IAVA | September 4, 2020
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:
8/31
IAVA NEWS COVERAGE
Beaver County Times: Lamb’s bill would get vets with medical experience into the fight against COVID-19
By J.D. Prose
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and a Florida Republican have teamed up to introduce a bill to help veterans with medical skills continue their service in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. “Veterans who gained critical medical skills in the military are an under-tapped source, and we need to get them into the fight and help alleviate medical staffing shortfalls across the country,” said Jeremy Butler, the CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, in the statement.
WebWire: Starbucks unveils plan to support partner and customer voter engagement
By Staff
In a letter to partners, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson shared how the company is taking steps to promote equity, justice and community resiliency. Jeremy Butler, CEO, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said: “Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America applauds Starbucks’ focus on ensuring employees have the opportunity to be heard and is honored to join with them in the commitment to elevate civic engagement before and on Election Day. Our military literally fights for the protection of American democracy and, as veterans, we continue that fight out of uniform by working to ensure that everyone has safe and secure access to the ballot box. We thank Starbucks for being a leading ally in that effort.”
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
ConnectingVets.com: VA adds 12,000 COVID-19 cases and 700 deaths in August, as hospitalizations drop
By Abbie Bennett
As August draws to a close, the Department of Veterans Affairs has seen more than 12,000 additional COVID-19 cases and 700 deaths among its patients and staff this month. But VA also is touting a relatively low infection rate, fewer coronavirus-related hospitalizations and new clinical trials as it prepares for a possible second surge of the virus this fall.
The New York Times: ‘A Hail Mary’: Psychedelic Therapy Draws Veterans to Jungle Retreats
By Ernesto Londoño
Ayahuasca, a vomit-inducing hallucinogenic brew, draws thousands of people each year — including former soldiers — to jungle retreats that have become an unlicensed and unregulated mental health marketplace.
Military Times: COVID-19 exacerbates job woes for veterans, military spouses
By Damon Cline
Many veterans are in need of vocational assistance, said Kevin Rasch, a regional director for the Wounded Warrior Project’s “Warriors to Work” program. “The uniforms, hierarchy, protocols and language of military life are very different from the civilian world,” he said. “This makes the transition to civilian life challenging, and means that finding the right fit with a civilian employer can be difficult.”
Military Times: As Trump’s popularity slips in latest Military Times poll, more troops say they’ll vote for Biden
By Leo Shane III
The latest Military Times poll shows a continued decline in active-duty service members’ views of President Donald Trump and a slight but significant preference for former Vice President Joe Biden in the upcoming November election among troops surveyed.
Index Journal: South Carolina veterans make up 9.2 percent of state’s population, study finds
By Center Square
Nationwide, about 20 percent of the 18 million veterans did their service after the 9/11 terrorist acts, while about 33 percent served during the Vietnam era. At the same time, 1.2 million of the veterans live in poverty, and 37,000 of them are homeless, the analysis found. Many of the states where large percentages of veterans live have major military installations and large shares of active-duty troops, researchers said.
MedPage Today: Nightmares in Veterans Tied to Heart Disease
By Judy George
Nightmares that occurred twice a week or more were linked with cardiovascular disease in relatively young military veterans, even after controlling for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a cross-sectional study showed.
Connecting Vets: Analysis | For some military veterans, QAnon conspiracies offer comfort and belonging
By Jack Murphy
QAnon’s messianic message of “the storm” is not building towards a Jonestown moment with magic Kool-Aid, or catching a ride on the Hale-Bopp comet. Rather, “the storm” represents an epic battle against evil here on earth, one that the faithful may get tired of waiting for. While the vast majority of veterans will never buy into such nonsense, much less act on it, the few who do will find one another on social media networks and begin to plan.
9/1
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
Military Times: August was the deadliest month so far for VA coronavirus patients, records show
By Leo Shane III
As of Monday evening, at least 2,935 VA patients have died from the sickness in the last six months, according to the department’s own daily summary of cases. About one in every 18 positive cases of coronavirus among VA patients has resulted in a death. There were 820 patient deaths reported in August. About 490 individuals died from virus-connected conditions in July, about 380 in June, about 720 in May and roughly 500 in April and March combined, according to VA’s daily public releases on virus response.
Business Insider: More US troops say they would vote for Biden than Trump as favorable views of the president fade among those serving in the military, new poll shows
By Ryan Pickrell
More US service members prefer Democratic nominee Joe Biden to incumbent President Donald Trump, a new Military Times poll reveals. A survey of active-duty troops found that 43.1% of respondents would vote for Biden while only 37.4% would vote for Trump.
ConnectingVets.com: House poised to vote on bill to let VA recommend marijuana to vets, end weed prohibition
By Abbie Bennett
The House is poised to vote on legislation that would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, effectively ending marijuana prohibition at the federal level — though states would still get to rule on it for themselves. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., announced over the weekend that the House plans to bring the bill to the floor after nine months of silence, and “will be voting soon” on H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act.
