Veterans’ Health Matters is a new podcast series sponsored by the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC), a part of Post Deployment Health Services at the Veterans Health Administration. This series focuses on issues that are important to the healthcare community, Veterans, and their caregivers. This is your source on Veterans health because we know the importance of post-deployment health and that every Veterans’ health matters!
Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, as well as historic deployments in multiple eras, have resulted in Veterans with a range of post deployment health concerns and the need for providers to understand these concerns and utilize best practices in the identification, assessment, management, and communication of Veteran care. Veterans with complex medical conditions may benefit from a patient centered approach that is rooted in whole health and functional and integrative medicine.
Hear the WRIISC’s subject matter experts provide up to date information ranging from effective communication, to information on nutrition, and much more, that can impact a Veteran’s health. For providers, you’ll get tips and information on improving care for our Nation’s Veterans. For Veterans and their families, we hope you’ll be inspired to work with your healthcare team and take charge of your own health!
Search for Veterans Health Matters and subscribe via Spreaker, Apple Podcast (iTunes), Spotify, Castbox, Deezer, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts or another preferred streaming platform. Tune in for biweekly new episodes.*
Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) sing the Navy Hymn during a memorial service for Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Robert “Bobby” John Bartulewicz III on July 14, 2019. US Navy Photo
Pentagon leaders are expressing new concern regarding the rate of suicide in active-duty service members, as the Department of Defense has seen a steady rise in cases over the last five years.
According to the 2019 Annual DoD report, released on Thursday, the overall rate of deaths by suicide across the services rose from 20.2 deaths per 100,000 in 2015 to 25.9 in 2019.
For the Navy, the rate has risen from a 2018 rate of 20.7 deaths per 100,000 to 21.5 per 100,000 in 2019, or an increase from 68 to 72 individual suicides.
For the Marines, the rate has fallen from a 2018 rate of 30.8 per 100,000 to 25.3 per 100,000 in 2019, or an increase from 57 to 47 individual cases. The Army rates held steady at about 29.8 per 100,000 from 2018 to 2019. The Air Force also saw increases, from a 2018 rate of 18.5 per 100,000 to 25.1 per 100,000 in 2019.
While the rates are lower than the general U.S. population of similar demographics, the overall trend matches a national increase in suicide. read more at USNI link
Please review information at the VA website. This link will take you there directly and gives alot of information about qualifications and how to apply.
VA has partnered with specialized contract examiners to resume in-person Compensation & Pension (C&P) exams related to disability benefits at their designated contract facilities and not at VA medical facilities. Your local VA Medical Center (VAMC) will still conduct VA medical appointments and testing related to your health care. Specific safety requirements are still in place for Veterans’ health. While specialty exams are only performed when it is safe, certain areas have allowed removal of personal protective equipment (PPE) in order to complete the appointment.
Final C&P exam location has reopened Through a joint collaboration with VA contract medical examiners, VA has opened its final location in central Alabama to create a 100% re-opening of locations now scheduling in-person C&P exams for disability compensation claims. For more information regarding locations in your area, please visit: https://benefits.va.gov/compensation/claimexam.asp
Gulf War Veteran William “Bill” Watts, Sr.’s service today focuses on helping fellow Gulf War Vets
Gulf War Veteran William “Bill” Watts, Sr., earned numerous awards during his tours of duty, which included tours in Egypt and Korea along with service as a Gulf War combat Veteran, but the reward he values the most today is the one he receives as an advocate helping his fellow Gulf War Veterans with their individual challenges.
“I am in favor of Veterans helping Veterans. Quality of life begins with quality of health care,” said Watts, whose work with Veterans has earned him the Congressional Veterans Commendation Award. His work includes volunteering with Veterans in his community and meeting with researchers and health professionals to make sure that the health concerns of Gulf War Veterans are recognized and addressed.
Watts and other Gulf War Veterans are now marking their 30 anniversary of their Gulf War service. Watts served in the United States Army from 1989 to 1996, in the 4/5 ADA 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 24th Infantry Division and 3rd Infantry Division.
One of Mr. Watts’ passions is helping Gulf War Veterans manage their health problems by finding non-drug alternatives. As a resident of the South Florida city of Doral, he volunteers with the non-profit Fishing with America’s Finest and also serves as the group’s first director of operations. Fishing with America’s Finest takes combat Veterans bass fishing in the Florida Everglades to help reduce the stress and anxiety from PTSD. “We try to teach them to the point that they can go on fishing tounaments if they want to,” he said. He is also a team member of Dive4Vets, a group that takes Veterans who suffer from physical and mental health issues scuba diving to help them heal.
Watts understands that some Gulf War Veterans are older and may not be comfortable with completing an online-only registry like the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. A local Environmental Health Coordinator can help with this process.
Watts also is also actively involved in research that benefits Gulf War Veterans. He is a sitting member on VA’s Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses. He also participates in research on the health of Gulf War Veterans at the Miami VA Hospital and volunteers to coordinate and recruit local Veterans for research.
Watts also has to deal with his own health issues related to Gulf War service. Being as active as possible helps him with his symptoms, along with medications. “You have to be active or it will drive you crazy and bring you down even more,” he said.
VA announced a new collaboration with Apple to increase Veterans’ access to virtual care benefits. VA’s iPad program provides qualifying Veterans with cellular-enabled iPads to access telehealth services and currently helps more than 50,000 Veterans across the country connect to VA health care services virtually.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reopened the registration period for claiming an Economic Impact Payment. Individuals who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement, or certain Veterans benefits – but didn’t receive the $500 payment per child earlier this year – can still file for the $500 payment.
