examination for disability benefits, processing inaccuracies involving veterans’ intent to file submissions for benefits and trauma, denied post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) claims related to military sexual trauma (MST), and The American Legion’s System Worth Saving program. The VAOIG reports cite inaccuracies, inadequate training, lack of specialization and poor quality of VA examinations done by contracted medical examiners. “The American Legion wants to protect veterans from these, and other inadequacies, and urge the VBA (Veterans Benefits Administration) to take swift corrective action," Nembhard testified. “We believe that a variety of factors cause these shortfalls. Including a lack of funding, understaffed VA facilities, and contracting companies solely focused on their bottom line —at the veterans’ expense.” VA often denies victims of MST benefits based on a claim of PTSD — despite MST being a cause of PTSD — because they cannot produce evidence of the assault. MST victims often do not report the assault for varying reasons including “concerns about negative implications for performance reports, worries about punishment for collateral misconduct, and the perception of an unresponsive military chain of command.” A total of 169 MST-related claims that were denied were reviewed. The review concluded the VBA did not correctly process veterans’ denied MST-related claims in 82 of 169 cases. VAOIG estimated 1,300 of 2,700 MST-related claims denied were processed incorrectly during the review period. “Veterans should not experience additional harm in the process — especially when processing MST-related claims,” Nembhard said. “Finding ways to ensure these veterans receive the services they deserve is one of the highest priorities of The American Legion. "The growing diversity of veterans means that a system which primarily provided care to male enrollees must now evolve — and adapt — to meet the needs of all veterans and to provide them the best possible care.” The mission of The American Legion's System Worth Saving program is to “assess the quality and timeliness of veterans’ health care, the claims process at VA Regional Offices (VARO), and provide feedback from veterans about the care and services offered.” Reports from these site visits are then compiled into a publication that is distributed to the president, members of Congress and VA officials. “We believe in quality of care at VA facilities, we remain committed to a strong VA, and we believe that VA is a system worth saving,” Nembhard said. The American Legion “remains committed to a VA that is appropriately funded, staffed, trained and empowered to conduct internal quality reviews and oversight,” he concluded.   American Legion Deputy Director of Claims Services Greg Nembhard testified Nov. 29 before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Nembhard’s testimony focused on reports published by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VAOIG) on unwarranted medical examination for disability benefits, processing inaccuracies involving veterans’ intent to file submissions for benefits and trauma, denied post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) claims related to military sexual trauma (MST), and The American Legion’s System Worth Saving program. The VAOIG reports cite inaccuracies, inadequate training, lack of specialization and poor quality of VA examinations done by contracted medical examiners. “The American Legion wants to protect veterans from these, and other inadequacies, and urge the VBA (Veterans Benefits Administration) to take swift corrective action," Nembhard testified. “We believe that a variety of factors cause these shortfalls. Including a lack of funding, understaffed VA facilities, and contracting companies solely focused on their bottom line —at the veterans’ expense.” VA often denies victims of MST benefits based on a claim of PTSD — despite MST being a cause of PTSD — because they cannot produce evidence of the assault. MST victims often do not report the assault for varying reasons including “concerns about negative implications for performance reports, worries about punishment for collateral misconduct, and the perception of an unresponsive military chain of command.” A total of 169 MST-related claims that were denied were reviewed. The review concluded the VBA did not correctly process veterans’ denied MST-related claims in 82 of 169 cases. VAOIG estimated 1,300 of 2,700 MST-related claims denied were processed incorrectly during the review period. “Veterans should not experience additional harm in the process — especially when processing MST-related claims,” Nembhard said. “Finding ways to ensure these veterans receive the services they deserve is one of the highest priorities of The American Legion. "The growing diversity of veterans means that a system which primarily provided care to male enrollees must now evolve — and adapt — to meet the needs of all veterans and to provide them the best possible care.” The mission of The American Legion's System Worth Saving program is to “assess the quality and timeliness of veterans’ health care, the claims process at VA Regional Offices (VARO), and provide feedback from veterans about the care and services offered.” Reports from these site visits are then compiled into a publication that is distributed to the president, members of Congress and VA officials. “We believe in quality of care at VA facilities, we remain committed to a strong VA, and we believe that VA is a system worth saving,” Nembhard said. The American Legion “remains committed to a VA that is appropriately funded, staffed, trained and empowered to conduct internal quality reviews and oversight,” he concluded.  

Make sure your senators support its immediate passage and encourage their colleagues to do the same Urge Your Senators to Support the Blue Water Navy Bill Now Take Action! Background: Congress is very close to passing H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2018, which would end the injustice of denying Vietnam, Korean DMZ, and Thailand veterans who suffer from life-threatening health conditions the care and benefits they deserve. Unfortunately, this important bill is now in jeopardy. Make sure your senators support its immediate passage and encourage their colleagues to do the same. Take Action: Call your senators to demand support for immediate passage of H.R. 299. The Senate cannot continue to delay passage of this important bill while Blue Water Navy veterans sicken and die from diseases related to exposure to Agent Orange. Take action now!

