Post-9/11 GI Bill Changes And What They Mean For Your Family

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1 VETERAN TALON Post-9/11 GI Bill Changes And What They Mean For Your Family In case you have missed the current storm brewing over veteran benefits, let s bring you up to speed. The House of Representatives voted in February to be allowed to adjust some of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits that are able to be transferred to the children of service members. This month, the Senate is due to vote on the issue and if it passes, it s off to the president for the final approval. The proposed changes could extend the service requirement for military members wishing to transfer their benefits to their children, as well as change the BAH allotment. Currently a service member has to be at six years of active service with an additional signed, four-year commitment in order to transfer their benefits to their dependent. Under the new rules members would have to serve at least 10 years of active service with an additional two-year commitment added in order to transfer their benefits. In other words, it s a two-year extension of service for members. As for the BAH part of the GI Bill, currently anyone except the spouses of active duty service members receive E-5 BAH for the area of the college when they are enrolled full time in a traditional college setting. If the student (veteran or dependent) is enrolled in a fully online college program, they receive half the national average of E-5 BAH. And those enrolled in a combination of traditional college and online will receive a percentage of the E-5 BAH that is determined by the individual school policy. The new GI Bill policy would cut the BAH benefits for the children in half. The proposed changes have drawn sharp criticism from veteran support organizations like Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a non-profit advocacy group which focuses on issues pertaining to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. IAVA calls the proposed changes a very dangerous precedent and equates the cuts to the GI Bill as the beginning of the House and Senate slowly whittling away at one of the most important benefits for new veterans. One common criticism appearing in conversations on the Internet is that benefits are once again being pulled from veterans with no thought. Critics of the changes also say that allowing the government to pull even half of the BAH from the children of service members opens the door for utilizing the GI Bill benefits as a bank account to make withdrawals from any time one can t find the money for other needs. But the way the changes are currently being proposed affects a far smaller percentage of the military community than some news outlets would make it seem. Veteran benefits are not actually being changed. Any veteran who is choosing to utilize their benefits for their own personal education will still be given the same tuition coverage based on the same amount of time in service as the current plan. Even under the new rules, I would transfer benefits to my son, one active duty sailor told Victory Media. He is currently in his third year of college and thanks to the GI Bill he will be able to graduate without school debt that the majority of the students have these days. Donald Yurko Jr., a retired veteran with 26 years in the Navy, doesn t understand why the children of veterans should expect not just to get a free education but BAH as well. If they want those benefits, they are welcome to enlist themselves and earn those benefits that the service members earn, Yurko Jr. said. Navy Career Counselor Cesar Cristobal said he doesn t have a strong stance about the changes being proposed. Cristobal is passionate about explaining to members that if they have the opportunity to transfer a portion of their benefits, they should take advantage of the chance for two reasons. One, if members pass away before they transfer benefits then the dependents are not eligible to utilize them, Cristobal said. And two, if they transfer even just the minimum percentage now then they will be grandfathered into any new regulations that may come into play. VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 SPRING 2016 April MAY 3 - American Legion District Meeting - UC Veterans Council Mtg - Evansville Coliseum 11:00 a.m Women Veteran Conference (See Last 8 - Mother s Day Page) 20 - Hire a Hoosier Veteran (See Last Page) 17 - Tri-State Women s Veterans Meeting (See Back) SVA Mid-West Conference - See Below 19 - Combat to Careers - (See Back) 30 - West Kentucky Women Veteran Conf 21 - Armed Forces Day Veteran, Military & Family Resource Center - Student Veteran Association - American Legion Post University Boulevard, Education Center 0114, Evansville, Indiana 47712