Stars and Stripes: Pentagon and State Department could be compelled to testify on Afghanistan war, House Democrats say
By J.P. Lawrence
The U.S. military and the State Department must agree to update Congress on the war in Afghanistan and the peace process or they will face subpoenas, House Democratic lawmakers say. A letter sent Monday to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded the two departments provide witnesses to testify at a Sept. 9 hearing in Congress.
MyChesCo: VA Announces New Clinical Trial for Veterans with COVID-19
By Staff
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced a new clinical trial to study convalescent plasma for treating seriously ill COVID-19 patients as part of a larger effort to give Veterans faster access to potential COVID-19 treatments and test the treatments’ effectiveness.
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Feds allege a kickback scheme at the Philly VA hospital
By Jeremy Roebuck
A manager at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center has been charged with accepting thousands of dollars in kickbacks to steer inflated or phony contracts to a Florida couple.
By Constance Costas
Former “Daily Show” host, Jon Stewart, sounded the alarm on the dangers of military burn pits and advocated for Veterans sickened from their toxic black smoke in an online conference on burn pits on Friday.
FOX News: Anti-Trump Lincoln Project launches coalition of veterans to oppose president
By Paul Steinhauser
The Lincoln Project – in announcing the Veteran and Military Community Coalition – said that “our key message is very simple to this community: Donald Trump has proven to be an unfit Commander-in-Chief in every aspect of that most solemn duty. This will be compared against Joe Biden who had a son serve in Iraq and understands the military community in a unique way as one of our own.”
USA Today: Where are the Black officers? US Army shows diversity in its ranks but few promotions to the top
By Tom Vanden Brook
The lack of Black officers in the Army’s key combat commands has diminished the chances for diversity in senior military leadership for years to come, resulting in a nearly all-white leadership of an increasingly diverse military and nation. Black people make up 22.7% of enlisted soldiers, 16.5% of warrant officers and 11% of officers on active duty as of July 2020. At the officer levels, this is actually a decrease from 21%, 18.4% and 12.6%, respectively, in 2010.
9/2
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
Washington Examiner: [Opinion] Ignore the conspiracy theories: Veterans can trust VA prescription drug delivery through the mail
By Sec. Robert Wilkie
Stories falsely imply that the Department of Veterans Affairs is no longer a reliable supplier of prescription drugs through the mail. But this utterly untrue premise doesn’t square with the fact that the vast majority of veterans are happy with VA’s prescription program, which has been rated the highest in overall customer service satisfaction.
ConnectingVets.com: VA adds 12,000 COVID-19 cases and 800 deaths in August, as hospitalizations drop
By Abbie Bennett
The Department of Veterans Affairs has seen more than 12,000 additional COVID-19 cases and more than 800 deaths among its patients and staff this month. But VA also is touting a relatively low infection rate, fewer coronavirus-related hospitalizations and new clinical trials as it prepares for a possible second surge of the virus this fall.
Stars and Stripes: IG: Millions of veterans waiting to hear about canceled VA appointments
By Nikki Wentling
The Department of Veterans Affairs hasn’t followed up on millions of veterans’ medical appointments that were canceled in response to the coronavirus pandemic, an investigation found.
HousingWire: CFPB continues to bring actions against mortgage companies targeting veterans with deceptive ads
By Alex Roha
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a consent order against two companies on Tuesday following recent investigations of mortgage companies that use deceptive mailers to advertise loans guaranteed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Those investigations have resulted in actions against six companies this summer.
Military.com: Army Replaces Fort Hood CO, Names 4-Star to Lead Vanessa Guillen Murder Investigation
By Matthew Cox
The Army is replacing the current acting senior commander of Fort Hood, Texas, and has named a four-star general to lead a new investigation into the chain of command’s actions relating to the murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen.
9/3
IAVA NEWS COVERAGE
Marine Times: New coalition urges states to get their absentee ballots in time to troops, families, overseas voters
By Karen Jowers
A new non-partisan coalition of 15 organizations representing thousands of military members and their family members has sent letters to all state election officials urging them to send absentee ballots to uniformed and overseas voters. Members of the coalition include the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Waterbury Observer: Hayes Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Veterans’ Health Care
By Staff
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes introduced two pieces of legislation to strengthen mental health care for veterans. The bills – the bipartisan VA Mental Health Staffing Act and the VA Mental Health Counseling Act – would ensure veterans can access the mental health care and resources they need. Both pieces of legislation are endorsed by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
Forbes: VA Expands Aid To Cover Vietnam Vets’ Caregivers
By Stephenie Overman, Next Avenue Contributor
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is about to increase the scope of its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) to include eligible veterans who suffered serious injury in the line of duty on or before May 7, 1975.
Task and Purpose: VA secretary dismisses mail-order prescription delays as ‘conspiracy theories’ despite his department confirming they were real
By James Clark and Jared Keller
The top leader of the Department of the Veterans Affairs wrote in a Wednesday op-ed that reported delays in mail-order prescription deliveries due to changes at the U.S. Postal Service amounted to little more than “conspiracy theories,” despite his agency confirming those deliveries have recently been delayed on average by roughly 25 percent.
