Rao bulletin 15 April 2016 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles
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- VA Suicide Prevention Update 31 ► H.R.2915/S.2487 | Female Prevention
- Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ► 160401 thru 160415
- FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF VETERAN RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED H.R.4892
- FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF VETERAN RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED S.2767
- S.2772 : Vet Opioid Antagonists Copay Elimination.
- * Military *
- Military Tattoo Criteria Update 07 ► Air Force Policy Review
- GI Bill Update 203 ► VA Tuition Assistance “Top-up” Program
- Army Appearance Standards ► Beard, Hair, Turban Waivers
Underneath the concrete dome on Runit Island, which is part of Enewetak Atoll, lies an estimated 73,000 cubic meters of radioactive soil and debris generated during the Cold War testing of nuclear bombs in the South Pacific. The American government spent nearly $240 million and used about 4,000 men in the 1970s to build and fill the Cactus Crate
He said that he is in communication with 340 known surviving veterans from Enewetak Atoll, and of the 340, there is a 35 percent cancer rate. “We have many guys that have already died. We have lots more with a foot in the grave,” Laird said. “I’ve had three different forms of cancer, which is very, very rare. I was in good shape my whole life, then all of a sudden, it was like someone flipped the switch. That’s what radiation does.” Dean, another cancer survivor, said last year that it is past time for the veterans to get the designation and health care they need. “We’re all suffering the consequences,” he said. “Vets are dying with no mystery to it.” Although the VA could on its own grant what the Enewetak Atoll veterans are asking, so far the agency has not indicated there is a lot of interest in doing that. Last year, a VA spokesperson told the BDN that the agency does not have any data indicating veterans should be concerned over radiological safety and that radiation exposures were “as low as reasonably achievable.” Members of Maine’s congressional delegation reached on 30 MAR said that they believe the veterans should be helped. U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has signed onto the bill as a co-sponsor and will be added to the official list of co-sponsors when Congress goes back into session next month, according to Willy Ritch, her spokesman. On Wednesday, Ritch said it is impossible to predict the passage of legislation. “There are issues like this that should not be controversial and that can sometimes be attached to other bills that are going through,” he said. “A bill doesn’t always go through a regular legislative process. It could be added to something else … You just keep looking for chances to fix the policy. After having served and sacrificed, [these veterans] shouldn’t have to be fighting the VA.” U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin said on 30 MAR that he has made it a priority to help ensure that veterans are fully supported in every capacity. “In addition to sending a letter to the VA on this matter, Congressman Poliquin is examining all legislation to make sure our veterans are provided the support that they have earned and deserve,” the statement from his office read. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King issued a joint statement Wednesday, saying they planned to look closely at the proposed House legislation. “Our veterans have served our nation with honor and distinction, and if they suffer from illnesses resulting from their work in the line of duty, then they deserve support, resources and high quality health care from the VA,” they said in the statement. [Source: Bangor Daily News | Abigail Curtis | April 03, 2016 ++] ******************************** VA Suicide Prevention Update 31 ► H.R.2915/S.2487 | Female Prevention Proposed legislation would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop gender-specific suicide prevention programs. The “Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act” (H.R. 2915) directs the VA to identify mental health care and suicide prevention programs and metrics that are most effective in treating women veterans. The legislation, passed by the House of Representatives in early February, was in response to an increase in suicide in female veterans detailed in a recent VA study. Researchers tracked more than 174,000 veteran and non-veteran suicides from 2000 to 2010 and found that the rate of suicide among female veterans increased 40 percent during that time period. Women account for 10 percent of the veteran population and are the fastest growing subpopulation of veterans treated by the VA, according to information released from the office of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Blumenthal co-sponsored the Senate version of the legislation (S.2487), which has been referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs. “With suicide among women veterans happening at an alarming rate, this bill will help save lives by ensuring VA is providing the care, counseling and outreach these veterans need,” Blumenthal said. Heather O’Beirne Kelly, Ph.D., lead psychologist for military and veterans policy, senior legislative and federal affairs officer, for the American Psychological Association, said the APA supports the Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act. “H.R. 2915 directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to specifically identify and evaluate mental health care and suicide prevention programs that meet the critical needs of women veterans and to include women as a focus in relevant research programs,” Kelly said. