Inside: Message from the National Commander page 2 “MAKE FLAB PROTECTION AN ISSUE" National Adjutant’s column pages “A MEMORIAL FOR EVERYONE” Where candidates stand on flag protection page a Dateline: Capitol Hill page 7 “BUDGET PROCESS BADL Y LAGGING; VA APPROPRIA TIONS WILL SUFFER” A National Headquarters Publication Legion, VSOs support mandatory VA funding pages October 11,2002 Vol. 12, No. 4 Up & Coming: OCTOBER National Disability/Employment Awareness Month A matter of life or death 16 - Notification of Child Welfare Foundation Grant Commander outlines The American Legion's vision for VA. recipients for 2003 25-27 - National Americanism Conference in Indianapolis By James V. Carroll Contributing Editor 25-27 - Auxiliary Department Chaplains and Girls State Directors Conference in Indianapolis Thousands of veterans may die waiting for VA NOVEMBER health care if new and innovative sources of income 3-8 - Legion College in Indianapolis are not found, American Legion National 5 - Election Day Commander Ronald F. Conley told a joint session of House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees on 11 - Veterans Day Capitol Hill in September. 6-9 - Auxiliary Presidents and Secretaries Conference in "There are 7 million veterans either enrolled or Indianapolis waiting to enroll to make VA their primary health¬ 17-23 - American Education Week care provider," Conley said. "But in order for the 24-30- National Family Week growing number of veterans to access VA health 28 - Holiday Donor Blood Drive begins care, additional revenue streams must be generated 28 - Thanksgiving to supplement - not offset - annual discretionary DECEMBER appropriations." To provide every veteran his or her promised 1-31 - Holiday Donor Blood Drive care, VA must become a needs-driven health-care 7 - Pearl Harbor Day operation and abandon its current budget-driven 15-Bill of Rights Day system, Conley said. He asked Congress to appro¬ 25 - Christmas priate $24.5 billion for VA in fiscal year 2004 and to permit eligible veterans to use their Medicare bene¬ fits to pay for VA treatment of non-service connect¬ GI Bill benefits increased ed illnesses. He also asked Congress to appropriate National Commander Ronald F. Conley told a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee that thou¬ Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. has announced that a sec¬ $1.4 billion for VBA to shorten the time to process sands of veterans may die waiting for VA health care if the ond major increase in the GI Bill college-education ben¬ claims and adjudicate appeals. department fails to obtain new sources of income. efit authorized by his legislation took effect Oct. 1. The "At a time when veteran numbers are on the legislation raises the monthly benefit from $800 to $900. increase, VA continues to downsize its medical staff ing VA a Medicare provider and creating a premi¬ The final increase raising the monthly benefit to $985 and close beds and wards," Conley said. "It has um-based VA benefit package will solve VA's back¬ will take effect Oct. 1, 2003. ceased marketing activities and directed VA log problem and enable VA to fulfill its mission to Smith's GI Bill legislation, the Veterans Education employees not to encourage potential Priority-7 vet¬ care for those who have borne the battle." and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-103), erans to enroll. This is not a proper solution to VA's Today, more than 300,000 Priority-7 men and authorized three increases to the Montgomery GI Bill problems. This is no way to treat those who defend¬ women who responded when their country called, program that will eventually raise the lifetime benefit ed our country. The way to provide the right care in remain on waiting lists seeking help from VA. These by 46 percent from $24,192 prior to Oct. 1, 2001, to the right place at the right time is by providing addi¬ men and women abandoned their peaceful lives and $35,460 on October 1, 2003. tional staffing, additional services and additional took up arms as required. They asked no questions "The GI Bill is one of the most successful govern¬ funding. but did as ordered, Conley said. America owes them ment programs ever developed, having benefited more "VA hospitals should be encouraged to bill and more than waiting lines. than 21 million military veterans and helping to create collect all co-payments, deductibles and third-party "History has shown that far too often, after wars the modern middle class," said Smith, who chairs the reimbursements by allowing each of them to retain have been won, we tend to forget those who fought House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "However, in what has been collected and to apply that money to win the war. We tend to forget that every victory recent