TVC JOURNAL, VOL 29, NO. 3, MAY-JUNE 2006

Texas Veterans Commission P.O. Box 12277 Austin, Texas 78711-2277 (Voice) (512) 463-5538 (Fax) (512) 475-2395 info@tvc.state.tx.us www.tvc.state.tx.us PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID AUSTIN, TEXAS PERMIT NUMBER 520 J Texas Veterans Commission Vol. 29, No. 3 May/June 2006 ournal O TEXAS VETERANS’ HOTLINE 1-800-252-VETS (8387) O ) Printed on recyclable paper. Please recycle this publication. Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery Hombourg, Belgium (See related story on Page 1) TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION JOURNAL MAY/JUNE 2006 ~ VOL. 29, NO. 3 Preserving the Stories of Those Who Never Made it Home Centralized Support for the Center for Unit Records Research (CURR) Coordinators Secondary Service-Connected Conditions Eye on the TVC: Deabay Presented American Legion Service Award Phantom Numbers and Other Important Facts The Levels of Traumatic Brain Injury Explained Documentary Tells Story of Downed WWII Pilot Outstanding VA Employee of the Month - May 2006 What's New at the Veterans Land Board? World War II Memorial to Honor 103d Infantry Division Texas Veterans Commission Hosts Orientation for Employment Staff Pg. 8 Pg. 3 Pg. 3 Pg. 4 Pg. 5 Pg. 5 Pg. 6 Pg. 7 Pg. 2 Pg. 2 Pg. 1 TVC Veterans Employment Services Regional Structure Focus on the Female Veteran Outstanding VA Employee of the Month - June 2006 VA Inpatient Services to Continue at Big Spring, Texas VA, UT Southwestern Sign Partnership for Gulf War Veterans TRICARE Hicks Blocked, Panel Votes to Block TRICARE Hikes, Bump ‘07 Pay Raise Senior Alert: Seniors Scammed by Phony Checks Hey VA! Have You Heard? Training for Newly Appointed Service Officers Scheduled News Briefs News Release Pg. 9 Pg. 10 Pg. 11 Pg. 12 Pg. 12 Pg. 13 Pg. 14 Pg. 15 Pg. 15 Pg. 15 Pg. 16 59th Annual Statewide Training Conference for Veterans Service Officers October 17 - 20, 2006 (Travel Day will be Monday, October 16, 2006) Doubletree Hotel 6505 IH 35 North Austin, Texas 78752 512/ 454-3737 Room Rate $70.00-Single/Double Cut Off: September 22, 2006 NO EXCEPTIONS! RICK PERRY Governor, State of Texas JOHN A. BRIEDEN, III, Chairman KAREN S. RANKIN, Brigadier General, USAF (RET), Vice Chair HECTOR FARIAS, Secretary LTC JAMES R. ADAMS (RET), Member LEONARDO BARRAZA, Member JAMES E. NIER, Executive Director CHARLES BUERSCHINGER, Deputy Executive Director TERRY C. BURNS, Director of Administration & Training, Editor AMANDA PALM, Managing Editor NANCY J. GAMROTH, Associate Editor WE THANK THESE CONTRIBUTORS AND SOURCES COVER ART/STORY Completed in 1960, Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The 57-acre site honors heroes of World War II and consists of a cemetery, museum, colonnade and chapel. TVC STAFF Dale Moyer Dwight Marshall Stephen P. Lane Brock Van Anden Delilah Washburn AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER SOURCES David Atkinson, Henri-Chapelle Cemetery U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Bob Fair, VISN 17 National Personnel Records Center Military.com Texas Veterans Land Board Texas Department of Transportation Texas Attorney General TX WWII History Fund VFW Post 1922 VETERANS’ ORGANIZATIONS SERVING TEXAS VETERANS NON COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ASSN. MILITARY OFFICERS International Headquarters ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA GENE OVERSTREET, President/CEO (Formally The Retired Officers Assn.) 10635 IH 35 North Texas Council of Chapters San Antonio, Texas 78223 LTC ED MARVIN (USAF Ret.), President 17890 Blanco Rd, Box 3 AMERICAN GI FORUM OF THE U.S. PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA San Antonio, Texas 78232 RAM CHAVEZ, State Commander JEWISH WAR VETERANS CARMEN GONZALES, JR. Office Supervisor 1642 Sandalwood Drive Department of Texas 6900 Almeda Road U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-4706 Houston, Texas 77030-4200 WWII VETERANS BARRY MANN, Dept. Commander 10602 Denali JOHN C. SHIRLEY THE AMERICAN LEGION PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS ASSN. Austin, Texas 78753 4128 N. Summercrest Loop Department of Texas LEWIS LAGESSE, State Chairman Round Rock, Texas 78681 JIM PRENDERGAST, Dept. Commander 4946 Yarwell Drive KOREAN WAR VETERANS ASSN., INC. HERB NORCH MICHAEL PALMQUIST, Dept. Adjutant Houston, Texas 77096 Texas Lone Star Chapter 74 Sutton Place 3401 Ed Bluestein Blvd. DICK PREDMORE, President RESERVE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION 1309 EL CAMINO REAL #158 El Paso, Texas 79912 Austin, Texas 78721 OF THE UNITED STATES EULESS, Texas 76040-6054 AMERICAN MILITARY RETIREE ASSN. MORGAN LITTLE, CAPTAIN, USNR (RET.) VETERANS COUNTY SERVICE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE President OFFICERS ASSN. OF TEXAS Department of Texas 1100 Sycamore Creek Drive OLIE L. POPE, JR., President CARSON “DON” WOODELL, State President A.C. DECK, Department Commandant P.O. Box 209 P.O. Box 36 Dripping Springs, Texas 78620-3321 Travis County Veterans Service Office Crystal City, Texas 78839-0209 P.O. Box 1748 Belton, Texas 76513 TEXAS COALITION OF Austin, Texas 78767 MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART AMVETS VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS DeLEON B.L. WESTON VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS Department of Texas GENE OVERSTREET, Chairman Department of Texas Dept. Commander/Adjutant TINA SHELDON, Dept. Commander ED PARNELL, Vice Chairman 10559 Crete Drive DUANE G. SHRIVER, Dept. Commander DON WEBB, Executive Director 10635 IH 35 North El Paso, Texas 79924-1832 GLEN M. GARDNER, JR., Dept. Adjutant 8008 Elam Road San Antonio, Texas 78223 P.O. Box 14468 Dallas, Texas 75217 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE RETIRED ENLISTED ASSOCIATION Austin, Texas 78761 MEDICS AND CORPSMEN Department of Texas THE ARMY & NAVY UNION OF TEXAS CALVIN L. GUTHRIE LONNIE VESSELL VIETNAM VETERANS ROBERT STONE, State Commander State Commander 3rd National Vice President OF AMERICA 13256 Harbor Drive 2949 FM 1670 #426 1004 Harris Drive Texas State Council Temple, Texas 76502 Belton, Texas 76513 Euless, Texas 76039-3330 LUTHER NEWBERRY, President CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS P.O. Box 1860 JOSE R. PEREZ, Dept. Commander Fritch, Texas 79036 2520 Mobile St. McAllen, Texas 78501 AMERICAN EX-POWS OF AMERICA MORRIS BARKER, Dept. Commander RUBY WILLIAMS, Dept. Adjutant 1306 N. 4th Street Temple, Texas 76501-2013 DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS Department of Texas L. ‘DUKE’ HENDERSHOT, Dept. Commander ELDON ARMSTRONG, Dept. Adjutant 2305 Oak Lane, Suite 225 Grand Prairie, Texas 75051 ~MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY~ ROOM AVAILABILITY FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! Further details available on our website at: www.tvc.state.tx.us BBB When making your reservations, please be sure to indicate that you are attending the Texas Veterans Commission’s Training Conference for Veterans Service Officers. BBB Persons with disabilities who plan to attend any of these training conferences and who are in need of auxiliary aids or services, e.g., interpreters for persons who are hearing impaired, readers, large print, or braille, are requested to contact Terry Burns, Director of Administration and Training, TVC Headquarters, at 512/463-6564, or on the Austin CSO WATS Line, three (3) weeks prior to the conference so that appropriate arrangements may be made. Comments concerning veterans' programs or delivery of services may be addressed to: Texas Veterans Commission P.O. Box 12277; Austin, TX 78711-2277 Email: info@tvc.state.tx.us Web: www.tvc.state.tx.us Local