Cancer Research Getting New VA Effort As Burn Pit-Linked Cases Expected To Rise
The Department of Veterans Affairs and Stanford University's medical school are planning to launch a cancer research and treatment center at the VA's Palo Alto, Calif., hospital, the organizations announced Friday.
Military Ready To Drain Red Hill After Finishing Repairs
The military joint task force charged with defueling the massive underground fuel tanks at the Navy's Red Hill facility announced Wednesday that it had successfully completed all repairs and modifications to the aging World War II-era facility.
DoD Aims For More Consistent Support For Special Needs Families
Military families with special needs should expect more consistency and better support in the Exceptional Family Member Program in the wake of new Defense Department guidance.
VA Awards $11.5 Million In First-Of-Their-Kind Grants For Legal Services For Homeless Veterans
By: VA Press Room, VA.gov
The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $11.5 million in legal services grants for Veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness as part of its national homeless prevention efforts.
Providing representation in landlord-tenant disputes to prevent eviction
Assisting with court proceedings for child support, custody, or estate planning.
Helping Veterans obtain public benefits, including disability compensation.
Defending Veterans in criminal cases that can prolong or increase their risk of homelessness, such as outstanding warrants, fines, or driver’s license revocation.
Assisting with requests to upgrade characterization of discharges or dismissals of former members of the Armed Forces.
Ending Veteran homelessness is a top priority of VA and President Biden, who has made supporting Veterans a key pillar of his Unity Agenda for the nation. In 2022 alone, VA housed more than 40,000 formerly homeless Veterans, prevented more than 17,700 Veterans and their families from falling into homelessness, and helped nearly 191,700 additional Veteran families who were experiencing financial difficulties retain their homes or avoid foreclosure. Thanks in part to these efforts, the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by 11% since early 2020 and by more than 55% since 2010. In 2023, VA has set a goal to house at least 38,000 Veterans.
“For Veterans, legal support can be the difference between becoming homeless and having safe, stable housing,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “With the award of these first-of-their-kind VA grants, more Veterans will have the legal representation they deserve — which will increase their access to housing and employment.”
Below are the campaigns that are currently located on our Action Center. Please take no more than 5-10 minutes to scan through each of the campaigns and click on the custom links provided below.
The Military Spouse Hiring Act would encourage companies to employ military spouses, who frequently face disproportionate impediments in the job market, by extending the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include them.
Intends to help military spouses find better work opportunities.
Support the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act!
Authorizes veterans with a service-connected disability of less than 50% to concurrently receive both retired pay and disability compensation.
Makes qualified disability retirees with less than 20 years of retirement-creditable service eligible for concurrent receipt, subject to specified reductions in retired pay.
Qualify approximately 42,000 military retirees with combat-related injuries to concurrently receive both military retired pay and Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation.
Provide total offset relief to veterans who suffered combat injuries or illnesses who were medically retired with less than twenty years of service.
Allowsthe receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability.
Extends full concurrent receipt eligibility to individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability.
Support the Military Family Nutrition Access Act of 2023!
The Military Family Nutrition Access Act was created to aid military families with active duty members who are facing food insecurity.
By eliminating Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from the income calculations used to establish eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the bipartisan bill will combat food insecurity.
Military personnel risk their life to protect our nation; they shouldn't have to worry about providing for their families.
The Not Just a Number Act would oblige the VA to look into how veterans use their benefits in their yearly report on suicide prevention in order to assess the connection between VA benefits and suicide outcomes.
In its fight against veteran suicides, the VA evaluates which VA benefits have the best impact on preventing suicide and requires the Department to submit recommendations for an increase in such benefits.
If you have any questions, please reach out to AFSA's Military and Government Relations team at milgov3@hqafsa.org.
AFSA Professional Education, Personal Development Symposium Registration isLIVE!!!
THE SUMMIT23/AFSA International Convention Registration is LIVE!!! This year’s Summit/AFSA International Convention will convene Friday, August 4, through Wednesday, August 9,2023,(Departures: Thursday, August 10, 2023) in Dallas, Texas, at the Hilton Anatole Resort, 2201 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas. For more details, please click on the link below:
THEME:The Theme for THE SUMMIT 23/AFSA International Convention is“Back to Basics and Beyond.”
NOTE:Main arrival and registration is on Friday, August 4, 2023.
THEME PARTY/ICE BREAKER:THE SUMMIT23/AFSA International Convention Theme Party/Ice Breaker is on Saturday, August 5, 2023.The Theme for the Theme Party/Ice Breaker is “Super Heroes & Sheroes.” The Dress Code for the Theme Party/Ice Breaker is:
Dust off your Cape!
WELCOMING CEREMONY BREAKFAST: The Welcoming Ceremony is on Saturday, August 5, 2023. The Dress Code for the Welcoming Ceremony Breakfast is:
Business Casual, Military Personnel on Funded TDY orders: OCPs.
AFSA PRESIDENT’S DINNER & AWARDS CEREMONY. The AFSA President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony is on Sunday, August 6, 2023. The Dress Code for the President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony is:
AFSA Members: Gentlemen: Tuxedo or Dark Suit, Ladies: Dress evening wear (long or short);
Military Personnel on Funded TDY Orders: Mess Dress or Semi-Formal Uniform;
Top Performer Club members (Formerly TwinFLIER, SKYHIGHER and/or HighFLIER Club members): Wear the AFSA blue blazer. If they are active-duty military members, they may wear the AFSA blue blazer, but are highly encouraged to wear their service dress uniform.
