VA News Podcast

A quick update on VA's responses to COVID-19 / coronavirus pandemic and where to find information as it gets released. 

This week’s Benefits Breakdown features Army Veterans Vincent Mitchell and Dr. Eric Shuping. They discussed the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry and how Veterans can sign up.

In 2014, Congress required the Department of Defense and VA find a way to record and offer help to service members and Veterans who have health concerns related to airborne hazards and open burn pits. The registry officially began in June 2014.

There are two main parts of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry:

• Online Survey
• Appointment (Free Exam)

To be eligible for being a part of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, you must be a Veteran or service member who served in the following areas:

• Iraq
• Afghanistan
• Kuwait
• Saudi Arabia
• Bahrain
• Djibouti
• Gulf of Aden
• Gulf of Oman
• Oman
• Qatar
• United Arab Emirates
• Waters of Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and Red Sea

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HELPING THE REGISTRY

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

For registry help, please call at 1-877-470-5947.

#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:

• Marine Corps Veteran Beatrice Arthur

Additional Links:

• https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/registry.asp
• https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegistry/#page/home
• Appeals Progress
• Legacy Board Appeals Progress

National Vietnam War Veterans Day is fast approaching (March 29). Army Veteran Major General James T. Jackson (Ret.) is the national director of the Vietnam War Commemoration. Directed by Congress and executed by Department of Defense, the commemoration’s goal is to reach out and thank those–our Vietnam Veterans–that never got a proper welcome home.

Currently, there are over 6.2 million living Vietnam Era Veterans. They deserve a proper thank you for raising their right hand. On this episode of Borne the Battle, Major General James T. Jackson shares the vision and mission behind the efforts of this program and how you can help participate.

Lapel pin
The commemoration seeks to give a lapel pin to each Vietnam Veteran. This small token of appreciation has meant a lot to so many.

Later, Jackson talks about mentors, his time in service, different resources to help Vietnam Veterans, and the stories of healing and reconciliation he has seen as a result.

#BtBattle Veteran of the Day:

• Army Veteran James Matthews
  
  

Additional Links:

• Vietnam 50th War Commemoration

This episode of Borne the Battle features Air Force Veteran Charlynda Scales. She is a TEDx Speaker, Seasoned Brand Ambassador, and Girl Scout Gold Award Winner, and an entrepreneur. She is a veteran who started a business with a piece of paper willed to her from her grandfather and a $25,000 initial investment.

Her grandfather, Charlie Ferrell Jr, was also an Air Force Veteran. He used to make a special sauce for friends and family. Grandpa Charlie was also Charlynda's "silver dollar salute" shortly before he passed away. Eight years later, Charlynda was handed the recipe as a gift from her late grandfather. Starting out with no business experience, she turned grandpa's sauce into a sustained legacy for her family. It is called MuttSauce because her grandfather's callsign in the Korean War was "Mutt" because he could blend in anywhere. Mutt Sauce has received many entrepreneurial awards and recently launched on Amazon.

This episode covers:

• The relationship between Charlynda and her grandfather
• A discussion of life, family, and legacy
• Enterprising in today's manufacturing world
• The future of MuttSauce

#BtBattle Veteran of the Week

• Air Force Veteran Thomas N. Barnes

Additional Links:

• https://www.muttssauce.com/pages/about
• VA's 2021 Budget Request

very year after the president’s “State of the Union” speech, the Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs gives he VA’s “State of VA.” Normally it is where the Secretary will proclaim the department’s successes from the previous year and outlines their priorities in the coming year.

This year, Secretary Robert Wilkies touted:

• A 16% increase in the female veteran community who enrolled in VA services since becoming secretary.
• Leading the White House’s PREVENTS Task Force.
• Cutting 8,000 VA employees in 2019 who did not meet the secretary’s performance standards.

