IAVA | January 21, 2021
IAVA Weekly SITREP
As the leading voice for the post-9/11 community, IAVA continues to create awareness on issues and topics impacting our community. Below are articles and news sources from the past week:
Thursday, January 21
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
The Parkersburg News and Sentinel: Veterans advocate Dennis Davis dies
By Steven Allen Adams
Gov. Jim Justice announced Tuesday the death of Dennis Davis, a military veteran and retired teacher who spent the last four years as the cabinet secretary of the Department of Veterans Assistance. Davis, 79, served as Veterans Assistance secretary under Justice since his appointment in January 2017.
Stars and Stripes: Dat Tran to temporarily lead VA as acting secretary
By Nikki Wentling
President Joe Biden on Wednesday named Dat Tran to immediately take the helm of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tran, the principal deputy assistant secretary for the VA’s Office of Enterprise Integration, will lead the VA until the Senate confirms Biden’s nominee for VA secretary. Biden chose Denis McDonough, a longtime aide of former President Barack Obama, to lead the department.
Military Times: Among many tasks, newly sworn-in President Biden asked to overhaul the citizenship process for military veterans
By Meghann Myers
President Joe Biden is due to issue more than a dozen executive orders within his first days in office, and one senator and Army veteran is hoping to convince him to sign another. As Biden’s inauguration ceremony got underway, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., sent his office a letter pleading for him to take a look at the path to citizenship for service members, veterans and their dependents, the twists and turns of which have ended in deportation for some in recent years, though legislation meant to expedite the pathway to citizenship while serving is on the books.
By Catherine Herridge and Jessica Kegu
President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that recognizes veterans who served at a toxic military base in Uzbekistan and mandates a comprehensive study of any health consequences related to toxic exposure at the base.
Stars and Stripes: Biden names nine members of new VA leadership
By Nikki Wentling
President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday announced new leaders of the Department of Veterans Affairs — the country’s second-largest federal agency. Of the nine new leaders named, four are rejoining the VA after leaving in recent years for other positions.
Daily Beast: Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, a Trump Appointee, Resigns After Capitol Riot Response Scrutinized
By Blake Montgomery
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, has resigned. He wrote in a letter, “When I was a young officer, I bought into an oath that I would never fail my comrades and continue to believe in that same oath today.” His departure comes two weeks after the Jan. 6 pro-Trump riot in the U.S. Capitol building and subsequent questions about the National Guard’s laggard response.
Military.com: 75 Years Later, the Veterans Health Administration Remains Focused on Service [Opinion]
By Dr. Richard A. Stone
Dr. Stone, a U.S. Army veteran, is the Veterans Health Administration’s executive in charge, overseeing the delivery of care to more than nine million enrolled veterans in the country’s largest integrated health care system.
Wednesday, January 20
IAVA NEWS COVERAGE
The Guardian: ‘This is not freedom’: a militarized US Capitol is being called a ‘war zone’
By Lois Beckett
Almost two decades later, supporters of a different Republican president invaded and looted the US Capitol and left five people dead. Amid a huge security crackdown in the aftermath, a secure “Green Zone” has even been created in the heart of Washington DC – just as the US military did in Baghdad. Tom Porter, a policy spokesman for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told the Guardian that veterans had been making plenty of dark jokes about Washington’s Green Zone, asking whether the city was now disposing of trash and human waste by setting it on fire with jet fuel in giant “burn pits”, as the military has done in the Middle East.
Press Release: Statement on the Peaceful Transfer of Power
38 Organizations, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, released a statement about the inauguration of the 46th President of the United States.
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
The Washington Post: 12 members of the National Guard removed from inauguration duty
By Dan Lamothe, Alex Horton, and Paul Sonne
A dozen members of the National Guard have been removed from inauguration duty as the federal government screens troops involved for security concerns, senior U.S. defense officials said Tuesday, one day before President-elect Joe Biden is set to take over as commander in chief.