Benefit Inquires: 512/463-5538; Fax 512/ 475-2395 Veterans’ Benefit HOTLINE: 1-800-252-VETS (8387) Please send updates/corrections/comments regarding the Veterans’ Organization section to: Nancy J. Gamroth Texas Veterans Commission P.O. Box 12277 Austin, TX 78711-2277 nancy@tvc.state.tx.us BBB Training Conferences Conducted by: Texas Veterans Commission Austin, Texas 512/463-6564; (FAX) 512/ 475-2395 info@tvc.state.tx.us www.tvc.state.tx.us Copies of this publication have been distributed in compliance with the State Depository Law and are available for public use through the Texas State Publications Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries. The Texas Veterans Commission does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or providing services. Preserving the Stories of Those Who Never Made it Home Liberated by troops of the United States 1st Infantry Division on September 12, 1944, the site of the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery spreads out over 57 acres along the crest of a ridge in Hombourg, Belgium. The cemetery and memorial were completed in 1960, and it is at this cemetery where 8,442 men are honored, with 7,992 buried and 450 on the wall of the missing. Most of those who rest here gave their lives in the repulse of the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes or during the advance into and across Germany during the fall and winter of 1944 and the spring of 1945. David Atkinson, superintendent of the cemetery realized that very little is known about the heroes at Henri-Chapelle. Atkinson wanted to make sure the stories of the soldiers honored at the cemetery are told. More than 100,000 visitors from all over the world come to this sacred place each year. He believes it is important those visitors know that Henri-Chapelle is not only a beautiful and well kept cemetery, but engraved are the names of thousands of men who had lives just as we all do. In an attempt to collect information, such as photos, stories, anecdotes, etc. about these heroes, Atkinson has contacted the State of Texas for assistance. Of the more than 8,000 soldiers at Henri-Chapelle, 311 of those are Texans. They came from rural communities and big cities, the plains of the Panhandle and the beaches of the coast. They were the best and brightest our state had to offer. A list of the 311 Texans is on the Texas Veterans Commission website at www.tvc.state.tx.us. The soldiers are listed in alphabetical order by their county of residence. Please help David Atkinson and the Henri-Chapelle Cemetery piece together the lives of these honored men by providing any information you have. If you recognize a name on the list and would like to provide a story, photo or any other information, please send it to amanda.palm@tvc.state.tx.us or mail to Texas Veterans Commission, P.O. Box 12277, Austin, TX 78711, (ATTN: Amanda), and the Texas Veterans Commission will compile the information and forward it to David Atkinson. Please take the time to review this list to help ensure the lives of these heroes are not forgotten. The central mall terminates in a wall-enclosed flagpole plaza, backed by a copse of oak and spruce trees. On the wall is the inscription: IN HONORED MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 1 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Centralized Support for the Center for Unit Records Research (CURR) Coordinators The Center for Unit Records Research (CURR) is responsible for verifying in-service stressors reported by veterans claiming service-connection for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and service in Vietnam for veterans claiming service-connection for disabilities related to Agent Orange exposure. In-service stressors reported by veterans claiming serviceconnection for PTSD must be verified, and that verification comes from CURR. Under certain circumstances, VA may ask CURR to assist in the verification process. CURR researches Army, Navy (not Marine Corps), Air Force and Coast Guard records containing historical information on individual units within these branches of service, as well as some personnel records as they relate to the stressful events described by veterans claiming serviceconnection for PTSD. CURR researches the records only if the veteran has described a specific stressor and provided, at a minimum, the 60-day time period in which the stressor occurred. If a veteran received certain awards and decorations as a result of service in the armed forces, which are verified by the veteran’s DD214, Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) or the Personnel Information Exchange System (PIES), verification by CURR is not required. M21-1MR, Part IV, Subpart ii, Chapter 1, Section D, Topic 13d: Consider any of the following individual decorations as evidence of exposure to combat-related stressors: • Air Force Cross Air Medal with “V” Device; Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device; Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device; • Combat Action Badge; Combat Action Ribbon (Note: Prior to February 1969, The Navy Achievement Medal with “V” Device was awarded); • Combat Aircrew Insignia; Combat Infantry/Infantryman Badge; Combat Medical Badge; Distinguished Flying Cross; Joint S ervice Commendation Medal with “V” Device; Medal of Honor; Navy Commendation Medal with “V” Device; Navy Cross Purple Heart; and/or Silver Star. [Receipt of one of the decorations above is not the only acceptable evidence of engagement in combat.] Note: If a veteran received one of the decorations cited above, but does not expressly state the nature of the stressor, assume that the stressor is combat-related and the VA will order and examination, if necessary, to decide the claim and will specify in the examination request that the VA will clarify any decoration the veteran received. As noted above, the VA will also use CURR to verify whether or not the veteran was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. In order for them to accomplish this, the CURR needs as many details as possible to verify the veteran touched ground in Vietnam (the 60-day time period, where and how). If the veteran was on temporary duty (TDY) for a short period of time, he needs to get as specific as possible when giving the information so CURR is able to verify the veteran was in Vietnam. CURR is not able to verify all situations due to lack of information provided by the veterans, so it is imperative the veteran is as specific as possible when filing these claims. Contributed by Dale Moyer, TVC Staff Secondary Service-Connected Conditions According to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), a secondary service-connected disability is a disability caused by another serviceconnected condition. The secondary condition is considered part of the original condition Some examples of secondary service-connected disabilities are peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy, end stage renal disease and coronary artery disease, all of which can be caused by diabetes mellitus II. Strokes, arteriosclerosis, kidney disease and hypertensive retinopathy are secondary conditions that can be caused by hypertension. Incontinence and erectile dysfunction can be a side effect of surgery associated with prostate cancer. Disabled veterans with the above listed service-connected conditions should contact their representative for a complete analysis of what conditions may be considered secondary service-connected conditions. This ensures they have the opportunity to be compensated for their secondary service-connected conditions. Contributed by Dwight Marshall, TVC Staff Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 2 