Blog post

IAVA Daily Brief 07.09.09
Posted by Michelle McCarthy on July 9

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA.  Prefer to receive real-time updates about major stories and legislation that IAVA is tracking?  Follow us on Twitter @iavapressroom.

MUST READS

(1) Iraq Veteran, PA Rep. Patrick Murphy Launches Campaign to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

At the National Press Club on Wednesday, Iraq veteran and Pennsylvania Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) joined fellow Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to launch a new campaign, anchored by a petition on Letthemserve.com, to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning openly gay troops from serving in the U.S. military.  Murphy, 35, a former Army lawyer and captain in the 82d Airborne Division, said he believes Congress - not President Obama- should repeal the ban since it enacted it into law in 1994.  He is taking over sponsorship of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act(H.R. 1283) following the resignation of its prime sponsor, Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), to become undersecretary of state for arms control and international security.  So far, Murphy has persuaded 151 Democrats and one Republican to co-sponsor the bill .  Ike Skelton, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has agreed to hold full committee hearings on the issue; however, Carl Levin of Michigan, chairman of the Senate's Armed Services panel, said he has no plans for such hearings.

"A lot of people ask me, you know, 'Why is a straight, Irish Catholic former altar boy of the year in 1987 at St. Anthony's fighting for this?' " Murphy said at the launch of the tour. "Cause I took an oath. I took an oath as an officer. I took an oath as a congressman to support that Constitution and what that Constitution stands for — and that's equality."  At the launch, Army linguist Jarrod Chlapowski joined Murphy telling reporters that "over the next two months, a group of young Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom-era vets, both gay and straight, will be touring the country, bringing the issue to America's doorstep."  Dubbed the Voices of Honor tour, Chlapowski said the campaign will target eight major cities in swing voting districts.  Army Staff Sgt. Genevieve Chase, an Afghanistan war veteran who is straight, said she's joining the tour to try to refute the view held by some that openly gay service members undermine troop readiness and cohesion.  "I'm here to tell you that gays have been and are already serving openly," she said. "Unit cohesion across the spectrum of the military is better than it has ever been, because our generation embraces diversity."
 
(2) Roadside bomb attacks in Afghanistan shatter record

Pentagon data gathered by USA Today indicates that roadside bomb attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan are blowing past previous records, causing a rising number of wounded as U.S. troops are waging a major offensive to stop growing violence from Afghan insurgents.  The total number of incidents with roadside bombs or IEDs hit 736 in June, a record for the fourth straight month.  By comparison, in June 2007, there were 234 incidents and another 308 in June 2008, according to statistics from the Pentagon's Joint IED Defeat Organization.  Last week, the Pentagon announced it was buying more than 5,200 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles – at a cost of $1 million each - with off-road capability to help troops in Afghanistan survive the blasts.  This June's attacks killed 23 troops and wounded another 166 - a 73% increase from the 96 troops wounded in May, the previous high.

(3) Virtual Iraq targets combat disorders

The Chicago Tribune reports today that veterans at Chicago-area hospitals are using video game technology called Virtual Iraq to treat their post-traumatic stress.  Like a combat video game, the veterans put on goggles and headphones and use a joystick to dodge roadside bombs and snipers while the scent of diesel fuel wafts around them.  According to doctors at the hospital, the game is designed to help the veterans overcome fear of memory.  "I don't want to throw somebody into a panic attack," said Dr. Patrick McGrath, director of the center for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. "PTSD is a fear of a memory, and we want people to realize a memory can't hurt you."  In an effort to dramatically step up efforts to provide therapy to returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, McGrath’s team is offering everything from family counseling to a high-tech diagnostic screening process to differentiate between post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and depression.  "One of the things that Alexian [Hospital] has realized is that community hospitals have to get involved here," said Dr. Jeffrey Lewine, a neuroscientist and director of the hospital's center for brain research. "The VAs are great but the VAs are going to be overwhelmed as these guys come through."  The hospital recently held a symposium in Hoffman Estates to highlight the program, which is funded in part by a $97,500 grant received this year from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

AFGHANISTAN

A truck rigged with explosives detonated in Kabul, killing 25 people including school children Thursday morning. Thought the attack targeted NATO forces, there were no reports of casualties or injuries to coalition troops.  A day earlier, a U.S. soldier was killed in Afghanistan's Farah Province while insurgents in eastern Afghanistan's Nuristan province attacked police posts and a government building setting off a battle that killed 6 policemen and up to 21 insurgents.

Meanwhile, the U.N. High Commission for Human Rights released a new report Wednesday underscoring the opportunities that opened for Afghan woman after the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 are under sustained attack.  According to High Commissioner Navi Pillay, Afghan women are increasingly the victims of violence, including rapes and acid-throwing attacks at the hands of anti-government elements and local chieftains.

IRAQ

Suicide bombers detonated explosives in Tal Afar, about 40 miles west of Mosul, killing at least 41 people on Thursday morning.  The first bomber, wearing a vest of explosives, targeted two security officials outside the court that handles terrorism cases. The explosion occurred early Thursday morning in the city’s center, and as crowds gathered afterward, the second bomber struck.  On Wednesday, car bombings killed at least 19 people and wounded 58 in the same province, where political tensions have recently flared between Arabs and Kurds. The bombings took place in predominantly Shiite areas near the northern city of Mosul.

