Thru the Porthole

U.S.S. Allen M. Sumner DD-692

Founder's Corner

with Senior Chief "Joe" Gall

Updated WWII service dress khakis approved

Starting late next year, chiefs and officers will have the opportunity to buy a more professional summer uniform for the office. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead has approved the main design of the service dress khaki uniform, a World War II-style uniform that began development in 2006. The uniform — which will be optional and can be worn in place of the summer white uniform or the service khakis — sports a contemporary design that includes an unbelted waist and peaked lapels. The shirt will have a black tie and come in short- and long-sleeve versions. The uniform is largely the result of feedback from the fleet, including 125 wear-testers in six diverse locations, said Capt. Vince Drouillard, branch head within the Navy’s personnel, plans and policy division. “We really relied heavily on the testers,” he said, adding that preferences for look, styling and comfort drove most decisions. “This uniform will be designed well.”

Tricare for Life is not being eliminated
Marshall Hanson, Director of Legislation and Naval Services, Reserve Officers Association

James Hamby wrote a piece for Military Times published this month entitled "Tricare Help: How will health care reform really affect your Tricare?" ROA has been trying to get the word out for a while that Tricare/Tricare for Life is NOT about to be eliminated. The Reserve Officers Association has been receiving a lot of calls and e-mails with concerns from retired ROA members that the proposed National Health care plan will deny them TRICARE or TRICARE For Life coverage. Anxiety has been increased by both public debate and viral e-mails that are reinforcing apprehension.At this moment there are no real concerns about there being a health care crisis. TRICARE is defined as an “acceptable coverage” satisfying certain requirements in the new health bill (H.R.3200) to exclude TRICARE from certain proposed taxes. Additionally, certain members in Congress are advocating on behalf of the military and military retirees. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), ranking member on the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee, has gotten the House bill amended to insure that military families and retirees don’t have to “pay to play” and has gotten DoD exempted from certain employer requirements.“ The purpose of this amendment is to shield the men and women of our armed forces from onerous mandates and possible coverage deterioration as a result of this bill’s complex new health care governing scheme. Specifically, I believe we must exempt TRICARE from the “pay or play” employer mandate and other benefit mandates that would place an additional burden on this program that serves military personnel and their families,” said Rep. Wilson. The ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), got two amendments accepted by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. The amendments would allow veterans, military personal and their families to retain the choice of keeping their respective TRICARE and Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) health coverage and obtain additional private or public health insurance, and allow the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to continue to have sole authority over the respective health care systems. “Under the [original] health care plan, veterans would be subject to taxes because the VA health care plan would not have recognized as an acceptable health care plan,” shared Rep. Buyer. ROA and The Military Coalition has sent a letter to every member of Congress emphasizing “that the unique identity and role of the military TRICARE and VA health delivery systems – including their non-taxable status – are preserved under any national health plan that Congress may develop”. Some members have voiced apprehension that changes to Medicare will have changes to TRICARE and TRICARE for Life. One version of the bill would base provider fees on the Medicare fee scale plus 5 percent, which could stabilize what TRICARE can pay doctors. ROA is trying to further analyze to see what impact, if any, exists. Further, ROA is seeking dialogue with TRICARE contractors to ascertain their perspective on member concerns. The Association is working with 50 other associations, who will be proactive if problems arise.The rumors about TRICARE being axed resulted from a Congressional Budget Officer Report. For more see http://www.roa.org/site/DocServer/2009_TFL_CBO_Response.pdf?docID=18381

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – TRICARE beneficiaries can now receive select vaccines with no out-of-pocket expense at retail pharmacies. For the first time ever, beneficiaries can visit TRICARE retail network pharmacies to receive seasonal flu, H1N1 flu and pneumonia vaccines at no cost. This expanded coverage is available to all TRICARE beneficiaries eligible to use the TRICARE retail pharmacy benefit. See http://www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=581.

The National Personnel Records Center has provided the following website for veterans to access their DD-214 online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov. This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employment purposes. Do the paperwork online, sign the request and receive the information by return mail. For all other requests including requests from the next of kin of a veteran, contact the main URL as follows: http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis.html

A message from the Laffey's President Sonny Walker: "I just received a phone call from Joe Lombardi, the engineer in charge of repairing the ship. Our lady was put in drydock this morning (Monday 24 August 2009). Joe said she is sitting on her blocks and everything is fine. She did take on 3 or 400 gallons of water up forward but nothing to worry about. I also spoke with Dick Trammel and asked him about riding the ship back to Patriots Point when she was finished. He told me that we have three months to get back into shape enough to fit into our original uniforms. If we can't fit we can't go aboard for the ride back. I told him that I can only think of 2 or 3 people that would pertain to. ha ha He is working on getting the permission for us to ride her home. As for visitors to the yards while she is being repaired, Joe Lombardi is taking photos of the progress and they do not want anyone going there that is not directly involved in the work. I will pass any important happenings to y'all via e-mail. I will be sending pictures that I get from Joe to A.J. so he can put it on the website. This way we will all be informed as it happens. I still must tell everyone that it was a very exciting and emotional thing to watch her free from her moorings after 18 years. I know she felt good. She went proudly up the river like the lady that she is.

