Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 08/11/2003

Dear Sarge,
I read with extreme interest the letter from Mrs. Mary B. I would like to tell her that the Retired Activities Office at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Va. Telephone 1-800-500 -4947; can handle all her and others needs as the spouse of a military retiree, regardless of his/her branch of service.

The Retired Activities Office, is housed in the Fleet and Family Support Center, of which we are a part, can provide Income Tax Preparation, Preparation of you and your spouses will(s) by a Navy Attorney, all, at no cost. They can also provide counseling or what ever you need, short of Medical Service. That is provided by the Branch Clinic's OUTSTANDING Medical staff. The Naval Surface Warfare Center at Dahlgren Va. is one of the Navy's best kept secrets, it is a small VERY important Facility that is more like a small, close knit community than a military installation. It houses a commissary and Exchange, Olympic sized pool, Golf course, wood shop, hobby center and pretty much anything you can think of. This Base welcomes the Military Retirees of the area including Southern Md.

In addition to all the services, we also host assorted seminars. On September 3, 2003, we will be hosting a seminar for Spouses of Military retirees. This will be geared to benefits associated with the death of a Retiree, Military burial, Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), and any thing that can impact

the life of the surviving spouse and how we can help them, before and after.

We will also be hosting a Seminar for Retirees and their spouses on November 6 2003. This seminar will require a reservation, Just use the 800 number above, Again, Sarge Every thing we do is free for the Retiree and his/her family. We take care of our own !!!

Sincerely:
BMCS Dick Scruggs, USN Ret.
Retired Activities Office
NSWC  Dahlgren,Va.

Dear Dick,
Thanks so much for this important information. Our retirees and their families are fortunate to have these services available to them. I urge other military facilities to follow your example by establishing a similar quality program for our military retirees and their families

Shaft Kudos
The Sarge commends Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) for joining the chorus of other members of congress by also voicing his concerns that the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) is struggling to handle the influx of veterans, and strongly urging his colleagues and VA to improve care for the veterans who are currently enrolled, while preparing for the wave of veterans scheduled to enroll in VA in the future. At a Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing, the senator said that it is imperative that Congress and VA take quick action to implement higher standards for veterans’ long-term care services. Rockefeller, the most senior Democrat on the veteran’s panel, also encouraged the committee to take a hands-on approach to the administration’s plans to realign the veterans’ health care system, by giving Congress a 60-day window to review any proposed changes to VA’s health care system.

Rockefeller, who offered legislation to extend long-term care in the Senate earlier this year and was included in the committee’s overall bill, expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the department is handling the long-term health care issue, saying, “Unless the provisions of current law are extended, veterans’ long-term care is in jeopardy. It is unacceptable that it took VA two years to issue a directive making long-term care options available to all enrolled veterans. Because VA dragged its feet taking action, there is little time to properly review the success of the program or to make appropriate adjustments. Our veterans must have options in long-term care services, and VA must provide them in an efficient and effective manner.”

“Today’s veterans, as well as all of the young men and women serving in Iraq, and on active duty around the world, remind us of why VA exists. They make extraordinary sacrifices for their country, and it is our duty to make sure they receive the health care and benefits they were promised,” Rockefeller said. “We have the opportunity before us to make vast improvements in long-term care, especially noninstitutional care, as well as in the way the VA health care system operates under the direction of the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) process.”

In addition to calling for improvements to long-term care legislation, Rockefeller cosponsored a bill that would give Congress more oversight of changes made to CARES, a process that looks at whether and how the VA health care system should be restructured to best serve veterans. Under the legislation, the CARES process would include a 60-day comment period for Congress to review proposed changes in VA’s health care system, before any action is taken.

“Because the CARES process is a long and detailed one, congressional input will only help make sure that all veterans, whether they are in West Virginia or Florida, continue to have the services and hospitals that they need,” the senator said.

The Sarge salutes The Office of Personnel Management for initiating the e-Scholar website (http://www.studentjobs.gov/e-Scholar.htm). e-Scholar is the Federal Government's first one-stop educational website that consolidates hundreds of Federally funded educational programs from scholarships to internships, not only here in the United States but around the world. It provides America access to $700 million dollars in educational funding and summer, spring, fall and winter job opportunities.

The site provides opportunities to individuals of all ages (approximately 16 and up). The site also provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities and every ethnic group. There's something for everyone on this site. Individuals just need to apply.

e-Scholar was launched on 28 March 2003 with $400 million dollars in educational funding and it has grown to $700 million dollars in just a few months time.

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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