washingtonscene
injury, and that these servicemembers VA facility receive care for covered
need services outside of the medical services from private health providers;
community to help them through depres- a73 establishing an ombudsman offi ce in
sion, anger management, relationship VA facilities for patient information
and fi nancial problems, and grief. and advocacy; and
a73 The VA must use age- and population- a73 requiring states to continue previously
appropriate media and services to reach allowed in-state college tuition for mili-
out to veterans on their terms. tary children if their parents are reas-
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) said, signed out of state. (Senate action still
“It’s ironic that we pick these men and was pending at press time.)
women for their youth to serve our coun-
try, and we ask them to take risks, but
when they come back from war we drop Second Chance
them at their most vulnerable age.”
MOAA intends to work with DoD, the at Retirement
VA, and Congress to ensure all of our
New board will reassess
veterans and their families — including
those in the Guard and Reserve — receive
wounded warrior cases.
the benefi ts and care they have earned
through their sacrifi ces.
Full House
D
oD announced in July the estab-
lishment of a new Physical Dis-
ability Board of Review (PDBR)
to reassess the cases of servicemembers
Approves
medically separated from service since
Sept. 11, 2001, with disability ratings of
Veterans Bills
20 percent or less.
The idea came from the Veterans’
Spouse protection is among
Disability Benefi ts Commission’s 2007
key issues.
report that found disturbing and inequi-
table inconsistencies in service ratings
for wounded warriors.
I
n late July, the House of Representa- A servicemember may have his or
tives approved a number of bills that her case reviewed by the PDBR if the
would improve protections for veterans individual meets the following criteria:
and current servicemembers, including: a73 he or she was separated from the armed
a73 requiring colleges to refund tuition to forces between Sept. 11, 2001, and Dec. 31,
troops who are deployed during school 2009, because of a disability that made him
and allow them to re-enroll later; or her unfi t for continued military service;
a73 allowing deploying personnel to end a73 he or she received a combined disabil-
contracts for cell phones, cable, utilities, ity rating of 20 percent or less from the
and car insurance, with refund of ad- parent service; and
vanced fees paid for such services; a73 he or she is not eligible for retirement.
a73 guaranteeing residency for voting and The PDBR won’t second-guess service
taxation purposes for spouses who are ab- determinations of fi tness for continued
sent from their state while accompanying service; it only will review the combined
their servicemember on military orders; disability ratings associated with the spe-
a73 establishing a pilot project to let veter- cifi c unfi tting conditions cited by the ser-
ans living at least 60 miles away from a vice Physical Evaluation Board.
3 8 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 8
SSept_ washington scene.indd 38ept_ washington scene.indd 38 88/11/08 4:19:52 PM/11/08 4:19:52 PM
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