MOREHEAD – James Eugene Poston, Sr., 67, of Lower Licking Road, passed away Sunday, August 16, 2009 in the St. Claire Regional Medical Center after a long battle with cancer. He was born on September 3, 1941 in Morehead, Kentucky, a son of the late Lennie Flannery Poston. Mr. Poston was a retired maintenance engineer for the Chrysler Corporation. He was a United States Navy Veteran having served on the USS Allen M Sumner DD692. Mr. Poston was a Kentucky Colonel, a member of AmVets, the American Legion and the USS Allen M Sumner Reunion Association. He enjoyed gardening, watching birds and listening to and playing music. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Malcolm Poston, Don Poston and Ricky Poston and one sister, Pansy Pitts. Survivors include one son, Jim Poston and his wife, Ann Marie of Hudson, Ohio, one daughter, Nicole Flower and her husband, Andrew of Akron, Ohio, special friend, Brenda Stanley of Morehead, two brothers, Lilburn Poston of Xenia, Ohio and Bill Poston of Morehead, five sisters, Mary Jo Jessee of Clearfield, Dottie Durham, Mercedes Glover and Karen McClurg all of Morehead and Sue Miller of Xenia, Ohio, three grandchildren, Elizabeth Poston, Mark Poston and Isabella Flower, special nephew, Phillip Swim of Morehead, several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends and the mother of his children, Patricia Poston of Streetsboro, Ohio. A gathering of friends and family will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, August 22, 2009 in the chapel of the Lane-Stucky-Gray Funeral Home. The family will be receiving visitors beginning at 11:00 A.M. Saturday. Contributions are suggested to St. Claire Hospice. To view the online memorial and sign the guest book, please visit www.lanestuckygray.com.

For those who are unaware, at a military theater, the National Anthem is played before every movie. This is written from a Chaplain in Iraq: I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at LSA Anaconda (LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad). We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem the music stopped. Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments; and everyone would sit down and call for a movie.. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place. Here, the 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again. The Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect to happen? Even here I would imagine laughter, as everyone finally sat down and expected the movie to start. But here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier continued to stand at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off: "And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave." It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq . I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here. Remember them as they fight for you! Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. For many have already paid the ultimate price..

New AMC Web site offers space-available travel info
by Mark Diamond - Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFRNS) -- Air Mobility Command here recently unveiled its first official, command-level AMC Travel Web site. People planning to travel the AMC military travel system can now point their Web browsers to www.amc.af.mil/amctravel/index.asp for the latest in AMC travel information. The site, which officially went live July 24, offers prospective space-available travelers a wealth of information, including an updated AMC passenger terminal contact list (complete with phone, e-mail and Web links), and more than a dozen travel documents, example letters and brochures. Every day around the world, hundreds of military and military-contracted commercial aircraft travel the world delivering troops and cargo. And each year, hundreds of thousands of military personnel, retirees, and their family members go along for the ride, courtesy of the AMC space-available travel program. Space-available flights, also known as "military hops," are a unique benefit to U.S. servicemembers, retirees and their families. Under the AMC travel program, unused seats on U.S. military and military-contracted aircraft are made available to non-duty passengers on a space-available basis (once space-required or official-duty passengers and cargo have been accommodated). According to one AMC travel expert, the AMC Travel Web site was created simply because "AMC customers deserve it." "(The AMC Travel) site was created to provide our customers a wealth of AMC travel information, which can be counted on to contain the most accurate and up-to-date travel information available," said Tech. Sgt. Steve Katsonis of the AMC passenger policy branch. "Our customers deserved a Web site where they can obtain travel information that is correct, up to date and validated by AMC. This Web site will give them that." Sergeant Katsonis said AMC officials understand the massive amount of anxiety and stress felt by space-required and space-available travelers. "Our goal is that this site will answer any questions the passengers will have, therefore minimizing their stress before they leave their homes," he said. In the past, prospective space-available passengers frequently turned to one of several AMC headquarters offices in search of travel information. Sergeant Katsonis said although headquarters personnel are trained to respond to these public queries, he hopes the new Web site will provide all their information and more. Additionally, he said trained passenger service agents at AMC terminals worldwide are standing by to assist. People searching for up-to-the-minute AMC travel information are encouraged to contact their nearest AMC passenger terminal. A current listing is available on the new AMC Travel site. Another benefit of the new AMC Travel site is that it will be updated with the latest breaking news and updates. For instance, Sergeant Katsonis said active-duty dependent travel policies have gone through a few significant changes during the past few years. He said Department of Defense officials now allow unaccompanied travel by dependents when the military spouse is deployed on contingency/exercise/deployment orders, also known as CED orders. According to Sergeant Katsonis, when the deployment is for 120 days or more, unaccompanied travel is authorized in category IV; and for deployments of 366 days or more, unaccompanied travel is authorized in the bottom of category III. Sergeant Katsonis said he wants people to know that space-available travel is a great benefit, but it can be a stressful experience without the proper planning. "AMC never guarantees travel, and passengers need to be prepared for their (space-available) trip to take more time than it would were they traveling commercial," the sergeant said. He added that not every base is equipped with facilities or lodging capable of handling passengers stranded by a broken or rerouted aircraft. "The most important thing to remember when traveling Space-A is be prepared to fly commercial if problems are encountered" Sergeant Katsonis said. "The key to a stress-free trip is to have a plan. Have enough money for all contingencies, and be mentally prepared for disappointment when plans don't come together." (Courtesy of AMC News Service)