Meanwhile, five Iranian officials who were detained by the U.S. military for two years on suspicion of being members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' elite Qods force were handed over to Iraqi officials Thursday.  U.S. forces in 2007 seized the men in the northern Iraqi town of Arbil on suspicion of arming and funding Shi'ite militias in Iraq.  The detention has long been a point of contention between Washington and Tehran

Despite the spike in violence, the X Games are heading to Iraq this week.  On Tuesday, a group of X Games athletes including World Cup gold medal-winning snowboarder Nate Holland arrived in Baghdad for a week-long visit to perform for U.S. troops.  The action sports tour of Iraq is the third such venture undertaken by Pro Sports MVP, a U.S. government contractor that creates and organizes sports events for the public and private sectors.  Two previous tours visited troops in Afghanistan and included two-time Olympic snowboard silver medalist Danny Kass and 2006 Olympian Graham Watanabe.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

The family of a veteran, whose 2006 suicide at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Seattle helped expose unsafe conditions in the facility's psychiatric ward, has settled a lawsuit against the U.S. government for $700,000.  The 49-year old veteran Gordon Whitcomb had a history of psychiatric disorders when he admitted himself to the VA hospital in November 2006, but the family argued in the lawsuit that staff at the VA Puget Sound failed to take certain precautionary measures to protect Whitcomb - including removing the belt he ultimately used to hang himself.  "Given the risks of litigation, it was decided that it was in the government's best interests to settle this case," said Emily Langlie, the spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle, which represented the VA.

Separately, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday it is targeting nearly one-quarter of its $1.4 billion in funds it has received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to investments in clean energy generation and energy conservation.  "These investments help spur new energy savings and, at the same time, reduce our environmental footprint," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said in a statement. "The President is leading us in a new direction away from our dependence on foreign oil and the destabilizing effects of a changing climate. Since hospitals use such large amounts of energy, we need to step up our efforts to transition to clean-energy technologies."  The VA will direct more than $68 million to renewable sources, including solar, wind and geothermal energy and has dedicated nearly $238 million toward retrofitting existing buildings to use energy and water more efficiently.  Those efforts, planned for 16 states and Puerto Rico, include solar-powered electricity and hot water energy systems at VA hospitals in Arizona, Texas and southern California; geothermal energy in Idaho; and wind turbines in several states.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

The Homeland Security Department's $1.5 billion multiple award contract for service disabled veteran-owned small businesses is reportedly on hold.  A DHS spokesman confirmed Wednesday that eight unsuccessful bidders are protesting the awards - announced June 19th- to 28 vendors to provide program management, administrative, clerical and technical services.  The spokesman said of the eight protests, seven went to the Small Business Administration and one went to DHS.  Click here to learn more about the contracts.

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

THE SENATE 

The Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m.

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS  of  INTEREST

• July 14, 2009 - SVAC will hold a hearing entitled, “Women Veterans: Bridging the Gaps in Care.”  9:30 a.m.; 418 Russell (Vasquez)
• July 29, 2009 - SVAC will hold a hearing entitled, "Review of Veterans' Disability Compensation: Forging a Path Forward."  9:30 a.m.; 418 Russell (Smith)

THE HOUSE of  REPRESENTATIVES       

The House will convene at 9:30 a.m.

• Roll call votes expected.
• HR 2892 — Homeland Security spending
  

Markups

• House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee marks up various veterans’ health bills ( HR 1197 , HR 1293 , HR 1546 , HR 2770 , HR 1302 , HR 1335 , HR 2926 ). 10 a.m., 334 Cannon
• House Veterans’ Affairs Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee marks up bills on group life insurance ( HR 2379 , HR 2774 ) and death benefits ( HR 2968 ). 2 p.m., 334 Cannon

FUTURE  HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of  INTEREST

• July 9, 2009  Subcommittee on Health Markup of Pending Legislation 10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon
• July 9, 2009  Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Markup of Pending Legislation  2:00 p.m.; 334 Cannon
• July 14, 2009  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: Examining the Progress of Electronic Health Record Interoperability Between VA and DoD  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB
• July 16, 2009  Joint Subcommittees on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs and Health Hearing:  Eliminating the Gaps: Examining Women Veterans’ Issues  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB
• July 23, 2009  Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Hearing:   Examining Quality of Life and Ancillary Benefits Issues  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB
• July 30, 2009  Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing:  The Implications of VA’s Limited Scope of Gulf War Illness Research  10:00 a.m.; 334 Cannon HOB

IAVA IN THE NEWS

Outlet: Fast Company

Title: Craigslist's Craig Newmark Turns to Charity Promotion

Date: Wednesday, July 8th

Representative: IAVA, Board Member Craig Newmark

WHAT THE BLOGS ARE SAYING

Blog: Blue Jersey

Title: Corzine & Christie agree to answer recent vets on their issues

Date: Wednesday, July 8th

Representative: IAVA Member Veteran Bryan Adams

Blog: Democracy for New Mexico

Title: National Veterans' Organization Thanks Rep. Teague for Energy Bill Vote

Date: Tuesday, July 7th

Representative: IAVA

Blog: Army Blood

Title: Diaz gives back to veteran community -Thinks of Todd daily

Date: Wednesday, July 8th

Representative: IAVA

Blog: Daily Kos

TItle: Okay VA Where's the Beef? & Poll

Date: Wednesday, July 8th

Representative: IAVA

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles.  These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA.

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