PDF Edition - Veterans Resources

RAO BULLETIN

1 September 2015

PDF Edition

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES

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Article

Subject

* DOD *

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05 == DoD/VA Seamless Transition [31] ------------- (Interoperability Myth) 06 == DEERS Missing SSN's -------- (IRS Could Fine 450,000 Households) 06 == SGLI/VGLI [13] ------------------ (Unseal Prudential's SGLI Records) 07 == DoD 2016 Budget [03] --------- (No Budget for Entire Year? Perhaps) 07 == DoD 2016 Budget [04] ------- (Washington Congressmen Predictions) 08 == Defense Health Agency [08] -- (Decreasing Military Personnel Costs) 09 == Pension Loans [01] ------- (CFPB Lawsuit | Deceptive Lending Scam) 10 == USO [04] ------------------------------------- (Purple Heart Image Usage) 11 == DFAS Email Scam -------------------------------- (SmartDoc Lookalike) 12 == POW/MIA [64] ---------------------- (A Shift for POW/MIA Recovery) 13 == POW/MIA [65] ----- (Korean/Cold War Annual Briefing | Aug 2015) 14 == POW/MIA Recoveries ----------------- (Reported 150816 thru 150830)

* VA *

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16 == VA Vet Choice Program [24] - (Alaska Vets Testify No Improvement) 16 == Traumatic Brain Injury [47] ------- (More Open Collaboration Needed) 18 == VA Claims Backlog [149] ------------ (First Time Ever Under 100,000) 20 == VA Employment [03] --------- (41,500 Vacant Medical Staff Positions) 21 == Blue Water Claims [31] ----- (Veterans Advocacy Hits VA "Betrayal") 22 == VA Communications [03] --------------- (Yammer Use Not Sanctioned) 23 == VA Claim Shredding [06] ----------------- (VARO Surprise Inspections) 24 == VA Claim Filing [07] -------------- (Reapply for Denied PTSD Claims) 24 == VA Opioid Therapy [01] ------ (Scale Back's Adverse Impact on Vets) 26 == GI Bill [193] ------------ (VA Failed to Police Problematic Institutions) 28 == VA HCS Central IA [01] --------------------- (`Coo-Coo Lane' Address)

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30 == VAMC Tomah [10] ----- (Hospital at Fault in Marine Veteran's Death) 31 == VAMC Tomah [11] -------------- (Suspending Psychiatric Admissions) 32 == VAMC Gainesville [01] ----------- (Maggot Therapy Trials Underway) 34 == VAMC Houston [01] ------ (New Dermatology Clinic | Psoriasis Care) 35 == VAMC Tampa FL [06] ------ (Federal Data Bank Validity Questioned) 36 == VARO Des Moines -------- (Freedom Rock Memorial Silhouette Issue) 37 == VARO St. Petersburg FL [01] ------ (OIG Report on Claim Processing) 38 == DVA Louisiana ---- (Vet Home Deficiencies Not Properly Dealt With) 39 == VA Fraud, Waste & Abuse ------------ (Reported 16 thru 31 Aug 2015)

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* VETS *

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41 == Homeless Vets [69] --- (Connecticut Ends Vet Chronic Homelessness) 42 == VFW Membership ------------------ (Auxiliary Opens to Male Spouses) 42 == Military Records/DD-214 [04] --------- (Reconstructing Lost Records) 43 == Vet Support | Government [02] ---- (Public 2015 Perception Negative) 43 == Agent Orange Okinawa [09] ------- (U.S. Continues to Deny Presence) 45 == Vet Service Dogs [17] ------------------------ (VA Access Rule Change) 46 == Belated Awards | Sulit~Robert -------------------- (Bronze Star | WWII) 47 == Merchant Marine WWII Compensation [07] -------- (Recognition Bill) 48 == MOH Awards [04] --- (Medal Sought for Pearl Harbor's Doris Miller) 50 == Korean War Veterans Memorial [02] ---------- (Wall of Remembrance) 51 == Veteran News 150817 -------- (Veterans Airlift Command Ripped Off) 51 == Veteran News 150818 ----- (Tuskegee Airman, 93, Ripped Off Twice) 51 == OBIT | Didlake~Emma | WWII ---------------------------- (16 Aug 2015) 52 == OBIT | Petersen~Frank E. | ROK/VN -------------------- (25 Aug 2015) 54 == Retiree Appreciation Days -------------------------- (As of 26 Aug 2015) 54 == Vet Hiring Fairs -------------------------------------- (1 thru 30 Sep 2015) 56 == WWII Vets 93 ------------------------------------ (Davis~Tommy Daniel) 56 == Vet State Benefits & Discounts --------------------------- (Oregon 2015)

