After the controversial Veterans Affairs scandal at the Phoenix, Arizona, facility in July, officials have been investigating allegations of wrongdoings in locations all over the country. The Phoenix location was under fire for its long wait times for emergency care, which are believed to have contributed to the avoidable deaths of many veterans, stated CNN. According to the source, this serious issue is believed to be a problem in over 70 locations throughout the U.S. The staff at these locations is believed to have been not only aware of these faulty practices, but compliant and even compensated for their participation.
One of the most notable stories from the Phoenix scandal is that of 76-year-old Navy veteran Edward Laird. Laird sought medical care in his life after service through the VA and instead got placed on a lengthy waiting list. The former servicemember remained on the 2 1/2-year list for a biopsy of a facial spot. By the time he received any care, cancer had spread rapidly, causing him to lose the majority of his nose, according to CNN. The FBI, VA Office of Inspector General and The Office of Special Counsel has been investigating similar cases since the controversial practices were brought to light.
Investigations are ongoing throughout the U.S. and findings are expected to be made public in the coming months, stated Military Times.
Peter Goutiere, now just shy of his 100th birthday, was reunited in Seattle with the Douglas C-47 plane he flew during WWII. He was only 29 years old when he piloted the aircraft on numerous missions over the Himalayan Mountains, braving tumultuous conditions and dangerous pathways to repeatedly deliver supplies to the Allied forces, according to The Herald of Everett, Washington.
CNN noted that Goutiere flew the plane for the China National Aviation Co. After the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Goutiere tried to join the U.S. Army Air Corps, but was rejected – at age 27 he was six months past the age limit. Determined to help his country, he joined CNAC in 1943. According to The Herald, the C-47 assigned to Goutiere holds historical as well as sentimental value. The aircraft was the 100th plane registered to CNAC and came to be known as Ship 100.
After Goutiere left CNAC in 1947, the plane cycled through various owners, including Pan American Airways, according to The Herald. In 2006, John Sessions, a New York-based aircraft broker, purchased and restored the plane. Together, Sessions and Goutiere piloted the C-47 from Seattle to San Francisco, where they met up with 102-year-old Moon Chin, another CNAC pilot. The two aviation veterans discussed their flying days as well as life after service. After flying the plane for the first time in 69 years, Goutiere told CNN "I was home."
Former Marine veteran Wallace T. Stewart will participate in the 2014 Alcatraz Invitational Swim on Sept. 14. Stewart will swim 1.25 miles through the San Francisco Bay to raise funds for a Korean War memorial, according to Military Times. The swim will pose a distinct challenge, since San Francisco water temperatures are notoriously frigid. Stewart is up for it, though. His life after service has been an active one: In addition to being a veteran of the Korean War, he has already completed the swim seven times, according to the Korean War Memorial Foundation.
The KWMF stated that this year's swim is special for a few reasons. Stewart will be participating with his grandson, Tom. Additionally, the race will take place the day before Sept. 15 – the 64th anniversary of the U.S. Marine landing in Incheon. This landing was a precursor to the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, which was responsible for 1,000 deaths and 5,000 missing soldiers, noted Military Times.
Once adequate funds are raised, the Korean War Memorial will be built in the Presidio in San Francisco.
Government officials released an updated version of the G.I. Bill Comparison Tool recently, according to Stars and Stripes. The newest version of the tool is intended to give post-9/11 servicemembers, veterans and their families greater access to the tools necessary to learn about the educational benefits of certain learning institutions and discover more about VA-approved learning institutions and programs across the country.
Calculating the cost of school
Now, prospective students enrolled in the military can use the online tool to see how far their military benefits will take them based on what educational pursuit they intend to become a part of. The calculator will tell users how much GI Bill funds they may receive based on the length of their military service, according to New York Daily News. This is especially beneficial because users would normally have to visit a flurry of websites in order to estimate their costs themselves.
"In the past a student veteran would have to visit 15 to 20 websites just to estimate covering the cost for a single school," Will Hubbard, Student Veterans of America's vice president of government affairs, told the Daily News. "This is important for veterans to know upfront how far their benefits will take them when it comes to paying for school."
Warning veterans about for-profit colleges
One of the key reasons for developing a more effective cost calculator for veterans involves warning them against predatory for-profit institutions. According to the Daily News, President Barack Obama has already warned for-profit academic recruiters against preying on susceptible military personnel working to transition to civilian life.