The Washington Post: The Capitol riot shows the military needs help fighting radicalization in the ranks [Opinion]
By Jackie Speier
In June, an Army soldier was accused of plotting with a neo-Nazi group to ambush his own unit; an Air Force staff sergeant with ties to the extremist “boogaloo” movement was charged with murder for killing a federal security officer in Oakland, Calif.; and three men with military backgrounds and ties to the same movement were charged with planning a violent attack on peaceful protesters in Las Vegas.These developments involve only a tiny minority of military personnel and veterans. But the attitudes that lead to them are much more widespread and visible. A 2019 survey conducted by the Military Times found that 36 percent of active-duty service members have seen evidence of white supremacist and racist ideologies in the military, “a significant rise from the year before,” the paper said, “when only 22 percent — about 1 in 5 — reported the same.”
Associated Press: Biden charts new US direction, promises many Trump reversals
By Bill Barrow
Biden says he’d work with Congress to improve health services for women, the military’s fastest-growing subgroup, such as by placing at least one full-time women’s primary care physician at each Department of Veterans Affairs’ medical center. He promises to provide $300 million to better understand the impact of traumatic brain injury and toxic exposures, hire more VA staff to cut down on office wait times for veterans at risk of suicide and continue the efforts of the Obama-Biden administration to stem homelessness.
CNN: Capitol riot investigators narrow in on extremist groups and military-style coordination
By David Shortell
In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, FBI agents fanned out around a home in rural Woodstock, Ohio. Inside was the founder of the Ohio State Regular Militia, a group of veterans who’d made the 450-mile drive to the nation’s capital, fueled by what they describe as a sense of patriotic duty as well as a history of grievances against the government and a belief in false claims about the 2020 election that they aired on social media.
VAntage Point: One question could save a life. Would you ask it? [Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs]
“Are you thinking of suicide?” It’s not an easy question to ask. In fact, it may feel uncomfortable. What if the response is “yes?” Where do you go from there? In our culture, we often avoid using the word “suicide,” so asking a fellow Veteran this question may take a lot of courage. It’s important to keep in mind that asking the question won’t increase their risk of harm, and it could actually be the starting point of a conversation that may help save their life.
Tuesday, January 19
IAVA NEWS COVERAGE
News.com.au: Joe Biden inauguration: US authorities preparing for the worst
By Natalie Brown
Mass reinforcements are in place in Washington, D.C. in preparation for Biden’s inauguration, where there are more troops right now than in Afghanistan. Vice president for government affairs at the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America told The Guardian that the atmosphere in Washington would force veterans “to recall the vivid images of their experiences in Baghdad”.
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
CNN: Pentagon increasing efforts to stamp out extremism among active-duty troops and veterans
By Oren Liebermann, Barbara Starr and Jamie Crawford
The Department of Defense is increasing its efforts to find and eliminate extremism within its ranks, particularly among those who espouse White supremacist beliefs, according to two senior defense officials who wanted to underscore the message that the military will not tolerate extremism within the services. The Department of Defense has observed an increase in White supremacist beliefs among active-duty service members and veterans.
Associated Press: Judge awards $1M to veteran in Kansas VA hospital abuse case
A federal judge has awarded more than $1 million in damages to another veteran who says he was sexually abused by a former physician assistant at a VA hospital in Kansas. The veterans allege they were subjected to unnecessary genital exams and other physical abuse by Mark Wisner, who was a physician assistant at the Leavenworth VA hospital from 2008 to 2014. More than 80 veterans settled their lawsuits against the government in 2019 for $7 million, but several others decided to take their cases to trial.
The New York Times: Justice Dept. charges militia members, including military veterans, in Capitol assault
By Katie Benner, Alan Feuer and Adam Goldman
The Justice Department has charged suspected members of the Three Percenters, a militia group that emerged some years ago from the extremist wing of the gun-rights movement, and of the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia group founded by law enforcement and military veterans, as it works to determine whether the extremist groups conspired to attack Congress.