AIR & SPACE HONORS BANQUET AND CMSAF AWARDS CEREMONY. The Air & Space Honors Banquet and CMSAF Awards Ceremony is on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. The Dress Code for the Air & Space Honors Banquet and CMSAF Awards Ceremony is:
Gentlemen: Tuxedo or Dark Suit,
Ladies: Dress evening wear (long or short);
Military Personnel on Funded TDY Orders: Mess Dress or Semi-Formal Uniform
THE SUMMIT23/AFSA International Convention
REGISTRATION FEE: The registration fees are as follows:
AFSA International Convention
Complete Early Registration (1 April - 31 May)$275.00
Use Promo Code: AFSAEarly to save. Expires April 30, 2023
Complete Registration (1 June - 31 July)$300.00
Complete Late Registration (1 August - 4 August) $325.00
AFSA International Convention Plus PEDs and Air & Space Honor’s Banquet
Complete Early Registration (1 April - 31 May)$325.00
Use Promo Code: AFSAEarly to save. Expires April 30, 2023
Complete Registration (1 June - 31 July)$350.00
Complete Late Registration (1 August - 4 August) $375.00
On Monday, August 7-9, there will be a full day of Professional Development. All Professional Development Forums are open to all military members on Active Duty and DoD civilian personal at no cost.
BEAUTIFUL EVENT LOCATION- Book your rooms now!The Summit 23/AFSA International Conventionis held at the Hilton Anatole, 2201 North Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Dallas, Texas where you'll find an entertainment complex designed to relax and delight you and your family. We've partnered with the Hilton Anatole to offer special AFSA/SUMMIT ROOM RATES at $154+ tax a night.
NOTE: Please identify that you are with the Air Force Sergeants Association group.
(This special rate includes the outdoor Jade Water Pool Complex with slides and a lazy river, the Verandah Fitness Club & V-Spa, dining options, and much more.)
NOTE:The last date to make hotel reservations at the AFSA contracted room rate is July 14, 2023.
Have You Read The Latest AFSA Magazine?
This edition features Port Mortuary and America’s Missing Heroes, Living with Bipolar Disorder in the Military, Fly-By Wire Defense and AFSA’s American Award Recipient – Don Ward. Read, download, print and share: https://www.hqafsa.org/fallmagazine.html
Greetings AFSA Division and Chapter Leadership,
We are pleased to share the AFSA Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay procedures and marketing materials to help share the process with our members, your membership and potential new recruits.
The Set-It-Forever/Auto Pay program creates an opportunity to JOIN AFSA or RENEW a membership by making a $36 once-a-year/every-year auto payment, or a $4-each-month/every- month auto payment. The $36 once-a-year option is set at $36, and the $4-a-month option includes a bank processing fee of $1 each month.
Review the two ways to enroll, the benefits to using the auto-pay option, and the marketing materials to help share the details of this program and ensure its success.
For questions, please contact AFSAHQ Member & Field team at 800-638-0594 x 288.
Please Update Your Contact Information Today!
Dear Air Force Sergeants Association Member,
In order for the AFSA to effectively communicate with our members, it is essential to ensure we have your current and / or valid e-mail address. We are in the process of updating our records and need your help! Please take a moment to ensure that we have your most current mail and email address (no .mil's); and accurate membership listing information.
We've made it easy, as you can update your information in either one of three ways:
Call Member & Field Relations team directly at 800-638-0594 x 288 (Mon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)
Email to: msvcs@hqafsa.org
Visit www.hqafsa.org and select the UPDATE button on the right
We thank you in advance for your support and prompt updates.
In sum, The VA and Stanford Medicine signed a contract on Friday, and although the designs for the center are still in their very early phases, officials said they expect to have it open in as short as five years.
The PACT Act makes it simpler for such veterans to seek health treatment and benefits from the department, and the initiative comes at a time when the need for cancer care at the VA is anticipated to increase as more veterans develop illnesses suspected of being linked to their service.
Few specifics regarding the center's exact plans were disclosed by officials, including the estimated cost and the source of funding.
According to Stanford Health Care's president and CEO, David Entwistle, "many conversations, considerations, and approvals" are still required for the project. According to a memorandum of understanding that Elnahal claimed the PACT Act made possible, the facility is being pursued.
In addition, currently, 104 million gallons of petroleum are stored in the tanks, which are only 100 feet above a vital aquifer that supplies water to most of Honolulu. The Navy's Oahu water supply, which supplies 93, 000 people, was poisoned by jet fuel from the facility in November 2021, after military officials for years had dismissed worries from local authorities and community groups about the facility's safety.
Vice Adm. John Wade was chosen by the Pentagon last year to command the newly formed Joint Task Force-Red Hill in defueling the tanks. When Wade assumed charge, he stated that he would aggressively explore ways to go more quickly, but that his timeframe to complete defueling would be around mid-2024.
And lastly, a number of personnel, medical, and family support services are provided by the military's Exceptional Family Member Program, which is available to all branches. There are roughly 110,000 active duty service members registered. But up until this point, every service had developed its own set of rules, and even within a single service, the rules could vary between installations.
As before, when a family member satisfies the enrollment requirements, a service member must enroll in the EFMP. However, the revised DoD-wide policy specifies the enrollment procedure in addition to standardizing the eligibility requirements.
Military families with special needs have long spoken out about the poor quality and accessibility of their special education and medical services. The fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act included provisions for EFMP standardization and enhancements in response to a congressional hearing held in February 2020.
And that's the way it is for Thursday, July 6, 2023.
Stay tuned for our next M&G-B, where we will continue to keep you in the loop on all things pertinent to the coronavirus, veterans, active-duty members, guards and reservists, and military family members. Stay happy, and stay healthy!
.jpg)