The number of veterans enrolling in for-profit institutions has increased substantially over time, according to a report by the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. While the overall number of veterans using the G.I. Bill program has more than doubled from 2009 to 2013 – up to 697,500 from 330,000 – the number of past military personnel joining nonprofit schools has climbed only slightly, while public college enrollments have actually decreased 12 percent. At the same time, veteran enrollments to for-profit schools has risen 8 percent.
For-profit schools can be a dangerous investment for veterans for various reasons, according to U.S. News & World Report. In an article published last year, past for-profit school recruiters and salesmen warned about some of the suspicious and detrimental details behind the scenes. In the article, for-profit school officials warn that they are pushed to promise prospective students jobs with higher salaries after graduation and forced to take advantage of and target military personnel specifically.
Senate Education Chairman Tom Harkin has openly criticized for-profit school programs after spearheading an investigation into the matter, U.S. News & World Report stated.
"For-profit schools see our active-duty military and veterans as a cash cow, an untapped profit resource," Harkin said, according to the news source. "It is both a rip off of the taxpayer and a slap in the face to the people who have risked their lives for our country."
The future of veteran education
The for-profit school trend may turn around, according to Stars and Stripes, however. Reportedly, nearly 350,000 people have used the G.I. Bill comparison tool over the past six months. Among the most popular schools researched were Harvard, University of Texasat Austin, American Public University, Arizona State University and University of Washington – all public or not-for-profit schools. Meanwhile, the refurbished program will offer estimations regarding educational outcomes from specific schools to judge whether investments in some institutions are actually worth what salesmen and particular marketing efforts claim.
President Barack Obama will address members of the American Legion in Charlotte, North Carolina, to announce plans concerning executive measures that aim to improve health care for veterans, according to the Associated Press. This will be the latest administration measure to improve the failing Department of Veterans Affairs after several scandals concerning fabricated patient data and staggering veteran appointment wait times brought the struggling department to the media forefront.
Improving veteran care
Obama will use his executive power to accomplish several tasks, according to a White House press release, including automatically enrolling military members who are leaving service but are receiving mental health care treatment in programs that will transfer them to a new care team in the VA, according to the AP. Obama will also call for a study aimed at detecting whether servicemembers show signs of being vulnerable to suicide or post-traumatic stress syndrome. Finally, the president will also announce a new pilot program that will increase peer support for veterans facing mental health issues and provide over $100 million in funds used for research into PTSD and suicide prevention. This comes a few weeks after Obama signed a $16 billion VA health care bill to help take veterans off of wait lists by hiring new medical professionals and leasing more VA medical facilities.
Enhancing VA services
According to the White House, several departmental changes that will affect the VA have also been announced. Recently, the department adopted a new recruiting program that will attempt to attract the most efficient and effective health care professionals available. By the end of the fiscal year, a new electronic health record system in the VA will allow health care professionals to view all patient records stored in the Department of Defense and VA systems. Those records will include doctor's notes, problem lists and inpatient discharge summaries. Additionally, a new board of physicians will be established to help advise new VA Secretary Robert McDonald.
These are just a few measures of a long list, which will be announced on Aug. 26. In total, there are 19 new executive actions Obama may explain during his speech at the American Legion National Convention. Apart from health care and VA actions, the president will also announce a partnership with lenders, including Wells Fargo Bank, CitiMortgage, Bank of America, Ocwen Loan Servicing and Quicken Loans, that will make it easier for active-duty military personnel to acquire mortgage interest rate deductions, according to the AP.
From his gift for stand-up comedy to his role as a nanny in "Mrs. Doubtfire," Robin Williams won the hearts and laughs of millions. But there's another side of the legendary actor and comic that some overlook. He was also showed incredible support to American soldiers.
Over a decade of performing for troops
According to Fox News, Williams participated in United Service Organization tours for over a decade, traveling to war zones in 13 countries and performing stand-up for nearly 90,000 troops. His respect for servicemembers of the U.S. ran deep, and he even spoke about his experience performing for soldiers in an interview with ABC News back in 2012.
"I'm so honored to meet them and know what they've gone through and say, 'Hey dude,' this is just something that really humbles me," Williams said, according to the news source.
Servicemembers remember Robin Williams
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel issued a statement Aug. 11, reading, "The entire Department of Defense community mourns the loss of Robin Williams. Robin was a gifted actor and comedian, but he was also a true friend and supporter of our troops. From entertaining thousands of service men and women in war zones, to his philanthropy that helped veterans struggling with hidden wounds of war, he was a loyal and compassionate advocate for all who serve this nation in uniform. He will be dearly missed by the men and women of DoD – so many of whom were personally touched by his humor and generosity."
