JULY/AUGUST 2019 TheCORD Monthly News Magazine of the New EnglandWORD Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America National Veterans Wheelchair Games INSIDE THIS EDITION LOUISVILLE 2019 DR. KOIS KILLED NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER OFFICES 2019 National Veterans Wheelchair Dr. William Kois, Whistleblower Who Games, Louisville Tennessee. Exposed Poor Treatment at Manchester VA FACILITIES GO SMOKE FREE 4 This year I was able to attend my 22nd National VA, Killed in Car Crash. INTENT TO FILE CLAIM INFO 5 Veterans Wheelchair Games from July 11-16th, One day two summers ago, under a broiling sun I’ve been able to go every year since my first outside the Manchester VA Medical Center, Dr. 10TH ANNUAL CURLING TOURNY 14 Games in Pittsburgh and wow how things have William ‘Ed’ Kois displayed his rebellious-yet- changed through the years. I can say the one noble personality. WASHINGTON UPDATES 17 thing that’s always constant is the wonderful INTERESTED IN OCEAN FISHING? 18 volunteers and hospitality of the host city, we Kois died in a single-car wreck – cause unknown may mob their cities with wheelchairs; yet, – Tuesday on Interstate 95 in Hampton at the INDIVIDUAL ALLOTMENT POLICY 27 we are always made very welcome and local age of 62, but not before the Granite State, as businesses do all they ..continued on page 6. well as the rest of the ....continued on page 12. COPYRIGHT©2019. NEW ENGLAND PVA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TODAY! Mail your check of any amount to: New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America 1208 VFW Parkway, Suite 301 West Roxbury, MA 02132 Please write “CordWord” in the memo section of your check. 2 www.newenglandpva.org New England PVA Contact Information 1208 VFW Parkway, Suite 301 www.newenglandpva.org West Roxbury, MA 02132 [email protected] Phone: (800) 660-1181 Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00am-4:30pm Fax: (857) 203-9685 CHAPTER ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM DIRECTORS CHAPTER HOSPITAL LIAISONS NEW ENGLAND PVA OFFICERS PROGRAM DIRECTORS VAMC CHL President Michael G. Negrete ADA Coordinator Neal Williams Brockton SCI Bdlg 8 Dan Shaul Vice President Mike Guilbault Bass Trail Liaison Jim Wallack Providence Vacant Treasurer Peter Moore Community Outreach Mike Guilbault Manchester Mike Moran Secretary Mike Moran CordWord Editor Michael Negrete Togus Neal Williams Communications Director Michael Negrete West Haven Peter Falcione EXECUTIVE BOARD Membership Officer Mike Guilbault West Roxbury Mike Guilbault Brad Carlson Mark Sanders MS/ALS Liaison Vacant White River Junction Mike Moran Peter Falcione Dan Shaul Peer Mentor Representative Mike Guilbault Northampton Tim Kelly Wayne Ross Sports Director Mike Guilbault STAFF Assistant Sports Director Michael Moran Exeutive Director Vacant Volunteer Coordinator Jerry Cole Jerry Cole Admin/Bookkeeper Women Veterans’ Liaison Vacant NATIONAL DIRECTOR TO PVA Neal Williams NEW ENGLAND PVA NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICERS BOSTON VA REGIONAL OFFICE SYRACUSE VAMC BUFFALO PVA J.F.K. Federal Bldg. - Room - 1575 C 800 Irving Ave, Room C419 130 South Elmwood Ave, Suite 621 Boston, MA 02203 Syracuse, NY 13210 Buffalo, NY 14202 Phone: (617) 303-1395 or 1-800-795-3607 Phone: 315-425-4400 Ext. 53317 Phone: (800) 795-3619 Fax: (617) 303-1396 Fax: 315-425-2940 Fax: (716) 857-3486 Joseph E. Badzmierowski Charlie Tocci, East-North Area Manager Nona Nixon, National Service Officer Director of Field Services Serving New York and Western Massachusetts Serving Western and up state New York WEST ROXBURY/BROCKTON VAMC MANHATTAN BRONX SCI/JAMES J. PETERS VAMC 1400 VFW Parkway, Room AG 60 245 W. Houston Street, Room 212A 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Room 1D-52A West Roxbury, MA 02132 New York, NY 10014 Bronx, NY 10468 Phone: (857) 203-6091 Phone: 212-807-3114 Phone: 718-584-9000 Ext: 6272 Serving Massachusetts, Rhode Island Fax: 212-807-4047 Toll Free: 866-297-1319 Bruce Weston, National Service Officer Fax: 718-741-4237 TOGUS, VARO, 1 VA CENTER Serving Connecticut and New York Amauris Polanco Bldg. 248, Room 112 Veterans Health & Benefits Specialist II Augusta , ME 04330 Phone: (207) 621-7394 or 866-795-1911 Fax: (207) 621-4829 Michael Snapes, National Service Officer II Serving Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont CordWord is the New England Chapter, Paralyzed Veterans of America’s (New England PVA) monthly magazine that covers news, health, research, lifestyle and issues of interest and concern to Veterans and others with spinal cord injury and disease. Anyone interested in submitting an article to CordWord should email [email protected]. The assertions and opinions expressed in articles and announcements in CordWord reflect the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the New England PVA. New England PVA can in no way whatsoever be held responsible for the content of such views nor can it be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views. Products and services advertised in the CordWord are for