Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 12/20/2004

Dear Sgt Shaft
Do you have a suggested POC at Walter Reed or Bethesda for persons or organizations interested in contributing to the needs of the wounded and injured being treated there, especially those med-evaced from Iraq and Afghanistan?

God Bless America,
Warm regards,
Dale H

Dear Dale
My nutty buddy Jim Mayer suggests you contact

Aster Black, American Red Cross Station Manager, (202) 782-6362. Also for your information

• The number ONE request at Walter Reed hospital is phone cards.
• The government doesn't pay long distance phone charges and these wounded soldiers are rationing their calls home.
• Many will be there throughout the holidays.
• Really support our troops --Send phone cards of any amount to:
• Medical Family Assistance Center Walter Reed Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20307-5001
• They say they need an "endless" supply of these -- any amount is greatly appreciated.
• Many of the discount warehouse stores such as Wal-Mart, Costco, BJ's Wholesale, etc. have good prices on phone cards.

Shaft Notes

The Sarge echoes the words of Congressman Chris Smith (NJ), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, in his praise of the departing VA Secretary Anthony Principi:

"Secretary Anthony Principi has been a highly effective and successful leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs. "Over the past four years Secretary Principi forged a true partnership between the Administration, Congress, and veterans across the country.

"He leaves behind him a legacy of improvement and reform that has set VA on a course to serve veterans more effectively and more compassionately in the future”.

And welcome aboard to VA Secretary Designee Jim Nicholson President Bush recently named Ambassador Nicholson as his nominee to replace outgoing Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi.

"Jim Nicholson is a patriot, a man of deep conviction, who has answered his country's call many times," Bush said of his nominee.

Nicholson has been ambassador to the Holy See in Vatican City since August 2001.

"Jim has worked with the Vatican to advance many vital foreign policy goals, including fighting poverty, hunger, AIDS, expanding religious liberty around the world and ending the brutal practice of human trafficking," Bush said.

Nicholson also is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee.

"For me, it is because of the opportunities that my country gave me as a cadet at West Point and as a soldier. These experiences have defined my life, shaped my abilities and my desire to serve," Nicholson said.

"Our military is the pride of our country; we can't pay them enough to do the things that we ask of them: the sacrifices, the separations, the heroics.

"They answer the call for one reason: Their country needs them. Our country depends on them and they have never, ever let us down. We must not let them down either."

His Educational background includes a : Bachelor's degree, United States Military Academy; master's degree in public policy, Columbia University; law degree, University of Denver.

He spent Eight years as a paratrooper and Army Ranger in Vietnam, earning Bronze Star Medal; 22 years in the Army Reserve, retiring with rank of full colonel.

Hopefully Representative Chris Smith and Senator Tim Johnson will reintroduce an Ambassador Nicholson will support H.R. 5250 and S 2903.

A few years ago, the Congress passed TRICARE for Life, a new program to guarantee lifelong health care for military retirees and their families. This legislation assured hundreds of thousands of military families free health care services sponsored entirely by the government. H.R. 5250 and S 2903 would extend the same kind of guarantee to the remainder of America's veterans, to assure their continued access to the VA health care system.

It should be noted that this legislation would neither take away the Secretary's power to manage the VA health care system nor to curtail the Secretary's control of enrollments in VA. And unlike TRICARE for Life, it would not extend benefits to family members of veterans.

We have a sacred obligation to ensure that our nation's veterans receive the honors and benefits that they have earned through their service to this nation.

In the past decade, more and more veterans have turned to the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical services particularly World War II and Korean War veterans. The demand for services, however, continues to outpace the supply of federal funding of VA health care. It is becoming increasingly clear that Congress needs to look at new methods and sources for veterans' health care funding, and to seek additional ways to match resources to the growing demand such as the amendment that was attached to the Department of Defense authorization bill that seeks to increase health care resources sharing between the DoD and VA health care systems. VA continues to struggle each year to provide all the funds needed for the tasks it faces in caring for millions of frail, elderly veterans.

I urge all members of Congress to actively support this vital legislation, which will guarantee adequate health care funding for our nation’s veterans.

Congratulations to good friend G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery. Anthony J. Principi and the former Representative recently cut the ribbon on a new conference hall bearing his name at VA headquarters.

Principi praised Montgomery as "a beloved, respected, dedicated and productive advocate for service members and veterans." Montgomery is the author of the post-Vietnam educational program that now bears his name - the Montgomery GI Bill.

A veteran of 28 years on Congress, 13 as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Montgomery was also a retired major general in the Mississippi National Guard.

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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