The Hill: It’s time to focus on the needs of minority veterans
By Rory E. Riley-Topping
Although the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) founded its Center for Minority Veterans at the direction of Congress in 1994, and minority veterans make up nearly a quarter of the total veteran population in the U.S., in a recent report, V.A. found that racial and ethnic disparities still exist within its healthcare system.
Military.com: Millions of VA Appointments Canceled During Pandemic Have Not Been Rescheduled
By Patricia Kime
From March 15 through June 15, the Veterans Health Administration — or the veterans themselves — canceled 11.2 million appointments across the system. While roughly 5 million of those appointments were tracked — either conducted by telephone, video or rescheduled, at least 3.3 million needed the same type of follow-up and didn’t get it, the VA Office of Inspector General said in a report released Tuesday.
RiverBender: Bost Introduces Bill To Address Veterans’ Mental Health
By Staff
Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) introduced bipartisan legislation to help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs better identify veterans facing higher mental health risks. The VA Precision Medicine Act would require the agency to implement an initiative that identifies brain health biomarkers to help determine which veterans are at higher risk for depression, post-traumatic stress, and other threats to mental health.
Military.com: As Veterans Battle Pandemic Isolation, Organizations Adapt to Meet Their Needs
By Alyk Russell Kenlan
COVID-19 has exacerbated feelings of isolation for many veterans. From anxiety about the future, to financial instability or limited socialization, the pandemic has caused a surge in demand for veteran mental health support organizations, said Erin Fletcher, clinical director at the Wounded Warrior Project.
Politico: Why veterans want money for the Postal Service
By Eleanor Mueller
The shrinking U.S. Postal Service payroll is imperiling a go-to career for military veterans, who have long relied on the agency for well-paid and secure jobs in public service.
Military.com: More Than 60 Fort Benning Soldiers Have Been Punished for Violating COVID-19 Rules
By Matthew Cox
Army officials at Fort Benning, Georgia have gotten serious about enforcing COVID-19 restrictions by handing down punishments under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and administrative discipline to more than 60 soldiers, posting some of those actions on social media.
9/4
IAVA NEWS COVERAGE
Business Insider: ‘This is who he is’: Founder of veterans group blasts Trump for reportedly calling dead soldiers ‘losers’
Charles Davis
Military veterans reacted harshly to a report in The Atlantic that President Donald Trump referred to dead soldiers as “losers.” “Why should I go to that cemetery?” Trump reportedly told senior staff, canceling a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetary outside of Paris in 2018. “It’s filled with losers,” he said, later referring to the dead as “suckers.” “Who is really surprised by this?” tweeted Paul Rieckhoff, a combat veteran and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “This is who he is…. [he] has no respect for anyone.”
VETERAN NEWS COVERAGE
The Atlantic: Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’
By Jeffrey Goldberg
The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.
ConnectingVets.com: As lawmakers call for investigation of reported racism at VA, workers plan protests
By Abbie Bennett
Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, called on the Government Accountability Office to investigate “the culture, policies and practices” of VA “to determine the extent to which systemic racism impacts the VA, including whether VA employees and veterans in the benefits offices, medical centers and other facilities … experience racial discrimination in the workplace.”
Military.com: Hundreds of Veterans to Receive Convalescent Plasma in VA Test
By Richard Sisk
The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced plans for randomized testing of 700 veterans on the effectiveness of convalescent plasma in treating COVID-19, amid an open feud between public health agencies on its therapeutic value.
Stars and Stripes: Veteran died by suicide after not receiving needed care at Memphis VA, IG report says
By Nikki Wentling
A veteran died by suicide one day after seeking treatment at the veterans hospital in Memphis, Tenn., where the patient “did not receive the care needed,” an investigation found.
Washington Post: Case of legionella infection at D.C. veterans hospital leaves water off-limits for a day
By Lola Fadulu
Patients and staff at the District’s main hospital for veterans were unable to drink the center’s water or use it for showering and hand-washing on Wednesday after a patient tested positive for legionella infection, the Department of Veterans Affairs said in a statement.
Military.com: Amid Devastated Economy, Job Mentorship Crucial for Veterans, Report Finds
By Richard Sisk
Veterans able to find jobs in an economy devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic will face the continuing problem of “underemployment” in positions unsuited to their skills, according to a new study.
Business Insider: Trump didn’t want wounded veterans to attend a military parade because ‘nobody wants to see that,’ report says
By David Choi and Sonam Sheth
President Donald Trump did not want injured veterans to be present at a military parade because he believed it would make spectators uneasy, sources said an Atlantic report published Thursday. “Nobody wants to see that,” Trump reportedly said. The White House issued several statements disputing The Atlantic’s story on Thursday, calling it a “disgrace” and “patently false.”
