ENROLLING IN THE VA HEALTHCARE SYSTEM:
Click Here to Enroll in the VA Healthcare System (Legionnaires see box area below)
Everyone should enroll. Flu Shots are available if you are enrolled!
Legionnaires Enroll This Way: Take your form DD214 to Green Street where you will find an American Legion Representative to help fill out paperwork correctly and handwalk it through for you.
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Medicare Plans Resourse for Veterans:
https://www.medicareplans.com/va-military-and-medicare-benefits-resource/
VETERAN'S ADMINISTRATION CAREGIVER'S PROGRAM:
The Deparment of Veterans Affairs has send out more than $430,000 in stipend payments to nearly 200 Family Caregivers of Veterans in July. These Family Caregivers were the first to complete their Caregiver training under the program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. The first payments to 96 recipients were issued 1 JUL. Family Caregivers will receive an average $1,600 in monthly stipend payments. The initial payments will average $2,500 because the first stipend checks are retroactive to the date of application. The amount of the stipend is based on the condition of the Veteran and the amount of care they require as well as the geographic location where the Veteran resides. An additional 80 stipend payments was released from the U. S. Treasury on 8 JUL bringing the total to 176 Family Caregivers receiving the stipend in July. “We continue to process and approve applications on a daily basis” said Deborah Amdur, VA’s Chief Consultant for Care Management and Social Work. “It has been profoundly gratifying to receive messages from Family Caregivers about the value of this program.” Since 9 MAY, nearly 1,250 Caregivers of Veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, have applied for the Program. A core caregiver training curriculum is a required component of the program. This comprehensive training, which was developed by Easter Seals in collaboration with VA clinical experts, has received many positive comments from Family Caregivers. In addition to the training, eligible Family Caregivers can also access mental health services and are provided health care insurance, if they are not already entitled to care or services under a health plan. Veterans may review the criteria for eligibility and download the Family Caregiver program application (VA CG 10-10) at http://www.caregiver.va.gov. The application enables the Veteran to designate a primary Family Caregiver and secondary Family Caregivers if needed. Caregiver Support Coordinators are stationed at every VA medical center to assist with coordinating the training or assist Caregivers in locating available services. Support for all Caregivers is also available via the national Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274. Caregivers of Veterans from all eras are encouraged to use the Website and Support Line to learn about more than two dozen supportive services VA offers to Family Caregivers.
PTSD:
Maryville University has some very informative and usefull links pertaining to PTSD and associated support services for our veterans who suffer from this desease. Please see ATTACHED:
LUNG CANCER AWARENESS:
http://www.lung-cancer.com"www.lung-cancer.com
Veterans are even more likely to get lung cancer than the general public because of exposure to a number of pollutants. Smoking and tobacco are the leading causes, but other causes include: radon, asbestos, beryllium, and others.
This informational site describes the causes and symptoms of lung cancer and the screening techniques that doctors use to diagnose cancer.
http://www.lungcancer.com
MESOTHELIOMA:
Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center
Veterans face many challenges in today's society. But perhaps one that many may not be aware of is the likelihood of exposure to toxic substances during their military service. Among the most common toxin that veterans found themselves to be exposed to is the carcinogen-asbestos. If you are a veteran, it is important to understand where and how possible exposures may have occurred so that you may speak with your physician about your asbestos history and how you may have been affected.
The great majority of asbestos exposures affect naval veterans, though asbestos exposure is not exclusively encountered among members of the U. S. Navy. Naval ships and shipyards were notorious for their use of asbestos and today many veterans are paying the price. Asbestos was used to insulate and prevent temperature transfer in many parts of vessel construction, but especially around boilers and piping. Those who frequently worked with and in the vicinity of these fixtures could be at risk of a harmful exposure.
Veterans who worked among our military's industrial complex may also be at risk. Many military structures and installations were built to withstand fire and heat, a property for which asbestos products were particularly adept. Those who worked around these fixtures prior to 1980, or worked extensively with older or damaged fixtures more recently, could also be at risk of a potentially harmful exposure. There is no safe level of asbestos exposure and veterans and service men and women who worked in these sectors should consult with their physician about their asbestos history.