2 Mr. Joel Matherly, Manager (812) Mrs. Debra Mabern, Associate (812) Did You Know? TEXAS v. JOHNSON, 1989 Johnson burned a flag in front of a Dallas building in He was convicted of violating Texas Law that made it a crime to intentionally desecrate a state or national flag. From the Desk: American Legion Post 324 & Student Veterans Association - Mr. Pete Snowden or rpsnowden@eagles.usi.edu At the beginning of this month, we hosted the American Legion District 8 meeting. This meeting was a huge success due in part to the teamwork displayed by our American Legion Post and members. Needless to say, the district was blown away by the efforts of our post. To that, I say thank you for all of our members that participated. On the front page, there is an article of the proposed changes to the GI Bill Chapter 33 program. It is no surprise that these veteran benefits are coming under constant Old National Bank will once again host the Combat to Career workshop which is a great way for veterans to either receive free advice on resume and interviewing skills or possibly be offered a careeer in the banking industry. The following is an excerpt from the ONB career page: Your military service has made you a leader, disciplined team member, and a strategic thinker. At Old National, we recognize and value your strengths which make you an outstanding addition to our family of associates. On May 19, 2016 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM CST Old National Bank will be conducting a Combat to Career workshop at the corporate headquarters located at 1 Main Street in Evansville, IN. We would like to invite all military personnel, both individuals who currently serve in the United States Military, as well as Veterans to the Combat to Career Workshop. If you have an interest in the financial industry, Combat to Career will give you the opportunity to learn about Retail/ Commercial Banking, Risk Management, Marketing, Insurance, and much more. review from our elected officials that seek to trim the budget. It is organizations such as the American Legion and the Student Veteran Association that work to block these types of initiatives. But we can only fight as long as we have membership. These legislatures are counting on our declining memberships to pass bills that will take from our veterans and their families. They are counting on the younger generation of veteran to not get involved. You have the opportunity to prove them wrong by coming to see me and utilizing your voice to these changes. From the Desk: ESGR On-Campus Employment Coordinator - Mr. Bryan Russelburg or bsrusselbu@usi.edu Departmental tours, mock interviews, resume reviewing, and great networking opportunities will be available. If you are interested in joining us for this exciting opportunity, please click on the Apply On-Line above or below. Be sure to include a cover letter telling us what you hope to achieve by participating in this workshop. If you have any problems or questions, please contact Keith Loving at Keith. Loving@oldnational.com. Old National is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, and status as a qualified individual with disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic protected by law.

3 Gov. Pence Signs 13 Bills Aiding Military Servicemembers, Veterans - Mr. Brandon Smit, WFYU Indianapolis, Public Affairs INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Mike Pence Tuesday signed more than a dozen bills he says will expand benefits and opportunities for Indiana s military servicemembers and veterans. Retired Maj. Gen. Martin Umbarger was one of more than two dozen people gathered around the governor as he signed 13 bills into law. Umbarger, who led the Indiana National Guard for 11 years, says he s particularly pleased with one that expands the Military Family Relief Fund. That program was originally created to help post-9/11 veterans pay food, housing, utility, transportation and medical bills. Umbarger says the legislation extends that help to all veterans. It isn t a fund that s set to sustain you if you re unemployed or things it s just EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - One of Evansville s newest restaurant s, Mission BBQ, has launched its newest series of American Hero Cups. Mission has partnered with the United S e r v i c e Organization at most of its locations. They are raising money to support several of their favorite charities. Retired Maj. Gen. Martin Umbarger, former head of the Indiana National Guard, inroduces Gov. Mike Pence during a bill signing ceremony Tuesday. American hero cups raise money for charities - Krista McEnany, Reporter/Meteorologist, WFIE When customers buy a Black American Hero Cup, $2 from the purchase will be donated to the charities that Mission believes truly care for America s Heroes to give you a shot in the arm, if you will, to kind of help you through whatever adversity that have, Umbarger said. Another bill eliminates the maximum age requirement for veterans seeking to join police or fire departments. Pence says the legislation would not apply the current limit of 36 years old to those who ve served in the military. If you ve worn a uniform of the armed forces, we want to see more and more of you wearing a uniform back here at home, Pence said. Other bills include a measure to expand Medicaid to active-duty National Guard members and legislation to expand property tax deductions for disabled vets. and their families. The donations from these cups will help those who need it most from all branches of the military. Mission BBQ s G e n e r a l Manager, Chuck Eaton said, a lot of businesses are all about themselves and we want to give back to our local communities. We want to be a part of something greater than ourselves. The American Hero cups are $3.99. The promotion will run until October. Monthly Quote You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you re not passionate enough from the start, you ll never stick it out. - Steve Jobs VETERAN HOLDS Veteran holds are placed on the Monday following the 100% drop/add period and run until priority registration. They are reestablished after the PR period ends and will come off during finals. PRIORITY REGISTRATION If you are currently using VA Benefits (GI Bill), you qualify for priority registration regardless your academic alignment (Freshman Senior). Plan your next semester before this date and schedule an appointment with your advisor. VA CERTIFICATE OF ENROLLMENT FORM DUE EACH SEMESTER you plan to use benefits. Find this form at vaformlogin.asp. Complete yours as soon as you register for classes. VFW 1114 Dining Room Open to Public Friday, Saturday, Sunday Brunch Breakfast $6.00 1st/3rd Saturday Prime Rib 1st/3rd Saturday Buffet Friday Night $9.95 File your DD214 for FREE: Vanderburgh County Chief Deputy Recorder at 1 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Rm 231 Evansville IN