1) The FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – Senate Version
2) House Defense Appropriations Bill
3) Rep. Wilson Introduces Bill to Keep Military Health Care Separate from any new National Health Care Proposal

1) The FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – Senate Version-The House of Representatives passed its version of the NDAA a few weeks ago, and the full Senate has been working on its version for the past several days. In the meantime, the defense appropriations act has been working its way through the House this week. The Senate will take up its version of the appropriations act after the August recess. Since both the NDAA and the defense authorization bills are considered “must pass” legislation, they become favorite targets for members of the Senate to attach amendments that have nothing to do with national defense, and which otherwise would have a difficult time passing on their own. That’s one of the major reasons it is taking so long to pass the NDAA in the Senate. One of the major items of conflict was whether to authorize funding for additional F-22 fighter jets. President Obama and Defense Secretary Gates said they do not want additional F-22’s, which are very expensive. But Senators from the states where the F-22’s are manufactured fought to keep the program going, even though President Obama vowed to veto any bill that authorized more of the planes. On Tuesday the Senate voted not to fund any more F-22’s, thus avoiding a Presidential veto on that issue. It also voted to end the SBP-DIC offset that affects about 54,000 military widows. Unfortunately, the Senate did not set aside any funding to pay the SBP to surviving spouses, which means the provision is at great risk of being discarded when the Senate-House conference committee meets later this year to work out the differences in their respective bills. TREA strongly supports the end of the SBP-DIC offset, so while we are thrilled that provision made it into the NDAA, we are very disappointed no funding was included. We urge everyone who supports ending the offset to contact the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Carl Levin, and the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Ike Skelton, and urge them to support funding to pay full SBP to the surviving spouses. The Senate also approved an amendment on Thursday to ensure that the votes of U.S. troops and other Americans living overseas are counted in upcoming elections. It directs that states send ballots to both military and civilian voters who are overseas at least 45 days prior to an election and then give a 10-day grace period for the ballots to be received after an election, provided they are postmarked in time. TREA Washington Executive Director Deirdre Holleman has been involved in a coalition of groups working to change election laws to make sure the votes of all military personnel are counted and we are pleased this amendment was added to the authorization bill. While the provisions on SBP-DIC and voting are supported by TREA, we are very concerned about another one that has gotten very little attention. The Senate authorization bill contains language that directs DOD to find ways to reduce the costs of TRICARE. Our concern is that DOD could use this as the vehicle to impose higher fees and co-pays on TRICARE. Although the authorization bill won’t become law until at least September 1, we will remain vigilant to stop any new increases that DOD supports or tries to implement. Of great concern to many TREA members is expansion of concurrent receipt to both 20+ year retirees with less than 50 percent disability, and to retirees with less than 20 years (both Chapter 61s and TERA retirees). TREA strongly supports giving concurrent receipt to both of these groups of military retirees. Unfortunately, concurrent receipt for Chapter 61s (medically retired) and TERA retirees was not included in the Senate bill. In spite of that, we still have a chance to win passage this year, however. The House of Representatives did pass in its version of the NDAA a phased-in concurrent receipt provision for those retirees with less than 20 years of service, but it was only funded for the first year and it was phased in according to the percentage of disability. As stated above, the House and Senate versions now go to conference committee and it is possible the House version of concurrent receipt will be adopted. However, no provision for giving concurrent receipt to longevity retirees (those with 20 or more years of service) with disability ratings of less than 50% was included in either version of the NDAA. There were many other amendments to the Senate NDAA and we will report on some of the more important ones next week after we’ve had a chance to further review the bill.
2) House Defense Appropriations Bill - While the Senate was working on the authorization bill this week, the House Appropriations Committee passed its version of the FY2010 Defense spending bill on Wednesday. The committee voted to spend $636.3 billion next fiscal year. Included in that are the following: · $30 billion for the Defense health program, which is $2 billion more than requested by the President. TREA is very pleased with that because it means defense health care will be fully funded this year and there will be no need for DOD to seek increases in TRICARE fees or co-pay for fiscal year 2010. · A 3.4 percent pay raise for active duty personnel, which is 0.5 percent more than the President requested. We are also very happy to report to you that included in that House spending bill is a provision that eliminates the COLA delay that Congress had passed last year. Although the delay was not scheduled to go into effect until 2013, this provision would eliminate that threat.
3) Rep. Wilson Introduces Bill to Keep Military Health Care Separate from any new National Health Care Proposal - We have been concerned about what effect any new national health care program would have on the military and VA health care. TREA, along with other military and veterans groups, has contacted Congress to let them know we strongly oppose including military and veterans health care as part of any national health care program. This week, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina introduced legislation to protect TRICARE from being brought into any new national health care program. According to Rep. Wilson, “The purpose of this amendment is to shield the men and women of our armed forces from onerous mandates and possible coverage deterioration as a result of this bill’s complex new health care governing scheme. Specifically, I believe we must exempt TRICARE from the ‘pay or play’ employer mandate and other benefit mandates that would place an additional burden on this program that serves military personnel and their families. “As a 31-year Army Guard and Reserve veteran, I know the importance of TRICARE. I know it is important for the military personnel and families at the bases I represent at Fort Jackson, Parris Island, the Marine Corps Air Station at Beaufort, and Beaufort Naval Hospital. I am grateful to have four sons now serving in the military, and I know that their families appreciate the availability of TRICARE. “Currently, TRICARE provides world class health care to 9.4 million beneficiaries who currently serve or have served this nation. The number of individuals who choose to enroll in TRICARE continues to rise because TRICARE is a low cost, comprehensive health plan that is portable and available in some form world-wide. TRICARE has been steadily improving since it was implemented in 1996, promoted by my predecessor the late Armed Services Committee Chairman Floyd Spence. In fact, in 2008 TRICARE was rated the best health care insurer in the nation according to the Wilson Health Information survey of customer satisfaction. TRICARE also received stellar marks on the 2007 annual federal government report from the 2007American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). “I believe TRICARE is one part of our health care system that’s working. The President and Congressional Democrats have said repeatedly that if you like what you have, you can keep it. I believe that our military personnel and their families do like what they have, and that’s why this amendment is needed to ensure that they can keep it. “Unfortunately, this legislation’s broad definition of “employment-based health plan” appears to include TRICARE, which means its complex new system of mandates and penalties would apply to the Department of Defense. “This may have been inadvertent on the part of the majority. After all, changes that impact TRICARE are always debated in a bipartisan way in the House Armed Services Committee. It is an honor for me to serve with Chairwoman Susan Davis as the Ranking Member on the Military Personnel Subcommittee. It would be unprecedented for us to make a change of this magnitude without consideration of the consequences for the DOD and our military personnel. “In order to correct what may have been an unintentional error, my amendment simply clarifies that TRICARE is not subject to H.R. 3200’s new mandate and penalty scheme or any other elements of the legislation. It’s about allowing our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to keep what they have.

