| projo.com |
01:00 AM EST on Monday, March 28, 2005
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced March 17 a national outreach campaign to locate veterans who were exposed to mustard gas or the chemical-warfare agent, lewisite.
Most of these veterans participated in chemical-testing programs during World War II which were designed to evaluate clothing, ointments and equipment that would protect American troops from mustard-agent attacks. They were exposed to mustard agents, such as sulfur mustard and nitrogen mustard, and lewisite, which is a blister-producing chemical that contains organic arsenic.
As part of those tests, the Department of Defense reported some participants were exposed to a drop of a chemical-warfare agent on an arm, while others had full-body exposure in test chambers, sometimes with limited protective clothing. According to the Department of Defense about 4,500 service members were exposed.
The VA initially launched an awareness campaign in 1993 about benefits for veterans exposed to chemical-warfare materials. The new effort includes mailings to veterans identified by the Department of Defense. The VA continues to seek addresses for additional veterans and survivors.
Veterans or their survivors with questions should phone the VA at (800) 749-8387 or visit VA's benefits Web site at www.vba.va.gov
Affected veterans should file disability compensation claims for any condition related to service, including exposure to mustard agents and lewisite.
VA budget may be getting an increase An amendment that would increase money available for veterans' benefits and services by $410 million passed the Senate two weeks ago, according to a posting March 22 on www.military.com
The amendment, number 171 to the Senate Budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 18), brings an increase of $1.2 billion in discretionary spending for VA's budget for 2006. The measure passed by a vote of 96-4.
If the funding is approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the VA will be able to keep prescription drug copays at $7 instead of the proposed increase to $15. It also will be able to fend off a proposal to impose a $250 enrollment service fee on lower priority category veterans.
The additional aid will include $100 million earmarked for mental-health services, an additional $100 million for prosthetics, an increase in disability claims, staffing of 128 full-time employees and continued expansion of the VA's national cemetery system.
Aspen ski site hosts clinic for disabled veteras More than 350 disabled veterans will ski the Rocky Mountains at the 19th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village at Aspen, Colo., from April 3 to 8.
The clinic is an annual rehabilitation program open to military veterans with spinal-cord injuries or disease, visual impairments, certain neurological conditions, orthopedic amputations or other disabilities, who receive care at VA health-care facilities.
A number of injured veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom have signed up to join fellow veterans at the clinic this year.
During the six-day program, the veterans will learn adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing and be introduced to other activities and sports, such as rock climbing, scuba diving, snowmobiling and sled hockey. The Secret Service will also teach a course on self-defense for people with disabilities.
Jointly sponsored by VA and the Disabled American Veterans, the clinic is hosted each year by the Grand Junction (Colo.) VA Medical Center and VA's Rocky Mountain Network. For more information, phone Jenny Tankersley, VA public affairs coordinator of the Winter Sports Clinic, at (757) 728-3450, or log on to the event's Web site at www.wintersportsclinic.org/
Hendricken course seeks info on Vietnam veterans Students in Bishop Hendricken High School instructor Joe Cichon Jr.'s Vietnam War course are researching the personal backgrounds of fallen Rhode Island servicemen from that war as they have done for several years.
Cichon is seeking the aid of column readers who may have known any of the following deceased Vietnam War personnel in order to share their personal information with his students. Call Cichon at Hendricken at (401) 739-3450, or e-mail him at soldier0628 [at] aol.com
The fallen servicemen include: Orlando Pender Jr. (Navy, LTWarwick); Ernest M. Perry Jr. (ARNG SGT, Warwick); Charles W. Pigott (Marine CPL, East Providence); Alfred N. Potter (Air Force SSGT, Newport); Walter L. Pritchard Jr. (Army LTC, Pawtucket); Richard Pohl (Army COL, Westerly); John C. Reilly (Army WO, Cranston); Robert W. Renaud (Army PFC, Pawtucket); and, Paul R. Rivet (Marine SGT, Woonsocket).
The list also includes: Joseph W. Rounseville (Army 1SG, Hope Valley), William Racca (Army LT, Providence); William L. Seastrom (Army SGT, Cumberland); Eugene F. Robinson (Army 1SG, East Providence); Anthony Silba (Army SP5, Woonsocket); Clifford W. Silvia (Army SSG, Smithfield); and, Alfred D. Smith III (Army 1LT, Wakefield).
Legion sponsors program for high school juniors The American Legion and Auxiliary Rhode Island Departments will sponsor the annual Little Rhody Boys' and Girls' State program at Naval Station Newport from April 18-22.
Open to high school juniors with an interest in government, the Boys' and Girls' State program offers a one-week orientation course in how the branches of government work. Guest speakers from governmental executive, legislative, and judicial branches will explain their jobs.
Participants will depart from their Newport-based schedule to visit the State House legislative chambers on April 21 and conduct a mock legislative session there.
Students should ask their principal or guidance counselor for an application. There is no limit on how many students each school can send, and the program is free. American Legion posts and auxiliary units statewide pay the cost.
Boys interested in more information should phone Ronald Levasseur, program director, at (401) 524-8298, or send e-mail to Ron [at] RIVeterans.com, while girls may phone Sue McKay at (401) 397-6296.
A testimonial dinner to honor department president Dorothy Irving and state commander William O'Donnell will be held on Sunday at Kelley-Gazzerro Post 2812, 1418 Plainfield St., Cranston, starting at 1 p.m. To reserve $20 tickets, call department headquarters at (401) 751-8200.
George W. Reilly can be reached at VeteransColumn [at] verizon.net or by writing to The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.