The VFW reflects on the attack that tested America’s resolve KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tomorrow, on the 77th anniversary of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. remembers the more than 3,500 men and women who were killed or wounded during the event that changed the course of America’s history. “In the wake of one of America’s darkest days, a reinvigorated and tenacious nation awoke determined to defend our freedom and way of life no matter the cost – teaching future generations that while we may be attacked in our homeland, our enemies will never be successful in defeating our freedoms or the American way of life,” said VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence, who is in Hawaii to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the attack. “On this National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the VFW asks every American to take a moment to remember and to be inspired by the contributions, devotion and character of all who have served and sacrificed for our nation’s freedom,” he said. “And let us be equally resolved in our determination to serve our nation as selflessly as they did.”

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program has made significant improvements in disability claim processing over the past year, with most service members who submitted claims through the program receiving decisions within 30 days of discharge. BDD allows service members to file a claim for disability between 90 and 180 days prior to discharge from active duty, which provides time for paperwork review and medical exams prior to leaving.  “This is an important program for our service members as they transition to Veteran status,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The faster we can connect our Veterans with the benefits they deserve, the smoother their transition.” In fiscal year (FY) 2018, the first full year of the revamped program, more than 36,000 service members submitted claims through BDD and about 53 percent of completed claims received a decision on their claim within 30 days. In the first month of FY 2019, 3,437 claims were completed with 57.7 percent completed within 30 days. Throughout FY 2018, the program made continuous improvements, which include: Expanding BDD claim review from two locations, to processing at any regional office  Enhanced software partnerships with the Department of Defense to improve record transfers Additional claim training and performance standards for military service coordinators. By participating in BDD, service members ensure that their disability medical exams become part of their service treatment record and that service connection for their conditions may be established as early as possible. Medical conditions can get worse over time and establishing eligibility at discharge may make it easier to increase disability ratings in the future. For more information on the BDD program, visit www.benefits.va.gov/predischarge/claims-pre-discharge-benefits-delivery-at-discharge.asp. ###

Dear American Legion Family and Friends, We have so much to be thankful for at this time of the year. Many of us will spend time with family members, friends and other loved ones celebrating Thanksgiving. We’ll enjoy hearty feasts, relish fond memories, and give thanks and prayers for all of our blessings. As veterans, we know all too well how important it is to be with loved ones on special holidays. I don’t have to remind you to keep our servicemembers – especially those on deployment – in our thoughts during this holiday time. Fortunately, there are American Legion posts that welcome servicemembers into their homes for a Thanksgiving meal and camaraderie. It’s a great way to introduce these troops to our American Legion Family. At the same time, American Legion posts are providing food, fun and fellowship throughout their communities. Take, for example: • American Legion Post 38 in Fountain, Colo., which has amassed 100 turkeys and all the trimmings. The food is part of an annual giveaway to help needy families in the neighborhood. Post 38 partners with Fountain police to identify needy families and distribute the food to them. • In Illinois, American Legion posts in Palatine (Post 690) and Morton Grove (Post 134) host sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station for a Thanksgiving meal and provide the opportunity for their guests to call or email home free of charge. • American Legion Post 31 in Salinas, Calif., will be serving around 600 meals at its 20th annual Thanksgiving celebration. The post also is hosting a drive to collect jackets, which will be distributed to those in need during the meal. • In Polk City, Iowa, American Legion Riders deliver Thanksgiving meals through their Holiday for Heroes program. More than 80 area veterans will get a complete Thanksgiving meal that they can prepare in their own homes for family and friends. These are just a few of the countless examples of how American Legion Family members are serving their communities during this time of the year. Share how your post, squadron, chapter and/or unit is demonstrating its commitment to community service on Legiontown. There are many reasons why I love The American Legion. Among the top reasons is the way we support our local communities, especially during holiday seasons. Thank you for what you do throughout the year, and especially during this special time. Happy Thanksgiving to you, your families and the communities you so proudly serve. Celebrating Our Legacy.   Brett Reistad, National Commander