Even off the stage during his USO tours, Williams showed his dedication to soldiers by visiting those who couldn't see his routine, according to ABC News' global correspondent Martha Raddatz.
"He would be tireless at these performances," Raddatz said in an ABC News report. "He would perform in the big shows where everyone could go see him, but when others were performing, he'd sneak away and go to the guard posts and the dining facilities to visit those soldiers and marines who weren't able to come to the big show."
The loss of Williams reverberated through every sector of the armed forces, even warranting a statement from President Barack Obama .
"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between," Obama said "But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams."
President Barack Obama recently signed a measure to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to The Hill. The bill aims to fund the VA with an additional $16.3 billion package that will be used to hire more medical personnel and build and lease more health facilities. It will also empower the VA secretary to fire ineffective health care managers.
Working to reduce veterans' wait times
The measure follows recent controversy surrounding wait times veterans faced while scheduling medical appointments. A recent internal audit of the VA showed that 10 percent of veterans seeking care at VA medical facilities faced wait times lasting 30 days or more for an appointment, according to The Associated Press. Moreover, 46,000 had waited over three months for an appointment at the time of the audit and 7,000 veterans did not receive an appointment over the decade in which they were requested.
Those wait times were caused by a combination of staff shortages, and data manipulation by medical managers in VA hospitals. Dozens of veterans died while waiting for care, according to a CNN investigation.
The new bill aims to decrease those wait times and better serve veterans in three ways.
1. More staffing and VA health center locations
Serving hundreds of thousands of veterans is a monumental task. Even serving the veterans still on waiting lists was a task the VA was ill-equipped for Sloan Gibson, the acting Secretary of the VA, told lawmakers in July 2014, the AP reported. To improve patient outcomes, billions of dollars would be necessary to hire extra medical professionals and acquire new facilities to see more veterans. With the $16.3 billion plan, more doctors and nurses can be hired at thousands of VA facilities, USA Today Reported. Additionally, the VA can more easily lease new locations for facilities. According to Military Times, veterans groups and VA officials have already found 27 new locations for lease.
2. More accountability
Providing an easier route for VA officials to dismiss corrupt health managers was one of the main goals of the bill, as VA scandals brought the department under severe public scrutiny earlier this year, which ended in former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's resignation.
"If you engage in an unethical practice, cover up a serious problem, you should be fired," Obama told military service members, veterans and their family members, according to The Hill. "As a country, we have a sacred obligation to serve you as well as you served us."
The bill gives VA Secretary Robert McDonald greater power to fire senior health officials for poor management, and legislators have stated it will help McDonald make VA workers more accountable, according to Military Times.
3. Veterans can seek private care
One of the barriers many veterans in rural areas faced was getting to VA facilities that are too far away. Now, the new law allows veterans who live over 40 miles away from VA facilities to receive care from a private doctor, CNN reported. This measure will also apply to veterans who cannot receive care within a reasonable amount of time at a VA facility.
Just months ago, Capt. Justin Fitch was marching for miles at a time with an 80-pound rucksack on his back. Now, he has trouble even walking, but he's still working to complete one final mission – help cut down what has become a surge of veteran suicides.
Fighting cancer for a cause
According to the U.S. Army, Fitch was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in May 2012. Since then, the servicemember has raised thousands of dollars to benefit the Active Heroes "Carry the Fallen" campaign. Active Heroes started the campaign to raise awareness and money for veterans and their families affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.
The organization reported that 22 veterans commit suicide every day, and the goal is to drop that number to zero.
Fitch himself raised just under $60,000 to benefit the effort in a single ruck march on the weekend of Sept. 11. Military Times reported Fitch's group – Team Minuteman – raised $112,000 for Active Heroes through the "Carry the Fallen" campaign. That money will go toward helping veterans repair their homes and establish a veteran retreat in in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
Transitioning roles
Now, Fitch is working to transition to a leadership role in raising Active Heroes funds due to the weakness caused by his illness. Since his diagnosis, Fitch has had 41 chemotherapy treatments, has gone through several surgeries and has lost 55 pounds and much of his digestive system in medical procedures, Military Times reported. As the captain's health fades, doctors state that he may only have months to live.
Far from able to throw on the 80-pound rucksack and march for miles at a time anymore, Fitch will still be attending the "Carry the Fallen" marches. He'll be riding along in the command-and-control vehicle, encouraging his fellow teammates. The next marches start on Sept. 6 and Nov. 8, according to the organization's website. The group plans to raise $250,000 by the end of the year.
With generous servicemembers like Fitch, that goal may be possible. The servicemember donated $10,000 of his personal funds just recently. To Fitch, the efforts have a much deeper meaning.