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 on the TVC Deabay Presented American Legion Service Award In March, Shawn Deabay (pictured at left) was presented the Annual National Employment Service Award for 2005 by James Prendergast, American Legion Department Commander (right). Deabay was also named the Regional Veterans Employment Representative for the Northeast, East, Deep East and South East Texas Workforce Development Board areas. In his position with the Texas Veterans Commission, he has direct supervisory control of all DVOP/ LVER staff within those four areas. Deabay was previously a LVER with the Texas Workforce Commission at the Angelina County Workforce Center. For additional information about the Texas Veterans Commission Veterans Employment Services, see the related article on page eight. Phantom Numbers and Other Important Facts The phantom numbers on the combined rating table are important to understand and know how to use even though you may not be the rating person for VA. Every now and then, everybody makes a mistake. It’s very possible the people who sit and check these numbers could miss just one that could make a big difference in a veteran’s life. Because very few veterans have any knowledge on how the rating is calculated, it is important those numbers are checked. The veteran’s representative is the last person who sees the veteran’s information, which makes it very important to check thoroughly. A particular veteran had a long list of service-connected disability ratings for a variety of issues. He had one 20% rating and five 10% ratings listed. One of the 10% ratings was reduced to 0% after one year. Texas Veterans Commission Journal The service-connected combination read “50% from 1-31-69” and “40% from 1-31-70.” The first year is correct, as 53% is rounded down to 50%. The problem is the 40% rating from 1-31-70. One 20% rating and four 10% ratings comes out to 48%, which should round up to 50%. The veteran has been shorted his benefits since January 1970. This error falls under the clearly and unmistakably erroneous rule. Once verified by VA, the veteran will receive back pay for 36 years. This same veteran had been married and divorced, which was in his record. For whatever reason, he did not add his present wife of 25 years to his records. This error does NOT fall under the clearly and unmistakably erroneous rule that requires VA to pay back benefits for the last 25 years. Page 3 The additional benefits for having a spouse and/or dependents are only available for veterans who qualify for 30% or more service-connected disability compensation and submits the proper papers to VA that proves the veterans has a spouse or dependents who meet specific qualifications. When looking at a list of service-connected disability ratings, do not forget the bilateral factor that is in effect. The longer it has been since the rating has been looked at, the better the chance of finding something that could give the veteran additional benefits. It is important anyone who has access to a veteran’s rating decision take the time to check and ensure the veteran is getting what he/she is due. Contributed by Stephen P. Lane, TVC Staff Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 The Levels of Traumatic Brain Injury Explained Significant numbers of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). This is a fairly new military issue and is a condition that, unfortunately, is becoming more prevalent as our soldiers continue to serve overseas. Trauma to the brain occurs when an external force impacts the head. A variety of injuries can cause such trauma, including auto accidents, falls, sports activities or physical violence. The trauma causes the brain to shift within the skull and can result in an array of problems, such as loss of consciousness, inability to use speech, memory loss, difficulty focusing or concentrating, loss of physical functions and change in psychosocial behavior. Below are signs and symptoms of TBI: • • • • • • • • • • • Loss of spinal fluid (discharge from ears and nose) Loss of consciousness Dilated or unequal pupils, blurred vision and/or light sensitivity, loss of eye movement or blindness Changes in the ability to hear or ringing in the ears Dizziness or balance problems Slowed breathing rate or respiratory problems Difficulty moving body parts, weakness and/or poor coordination or paralysis Body numbness or tingling Confusion and/or difficulty with thinking skills (lack of memory, poor judgment, poor attention span) Difficulty speaking, slurred speak, or difficulty swallowing Loss of bowel or bladder control The leading cause of TBI for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are Improvised Explosive Devices, or IEDs. Though military personnel are provided with Kevlar helmets and body armor, there is no way to protect or prevent the brain from shifting within the skull. TBI is graded on three levels of severity: Mild TBI, Moderate TBI and Severe TBI. These levels are determined by using the Glasgow Coma Scale, which uses a number range of 3 to 15, with three being the worst and 15 the best. Mild TBI – Glasgow score of 13-15 Symptoms associated with mild TBI are headache, fatigue, sleep disturbance, irritability, sensitivity to light or noise, balance problems, decreased concentration and attention span, decreased speed of thinking, memory problems, nausea, depression and anxiety, and emotional mood swings. Moderate TBI – Glasgow score of 9-12 This occurs when an individual has lost consciousness, either for a few minutes or a few hours. Physical, cognitive and behavioral impairments may last only for a few days, a few months, or be permanent. People with moderate symptoms generally make a good recovery and can learn to compensate for their impairment. Severe TBI – Glasgow score of 3-9 This is indicative of a person who had a prolonged period of unconsciousness that lasts for a few days or many months. There are seven subgroups that fall under Severe TBI. Coma: A state of unconsciousness where an individual is alive, but is unable to react or respond to surroundings. Vegetative State: Individual has loss of cognitive neurological function and awareness of their environment; however, they retain non-cognitive function and preserved sleep-wake cycle. Persistent Vegetative State: Occurs when the vegetative state lasts longer than one month. Minimally Responsive State (MR): Primitive reflexes and awareness of environmental stimulation exist. Akinetic Mutism: A neurobehavioral state in which the individual is not able to speak or move. Sleep-wake cycles exist, but when awake, there is no mobile response. Locked-In Syndrome: Rare neurological condition. It is a state of consciousness that includes cognitive ability without physical movement – with the exception of the eyes. Brain Death: No sign of brain function. Contributed by Brock Van Anden, TVC Staff Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 4 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Documentary Tells Story of Downed WWII Pilot In November 1943, a young P-47 pilot from Iowa was forced to abandon his stalled plane and parachute into a field in Belgium, just outside Brussels. Bill Grosvenor’s story of survival began in this field. He hid in that field for hours before he was rescued and taken in by the Belgian Resistance. For seven months in 1943 and 1944, he was protected by members of the Resistance, moving from home to home until the German Gestapo arrested him. He was then sent to a Nazi prison in Brussels, where he stayed another two and a half months before he escaped. Now settled in Abilene, Texas, the 85-year-old Grosvenor is sharing his story through a documentary: “Last Best Hope: A True Story of Escape, Evasion, and Remembrance.” This is a story of escape and sacrifice, but ultimately, one of freedom. “You don’t know what your freedom means until it is taken away from you,” Grosvenor said. Currently, the documentary is scheduled to air on PBS in September, though a specific airdate has not yet been released. For information regarding the documentary, please visit www.alpheusmedia.com/lastbesthope or check the July/August issue of the Journal. O T May 2006 utstanding VA Employee of the Month he Texas Veterans Commission has chosen Steven Brown as the “Outstanding VA Employee of the Month” for May 2006. Brown is the Release of Information Officer at the McAllen VA Outpatient Clinic. Brown, who has worked at the clinic since 2003, is always ready to assist Texas Veterans Commission staff in obtaining medical records and other pertinent information necessary in the development of claims. His assistance is truly valued by TVC and the veterans he serves. Brown served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, retiring as a Recruit Division Commander in 2001. He is a member of the VFW and is active with the Honor Guard. Brown is also a member of the DAV, where he holds the position of service officer. The commitment Brown displays in helping others is inspiring to all who interact with him. The Texas Veterans Commission proudly recognizes his dedication to veterans by naming him the “Outstanding VA Employee of the Month” for May 2006. 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Rick Perry appointed Ussery to the Texas Veterans Land Board, where he Mike Ussery was born on Aug. 19, 1929, and was raised in a home dedicated to serving veterans. Both his parents, Walter and Rosamond Ussery, were lifelong employees of the Veterans Administration. Rosamond Ussery was one of the first occupational therapists. Ussery enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1951 in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Officer Candidate School in Fort Riley, Kansas in 1952. He was discharged as a captain in 1953 and continued his service in the active reserve through 1954. The Veterans Land Board voted unanimously to name the Amarillo home the Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home, honoring both Mike Ussery, a longtime Amarillo veterans advocate and former Veterans Land Board member, and Pfc. Charles Howard Roan, a Marine who threw himself on a grenade during a furious firefight with the Japanese on the island of Peleliu on Sept. 18, 1944. Roan received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroics. The Texas State Veterans Home in Amarillo will be named after two veterans from the area who distinguished themselves through service and sacrifice, Jerry Patterson, Chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board announced April 27, 2006. Texas Veterans Commission Journal Texas Veterans’ What’s New at the Veterans Land Board? Veterans County Service Officers should continue to contact their respective TVC Regional Offices and the Austin Headquarters via the toll-free numbers given to them during their initial training. This will ensure that the HOTLINE is open for assisting our veterans, their dependents and survivors. Veterans Land Board names home for veterans advocate and Medal of Honor recipient AMARILLO FACILITY TO BE NAMED USSERY-ROAN TEXAS STATE VETERANS HOME H O T L I N E Local veterans groups, community organizations and interested individuals were encouraged to submit names for consideration as the home’s namesake. Roan and Ussery were selected from the names submitted. Each of the existing six President Harry Truman presented Roan’s Medal of Honor to his family in July 1945. Roan died fighting when his squad was partially cut off from its company on an exposed ridge while aggressively attacking entrenched Japanese. A grenade injured Roan during a furious exchange with Japanese forces in a cave to the rear of the squad as the five men sought protection in a small depression in the rocky terrain. When another grenade landed nearby, Roan flung himself upon it, absorbing the full impact of the blast with his body and saving the lives of four men, according to his Medal of Honor citation. Pfc. Charles Howard Roan was born in Claude on Aug. 16, 1923. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at the Amarillo Post Office in December 1942 and joined the 1st Marine Division in the South Pacific. Roan made landings in New Guinea and at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island, and was killed in action on Sept. 18, 1944 after six days of fighting on Peleliu. served until his death in 2005. As a member of the Veterans Land Board, Ussery was dedicated to bringing a State Veterans Home to Amarillo. 1-800-252-VETS (8387) The Veterans HOTLINE is a joint venture of the Texas Veterans Commission and the Texas Veterans Land Board. Page 6 For additional information on the Texas State Veterans Homes, Texas State Veterans Cemeteries and special land, home and home improvement loans for Texas veterans, call 1-800-252-VETS (1-800-252-8387), or visit the Texas Veterans Land Board Web site at www.texasveterans.com. Construction on the Amarillo home commenced in August 2005 and continues on schedule. The home is scheduled to open in 2007. Currently, there are six Texas State Veterans Homes. All nominations were submitted to the Texas Veterans Land Board review committee, which consists of the state adjutants of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars; the executive director of the Texas Veterans Commission, and three staff members of the Texas Veterans Land Board. The review committee had 60 days to make a recommendation to the Texas Veterans Land Board. To be eligible for consideration, a nominee had to be either a deceased Texas veteran with a record of distinguished community or military service, or a Texas veteran killed in the line of duty whose service record merits recognition. Texas State Veterans Homes was named through the same process. Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 World War II Memorial to Honor 103d Infantry Division More than 60 years ago, 50,000 young men were sent for military training at Camp Howze in North Texas. Today, the only thing left standing to remember Camp Howze is a water tower – but not for long. On Nov. 11, 2006, a memorial in tribute to the 103d Infantry Division will be dedicated at the Texas Department of Transportation Welcome Center in Gainesville, located just across the fence from the training grounds of Camp Howze. The memorial was made possible by the dedication and hard work of the members of the 103d Infantry Division Association of World War II. For seven years the group has raised funds and worked with TxDOT to create and build the memorial. “I dreamed this thing up as a member of the 103d division,” said B. Melton “Mel” Wright, President of the Texas World War II Monument Fund and member of the 103d Infantry Division Association. “This is the first time in history that TxDot will have anything of this nature placed on their property.” The memorial, designed by Edd Hayes, will be a bronze statue of an infantryman from the 103d ID in action, aptly named “A Call To Duty.” It serves to honor the 847 men who lost their lives and the more than 4,000 who were wounded. It will also help preserve the history of World War II. “People need to know the history of World War II,” Wright said. “We were on the southern tip [of the Battle of the Bulge], not actually part of it. But the German 19th Army surrendered to us on May 5 at Innsbruck [Austria], which ended the war.” Though more than $100,000 has been collected strictly from members of