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, signed into law in 2015, required an “independent third party” to evaluate the VA’s mental healthcare and suicide prevention programs. This new legislation would amend that law to also require “specific metrics applicable to women and to identify the VA mental health care and suicide prevention programs that are most effective and have the highest patient satisfaction rates among women veterans.” Kelly said the VA has a very active portfolio of research and programming to identify and address the particular needs of women veterans, if and when they are different than the needs of male veterans. “In some areas this is an obvious issue, like when female veterans have gynecological needs or are pregnant, for example,” Kelly said. “In terms of suicide, female veterans accessing care at the VA have shown an increasing and disturbingly higher rate when compared to women in similar but ‘civilian’ cohorts. Women veterans die by suicide at almost six times the rate of other women and women veterans are five times more likely to die by suicide than male veterans,” Kelly said. Kelly said the APA also supports the second aspect of the legislation, which mandates that veterans who served in classified missions while on active duty be offered comprehensive mental health treatment within the VA that is sensitive to those veterans’ ongoing security needs. Parents of a young veteran advocated for this measure after their son was assigned to group therapy at the VA and expressed concerns about the possibility of inadvertently sharing classified information in that setting while in the presence of those without appropriate clearances, Kelly said. That veteran ultimately died by suicide and his parents worked to have language added in this bill ensuring that veterans who participated in classified missions could “access mental health care in a manner that fully accommodates their obligation to not improperly disclose classified information,” Kelly said. “Should the Senate bill pass and then be conferenced with the House bill and signed into law by the President, the VA would be required to find alternative methods of mental health treatment for this group of veterans that meets their security needs,” Kelly said. [Source: New England Psychologis| Pamela Berard | April 1, 2016 ++] ******************************** Vet Bills Submitted to 114th Congress ► 160401 thru 160415 Refer to this Bulletin’s “House & Senate Veteran Legislation” attachment for a listing of Congressional bills of interest to the veteran community introduced in the 114th Congress. The list contains the bill’s number and name, what it is intended to do, it’s sponsor, any related bills, and the committees it has been assigned to. Support of these bills through cosponsorship by other legislators is critical if they are ever going to move through the legislative process for a floor vote to become law. A good indication of that likelihood is the number of cosponsors who have signed onto the bill. Any number of members may cosponsor a bill in the House or Senate. At https://beta.congress.gov you can review a copy of each bill’s content, determine its current status, the committee it has been assigned to, and if your legislator is a sponsor or cosponsor of it by entering the bill number in the site’s search engine. To determine what bills, amendments your representative/senator has sponsored, cosponsored, or dropped sponsorship on go to: https://beta.congress.gov/search?q=%7B%22source%22%3A%5B%22legislation%22%5D%7D, Select the ‘Sponsor’ tab, and click on your congress person’s name. You can also go to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php. Grassroots lobbying is the most effective way to let your Congressional representatives know your wants and dislikes. If you are not sure who is your Congressman go to https://beta.congress.gov/members. Members of Congress are receptive and open to suggestions from their constituents. The key to increasing cosponsorship support on veteran related bills and subsequent passage into law is letting legislators know of veteran’s feelings on issues. You can reach their Washington office via the Capital Operator direct at (866) 272-6622, (800) 828-0498, or (866) 340-9281 to express your views. Otherwise, you can locate their phone number, mailing address, or email/website to communicate with a message or letter of your own making at either:
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF VETERAN RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED
FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF VETERAN RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE SINCE THE LAST BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED
[Source: https://beta.congress.gov & http: //www.govtrack.us/congress/bills April 13, 2016 ++] * Military * 