years, inflation and escalating college tuition toward operating expenses and expanded services. has a price. That price is often paid - quietly and rates had seriously eroded the value of the GI Bill, caus¬ The money collected should be added to the VA individually - without complaint by those who bore ing fewer veterans to participate in the program," he budget, not offset." the brunt of battle." said. "Last year, we made modernization of the GI Bill VA also should be permitted to bill, collect and program a top priority of the Veterans' Affairs Com¬ retain third-party reimbursements from Medicare The Appeals Problem. The American Legion appre¬ mittee, and with enactment of my legislation we have on behalf of Medicare-eligible veterans, Conley said. ciates VA's pledge to speed up the claims and adju¬ taken a major step forward to enhance the educational "All veterans pay for Medicare their entire working dication process, but the organization is deeply dis¬ opportunities for America's veterans." lives. However, when they are most likely to need turbed by a growing problem of backlogged appeals medical services from the hospital system designed cases, Conley said. The American Legion for them, they must turn elsewhere because VA can¬ "We applauded Secretary Anthony J. Principi's National Headquarters NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION not bill Medicare," Conley said. "This is wrong, and pledge to speed up the process, but we did not P.O. Box 1055 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Indianapolis, IN 46206 PERMIT NO. 354 it is something that Congress can and should cor¬ anticipate that the new focus on speed would great¬ FRANKLIN. IN 45131 rect. When it is corrected, not only will veterans ly diminish the quality of the claims process," receive care they can afford, but VA will also receive Conley said. "One evil has been replaced by anoth¬ funding which it desperately needs to continue pro¬ er. The backlog may have decreased, but the appel¬ viding quality care to all our nation's veterans." late workload has increased by 21,000 cases." Property of The net result for the veteran is the same: no reso¬ Funding VA for All Veterans. "The American lution, no benefits, no hope - another soldier The American Legion Library Legion believes VA should offer a defined health- ignored by the nation he or she served, Conley said. 700 N. Pennsylvania Street benefit package, on a premium basis, for veterans Despite all good intentions, he said, the system is Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 who come to VA with no health insurance. This failing. would benefit veterans and it would certainly bene¬ Please Return fit VA," Conley said. "We firmly believe that mak- SEE COMMANDER, PAGE 2 J I 2 Dispatch October 11, 2002 A message from the National Commander: Make flag protection an issue Too many don't know it's legal to desecrate Old Glory. Many of you are watching political races in They hide behind the ignorance of the voters." Senate right now. your area heat up. You hear the ads on the In one chamber of Congress, the will of the voters As members of The American Legion, it's up to us radio, see them on TV and read them in has spoken. Last summer, an amendment giving to make voters aware of this issue at the grass-roots Key your newspapers. You're bom¬ Congress the power to protect Old Glory passed in level. We need to make flag-protection a major cam¬ Si barded with messages about the House by an overwhelming margin. The amend¬ paign issue across America. Convince your senators roles issues in your community and ment - which reads "The Congress shall have power and representatives to talk about it. Bring the issue up SI your world. You're hearing to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the at public debates. Write letters to the editors of your about Iraq, the war on terror¬ United States" - now rests in the Senate, awaiting local newspapers and ask where the candidates stand ism and the economy. action. on flag protection. Get the public talking about the One issue you're likely not If it passes, the amendment will then be turned issue, because that leads to the candidates talking Ro hearing too much about, how¬ over to the states for ratification. about it. ever, is the flag-protection The bill, S.J. Res. 7, has the support of at least 64 This issue of The Dispatch lists the positions of all Sp amendment. That's some¬ senators, yet Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D- the major congressional candidates on flag protection. thing The American Legion S.D., has refused to bring it to a vote. To make matters Start discussions on this important issue with the peo¬ eigh family needs to change. worse, Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick ple in your community.