I am very saddened to hear of Jesse's passing. He was a good friend to all of us in the USS Allen M. Sumner Reunion Assn,, Inc. as well as a Past President.
He was known affectionately to us as Mr. Sumner. Jesse was the 1st man to report aboard Sumner in 1943, while she was being built, and long before she was completed.
During the Battle of Lingayen Gulf, Philippine Islands, on 6 January, 1945, Sumner was hit by a Kamikaze plane which took the lives of 16 brave men, one of which was only 16 years of age This plane hit the aft gun mount, starting a fire in the ammo storage area. Jesse volunteered to be lowered down into that area with a rope tied around him, knowing that there was a serious risk of the ship blowing up. Taking a fire hose with him, he exposed himself to severe hazards, and death itself. Somehow he managed to not only put the fire out, but to also live thru the experience. His death defying feat, without a doubt, saved the ship. Many people feel he should have received a much higher award than he did, but it was not to be. Jesse forever had the gratitude of all the men on board Sumner that day, and the admiration and respect of all of those to follow.
Chief Jesse Marney will be sadly missed and long remembered.
A few years ago our Assn. created the Jesse Marney award for Service above and beyond, and of course presented the 1st Award to Jesse. Last year at our reunion I was honored to receive the 2nd award for my Service to the Assn for the past 20 years. I feel very honored and very humbled to receive this award.
My contributions pale in comparison to that of Jesse.
Farewell Shipmate, from all your shipmates. You have answered the final muster, and our Eternal Father
welcomes you Home.
Chief Joe Gall, USN (Ret)

My name is Richard Moyle and I’m a representative for the Mesothelioma Cancer Center. As you may know, countless navy veterans are currently suffering from life-threatening illnesses resulting from exposure to asbestos on ships. This material was used because of its fire resistant properties, but is now recognized as a very dangerous substance. Our website is considered one of the Web’s leading resources for veterans and families affected by asbestos exposure. We are very proud of our massive navy-specific section, which can be seen at Mesothelioma and The Navy, as well as our information on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options for those who have been affected. We also offer assistance to veterans -free of cost- who are applying for VA benefits. We have a knowledgeable, 20 year veteran on staff who will walk them through the claims process to get them the benefits they are seeking.

Exposure to Agent Orange linked to prostate cancer in Vietnam veterans
Public release date: 5-Aug-2008
Contact: Karen Finney
karen.finney@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
REFERENCE: University of California Davis Health System

SACRAMENTO, Calif.)( — UC Davis Cancer Center physicians today released results of research showing that Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange have greatly increased risks of prostate cancer and even greater risks of getting the most aggressive form of the disease as compared to those who were not exposed. The findings, which appear online now and will be published in the September 15 issue of the journal Cancer, are the first to link the herbicide with this form of cancer. The research is also the first to utilize a large population of men in their 60s and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to screen for the disease. "While others have linked Agent Orange to cancers such as soft-tissue sarcomas, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, there is limited evidence so far associating it with prostate cancer," said Karim Chamie, lead author of the study and resident physician with the UC Davis Department of Urology and the VA Northern California Health Care System. "Here we report on the largest study to date of Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange and the incidence of
prostate cancer." Chamie also said that, unlike previous studies that were either too small or conducted on men who were too young, patients in the current study were entering their prime years for developing prostate cancer. There was also the added advantage that it was conducted entirely during the era of PSA screening,
providing a powerful tool for early diagnosis and tracking of prostate cancer. More than 13,000 Vietnam veterans enrolled in the VA Northern California Health Care System were stratified into two groups — exposed or not exposed to Agent Orange between 1962 and 1971. Based on medical evaluations conducted between 1998 and 2006, the study revealed that twice as many men exposed to Agent Orange were identified with prostate cancer. In addition, Agent Orange exposed men were diagnosed two-and-a-half years younger and were nearly four times more likely to present with metastatic disease. Other prostate cancer risk factors — race, body-mass index and smoking — were not statistically different between the two groups. "Our country's veterans deserve the best possible health care, and this study clearly confirms that Agent Orange exposure during service in Vietnam is associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer later in life," said Ralph de Vere White, UC Davis Cancer Center director and a study co-author. "Just as those with a family history of prostate cancer or who are of African-American heritage are
screened more frequently, so too should men with Agent Orange exposure be given priority consideration for all the screening and diagnostic tools we have at our disposal in the hopes of early detection and treatment of this disease." Now a banned chemical, Agent Orange is a combination of two synthetic compounds known to be contaminated with the dioxin tetrachlorodibenzo-paradioxin (TCDD) during the manufacturing process. Named for the color of the barrel in which it was stored, Agent Orange was one of many broad-leaf defoliants used in Vietnam to destroy dense forests in order to better visualize enemy activity. It is estimated that more than 20 million gallons of the chemicals, also known as "rainbow herbicides," were sprayed between 1962 and 1971, contaminating both ground cover and ground troops. Most of the rainbow herbicide used during this time was Agent Orange. In 1997, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reclassified TCDD as a group 1 carcinogen, a classification that includes arsenic, asbestos and gamma radiation. The study was funded by the UC Davis Cancer Center. In addition to Chamie and De Vere White, study authors were Bryan Volpp, associate chief of staff, clinical informatics, VA Northern California Health Care System; Dennis Lee and Joonha Ok, UC Davis resident physicians with the Department of Urology; and Lars Ellison who, at the time the study was conducted, was an assistant professor with UC Davis and chief of urology with the VA Northern California Health Care System. Ellison is now affiliated with the Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Maine and a major in the U.S. Army Reserve currently serving active duty in Iraq. A copy of the study can be requested by emailing Amy Molnar at amolnar@wiley.com. Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. It is estimated that there will be about 186,320 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2008 and about 28,660 men will die of the disease this year. Designated by the National Cancer Institute, UC Davis Cancer Center is leading the way in identifying the molecular pathogenesis of carcinoma of the prostate, enhancing therapeutic response and identifying chemoprevention. For more information; Visit: www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cancer.

