Government Affairs On The Web

MARCH/APRIL 2012

Government Affairs Committee Annual Report

BY RIC DAVIDGE, CHAIR

G-7 Service Connection for Hepatitis C: Although thousands of veterans suffer from hepatitis C, they are unable to establish service connection because of the difficulties in establishing proof. Because it is unlikely that the VA will acknowledge that veterans might have acquired this potentially fatal blood-borne pathogen from any of several scenarios common during wartime service, VVA urges Congress to pass legislation to establish that hepatitis C be considered a presumptive disability.

There is little enthusiasm in the VA or in Congress to accomplish this, and we have been unable to identify a member of Congress to champion this issue and introduce legislation that would address this concern. It is extremely unlikely that such a bill would even stand a chance of being enacted in the current Congress.

G-9 Awarding of the Combat Medevac Badge (CMB): VVA advocates a change in the regulations that have been in effect since 1945 that have prevented the issuance of the Combat Medevac Badge to those who have served as aeromedical crew members during the Vietnam War.

Recently DoD awarded the CMB to medics assigned to aviation units. As a result, some members of Congress have asked the Secretary of the Army to allow the CMB also to be awarded to medics who were assigned to an aviation unit in the Korean War or the Vietnam War. In January 2012 the Secretary of the Army agreed to this review.  The chair of the VVA Government Affairs Committee has been active in attempting to get the Secretary of the Army to act or to have Congress enact legislation that would authorize the Army to issue the CMB to medics assigned to aviation units who saw combat since the Korean War. That would accomplish much of the intent of G-9. We will continue to pursue this. We believe we have a good chance of getting something done this time.

G-10 Endorsement for Legislation To Create Minimum Private-Sector Health-Care Coverage for Uninsured and Underinsured Veterans and Their Families: With the passage of the Affordable Health Care Act three years ago, this resolution ought to be retired; that is, unless that act is repealed, at which time new options will need to be considered.

G-13 Cessation and Prohibition of the Utilization of Military Personnel as Non-Consensual Participants in the Testing by the U.S. Government of Vaccines and Other Medical Treatments: VVA feels strongly that the U.S. government must immediately cease coercing members of our military to become voluntary test subjects for vaccines, immunizations, medications, and other medical treatments that have not been fully tested and approved for use on human subjects. In the past, the U.S. military has on many occasions used military personnel as unwitting, or not fully informed, subjects for the testing of vaccines, immunizations, medications, and other medical treatments. Military personnel, in most instances, were not fully informed of the potential health effects on them and their families, nor were they given the option of refusing to participate in these tests.

VVA therefore strongly urges the President of the United States to issue an executive order or for Congress to enact legislation calling for the immediate cessation and prohibition of the utilization of U.S. military personnel as non-consensual participants in the testing by the U.S. government of vaccines, immunizations, medications, and other medical treatments.

Part of the problem is that Congress, fearing bioterrorism, enacted legislation during the administration of George W. Bush authorizing the President as commander-in-chief to order troops to get inoculated in times of crisis with vaccines that had not yet been approved by the FDA. We wrote about this in The VVA Veteran; we wrote letters and letters to the editor.

It will likely take some sort of crisis to alert Congress and the American public to the very real dangers of even low-doses exposures to many of the chemical and biological substances that have been tested. However, the committee will continue talking with members of Congress and others about this concern and report back to our members.                                                                                                                                                         

G-14 State Veterans Homes: We have encouraged the VA to be sure to include funding for state veterans homes in its budget for the past several fiscal years, and will continue to monitor the VA’s budget submission to ensure that these homes are at least adequately funded.

G-15 Vietnam War In Memory Memorial Plaque Project: The In Memory Plaque acknowledges those who have died from illnesses stemming from toxic herbicides, war wounds, PTSD, and hepatitis C, among others, associated with their service in Southeast Asia.

The design and placement of the In Memory Plaque, however, virtually hides it from the public, subjects it to being constantly walked on, and has caused it to appear deteriorated and uncared for.

We have taken a special interest in this plaque. A delegation from VVA and AVVA has had meetings with officials from the National Park Service and the Battle Monuments Commission. Minor improvements have been made to the In Memory Plaque, with promises to do the right thing.

G-16 Sexual Harassment: Sexual misconduct within the United States Armed Forces and the Department of Veterans Affairs and its facilities in any form is unacceptable and illegal. Further, it is a failure of command, not just of law. VVA has been particularly active in this arena. We have written extensively about various aspects of this issue, seeking to illuminate and inform. We don’t need more laws; we need tougher enforcement and the unqualified realization that sexual trauma is, and always has been, completely unacceptable in our nation’s armed forces.

G-17 Proper Use of Real Estate at West Los Angeles VA Medical Center: VVA opposes the use of the undeveloped property at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center for purposes other than those consistent with the intentions of the original donor. It is the further position of VVA that any vacant or otherwise undeveloped VA real estate or capital-plant assets should be refurbished, affording continued services for veterans, especially for service-connected disabled veterans.

VVA continues to oppose any commercial development inconsistent with the express purpose of the deed that established the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. We have written extensively about the current situation in The VVA Veteran. 

The Government Affairs Committee: Ric Davidge, Chair; Ted Daywalt, Vice Chair. Members: Dennis Andras, Frank Barry, Pat Bessigano, Tom Burke, Stephen Carr, Marsha Four, Wayne Gatewood, Jr., Tom Hall, Terry Hubert, John Margowski, Sandy Miller, Alan Oates, Jacqui Rector, Pat Toro, and Jerry Yamamoto. Special Advisor: Tom Berger. AVVA Advisor: Nancy Switzer. Staff Support: Bernie Edelman.