* VET LEGISLATION *

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57 == GI Bill [194] ------------- (Some Vets Oppose GI Bill Business Grants) 57 == Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ---------- (150815 thru 150831)

* MILITARY *

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58 == USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN-69 ---------------------- (Ike is Back) 59 == Enlistment [16] -------------------- (Private Sector Dividends Disputed) 60 == Human Cost of War ------------------------------- (14 Year Compilation) 61 == Military Tattoo Criteria [03] -------------------- (USMC Policy Review) 63 == 75th Ranger Regiment -- (USA Premier Airborne Light Infantry Unit) 65 == Air Force RC-135V -------- (Loose Nut Accident Costs $62.4 Million) 65 == F-35 Joint Strike Fighter ---- (Most Expensive Weapons System Ever) 67 == Military Enlistment Standards 2015 [05] --------------- (Single Parents) 67 == Army Facts ----------------------------------------------- (Did you Know?) 68 == Military Knowledge ----- (Politicians Need Refresher Course/Update) 69 == Medal of Honor Citations ----------------------- (Hagen, Loren D. | VN)

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* MILITARY HISTORY *

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71 == Aviation Art ---------------------------------------- (Attack on the Tirpitz) 72 == Military Trivia 113 ----------------------- (Vietnam War Military Slang) 72 == Hitler Mementos --------- (U.S. Army Col. James Bradin's Collection) 75 == Military History --------------------------------------------- (Private Snafu) 76 == Military History Anniversaries --------------------------- (1 thru 15 Sep) 76 == D-Day ----------------------------- (Invasion Beach from the Air 6 JUN) 76 == Normandy Then & Now --------- (Bernieres-sur-Mer on June 6, 1944) 77 == WWII Prewar Events -- (German Soldiers Practice Shooting in 1935) 77 == WWII PostWar Events ------------------ (Northrop XB-35 Flight 1946) 78 == Spanish American War Images 75 --------- (San Juan Hill RR Rescue) 78 == WWI in Photos 132 ------------------------ (Candor, Oise, France 1917) 79 == Faces of WAR (WWII) ----------- (Pvt. Paul Oglesby Italy SEP 1943) 79 == Ghosts of Time -------------------- (Then & Now' Photos of WWII (03)

* HEALTH CARE *

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80 == PTSD [200] ----------- (No Medical Marijuana for Colorado Sufferers) 80 == PTSD [201] -------------------------------------------- (Poor Sleep Impact) 81 == TRICARE Pharmacy Policy [26] ---------- (Brand Name Medications) 81 == TRICARE Prime [34] ----------------- (Enrollment Fee Increase 1 Oct) 82 == Psoriasis [02] ----------------------- (Symptoms, Images, and Treatment) 83 == TRICARE Appeals ----- (Who Can/Cannot & What Can be Appealed) 84 == TRICARE Appeals [01] ------------------------ (Types & Filing Process) 86 == TRICARE Urgent/Emergency Care [02] ------------------ (What to Do) 86 == Tinnitus [01] -------- (Army Testing Hearing Loss Drug | D-Methione) 87 == Honey and Cinnamon --------------------------------- (Natures Medicine) 89 == TRICARE Help --------------------------------------------- (Q&A 150831)

* FINANCES *

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90 == Food Fraud ---------------------------------------------- (Mislabeled Meat) 91 == Cola 2016 [11] ------------------------------- (Prospects for 1 OCT Dim) 91 == Disaster Insurance ----------------- (Wildfires, Floods and Earthquakes) 94 == IRS Data Breach [03] ---------------------- (400,000 Americans at Risk) 94 == Relator Fees ----------------------------------------------------- (Why 6%?) 96 == Saving Money ------------------------------------- (Toolkit for Discounts) 97 == Rental Scam [01] ------------------------- (Online Rental | Real or Fake) 98 == Scam ~ IRS [06] ------------------------------------------ (Largest to Date) 98 == Contractor Scam ------------------------------------ (Home Improvement) 99 == Tax Burden for West Virginia Retired Vets --------- (As of Aug 2015) 101 == Tax Burden for Kentucky Residents ------------------ (As of Aug 2015) 103 == Thrift Savings Plan 2015 ---------- (Share Prices + YTD Gain or Loss)