the 103d ID, additional funds are needed to complete the memorial. Information on how to contribute is provided at the bottom of this page. All donors are invited to attend the dedication. Once the memorial is dedicated on Nov. 11, it will be turned over to the city of Gainesville for their ownership. BECOME A PART OF THIS NOBLE VENTURE BY MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TODAY: Donors are invited to the Dedication scheduled for 11 Nov 2006 Make donations payble to: TX WW II HISTORICAL MONUMENT FUND. Send to: VFW Post 1922 or TX WW II HIST MON FUND P.O. BOX 212 9737 Warwana Rd. Gainesville, TX 76241 Houston, TX 77080 Your Name: Address: City: Phone: State: email: Zip: Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 7 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Texas Veterans Commission Hosts Orientation for Employment Staff In April, the Texas Veterans Commission hosted an orientation in San Antonio for the more than 200 veterans employment staff the agency acquired as a result of the transfer of the DVOP/LVER grant to TVC on April 1, 2006. The orientation created a sense of teamwork and camaraderie among employment staff, and promoted the continued need for a strong relationship with workforce boards and workforce center contractors. Breakout sessions were conducted by Regional Veteran Employment Representatives (VER) and allowed staff to get familiar with TVC policies and procedures, ask questions of Regional VERs and establish individual performance standards. A social event on Sunday evening provided an informal setting to see old friends and meet TVC Commissioners, the Executive Director and other state office staff. Monday morning opened with greetings from TVC Chairman John Brieden, III, and other Commission members; TVC Executive Director James E. Nier; Lester Williams, Regional Administrator, and John McKinny, State Director, both from the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Services; and Bill Wilson, Director, TVC Veterans Employment Services. John A. Brieden, III, TVC Chairman Senator Leticia VanDePutte TVC Veterans Employment Services Director Bill Wilson; Asst. Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, Charles Ciccolella; TVC Chairman John A. Brieden, III; TVC Executive Director James E. Nier. A number of special guests spoke during the closing session on Tuesday, including Senator Leticia Van De Putte, Chair of the Veterans Affairs and Military Installations Committee. She was followed by the Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans’ Employment and Training Services Charles (Chick) Ciccolella, who was presented with an Honorary Texan certificate for his support of TVC during the period of transition. John McKinny, Lester Williams, Bill Wilson, James Adams, John Brieden, James Nier, Karen Rankin, Hector Farias, Leonardo Barraza. Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 8 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Texas Veterans Commission Veterans Employment Services Regional Structure Regional Veteran Employment Representatives Region 1 Region 2 Region 3 Region 4 Region 5 Region 6 Region 7 Region 8 Michael Lamb Sylvia Brownlow Mark Kerssemakers Jim Martin Shawn Deabay Joe Axel Joe Castillo Coy Martin Kerrville Killeen Dallas Sherman Lufkin Houston Brownsville Lubbock Local Workforce Development Areas (LDWA) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Panhandle South Plains North Texas North Central Tarrant County Dallas North East East Texas West Central Upper Rio Grande Permian Basin Concho Valley Heart of Texas Capital Area 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. Rural Capital Brazos Valley Deep East Texas South East Texas Golden Crescent Alamo South Texas Coastal Bend Lower Rio Grande Valley Cameron County Texoma Central Texas Middle Rio Grande Gulf Coast Page 9 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Texas Veterans Commission Journal Women Veterans: The Shoulders We Stand on Today and Tomorrow More than 200,000 active duty women are currently part of the United States Armed Forces. Soon they will join the 1.7 million women who are now recognized as the fastest growing veteran population in America. History recalls famous women such as Margaret Corbin and Mary McCauley, who was a heroine in the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, or the legendary Molly Pitcher, who fought in the battle of Fort Washington in 1776. At least 400 women served in combat alongside men on both sides during the Civil War. According to the Women in Military Service of America Memorial, while most women who served were cooks and nurses, large numbers of women served as spies, saboteurs and couriers. Officially, the nursing military corps was born as an auxiliary of the Army in 1901 during the Spanish-American War. The Navy then established its own nursing corps. At the conclusion of WWI, nearly 34,000 women served as nurses in the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. At that time, service women did not have a military rank nor did they receive military or veteran benefits that were provided to men. The military women’s significant contribution in WWI established the importance of women to the armed forces and is considered a turning point in the history of women veterans. WWII was the time when women served in large numbers. Because of a desperate need for personnel, everyone who was able went to war, including women. Acceptance of women who volunteered was not easy, both in Congress and the military, yet at the end of WWII approximately 350,000 women had served in the military. According to the VA office of the Actuary, in December 2004 there were an estimated 178,000 living women veterans of WWII. In 1942, the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was created to allow women to participate in non-combat jobs in a non-military status. Before the end of 1942, other branches of service quickly followed that lead with the establishment of Navy’s WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service); the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve; the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, or SPARs (Semper Paratus-Always Ready); and the WASP (Women Air Force Service Pilots), which was made up of civil service pilots. Congress Texas Veterans Commission Journal Focus on the Female Veteran finally gave women full military status in 1943 by changing WAAC to the Women’s Army Corps, or WAC. This gave women in WAC the same pay, allowances, benefits and privileges as men, and subjected them to the same disciplinary code. At the end of WWII, even with the demobilization, General Eisenhower advocated legislation that was passed in 1947 making the WAC part of the regular Army and Reserve. A year later, President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, making women permanent members of the regular and reserve forces of the Army, Navy, Marines, and the newly created Air Force. In 1949, the Air Force Nurse Corps was recognized as a separate branch of the Air Force. When war broke out in Korea in 1950, some 22,000 women were serving in the military and about one-third of those were working in nursing or medical related jobs. Because so many women joined the military during World War II, ambitious goals were established to increase the number of military women serving during the Korean War, but recruiting efforts fell short of the objective and were discontinued in 1952. Eventually, the number of women in the military during the Korean War increased to 120,000, but dropped off significantly when the war was over. The next initiative to increase the number of women in service came during the Vietnam War in 