The Secretary’s priorities for the upcoming year include:

• MISSION ACT: Expanding caregiver benefitsto those that served before 1975.
• Suicide Prevention: Help charities, nonprofits, local and nongovernmental organizations find the 60% of the “20 veterans a day” who have no contact with VA.
• Roll out the Electronic Health Record: Providing a paperless healthcare transition from DoD to VA.
• Continue to develop and lead in medical research and development.
• Create the first hospital that will fully employ the power of 5G technology.

CLICK HERE FOR A MORE DETAILED LIST FROM THE ADDRESS

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• VA Accepting applications for grants to support programs that support disabled veterans
• National Salute to Patients Week

#BtBattle Veteran of the Week: Army Veteran Greg Gadson

This week’s Borne the Battle begins where episode #169 left off, featuring guest Cheryl Mason, Chairman of the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).

In this Benefits Breakdown, Chairman Mason talks about the third lane of Appeals Modernization. Where the first two lanes allow Veterans to appeal their compensation claim decision to a claims adjudicator, the third lane allows Veterans to appeal a compensation claim decision directly to the Board.

More importantly, Chairman Mason addresses many questions Veterans ask:

• Which lane is right for you?
• What are the differences between each lane?
• How long will each take?
• Should you work with a VSO?
• How do you monitor the progress?

Chairman Mason oversees the Board’s 1100 personnel, its budget, and ensures the Board conducts hearings, decides appeals for Veterans and their families, and ensures a Veteran’s voice is heard.

#BtBattle Veteran of the Week:Army Veteran Roy N. Scow

Additional Links:

• blogs.va.gov/VAntage/70885/va-releases-updated-dod-list-identifying-agent-orange-sites-outside-vietnam/
• https://www.bva.va.gov/
• https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/appeals.asp

What does the VA Home Loan Program, the VA Office of Faith and Opportunity, the VA Assistive Technology Program, Vet Centers, Appeals Modernization Office and VA’s diabetes training and self-management have in common? They were all featured as benefits breakdown episodes on Borne the Battle in 2019.

Borne the Battle Veteran of the Week: Air Force Pararescueman Veteran John Pighini

Additional Links:
- https://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/
- https://www.va.gov/cfbnpartnerships/WelcomeMessage.asp
- https://www.prosthetics.va.gov/AssistiveTechnology/index.asp
- https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/
- https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/appeals.asp
- https://www.nutrition.va.gov/Diabetes.asp

If you've never heard an episode of Borne the Battle, this is a great place to start. Marine Veteran Tanner Iskra shares some meritorious segments from 2019. Segments include soundbites from NC farmer Valroy Williams, actress Jennifer Marshall, Postal Inspector Carroll Harris, Carry the Load's CEO Veteran Stephen Holley, Professional Wrestler Jan Ohrstrom, Pearl Harbor survivor William Bonelli, Camp Valor Outdoors' Denise Loring and Dan Duitsman, PopSmoke Media's Daniel Sharp, SecDef's Flight Surgeon and 9/11 first responder Dr. John Baxter, NASCAR Driver Jesse Iwuji, Wreaths Across America's Chairman Wayne Hanson and Actor Dale Dye.

“1917” and “The Last Full Measure” will soon be coming to a theater near you. These military movies have been carefully crafted to capture an authentic look at life in the military. Fortunately, many military films and TV shows have been carefully crafted with the help of Veterans like Dale Dye, Travis Wade, Jennifer Marshall, and Hiram Murray. They came on Borne the Battle to discuss the business of making military films in the current Marvel and Call of Duty era.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LAST FULL MEASURE

According to the panel, Hollywood often looks to Veterans for military advising, but only recently has it begun to see the benefits of casting Veterans as actors. The panel discusses professionally balancing the two roles on set.

Additionally, the panel talks how difficult it is to make military films. From getting the right actors at the right time to placating Hollywood execs. In the panel, Dye mentions why it is worth it to “herd cats” on set.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NO BETTER PLACE TO DIE

Finally, the panel lays bare that these films need the support of Veterans. In the current superhero climate, Veteran support of military films and TV series are what show Hollywood that these types of films have a large audience that wants to see these stories.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TANGO DOWN