LVMAC News — TRICARE in the Lehigh Valley

MR. TERRY GOODYEAR EXPLAINS THE TRICARE PROGRAM

Mr. Terry Goodyear, Educational Specialist for HealthNet Federal Services LLC, which manages the TRICARE North contract serving our region, spoke to the Council on 15 February at its business meeting on the subject of TRICARE and the options available.

TRICARE brings together the health care resources of the Military Health System—such as military treatment facilities (MTFs) —with a network of civilian health care professionals, institutions, pharmacies, and suppliers.  It is a worldwide system managed regionally. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbits — PTSD Help for Families

Veterans and Families’ Guide to Recovering from PTSD is Now Available

We thank the author, Stephanie Laite Lanham, PMH-NP, for granting us permission to publish the 6th edition of this booklet. “The Guide”, as it has come to be called by many, was very well received when nationally distributed for several years by the Military Order of Purple Heart (MOPH) to the Vet Centers in all 50 states. The Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council (LVMAC) believes it has found a new life for the Veterans and Families’ Guide for Recovering from PTSD.  It has been in the process of distributing it over the last two months. (more…)

LVMAC News

CLYDE HOCH SPEAKS TO THE COUNCIL

Clyde Hoch, author of Tracks – Memoirs of a Vietnam Veteran, spoke to the Council on his service in the Marine Corps, his remembrances of war and his return home.

First off, he expressed his appreciation to the Council for their concern for veterans as he thinks too often veterans “are tossed aside” once they have played their role in the defense of the nation.

Now in his sixties, he believes he has a story to tell – as many other veterans do also – which can help the young understand that sometimes great sacrifices are made on their behalf, that millions of men and women before them have left their loving families to do whatever is necessary to protect our way of life. Nor does it matter they ultimately served as cooks or infantry, for the deed was in the willingness to sacrifice for others even when those “others” often little understood or cared for the service members during the Vietnam era. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbits

Our VA Network is About to Conduct a Special Veterans’ Family and War Study

VISN-4’s  (the next higher organization to our Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center) Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC)  in Philadelphia is conducting a funded study to understand how war-related psychiatric symptoms may interfere with family reintegration and functioning.   The obvious is not apparent to them.  Nevertheless, there are benefits to such a study.  The means to improving care in the VA is most often  lead through documented study.  The VA has been known to be  loath to move without one.   The benefit we see?  … another step towards a more family-oriented VA.   Therefore, you can help by participating. (more…)

LVMAC News — Swinfard Talks on Downstream Effects of War

SWINFARD ADDRESSES COUNCIL

Dr. Ronald W. Swinfard, M.D., President and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LHVN) spoke to the Council at its business meeting on 19 October.  During the Vietnam War, he served in the Medical Service Corps as a Battalion Surgeon (a lieutenant position)  of an Aid Station (a platoon equivalent organization) in 195th  Brigade of the Americal Division (23rd Infantry Division), circa 1970.  After a short stint as a high school teacher, upon return from service and decommissioning, he embarked on a career as a doctor, first training in internal medicine and later dermatology as a specialty.  In 2003, Swinfard was hired by the Lehigh Valley Health Network as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) after serving at fifteen years at the Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center in Columbia, Missouri, eventually rising to the position of Section Chief for Dermatology.  He was also a key figure in the University of Missouri Hospital – Columbia.  In November of 2010, he was selected for his current position.  He stated that he is ever mindful of the sacrifice of others who gave their lives and because of them, believes we should celebrate our lives and make them useful in the service of others.

In his talk, “The Downstream Health Effects of War,” he observed that few doctors are veterans and hence a learning curve is often required when it comes to their care.  He noted that that LHVN sees a lot of veterans in their Emergency Rooms; and that while the organization has done some work with the local VA Clinic, it intends to do more on the behalf of our local veterans. (more…)

LVMAC News — Keystone Wounded Warriors Introduce Themselves

Council Speaker:  On 21 September 2011, Captain Samuel Johnson, USMC – who is assigned as an Instructor-Inspector to the newly relocated 150 personnel Battery I, 3-14 Regiment of Artillery (155 mm) which closed on the Lehigh Valley’s Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center from Reading on 15 September – spoke to the Council on the origins and initiatives of the Keystone Wounded Warriors, a new nonprofit, charitable 501(c)(3) organization incorporated  in October of 2010 and just beginning to operate in the Lehigh Valley. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbits

TTI’s “Supporting the Homefront”  has Launched A groundbreaking new program for the families of deploying and deployed military members and returned veterans has just become available in the Lehigh Valley beginning 27 September on Tuesday evenings. “Supporting the Homefront” offers a place to gather, understand and address the difficulties inherent Read more…

LVMAC News

Speaker:  Ann Friedenheim, Clinical Supervisor for Confront Services, Treatment Trends, Inc. spoke about a new program to be launched by Treatment Trends and called, “Supporting the Homefront: Educational Footing for Families of Veterans and Active Duty Men and Women.”

After three years of planning and effort, (more…)

LVMAC Tidbits

Red Cross Changing “Emergency Communications” System

Beginning June 13, the American Red Cross will use a single telephone number for its emergency communication services.  All military members and their families, regardless of where they live, can use 1-877-272-7337 to send an urgent message to a service member.  The number is toll free in the United States. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbits

VA Finally Rolls Out its Family Caregiver Program

After missing the 30 January deadline for full implementation, the VA is posting the “interim” final rule to enable them to get rolling on “Family Caregiver Program” of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act 2010, which includes enhanced services to a family caregiver of a veteran who sustained a serious injury in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001. The Act does not help veterans of other periods.

Aspects of the program, which came on line on 9 May 2011, are: (more…)