1968. This was during a time of social change, with many groups demanding and gaining equal status. In 1967, Public Law 90-130 was established to remove statutorily any obstacles to women becoming high-ranking military officers. The 1970s marked policy changes that included the option of pregnant women remaining on active duty, if they chose to do so. The trend toward greater gender equality in the military began with the all-volunteer force (AVF) in 1973. Nationwide, the male birth rate had slowed and military personnel demands could not be met with a force of male volunteers alone, thereby opening more military jobs to women. Steps were taken to make the military more “family friendly” to encourage career women to stay in the service. In 1973, 55,000 women were in the active duty military compared to (See “Women Veterans . . .” Continued on Page 11) Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Page 10 O R June 2006 utstanding VA Employee of the Month osemary Mason, Patient Advocate at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, La., is the “Outstanding VA Employee of the Month” for June 2006. Every day Mason deals with difficult situations and people who are often stressed to their breaking point. Her calming voice and gentle demeanor let people know right away they are talking to a person who truly helps those in need with an attitude of caring and compassion. Mason has worked at the Overton Brooks VAMC for 20 years and has spent the last ten as patient advocate. Both clients and coworkers agree she is a very special person who has given hundreds of veterans and families of veteran’s hope and understanding when others were not able to fulfill their needs. Because of the positive difference Rosemary Mason makes for so many veterans and their families, the Texas Veterans Commission is proud to name her the “Outstanding VA Employee of the Month” for June 2006. Women Veterans . . . (Continued from Page 10) today when more than 212,000 are on active duty, according to the Department of Defense. Veteran population is currently estimated by the VA up to the year 2020. Those projections show that the number of male veterans will decrease and the number of women veterans will increase every year until the year 2020. This increase is due to three primary factors: more women going into service, women having a more favorable survivor rate, and the younger age and better health of women veterans compared to male veterans. At the end of September 2004, VA reported that 163,027 women veterans were receiving service-connected compensation, which represents 9.6 percent of the total estimated population of women veterans. Among male veterans, the estimated population receiving compensation is only slightly higher at 10.4 percent. This is in spite of the older age of male veterans, who normally had greater exposure in combat. The gains military women made in the 1970s continued through the 1980s, 1990s, and into the millennium. It is noteworthy that in 1994, rules were established by then Defense Secretary Les Aspin lifting Texas Veterans Commission Journal long-standing bans on women serving in combat related roles, though they failed to open direct offensive ground combat jobs to women. This action was based on the performance of women in service during the Persian Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. Beginning in the early 1990s, women flew combat aircraft, manned missile emplacements, served on ships in the Gulf, drove convoys in the desert, and assumed other roles making exposure to combat more likely. In a 2001 National Survey of Veterans, 12 percent of women veterans reported having served in a combat or war zone. Nearly one-quarter reported having contact with dead, dying or wounded compatriots during their military service. The role of women in the military plays a vital part in our nation’s defense. The women veterans’ history is an honorable one, though disappointingly, not always acknowledged or appreciated. With their projected increasing numbers, full integrations in all branches, including combat units, and greater racial and ethnic diversity in the armed forces, women will change the face of both our military and our veteran population. Women veterans will require veteran services that focus on gender specific needs. The debt owed to all of our veterans’ demands nothing less than access to quality health care and benefits. Contributed by Delilah Washburn, TVC Staff Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Page 11 VA Inpatient Services to Continue at Big Spring, Texas Veterans in the Big Spring, Texas, area will continue to have convenient, local access to care for their inpatient needs and the mental health services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, announced on April 20, 2006. Nicholson was represented at the announcement about Big Spring by VA’s top physician, Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, VA Under Secretary for Health. Also taking part were Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, chair of the subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee and member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Rep. Randy Neugebauer of the 19th District. Nicholson’s decision ends a year-long review that involved a local advisory panel as part of the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) program, a VA initiative to modernize facilities by matching projected demand for health services with programs and facilities. As a result of its review, VA has also determined it will look at ways to expand inpatient care and residential mental health services at Big Spring. While ending the CARES study, VA is asking its regional officials to develop detailed plans for expanding mental health services. Options will include adding a 35bed domiciliary unit, possibly in conjunction with an expansion of 18 psychiatry beds. The facility currently operates both inpatient beds and long-term care beds, which will continue. It serves an area that includes 360,000 veterans in the New Mexico and west Texas market. The campus covers 31 acres and contains 13 buildings, which were constructed in the 1950s and have undergone multiple renovations. With buildings averaging more than 50 years old, VA embarked on CARES in 2001 to reduce surplus space and examine programs while modernizing facilities and services in its system of 154 hospitals and approximately 850 outpatient clinics. Dozens of public hearings and commission meetings around the country resulted in a blueprint for the next 20 years aimed at providing greater access to quality health care closer to where most veterans live. For some communities, including Big Spring, more analysis was required to make a final CARES decision due to complex issues or concerns that had not been fully addressed. Local advisory panels were formed to provide VA additional input and, through competitive bidding, a contractor was engaged to complete business plan studies and recommendations. For some study sites, Stage 2 conclusions have not yet been completed and VA expects additional announcements on narrowing options at other locations later this year. Additional information about the process and the decisions announced today will be available at www.va.gov/cares. VA, UT Southwestern Sign Partnership for Gulf War Veterans Top officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) signed a partnership agreement on April 21, 2006 with leaders of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas for research related to illnesses affecting some veterans of the Gulf War. “VA’s partnering with this prestigious medical center is great news for veterans,” said Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, VA’s Under Secretary for Health. “This clear commitment to research will help us explore new ways to provide the best possible care to our veterans.” Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who also attended the signing ceremony, sponsored legislation that directed VA to dedicate research funds in the amount of $15 million annually over the next five years toward research on Gulf War-related illnesses. “Sen. Hutchison’s continued commitment to the problems of Gulf War veterans – and her dedication to a wide range of other VA-related issues – have improved VA’s benefits and programs for all veterans,” Perlin said. Ailments ranging from fatigue, weakness and respiratory problems to sleep disturbances, skin rashes and persistent headaches are among those reported by veterans who took part in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm at rates significantly higher than those reported by veterans who did not serve in the combat zone. Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 12 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 TRICARE Hikes Blocked Panel Votes to Block TRICARE Hikes, Bump ’07 Pay Raise Tom Philpott | April 28, 2006 A House panel has voted to block for at least two years any increases in TRICARE beneficiary cost-shares. It’s the first formal step by Congress to derail the Bush administration’s plan to raise fees, co-payments and deductibles for military retirees under age 65 and their families. The armed services subcommittee on military personnel also brought good news to active duty, Reserve and National Guard personnel by endorsing a January 2007 pay raise of 2.7 percent. That is half a percentage point higher than what the administration sought. If the raise is approved by the full Congress, it would be an eighth straight year of annual military raises set .5 percent above private sector wage growth. The subcommittee also endorsed the administration’s plan for an additional “targeted” raise for warrant officers and some senior enlisted. This special raise would take effect April 1, 2007. Details of the targeted raise haven’t been released. Language to block the TRICARE fee increases, and the surprise boost in the 2007 pay raise, were highlights of subcommittee actions on personnel provisions of the fiscal 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (HR 5122). The full armed services committee will hold its mark up of the bill May 3 and additional amendments impacting military personnel will be voted on. Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), personnel subcommittee chairman, said retirees can be confident the fee increases pushed so “energetically” by defense officials are dead until at least 2008. After the hearing, McHugh gave a more colorful assurance that the higher fees are shelved for now. He said unlike Freddy Krueger, murderer in the movie Nightmare on Elm Street, these proposals won’t come back to life soon to scare military retirees. Whether the Senate will approve any part of the administration’s TRICARE fee adjustments is still a little uncertain. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate military personnel subcommittee, wants them delayed and an independent review conducted of real TRICARE cost growth and the projected cost-savings from the administration’s plan. What doomed that plan in the House were both the timing and the details, McHugh told Military Update. Timing in the sense that the nation is fighting a war and that some of those warriors who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan soon would be among the pool of TRICARE beneficiaries targeted by the higher fees. That bothered many lawmakers, he said. There also was great concern over specifics of the plan, McHugh said. The increases were seen as too steep and too swift, with TRICARE Prime enrollment fees leaping 200 percent over two years for senior enlisted retirees and 300 percent for retired officers. The projected cost-savings of $11 billion by 2011 also was suspect. Most of it would come not from easy to add revenues for the government from the higher fees but from assumed “behavior modification,” McHugh said. That is, defense officials were betting Texas Veterans Commission Journal that large numbers of beneficiaries working in second careers either would stop using TRICARE or would decide not to shift into TRICARE from employer-provided health plans. Language approved by the subcommittee specifically would prohibit the Defense Department from raising beneficiary cost-shares until Dec. 31, 2007 for TRICARE Prime (the managed care plan), TRICARE Standard (the fee-for-service option) and TRICARE Reserve Select. In the interim, the subcommittee would order DoD to establish a special task force of Defense, military and outside medical experts to study military health care and recommend changes in fees and co-payments. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) would be tasked separately to verify data on military healthcare cost growth and projected savings from any fee changes. McHugh said CBO already had lowered the administration’s estimate of $735 million in cost-savings for fiscal 2007 if all fee hikes were adopted. Congress will have to try to accommodate the loss of those cost-savings in shaping the rest of the defense budget. Still alive, McHugh suggested, are some aspects of the administration’s plan to change the co-payment schedule for the TRICARE retail and mail-order pharmacy benefit. For example, he said, the subcommittee likes the idea of ending a $3 co-payment on generic drugs obtained by mail. McHugh was silent on the other proposed changes. Defense officials also want to raise the co-pay in the retail network from $3 to $5 for generic drugs and from $9 up to $15 for brand name drugs. What the subcommittee is recommending on this will be revealed at the full committee mark up. On annual pay raises, McHugh said the subcommittee would like to continue increases a half percent higher than private sector until a lingering pay gap, estimated by service associations at 4.5 percent, is wiped out. When will that be? McHugh isn’t sure. “We know we don’t want to stop now,” he said. The pay gap was 13.5 percent in 1999. With a 2.7 percent raise next January, military basic pay will have increased an average of 41 percent over eight years. Counting extra targeted raises for middle and senior enlisted grades, the cumulative increase for some of them is as much as 49 percent. A third area where the subcommittee clashes with the administration is force structure. McHugh and colleagues voted to add 30,000 soldiers (six percent) to active duty Army end strength, and 5,000 (three percent) to Marine Corps end strength, from levels sought in the Bush budget. To comment, e-mail milupdate@aol.com; write to Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120-1111; or visit: www.militaryupdate.com Source: Military.com Page 13 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Seniors Scammed by Phony Checks A dangerous new scam combines the counterfeit cashier’s check with the phony lottery or sweepstakes. We are aware of several cases in which seniors have been scammed out of all their savings by this trick. Like the phony lottery or sweepstakes, this scam begins with an email, call or mailer that promises a large sum of money. The money may be a prize, winnings from a lottery, a once-in-a-lifetime “investment opportunity” or an inheritance. The tip-off is that before you can receive your “prize” you must first send in some money of your own, which is supposedly to cover transfer fees or taxes or some other made-up cost. You lose this money, and it turns out you never get the prize. Some