SEPTEMBER 2006 TO SEPTEMBER 2007
"Your Voice on Capitol Hill"
The 2006 convention was held in Nashville, TN.
The following were elected or appointed to the Board of Directors:
President - Patrick Corbett |
Auxiliary Board of Directors |
1st VP - Billy Oneyear |
President Greta Master |
2nd VP - Charlie Flowers |
Vice President Sandra Milner |
3rd VP - Thomas "Butch" Liebaert |
Treasurer Sandy Ott |
Treasurer - Marvin Stout |
Director Aleta Scott |
Director - Larry Hund |
Director/Chaplain Lorraine Richmond |
Director - Al Ballok |
Director Jessie Rice |
Director - Weldon Roberts |
Secretary Varenka Kraft |
Director - John Martinez |
APNP Linda Bogert O'Brien |
Memorial Foundation - Bill DeBoer |
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TSCL Chair - Ralph McCutchen |
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VSO - C.D. Rice, Jr. |
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Parliamentarian - George Miles |
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Chaplain - Jesse Whitfield |
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Past National President - LeRoy Riddell |
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Shortly after convention, President Corbett testified before the House VA Committee. He spoke of the need to properly fund VA healthcare. He called on Congress to act to improve the speed and accuracy of claims adjudication, improve the Montgomery GI Bill for all members of service, and to improve the IT security.
For the first time since Medicare's creation 41 years ago, the Medicare Part B premiums will now be based on "Means Testing". TREA and TSCL supported legislation to repeal the means testing.
In September, the Senate confirms a new Assistant Secretary for Information & Technology for the Department of Veterans Affairs. This was a result of computers with veterans records that were stolen from the VA last year.
In October, the VA hired two retired federal judges to deal with the large number of pending appeals, which was currently at 5800.
A major success in the 07NDAA included the most drilling reservists being allowed to qualify for Tricare select at the same rate as full time federal civilian employees.
We also were instrumental in stopping the proposed premium and co-pay increased in Tricare Prime and Tricare Standard for retirees under the age of 65.
Shortly after the 2006 election, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld resigned, and was replace with Robert Graves.
The VA COLA was announced as 3.3%.
The 110th Congress convened on January 4, 2007. The VA appointed an advisory committee on Women Veterans.
A long time sponsor of Concurrent Receipt bills retired at the end of the 109th Congress (Michael Bilirakis R-FL). Luckily, his son Gus replaced him and immediately introduced several bills relating to Concurrent Receipt.
We continued to follow and lobby for our bills: SBP, Healthcare, VA Benefits, BRAC, Flag Amendment, and Education Benefits. We once again were faced with proposed co-payments on prescriptions, and yearly enrollment fees. Secretary of VA Affairs announced the hiring of 100 new patient advocates to help combat veterans returning to the US from Iraq and Afghanistan. These advocates will help veterans navigate VA healthcare and financial information. The VA identified several services that were necessary to these newly returning veterans (i.e., traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and amputation/prosthetics)
A story broke in April of deplorable conditions at Walter Reed Hospital. The Defense Department partnered with Microsoft to develop a military patient health data record warehouse.
The joint VA committee meetings were re-established. President Patrick Corbett testified about the issues that are important to us.
In May, President Corbett attended the Breakfast at the White House and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
In August, Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake announced his resignation.
The Memorial Foundation announced that they were partnering with Canine Companions that give service dogs to veterans. The Memorial Foundation also awarded 64 scholarships.