4 Quality of Care for PTSD and Depression in the Military Health System - Kimberly A. Hepner, Elizabeth M. Sloss, Carol P. Roth, Heather Krull, Susan M. Paddock, Shaela Moen, Martha J. Timmer, Harold Alan Pincus The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) strives to maintain a physically and psychologically healthy, mission-ready force, and the care provided by the Military Health System (MHS) is critical to meeting this goal. Given the rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among U.S. service members, attention has been directed to ensuring the quality and availability of programs and services targeting these and other psychological health (PH) conditions. Understanding the current quality of care for PTSD and depression is an important step toward improving care across the MHS. To help determine whether service members with PTSD or depression are receiving evidencebased care and whether there are disparities in care quality by branch of service, geographic region, and service member characteristics (e.g., gender, age, pay grade, race/ ethnicity, deployment history), DoD s Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) asked the RAND Corporation to conduct a review of the administrative data of service members diagnosed with PTSD or depression and to recommend areas on which the MHS could focus its efforts to continuously improve the quality of care provided to all service members. This report characterizes care for service members seen by MHS for diagnoses of PTSD and/ or depression and finds that while the MHS performs well in ensuring outpatient follow-up following psychiatric hospitalization, providing sufficient psychotherapy and medication management needs to be improved. Further, quality of care for PTSD and depression varied by service branch, TRICARE region, and service member characteristics, suggesting the need to ensure that all service members receive high-quality care. Key Findings: Service Members with PTSD and Depression Have Complex Service Needs Both cohorts suffer high rates of comorbid psychological health conditions. Administrative Data Based Quality Measures for PTSD and Depression Identified Important Strengths and Some Areas for Improvement The Military Health System (MHS) generally performs well in the areas of initiating psychotherapy and follow-up after hospitalization, but is inconsistent or weaker in the areas of medication management and ongoing care. Adequate Medication Trial Rate is Similar to or Higher than Estimates from Other Health Care Systems, and Rates of Follow-Up Medication Management are Similar but Low A High Proportion of Service Members with PTSD or Depression Received at Least Some Psychotherapy, But the Number of Visits Appear to Be Inadequate to Allow Delivery of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy The MHS largely succeeds in providing patients with an initial psychotherapy visit, but could improve rates of delivering ongoing treatment. The MHS Is a Leader in Achieving High Rates of Follow-up After Psychiatric Hospitalization High rates of follow-up after psychiatric hospitalization relative to other health care systems may be related to a 2011 MHS mandate describing follow-up procedures for missed behavioral health appointments. Quality of Care for PTSD and Depression Varied by Service Branch, TRICARE Region, and Service Member Characteristics For example, rates of follow-up within seven days after a mental health hospitalization differed across service branches by up to 14 percent, and rates of adequate filled prescriptions for targeted medications varied by pay grade by up to 29 percent. Recommendations: Improve the quality of care for psychological health conditions delivered by the Military Health System. Establish an enterprise-wide performance measurement, monitoring, and improvement system that includes high-priority standardized metrics to assess care for psychological health (PH) conditions. Integrate routine outcome monitoring for service members with PH conditions as structured data in the medical record as part of a measurement-based care strategy. Quality measure results for PH conditions should be routinely reported internally, enterprise-wide, and publicly to support and incentivize ongoing quality improvement and to facilitate transparency. Investigate the reasons for significant variation in quality of care for PH conditions by service branch, region, and service member characteristics. For more information on this study, please visit: pubs/research_reports/rr978.html

