Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 12/10/2001

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
On behalf of the students and staff of Lake Seneca Elementary School, I wish to thank you for playing an important role in our Veteran's Day Program. Your presentation helped to make it more real for our students as they learn about our country and the need for persons like yourself to serve our country during time of peace and less settlings times.

Again thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with our students. Please feel free to stop by the school and spend additional time with our students.

Bill Lalik, Principal
Lake Seneca Elementary School
Germantown, MD

Dear Principal Lalik:
It was a very special occasion for me and special kudos to the students and teachers of your fine school. I was proud to have participated minimally in their special patriotic tribute to our nation's veterans on November. I wish that all readers of this column could have seen the Lake Seneca youngsters sing and sign the Star-Spangled Banner, fifty Nifty United States and God Bless America.

SHAFT KUDOS
A Shaft kudos to Dr. Ken Fulmer, President of the Armed Forces Veterans Homes Foundation (AFVHF) for launching a fund raising effort for the living military heroes who now reside in the 113 veterans homes in America.

For more than a century and a half, America's veterans homes have provided long term care for countless men and women who served their country in the military. Today the 111 state homes and two national retirement homes house nearly 21, 000 distinguished veterans who represent every branch of the service.

The state veterans and national retirement homes exist to help America's veterans through the difficult process of aging. Staffed with skilled professionals to handle the physical medical and emotional needs of the residents, these homes provide 24-hour total care at a reduced cost that is shared, in most states, by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, state government and resident fees.

"Unfortunate, as gaps in government funding widen, the numbers just aren't adding up," says James D. Staton, Chairman of the AFVHF. "Today, ten states provide little or not funding for their veterans homes, and we're finding that our nation's veterans are being forced to live with less than they should."

A recent survey of the state veterans homes conducted by the AFVHF found that a vast majority were lacking funds not only for resident computers, televisions, radios, activity supplies and outings, but for physical therapy equipment, patient lifts, wheelchairs, specialty beds and oxygen machines. In addition, after paying their monthly fee, more than one-third of the veterans have an average of $1.67 per day to spend on personal items like clothing and hygiene products. Some have as little as $1.17 per day.

The AFVHF is planning an aggressive fund raising campaign to raise $30 million over the next five years, $20 million of which will be used to create a permanent endowment and $10 million to be used to grant the homes' demonstrated needs that align with the Foundation's three funding objectives: Support of Life (medical equipment), Dignity of Life (basic individual needs) and Enjoyment of Life (entertainment and recreation).

In addition to completing a comprehensive survey on funding issues among the state veterans homes, the AFVHF has already obtained a "needs list" from each home, which specify items that exceed budget resources. Because the needs of the states -- and the homes within each state -- are vastly different, the AFVHF plans to work with each to determine the most critical shortfalls and target funds accordingly.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has designated the state veterans homes system as its primary provider of long term care services in the years ahead. One hundred new homes are slated to be built in the next 10 years, but even with such aggressive expansion, the demands for service will continue to far exceed the supply. Today, roughly 10 million veterans are aged 65 and over, about 39 percent of all the veterans in America, a proportion that will remain unchanged for the next 20 years. The number of veterans aged 85 and over will have increased by nearly 600 percent from 1990 to 2010 and will total almost two million in all.

For more information on the Armed Forces Veterans Homes Foundation, contact Dr. Fulmer at www.VetHomesFoundation.org.

The VA Alumni Association will hold its Annual Holiday Luncheon on Thursday, December 13 at the Pier 7 Restaurant. This event features great fellowship, and I was honored to be group's principal speaker at their luncheon last year.

Plans for future meetings include invitations to VA Secretary Anthony Principi and Georgia Senator Max Cleland, a close friend to many alumni because of his tenure as the VA Administrator. Information on the luncheon is available by calling Leon Sanchez at (703) 451-7529.

Congratulations and Semper Fi to David Hugel of Annandale, VA for his appointment by Virginia Governor Gilmore to serve a four year term on the Board of Veterans Affairs. The Virginia Board on Veteran's Affairs advises and makes recommendations to the Director and the Governor and studies all matters affecting the welfare of Virginia citizens who are veterans or dependents, or survivors of such veterans, and considers and recommends legislation for their behalf. Dave, a self-employed transportation law consultant, served as a Non-commissioned Officer-in-Charge (NCOIC) of a photo recon. lab and covered early Marine Corps operations in Vietnam during Operation SHUFLY in DaNang RVN (1963-64).

Shaft Kudos to the American Legion for its baseball program which has produced baseball legends and millionaires, Mark McGuire and Greg Maddox. Congratulations also to the American Legion for spearheading the drafting of the original GI Bill.

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.

BAVF Home | Who We Are | Sgt. Shaft | Flag Week | Links | Financials | Search | Contact BAVF

BAVF - P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900

Copyright BAVF 2001