[Joint House and Senate Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
=======================================================================
JOINT HEARING
of the
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
before the
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
and the
U.S. SENATE
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012
__________
Serial No. 112-79
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
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U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
JEFF MILLER, Florida, Chairman
CLIFF STEARNS, Florida BOB FILNER, California, Ranking
DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado CORRINE BROWN, Florida
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida SILVESTRE REYES, Texas
DAVID P. ROE, Tennessee MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine
MARLIN A. STUTZMAN, Indiana LINDA T. SANCHEZ, California
BILL FLORES, Texas BRUCE L. BRALEY, Iowa
BILL JOHNSON, Ohio JERRY McNERNEY, California
JEFF DENHAM, California JOE DONNELLY, Indiana
JON RUNYAN, New Jersey TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
DAN BENISHEK, Michigan JOHN BARROW, Georgia
ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri
TIM HUELSKAMP, Kansas
MARK E. AMODEI, Nevada
ROBERT L. TURNER, New York
Helen W. Tolar, Staff Director and Chief Counsel
U.S. SENATE,
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
PATTY MURRAY, Washington, Chairman
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West RICHARD BURR, North Carolina,
Virginia Ranking
DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
BERNARD SANDERS, (I) Vermont ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska
JIM WEBB, Virginia SCOTT P. BROWN, Massachusetts
JON TESTER, Montana JERRY MORAN, Kansas
MARK BEGICH, Alaska JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
Kim Lipsky, Staff Director
Lupe Wissel, Republican Staff Director
Pursuant to clause 2(e)(4) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, public
hearing records of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs are also
published in electronic form. The printed hearing record remains the
official version. Because electronic submissions are used to prepare
both printed and electronic versions of the hearing record, the process
of converting between various electronic formats may introduce
unintentional errors or omissions. Such occurrences are inherent in the
current publication process and should diminish as the process is
further refined.
C O N T E N T S
__________
October 3, 2012
Page
Legislative Presentation of The American Legion.................. 1
OPENING STATEMENTS
Chairman Jeff Miller, U.S. House of Representatives.............. 1
Prepared Statement of Chairman Miller........................ 30
Hon. Michael Michaud, U.S. House of Representatives.............. 2
Prepared Statement of Hon. Michaud........................... 32
Senator Richard Lugar, U.S. Senate............................... 3
Senator Mark Begich, U.S. Senate................................. 10
Senator John Boozman, U.S. Senate................................ 11
Prepared Statement of Senator Boozman........................ 33
WITNESSES
James E. Koutz, National Commander, The American Legion.......... 4
Prepared Statement of Mr. Koutz.............................. 34
Accompanied by:
Verna Jones, Director, National Veterans Affairs and
Rehabilitation Commission
Michael Helm, Chairman, National Veterans Affairs and
Rehabilitation Commission
Peter Gaytan, Executive Director, The American Legion
Kenneth Governor, Chairman, National Legislative Commission
LEGISLATIVE PRESENTATION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
U.S. House of Representatives,
and U.S. Senate,
Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, D.C.
The Committees met, pursuant to notice, at 10:00 a.m., in
Room 345, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Jeff Miller
[Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs]
presiding.
Present: Representatives Miller and Michaud.
Senators Begich and Boozman.
Also Present: Senator Lugar.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN JEFF MILLER
The Chairman. Good morning, everybody. Thank you so much
for being here. We appreciate you making the trip to
Washington.
I am pleased to be joined by colleagues from not only
across the Capitol, but across the aisle, as well. And as I
told some of you this morning at breakfast, you know the
congressional schedule changed a few weeks ago, so a lot of
Members are not in Washington today. Senator Boozman flew in
this morning, as a matter of fact. I came in last night, got
caught in the fog trying to get in.
And you probably just drove down from Maine, didn't you?
But we thank you for being here. And rest assured, all the
Members will not only receive the full testimony of the
commander but also from the questions that are going to be
given here. We are Webcasting, as well, so folks will be able
to see this streaming live. And also it will be stored on the
Internet so folks can get a look and see for themselves.
And I have a full statement that I want to enter into the
record, but I do want to extend a very warm welcome to your new
commander--we are glad to have you; it was a pleasure to meet
you this morning--the 2012-2013 National Commander, James E.
Koutz.
We are proud to have you with us here today. We look
forward to your testimony and learning from you where the
Legion stands on your legislative agenda.
I also want to welcome the Legion's auxiliary that is here,
as well; of course, my friends from Florida, who I had a chance
to visit with this morning at breakfast very briefly.
But instead of me going through a complete statement, I ask
unanimous consent that I can enter the full statement into the
record.
[The prepared statement of Chairman Miller appears in the
Appendix]
The Chairman. And, with that, I would like to go ahead and
introduce--let's see--Mike, do you want to give a quick opening
statement?
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MICHAEL MICHAUD
Mr. Michaud. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I, too, would like to welcome the National Commander here
this morning, as well as the National President of the American
Legion Auxiliary also. And I want to thank both of you for your
advocacy for our veterans and enduring support that the
American Legion's over 2.5 million members have given for our
veterans.
Before we start, I also would like to extend compliments to
your Washington, D.C., staff, to let you know that the staff
here in D.C.--it is a pleasure working with them, but they also
are out there each and every day fighting for the American
Legion's priorities. So I want to thank you, National
Commander, for the excellent staff that you have here in
Washington.
And I also would like to recognize and ask them to stand in
the audience the folks from Maine that took the time to be here
today. I think they are still out in the audience. Would the
Maine American Legion members please stand up?
I would like to thank both of you for coming here today, as
well.
[Applause.]
Mr. Michaud. These Committees are charged with oversight of
the Department of Veterans Affairs and the VA's budget. And
while it has been busy and frustrating, we have been able to
accomplish a lot over the last couple of years.
And we must also make sure that we provide the best care
and service for our veterans. And we need to, first of all,
understand how the veterans population is growing, changing,
and where they are located geographically. And in 2011, we had
just over 22 million veterans, with 34 million dependents, and
we had 450,000 survivors of deceased veterans receiving
compensation.
And I was pleased to see that the VA's budget for 2013
reflects many of these changes. But they must do better to do
outreach for our veterans, particularly those that live in
rural areas, and to do better with the dependents.
The VA 2013 overall budget is $140 billion, an increase
from the 2012 request. And because of the hard work of many
individuals here in this room, advance appropriations continue
to help the VA with long-term planning. With advance
appropriation, we ensure sufficient, timely, predictable
funding for veterans health care.
But advance appropriation only works when we work together
to pass a long-term appropriation bill, as well. Short-term
continuing resolutions are not helpful in the planning process,
and we have to do better as Members of Congress on both sides
of the aisle.
Although Congress may disagree on a lot of things, I hope
that we can agree on providing strong appropriation for the VA
in a nonpartisan effort. And in that regard, I would like to
thank Chairman Miller for all the effort and hard work that he
has done on the House side to make sure that the Committee
works in a bipartisan manner.
I was troubled by the July report from CBS News that found
suicide rates for our soldiers is up 80 percent. Our veterans
are returning from war with invisible wounds that need
treatment but are discouraged from seeking those treatments for
various reasons. And as a Nation, we can do better, and we must
get this right.
And to The American Legion, I ask you to continue to help
in this regard. As you lobby the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, I hope you are also lobbying the Committees on Armed
Services to make sure that they are dealing with this issue, as
well. Care must begin with the person who is on active duty
before they take off the uniform and become veterans as well.
Servicemembers--also, if you look at another area of effort
we have to do better on, that is for military training. Look at
jobs. Servicemembers are experienced in many different career
fields that can be varied, such as electronics, medicine, air
traffic control. And we have to do everything we can as a
Congress to help our veterans find jobs when they come back.
And I think it is important for The American Legion, with your
broad outreach into all the different States, to make sure that
the States are doing the same thing, as well, to make it easier
for our veterans to find jobs as well.
And, with that, I would ask for the remainder of my
statement to be included in the record. And I want to again
thank you, National Commander, for being here today, and all
the members from The American Legion. So thank you.
[The prepared statement of Hon. Michaud appears in the
Appendix]
The Chairman. Without objection, so ordered.
And Senator Boozman is going to yield his time, at this
point.
Senator Lugar, I understand you have a prior commitment.
And so, in keeping with your schedule, sir, we appreciate you
being here today to introduce the National Commander for 2012
and 2013, Commander James Koutz. We appreciate you being here.
You don't remember this, but I met you for the first time in
1977 up here in Washington. And so I have great respect and
admiration for you, Senator.
The senior Senator from Indiana is recognized, sir.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD LUGAR
Senator Lugar. Well, thank you very much, Chairman Miller
and distinguished Members of the House and Senate Veterans'
Committees.
I deeply appreciate this opportunity to address this Joint
Committee in order to introduce a very distinguished Hoosier,
American Legion National Commander James E. Koutz, as he
presents his organization's current legislative priorities to
this Committee.
Over the course of my service in the United States Senate,
I have had the distinct honor to spend considerable time with
Hoosier servicemembers and veterans from all branches of the
military. Each time, I am reminded of how fortunate we are as a
Nation to have so many young men and women who are willing to
step forward now to defend the ideals upon which our Republic
was founded.
It is one of our duties in Congress to ensure that those
who bear the considerable burden of defending our Nation in
military service receive the care and support they have earned
upon their return to civilian life. Since its founding in 1919,
The American Legion and its members have worked closely with
officials at the local, State, and Federal levels in providing
that support.
I am also very proud to note that The American Legion is
headquartered in my hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. I was
especially pleased to meet with Jim most recently in August
during the American Legion's 94th National Convention in
Indianapolis, where he was elected to serve as National
Commander.
He brings a wealth of experience to this new post. This
includes his own service with the United States Army in
Vietnam, more than 2 decades in the private sector with Amax
Coal Company, his election as a County Commissioner in Warrick
County, Indiana, and his service to the veterans of our State
as a member and President of the Indiana Veterans' Affairs
Commission. I am confident the talent and diligence that he has
exemplified have been the hallmark of his career to date, and
they will continue to well-serve The American Legion during his
term in office.
I would like again to thank the leadership and Members of
the respective Veterans' Affairs Committees assembled here
today for calling this important hearing.
I wish Jim and his wife Vickie every success in their
important service to the 2.4 million veterans that make up The
American Legion. And I look forward to learning much more about
the American Legion's important legislative priorities and
supporting those in the future.
I thank the chair.
The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator, for being here
with us today. And we know that your schedule is tight this
morning, so whenever you need to depart, please feel free to do
so.
And, Commander Koutz, you are now recognized.
STATEMENT OF JAMES E. KOUTZ, NATIONAL COMMANDER, THE AMERICAN
LEGION; ACCOMPANIED BY VERNA JONES, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL VETERANS
AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION COMMISSION; MICHEL HELM, CHAIRMAN,
NATIONAL VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION COMMISSION; PETER
GAYTAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE AMERICAN LEGION; AND KENNETH
GOVERNOR, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION
Mr. Koutz. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I want to thank the Senator, my Senator from Indiana,
Senator Lugar, for that kind introduction.
Good morning, Chairman Miller and Members of the Committee.
First, let me state how proud I am that you took on to have
this POW-MIA flag and empty chair behind me. I understand this
is the first time, and I hope it is not the last time. Thank
you.
On behalf of the 2.4 million members of The American
Legion, I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you this
morning.
Prior to getting into the details of my written testimony,
I would like to introduce some of the national officers that
will serve with me this year. As I call their names, I ask that
they stand to be recognized.
National Vice Commanders: David Hall, out of West Virginia;
Glenn Hickman, Department of Ohio; James Hallie Holland from
South Carolina; John Neylon from New Hampshire; and Jeanette
Rae from Nevada.
Our National Sergeant-At-Arms: Al Pulido from Indiana.
Our National Adjutant: Dan Wheeler.
And our National Treasurer: George Buskirk.
Please stand and be recognized.
Thank you.
[Applause.]
Mr. Koutz. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge
some special men in the audience who fully comprehend what I am
just beginning to understand--what it means to sacrifice a year
of your life to be the face of this great organization--the
past national commanders of the American Legion.
Gentlemen, would you please stand and be recognized?
[Applause.]
Mr. Koutz. Next, I wish to introduce the leadership of the
American Legion Auxiliary, the Nation's largest patriotic
women's organization.
Please stand as I call your name and be recognized.
National President Peggy Thomas from Virginia; National
Vice President Nancy Brown-Park from California; and National
Secretary Mary ``Dubbie'' Buckler from Indiana.
[Applause.]
Mr. Koutz. We also have several past national presidents of
the American Legion Auxiliary joining us today. I would like
for them to stand and be recognized.
With us today is the National Commander of the Sons of The
American Legion, Chris Huntzinger from Department of
Pennsylvania.
Chris, please stand and be recognized.
[Applause.]
Mr. Koutz. In addition, several of the men present
dedicated a year of their lives to serve as National Commanders
of the Sons of The American Legion.
Gentlemen, would you please stand to be recognized?
Most importantly, I would like to take this opportunity to
introduce and thank my wonderful wife Vickie, my best friend.
Vickie?
[Applause.]
Mr. Koutz. A month from now, U.S. citizens will go to the
polls across the country and cast ballots in the general
election. Washington will be focused on that great landscape
beyond the Beltway. That is where I come from. That is where
you will find The American Legion.
You will find The American Legion in rural towns of the
West, helping veterans make that 4-hour trip to a VA medical
center. The American Legion is promoting and hosting more than
200 job fairs throughout this Nation. The American Legion
service officers are working day and night to help veterans
understand their VA claims and file applications that won't get
stuck in a massive backlog.
The American Legion is in your district, your hometown, and
your neighborhood. For nearly a century, this organization has
fulfilled the spirit of its Federal charter in ways that can't
easily be quantified. Suffice it to say that millions of
volunteer hours are put in by Legionnaires; millions of real
dollars are raised to help veterans and their families; and
millions of lives are touched every year all through America by
The American Legion.
By the end of my year in office, I will have spent more
than 300 days traveling the Nation and sometimes beyond,
visiting veterans, active duty troops, and patriotic Americans
everywhere. I will have a rare and unique opportunity to see
the faces and hear the stories of those who have sacrificed on
behalf of our Nation.
They will ask me what The American Legion is doing for them
today, and they will ask me what their elected officials are
doing for them. They will want to know what you are doing to
make things right for America's veterans, their families and
communities.
They have a good reason to ask. As today's generation of
troops comes home from war, they are unsure about their
futures. Where will their jobs come from? What if they can't
get the war out of their minds? What if they need a doctor now
but they can't wait and see one in a month?