Our advice to every male who was in Vietnam, afloat or ashore, for whatever duration of time, go and have your doctor check your Prostate and seek a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test at the same time. This will need to be done for the remainder of your life at three year intervals. No buts just do it!

PS. The term metastatic disease means that the cancer has spread beyond the prostate into bone, lung, liver. The prognosis in these cases is less than ideal; so we need to catch it earlier than this stage of development.

Often survivors are disappointed when they seek reimbursement of burial expenses for departed veterans. This is because retirees have not informed their loved ones what to do and how much to expect in the event of their demise. You may be eligible for a VA burial allowance if:
• You paid for a veteran's burial or funeral ; AND,
• You have not been reimbursed by another government agency or some other source, such as the deceased veteran's employer; AND,
• The veteran was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
Following are the maximum benefits currently available from the VA:
• Burial Allowance (SC): VA will pay a burial allowance up to $2,000 if the veteran’s death is service-connected. In such cases, the person who bore the veteran’s burial expenses may claim reimbursement from VA. In some cases, VA will pay the cost of transporting the remains of a service-connected veteran to the nearest national cemetery with available gravesites. There is no time limit for filing reimbursement claims in service-connected death cases.
• Burial Allowance (NSC): VA will pay a $300 burial and funeral allowance for veterans who, at time of death, were entitled to receive pension or compensation or would have been entitled if they weren’t receiving military retirement pay.
Eligibility also may be established when death occurs in a VA facility, a VA-contracted nursing home or a state veterans nursing home. In non service-connected death cases, claims must be filed within two years after burial or cremation.
• Plot Allowance: VA will pay a $300 plot allowance when a veteran is buried in a cemetery not under U.S. government jurisdiction if: the veteran was discharged from active duty because of disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; the veteran was receiving compensation or pension or would have been if the veteran was not receiving military retired pay; or the veteran died in a VA facility.
The $300 plot allowance may be paid to the state for the cost of a plot or interment in a state-owned cemetery reserved solely for veteran burials if the veteran is buried without charge. Burial expenses paid by the deceased’s employer or a state agency will not be reimbursed.
• Headstones or markers: VA will provide headstones or markers to memorialize veterans or mark the graves of veterans buried in national, state, or private cemeteries as well as those whose remains have not been recovered or identified. This includes those buried at sea, those remains donated to science, and those cremated and whose cremated remains were scattered without burying any portion of them.
VA will also provide markers for eligible family members interred in a national or State Veteran's Cemetery. When interment is in a private cemetery, the cemetery may require, and charge for, a foundation for the marker and installation of the marker. Such costs must be paid from private funds.
• Flag: VA will provide an American flag, upon request, for covering the casket; and a memorial certificate, bearing the President's signature, expressing our Nation's grateful recognition of the deceased veteran's service.
• Other: In addition to VA burial benefits, the surviving spouse or eligible child of a veteran may be eligible for a $255 lump-sum death benefit from Social Security. Local Social Security Offices have details.
Source: VA Federal Benefits for Veterans & Dependents 2008 Edition http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf.