Have not already used the Non-Filers tool to provide information about their qualifying child
Have not filed their 2019 or 2018 tax return
Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement Board beneficiaries, and certain VA recipients who have already used the Non-Filers tool to provide information on children don’t need to take any further action. The IRS will automatically send a payment in October.
How to Apply
Federal benefit recipients can use the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool to get a catch-up payment for a qualifying child. The Non-Filers tool is available on IRS.gov in both English and Spanish. Eligible individuals can use the tool until Wednesday, Sept. 30 to enter information about their qualifying children to receive a catch-up $500 payment per child.
What to Expect
Eligible recipients can check the status of their catch-up payment using the Get My Payment tool on IRS.gov. They will also receive another Notice 1444 in the mail after the payment is issued; this notice should be kept with individual tax records. The payment will be issued in October.
Those who received their original Economic Impact Payment by direct deposit will also have any catch-up payment direct deposited to the same account. Others will receive a check.
Those unable to access the Non-Filers tool may file a simplified paper return following the instructions in this FAQ on IRS.gov.
Anyone who misses the Sept. 30 deadline will need to wait until next year and claim the payment as a credit on their 2020 federal income tax return.
eterans advocates on Tuesday launched a new campaign for additional recognition and aid for troops exposed to toxic burn pit fumes during overseas deployments at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, saying time is running out to provide real help to the victims.https://195e588e01c9a321bddeae75c13825ea.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
“This is not about science, this is about money,” said comedian Jon Stewart in an emotional press conference on Capitol Hill featuring numerous families of dead and dying veterans whose rare illnesses aren’t officially recognized by federal officials as stemming from burn pit exposure.
“Listen to these families … Delaying care and waiting for veterans to die is not a mantle worthy of our country.”
Tuesday’s event coincided with new legislation introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., which would provide presumptive benefit status for any veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars, as well as a host of other overseas military sites where burn pits were frequently used.
It can be tough to get treatment for burn pit exposure, but this project helps service members and veterans pinpoint the Pentagon documents that detail their risks.Meghann Myers
Advocates for years have criticized the Department of Veterans Affairs for insisting that individuals prove a direct connection between the toxic fumes they breathed during deployments and rare cancers and respiratory illnesses, even though the Defense Department acknowledges little tracking was done over the years to provide a true accounting of the poisons in the air.https://195e588e01c9a321bddeae75c13825ea.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
“Service members are returning from the battlefield only to become delayed casualties of war,” Ruiz said. “This is the Agent Orange of this generation … We need to be taking care of our veterans and saving lives.”
As many as 3.5 million veterans could be eligible for the benefits under the legislation, if they showed signs of serious, uncommon illnesses believed to be the result of toxic fumes.
The legislation echoes previous measures passed by Congress related to compensation for emergency services personnel who worked in New York following the Sept. 11 al-Qaida attacks. Stewart was a key advocate in that legislative fight, and said he hopes to bring the same attention and resources to the burn pits issue.
“Today, we plant a flag on this,” he said. “I can’t imagine anybody wouldn’t be on board with this cause.”
Comedian Jon Stewart (center) speaks to a crowd of reporters and advocates about benefits for veterans who suffer from illnesses related to exposure to war zone burn pits during a Capitol Hill rally on Sept. 15, 2020. (Leo Shane III/Staff)
But fears over the costs of such benefits extensions have sidelined similar past efforts. Rosie Torres, executive director of Burn Pits 360, said after more than a decade of advocacy work on Capitol Hill, only a few significant measures have passed into law, and even those with significant flaws.
VA’s burn pit registry, for example, contains the names of more than 200,000 individuals who claim serious health problems related to the open-air waste pits, but Torres said a tiny fraction of those have received any compensation for the injuries.
Former VA Secretary David Shulkin noted that a study last week from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found widespread problems with how scientific data is collected and analyzed regarding the burn pits, an analysis he said undermines VA’s strict requirement for scientific links before benefits can be awarded.
“What do you do when you have vets suffering?” he said. “Right now, we’re making our vets wait without getting help. That’s just wrong … We have to change our system.”https://195e588e01c9a321bddeae75c13825ea.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
More than 770 veterans have died from the virus in the last two months.Leo Shane III
Stewart, advocates from the 9/11 responders fight and veterans families vowed to do that. The legislation faces long odds of becoming law in this year’s shortened fall congressional legislative session, but coalition members vowed to return over and over again until the issue is resolved.
Danielle Robinson — wife of Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson, who died in April after a lengthy battle from respiratory illnesses he believed was related to his burn pit exposure — praised the effort but also acknowledged the latest campaign brings with it some personal bitterness.
“My husband is dead because America poisoned its soldiers,” she said. “It’s a national disgrace that our war heroes need celebrities to speak out on their behalf to get this addressed.”
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
Find out where to get your flu shot–either at a VA medical center or at community care providers and pharmacies–and remember to continue wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing, and washing your hands often.
Shots at retail pharmacies
If you are enrolled in VA health care, you can receive the seasonal flu vaccination at more than 60,000 locations through the Community Care Network in-network retail pharmacies and urgent care partners. VA will pay for standard-dose and high-dose flu shots. Even if you haven’t had a flu shot lately, make this the year that you do!
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