They will want to know what massive cuts in the defense
budget will mean to small businesses and factories that supply
defense contractors and hire veterans. Will these businesses be
shut down? Will we weaken our national security because of a
weakened economy?
These are tough questions. Veterans need to know that The
American Legion and our elected officials are working hard to
resolve these issues confronting the Nation they swore with
their lives to protect and defend. These men and women have
sacrificed in ways we are only beginning to understand. Their
families have and will. It is truly up to us to ensure their
sacrifices are rewarded with a promise of a brighter future.
That brighter future, we all know, depends on the ability
to earn a decent living. In my written testimony, you will find
jobs among the American Legion's list of priorities. A stronger
economy and specifically improved career prospects for veterans
will go a long way toward solving a number of problems facing
our Nation today.
It is no secret that a large percentage of America's
veterans are struggling to find work, having faced jobless
rates as much as two-thirds higher than in the comparable
civilian population in the past year. The American Legion has
been at the forefront of efforts to combat veteran joblessness,
and we all know we have an ally in this Congress.
Specifically, I speak of the progress made in the
acceptance of military experience for credits toward licenses
and credentials in a number of trades and career paths for
veterans. It is just common sense that those who drove Humvees
through firefights delivering supplies to forward operating
bases ought to have a leg up when they pursue over-the-road
truck-driving certification as civilians. Medics who have saved
lives on battlefields don't need to start at lesson one when
they are working to become civilian EMTs.
The American Legion has been fighting this battle longer
than anybody else. Since our landmark ``Study of Licensure and
Certification for Veterans'' in 1997, we have worked with
concerned parties in both the government and the private
sector. We have been on the Hill, at the Pentagon, with the
Department of Labor, side-by-side with representatives and
Presidential task forces, and in the boardrooms across this
country.
And it is bearing results. You have worked with us to make
landmark strides in licensure and certification with
legislation such as the recent VOW to Hire Veterans Act and the
Veterans Skills to Jobs Act of 2012. We are grateful for this
dedication and cooperation that Congress has shown us on this
issue. Clearly, you have heard the concerns of veterans, and we
appreciate everything you have done to improve the situation on
the Federal level.
But we cannot let up. As The American Legion works to
capitalize on these gains and increase our efforts, we need
your support to keep working with the States to improve their
acceptance of military training, as the Federal Government has
already done. Legislation like the HIRE at Home Act can help
State-level efforts to recognize military training, education,
and experience.
The American Legion is now working with groups such as the
American National Standards Institute and Solutions for
Information Design to advise U.S. Army Training and Doctrine on
credentialing to evaluate the programs of instruction being
provided while these men and women still wear the uniform. We
all need to recognize the top-quality education and training
men and women of the United States Armed Forces receive when
they are serving our country.
We are working with the United States Chamber of Commerce,
Military.com, and Recruit Military, LLC, to produce hundreds of
hiring fairs across this country, from big cities to small
towns, from convention centers to American Legion posts. If you
have not been to one of these events, I strongly encourage you
to do so. There you will see firsthand the quality of these
returning servicemen and women, employers who understand their
value, and Legionnaires who are dedicated to improving their
lives.
The men and women who fought for this country shouldn't
have to fight for a job when they return home. Veterans, their
families, and The American Legion will keep working to revive
our Nation's economy. Efforts to improve opportunities through
licensing and credentialing, through job fairs and business
development, must continue in earnest.
For many newly minted veterans, the ability to get a job
and earn a decent income has been diminished because of
sacrifices made in uniform. That is why we simply must come up
with a solution to a problem that has been with us for years,
unfortunately, and has gotten worse: the VA claims backlog. I
would challenge anyone this room to recall a time when The
American Legion did not come before this Congress looking for
answers to this worsening problem.
Among veterans in every corner of the Nation, many who wait
months or even years for decisions about their claims, this is
not just some nagging bureaucratic nuisance. The claims
backlog, which is now hovering at about 1 million cases, is a
gathering storm of mistrust between those who fought for their
Nation and those who promised them benefits if should they
become disabled. Our government's failure to decide their
claims on time is inexcusable.
VA's efforts to tame the backlog have not produced positive
results. American Legion service officers are working around
the clock to help veterans through their process, and we all
know that VA has added employees to help solve the problem, but
this is clearly not enough. Secretary Shinseki has promised to
break the back of the backlog by 2015, and yet, with more new
claims outpacing decisions, we are going in the wrong
direction.
Congress can no longer simply be concerned about this
problem. Congress, VA, and The American Legion must work
together to solve it. And that does not mean simply rewarding
processors for fast decisions regardless of quality. We have
found an alarming amount of inaccuracy in claims decisions made
at VA regional offices throughout the country, and that only
slows down the progress.
Earlier this year, when Congress summoned American Legion
service officers for a hearing about the backlog, we were
encouraged. These service officers are at the front line of
this battle every day. They have unique perspectives that can
help VA contend with its biggest issue.
We have seen many pilot programs and promises from VA. It
is time to roll up our sleeves and really fix what is wrong
with this system. If the Social Security Administration and
other Federal benefits programs can handle their claims in a
timely manner, veterans cannot understand why the VA cannot.
In The American Legion, we have made training our service
officers a top priority. It is part of the job, not something
that gets in the way of the job. When we bring our service
officers together for training twice a year, they make
recommendations based on the complex system they must navigate
on a daily basis. They are the ones who can see the flaws in
the VA work-credit system that rewards quantity over quality.
There simply has to be a better way to get this done. For
instance, VA could start counting claims done right as a
positive and claims done wrong as a negative, so everyone could
have a more accurate picture of what is really getting done in
these regional offices. Veterans waiting past a realistic
target date might be compensated with interest on their claims,
creating an incentive for VA officers to get these claims
decided on time.
There are ways to work with the mechanics of the system to
make it serve the veteran and not the bureaucrats. We are
willing to roll up our sleeves and work with you to find those
ways. The American Legion has people in the trenches who not
only understand the problems but can contribute to the
solution. Veterans are tired of hearing how the government is
working on ending a backlog that continues to grow.
Veterans and The American Legion want results and are
willing to do whatever it takes to obtain them. Remember, we
are all partners in this. Everyone knows the claims process is
confusing for veterans. The American Legion is there with free
services to help navigate the system and make things easier for
both the veteran and the VA personnel who have to decide their
claims. Nobody gets charged a penny for this service--not the
veteran, not the government.
We are out there working to put these claims in order, to
help make it easier for these veterans by putting them in touch
with the people who are dedicating their time and effort to
make the process easier for those veterans. We work with the
congressionally chartered veterans organizations to get the
transitioning veterans in touch with the people who can make
this system run more smoothly. If you work to hand them off to
us, we will not forsake that trust. We will walk them through
that transition into the proud, patriotic, and productive phase
that is life as a civilian veteran.
The American Legion understands that our Nation is in a
budget crisis the likes of which has not been seen in over a
generation. First and foremost, our Nation's veterans are
deeply concerned about national security in the face of drastic
defense spending cuts.
Equally important to The American Legion is the protection
of VA and veterans programs administered in other Federal
agencies. Thanks to the tireless work of this Committee and
especially you, Chairman Miller, Congress and the White House
have reassured us that the VA will be exempt from
sequestration.
Unfortunately, many programs important to veterans are
funded by agencies outside the VA: Arlington National Cemetery;
the American Battle Monuments Commission; the Joint Prisoners
of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command; the Department of
Labor's VETS Program; HUD-VASH; and others. Veterans are
seriously concerned that these important government functions
will be compromised or cut in order to make ends meet.
And that does not even begin to address the massive cuts
that will be levied against our Nation's defense, which is
poised to bear fully half of the $1.2 trillion burden that
could not be relieved by the supercommittee last winter. The
Department of Defense is asked to bear this burden while U.S.
servicemen and women are still at war with hostile enemies in
Afghanistan and all around the world.
The American Legion has been promised that the budget would
not be balanced on the backs of veterans. If cuts to the
Department of Defense erode TRICARE, diminish quality of life
for our troops, or put more pressure on our National Guard and
Reserve components, it is clear that an unfair portion of
responsibility is falling upon the shoulders of America's
current and future veterans.
While the budget does not fall squarely on the shoulders of
the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees, we urge you
to work with your colleagues to find the right balance without
sacrificing our Nation's ability to defend itself or to care
for its protectors.
I am grateful for the work this Congress has done on behalf
of our veterans. I will tell Legionnaires and their families
throughout this country that their elected officials are, in
fact, working with us, the stakeholders, to solve some very
serious problems. I will explain to them that our voices matter
in Washington and we are being heard. Now it is time for all of
us to act on those voices and make good on our promises to the
men and women who have served.
I thank you for the opportunity to come before you and
renew the commitment of The American Legion to work closely
with Congress to ensure that we are meeting this Nation's
obligations to its veterans. Since 1919, The American Legion
has been there for America's servicemembers, veterans, and
their families. Our organization is a voice for the hundreds of
thousands of men and women serving today in the military who
are unable to speak for themselves.
The American Legion is there for millions of veterans, many
of whom are either too proud or too humble to demand the
benefits they have earned. The American Legion is there to give
you, our elected officials, a direct lane of communication with
a very special breed of constituents--those who have pledged
their lives to the Nation we all love.
It is much more than good political sense to address the
questions, problems, and issues our Nation's veterans and their
families face today; it is a sacred obligation. I think we can
all agree on that.
Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States
of America. Thank you.
[Applause.]
[The prepared statement of James E. Koutz appears in the
Appendix]
The Chairman. Thank you very much, Commander. We appreciate
your testimony and look forward to an opportunity to ask some
questions momentarily, but Senator Begich from Alaska has
arrived. And since the House had an opportunity to give our
opening statements prior to your comments, I would like to
recognize Senator Begich.
Good to see you, sir.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR MARK BEGICH
Senator Begich. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I
will try to be brief.
And, first, Commander Koutz, thank you for being here.
Thank you for your testimony and being part of this. And all
the Members that are here today.
I know, as Congress, the Senate is out. But there are a
couple of us here. We wanted to make sure the Senate is well-
represented. We care deeply about what is going on with the
veterans and the issue of our veterans community, not only in
the Nation, but all across that--in our State, for example.
And, also, I want to make a note of past national commander
Jimmy Foster. I caught a glimpse of him over here.
Thank you for traveling all the way from Alaska to be here.
You and Hawaii, if there is someone from Hawaii here, get a
special award for traveling the distance. So thank you very
much for being here.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for once again having this joint
meeting.
It is always important for us here in Washington to hear
from all of you of what we need to be doing, how we are doing,
what job improvements we need to have with regard to our
veterans, as well as--and I know at times we talk about our
active military, too, and I know you have lots of ideas in that
arena, so please don't hesitate.
As you know, this summer, the Congress passed a pretty
significant piece of legislation, the Honoring America's
Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012,
which really helped improve many fronts, enhancing specially
adapted housing programs for disabled veterans, improving the
VA's ability to end homelessness among veterans, providing
health care for veterans, family members exposed to toxic
drinking water at Camp Lejeune, removing several inefficiencies
in the claims process--but, honestly, as we all know, more to
be done there, with regard to moving our claims forward--and
expanding critical health care for our veterans.
And a special thank you to the VA. I know we are always
trying to hold them accountable, and we are doing a good job at
times. Sometimes we have to push them a little bit extra. But
there was one thing they did for rural Alaskan veterans which
was critical, and I want to thank your organization for helping
support this effort.
And that is, the VA and Indian Health Services, in a
historic act of cooperation, are now ensuring that veterans who
are in rural Alaska--which, in some cases, 80 percent of our
communities are not accessible by roads. So they can't get into
the veteran van and go down to the clinic, because there is no
van to take them to the clinic because there is no road to take
them to a clinic. You have to fly. At the end of the day, it
could be $1,000 or more.
But the VA, through the Indian Health Services, and our
clinics throughout rural Alaska are now in a cooperative effort
to ensure that veterans, no matter where they live, in any
rural part of Alaska, they are going to get access to quality
health care. And that, to me, is a huge step for our thousands
of veterans in Alaska.
So thank you to your organization to help support that
effort. And thanks to the VA for being a little innovative in
their efforts.
So thank you all very much for being here, and I will just
listen to the continued testimony.
The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator.
I would also like to recognize my friend from Arkansas,
Senator Boozman.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN BOOZMAN
Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It really is good
to be with you and Congressman Michaud.
Many of you know that I served in the House for a number of
years and served with these guys for a long, long time. And
there is nobody that puts veterans first, you know, in regard
to these two.
You guys do a great job. Not only you, but it is also a
pleasure to be with your staffs on both sides, both the Senate
and House staff.
This is kind of a unique fraternity, serving in the
Veterans' Affairs Committee in the House or Senate. This is an
area where we really do work and get along and do things in a
very, very bipartisan manner, which is so important.
Senator Begich, it is great to be with you.
Senator Begich is a new friend. He and I have worked
together on a number of bills having to do with women's issues,
having to do with the Transition Assistance Program, and things
like that.
Congratulations. Thank you for being here, Commander. We
appreciate you so much. Your testimony was great.
I also want to thank Peggy for all that you do. We know who
really does the work amongst the group. I have a wife and three
daughters, so I am very, very aware of that. But we do
appreciate all that you do.
And then, also, I thought it was so nice, you know,
mentioning your wife, your partner and friend and things. And
my dad did 20 years in the Air Force. And I think, you know, it
was representative of her help through the years, but, also, it
is so representative of that when you are in the military, it
is not just an individual thing, it takes the whole family. And
so we appreciate her being here and representing that also.
I want to recognize our folks from Arkansas, and our State
commander, Mary Irvin, is here.
Where are you, Mary? Very good. Thank you for being here.
And then, also, R.D. Kenzie and Steve Gray. And, again, we
appreciate you all so much and all that you do to work so hard
for our veterans in the State of Arkansas. And we have a
number.
Certainly, this is a very critical time for our Nation's
veterans, and it is so important that the Legion--you know, it
is so important that you are here. Don't ever underestimate how
important it is here, again, telling your Congressmen, your
Senators, their staffs--which sometimes is even more important,
telling their staffs--how important these things are as we move
forward.
I know that all Americans are very concerned about
employment security, but veterans, in particular, are
struggling with meaningful employment and careers. This is
certainly a very difficult economy. You mentioned, Commander,
the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act.
As you said, you know, certainly these are a step in the right
direction, but--and, again, everyone deserves credit in a very
bipartisan way for moving that forward. Yet there are still a
number of things that we can do and will do in that area.
On the other hand, we have to be careful. You know,
certainly, we want to do these efforts; we can't do those by
mortgaging the futures of our children and grandchildren by
borrowing money from people like China. So we owe this, again,
to our veterans, in the sense of their honor and sacrifice. But
we can do that. Like I say, we can get that done and will get
it done.