Yahoo! Finance: Havn Life to Support Canadian Counterpart of Veterans’ Organization, Heroic Hearts
Havn Life, biotechnology company pursuing standardized extraction of psychoactive compounds and the development of natural healthcare products, is pleased to announce that it is supporting the founding of a Canadian counterpart to Heroic Hearts. The Company will provide support and funding to help Heroic Hearts Canada promote education and research to support Canadian veterans. Heroic Hearts is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating in the United States that connects military veterans who are struggling with mental health issues resulting from trauma to therapy options such as psychotherapy supported by ayahuasca, psilocybin and ketamine.
The Hill: What to watch for in Biden Defense pick’s confirmation hearing
By Rebecca Kheel
Joe Biden’s pick for Defense secretary, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, will face senators Tuesday as he seeks to make history and become the nation’s first Black Pentagon chief. One of the biggest obstacles to Austin’s confirmation is that he needs both chambers of Congress to approve a waiver to a law barring recently retired generals from leading the Department of Defense.
Associated Press: Biden fills out State Department team with Obama veterans
By Matthew Lee
President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday filled out his State Department team with a group of former career diplomats and veterans of the Obama administration, signaling his desire to return to a more traditional foreign policy after four years of uncertainty and unpredictability under President Donald Trump.
*Also covered in The Washington Post
Yahoo: Army Veteran Charged With Attempted Murder for Shooting 15-Year-Old Black Girl at Trump Rally
By Ishena Robinson
The many army veterans and law enforcement officers who participated in the insurrectionist attack at the U.S. Capitol confirmed that there are people in the forces who also identify as violent Trump supporters, as does the recent case of an Army veteran being accused of shooting at a Black teen girl during a Trump rally. Michael McKinney, a 25-year-old man who most recently served in the Iowa National Guard in 2017, is now charged with attempted murder for shooting and wounding a 15-year-old girl at a Trump rally in Des Moines last month.
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs: VA, Israel Ministry of Defense renew partnership to share best practices in Veteran health care
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today it is renewing its partnership with the Israel Ministry of Defense to continue sharing expertise on caring for Veterans. The partnership focuses on enhancing the quality of life for Veterans through the delivery of state-of-the-art, evidenced-based physical and mental health care that leverages the experience, resources and research of both partners.
The Washington Post: Conspiracy theories and a call for patriots entice veterans at the Capitol
By Greg Jaffe, Dan Lamothe and Julie Tate
The desire to be seen as superpatriots defending the country from internal threats is a recurrent theme in the statements and social media posts of veterans arrested in the riots. Other veterans caught up in the rioting in the Capitol seemed to have fallen prey to the same delusional conspiracy theories that have gripped their civilian counterparts. After Sgt. Thomas “T.J.” Robertson’s arrest, he defended his actions as consistent with his military oath. “I am a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan where I was wounded severely,” he added in a statement that he shared with a Roanoke television station. “I fought and bled for the rights of all Americans.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee VA will give walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations to veterans 65 and over starting Saturday, going through Monday
By Mary Spicuzza
The Milwaukee VA Medical Center clinic will offer walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations Saturday through Monday to veterans 65 and over who are enrolled with the Milwaukee VA and its community clinics in Green Bay, Appleton, Cleveland and Union Grove. The vaccinations will be available at 5000 W. National Ave. The east entrance will open at 7:15 a.m. and continue accepting walk-ins until 500 vaccinations are reached each day on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Fort Bliss army detectives have opened an investigation after a 27-year-old officer ‘took his own life’ two days before two other soldiers were killed in separate and unrelated car accidents over the weekend. Earlier that same month Master Sgt. William Lavigne II, 37, and Army veteran Timothy Dumas, 44, were both found dead in a training area at Fort Bragg on December 2 in what’s suspected to be a drug deal gone wrong.