Military Tattoo Criteria Update 06 ► Navy Easing Policy The Navy is easing its tattoo policy in a bid to recruit and retain more sailors from the millennial generation, of whom more than 1 in 3 sport body art. Sailors will be allowed to have neck tattoos, sleeves and even markings behind their ears under the new policy, the most lenient of any military service. Only their heads are off limits under the new policy, which the Navy's top sailor has called a reality check on the permanent art favored by sailors. “We just got to the point where we realized we needed to be honest with ourselves and put something in place that was going to reflect the realities of our country and the needs of our Navy,” Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (AW/NAC) Mike Stevens said in a March 30 interview. “We need to make sure that we’re not missing any opportunities to recruit and retain the best and the brightest because of our policies.” The new rules, announced 1 MAR and taking effect April 30, will allow sailors to:
The rules do not change the Navy’s content guidelines that apply to body art “anywhere on the body,” the policy says. The service reiterated these in the updated policy, banning “tattoos that are obscene, sexually explicit, and or advocate discrimination based on sex, race, religion, ethnicity, or national origin." “In addition, tattoos that symbolize affiliation with gangs, supremacist or extremist groups, or advocate illegal drug use are prohibited — waivers will not be given for tattoos with prohibited content,” the service said. The updated tattoo policy does not apply to Marines, even ones serving at Navy commands, according to a spokesman for Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller. The Marines are easing their tattoo rules but do not allow sleeves, which would be visible with short-sleeved uniforms like PT uniforms. Marines' new tattoo policy will be more flexible, but won't allow sleeves In 2015, the Army updated its rules to allow sleeve tattoos, but it does not permit soldiers to have ink on their necks or hands, which would be visible in the Army Service Uniform. Sailors tattoos must be documented in the administrative remarks section of their service record. Sailors found to have tattoos with prohibited content could face disciplinary action and even involuntary discharge. It’s left up to commanding officers to decide what crosses the line. Typically, sailors are allowed to have tattoos removed or modified to eliminate any banned content before they are disciplined. Beyond what’s stated in the policy, don’t expect a laundry list of do's and don'ts. “There are just so many variables when you look at tattoo language and tattoo art that it’s just not reasonable to try and identify a set list of what is and what isn’t acceptable,” Stevens said. “This is one of those areas where we trust this senior leadership, our triads, to be able to look at something in its context, using the chain of command and having discussions amongst themselves as to whether something is appropriate or not.” 
Tattoos are popular with sailors, especially millennials. New rules will allow more inked sailors to compete for career-enhancing jobs like recruiting duty. Here, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class James Fisher participates in a cable reweaving in the engine room of carrier Abraham Stevens said the changes came from sailors' feedback, with many complaining that their body art unfairly barred them from jobs like recruit division commanders that can help them get advanced. Stevens said he believes that society is more accepting of tattoos, with some estimates that as much as nearly half of the demographic the military recruits from has tattoos. "This isn’t official, but in my research, I saw estimates that the percentage of people with tattoos in the 18 to 25 age group as being between 37 and 40 percent," he said. That's not an insignificant number." That age group encompasses the majority of sailors in the fleet, Stevens said, and made the Navy's leadership realize a policy change was needed from the tougher rules enacted 13 years ago. "It’s a tough recruiting environment out there already and when you start putting up barriers that don’t have any true rationale behind them, you create problems for yourself into the future," he said. "We’ve met [recruiting] goal for 105 straight months and our recruiting is strong, but you never want to get behind." MCPON, who is wrapping up a 33-year career that is longer than most millennials' lives, would “neither confirm nor deny” when asked whether he has any tattoos. [Source: Navy Times | Mark Faram | March 31, 2016 ++] ******************************** Military Tattoo Criteria Update 07 ► Air Force Policy Review Like its sister services, the Air Force is getting in line to update its tattoo policy in the next few months. "The Air Force has recently formed a working group to review the tattoo policy," Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Brooke Brzozowske told Air Force Times on 5 APR. "Depending on the working group's findings, we anticipate any policy change proposals to be ready for Air Force leadership consideration in the fall of 2016." Brzozowske did not say specifically what senior leadership is looking to change, but that its been in discussion for some time. The news comes just a week after the Navy overhauled its tattoo policy, allowing sailors to sport neck tattoos, sleeves and even markings behind their ears, the most lenient policy of any military service. And airmen, like sailors, may be able to cheer on new reforms if the outcome is favorable.   