The failure of the Joint Deficit Committee has left us with
the looming arbitrary cuts. Those have been mentioned, you
know, both from up here and down there. I am pleased that the
House, you know, essentially passed a bill that said, no, these
impending cuts aren't going to affect military families. And,
certainly, I think that is all of our's position. We would like
for the administration to clarify better, you know, that that
is set in concrete.
So, again, certainly, as you said, Commander, we must make
it perfectly clear that under no circumstances--we cannot and
will not balance the budget or solve our fiscal problems on the
backs of our men and women in uniform and our veterans.
[Applause.]
Senator Boozman. I though you all were napping. That is a
deafening applause. And, again, the good news is that I think
that we are all on board.
Thanks for your efforts with suicide prevention. You know,
that is something that we are working on very, very hard here.
There is just a number of things, you know, in regard to that.
The other thing that I am concerned about is military
voting. You know, that is something that--if anybody has a
right to vote, it is the men and women that are serving
overseas. And so, again, I think in a very bipartisan way, we
are working to ensure that, you know, that is not going to be a
problem. And so we are going to press on forward in that front,
and we appreciate your all's efforts also in doing likewise.
So, again, thank you for being here.
And now let's go ahead, Mr. Chairman. I know we have some
questions for the panel.
[The prepared statement of Senator Boozman appears in the
Appendix]
The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator. We appreciate
your comments.
And, again, because we have two House Members and two
Senators, we may dispense with the typical 5-minute question
period. I would probably ask a question and then turn to Mr.
Michaud or to Senator Begich, so we can kind of have a little
bit more of a free-flowing discussion than we normally would in
a process like this.
I do want to draw attention to the fact that you
congratulated or thanked the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the
job fairs that they are holding around the country. I had the
opportunity, a week ago Monday, or Tuesday I guess it was now,
to be in West Palm Beach with Allen West, down there attending
a job fair and function. And they have been all over this
country. For some reason, they haven't been to my district yet;
we will see if we can fix that.
But your organization and theirs have been working
collaboratively. And we know that because the unemployment rate
is so high among our returning veterans that something has to
be done. We see a lot of the corporations around this country,
and small businesses as well, that are joining together to make
sure that we can use the talents that our military men and
women have when they come home and transition back to civilian
life.
And that is something that, again, you have helped us get
that word out to many of the States' Governors around the
country, that, in fact, their jobs that they had in the
military certainly should transition well into the private
sector.
I have said it many times. I have a good friend that is a
homebuilder. He said, ``Give me somebody that has been in the
military, that knows how important it is to show up to work
every day on time, has good critical skills, decision-making
skills, and I can teach him how to build a house. But bring me
somebody that knows how to build a house and is absent of those
skills, it is very difficult for me to be successful.'' And it
is very, very true.
With that, I want to focus a little bit--
Senator Boozman. Can I just add to that, Mr. Chairman?
The Chairman. No. No.
Senator Boozman. Please?
[Laughter.]
Senator Boozman. Very shortly.
You know, the Chairman was talking about, you know, these
jobs skills. Last night I got up at 4 o'clock. I had a 6
o'clock flight, so I was at the airport at 5 o'clock. So I was
up at 4:00. But before that, I was riding with the Little Rock
Police Department, you know, throughout the different areas,
you know, just trying to get a feel for how we could be helpful
to them.
But one of the things they mentioned was how desperately
they need policemen and how much they liked returning
servicemen and women, you know, the great job that they do.
One of the things that they mentioned was the training
process is so--you know, it takes a long time. And it just goes
to, you know, what we have talked about, getting certificates
in the military so that a military policeman, once he completes
his training, he is given a certificate. They can take
certificates from other training States, you know, and things
like that, but they don't have the ability to do that there.
So it just highlights, you know, what you are talking
about, how we can do some of these things, again, to very
quickly put some men and women in the workforce.
The Chairman. Very true. Because it is also a process of
putting them together. The folks that are looking for people
who want to work and getting the people who want to work--and
that is where Military.com and Monster.com and a lot of other
organizations have done a great job. Although the job has yet
to be finished, but they are helping put those folks together.
But I want to hone in, if we can, for just a minute on the
claims backlog. Because I think, you know, obviously, that is a
huge issue that is out there that everybody in this room is
concerned about. Congress is concerned about it; Department of
Veterans Affairs is concerned about it. But it doesn't seem to
be getting any better.
Secretary Shinseki has already said several times--you
quoted it in your opening statement--that by 2015, that, you
know, within 125 days, the idea was that everybody would have
their claims adjudicated at 100 percent. Well, it isn't
happening.
And, unfortunately, we had a hearing just a couple of weeks
ago where we kind of took a status check with VA, where are
you? Their focus was more on what they were turning out, which
is exactly what you talked about. And that is important: a
million claims being adjudicated. But the backlog is growing.
And if you are not keeping up with that backlog, it is
certainly not going to assist and fix the problem.
So, again, I would like to hear from you, if you would,
your perspective on, what are the things that can be done? What
can Congress do legislatively, if you will, to assist the
problem?
We all talk about the electronic medical record, but that
is years away from being able to truly have that seamless
transition. We are moving in that direction, but we have folks,
you know, today that are waiting 1, 2 years in order to have
their claims adjudicated.
And we have put dollars forward, we have put bodies
forward; it does not seem to fix the issue. So I would like to
hear what you think.
Mr. Koutz. Well, Mr. Chairman, I think one of the things
that we could do is do more hiring of adjudicators, do more
hiring of the processors.
As you probably know, a lot of these claims that are coming
back, they are not completed. They need to be fully developed
claims. You know, I believe like any other business, if you are
in a backlog, then the only way to get that backlog taken care
of is to hire more people.
And I understand in the VA, being a former--or a still
commissioner of the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs,
that it takes time to train an adjudicator or a claims
processor. So that will take time. But maybe we can--and I
don't really know how much overtime they are working, if they
are working overtime.
But I think that they got to do these claims more
accurately. Because when they come back, the first thing that
we see is mistakes. Then that claim goes right back to the
regional office, and we are starting all over again from step
one.
So I think that is the biggest thing, is maybe get the
accuracy, which the Secretary said that he would like to have a
98 percent accuracy. If we get to that number, then I think you
will see the backlogged claims be reduced.
The Chairman. Do you know the percentage of the claims that
your service officers put together that are adjudicated
complete? I mean, they may not necessarily get the rating that
they are asking for, but the percentage of packages that are
completed?
Mr. Koutz. I don't know, but Peter Gaytan, the Executive
Director of our Washington office, probably has an answer for
you.
Mr. Gaytan. Thank you, Commander.
Mr. Chairman, The American Legion takes very seriously the
quality of our work and our training of our service officers.
Twice a year, we put our service officers through rigorous
training to ensure that they have the qualifications,
knowledge, and skills to not only to produce quality, fully
developed claims that we submit to the VA but also to help
reduce the backlog. Because it is going to be a team effort to
do that. We are going to have to have, as the commander said,
qualified, well-trained service officers to do this work.
Now, your specific question on the number that The American
Legion adjudicates--
The Chairman. Or percentage.
Mr. Gaytan.--I would like to defer to our VA&R Director,
Verna Jones, who handles that area.
Ms. Jones. Thank you.
Mr. Chairman, we actually received a report from the VA
just last week, and I can tell you the number of claims. The
American Legion handles 244,000 claims, annual. That is our
number this year, 244,000.
Now, I am not sure of the exact percentage, but the number
is 244,000 for The American Legion nationally.
The Chairman. Okay. If you would, just for the record, if
you could let us know just the percentage.
[The attachment appears in the Appendix]
The Chairman. I am trying to get a handle, you know, on how
many claims are being done by the veterans themselves,
obviously using the veterans service officer. You know, the
assumption, from my standpoint, was it would be better to go
through a service officer in order to file your claim, but I
just--I am interested in knowing, for no other reason than I
think folks up here on the dais would like to hear it.
Mr. Michaud, do you have a question?
Mr. Michaud. Yes, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I also would like to thank Senator Boozman for his very
kind and generous remarks. I am very glad to see that you
haven't forgotten the House that you came from and you are
willing to come back over here on the House side. And I really
enjoyed working with you and continue to work with you.
Once again, I would like to thank you for coming here today
to put forward your ideas of what The American Legion would
like to see Congress do and some of the concerns that you
currently have out there. And The American Legion is a strong
advocate for our veterans and for all those who have served,
and that is known throughout the halls of Congress.
I want to take this opportunity, however, today to discuss
an issue that is really important to our troops and for our
country. We all remember the outrage this summer when it was
discovered that our Olympic athletes were wearing uniforms made
in China. Well, I think we should be as equally outraged by the
fact that our troops are not wearing 100-percent-American-made
uniforms. Our soldiers put their lives on the line for us. They
should fight in uniforms that they can trust, uniforms made in
the USA.
Next week, I will be going to a funeral for a soldier that
died over in Afghanistan in Maine.
When you talk about uniforms made in the USA, I read an
article--and I left you a copy; I know you haven't had a chance
to read it yet. But I am not the only person who is upset with
what is happening with our military today. I was reading an
article in the Air Force Times where it says, ``Master sergeant
says 'no' to Chinese-made boots.''
He was issued a pair of Chinese-made boots. He made a stink
about it. He ultimately did get American-made boots. He was
sent to Afghanistan, and over in Afghanistan he was given a
uniform, the Army Operation Enduring Freedom camouflage
uniform. He asked for a pair of required boots, the tan boots.
Well, guess what? He was issued a pair of Chinese-made boots
once again.
In the article, you will see where the master sergeant, at
the end--and I would like to quote it, what the master sergeant
said. And I quote, ``This is about patriotism. This is about
following the Berry amendment set forth over 60 years ago. This
is about American soldiers wearing our country's uniforms made
by Americans.'' And I couldn't agree more with the master
sergeant.
At a time when our Nation is divided and the discourse in
Washington, D.C., is extremely negative, it seems to me, with
the outrage for our athletes wearing Chinese-made uniforms,
that this is one issue we all can agree on. Even both
candidates who are running for President of the United States
are criticizing one another about not being tough on China. And
both campaigns are talking about making sure more things are
stamped with ``Made in the USA.''
Well, there is a way we can get tough on China: increase
things made in the USA and to make sure that our American
soldiers are not treated as second-class citizens, that they
have the best. That is what they are fighting for, this
country, United States of America.
And I find it extremely concerning because this issue is
not an issue that needs Congress to act, it is not an issue
that we need a regulatory agency to address; it is an issue
that is already the law.
So my question to you is, what is the American Legion's
position? Do you believe that our soldiers that are putting
their lives on the line each and every day for us, should they
be wearing clothing made in the United States of America?
Mr. Koutz. The answer is yes. The American Legion believes
that--
[Applause.]
Mr. Koutz. I am sure The American Legion and the American
people believe that all equipment should be made in the United
States of America.
And there you go again; we are talking about jobs. Put the
Americans to work making these boots. That will provide jobs
here at home.
Mr. Michaud. Well, I want to thank you very much, National
Commander.
And just for the record, I know Congressman Duncan Hunter,
who is a Republican colleague from California, he and I are
writing a letter--we encourage our colleagues to sign that
letter--to the administration, requiring them to comply with
the intent of the law. And it is unfortunate we have to do
that. And hopefully we will see some changes in that regard.
Thank you very much. I yield back the balance of my time.
[Applause.]
The Chairman. Senator Begich?
Senator Begich. Thank you very much.
Just a couple questions, but I wanted to mention also, in
March--for Jimmy, this is for you also--that we are going to
hold a jobs fair for veterans.
And it is an interesting thing. When you do these jobs
fairs, there is an incredible amount of folks that come out.
And I just met this morning--why I was late here was I was
meeting with franchisors, a few franchise businesses,
restaurants, so forth. They have a new initiative to help
veterans get into that business. And so we are very excited
about what is happening with the small-business community
regarding our veterans.
Let me, if I can--Ms. Jones, you mentioned 244,000, give or
take, claims you have processed. Do you keep track of the
acceptance rate? And what I mean by that is, you submit them;
how often do they, kind of, make it through the system
successfully? What is that percentage?
Ms. Jones. Thank you, sir.
Because it takes so long for those claims to travel through
the system, it is almost impossible for us to keep an accurate
accounting of how many of them are awarded, how many of them
denied. But I will tell you that at our Board of Veterans'
Appeals we keep track of the amount of claims that are
overturned. And right now we are at 76.6 percent of claims that
have been adjudicated in error and overturned by the Board of
Veterans' Appeals.
Senator Begich. Uh-huh.
Ms. Jones. The VA puts out an annual report that breaks
down how many claims they adjudicate every year and how many of
them have been awarded, how many of them have been denied. But
they don't break them down by POA, or by the power of attorney,
for each veterans service organization.
Senator Begich. It would be an interesting--maybe it is
something we can ask the VA to do on a regular basis. Because
there would be good--because my bet is your officers are doing
a great job. And that is my bet. And, you know, if it is
working so successfully, maybe there is an opportunity to
streamline it even more. So if you are already having a very
high success rate in acceptance of these claims, then maybe
there is a way to look at the process and slim it down a little
bit on the VA side.
Because your rate of success and doing the claims as
successfully as you are doing them should be a benefit to you
all and also, obviously, the veterans who are receiving that
benefit. So maybe there is a little opportunity there if we
measure the success rates there.
Ms. Jones. Absolutely, sir. As a matter of fact, we asked
the VA for those numbers just yesterday.
Senator Begich. Oh, good.
Ms. Jones. We expect to receive them shortly, and we will
make sure that you get a copy of that.
Senator Begich. Will you share with us individually or
through the two Committees? I think that would be helpful.
Because that would help us, I think, make the case of why your
services officers can process these very successfully.
And, therefore, maybe there is--again, I know the VA
duplicates some of the work once you do all this. It is like,
well, maybe we can cut some of that out, make it a little
faster, and base it on your past success rate.
Ms. Jones. Yes, sir.
Senator Begich. So let's take a look at that.
The second thing, I guess, Commander, maybe you can answer
this or maybe give some comment on it with regards to mental
health services. And I know it is a big issue. You know, we are
struggling, I know, in the Armed Services Committee, which I
also sit on. We have been successful in now getting mental
health service providers in the battlefield, at that level.
Rather than waiting for folks to come home and then try to
figure out what to do at that point, we are trying to step it
up on the front end.
And it has been very successful, to some degree. But I know
the VA is agreeing to hire more providers and services, but the
challenge is getting more in the pipeline. So maybe you could
give some thoughts there.
I know in the bill we passed earlier I had an amendment,
which was successful, which ensured that if you use mental
health services through telemedicine, which is proving to be
very successful, no co-pays are required anymore, which I think
is a huge step in getting better access.