general informational purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of any kind by New England PVA. CORDWORD 3 PVA Responds to DOT’s Continued Unlawful Delay to Address Airline Restroom Accessibility PVA Website - Liz Deakin, Director of Communications wheelchair to be able to enter, maneuver inside the restroom to use the facilities and exit. DOT’s latest suggestion is meaningless if travelers with disabilities are unable to enter the restroom in order to take advantage of the accessibility features within the restroom. “The administration continues to turn its back on America’s paralyzed veterans by reaching far and wide for any excuse to unlawfully deny travelers the relief they’ve spent years fighting for,” said Democracy Forward Counsel Karianne Jones. “PVA members continue to be denied a basic dignity afforded to airline passengers—the ability to use a restroom on an airplane,” said David Zurfluh, national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “After fighting for access for over 30 years so that our members and all people with disabilities can use an airplane restroom, enough is enough. We DOT Backtracked on Promises and Offered Excuses in Effort to Deny will keep on fighting until DOT issues an access rule that ensures that Protections for Air Travelers with Disabilities catastrophically disabled veterans and all travelers have equal access, DENVER (August 29, 2019) — Denver, CO — Today, Democracy Forward on which is a basic fundamental right that is long overdue.” behalf of Paralyzed Veterans of America responded to the Department Congress gave DOT until 2017 to propose new rules addressing lavatory of Transportation’s latest attempt to shirk its legal obligation to fully accessibility on commercial single-aisle aircraft. Paralyzed Veterans of address airline restroom access for veterans and travelers with mobility America was part of a group of disability advocates and airline industry impairments. Today’s filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th representatives that presented the agency with a negotiated consensus Circuit advances PVA’s ongoing lawsuit against the agency for ignoring rule to issue for public comment, which DOT Secretary Elaine Chao then a Congressional mandate to issue the much-needed accessibility rule. failed to release, providing no justification for this failure. DOT’s continued delay has left travelers with disabilities subject to severe discomfort and potential medical complications. On May 20, 2019, after DOT stated it would issue a proposed rule addressing lavatory accessibility by December 2019, the 10th Circuit put a hold on the After revealing in July 2019 that DOT’s plans for airline restroom lawsuit led by PVA and required DOT to provide ongoing status reports. accessibility would fall “short of increasing the size of the lavatories,” DOT On August 5, PVA and Democracy Forward petitioned the court to lift the now argues that it should be enough for disabled travelers that the agency stay because the proposed rule DOT plans to issue in December 2019 propose new “accessibility features within lavatories.” But according to does not meet its legal obligation to fully address lavatory accessibility. DOT’s own regulations, full restroom accessibility requires a person in a VA Health Care Facilities to Go Smoke-Free VA Public Affairs Office via www.va.gov WASHINGTON — As part of the A recent VA survey revealed that approximately 85% of responding U.S. Department of Veterans facility leadership support smoke-free campuses, and this new policy Affairs’ (VA) commitment to for patients, visitors, volunteers, contractors and vendors allows VA to provide excellent health care ensure the health and well-being of VA staff, patients and the public. for Veterans, the department “We are not alone in recognizing the importance of creating a smoke- will implement a new policy free campus,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “As of 2014, 4,000 health restricting smoking by patients, visitors, volunteers, contractors and care facilities and four national health care systems in the U.S. have vendors at its health care facilities by October. implemented smoke-free grounds. This policy change coincides with Although VA has historically permitted smoking in designated areas, additional VHA efforts to help us become the provider of choice for there is growing evidence that smoking and exposure to secondhand and Veterans and the reason why Veterans will ChooseVA.” thirdhand smoke creates significant medical risks, and risks to safety and VHA’s new smoke-free policy applies to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, any other direct patient care that are inconsistent with medical requirements and combustion of tobacco and non-Federal Drug Administration approved limitations. Accordingly, VA’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including but not limited to collaborated with key stakeholders to update and recertify the policy to electronic or e-cigarettes, vape pens or e-cigars. be consistent with the department’s commitment to Veterans and the community.