Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 02/19/2001

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Is it possible that our blinded veterans are being given the royal shaft? The blinded veterans representing 14 Midwestern states served by the Central Blind Rehabilitation Center (BRC) at Hines V.A. Hospital are extremely disappointed that for over ten years the Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to build an urgently needed replacement facility. The present 72-year-old physical plant does not meet the current program needs, lacks space for new services and does not even meet the rudimentary ADA or CARF accreditation standards. In spite of creating three VA committees to address this issue, the VA has not performed in good faith. It has now turned it over to a new Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services Project Team (CARES) to study the obvious. We hope that the CARES will better serve the blinded veterans and will afford them with a thoughtfully planned facility dedicated to the special and unique needs of blinded veterans. The Hines Blind Center has provided exemplary service to our blinded veterans for 52 consecutive years. The center is the "grand-daddy" of the VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers and has earned world renowned status. It influenced the creation of similar programs in countries such as England, France, New Zealand, Australia, and Poland. We hope the CARES committee consults the experts in the field of blind rehabilitation and, particularly, those veterans who accrued positive benefits directly from the program. For 10 years too long, the Blind Center has been held hostage to Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 12 and the local VA network management, which lacked the initiative and resolve in seeking funding from Congress.

A more efficacious and efficient way to resolve the needs of blinded veterans would be to delegate the problem solving matters to the experts in Blind Rehabilitation Service in VACO in Washington, D.C. They have the expertise to resolve matters concerning the needs of blind rehabilitation. About 20 years ago, the need for a future replacement facility for blinded veterans at Hines Hospital was becoming demonstrably apparent. In spite of this obvious need, for the last 10 years we have continually heard from Congress that it would allow a replacement facility for this world renowned program. Something has gone seriously amiss for more than a decade. The current VISN 12 director, Dr. Joan Cummings, was unable to overcome the resistance by the Military Order of the Purple Heart that prevented the Blind Center from being relocated to a most inappropriate site in the 1990s. After being unsuccessful in advancing with her ill-advised plans of relocating this BRC, she has done little to remedy the bona fide problems to provide the blinded veterans with a viable facility. Recently, she has proposed another equally inept plan, combining the Blind Rehab Center with Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injured programs into one multi-purpose structure. Dr. Cummings continually chooses to delay any action and resorts to her own ideas that, in the past, have been discredited by professionals and have failed.

Stephen M., Blinded Vet
Illinois

Dear Stephen:
Veterans service organizations are supporting the recent appointment of Anthony Principi as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, noting his commitment to Special Disabilities Programs such as blind and spinal cord injury programs. Principi, a 1967 U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was awarded a Bronze Star for valor, among other decorations, for his Vietnam War service. In 1989 he became the first deputy secretary of the VA, and in 1992 was named acting secretary of the department. He also has been chief counsel and staff director of the U.S. Senate's Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs Committees. Most recently he chaired the Congressional Commission on Military Service members and Veterans Transition Assistance.

As you know, Stephen, the Sarge is not only concerned about the Hines Blind Rehab program, but also the diminished VA services to our blinded veterans nationwide. I am very dismayed by the words on the street that the first President George W. Bush administration VA budget pass-back is a disaster for all veterans programs. Rumor also has it that the much-needed Washington VA Medical Center project proposal to construct a 75,000 square foot one-story primary care addition to the existing VA Medical Center, now being considered in the VA's FY 2002 budget, has been disgracefully put in File 13. Many veterans, who overwhelmingly supported the election of our new president, will be scratching their heads as they see funding for veterans programs decrease as President Bush extends the olive branch to those who supported his opponent by increasing funding for their initiatives.

Shaft Kudos
The Sarge salutes the American Legion and Stars & Stripes Omnimedia Inc. for its hosting of the Desert Storm 10th Anniversary "Reunion and Unity" commemoration at 2:00 p.m. on March 10, during the Legion's Washington conference at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue, N.W. The Kuwait Embassy will host a reception afterward. Guest speakers include Kuwait Ambassador H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah; Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Health Dr. Frances Murphy; Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, chief of staff for the Department of Defense Gulf War Office; retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Horner, chief of air operations during the war; and Army Lt. Col. Dr. Chuck Engel, chief of the Gulf War Health Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Participants will reflect on the international impact of the war and pay tribute to the men and women who fought it. Adequate health care and benefits for sick Gulf War veterans will be an underlying theme of the reunion. For more information, contact Steve Smithson at The American Legion's Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division, (202) 861-2700.

The Sarge is looking forward to joining other invited guests at the Paralyzed Veterans of America's reception for the 1st Session of the 107th Congress, on March 6 in Room 345 of the Cannon House Office Building.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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