But do you have some thoughts or innovative ideas of how we
can get more mental health service providers and veterans
access to those folks?
Mr. Koutz. Well, hiring more mental health services and
providers--with the percentage of these troops coming home with
traumatic brain injury and PTSD, we know that that is going to
increase. It is going to increase immensely. So I think we are
going to have to get to where we can train these people so that
we can take care of these soldiers when they come home.
Senator Begich. Uh-huh.
Mr. Koutz. I don't know if the rate--I think, from what I
am understanding, the rate is maybe 50 percent, if not more, of
these returning soldiers coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq
that are having these two problems with TBI or PTSD. I think
the sooner that we can get this job done, the better off we are
going to be, so we can take care of these soldiers when they
come home.
Senator Begich. Very good.
Let me--Mr. Chairman, I have just one quick question.
I caught most of your testimony because I came in just as
you were starting. And I just wanted to ask, I didn't hear you
mention the GI Bill. And I am just wondering if there are
issues, or the success of the GI Bill, or are there things that
we should look at to improve.
I know we made one improvement these last couple years, and
we are getting a lot of use of the GI Bill. But are there any
thoughts you want to add on that issue while you are here?
Mr. Koutz. The GI Bill is in good shape right now. The only
thing, I think, that The American Legion is concerned about is
that we need to keep watching and see how things are going with
the GI Bill in case we need to improve it.
Senator Begich. Good.
Mr. Koutz. You know, there is always room for improvement
in the GI Bill. But right now we have no major issues with the
GI Bill.
Senator Begich. Very good. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Senator Boozman?
Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Commander, you know, you can have great benefits, but if
you can't access them, it is a real problem. And I know that
you all have been working hard for our rural veterans, you
know, trying to ensure that the accessibility is there. We have
been working with Senator Franken and actually passed a bill in
Committee that would require the Office of Rural Health to put
out a specific strategic plan, you know, as to how to do that.
I know you all have been very, very active in that regard.
Can you elaborate on some ways that you feel like we can do a
better job in serving our rural veterans?
I know, also, you know, there is a move to expand the
Census Bureau definition. Again, if you could elaborate a
little bit, that would be helpful.
Mr. Koutz. Well, The American Legion believes that to take
care of this rural health care problem we have that we need to
add more clinics, more outpatient clinics, more doctors, so we
can take care of this. As you heard me, probably, in my opening
statement, I said some veterans are driving up to 4 hours.
Senator Boozman. Right.
Mr. Koutz. And then when they get there, they probably
can't get in. So the problem is that we don't have enough
staff, doctors, the medical equipment. So if we maybe add
staff, add more clinics to take care of the rural veteran, I
think that would be a big asset in helping these veterans.
Senator Boozman. And telemedicine? Vans?
Mr. Koutz. Sure.
Senator Boozman. Things like that. Very good. Well, we do
appreciate your efforts in doing that.
You know, it is interesting. We are working with Senator
Franken, you know, and he is a--you know, you have some large
cities, you know, in his State, but it is a very rural State,
you know, as is Arkansas and so many of the places that we
represent.
I mentioned the licensing, you know, and how it came up,
you know, with the police. I know you all are really on the
cutting edge of that. I think you had, you know, a summit. Can
you tell me a little bit about how that went and some of the
suggestions perhaps that you have in that area?
Mr. Koutz. I didn't understand your question.
Senator Boozman. The credentialing, making it such that--
Mr. Koutz. Licensure and--
Senator Boozman. Yes, sir.
Mr. Koutz. Well, and just like the Veterans Skills to Jobs
Act, you know, as I said in my statement, that if you are a
Humvee driver over in Iraq or Afghanistan, dodging IEDs and
land mines, then when you come home, you ought able to be a
truck driver. Or if you are a medic, you ought to be able to
come home and not have to go through step one of being an EMT
in civilian life.
So I think, you know, that credentialing and--I think you
are working in the right direction and we are working in the
right direction to make this better for our veterans and our
servicemembers when they come home.
Senator Boozman. The Congressman, the Chairman, you know,
mentioned what is on all of our minds, you know, the backlog
and the stuff, how can we be helpful. Can you describe in a
little bit more detail the Claims Coach mobile phone--the app,
you know, what that is going to be about, how that is going to
be helpful?
Mr. Koutz. I would let Verna from VA&R, Verna Jones, answer
that question.
Senator Boozman. Sure.
Ms. Jones. Thank you.
Our Claims Coach mobile app is set up to help veterans
download this application on their mobile phones that will
direct them to a veterans service officer. It will help the
veteran sort out what they need to gather--information,
documents, what documents they need to bring in. And it will
even help them put in their ZIP code and determine which
veterans service officer is closest to them to help them with
that.
So the mobile app is going to set the veteran up so that
when they walk into the veterans service officer's office, they
are more able to have a fully developed claim, which we know is
supposed to go through the system more quickly. So we are
excited about the mobile claim app and hope that more veterans
will download that claim app to help them get ready to file
their claim.
Senator Boozman. Yeah. Very good. That is excellent. I
think that will be very, very helpful.
Just one last thing, Commander. Can you elaborate on your
comment regarding the VA health care system, that growing
numbers of female veterans in a system that has traditionally
catered to men, must adapt to meet the unique needs of today's
veterans population, you know, with us having so many more
females in the military?
And, I guess, if you could elaborate on that and really
tell us how you feel like the Department can improve the
delivery of care and benefits to an increasing number. Not only
do we have a large number now, but we have an increasing number
of female veterans in need of VA services.
Mr. Koutz. Well, with the 20 percent of our military force
being females nowadays, we believe that we must have better
medical care; we must get the doctors that can take care of our
female veterans in these VA clinics.
You know, from what our understanding is on a survey that
we took, there was only 25 percent of the female veterans that
felt that the VA medical system was better than going to their
own. So I think that we need to just maybe do a better job in
taking care of our females.
What I have been trying to do is trying to get a woman
veterans coordinator in every department in The American
Legion.
Senator Boozman. Very good.
Mr. Koutz. And once we get all that Committee together--
that I am hoping that The American Legion will get these female
coordinators together, and then they can tell us the needs that
they need to have, and then we can relay it to you.
Senator Boozman. Very good. Thank you, Commander.
Mr. Chairman?
The Chairman. Thank you very much.
You were talking about the GI Bill and some of the
education benefits. One of the things that the Legion can help
us with, as we have just changed into a new fiscal year, and
that is with the VRAP program, or the Veterans Retraining
Assistance Program. I think we did 45,000--we, Department of
Veterans Affairs, 45,000--or Labor--45,000 applications
approved. There were many that were in the queue that were
waiting.
We actually authorized 99,000 total. As of today, the
numbers that I have, there are 63,844 applications, of which
50,000 of them were approved. So there is still, you know,
roughly, another 36,000 folks out there that can access these
benefits for retraining.
So I would like to ask for your help, with the Legion's
help, in getting the word out to those individuals. You know,
we focus a lot on the younger returning veterans, but,
obviously, this is focused on 35- to 60-year-old folks, to get
them retrained to come into the workforce.
And so I just bring that to your attention. You had talked
about the VOW to Hire Heros Act. That was part of it. So we
would like to ask for your assistance with getting the word out
on that.
Also, we were talking about mental health. I would like to
ask a question. And anytime you talk about going outside the
norm, we get some visceral responses. But we had a roundtable
discussion with some of the veterans service organizations
recently here, in talking about mental health and how do we get
the patient to be able to get to the provider as quickly as
possible. And it takes VA so long to hire somebody, especially
somebody that is accredited with some type of a medical degree,
whether it is a nurse or a physician, psychologist,
psychiatrist, optometrist--whatever it may be.
And there has been some discussion about opening TRICARE,
to give the option for folks to either stay in the traditional
VA track or go into the TRICARE system, still being managed--
their care being managed by VA. We could double the amount of
providers overnight if we were able to do something.
Does the Legion have a position? Are you willing to look at
these options to help solve what literally is a crisis in this
country? Our mental health backlog out there is something not
to be proud of.
We have to provide it quickly to those that are in need,
wherever they may be. And some of them are in rural areas, and
it is very difficult. And it is very difficult to do a lot of
it via telehealth, which--Senator Begich has talked about
telehealth and the great success, but mental health may be
somewhat different, especially in the very, very beginning.
So I would like to ask what the Legion's position, if any,
on exploring the opportunity.
Mr. Koutz. Well, just let me say a few words before I turn
it over to our Executive Director, Peter Gaytan.
But we understand that is a big issue. We understand there
are problems there, and we understand that we are going to have
to train the people to take care of these mental health--you
know, a lot of these mental health people probably don't even
want to come to us. They want to stay in the back. But I think,
with your help and our help, that maybe we can go to those
people and get them out and come and get the help they need.
So, with that, I will turn it over to Peter, our Executive
Director.
Mr. Gaytan. Thank you, Mr. Commander.
And that is a real issue, what you are bringing up,
beginning with the access to mental health. The access to
mental health right now is efficient. You mentioned telehealth.
The VA is utilizing other resources, like telehealth. And it is
going to be a growing problem, in terms of mental health care.
But specifically with the suggestion of opening up TRICARE
and utilizing TRICARE, The American Legion was at that
roundtable, and we appreciate the invitation. It is something
we are taking under consideration to consider. We would like to
see the reality of that being in effect. How much will it
improve our veterans' access to mental health care that they
need?
Because when we are looking at the new demographics of
returning veterans--and we have talked about rural health care,
and The American Legion published a report earlier this year
focusing on rural health care. We in this Nation are at a time
where we are relying more and more on our Guard and Reserve
servicemembers, not only to serve, but to serve in combat
zones. They are returning to rural areas. They are returning to
areas that aren't supported with military treatment facilities,
areas that may not have a VA facility close by.
And they are not just coming back to the support of a
military base and the unit that they know; they are thrown back
into the civilian world. And that time between the pressure of
combat to the time they are walking down Main Street, USA, is
short.
So those individuals are the ones we need to capture and
utilize new ideas like TRICARE, telehealth, even contracting
out specialized mental health care when appropriate. Not a
blanket statement that we can allow our veterans to go down the
street, but in specific areas, in specific cases where we know
that we can reach that veteran in a timely manner to protect
them and hopefully reduce the suicide rates, those are the
things we need to look at.
So I think the TRICARE discussion--and I appreciate that
opportunity--that TRICARE discussion is just part of a larger
equation of how can we develop as many options as possible to
reach these returning veterans who have these very dire mental
health care needs.
And, yes, VA is getting overwhelmed. And, yes, VA does take
a long time to hire, train, and utilize new employees. And this
is an area that we need to concentrate on. And I think--I can
tell you that the TRICARE issue brought up--The American Legion
is studying, considering, and talking to you and your staff to
better understand those options.
But I think you and we have an obligation to realize how
much that TRICARE opportunity will help the situation and what
else needs to be added to that, so we can improve mental health
care access and reduce the effects that our combat troops are
coming back and dealing with.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Mr. Michaud?
Mr. Michaud. Thank you. Don't want to get too comfortable
here with this gavel here next to me.
[Laughter.]
Mr. Michaud. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to actually follow-up on that same line of
thinking. When you look at a State like Maine, we are a very
rural State, and access is an extremely important issue. And
when you look at what we are seeing in the military today, with
the increase in suicide rates, as well as within our veterans
population, our female veterans--I just saw a movie,
documentary just the other day, ``The Invisible War,'' with
sexual assaults and some of the problems that our female
veterans have. So access is extremely important.
First of all, I would like to thank The American Legion
once again for putting out ``A System Worth Saving.'' I think
that is definitely a very good document that I enjoy reading
every year because it really highlights some of the issues out
there in the VA system.
Following on the same train of thought that Chairman Miller
brought up, when you look at access, whether it is TRICARE,
whether it is utilizing our federally qualified health care
clinics, I can understand some of the concerns that the
veterans might have. And I, too, do not want the VA just being
an insurance agency where, you know, VA will pay for services
outside because I think there is a very important role for the
VA to play.
But, also, I believe that we, and you, we have to do
everything that we can to make sure that our veterans get the
health care that they need when they need it. And when you look
at the fact that the mental health--Secretary Shinseki has
agreed to hire 1,900 mental health and associated workers. With
that, the problem being there are already 1,500 vacancies that
he has had, some over a year, in the mental health area.
So I am very glad that you are looking at the TRICARE
system, and I think it is very important that we look at
everything that we have to, to make sure they get the care that
they need.
But I guess my question would be, in that same vein, is if
you look at rural States, such as Maine, when you look at
uniqueness, whether it is Alaska or some States that have a lot
of islands, and veterans trying to get the health care that
they need when they need it, would you also be willing to look
at, in the rural areas, if they do not have TRICARE services in
those particular areas, if there might be some collaborative
effort that we could utilize, federally qualified health care
clinics or rural hospitals, to get those types of services?
And, once again, I am not advocating that the VA sends
everything out, because I don't think they should. But I do
think that there have to be some medium ways where we can look
at the veterans as getting the care that they need, at the same
time making sure that the VA medical facilities are still a
primary focus for our veterans.
Would you want to comment on that?
Mr. Koutz. Well, we are willing to probably work with you
on anything to be sure that we get our veterans taken care of.
The main thing is that they get the proper health care, and
especially the mental health area, getting veterans taken care
of. Because, you know, as you talked about the suicide rate,
that is something that we have to be sure that we get that
nearly stopped. There is way too much suicide going on, and it
is not just the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. There are still
Vietnam veterans that are doing it every day.
I don't know what the answer is, but I wish there was an
answer that we could take care of these servicemembers that are
doing this, and the veterans. But, yes, we are willing to work
any way we can to take care of it.
The Chairman. Senator Begich?
Senator Begich. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a
couple quick more questions. And I apologize, I may have to
depart here. But I want to follow up on the mental health
issue.
And I know, as just mentioned, the amount of mental health
providers the VA is moving forward into hiring. The challenge
is their process of hiring and also making sure there is a
supply line. And I hate to be so crass about it, but, you know,
you have to have enough people in the pipeline who want to take
those jobs in a very huge and growing field nationwide, not
just for our veterans.
So we have a huge challenge. So we may have to be more
creative in ensuring that we get mental health providers
working for the VA, or at least in cooperation with the VA, and
also recruiting. Because the mental health services that our
veterans will need will not go away after a few months. They
are going to be around for many, many, many years, and we need
to have those services available.
So we may want to think about how we incentivize folks to
get into this field of mental health services who then work for
the VA and/or work with the VA. And so that is something, maybe
a little thought that we should think about and maybe some
suggestions back from you folks.