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* GENERAL INTEREST *

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103 == Notes of Interest ------------------------------------ (15 thru 31 Aug 2015) 104 == Brain Teaser ---------------------------------------------- (Spiral or Circle?) 104 == RP~China Dispute [12] -------- (RP Troop Support on Disputed Shoal)

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106 == WWII Apology --------- (Japan | Not Repeated in Anniversary Speech) 107 == Earthquakes ------- (New Maps Reveal Higher Risks for Much of U.S) 109 == Secrets of the Secret Service -------------------- (About Our Presidents) 110 == Food Date Labeling [01] --------------------- (What you Need to Know) 113 == Cellphone Disposal -------------- (Reasons Not to Trash an Old Phone) 115 == Photo of the Day -------------------------------------------------- (Ice Grill) 115 == Photos That Say it All -------------------------------------------- (Together) 116 == WWII Ads ----------------------------------------- (Helmar Cigarette Kits) 116 == Most Creative Statues --------------------- (Grangemouth, UK | Kelpies) 117 == Interesting Inventions -------------------------- (Expandable Power Strip) 117 == Moments of US-History -------- (Mickey Mouse Club Meeting 1030's) 117 == Parking ------------- (Revenge Tactic #6 against Inconsiderate Parkers) 118 == Have You Heard? -------------------------------------- (Did You Know (2) 118 == Brain Teaser Answer ------------------------------------ (Spiral or Circle?)

Note: 1. The page number on which an article can be found is provided to the left of each article's title 2. Numbers contained within brackets [ ] indicate the number of articles written on the subject. To obtain previous articles send a request to raoemo@.

*ATTACHMENTS*

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Attachment - Veteran Legislation as of 31 Aug 2015 Attachment - Vietnam War Military Slang (PDF only) Attachment - Oregon Vet State Benefits & Discounts Aug 2015 Attachment - Military History Anniversaries 1 thru 15 Sep Attachment - Retiree Activity\Appreciation Days (RAD) Schedule as of Aug 26, 2015

TO READ and/or DOWNLOAD THE ABOVE ARTICLES, ATTACHMENTS, OR PAST BULLETINS Online REFER TO:

-- (PDF Edition w/ATTACHMENTS) -- (PDF & HTML Editions w/ATTACHMENTS) -- (PDF & HTML Editions in Word format) -- (HTML Edition) -- (PDF Edition w/ATTACHMENTS) -- (past Bulletins) -- (Index of Previous Articles as of 7/1/15)

* DoD *

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DoD/VA Seamless Transition Update 31 Interoperability Myth

For years, the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs struggled to integrate their electronic health records systems, spending upward of a billion dollars on an effort that was ultimately scrapped, raising red flags in Congress and among government watchdogs. At one point in 2014, VA attempted to convince the Pentagon to use its proprietary VistA records system as a replacement for DOD's aging legacy system, but that effort fizzled. Instead, the Pentagon bid out and awarded a massive contract valued at up to $9 billion to Leidos to upgrade its health records system. Much of the build-up during the bid time frame centered on the Pentagon's wish for interoperability between health systems.

Yet, Pentagon officials, briefing reporters 30 JUL before the Leidos award, contended that interoperability between VA and the Defense Department was actually far less of an issue than it was made out to be. "There is not a big interoperability problem with the VA and DOD today," Frank Kendall, DOD undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters. Kendall said it was a "misconception" DOD was buying commercial electronic health records software to solve interoperability. Chris Miller, program executive officer for DOD's healthcare management systems modernization, was even more adamant about the two departments' capability to share. DOD has continued its work on interoperability and standards with VA and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, he said.

Frank Kendall, DOD undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics

Miller added that interoperability was an important requirement in the Defense Healthcare Management System Modernization award given how often DOD shares health records with VA and private providers. DOD and VA each have close to 10 million beneficiaries, on par with the largest private sector providers. "I offer this to anybody," Miller said. "We share more information between DOD and VA than any two large health systems in the world. I can take any provider today, put them in front of a computer anywhere and I can pull up the entire longitudinal health record between [a DOD beneficiary] and a veteran. I've done this on the Hill, I've done this with a number of senior people in government because they don't believe me."

The myth that VA and DOD don't share information or is somehow impossible, he said, isn't true. "It is possible and we do this every day," Miller said. "The DOD and VA do more today in data sharing over a longitudinal way than any two health systems in the world." In fact, DOD and VA share over 1 million pieces of health IT-related information every day, Kendall said. In June, VA officials echoed similar statements publicly while promoting a new health management platform, with one official claiming DOD and VA had shared data "for a long time." [Source: | Frank Konkel | August 24, 2015 ++]

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