The Haas vs. Department of Veterans Affairs case is going to be argued on 7 NOV at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. This case has implications far beyond the payment or continuing non-payment of Agent Orange related benefits to Blue Water Navy sailors who never set foot on the ground. If the lower court (the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims) is upheld in tissue 06 decision, the DVA will be forced to begin processing claims for, and paying benefits to US Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps, [and possibly Merchant Marine] veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam during the war, but never set foot on the ground. In essence, the decision reverts to the policy of granting presumptive eligibility to anyone who was rewarded the Vietnam Service Medal, or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in Vietnam, a policy which was in effect from the enactment of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 until the DVA erroneously and unilaterally stop paying benefits to Blue Water Navy Veterans in 2002. But, the case, once it is upheld, will also, by dint of the presumptive service connection, create a new class of potential litigants in lawsuits against the chemical companies that manufactured the dioxin based defoliants, but also the United States Government, which specifically demanded the chemical composition to be delivered by the chemical manufacturers. It is the reason cited in the paragraph above on which the decision in Haas rests. The government escaped the Agent Orange Class Action Lawsuit of the 1990s as part of a structured deal going into litigation -- otherwise it would never have been settled. That may now be a moot point, however. The folks at BlueWaterNavy.org, the former Blue Water Navy Forum at Yahoo Groups, and the VNVets Blog have organized the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association, and in doing so, have achieved class action size and status. Regardless of how the court rules in Haas, the option now exists to litigate a new class action settlement from both the Agent Orange chemical companies and the government. The new association is a unified focal point for blue water navy veterans and all of their issues, including the addition to the list of diseases, and subsidiary diseases and conditions currently authorized for payment under the Agent Orange Act. Keep in mind, a law suit is not a guaranteed outcome, nor is inclusion in it guaranteed. Often, those variables are negotiated prior to litigation, and sometimes during the suit. One of the things being looked at is the cross reference of spray maps and the locations of ships off shore vs. AO conditions in veterans who were on those ships at that time. The association has already begun collecting data. Instructions for enrollment in the association are available via the BlueWaterNavy Forum at http://bluewaternavy.org /phpBB2/index.php. Interested veterans and their wives, widows, and/or children are invited to register and log in to the forum. Membership in the forum is not the same as membership in the Association, nor is membership in either one automatic. Membership is open to Blue Water Navy Veterans, USMC Veterans and USCG and USMM Veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam during the war and did not set foot on the ground. Veterans Advocates can also enroll regardless of their service background. [Source: Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association notice 26 Oct 07]