The other piece is--and I know the big issue when we dealt
with utilizing our Indian Health Services, which are actually
run by the Alaska Native Tribal Consortium, for health care
delivery within our rural parts of Alaska was the quality of
care. The veterans want to make sure that, whatever happens,
that they get quality care. No matter where it is, they want
quality care. And the concern was always that the VA offers a
certain level, and would these other agencies offer less? And
that was the big concern.
What we found, what our veterans have found, and their
organizations have found, that our Tribal Consortium delivers
equal or better care than the VA. But we never take the choice
away from the veteran. The veteran can go to the VA hospital or
the VA clinic or utilize this service. And we think it is going
to increase capacity.
So I think there are innovative ways to ensure the core of
the VA is strong, stable, and growing, but also making sure we
utilize some other arena that we put and pour in a lot of
Federal dollars in delivering health care systems in very
remote, rural areas. And I think that is a great way to ensure
that we keep equal or better quality for our veterans.
So I think as you look at this, I think we are all going to
be very interested in this and your suggestions.
Along with that, we were able to put into the defense
authorization bill language for active military--we need to do
the same thing for veterans--and that is, if you are a veteran
and you are getting, say, mental health services here in
Washington, D.C., but then you go home to Alaska and you want
to get that same mental health service provider to provide for
you, if they are not licensed in Alaska, it is not going to
happen.
In the active military, we have put some language in, in an
amendment I put in, to ensure that no matter where you go you
can still access that doctor. Because with mental health
services, it is a little different than a physician who may be
taking care of--maybe you had a hand injury or something of
that nature. Mental health providers is all about a
relationship that you are building with the provider. And so it
is critical that that veteran continue to have that care from
whoever they need and want from wherever they are in this
country. And we have to think about that.
And so I think there is an effort--we need to do like we
did in Armed Services with veterans, the same kind of language
to ensure that, no matter where you live, you can access that.
Now, I know I will get in trouble with every State, with
their medical boards and jurisdictions and all that
gobbledygook that gets in that. But at the end of the day, if
we have a veteran who is receiving great care, they should get
it wherever they move and be able to access that person. That
is why we did the telehealth medicine. No co-pays anymore
because we think that is a great access point.
So I just want to put that on, so as you are thinking about
these things, please help us here.
The other one, on the TAP program, as you know, this has
been a challenge, the TAP program. And I know it is being
piloted now, a new one, by VETS at the Department of Labor. I
don't know if you have any feedback yet from how that is
working or not working, and I don't know if anyone can comment
on that.
But, as you know, when I first came here 4 years ago and
they told me it was 160 or 170 slides in a PowerPoint, I said,
are you kidding me? I wouldn't even pay attention to that, and
we read a lot of material around here. It was a dysfunctional
element to transition our folks back into civilian life.
So does anyone have any comments on this pilot program that
is working or at least started now?
Mr. Gaytan. We actually had staff attend the first new TAP
pilot program.
Senator Begich. Yeah.
Mr. Gaytan. And it was mixed information that we received.
We sat in with the briefings. We were impressed with some of
the information that was delivered. We were very impressed that
it is going to be mandatory, which it should have been a long
time ago.
What we are doing is giving our feedback back to the VA--
Senator Begich. Excellent.
Mr. Gaytan.--and letting them know where we think not only
where they can improve in their delivery of information, but
where they can utilize organizations like The American Legion
to express to these individuals how we can help them when they
transition.
In fact, The American Legion has taken the initiative to
author letters to the Secretary and others to ask if we can
work together in a more collaborative way for you to share--for
DoD and VA to share the information on these transitioning
veterans so we can help them before they take the uniform off.
And when they come back to their rural communities, where The
American Legion lives and exists, we can provide that much-
needed help that they may need to access the VA, to understand
the VA.
These troops don't know the VA. We know the VA because we
live and breathe it every day. But when they are coming back
and they are taking the uniform off and they are going in a
direction in their lives they didn't consider before, be it
injured or leaving the military, The American Legion has a
track record since 1919 of helping those individuals.
VA and DoD should recognize that and allow us to help at
the level we can help. And that comes through collaboration,
acceptance of what we can do by sharing the information of
those transitioning veterans. And that is what our organization
asks for.
So with the TAP program, it is a great approach. We are
part of improving it. In fact, I am going to be going down to
Norfolk on Friday to promote our claims app. We are actually
going to show it down at the TAP program in Norfolk.
Senator Begich. Excellent.
Mr. Gaytan. So we, as an organization, are part of the
process to improve the TAP program. So we are grateful that
they want to look and improve it and they are recognizing it
needs to be improved. Just let The American Legion be a big
part of that.
Senator Begich. Well, thank you very much for that comment.
And I think--I hope I speak for the rest of my colleagues here:
Anything we can do to help make sure you are at the table,
especially in the redevelopment of that TAP program, if there
is information you are sending that you think is valuable and
maybe the listening isn't happening on the other end at times,
you have to let us know.
Because we think--what I have always heard is the program,
originally, was just problematic. I am trying to be polite
here. But having you involved is critical. Veterans being the
test pilot, in essence, on this is critical to make sure this
works for veterans, not just administrators to process it, but
for veterans who need that information. So I thank you for
that.
If I can ask one quick question of Ms. Jones, and then I
will cease at that point, if that is okay, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Jones, I know we talked a little bit about women
veterans and what is happening. You know, I know it is a
critical issue in what we are doing. And it is more of almost a
wraparound service in a lot of ways, from not only the health
care necessary, but also child care and other things.
Can you tell me maybe the one or two or three top items
that women veterans are saying to you that I wish we could do,
you know, fill in the blank? Can you do that for me?
Ms. Jones. Yes. Thank you.
You know, in 2010, The American Legion, as I told you, did
a women veterans survey. This is the first national women
veterans survey done since 1985, when the VA conducted a
survey. We know a lot of things have changed since 1985.
We held a survey for over 30 days, for about 30 days, and
3,012 women responded. We asked them 67 questions measuring 10
attributes. And what these women told us is what they want
boils down to quality health care, affordable medications, and
fair and equitable compensation, just like our male
counterparts. Women want to be able to walk into the VA health
care system and receive the gender-specific health care that we
deserve.
Recently, I was in the hospital, in February. I stayed in
the emergency room for 15 hours because they didn't have a room
for a woman veteran--15 hours, with a life-threatening
condition, because they needed to find a room for me. Women
veterans deserve to go into the VA health care system, into the
hospitals, and get treatment as quickly and as efficiently as
our male counterparts.
What women want is it to be understood that there are some
gender-specific differences, that we want medical professionals
to understand that women need particular things. Mammography is
one of them. All of the mammography, or the mammograms, are
outsourced. So we go out on a fee basis to get our mammograms.
But it takes a long time to receive the results. What we want
is for the VA to understand that, while we of gender-specific
differences, we still deserve the same timeliness as they give
to, in some ways, our male counterparts.
And what we are asking for is not a separate facility to
walk into; we want to go into the VA health care system, a
system that is provided for veterans, that is built for
veterans, that understands veterans, to include female
veterans. But maybe a separate waiting room, especially for
women veterans who suffer with PTSD specifically due to
military sexual trauma.
When the law was reduced, the standards reduced for men for
PTSD, they left out military sexual trauma. They failed to
reduce the standards. And women, or largely in part women,
providing the burden of proof for women on proving their claims
for military sexual trauma. We want to be included in that
liberalized law for PTSD.
So what they told us is that we want fair treatment, and we
want the VA to understand that women are a large part of our
military, and when we come home, we want to be cared for, just
like our male veterans.
Senator Begich. Very good. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
[Applause.]
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Boozman?
Senator Boozman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I really don't
have any more questions.
I appreciate your comments. And especially coming from
somebody, you know, that can relay their personal experiences,
it is very, very important. And I appreciate you sharing, you
know, your particular ordeal. And that is certainly something I
know that the Committee on both sides, you know, are going to
be working hard to try and remedy. There is simply no excuse
for that.
Thank you, Commander, for being here. And we just
appreciate your service, appreciate everyone's service so much,
all that you all represent. And, again, we look forward to
working with you in the next Congress. And, again, just
appreciate all of your efforts.
Mr. Koutz. We thank you. And just let me say that The
American Legion is always here. We want to work with you to do
the best we can for the veterans of this Nation.
The Chairman. I would ask unanimous consent that all
Members would have 5 legislative days to revise or extend their
remarks or include any extraneous materials for today's
hearing.
Without objection, so ordered.
[The attachment appears in the Appendix]
The Chairman. And let me finish, Commander, again, by
saying thank you so much for being here, being willing to spend
your time helping us understand more what The American Legion's
perspective is.
And I can clearly say that without your help the job would
be a whole lot harder. So I look forward to working hand-in-
hand with you as we move down the road together and try and
solve the issues that are there.
We look forward to having another VSO roundtable early in
the next legislative session, which is right around the corner.
We know we have an election in just a few weeks and a lame-duck
session, and then we will be returning for the 113th Congress.
So I appreciate you being here. I appreciate everybody
being here for your session in Washington.
And, with that, this hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., the Committees were adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Prepared Statement of Chairman Jeff Miller
Good morning.
Thank you to all who have joined us. I am pleased to be joined by
my colleagues from both sides of the Capitol, but I regret that changes
to the Congressional calendar have prevented many Members from
attending today. However, we are live streaming this hearing on our Web
site at Veterans.House.Gov so that your members and our Members can
watch online. We will also have the hearing available on our Web site
for future reference, so that the public can always come back and view
these proceedings.
The American Legion's annual legislative presentation before these
committees helps us shape policies and address issues impacting current
and former servicemembers around the country. We value your input, and
today provides us another opportunity to discuss solutions to problems
and ensure the effectiveness of programs that work well for veterans.
With a membership of nearly 2.4 million, the American Legion
represents veterans from many different conflicts and all regions of
the Nation and the world. The diversity of your membership is reflected
in the numerous activities in which the Legion engages, not just in its
tireless work here in Washington. Whether through working with families
and youth organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, mentoring a future
servicemember, aiding a veteran with a claim, or providing funeral
honors for a veteran who has been called home, the Legion's positive
impact is felt every day.
I want to extend a warm welcome this morning to the American
Legion's 2012-2013 National Commander, James E. Koutz. We look forward
to hearing your testimony, and thank you for sharing your legislative
agenda with our committees and Congress.
I also want to welcome every member of the American Legion and its
auxiliary here today, including a special welcome to the national
president of the Auxiliary, Ms. Peggy Thomas, of Richmond, Virginia.
Thank you, Ms. Thomas, for the fine work the Auxiliary does. We must
all remember that family members also sacrifice in support of our
warriors. Thanks to each of you for your service and for traveling from
across the country to be with us today.
Like many of you, I am proud to call the Sunshine State home, and
would ask those who have made the trip from Florida to please stand or
wave and be recognized.
Before we begin, I would just like to say that this week hasn't
been VA's finest. With the release of the report from the Office of the
Inspector General on VA conference expenses, it is apparent we have a
leadership void at VA. Without strong leadership at VA, I am concerned
that some of the best ideas we put forth will never realize their full
potential. VA is facing major obstacles - a backlog that continues to
grow exponentially, a mental health care crisis, bureaucracy, and now
this latest report that VA employees went on a spending spree with
veterans health care funding. Not only did senior leadership fail to
ensure effective planning for this large event, they also failed to
ensure sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Disappointed is a polite word to describe my thoughts about this. I
am disappointed that it has taken an OIG investigation to bring this
lavish spending to light. I am disappointed that VA failed to take
corrective action earlier. And I am disappointed that, in light of
these findings, we are hearing the same thing we always hear from VA -
``we will change, we have put safeguards in place, we don't condone
this behavior.'' We've heard this tune before, but rarely do we see
results or any substantive change. VA leadership must always hold
itself accountable for providing veterans the best care and services
possible and never gamble with our veterans, especially for some
employees to have fun at a conference. That is a gamble VA leaders
should never have taken.
In addition to ensuring strong, consistent oversight and leadership
at VA, another ongoing challenge we strive to address is
servicemembers' transition, not just from DoD to VA but also to
civilian life, including the workplace. Veterans' unemployment is of
great concern to these Committees, and we have made great bipartisan
strides in improving that situation during the 112th Congress.
I am glad that VA approved the maximum 45,000 applications for the
Veterans Retraining Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2012, an
important step toward helping veterans get back into the workforce. The
opportunity for 54,000 more veterans to participate in this new fiscal
year will sustain that momentum. The American Legion has been a
valuable partner in VRAP's success, and outreach through your Web site
and mailings can further the success.
As we continue working toward job growth in the private sector for
veterans, there are other issues which also command our attention.
It was over a year ago that I communicated to this Administration
that veterans funding should not be affected by sequestration. After
receiving conflicting and vague responses during that time, we finally
have a long-overdue answer that veterans funding will not be touched.
To the members of these Committees, and I'm sure to many
Legionnaires, it is puzzling why such a common-sense answer took so
long, but it is also the right answer and one I am glad to finally
have.
As your written testimony discerns, significant challenges remain
with disability claims processing. The backlog of claims continues to
grow, despite input, including the Legion's, on ways to improve
accuracy within the process without compromising veterans' benefits.
We all know of the number of servicemembers returning home and what
effect that will have on VA's claims backlog. In order for the backlog
to be eliminated, it first must decrease. However, VA's own statistics
show that the backlog has doubled in the past several years - a
significant increase, not decrease. Although VA continues to reiterate
its goal to eliminate the backlog by 2015 and to process claims with
98% accuracy, the agency fails to provide clear benchmarks and
timelines as to how the backlog will decrease, let alone be completely
eliminated.
The assistance your veterans service officers provide in filing
claims is invaluable in guiding servicemembers through a difficult and
time-consuming process. Helping veterans with over one-hundred fifty
thousand claims a year is no small feat, and the expertise provided
helps each veteran receive care and benefits in a timely fashion.
Still, we both know that VA must do its own part, and I look forward to
continuing to work with your organization and my colleagues in the
House and Senate to get VA moving in the right direction - more claims
processed, in less time, with a higher accuracy rate.
VA also is not treating veterans with the invisible wounds of war
quickly enough. More than half of veterans seeking mental health care -
and these are VA's statistics - wait an average of 50 days for an
initial evaluation. Not treatment, an evaluation. That statistic is a
national shame. While VA may talk about processes and numbers and
percentages, it must remember that its purpose is serving people,
veterans who put themselves in harm's way to protect freedom for those
of us back home. Veterans should be able to receive help when they seek
it, not the next day, week, or month. Any delay in providing this
treatment is unconscionable. We must look at ways to expand VA's mental
health care capacity. This is a matter of life and death. So, I am open
to ideas on how we can save 18 veterans a day, and I look forward to
having a productive discussion on this issue today.
