LVMAC Tidbit — A Women Veterans Symposium, First of Its Kind in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), under which the Office of Veterans Affairs is found,  is hosting its first Pennsylvania Women Veterans Symposium (PWVS) on March 8-10, 2013, at the Wyndham Hotel in Gettysburg.  All Pennsylvania women veterans, regardless of period of service, are welcome.

The symposium is geared to meet the needs of women veterans by providing them with information and resources, to include VA benefits and health care.  Important guest speakers will be featured, as well as breakout sessions on a variety of topics of particular interest to women veterans.  The event will also provide an opportunity to meet fellow vets and build camaraderie. (more…)

LVMAC News — Babb-ling on About Military History

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In This Issue

  • Mr. Babb Talks About the Veterans History Project Roundtable
  • Veterans Affairs Committee Develops Its Operating Budget
  • Looking Forward on the Homelessness Front
  • 2013 Scholarship Season Opening
  • Re-looking Our Employment Programs
  • Health Care Initiative Progressing
  • Project Healing Waters Events Set for 2013
  • Focus on Colleges Begins
  • Report on the War Veterans Council
  • DoD/VA News

MR. BABB TALKS ABOUT THE VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT ROUNDTABLE

David Babb, a historian and interviewer for the Lehigh Valley Veterans History Project Roundtable, a member organization, spoke to the Council at its business meeting on 17 January 2013.

His organization was formed in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization two capture the stories of all wartime veterans and also those who served on the home front. It collects documents and preserves their personal experiences and then shares those stories with both the public and the Library of Congress.  To date about 200 interviews have been done. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — A Special Retreat for Women Veterans

ALL WOMEN VETERANS IN PENNSYLVANIA,  STAND UP!

 ATTENTION:

What:  Women Veterans Retreat
Where: Comfort Inn, Duncansville, PA
When:  From 22 March at 4:30 p.m. to 24 March at about 9 a.m.
Cost:    Free, courtesy of state VFW Posts and Ladies Auxiliaries
RSVP required:  PAWomenVets2013@gmail.com by 1 March 2013
Primary POC:  Sandy Showalter, Chair, Women’s Programs, VFW Dept. of PA

Registration starts 22 March at 4:30 p.m. Bring a DD Form 214 or its equivalent, VA Card, or Military ID Card.  Program starts 22 March at 6:00 p.m.

This one-of-a-kind event is open to any woman veteran of any period of service and sponsored by women veterans for women veterans. You do not have to be affiliated with any organization — this event is not about organizations. Come learn about your benefits, learn about yourself, enjoy the company of other women veterans, be “vet proud,” and also feel the appreciation of the Blair County community. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — New TRICARE Pharmacy Copays for 2013

As a result of the enacted Fiscal Year National Defense Authorization Act of 2013, beginning this February new  copayments for prescription drugs purchased through TRICARE off-base are about to go into effect. Off-base TRICARE Pharmacy copays will continue to vary based upon class of drug and where beneficiaries choose to fill their prescriptions. (more…)

LVMAC News — Dr. Bhatia Speaks About the VA’s Mental Health Efforts

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WILKES-BARRE VA MEDICAL CENTER SAYS IT IS PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY

Dr. Aruna Bhatia, Chief of Mental/Behavioral Health Services spoke to the Council at its business meeting on  19 December on the advances in care by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In an honest and straightforward talk, she stated there has been a focus on mental health over the last decade and a lot of work done in recovery,  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicide prevention, albeit with some stumbling along the way. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — The COLA Increase for 2013

Since we have been asked, the President’s signing of the 2013 National Defense Act last November authorized veterans to receive a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase of 1.7% in their compensation and pension payments.  The same applied to survivors enrolled in either a pension or dependency and indemnity compensation program, and also to Social Security recipients and military retirees (except 2012 retirees and REDUX retirees). (more…)