"This is my final mission as a soldier, and even when I actually do get medically retired from the Army, I am going to push this mission until I can no longer physically do anything," Fitch told Military Times. "It's an impossible task it seems like some days, but even if its one life that we save, all the effort's worth it."
Roughly a month ago, Bob Macdonald was a relatively unknown name in the veteran community. The former Proctor & Gamble CEO – a man with 33 years of business experience- wasn't well known for his five years of service with the Army or for his graduation from West Point. That all might change within the next few weeks or even days.
After a unanimous vote, the Senate has confirmed that McDonald will serve as the new secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A clean sweep and high expectations
Just recently, the Senate voted 97-0 to confirm McDonald as the new department head, showing a tremendous amount of confidence from a normally split political body. Now, politicians have put their trust in McDonald to fix the embattled VA health. The organization has been facing high political and media scrutiny after several scandals and systematic problems surrounding the department came to light earlier this year. It will be up to McDonald to solve problems regarding long wait times for veterans seeking health care appointments, a small work force, limited resources and a corrupt network of senior officials and managers.
Many in Congress have high hopes for the former world-class businessman, however.
"If Mr. McDonald is willing to work in a collaborative and open manner with Congress, he will find a constructive partner on this side of the aisle," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, according to CBS News. "We know that there is much we can, and should, do to address this crisis together … Because when veterans are denied care, it's a priority deserving of bipartisan attention."
It will be a long road ahead for McDonald despite the support, however. An internal audit conducted by the VA's Veterans Health Administration was made public on the same day of McDonald's appointment, according to USA Today. The news agency reported that the data shows veterans' wait time records had been falsified in 109 clinics and secret lists hiding data manipulation were held in 110 clinics.
The corruption in the VA health department runs deep, but McDonald already has a plan to deal with some of the issues.
A 90-day plan already underway
It didn't take long for the new secretary of the VA to reveal an enthusiastic three-month plan that will take him across the country to different clinics to collect data about regional officials, record keeping systems and provide support to whistleblowers, according to a report by Military Times. McDonald's primary task involves interviewing VA senior leaders and finding the right group of people to lead the failing organization. Currently, there are 10 vacant leadership positions in the VA that require Senate approval for appointments. McDonald will be charged with finding qualified candidates to recommend.
Solving the current wait time crisis is also a major issue for the new VA department head. With 40,000 veterans still waiting for medical appointments, McDonald will have to put a great deal of effort into finding a way to provide timely and effective care for patients. According to Military Times, he plans to install an advisory board of medical officials inside and outside of the VA to collaborate on the best way to provide the most efficient care. McDonald will rely heavily on this board, as he has no prior medical management experience.
Additionally, a request for $17.6 billion in new funds – asked for by acting VA secretary Sloan Gibson – will help the VA hire more medical personnel and lease more medical establishments if passed by Congress. The measure has already received the support of many lawmakers, according to CBS News.
With over 340,000 employees under his management, McDonald will be put to the test in coming months. Suffering from highly publicized scandals, low morale and few resources many have asked why McDonald would want to take the helm.
In response, the former servicemember has said, "there is no higher calling."
A $1 million federal grant awarded to the University of Michigan-Flint will benefit veterans by offering an accelerated nursing program that focuses on past military training, according to The Associated Press. The three-year grant was awarded by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention Program awarded the three-year grant, which will allow veterans to obtain a Bachelor of Science nursing degree. According to MLive Media Group, the program will also ensure that veterans are prepared to take the registered nurse license exam following the receipt of their degrees.
Preparing for the class of 2015
Looking ahead, the University of Michigan-Flint's nursing department is already working on a recruitment program. The school will use the fall semester to recruit and study academic portfolios before initiating the veterans nursing program plan starting at the beginning of 2015.
According to university nursing officials, veterans have already reached out to the school expressing interest in the program. The AP also reported that in the school's program description, the University of Michigan-Flint called the project particularly appealing because the campus is currently in need of more health professionals. Equally beneficial, the school is also in close proximity to counties with particularly high veteran populations. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs reported there are over 660,000 veterans currently living in Michigan.
A program by veterans, for veterans
An article published on the university's news page said the program – called Veterans serving Veterans – will reduce transition and matriculation barriers to allow past servicemembers to obtain a Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The team that designed the program includes a project director, program manager, advisor, administrative assistant, and evaluation consultant – some of which are veterans, according to the school. Namely, the director of the program is veteran, and assistant professor of nursing, Beverly Jones.