The mandatory Transition Assistance Program participation enacted
under the bipartisan VOW to Hire Heroes Act is another way we can reach
out to individual servicemembers at a personal level. So, too, is the
outreach that the American Legion provides, both through its national
efforts here in Washington as well as through the nearly fourteen
thousand American Legion posts throughout the world.
You have my assurance that our committees will continue to work
together with you to provide and improve services for our veterans. We
have seen some major accomplishments together, but we all know there is
much more to be done, and I look forward to even greater achievements
for our veterans.
Commander, thank you- not just for being here today but for
everything you do and your organization does. The American Legion makes
a positive difference every day in the lives of many, and I know it
will continue to do so for many years to come.
Prepared Statement of Hon. Michael Michaud
I'd like to welcome the newly elected National Commander of The
American Legion, James E. Koutz.
I would also like to welcome the National President of The American
Legion Auxiliary, Peggy Thomas. Thank you both for your advocacy for
veterans and the enduring support of The American Legion's 2.5 million
members.
Before we start, I would like to extend my complements to your
Washington staff and to tell you, Commander, what a pleasure it is to
work with them.
I would also like to take a moment to recognize those in the
audience who traveled here from Maine. If there are any Legion members
here from Maine today, would you please raise your hand?
These Committees are charged with oversight of the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the VA's budget. And while this has been a busy
and frustrating year in many regards, we must look forward to how we
can best serve veterans in 2013.
To provide the best care and services, we need to understand how
the veteran population is growing, changing and located geographically.
In 2011, we had just over 22 million veterans with 34 million
dependents and we had 540,000 survivors of deceased veterans receiving
compensation.
I was pleased to see that the VA's budget for 2013 reflected many
of these changes. But they must do better outreach to eligible veterans
and dependents to make sure they all get the services and compensation
they have earned.
The VA 2013, overall budget is $140 billion, an increase from the
2012 request.
And because of the hard work of many individuals in this room,
advance appropriations continue to help the VA with long-term planning.
With advance appropriations we ensure sufficient, timely and
predictable funding for veterans' health care.
But advance appropriations only works when we work together to pass
year-long appropriations bills. Short term continuing resolutions are
not helpful for planning purposes and hurt the ability of the VA to
provide health care services.
Although Congress may disagree on a lot of things, I hope we can
always agree that providing strong appropriations for the VA is a non-
partisan effort that must be done each year.
I was troubled by a July report from CBS news that found suicide
rates among soldiers is up 80 percent.
Our veterans are returning from war with invisible wounds that need
treatment but are discouraged from seeking this care for a variety of
reasons. As a Nation, we can do better - we have to get this right.
To The American Legion, I ask for your help on this issue. As you
lobby the Committee on Veterans Affairs, I hope you also lobby the
Armed Services Committee for early intervention.
Care must begin when the person is on active duty. We must do more
to help our veterans go on to live long and productive lives.
One of our efforts has been to make it easier for veterans to get
credit for their military training.
Service members are experienced in many career fields that can be
as varied:
as electronics,
medicine,
avionics,
mechanical and
air traffic control.
These individuals have received first class training and
experience, but unfortunately this top notch training rarely leads to a
similar civilian career.
More must be done on the state and Federal level to ensure that
these skills translate into the civilian world.
If a servicemember can get credit for military training then each
State will be better served by capturing this talent and increasing
productivity.
With the American Legion's extensive network of state departments,
your organization will be critical in working with us to move this
issue forward at the state level.
On the Federal level, we must also be looking at how we help
servicemembers transition back into civilian life. The Department of
Defense and the Department of Labor must ensure that their employment
and transition assistance programs are providing valuable and practical
skills.
We must solve the disability claims problem at the VA. This has
been an ongoing problem now for many, many years.
If the current system is not working, we need to be honest with
ourselves, admit the failure, and look for new solutions.
If more money and more people have not solved the problem, we
should look to other models to find improvements that could be
beneficial for the VA.
And it is not enough to process claims faster. We need to have an
equal focus on accuracy so our veterans get the correct benefits the
first time around and so that the VA doesn't end up doing twice the
work because of appeals.
We all must continue to work together to provide our veterans with
the quality health care and benefits that they require, and that they
have earned.
I thank you all for being here today, and Commander, I look forward
to hearing the Views and Estimates of The American Legion.
Prepared Statement of Senator John Boozman
Thank Commander James Koutz
Thank the National Commander of the Auxiliary, Peggy Thomas
Recognize the Arkansas members in attendance
State Commander Mary Erdman.
RD Kinsey
Steve Gray
Thank all members in attendance for coming to Washington on behalf
of our Nation's veterans
This is a very critical time for our nation's veterans, so it is
more important than ever for the Legion, and all of our veterans to be
engaged with their representatives on the issues that are affecting
them. I also appreciate the Commander's testimony and look forward to
working with them on many of their higher level goals that include
economic opportunity for veterans, improving veterans' healthcare and
ending veterans homelessness, addressing looming budget cuts that could
impact veterans and military families, and improving care for mental
health care and treating TBI for our returning veterans.
All Americans are concerned about employment security, but our
veterans in particular have been struggling to find long-term
meaningful employment and careers. While we are going through the worst
economic recovery since the Great Depression, Republicans and Democrats
alike should put politics aside and work together to find common ground
in providing our veterans with the tools they need to accomplish this
goal. I agree with the Legion testimony that the ``Vow to Hire Heroes
Act'' and the ``Veterans Skills to Jobs Act'' are steps in the right
direction, and the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
leadership and their staff deserve credit for their bi-partisan work in
achieving those accomplishments. Yet there is more that we can do in a
non-partisan manner, and even in these difficult times we can pay for
those efforts without mortgaging the futures of our children and
grandchildren by borrowing money to pay for it from countries like
China. We owe this much to our veterans to honor their service and
sacrifice.
That being said, the failure of last year's Joint Deficit Committee
has left us with looming arbitrary cuts to our National Defense, as
well cuts to programs that support veterans and their families. The
Constitution is clear that Congress's primary obligation is to defend
our nation. I am pleased that the House has passed legislation to avoid
these impending cuts to national security and to provide certainty to
our military families. The administration could also do more to clarify
that sequestration will not hit veterans' programs or negatively impact
the delivery of veterans' benefits. Unlike other government programs,
we must always keep in mind that veterans' benefits and programs are
part of a sacred contract that guarantees these benefits for our
veterans and their families in return for their selfless commitment and
immeasurable sacrifice to protect this nation and its ideals.
We must make it perfectly clear that we cannot, and will not,
balance the budget and solve our fiscal problems on the backs of our
men and women in uniform and their families!
We also need to make sure that the VA has the tools, policies, and
resources to see that our veterans are receiving their benefits,
accurately determined, in a timely manner that provides our military
families with the treatment and certainty they need to thrive and
succeed. The current backlog of claims at the VA is a black-eye on this
nation, and doesn't do justice to our appreciation for our veterans and
their sacrifice. We are working to make progress on all fronts. On
September 12th, the Senate Veterans Committee unanimously passed bi-
partisan legislation to improve mental health care and suicide
prevention for our veterans, and I appreciate Chairwoman Murray and
Ranking Member Burr for their leadership and hard work on that
legislation. This is particularly important for our veterans in rural
areas, and I appreciate them for including language from legislation
that I have been working on with Senator Franken to improve the VA's
Office of Rural Health to form a more strategic plan for improving
access and quality of health care for veterans in rural areas. Also
included in that bill was a provision that reflected work that Senator
Begich and I have been doing to ensure that female veterans fleeing
domestic violence have access to Veterans' Homeless services. I
appreciate the inclusion of this provision as well, and appreciate the
Legion's work to serve as a voice for the increasing number of female
veterans who will be relying on the VA for a variety of issues when
they return from the battlefield. We're also working on bipartisan
legislation to improve the Transition Assistance Program and improve
other VA programs, and I am confident that Chairman Miller, Chairwoman
Murray, Ranking Member Burr, and all members of Congress are committed
to working together in a non-partisan manner to ensure that we uphold
all of the promises that have been made to our servicemembers and their
families.
I am very concerned about some of the reports we are receiving
about military voter registration and participation. Recent Comments
from General Dempsey, coupled with the failure of this administration
and DoD to comply with the legal requirements of the Military and
Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, which requires on-base voter
registration assistance at every military installation, are very
concerning to me. Then-General George Washington is noted for saying
``When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen'' and
we must do everything in our power to ensure that every servicemember
is encouraged, and has the ability, to exercise our most fundamental
civic duty that they have risked their lives to defend. With the
leadership of Senator Cornyn, 21 of my Senate colleagues and I sent a
letter on September 20th to General Dempsey expressing these concerns,
and we are eager to receive a response.
Finally, the Senate should pass legislation to ensure that our
disabled veterans receive a COLA, and ensure that COLA is not delayed.
The House passed their legislation to address this issue back on July
9th. This is not something that should be left for the last minute to
be garbled up with a bunch of other bills in the eleventh hour before
Senators leave to go campaigning. Reports of a `secret hold' or a
filibuster on this bill are inaccurate, and it is cleared for passage
any time Senator Reid wants to bring it up. We should pass this
legislation as soon as possible.
We have never, and should never, use our veterans as political
footballs. With so much going on that divides us in Congress, doing
good work for our veterans is something we have always supported in a
non-partisan manner. With much work to be done, with strong non-
partisan leadership from Chairman Miller, Chairwoman Murray, and
Ranking Member Burr, I am confident that Congress will put the needs of
our veterans first and we will get done what-needs-to-be-done, to
ensure that we are upholding all of the promises that have been made to
our servicemembers, our veterans, and their families.
Prepared Statement of Commander James E. Koutz
Messr. Chairmen, Chairwoman and Members of the Committees:
Issues & Opportunities
Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, families and
communities nationwide stand at a crossroads of history as the 112th
Congress draws to a close. Troops are coming home from war, looking for
education, jobs and business opportunities worthy of their sacrifices.
Defense spending has been targeted for drastic and potentially
dangerous cuts. Veterans are waiting in greater numbers than ever for
decisions about their VA benefits. Families are trying to adjust to new
lives with loved ones who have come home seriously wounded,
psychologically changed, or both. And the flag America flew so proudly
after 9/11 remains unprotected against those who would burn it in
hatred of the freedom it symbolizes.
The American Legion Family, made up of more than 4 million
patriotic citizens of this nation, looks to Washington for leadership
during this critical period. The American Legion, largest of all
veterans service organizations, however, does not expect Washington to
act without guidance from the stakeholders of our government's
decisions.
The following pages contain that guidance. Included are top issues
identified by The American Legion. Thoughtful, effective work by
lawmakers and the administration can convert these issues into
opportunities, not just for veterans and the military community but for
the entire nation.
Protect Defense and VA from Sequestration
Where we are
Last year's failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit
Reduction means that automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration,
are scheduled to take effect in January 2013 unless Congress finds
other options to reverse the deficit. Cuts in military spending are
projected not only to compromise our national security but also
increase unemployment by as much as an entire percentage point
nationwide. The American Legion is deeply concerned about military
spending reductions during a time of war. The Legion is equally wary
about the budget and its potential effect on the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Although the administration has stated that VA programs--including
health care, benefits and education--are exempt from sequestration, The
American Legion questions the integrity of such promises when so-called
``federal administrative expenses'' have already been targeted. As
recently as July, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki was unable to clearly
define ``administrative expenses,'' leaving the door open to
interpretation and possible crippling cuts in VA's ability to serve our
nation's veterans.
Hundreds of thousands of men and women who served in Iraq and
Afghanistan now rely on VA for health care. They enter our nation's VA
medical centers, clinics and nursing homes at a time when veterans of
previous wars are reaching advanced ages, in need of VA's services.
These are services they earned, deserve and were promised. No veteran
should have to wait weeks for appointments nor travel hundreds of miles
to see providers. Female veterans should have health-care services that
meet their needs. Cities such as Orlando, Denver and New Orleans should
not have to wait years for the construction of long-overdue hospitals.
The pressure on VA will only mount as defense budget cuts drive
down force sizes and more of our military personnel re-enter civilian
life. DoD and VA must work in harmony to ease the transition and help
the influx of new veterans get the help they need, including timely
benefits, access to high-quality health care and careers that match
their skills.
Many key veterans programs require coordination with government
departments such as Labor, and Housing and Urban Development, which
enjoy no protection of any kind from sequestration. Veterans programs
within those departments must be protected if they are to succeed.
Where we want to be
The American Legion wants Congress to ensure that national security
and veterans programs in VA and other departments are not sacrificed in
the budget battle. Previous legislation, such as the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and the Statutory Pay as you
Go Act of 2010, included language specifically protecting VA programs
from cuts. As the budget deficit widens, similar and specific
protections are necessary today.
What we are doing
Last year, a special American Legion task force met with members of
the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction - the so-called
``supercommittee'' - as it deliberated in futility over the ailing
federal budget. The American Legion is aggressively pursuing a
compromise to ensure our nation's ability to protect itself from harm,
provide decent quality of life for members of our armed forces and
maintain the necessary level of care for those veterans who have
answered the country's call in its times of need. The Legion
understands the importance of sound fiscal management, but neither the
soldier nor the veteran caused the deficit, and neither should be
required to shoulder an unfair portion of its reduction.
Reverse the VA Claims Backlog
Where we are
When speaking to The American Legion National Convention in August
2010, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki declared VA would ``break the back of
the backlog by 2015'' by committing to 98 percent accuracy, with no
claim pending longer than 125 days. Over the past two years, VA has
gone backward, not forward, in both of these key areas.
According to VA's own figures, over 65 percent of veterans with
disability benefits claims have been waiting longer than 125 days for
them to be processed. In contrast, when Secretary Shinseki made his
promise, only 37.1 percent of claims had been pending longer than 125
days. The American Legion has found through its field research that the
problem varies greatly by regional office. While some regional offices
may have an average rate of 76 days per claim, others take 336 days--a
troubling inconsistency.
Unfortunately, accuracy is also a problem, according to Legion site
visits and field research. VA has been reluctant to publicly post
accuracy figures in its Monday Morning Workload reports, but VA's own
STAR reports for accuracy place the rate in the mid 80s. The American
Legion's Regional Office Action Review (ROAR) team typically finds an
even higher error rate, sometimes up to two thirds of all claims
reviewed.
VA is hopeful that the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS)
will eliminate many of the woes that have led to the backlog, but
electronic solutions are not a magic bullet. Without real reform for a
culture of work that places higher priority on raw speed than accuracy,
VA will continue to struggle, no matter the tools used to process
claims.