savvy seniors just tell the scammer, “As soon as you send me the $40 million, I’ll send you the ‘fees’ - Ha Ha!” The scammers have now addressed this problem. They trick the victim into thinking they have actually sent the prize by sending the victim a phony cashier’s check. The counterfeits are very good, so good in fact that even banks are fooled. The victim then lets down his or her guard, believing that the whole thing is not a scam but the real thing. After all, it appears they’ve actually received the money. So the victim sends the money for the fees, or taxes or whatever. Then the check turns out to be worthless, and the victim’s money is gone. In one variation that we are aware of, the scammer told the victim that he would help her by raising the money she needed to pay in order to collect a $2 million inheritance. He gave her a phony check for $61,000 and told her to deposit it in her account and then wire it overseas. Her bank initially told her the check was good. She did as she was told. When the check turned out to be worthless, she was liable for the money that she had wired to the scammer. Of course there was no inheritance. She lost her life savings. Greg Abbott Attorney General of Texas Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 14 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Hey VA! Have You Heard? It was his first time, but he didn’t seem a bit nervous, even though the Dallas VA Medical Center medical administration staff made a bit of a fuss over him. Veteran Herbert Westphal of Cleburne, Texas thought it was about time he enrolled for VA health care. He will turn 101 in July. Not that he’s ailing. He came in, filled out the paperwork, shook hands with staff and even posed for a photo. The former doctor delivered babies in south Texas during the 1930s – charging $15 per delivery (if the patient had cash) and doing most of his work during house calls. Westphal served in the U.S. Army 3rd Auxiliary Surgery Group during World War II. He landed on Omaha Beach after the initial invasion in June 1944 and was working on the front lines in Germany when the war ended. He told the MAS staff there were two things he wanted to do before he dies: be in the VA system and return to his homeland in Argentina. He left with his VA patient ID card looking forward to the trip to Argentina he’ll make next month with two of his grandchildren. Contributed by R.C. “Bob” Fair Network Communications Mgr. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 17 DID YOU KNOW? Veterans who are 65 years or older who have a minimum 10% serviceconnected disability rating qualify for the maximum tax exemption amount of the first $12,000 of the appraised value of their property. Due to confusion about the exemption, many 65 and over veterans are not being given this full exemption. It is important veterans service representatives are aware of this to ensure the local appraisal districts are giving veterans the proper exemption amount. The law regarding disabled veterans property tax exemption is found in Section 11.22 of the Property Tax Code. All property tax exemptions are explained in the “Taxpayers’ Rights, Remedies and Responsibilities,” which is published by the State Comptroller’s office. You can obtain a copy of that publication by calling 1-800-252-9121. VA LAUNCHES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) REORGANIZATION In an effort to streamline and modernize the information technology (IT) environment throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VA will bring its IT resources under more centralized control, the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The announcement was made March 22, 2006. The main feature of the reorganization, which the Secretary referred to as “the federated IT system,” will place VA’s IT budget, along with IT professionals involved in operation and maintenance work, directly under the Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology. IT workers involved in system development will remain under their respective administrations and staff offices. Nicholson acknowledged the leadership of Congress in helping VA to move toward this consolidation, which he said will “enhance our operational effectiveness, provide standardization, and eliminate duplication.” Ultimately, he said, the reorganization will improve the Department’s ability to provide the full range of benefits and programs to the nation’s veterans. “At VA, the veteran is always the bottom line,” he said. Training for Newly Appointed Service Officers Scheduled As a matter of interest, the next Training Session for Newly Appointed Veterans County Service Officers and Assistants (VCSOs) is scheduled for July 10-14, 2006, at The Hawthorne Suites, 1508 IH 35 North, Waco, Texas. Monday, July 10, 2006, will be the travel day, with training beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 11, 2006, and ending by noon Friday, July 14, 2006. The Texas Veterans Commission is authorized to reimburse travel expenses; i.e., lodging, per diem and travel, for VCSOs who have not already attended initial training. Information regarding The Hawthorne Suites, as well as directions, is available on our website at www.tvc.state.tx.us/Training.htm. For others involved in veterans’ benefits programs wishing to attend, or for further information, contact Terry Burns at TVC Headquarters in Austin at (512) 463-6834 or on the CSO Headquarters WATS line. Texas Veterans Commission Journal ONLINE ACCESS TO DD214S NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH NPRC WEBSITE The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access to their DD-214s online: http:// vetrecs.archives.gov. This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employment purposes. NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files. Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the online web site. Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized. The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records center’s mailroom processing time. Please pass this information on to former military personnel you may know and their dependents. Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006 Page 15 Issuing Flags for Deceased Veterans News Release According to ____________, Veterans County Service Officer for ______________ County, it is important to remember when applying for a flag for a deceased veteran that it is possible to obtain a flag even if documentary proof of the veteran’s service is unavailable. The instructions on the VA application form 21-2008 explain if the applicant is unable to furnish documentary proof (such as a DD214), “an application may be accepted and a flag issued when statement is made by a person of established character and reputation that he/she personally knows the deceased to have been a veteran of a war, the Mexican boarder service, or of service after January 31, 1955, discharged or released from active duty, under honorable conditions, or to have been a person discharged from, or released from active duty in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard under honorable conditions after serving at least one complete peacetime enlistments, before June 27, 1950, or for disability incurred in the line of duty; or that the deceased was in active service at the time of death and a flag was not obtainable from a military or naval establishment in time for burial.” When widows and survivors of deceased veterans need assistance obtaining flags for a deceased veteran, please be aware of this option to obtain a flag for burial purposes if official documents are not available. Texas Veterans Commission Journal Page 16 Vol. 29, No. 3, May/June 2006