09:45 AM CST on Friday, November 10, 2006 By BOB MOOS / The Dallas Morning News NAN COULTER/Special Contributor Kathy Peterson of Telesis Co. says the company tries to help families by bringing in a consulting firm to explain the veterans benefit to residents at its senior-living properties, such as Signature Pointe on the Lake in Dallas. More and more seniors are discovering a little-known veterans benefit that helps pay for long-term care. "They're going crazy over it," said Harold Haynes, a Dallas County service officer who helps veterans and spouses apply for the assistance. "My workload has doubled in the last year." The benefit is gaining notice because it eases a big financial burden for disabled older adults. Seniors who can no longer fend for themselves are moving into assisted-living communities or hiring in-home caregivers, but they often must bear the cost themselves. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid typically covers it. "Unless you've had the foresight to buy long-term care insurance, the expense can wipe out your retirement savings in a relatively short time," said Bill Clark, president of Clark Financial Group Inc. in Frisco. DallasNews.com/Extra Veterans benefits contacts A private room at an assisted-living community averages $2,968 a month, 17.6 percent more than two years ago, according to the MetLife Mature Market Institute. In-home care averages $17 an hour. This is where the federal veterans benefit comes to the rescue of some seniors. Called the "aid-and-attendance" pension benefit, it pays up to $1,470 a month to a qualifying veteran, $945 a month to a surviving spouse, or $1,743 a month to a couple to defray the expense of long-term care. "When I tell seniors and their families about this, their jaws usually drop, and they shout, 'Hot dang,' " said Molly Shomer, a geriatric-care manager in Dallas and author of Insider's Guide to Assisted Living . WHO CAN APPLY? To qualify, veterans must:
• Have served in wartime, though they didn't have to see combat.
• Have no more than $80,000 in assets, not counting the family home, car and personal possessions.
• Prove financial need, usually by demonstrating expenses exceed their income.
• Show they need someone to help them with basic activities of living, such as bathing, grooming or eating. The monthly benefit pays up to:
• $1,470 to a veteran.
• $945 to a surviving spouse.
• $1,743 to a couple.
SOURCE: Clark Financial Group To qualify, veterans must have served in wartime, show a financial need and prove they can't live by themselves. Even if a veteran has died, a surviving spouse who hasn't remarried can still apply for the benefit. Getting attention The aid-and-attendance benefit dates back decades, but advocates for older adults have taken note of it and begun to promote it only in the last couple of years to help seniors cope with high long-term care costs. Betty Gellert of Dallas learned about the veterans benefit early this year when she was looking for an assisted-living community for her 83-year-old mother, Byrdeen Goldsmith, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. The Monticello West retirement community in Dallas suggested that her mother apply, and it helped the family gather the necessary documents and complete the forms. Ms. Gellert's late father served in World War II. Mrs. Goldsmith now collects a $915 monthly benefit, which covers a quarter of her assisted-living costs. "It's been a godsend," Ms. Gellert said. "We're passing the word to others with parents who are veterans." For Frances Louanna Wade, who was in the Women's Army Corps during World War II, the $1,470 pension benefit allowed her to remain at the Dallas assisted-living community until she died last spring at 88. "Thanks to the pension, we were able to stretch her resources, and we didn't have to think about moving her into a Medicaid bed at a nursing home," said her daughter, Alanna Karel of Dallas. MILTON HINNANT/DMN Betty Gellert (left) learned about the veterans benefit early this year when she was looking for an assisted-living community for her 83-year-old mother, Byrdeen Goldsmith. Monticello West marketing director Gail Penry said she routinely asks prospective residents whether they're wartime veterans or spouses, so she can identify who might qualify for the federal entitlement. "They fought for this country," she said. "They have a right to this money." At-home care Frail seniors who require help with such basic activities as bathing, dressing, preparing meals and taking their medication are also