Where we want to be
While VA's stated goals of ``no claim pending longer than 125
days'' and 98-percent accuracy are admirable, many veterans would
settle for their claims being initially processed correctly in a timely
manner. The American Legion draws on the extensive experience of its
service officers nationwide who work within the claims-benefits system
every day; they are best qualified to define a new plan for fixing
inadequacies of the existing system to adjudicate veterans' claims.
The American Legion has long argued that VA's focus on quantity
over quality is one of the largest contributing factors to the claims
backlog. If VA employees receive the same credit for work, whether it
is done properly or improperly, there is little incentive to take the
time to process a claim correctly. When a claim is processed in error,
a veteran must appeal the decision to receive benefits, and then wait
for an appeals process that may take months to resolve and possibly
years for delivery of the benefit.
The American Legion believes VA must develop a processing model
that puts as much emphasis on accuracy as it does on the raw number of
claims completed. Nowhere does VA publicly post its accuracy figures.
America's veterans need to have confidence in the work done by VA, and
that requires transparency.
The VBMS system could allow VA to develop more effective means of
processing claims, such as the ability to separate single issues that
are ready to rate, starting a flow of relief to veterans while more
complex medical issues are considered.
Veterans service organizations such as The American Legion are
important collaborators with VA in developing solutions to claims-
system problems. Only with open lanes of communication, in which the
input of VSOs is received, acknowledged and utilized in long-term
planning, will the VA-VSO partnership be able to deliver a system that
serves needs quickly and accurately.
What we are doing
The American Legion's network of more than 2,500 accredited service
officers across the nation provides free assistance to veterans seeking
their benefits. Training of these service officers is a top priority;
knowledge of the VA system is essential to successfully navigating the
complicated claims process. The American Legion Veterans Affairs &
Rehabilitation Commission conducts annual training schools in
Indianapolis and Washington, D.C., bringing in service officers from
across the country for multi-day intensive education sessions.
Every year, American Legion service officers assist veterans on
more than 850,000 benefits claims and an additional 150,000 death
benefits claims, at no cost to the veteran. American Legion service
officers help secure more than $885 million in earned compensation and
pension benefits a year for veterans, and more than $110 million in
survivor benefits for servicemembers' widows and widowers.
Improve Medical Transition Process
Where we are
Problems with the processing out of active-duty military personnel
continue since the closure of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington, in 2010, when care for seriously injured patients was moved
to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.
These problems have been identified at Warrior Transition Unit
facilities nationwide, as well.
As of January 2012, approximately 24,000 servicemembers were
participating in the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES)
across all branches of service, including National Guard and reserve
units.
Where we want to be
The American Legion urges improvements in the medical transition
process, including:
Better oversight to ensure DoD is adhering to the VA
rating system, rather than simply using it as a guideline.
More uniform implementation of the system across all
services and all geographic regions.
More clear and concise explanations of the IDES systems
for servicemembers and their families, along with implementation of a
single point of contact for families.
Better use of the Physical Evaluation Board Liaisons,
with better-defined responsibilities and scope for those employees.
What we are doing
The American Legion's Medical Evaluation Board/Physical Evaluation
Board coordinator is responsible for assisting servicemembers at
Washington, D.C., military installations, and has representatives on
site at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.,
under the supervision of the MEB/PEB coordinator. These representatives
act as service officers for transitioning servicemembers with medical
or physical conditions.
Treat All Veterans Exposed to Hazardous Chemicals
Where we are
The American Legion applauds VA for processing nearly 230,000
claims through June 2012 that involved the three newest Agent Orange-
related conditions. The recent expansion of conditions presumed to be
linked to Agent Orange exposure certainly created additional work for
VA, which already faces a heavy claims backlog, but VA Secretary Eric
Shinseki argued correctly that it was the right thing to do. Decisions
about treating and compensating veterans exposed to deadly toxins must
never be motivated by whether or not the road will be challenging or
costly, but whether or not the veteran has suffered and requires
treatment because of the exposure.
The American Legion supports the establishment of a unified policy
to deal with the consequences of exposure to hazardous materials in the
military.
Where we want to be
The American Legion urges continued study of all environmental
hazards and their effects on servicemembers and veterans. New
challenges, such as burn pits, must be addressed. Evidence suggests
more than 227 metric tons of waste have been burned in conjunction with
JP-8 jet fuel, releasing countless carcinogens into the air that
servicemembers have breathed. At the very least, a full accounting of
exposed veterans through a burn-pit registry or similar means would be
an important step forward.
Agent Orange remains a concern, as thousands of veterans exposed to
the toxin are left behind when it comes to vital treatment and
benefits. The American Legion remains committed to ensuring all
veterans who served in areas of exposure receive recognition and
treatment for conditions linked to Agent Orange. Time is running out
for those veterans not designated as having ``boots on the ground''
during the Vietnam War. Studies indicate ``Blue Water Navy'' veterans
may have experienced higher exposure rates to Agent Orange than those
who were on the ground, due to water desalination systems on the ships;
this never has been satisfactorily addressed by VA. The time is now to
recognize all Vietnam veterans for their exposure to Agent Orange, not
just those who had boots on the ground.
The American Legion urges VA to work with DoD to finally complete
the list of exposure locations outside Vietnam, including the C-123 K
transport aircraft, Thailand and other supporting areas of the Vietnam
theater, as well as Korea.
The American Legion urges continued close scrutiny by the Institute
of Medicine into Agent Orange, Gulf War illness and other concerns.
When problems are identified, VA must act swiftly to ensure current
compensation and treatment are based on the most recent scientific
findings.
What we are doing
The American Legion believes in treating the veteran first, funding
the necessary research, and ensuring that service members are not
exposed to chemical hazards again. The American Legion will continue to
publicly support, and keep abreast of, ongoing DoD and VA research
related to environmental hazards and exposures due to deployment, such
as the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center's study on the
effects of deployment as they relate to cardiopulmonary function and
the medically unexplained autonomic functions of Gulf War veterans.
Improve VA Health Care
Where we are
The Veterans Health Administration manages the largest integrated
health-care system in the United States, with 152 medical centers,
nearly 1,400 community-based outpatient clinics, community living
centers, Vet Centers and domiciliaries serving more than 8 million
veterans every year. The American Legion believes those veterans should
receive the best care possible.
The needs of veterans continue to evolve, and VHA must ensure it is
evolving to meet them. The rural veteran population is growing, and
options such as telehealth medicine and clinical care must expand to
better serve that population. Growing numbers of female veterans, and a
system that has traditionally catered to men must adapt to meet the
needs of male and female veterans, regardless whether they live in
urban or rural areas.
An integrated response to mental health care is necessary, as the
rising rates of suicide and severe post-traumatic stress disorder are
greatly impacting veterans and active-duty servicemembers alike.
Where we want to be
If veterans are going to receive the best possible care from VA,
the system needs to continue to adapt to the changing demands of the
population it serves. The concerns of rural veterans can be addressed
through multiple measures, including expansion of the existing
infrastructure through CBOCs and other innovative solutions,
improvements in telehealth and telemedicine, improved staffing and
enhancements to the travel system.
Patient concerns and quality of care can be improved by better
attention to VA strategic planning, concise and clear directives from
VHA, improved hiring practices and retention, and better tracking of
quality by VA on a national level.
VHA's budget must be protected in order to ensure improved quality.
Critical need areas such as construction and ongoing maintenance are
already facing reductions, which will prove disastrous and more costly
to VA in the long run. The American Legion supports sound investment in
the infrastructure of VA to best meet the needs of a changing veteran
population.
What we are doing
The American Legion's System Worth Saving Task Force regularly
travels across the country to evaluate VA medical facilities and ensure
they are meeting the needs of veterans. This past year, the task force
focused on rural health care and patient satisfaction.
From November 2011 to February 2012, the task force conducted 25
site visits to VA medical facilities and coordinated with VA's Office
for Rural Health VA's Veteran Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) 1,
15, 18 and 19; VISN Rural Health consultants; Project Access Received
Closer to Home (ARCH); and VA community-based outpatient clinics.
The American Legion System Worth Saving Task Force emerged from its
field work with several concerns, including:
VA's definition of ``rural veteran'' is derived from the U.S.
Census Bureau and may not accurately reflect the needs of veterans who
must travel long distances through rural areas to receive health care.
The American Legion recommends VA expand the U.S. Census Bureau
definition to incorporate access and driving times to VA facilities.
The American Legion also recommends that VA medical centers implement a
veterans transportation department that would coordinate all
transportation programs for hospitals and their catchment areas.
Quality of care, as always, was carefully studied by the task
force. From April 2012 to June 2012, the task force conducted site
visits at 25 VA medical centers and conducted 24 veteran town hall
meetings in American Legion posts near the VAMCs to assess patient
satisfaction and quality of care. The task force examined three
categories: patient safety, clinical performance, and access and
satisfaction. Although VA has made many improvements in care, many
challenges remain, including recruitment and performance of staff,
personal and electronic communication, and delivery of female-specific
services. The American Legion will publish a detailed report of the
care-quality findings this fall.
Better Care for Female Veterans
Where we are
A 2011 American Legion study revealed several areas of concern
about VA health-care services for women. Today, VA still struggles to
fulfill this need, even though women are the fastest-growing segment of
the veteran population. Approximately 1.8 million female veterans make
up 8 percent of the total veteran population, yet only 6 percent use VA
services.
VA needs to be prepared for a significant increase of younger
female veterans as those who served in the war on terrorism separate.
Approximately 58 percent of women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan
are ages 20 to 29, and they require gender-specific expertise and care.
Studies suggest post-traumatic stress disorder is especially prevalent
among women; among veterans who used VA in 2009, 10.2 percent of women
and 7.8 percent of men were diagnosed with PTSD.
The number of female veterans enrolled in the VA system is expected
to expand by more than 33 percent in the next three years. Currently,
44 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan female veterans have enrolled in the
VA health-care system.
What we want
The American Legion recommends VA conduct a comprehensive study of
military sexual trauma, in conjunction with the Department of Defense
if possible, to develop a better plan to counteract the problem.
VA needs to develop a comprehensive health-care program for female
veterans that extends beyond reproductive issues. Provider education
needs improvement. Furthermore, as female veterans are the sole
caregivers in some families, services and benefits designed to promote
independent living for combat-injured veterans must be evaluated, and
needs such as child care must be factored into the equation.
Additionally, many female veterans cannot make appointments due to the
lack of child-care options at VA medical centers. Since the 2011
survey, The American Legion has continued to advocate for improved
delivery of timely, quality health care for women using VA.
What we are doing
The 2011 survey revealed concerns that have led to the
establishment of a new American Legion Women Veterans Outreach Program
whose coordinator is tasked with identifying best practices to improve
services for female veterans and work with Legion departments to
establish state coordinators to oversee female veterans programs at
that level.
The Women Veterans Outreach Program aims to educate veterans and
communities that support them; to collaborate with local, state and
federal agencies that can provide needed services; and to provide
continued oversight of VA's execution of benefits and services. The
American Legion's advocacy efforts seek to ensure that the identified
needs of female veterans are being met, and, more importantly, that
veterans are informed on the issues that affect their lives.
Many states have coordinators and have vibrant programs while other
states have not yet identified coordinators. Coordinators will be
trained and educated on their responsibilities and provided the
necessary assistance to get their programs up and running.
Repair Problems in Mental Health
Where we are
Post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury are the
signature wounds of today's wars. TBI is defined as a blow or jolt to
the head, or penetrating head injury, that disrupts brain function.
PTSD is a disorder resulting from exposure to a traumatic event that
involved actual or threatened death or serious injury. Both conditions
are increasing in number, particularly among those who have served in
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
A 2011 Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs survey of 319 VA mental
health staff revealed that services for veterans coping with mental
health issues and TBI are lacking. Among the findings:
New mental health patient appointments could be scheduled
within 14 days, according to 63 percent of respondents, but only 48.1
percent believed veterans referred for specialty appointments for PTSD
or substance abuse would be seen within 14 days.
Seventy percent of providers said their sites had
shortages of mental ?health space.
Forty-six percent reported that a lack of off-hours
appointments was a barrier to care.
More than 26 percent reported that demand for
Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams pulled clinicians away from direct
care.
Just over 50 percent reported that growth in patient
numbers contributed to mental health staff shortages.
VHA and, at the request of Congress, VA's Office of the Inspector
General have studied the problem since the survey was conducted. On
April 23, 2012, the VAOIG released the report, ``Review of Veterans'
Access to Mental Health Care.'' It found that VHA's mental health
performance data was neither accurate nor reliable. In VA's fiscal 2011
Performance and Accountability Report, VHA grossly over-reported that
95 percent of first-time patients received a full mental health
evaluation within 14 days. However, it was found that VHA completed
approximately 64 percent of new-patient appointments for treatment
within 14 days of their desired date, but approximately 36 percent of
appointments exceeded 14 days. VHA schedulers also were not following
procedures outlined in VHA directives, and were scheduling clinic
appointments on the system's availability rather than the patient's
clinical need.
During a congressional hearing on April 25, VA announced that it
would hire an additional 1,600 mental health clinicians, as well as 300
support staff across the country to address three major areas of
improvements: mental health access, staffing and quality. VA has
developed a hiring and tracking task force to monitor and speed up the
staffing effort. The task force also is assisting in the recruitment
and filling of another 1,500 vacancies in mental health VA had prior to
announcing the new positions. VHA's plan is to have most of these new
positions filled by fiscal 2013's second quarter.
Where we want to be
The American Legion believes VA must focus on head injuries and
mental health without sacrificing awareness and concern for other
conditions afflicting servicemembers and veterans. As an immediate
priority, VA must ensure staffing levels are adequate to meet the need.
The American Legion also urges Congress to invest in research,
screening, diagnosis and treatment for PTSD and TBI. As with any
increases to funding, increased oversight also is necessary to ensure
the money is going directly to the needed programs.
What we are doing
The American Legion Ad Hoc Committee on PTSD/TBI has closely
examined issues related to these conditions and has begun assembling a
set of recommendations for VA and DoD. The committee consists of mental
health experts, dedicated senior Legion service officers and past
national commanders of The American Legion. The committee has found
that various alternative treatments may be effective but are not
recognized by VA, and that some prescription drugs--such as
Risperidone, which is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of
PTSD--are often over used. The committee continues to meet to better
understand the issue, present findings to American Legion groups and
share concerns with VA.
Turn Military Experience Into Careers
Where we are
Servicemembers and veterans have attended and graduated from some
of the finest technical and professional training schools in the world.
Many have experience in health care, electronics, computers,
engineering, drafting, air-traffic control, nuclear energy, mechanics,
carpentry and other fields. Many of their skills require some type of
license or certificate to qualify for civilian jobs. In too many cases,
this license or certificate requires schooling already completed
through military training programs. Unfortunately, the agencies that
issue the licenses or certificates do not recognize military training
or experience. For example, a medic who treated gunshot wounds in
Operation Enduring Freedom is qualified as a medic but will not be
certified as an emergency medical technician in the civilian workforce
without additional, redundant schooling.
