Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 06/10/2002

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I am a Viet Nam vet who developed prostate cancer. My surgery was performed in early May and my doctor has determined that, given the nature of my cancer at the time, I will have to go through radiation treatment in six months. I understand that my disability lasts at least six months after treatment (the surgery). Will there be another six-month disability period following the radiation therapy?

Jim D.
Via the Internet

Dear Jim:
Prostate cancer is rated at 100% during the course of radiation or chemotherapy. A follow-up exam would be scheduled six months after the final chemotherapy or radiation. If there has been no local recurrence or metastasis, the percentage of disability would then be based on residuals such as voiding or renal dysfunction. The 100% disability would be continued if regular renal dialysis were required. Voiding dysfunction is evaluated on criteria such as urine leakage frequency or obstructed voiding. Urinary incontinence is one of the conditions that would be evaluated as 60% disabling. Urinary dysfunction requiring the wearing of absorbent pads that must be changed two to four times a day would warrant a 40% evaluation.

Shaft Kudos
The Sarge is looking forward to joining the Blinded American Veterans Foundation and their guests at the 17th annual congressional awards reception on June 13, 2002, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building. The annual event, held in conjunction with the Foundation's Flag Week observance, honors members of Congress, the media and volunteers.

The recipients of the 2002 George "Buck" Gillispie Congressional Award for Meritorious Service are U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Representative Michael Bilirakis (R-FL). The award is named in honor of the late Mr. George Gillispie, a blinded World War II veteran who devoted more than 40 years toward efforts to aid rehabilitation of visually impaired veterans.

The Carlton Sherwood Media Award, named in honor of the Pulitzer and Peabody Award-winning journalist and highly decorated U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, will be presented to Na Eng, formerly with NBC Nightly News, and Washington Post “Federal Diary” columnist Stephen Barr.

This year's recipients of the George Alexander Memorial Award for Volunteer Service are David Nassef, Vice President - Federal Relations, with Pitney Bowes, Inc., and Ron Zola, Executive Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania. The Foundation's Corporate Volunteer Award will be presented to En-Vision America, an assistive technology corporation serving blind, visually impaired and low vision persons.

A joint Color Guard will set the stage for the awards ceremony and the Marine Corps Brass Quintet will entertain guests with a medley of patriotic music.

The congressional reception precedes the BAVF Flag Week picnic on Saturday, June 15, in Silver Spring. Flags that have been flown over the U.S. Capitol will be presented to many guests. As usual, the gregarious Chef Lakis, who can usually be found at his cart at the corner of 18th and K Streets, N.W., will be preparing his famous hot dogs. Picnickers will be serenaded by the Aloha Boys and the sounds of Hawaiian music, plus the sounds of "oldies but goodies."

The Sarge is also looking forward to joining the members of Maryland American Legion Post 126 at their annual Flag Day Disposal Ceremony on Flag Day, June 14, 2002. The Sarge is honored to serve as guest speaker at ceremonies that start at 6:45 p.m. with a procession of 27 American flags, representing all of the flags of our Country, past to present. All flags will be presented by the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club. A Color Guard and a parade of flags follow the presentation, and the Pledge of Allegiance will be re recited at 7:00 p.m. This is the largest Flag Day Disposal Ceremony in the State of Maryland, and very possibly one of the largest in the United States. This year the Legion plans to retire approximately 150 unserviceable flags received from police departments, fire departments, schools, churches, car dealers, The American Legion, The VFW, The Moose, The Elks, The National Archives in Washington, D.C., and other organizations. These flags have flown in memorial services, parades, ball games, and wars. Most of the flags to be retired have been flown from flagpoles in peoples’ yards. Regardless of where these flags have been, they have served with honor and they will be retired with honor. Over the past 20 years the Post has retired more than 3,000 unserviceable American flags. The service, held on Flag Day, usually draws more than 200 people from veterans groups and different organizations. Keynote speakers in the last several years have included Past National Commanders of The American Legion, Legion National Vice Commander, National President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Editor of the American Legion Magazine, chairman of the National Americanism Foundation, director of the American Legion at Washington, D.C. office, International President of the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Legion. State and District Commanders, and other outstanding speakers. Maryland Post 126 is located at 1725 Berry Lane, Forestville, MD. For more information about American Legion Maryland Post 126, contact Donald S. Williams, Flag Day Chairman and Past Post Commander, at 301-350-1222.

Shaft Shot
A Shaft shot at the OMB, affectionately known as the “Old Meany Bureaucracy,” for stalling HUD Secretary Martinez ‘s rightful decision to eliminate the counting of Disabled Veterans Compensation as income for access to HUD's low-income senior assisted housing programs. I find it despicable that the Old Meany mini-bureaucracy is continuing the unfair Clinton/Cuomo policy toward disabled veterans by administering the means-test. The meany-test is a far cry from the Bush concept of compassionate conservatism. I urge President Bush and the 107th Congress to promptly eliminate HUD's inclusion of VA compensation as income determining eligibility for HUD housing programs.

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 2002