The Air Force hasn't updated its policy on tattoos since 2010, when there was a change to how the chain of command could determine, or even measure, a tattoo to be "excessive." If airmen have excessive tattoos — anything defined as covering 25 percent of an exposed body part or readily visible when wearing any uniform other than PT gear — they need to fill out a form for their commander to document that an excessive tattoo has been waived and the individual has been authorized to cover the tattoo with his or her uniform. The form remains on an airman's service record until the he or she leaves the Air Force or the tattoo is removed, Brzozowske said. Other restrictions apply: any visible tattoos or markings above the collarbone, such as the neck, head, face, tongue, lips, and/or scalp, are prohibited. Unauthorized tattoos need to be removed. At the commander's discretion, they could be removed through various sessions in a Defense Department medical treatment facility. Airmen cannot tattoo themselves with symbols linked to hate groups, Brzozowske said. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations generates a list of what constitutes intolerable markings. "If presented with a request from Air Force officials, AFOSI would research the symbol to determine if it has been reported to law enforcement in the past as associated with hate groups," Brzozowske said. Local and federal law enforcement, such as the Justice Department, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, play a part in determining such symbols, she said. Input from soldiers prompted the Army to update its tattoo policy last April. Under the new rules, tattoo sleeves, which typically cover the arm from shoulder to wrist, are once again authorized as long as they don't extend past the wrist, Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey told Army Times. "As long as it's not visible in the Army uniform … that's the spirit of what we went after," he said. [Source: Air Force Times | Oriana Pawlyk | April 05, 2016 ++] ******************************** GI Bill Update 203 ► VA Tuition Assistance “Top-up” Program The Department of Veterans Affairs offers tuition assistance to service members called the Tuition Assistance “Top-up” Program. This type of aid, which can be used to finish a degree, pays for whatever portion of a college course’s tuition and fees that are not covered by other forms of financial aid. If the total expense of the courses is more than the tuition assistance offered, then the VA covers the difference, and subtracts that money from a student’s remaining GI Bill benefits. In order to be eligible, you must be a GI Bill participant, still on active duty, and must have served at least two full years. The top-up program is only available for recipients of the Montgomery GI Bill or Post-9/11 GI Bill programs. The way it works is that if a three-month course costs a certain amount and a service member gets approved for half the cost in tuition assistance, top-up will cover the other half, but subtract the three months out of the top-up program’s 36 months of offered payments. Top-up aid stipulations vary by GI Bill program as well, however. With the Montgomery GI Bill, your entitlement is charged based on the dollar amount of benefits VA pays you. When using top-up, you are charged one month of entitlement for each payment you receive that is equal to one month at the full-time rate. If you utilize the Post-9/11 GI Bill, then the entitlement is charged based on the training time during which you are enrolled. Service members attending classes on a part-time basis will be charged for that portion of time in accordance with Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for each month, regardless of the money paid. It’s more about the time enrolled than the funds used. Top-up benefits are best used by service members that plan to use tuition assistance to complete a degree program while on active duty and don’t necessarily plan to continue education post-service. Service member that decide to use the top-up benefit will have his or her regular GI Bill benefits reduced. Those interested in applying are required to file Form 22-1990 to establish eligibility. [Source: Task & Purpose | Arah Sicard | April 4, 2016 ++] ******************************** Army Appearance Standards ► Beard, Hair, Turban Waivers An Army officer who filed suit against the service and the Defense Department to maintain articles of his Sikh faith while in uniform received a waiver to Army appearance standards that will allow him to keep his beard, long hair and turban. Capt. Simratpal Singh requested such an exception in October. After months without an answer, and after he was asked by the Army to participate in what his legal team called "unprecedented, prejudiced testing" regarding the fit of his helmet and gas mask, he sued DoD, the Army and several top defense officials in search of a permanent waiver. In early March, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Columbia ordered the Army not to undertake the gear tests. 
According to the 30 MAR memo ordering the exception, a copy of which was provided to Army Times on 1 APR by Singh's representatives, the officer:
It will be reviewed by Singh's command on a quarterly basis and after a year, or possibly sooner, by the Army's assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs. The court case remains active, according to a Sikh Coalition spokesman. As part of the initial compliant, Singh's legal team requested the judge order the Army to pay Singh's legal fees and award "nominal damages," while ruling on the constitutionality of the Army's actions toward Singh on religious discrimination grounds. [Source: Army Times | Kevin Lilley | April 1, 2016 ++] ******************************** Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2016 2016 -> 2017 afoCo Landmark Scholarship Program 2016 -> Instructions for the Preparation of Camera-Ready Contributions to the Conference Proceedings 2016 -> Step student Scholarships for Year 10-13 2016 -> The united church of canada 2016 -> Idan raichel biography – May 2016 Brief Producer, keyboardist, Lyricist, composer and Performer Idan Raichel 2016 -> An introduction to centre’s interventions expanding access to justice 2016 -> Sanchar Shakti 2016 -> Unit analysis should help here. We want number of bananas 2016 -> The Autobiography of Elder Joseph Bates 2016 -> The Great Heat and the Rhode Island Deep Water Bay Scallop (Argopecten irradians) Fishery 1875-1905 Download 0.88 Mb. Share with your friends:
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