The American Legion is a leading voice in advocacy for the unique
job skills veterans bring to the table. In 1997, The American Legion
commissioned the report ``Study of Civilian Licensure and Certification
for Veterans,'' which detailed the problem while focusing on the areas
of aircraft maintenance and health care. In the past, barriers to this
effort have included resistance from military and civilian sectors
alike, but top defense officials now offer support on Capitol Hill for
the idea of transfering military experience for credits.
This subject has grown more important as the veteran unemployment
rate exceeds that of civilians and has been as high as 30 percent for
the youngest veterans. For veterans, who have already sacrificed so
much in service to the country, the additional stresses and strains of
unemployment, and the financial hardship that accompanies joblessness,
can become almost unbearable, and contribute to already-high rates of
depression and PTSD.
Where we want to be
The American Legion is fighting for a major overhaul of the
licensure and certification policies as they relate to military job
skills, on the national and state levels alike. As demand for qualified
workers in a diverse range of occupations continues to grow, veterans
offer skills, training, dedication and discipline that translate well
into specialized fields and trades.
The American Legion is working with credentialing and licensing
agencies to help veterans receive credit for their experiences,
maximize their abilities and move quickly into productive careers.
While the VOW to Hire Heroes Act and the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act of
2012, are important steps that The American Legion strongly supported
and helped shape, they are only a good start in a long march to improve
career opportunities for those who have served in uniform.
What we are doing
For over a decade, The American Legion has been a leading voice in
the argument to provide veterans the opportunity to transfer military
experience into credits toward licenses and certification. The case has
been made to VA, the Department of Labor, DoD, through legislation, and
at least one presidential task force. The Legion's efforts
enthusiastically continue with the momentum of legislation passed in
2012.
The Legion's strategy going forward includes:
Working with and counseling government agencies about the
value of a workforce with military experience.
Working with the American National Standard Institute and
Solutions for Information Design to advise the U.S. Army Training and
Doctrine and identify 10 credentialing agencies to evaluate their
instruction programs.
Lobbying successfully for an industry credentialing
amendment to the fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Bill.
Working closely with Congress on ``The Hire at Home
Act,'' which would amend Title 38 to require - as a condition to
receive selected veteran employment and training funds - that the state
ensures that training received by a veteran while on active duty is
taken into consideration in granting certain state certifications or
licenses.
The American Legion will continue to work with the National
Governors Association, the White House, the National Conference of
State Legislatures, government agencies such as the departments of
Defense, Transportation, Energy, Labor, and others, as well as
congressional representatives, military training commands,
credentialing boards and the private sector. The American Legion is in
the process of creating toolkits to assist Legionnaires in advocating
on a state-by-state basis to address the issue of credentialing.
Expand VETS Program
Where we are
The Department of Labor's VETS program offers employment and
training services to eligible veterans through its Jobs for Veterans
State Grants Program. The American Legion is eager to see this program
grow and would like greater expansion of entrepreneurial-based, self-
employment opportunity training. Adequate funding is necessary to allow
the programs to increase staffing to provide comprehensive case-
management job assistance to disabled and other eligible veterans.
Where we want to be
For the program to succeed, it needs to:
Implement recent reforms to the Transition Assistance
Program so veterans can be better informed on education, employment and
business opportunities as they transition into the civilian workforce.
Expand outreach efforts with creative initiatives
designed to improve employment and training services for veterans.
Provide information about military occupations that
provide qualifying training for required licenses, certificates or
other credentials at the local, state or national levels.
Eliminate barriers to recently separated servicemembers
and assist in the transition from military service to the civilian
labor market.
The American Legion believes staffing levels for DVOPs (Disabled
Veterans Outreach Programs) and LVERs (Local Veterans Employment
Representatives) should match the needs of the veteran community in
each state and should not be based solely on the fiscal needs of the
state government. VETS should remain a national program with federal
oversight and accountability. The American Legion seeks legislation
that will transfer all DVOPs and LVERs from the state agencies to VETS
for supervision and oversight to ensure that the individuals employed
to serve veterans are not used for other programs.
What we are doing
The American Legion is working closely with VA and the Department
of Labor to ensure this program receives the attention it needs to
assist veterans, and continues to grow and thrive through changes and
improvements to the programs involved. The American Legion also
continues to work with state departments of veterans affairs to improve
the delivery of benefits at that level.
Help Veterans Start Businesses
Where we are
Small business is the backbone of the U.S. economy. It has been the
mobilizing force behind America's past economic growth. It will
continue to be a major factor as our nation moves through the current
recession. Reports show that businesses with fewer than 20 employees
account for 90 percent of all U.S. firms and are responsible for more
than 75 percent of all new jobs. There are 27 million small businesses
in the U.S., and 99.7 percent of all firms are small businesses.
Where we want to be
The American Legion urges Congress to establish a direct lending
program through the Small Business Administration that would offer low-
interest loans to otherwise healthy veteran-owned and service-disabled
veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) having trouble obtaining credit
for necessary operating expenses or expansion. In addition, The
American Legion seeks and supports legislation to require a 5-percent
goal, with set-asides and sole-source authority for federal
procurements and contracts for businesses owned and operated by
service-disabled veterans, and businesses owned and controlled by
veterans. This includes small businesses owned by reserve-component
members who have been, or may be, called to active duty, or may be
affected by base closings and reductions in our military forces.
Pressures on the federal contracting community likely will result
in greater use of the General Services Administration's Federal Supply
Schedule Program, and while this program holds a higher contracting
preference than the small business programs, it unfortunately does not
allow set-asides for any small-business group. The American Legion
agrees that expanded use of this program will further diminish
opportunities for small businesses, especially those owned by veterans.
The American Legion makes the following recommendations:
Service-disabled, veteran-owned small business set-asides
should be allowed under the Federal Supply Schedule Program. Without
this change, SDVOSBs will be limited in their quest for opportunities
to compete for federal contracts.
Implementation of a coordinated standardized training
program for procurement staff that focuses on SDVOSB procurement
strategies in their respective agencies.
President Obama should reissue Executive Order 13-360,
``Providing Opportunities for Service-Disabled Veteran Businesses,'' to
increase federal contracting and subcontracting opportunities for
veterans, and require that its tenets be incorporated into SBA
regulations and standard operating procedures.
SBA needs to emphasize Executive Order 13-360 and
establish it as a procurement priority across the federal sector.
Federal agencies need to be held accountable by the SBA for
implementing the executive order, and SBA needs to establish a means to
monitor agency progress and, when appropriate, establish a report to
identify those that are not in compliance and pursue ongoing follow-up.
To achieve the mandates of Executive Order 13-360, SBA
must assist federal agencies in developing a strategic plan that is
quantifiable and will assist them in establishing realistic reporting
criteria.
The House Small Business Committee should embrace and
promote development of stronger policy and legislative language that
champions the utilization of veteran-owned small business joint-
venturing as a ready solution to the small-business spending
requirements of the stimulus spending initiative.
Agency leadership must be held responsible for meeting
the 3 percent congressionally mandated goal. The American Legion
recommends the committee schedule a hearing with all federal agencies
that consistently do not meet their federal procurement goals with
SDVOBs.
What we are doing
The American Legion continues to work closely with business leaders
and government authorities to help veteran-owned small business and
increase the roles of veteran-owned businesses in communities around
the world. Veterans know the value of veteran employees better than
anyone else, and veteran-owned small businesses are one among the best
employers of veterans.
End Veteran Homelessness
Where we are
VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has promised to devote resources
necessary to end veteran homelessness by 2015. To fully implement that
pledge, VA is going to have to work closely with Congress to continue
making responsible investments in affordable housing and supportive
service programs to help more veterans and their families. Current
estimates put the number of homeless veterans at approximately 76,000
on any given night, down from 2010 numbers of 131,000 or more.
Where we want to be
The American Legion recommends providing funding for a broad range
of appropriate and effective interventions, including:
Appropriation of funds for the Supportive Services for
Veteran Families program. SSVF funds have been used effectively by
community organizations to prevent many veterans from becoming homeless
and to quickly assist veterans who need nothing more than short-term
rental assistance and limited case management to get back on their
feet. SSVF funds also can be used to pay for employment services,
utility assistance, child care costs and other housing-related
expenses.
Congressional support for the homeless veterans Grant and
Per Diem transitional housing program. This program provides short-term
housing help to homeless veterans, allowing them to get connected with
jobs, supportive services and more permanent housing, ultimately
allowing them to become self-sufficient. Promising new models for using
Grant and Per Diem funds - including allowing veterans to remain in
their GPD housing units once support from the program ends - and new
programs focused on women veterans are helping to ensure that GPD
continues to meet the ever-changing needs of returning veterans and
their families.
Congress should provide 10,000 new HUD-VASH vouchers
designed to serve homeless veterans (and in many cases their families)
who need long-term housing, intensive case management and supportive
services. Since 2008, 37,975 vouchers have been awarded, contributing
substantially to major reductions in veteran homelessness.
What we are doing
The American Legion continues to lead communities by volunteering,
fundraising, and advocating for programs and resources to help homeless
veterans. In addition, The American Legion directly provides housing
for homeless veterans and their families, including facilities in
Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Connecticut. One of the goals of The
American Legion is to help bring federal agencies, nonprofit
organizations, faith-based institutions and other stakeholders to the
table to discuss best practices, along with funding opportunities, so
homeless veterans and their families can obtain the necessary care and
help to properly transition from the streets and shelters into gainful
employment and/or independent living.
Ease the Military-to-Civilian Transition
Where we are
Successful adjustment from military service to civilian life is a
complicated process. It involves culture shifts, career changes,
government paperwork to obtain benefits, health-care services that must
be understood, and much more. How well a veteran makes the adjustment
often determines the rest of his or her life.
Unfortunately, this transition has been hampered in past years by
poor communication and coordination between DoD and VA. Efforts have
been made to correct the process, which is improving, but too many
veterans still slip through the cracks and fail to receive the benefits
they earned and deserve or the support they need to restart their
lives.
Transition Assistance Programs (TAP) are now mandatory across all
branches of military service, a change The American Legion commends.
While TAP will require much fine tuning to accurately deliver what
veterans need, implementing the program universally already is a major
improvement.
Current DoD policy requires new inductees to enroll in the
eBenefits portal, which will help all future generations of veterans.
While VA and DoD still try to iron out differences in electronic data
systems necessary to make the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record (VLER)
effective, the eBenefits portal holds great promise. VLER delays are
deeply troubling to The American Legion because the program has been a
major focus of veterans groups, lawmakers and the federal government
for several years.
What we want
Fast-tracking the VLER program to ensure seamless transfer of
medical records must be a top priority, and necessary funds must be
allocated to fulfill it. The delays that have plagued this program are
inexcusable. The American Legion urges Congress and the administration
to work together to put the program back on track.
While The American Legion is encouraged by the progress made in
TAP, the program is still new and will require dedicated oversight and
attention to ensure it is meeting the needs of the servicemembers it is
designed to help.
What we are doing
The American Legion is reaching out to servicemembers as they
transition into the civilian world. American Legion service officers
offer free guidance and assistance to any veteran who needs to
understand or file for VA benefits.
During the past year, The American Legion has developed a ``Claims
Coach'' app for smart phones and other mobile devices to help veterans
better understand the disability claims process and compile the
necessary data to file complete claims for benefits. The American
Legion is working to ensure transitioning veterans have access through
TAP or other means, such as the Claims Coach app, to successfully
navigate the transition process and better integrate into the next
phase of life.
Protect the U.S. Flag
Where we are
Since the American Revolution, countless men and women have proudly
defended this nation under the Stars and Stripes. There is hardly a
more poignant image of the sacrifices made by America's heroes in
defense of this nation than a U.S. flag draped over a coffin, the last
full measure of respect to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
However, since the 1989 U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision in Texas v.
Johnson, the American people have been denied the ability to make laws
protecting from desecration this great symbol of our nation.
Where we want to be
Surveys have shown that over 80 percent of American citizens
support passage of a constitutional amendment that would protect the
flag, but Congress has repeatedly fallen short of the 66-percent Senate
supermajority needed to pass it.
The House of Representatives has passed the amendment six times by
supermajority, only to see it fall short in the Senate--by just one
vote the last time it made it to the floor.
Congress must unite in respect of the patriotic will of the
American people and pass a flag-protection amendment to the
Constitution that will once again allow the people to live under such
laws as they deem prudent and to show proper respect and reverence for
their flag.
What we are doing
Together with the American Legion Auxiliary, The American Legion
founded the Citizens Flag Alliance, Inc., to garner and focus grass-
roots support for the amendment. The CFA now includes 109 member
organizations and more than 30 million Americans. Through this
organization, The American Legion will continue to fight for passage of
the flag-protection amendment.
The American Legion is also dedicated to promoting positive flag-
related activities, such as promoting education about the U.S. Flag
Code, flag etiquette, proper disposal and sharing information through a
growing email network.
CONCLUSION
The American Legion is the conscience of a patriotic nation. It is
made up of men and women who have served in uniform. Its family extends
to spouses and parents who have known the fear and uncertainty of
deployed loved ones. The American Legion, the American Legion
Auxiliary, Sons of The American Legion and all their supporters are
connected by a love of country that cannot be compromised.
Through more than 13,000 local posts around the world, The American
Legion Family wraps its arms around four pillars of service: Veterans,
Defense, Americanism and Youth.
To learn more about what The American Legion does every day in
support of those pillars, visit www.legion.org or ``like'' The American
Legion National Headquarters on Facebook. The American Legion can also
be found on Twitter and in mobile media. Those who really want to help
veterans, their families and communities are urged to join The American
Legion Family, where they can go to work every day on behalf of the
nation they love.
American Legion National Contacts
Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation
(202) 263-5759
[email protected]
Economic
(202) 263-5771
[email protected]
Legislative
(202) 263-5752
[email protected]
National Security/Foreign Relations
(202) 263-5765
[email protected]
Americanism/Children & Youth
(317) 630-1203
[email protected]
Public Relations
(317) 630-1253
[email protected]
The American Legion Magazine
(317) 630-1298
[email protected]
The American Legion Online Update
(317) 630-1272
[email protected]
Preamble to The American Legion Constitution
FOR GOD AND COUNTRY WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES ?TOGETHER FOR THE
FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of
America. To maintain law and order
To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism
To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the
Great Wars
To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community,
state and nation
To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses
To make right the master of might
To promote peace and goodwill on earth. To safeguard and transmit
to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy
To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to
mutual helpfulness.