Here are some topics of interest to local veterans with implications reaching all the way to the nation’s capitol:
St. Cloud’s Team BLUFOR dedicated to making a positive difference
Regular readers know I love to sing the praises of the many amazing local veterans support groups in our area, especially in “Soldier City” St. Cloud. I just ran across another one- Team BLUFOR. As many know “Blue Force” or “Blufor” stands for U.S. forces in exercises, etc. Team BLUFOR empowers disabled veterans on their healing journey through adaptive sports challenges. A feature article on BLUFOR’s work in our community is coming soon. In the meantime, see https:// bit.ly/3Dw58so.
Keeping up with D.C.
We are all hearing much about government cuts these days, including cuts to the VA. Things are flying so hot and heavy this is what the flak over Berlin must have been like in 1944. To try to get some ground truth, I reached out to Bob Carey, a retired Navy Captain and head of the National Defense Committee, an umbrella veterans organization in Washington that coordinates the advocacy efforts of most of the various veterans organizations. The latest is VA Secretary Doug Collins’s statement on March 4th that the department plans to cut approximately 70,000 employees, reducing the VA’s workforce from about 470,000 to 398,000—a 15 percent decrease. This represents about $7 billion in cuts.
At the same time, Collins is vowing no cuts to the amounts of VA disability, education, or other veteran benefits, which according to Carey represents about 75% of the VA’s total budget. Carey is in frequent contact with VA D.C. staff and speculated that the sought-after efficiency and savings might come from VA healthcare following trends in civilian healthcare away from larger facilities for routine healthcare. All I can say at this point is to stay by and stay tuned.
U.S. Senators renewing push for an in-depth study on brain injuries and veterans’ mental health Senate Armed Service Chair Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and committee member Sen. Angus King, I-Maine reintroduced a bill this week that would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to partner with the National Academies of Sciences to conduct a 10year study on the effects of repetitive low-level blast injuries, at a cost of $5 million annually. Reports have linked traumatic brain injuries (TBI) to increased suicide risk among veterans. The proposed legislation also calls for a data sharing agreement between the VA and the Pentagon, which begs the simple question of why in the heck haven’t they been doing that already?
Getting a break on your Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) It may be hard to believe, but beginning July 1, veterans covered by VGLI will see reduced premiums, with rates decreasing by an average of 11%, depending on age. For veterans under 30, the monthly cost for the maximum $500,000 coverage will drop to $30, a $5 reduction. Those between 40 and 44 will see a $10 decrease, to $70. Older veterans will also benefit, with premiums for those 80 and older decreasing by $50 a month. For spouses covered by Family SGLI, those premiums will decrease by an average of 13%. The premium amounts will be reduced automatically, so no action by the policyholder is required, but do check when July rolls around.