The majority of asbestos products (those containing at least 1% asbestos) were banned in the late 1970s by the Consumer Product Safety Commission because of the clear connection between asbestos exposure and health conditions became impossible to ignore any longer. Asbestos exposure has been linked to deadly cancers, including lung cancer, and mesothelioma. For more information about asbestos exposure, mesothelioma, or mesothelioma treatment, please visit the website mesothelioma.com.
Another good site comes to us through Kelsey Servi, Public Outreach Department for the Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com, the flagship site of their organization and the authority on asbestos exposure and mesothelioma information. Their main focus is working with individuals and their families to help them find local treatment centers, doctors and support groups, provide free informational resources, and help file VA claims.
A sister site is Pleural Mesthelioma.com, a site dedicated to spreading awareness about pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of mesothelioma cancer. Veterans can visit to learn about mesothelioma life expectancy if they’ve received a mesothelioma prognosis. Additionally, they’ve dedicated a portion of their website with information that can assist veterans affected by asbestos-related diseases to file for VA benefits.
Several sites have achieved HON (Health on the Net) code approval are Mesothelioma Web and Mesothelioma Trust Fund; HON is a non-profit organization whose mission is to guide people to accurate medical information and expertise online and thereby to contribute to improved health care through patient empowerment and better informed health professionals. For those affected by asbestos disease, the most informative page to link to would be the page answering many of the standard questions on mesothelioma, There is also a page specifically for veterans issues. Thank you to Caroline Shapiro, the cancer information coordinator for Mesothelioma Web and Jessica Fisher the Outreach Coordinator for the Mesothelioma Trust, for providing this information.
Rachel Jones is the Awareness Administrator for Mesothelioma Prognosis. She says, "...mesothelioma is one of the deadliest forms of cancer today. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most misunderstood diseases in recent times and continues to cause extensive harm. However, their site, http://www.mesotheliomaprognosis.org, is an excellent resource to learn about the dangers of this disease. Members of the U.S. Armed Services have not only dedicated their lives to their country, but are also unfortunately the most common victims of mesothelioma due to their increased risk of exposure to asbestos. The military has used asbestos in various aspects of work and construction and ultimately affected close to one million individuals of the 25 million veterans in the U.S."
Jessica Fisher is the Outreach Coordinator for the Mesothelioma.Net Trust Fund. Their website https://mesothelioma.net/
Important Information about Mesothelioma
Hello:
My name is Carl Jewett, and I am a retired Naval Officer. I now serve as a VA Accredited Claims Agent specializing in asbestos-related VA claims.
Veterans make up the single largest group of people affected by asbestos illnesses, comprising almost 1/3 of all diagnoses each year. And I have personally lost several Navy buddies to these totally preventable diseases.
Our website (https://www.
I also believe another great resource is our page, https://www.mesotheliomaguide.
Feel free to reach out at my toll-free number below with any questions, especially veterans with mesothelioma. I would be more than happy to provide my expert advice free-of-charge if needed.
Respectfully,
Carl Jewett
LCDR, US Navy, Retired
VA Accredited Claims Agent
844-VET-MESO
844-838-6376
https://www.mesotheliomaguide.
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My name is Annika and I work for the advocacy organization, Mesothelioma Hope. I came across American Legion Towson Post #22 and noticed your organization does a terrific job in providing information for veterans.
Have a wonderful day,
https://www.mesotheliomahope.
1330 Boylston Street, Suite 400
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
(855) 722-2974
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WOUNDED WARRIORS:
NEW SERVICES ANNOUNCED FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS
VISION CARE:
There are published educational guides for veterans and vision care. These free resource highlight VA coverage for vision care, common eye injuries/disorders for veterans, treatment for blind veterans and more. Please take a look:
https://www.nvisioncenters.com/education/vision-care- guide-for-veterans/