5 Wyndham Hotel Group Signs On As Newest VFW Member Benefit - Members can enjoy savings at 7,600 locations worldwide - By VFW Magazine, vfw.org/news-and-events KANSAS CITY, Mo. Looking for the best hotel discounts before booking your next trip? VFW members can now save up to 20%* off the best available rate with Wyndham Hotel Group s 14 different brands and 7,600 locations around the world. Browse all available member offers online to see how you can earn added travel deals on top of the best available rate. Simply login to and look for Wyndham Hotel Group on the Travel Services page in the Member Benefits section. With a casual atmosphere, thoughtful touches, and attentive, courteous service, these hotels and resorts provide an upscale, full-service brand with properties located in key vacation and business destinations across the world. Take advantage of the comfort and amenities you would expect in a world-class hotel, including beautifully appointed public areas, thoughtfully detailed guest rooms and distinct dining options. Business locations feature meeting spaces flexible for large and small events, as well as business and fitness centers. Many resorts also offer golf, tennis, beautiful beaches, spas and more! VFW members may also take advantage of a line of businessoriented hotels, perfectly situated in key business, airport and suburban locations. Enjoy tasteful, intimate hotels with comfortable guest rooms that offer a wealth of thoughtful amenities. Every hotel provides casual dining options, inviting lobbies and cozy library lounges for reading or socializing. And of course, flexible meeting space that can accommodate a wide range of functions. Whatever your reason for travelling, the VFW Member Hotel Savings Program offers incredible hotel package deals. Whether you re booking a spontaneous weekend getaway or need to plan your next business venture, choose a package that fits your style, complete with added discounts and perks to elevate your trip. Find more information about our available packages online available in a wide variety of locations across the U.S. Be sure to check these offers frequently, as new packages are added often. Don t forget to make the most of your stay by becoming a Rewards Member that provides additional promotions, where you can earn extra bonus points to use toward free nights, resort vacations, and other money-saving perks. You can also redeem points for travel accessories, music downloads, and other great rewards just by being a Rewards Member. Find out how you can earn extra rewards and travel discounts online, or for those of you who may not be Rewards Members yet, you can join for free any time. Seventh grader writes local paper: Pay respect to the Veterans who earned it - This letter to the editor originally appeared in the Sun Herald in Biloxi, Mississippi. We are sharing it with permission of the author s parents. On March 29, my mom took me to the Biloxi National Cemetery s Vietnam memorial service. I m not sure what I was expecting, but what happened made me both sad and proud. Biloxi National Cemetery Vietnam Veterans Seventh grader Charles Fink hugs a Vietnam Veteran at Biloxi National Cemetery. Photo by Jeff Clark, Sun Herald. When we arrived at the service, we took our seats. As the Vietnam Veterans started to arrive, I introduced myself and shook each one s hand. I thanked each Veteran for their service. Several of these Veterans got tears in their eyes. I was kind of sad that they thought kids like me didn t know anything about Vietnam. One 80-year-old colonel asked me to take a picture with him. When the first Vietnam Veteran speaker began, I kind of got upset. How could people treat Veterans the way that these Veterans were treated after the war? I felt mad when I heard about the role the media played during the war and the things they said the American troops did. The speaker told us about a chemical called Agent Orange, and I felt bad that so many Veterans had to endure that. The speaker also told us how many Veterans served in the war and how many died. I was sad that the Veterans were not respected or recognized when they came home from war. I am upset that the Veterans physical and mental illnesses were not taken care of. My mom and dad are both Marine Corps Veterans, and I would ve been upset if my parents had been treated that way. My dad works at the Biloxi VA hospital, so he teaches me how to respect and talk to Veterans. As the speaker talked, I began crying. I have been to the National Vietnam Memorial. I have seen my cousins names on the wall. I have seen how this war caused PTSD in two of my uncles. After the ceremony and after taps was played, I gave the speaker a hug, and I cried. I learned more today about the Vietnam War than I ever have before. I am glad these Veterans are finally getting the recognition they deserve. CHARLES FINK St. Patrick High School, 7th grade

6 ANNOUNCEMENTS & FAMILY EVENTS Meetings on the 3rd Tuesday Each Month at the VFW Post 1114 Contact Barbara Kortz tristatewomenvet@aol.com Facebook: Tri-State Womens Veterans

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