Friday, January 15
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
Associated Press: Jill Biden names director for military families program
By Darlene Superville
Jill Biden took a step Thursday toward fulfilling a promise to revive a program for military families that she and former first lady Michelle Obama once led. Jill Biden named an executive of that program, known as Joining Forces. Mrs. Obama and Jill Biden, as the wife of then-Vice President Joe Biden, launched Joining Forces to encourage members of the public and the private sector to find ways big and small to support service members, veterans, their families and their caregivers. The program focused on education, employment and wellness.
Stars and Stripes: VA to vaccinate veteran caregivers after policy change
By Nikki Wentling
This week, the Department of Veterans Affairs decided it would administer coronavirus vaccinations to veteran caregivers. This population wasn’t initially included in the agency’s vaccination plan. To be eligible, caregivers must be enrolled in the VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
The COVID-19 pandemic and resultant economic downturn have had a profound financial impact on millions of Americans, including our nation’s veterans and military families. The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) quickly pivoted their 2020 grantmaking plans to get critical funding into the hands of their partners, enabling emergency financial assistance (EFA) for veterans when and where it was needed most.
Beaver County Times: New year time for veterans to review, update benefits earned in service
The new year is a good time for veterans to review and update their military benefits, according to the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The DMVA is reminding veterans to meet with an accredited veteran service professional to ensure they are receiving or maximizing the benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice.
Los Angeles Times: Why veterans of the military and law enforcement joined the Capitol insurrection
By Jaweed Kaleem and Kurtis Lee
The participants Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol included ex-veterans. People associated with the right-wing groups “are like dogs backed into a corner and have no option but to fight,” said Joe Biggs, an Army veteran and Florida-based organizer for the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group that counts white supremacists among its members and encourages violence.
Democrat & Chronicle: Why this Canandaigua veteran runs in memory of Marines
By Patrick Harney
While many people go for runs to clear their head or stay in shape, Eric Morehouse does it for a different reason. As a Marine veteran, the Canandaigua resident runs in honor of fallen Marines and to commemorate historic events and battles in which Marines have participated. “One of the best comments I ever got, a parent said her child asked about what he was doing with the flag,” he said. “She told me that after talking about it, some of the struggles veterans feel, including suicide awareness, he wanted to help vets too. Do donations or gather some stuff. So that was really cool.”
Military.com: Army to Review More Than 3,500 ‘Bad Paper’ Discharges for Post-9/11 Vets
By Patricia Kime
The U.S. Army plans to review all other-than-honorable discharges given between April 17, 2011, and Nov. 17, 2020, to soldiers who were diagnosed or had symptoms of a mental health condition or brain injury. The automatic review, announced Tuesday by the service, is part of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by two veterans who say they wrongly received other-than-honorable discharges for behavior linked to a psychiatric condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Politico: Biden taps Trump appointee Norquist to be his temporary Defense secretary
By Lara Seligman
President-elect Joe Biden is tapping current Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist to temporarily run the Pentagon while the new team works to confirm a permanent DoD chief, according to four people familiar with discussions.Norquist, the Pentagon’s No. 2 since July 2019, will take over after the inauguration and be in charge until the Senate confirms retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin for the position.
Federal News Network: Former VA Secretary Shulkin lays out challenges agency will be facing
By Tom Temin
Joe Biden has picked former White House chief of staff Denis McDonough to become the next Veterans Affairs Secretary. For what challenges McDonough is likely to face and how to deal with them, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to former secretary Dr. David Shulkin. “I think that the VA needs significant reform of many of those longer term policies such as its disability programs, and examples of how we as a country deal with veterans who have had toxic exposures like with burn pits,” Shulkin said.
IAVA is the voice for the post-9/11 veteran generation. With over 400,000 veterans and allies nationwide, IAVA is the leader in non-partisan veteran advocacy and public awareness. We drive historic impacts for veterans and IAVA’s programs are second to none. Any veteran or family member in need can reach out to IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force at quickreactionforce.org or 855-91RAPID (855-917-2743) to be connected promptly with a veteran care manager who will assist. IAVA’s The Vote Hub is a free tool to register to vote and find polling information. IAVA’s membership is always growing. Join the movement at iava.org/membership.
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