Kirk Alkire is not a medical professional in any sense. But the emotional moments he has witnessed atop mountain peaks in Alaska prove to him that climbing in honor of fallen service members is therapeutic. One Gold Star father spoke of  his deceased son, a Marine, for the first time in more than 15 years as he hiked to the summit. “This poor guy has been carrying this around, bottled up, since 2002, and we had no idea,” said Alkire, who led a mission to name an Alaskan mountain peak after Gold Star families. “We just figured this is who he is, and this is how he talks about [his son].”   VFW Life member Kirk Alkire displays a Gold Star flag atop Gold Star Peak, about 30 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska, alongside his dog, Hatcher Jack. Alkire belongs to VFW Post 9785 in Eagle River, Alaska. He lost five members of his battalion while serving in Iraq in 2007. Photo courtesy of Kirk Alkire. Alkire, a Life member of VFW Post 9785 in Eagle River, Alaska, said it wasn’t the people who caused this father to open up.   “We were just a vehicle that got him there,” Alkire said. “But the process, the climb and then reaching the summit and seeing all the wonderful stuff that’s there… It’s a powerful thing. And, like I said, I have no certifications in mental health or anything, but I can tell you that these mountains — this mountain in particular — absolutely heals.”A GOLD STAR CONNECTIONAlkire, who served in Iraq from 2006-07 with the 2nd Bn., 377th Parachute Field Arty Regt., 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Inf. Div., as a fire and battery 1st sergeant, said the idea to name a mountain peak came to him about two years ago while reaching the summit of Mount POW/MIA, which sits north of his home in Eagle River. It was after the deaths of his fellow soldiers during his last deployment that Mount POW/MIA took on a “completely new meaning.” On Jan. 20, 2007, insurgents attacked Alkire’s unit in Karbala. “They killed one of my guys instantly, then took four others hostage, or prisoner,” Alkire said. “[The insurgents] took them out into the Iraqi countryside as we were giving chase, and they knew we were on to them. So they pulled over, took my guys out of the vehicle and executed them on the side of the road.” The men who were taken prisoner — Capt. Brian S. Freeman, 1st Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, Spc. Johnathan B. Chism and Pfc. Shawn P. Falter — received the POW medal. Pfc. Johnathon M. Millican, who was killed instantly, received the Silver Star. When Alkire returned to Alaska, he climbed Mount POW/MIA again. It was while standing atop the summit that day about a year and a half ago that he decided to do more for “his Gold Stars,” the five men who died in Iraq. “I’m very connected to my Gold Stars from this incident, as well as many other Gold Stars,” Alkire said. “I just thought that I needed to do more. I came up with the idea that naming an unnamed peak right next to [Mount POW/MIA] to honor them — all of them — would be appropriate.”THE NAMING PROCESSSelecting a neighboring peak to Mount POW/MIA — which is about 30 miles north of Anchorage — had a “much more special meaning” to Alkire. This was partially because relatives of missing or unidentified service members can become Gold Star families due to “advanced technology” that identifies remains. It is important for a mountain peak to honor Gold Star families, according to Alkire, because “no one has given more” to the nation than they have. “Whatever I had to go through to do this in signatures and talking to politicians is nothing,” Alkire said. “It’s just nothing compared to what they have gone through, the sacrifices they have made.” Alkire had to garner “public support,” which could come in the form of news articles, petitions and resolutions, as part of the naming process through the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. He started gathering information in June 2017 and had his first hearing in December 2017. “By the time it was done, I had a couple thousand signatures from all over the country,” Alkire said. After receiving approval in Alaska, the naming request was forwarded to Washington, D.C. A unanimous vote in favor of the new moniker came on Feb. 8. “From there, it just started picking up so much more traction, which led to us starting a nonprofit that is geared toward helping veterans and survivors reach the summit,” Alkire said. “Not only just the summit because it’s not just about climbing Gold Star Peak, but just getting veterans and survivors out in nature to honor and remember our fallen in an attempt to bring healing to all.”A ‘LIBERATING’ EXPERIENCEAs of August, Alkire and a team of guides have taken more than 120 Gold Star families and veterans to the summit. The 23 hikes have covered 82,000 vertical feet. “Every single time we reach the summit,” Alkire said, “it’s a powerful moment for that person, that survivor.” Sy Bulaong-Ramirez, who currently is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, with the 725th Brigade Support Battalion, hiked to the Gold Star Peak in June to honor her husband, Sgt. Reyes Ramirez. He died June 17, 2006, in Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device went off near his Humvee.  He was 23 years old, and served with the 40th Engineer Battalion out of Baumholder, Germany. Reyes is buried in Texas, and Bulaong-Ramirez said she has “never really had a place to go” to remember him. Though Bulaong-Ramirez said she did not know what to expect on the two-and-a-half-hour hike, it was “inviting” to remember her husband. “It’s my first time hiking, my first time ever doing anything that has anything to do with Gold Star [events],” Bulaong-Ramirez said. “I had always been nervous, always had anxiety to go to any kind of event.” The whole experience was “liberating,” according to Bulaong-Ramirez. And when she reached the top of Gold Star Peak, she felt “a bit closer to heaven.”  “I really felt that there was healing that took place during my time of the hike,” Bulaong-Ramirez said.  “And the fact that at the end of the hike, I felt like I’m going to go back again, as if I’m going to go back and visit my spouse again.” The hike also served as an “icebreaker” for Bulaong-Ramirez and “breached” the denial she has felt since her husband’s death. “I’ve been pretty much a hermit ever since the event, and this one is the only [activity] that really motivated me to go do something,” Bulaong-Ramirez said. “That’s a really big deal for me.” The next leg of Alkire’s mission is to have a Gold Star monument built at the summit of Gold Star Peak and another at a location for “non-climbers.” For more information about Gold Star Peak, visit www.goldstarpeak.org. This article is featured in the November/December 2018 issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Kari Williams, associate editor, VFW magazine.