Disabled American Veterans
Blind
Veterans National Chapter #1
WEB
SITE: http://www.davbvnc1.com/contents.htm
May/June
2015 Newsletter
Editor:
Dennis O’Connell
Email
address: bvnc1@optonline.net
"IF I CANNOT SPEAK GOOD
OF MY COMRADE,
I WILL NOT SPEAK
OFFICERS OF THE BLIND CHAPTER
Commander Carroll Prosser
(SC), Phone (843) 997-1981
Email: heypops43@gmail.com
Senior vice Commander James
Hogan (CA)
1st Junior vice Commander
Terry Livingston (FL)
2nd Junior vice Commander
3rd Vice Commander Ron Lester (AZ)
4th Junior vice
Commander William Burgess (FL)
Judge Advocate Dennis
O’Connell (NY)
Chaplain Rev. Tony Martino (IL), Phone 847 736 2111,
email: deaconmartino@gmail.com
Adjutant/Treasurer Paul Kaminsky (FL) (also
webmaster),
Phone 904 291-0576, email: pkjax@kaminsky.com
Immediate Past Commander
Richard Bugbee (AZ)
PLEASE, if you know of any
member who is sick or deceased inform one of the officers whose contact
information is listed above ASAPP.
DNA
SAMPLES NEEDED FOR MIA IDENTIFICATIONS
There
are 83,000 missing and unaccounted for Americans from World War II forward, yet
many families of the missing have yet to provide a family reference sample to
assist in DNA identifications. Currently, 89 percent of Korean War families
have provided samples, as well as 83 percent of Cold War families and 81
percent of Vietnam War
families,
but only 4 percent of WWII families have. The government last year identified
107 MIAs, but more could have been identified—and faster—if more family
reference samples were on file. Please forward the following service casualty
office contact information to MIA families in your hometown, as well as to
local newspapers:
Army: 800-892-2490
Marine Corps: 800-847-1597
Navy: 800-443-9298
Air
Force: 800-531-5501
State
Department: 202-485-6106
For more information, go to:
http://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/FAQs.aspx.
CURRENCY
READER INQUIRIES
As
of January 2, 2015 the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP)
Currency
Reader project is open to all citizens and legal residents of the
United
States who are unable to read
Blindness
or a visual impairment.
Please
contact BEP call Center at
1.844.815.9388
for
more information or to request a print copy of
the
application by mail.
Those
interested in more information or printing an application can also
visit
the BEP currency reader page at
http://loc.gov/nis/other/currencyreader/index.html
MESSAGE
FROM PAUL KAMINSKY
As
we approach the 2015 DAV National Convention normally during this time the
Adjutant would be busy sending out mailers containing the Biographies and
Ballots for the members to elect Delegates and Alternate Delegates to represent
the Chapter during the Convention. The Chapter has normally assigned billets
for 4 Primary and 4 Alternate Delegates. Also normally there are more
individuals nominated to compete for the
8 combined billets. This year there are only 6 individuals nominated, therefore
this year there is no reason to solicit votes since each nominee has at least
one vote. In order to lessen the Chapter’s expense it was decided that the
names of those nominated would be drawn at random and the order of Delegates
and Alternates would be determined in the order of the draw.
Following
are the names of the 4 Primary, and 2 Alternate Delegates. Also one Primary and
one Alternate Delegate billet represents the Blind Chapter and this year will
be filled by the Chapter Commander and Chapter Adjutant, filling all 8 combined
billets.
Primary
Delegates:
Commander
Carroll Prosser
Dennis
O’Connell
James
Hogan
Ron
Lester
Alternate Delegates:
Tony
Martino
Adjutant
Paul Kaminsky
FYI
1st Session
H. R. 288
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for coverage under
the beneficiary travel program of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain
disabled veterans for travel for certain special disabilities rehabilitation,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 13, 2015
Ms. BROWNLEY of
A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for coverage
under the beneficiary travel program of the Department of Veterans Affairs of
certain disabled veterans for travel for certain special disabilities
rehabilitation, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Veterans Medical Access Act'.
SEC. 2. COVERAGE UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFICIARY
TRAVEL PROGRAM OF CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS FOR TRAVEL FOR CERTAIN SPECIAL
DISABILITIES REHABILITATION.
(a) In General- Section 111(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
`(G) A veteran with vision impairment, a veteran with a spinal cord
injury or disorder, or a veteran with double or multiple amputations whose
travel is in connection with care provided through a special disabilities
rehabilitation program of the Department (including spinal cord injury center
programs, blind rehabilitation center programs, and prosthetics rehabilitation
center programs) if such care is provided--
`(i) on an in-patient basis; or
`(ii) during a period in which the Secretary provides the veteran with
temporary lodging at a facility of the Department to make such care more
accessible to the veteran.'.
(b) Report- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on
the beneficiary travel program under section 111 of title 38, United States
Code, including--
(1) the cost of the program;
(2) the number of veterans served by the program; and
(3) any other matters the Secretary considers appropriate.
{You can do your part by contacting your representative in Congress and
ask them to co-sponsor this bill}
2015 National Convention
August 7 — 11, 2015
Sheraton
Telephone: Toll Free: 1.888.627.8405
(when calling, give room block name Disabled American Veterans)
$128 Single/Double (while availability lasts)