using the veterans benefit to hire caregivers to come to their homes. "We're publicizing the benefit," said Jo Lambert, who owns three Comfort Keepers in-home care franchises in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. "Many seniors who are eligible for the help still don't know about it." Ms. Lambert said that less than 5 percent of her clients collect the benefit, but that she expects many more to apply when boomers who served during the Vietnam War begin requiring long-term care. The number of Vietnam-era veterans 65 and older is projected to increase sixfold, to 5.2 million, over the next decade, according to the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. Mr. Clark, the retirement planner, said seniors have three good reasons to sign up for the veterans pension benefit. First, they don't have to exhaust their assets, as they must do before getting help from Medicaid with nursing home costs, he said. A veteran may have up to $80,000, and a home, car and personal possessions aren't counted. Next, veterans can transfer assets, typically to their children, to reduce their net worth and qualify for the pension benefit, Mr. Clark said. Anyone applying for Medicaid faces strict limits on asset transfers. Finally, applicants usually can prove a financial need by showing their expenses exceed their income. That's a modest standard for people facing tens of thousands of dollars in long-term care costs each year, he said. Applying The biggest drawback to the benefit, according to seniors and their families, is the application process. "The government requires many documents, including military discharge papers and a physician's written evaluation, and you've got to do everything exactly as requested," said Michael Abcarian of Dallas. Mr. Abcarian recently applied for help for his 81-year-old mother, Raisa Abcarian. His late father was a World War II veteran. "I was lucky that my father was a meticulous record keeper," he said. "Otherwise, it could have gotten complicated." Applications generally take four to six months for the Department of Veterans Affairs to process, assuming a senior has submitted all the required forms and answered all the questions. John Cook, a Collin County veterans service officer, said some seniors are denied the aid-and-attendance assistance because they haven't shown they need help with activities such as bathing, dressing and fixing meals. "The physician's evaluation must confirm they can't live by themselves," he said. Once a pension benefit is approved, though, it's retroactive to when the senior applied. Many veterans and spouses turn to their county's veterans service office, the Texas Veterans Commission or a veterans service organization such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars for help with the paperwork. Dallas-based Telesis Co., which owns and operates eight senior-living properties in North Texas, hires a consulting firm to explain the benefit to residents and guide them through the process. "We try to make things easier for our families," special projects coordinator Kathy Peterson said. Missing out Still, the pension benefit for non-service-related disabilities remains underused, long-term care experts say. "We joke that it's a deep, dark military secret," Ms. Shomer said. As many as 2 million people may be missing out on the benefit, according to a 2004 study prepared for Veterans Affairs. Only one in four eligible veterans, and one in seven surviving spouses, are collecting a check, it said. "When people hear about veterans benefits, they usually think of veterans hospitals treating service-related injuries," Ms. Shomer said. "Many don't realize the benefits extend far beyond that." The geriatric-care manager expects that misconception to fade, as more families learn about the pension benefit from caregivers. "When the word spreads, the VA will be swamped," she said.

The purpose of the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission is to carry out a study of the benefits under the laws of the United States that are provided to compensate and assist veterans and their survivors for disabilities and deaths attributable to military service, and to produce a report on the study. The Commission is traveling around the country to various cities getting input. They may not hit your town, but if you have something you wish that they know, visit their website at http://www.vetscommission.org/index.htm There you will find out exactly the input, and the message format they need, and their e-mail address.