[House Hearing, 110 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
OUTREACH EFFORTS
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS
of the
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
MAY 22, 2008
__________
Serial No. 110-89
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
43-055 PDF WASHINGTON DC: 2009
---------------------------------------------------------------------
For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; (202) 512�091800
Fax: (202) 512�092104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402�090001
COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
BOB FILNER, California, Chairman
CORRINE BROWN, Florida STEVE BUYER, Indiana, Ranking
VIC SNYDER, Arkansas CLIFF STEARNS, Florida
MICHAEL H. MICHAUD, Maine JERRY MORAN, Kansas
STEPHANIE HERSETH SANDLIN, South HENRY E. BROWN, Jr., South
Dakota Carolina
HARRY E. MITCHELL, Arizona JEFF MILLER, Florida
JOHN J. HALL, New York JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
PHIL HARE, Illinois GINNY BROWN-WAITE, Florida
MICHAEL F. DOYLE, Pennsylvania MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio
SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada BRIAN P. BILBRAY, California
JOHN T. SALAZAR, Colorado DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado
CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida
JOE DONNELLY, Indiana VERN BUCHANAN, Florida
JERRY McNERNEY, California STEVE SCALISE, Louisiana
ZACHARY T. SPACE, Ohio
TIMOTHY J. WALZ, Minnesota
Malcom A. Shorter, Staff Director
______
SUBCOMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS
JOHN J. HALL, New York, Chairman
CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado, Ranking
PHIL HARE, Illinois MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio
SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida
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
__________
May 22, 2008
Page
Examining the Effectiveness of Veterans Benefits Administration
Outreach Efforts............................................... 1
OPENING STATEMENTS
Chairman John J. Hall............................................ 1
Prepared statement of Chairman Hall.......................... 45
Hon. Doug Lamborn, Ranking Republican Member..................... 4
Prepared statement of Congressman Lamborn.................... 46
Hon. Phil Hare................................................... 4
WITNESSES
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Diana M. Rubens, Associate
Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations, Veterans Benefits
Administration................................................. 30
Prepared statement of Ms. Rubens............................. 74
U.S. Department of Defense:......................................
Leslye Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Military
Community and Family Policy................................ 31
Prepared statement of Ms. Arsht............................ 78
Kevin Crowley, Deputy Director, Manpower and Personnel,
National Guard Bureau...................................... 33
Prepared statement of Mr. Crowley.......................... 83
______
Advertising Council, Kate Emanuel, Senior Vice President, Non-
Profit and Government Affairs.................................. 21
Prepared statement of Ms. Emanuel............................ 63
American Legion, Jacob B. Gadd, Assistant Director, Veterans
Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission.......................... 20
Prepared statement of Mr. Gadd............................... 60
Disabled American Veterans, Kerry Baker, Associate National
Legislative Director........................................... 18
Prepared statement of Mr. Baker.............................. 55
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Kathryn A. Witt, Member,
Government Relations Committee................................. 11
Prepared statement of Ms. Witt............................... 53
National Association for Uniformed Services, Richard A. ``Rick''
Jones, Legislative Director.................................... 9
Prepared statement of Mr. Jones.............................. 50
National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, Darlene
McMartin, President............................................ 7
Prepared statement of Ms. McMartin........................... 48
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs,
Tammy Duckworth, Member, and Director, Illinois Department of
Veterans Affairs............................................... 5
Prepared statement of Ms. Duckworth.......................... 47
MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
Hon. John J. Hall, Chairman, Subcommittee on Disability
Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, to Diana M. Rubens, Associate Deputy Under Secretary
for Field Operations, Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, letter dated June 2, 2008, and
VA responses................................................... 85
Hon. John J. Hall, Chairman, Subcommittee on Disability
Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, to Leslye Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense,
Military Community and Family Policy, U.S. Department of
Defense, letter dated June 2, 2008, and DoD responses.......... 88
Hon. John J. Hall, Chairman, Subcommittee on Disability
Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, to Kevin Crowley, Deputy Director, Manpower and
Personnel, National Guard Bureau, U.S. Department of Defense,
letter dated June 2, 2008, and DoD responses................... 91
EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION
OUTREACH EFFORTS
----------
THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2008
U.S. House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance
and Memorial Affairs, Committee on Veterans' Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:45 p.m., in
Room 340, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. John J. Hall
[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Representatives Hall, Hare, and Lamborn.
OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN HALL
Mr. Hall. The Veterans' Affairs Disability Assistance and
Memorial Affairs Subcommittee hearing on Examining the
Effectiveness of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Outreach Efforts will now come to order.
I would ask everyone to rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.
The flags are located in the front.
[Pledge of Allegiance.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you and welcome, and thank you for your
patience.
Over the last number of months, we have had a series of
hearings on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) claims
processing system, which resulted in the full Committee passing
H.R. 5892, the ``Veterans Disability Benefits Claims
Modernization Act of 2008.'' I am very pleased with the bill's
progress, and am grateful that we have over 30 cosponsors
already.
However, during the course of those hearings, I have often
heard words like confusing, misinformed, stigmatizing and
overwhelmed to describe the way that veterans felt about
accessing their duly-earned VA benefits.
It occurred to me that there was a secondary problem that
was not internal to VA operations, but was indicative of its
outreach to the veterans they were supposed to be serving.
Benefits information was not getting out in clear, simple
language that was consistent and easy to use.
As many of you know, the House recently passed H.R. 3681,
the ``Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 2007,'' which
authorizes the VA to advertise.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) knows how to
advertise. Congress gave DoD that authority in the fifties, and
since then they have inspired many to join, ``The Few, The
Proud;'' or to ``Be All That You Can Be.'' Today, DoD even uses
TV commercials to educate the military community about its
Military OneSource support program.
But beyond the issue with advertising that I hope H.R. 3681
will address, I felt we needed this oversight hearing to
examine the effectiveness of all of VBA's outreach efforts, and
asked the staff to further investigate.
During that process it became evident that there were
inconsistencies and gaps in how VA is informing the public
about its benefits and services. Committee staff found that it
was difficult to readily ascertain what, in fact, official VA
information was, and what was incorrect.
Even with all of the joint councils between the VA and DoD,
there is no clear ability to correctly find VA through DoD
sources. For instance, the DoD has three Web sites that offer
servicemembers transition assistance, but none that connects
with VA. When calling the DoD Military OneSource toll-free
line, the operator gives the incorrect call line for VBA. It
took our staff almost 30 minutes, three phone calls and six
menu options to get to the right VBA operator to get claims
questions answered. At what point would a disabled veteran have
quit, stressed, frustrated, or worst of all, unassisted?
Veterans service organizations (VSOs) and other nonprofits,
which are doing their best to assist veterans and their
families and survivors, are left on their own to create
veterans benefits messages and lines of assistance which
sometimes link to VA and sometimes do not.
I believe that it is VA's responsibility to create
promotional and educational materials that these organizations
can use so that VA is readily recognizable and available, no
matter how the veteran finds it.
There have been inconsistencies reported in how VA conducts
in-person outreach. VA is a primary component of the Transition
Assistance Program, or TAP, briefings that take place for
separating active duty servicemembers, National Guard and
Reserves.
VA reports that it attends these briefings when it knows
they are taking place, but they are not always notified by the
military commands when a briefing is scheduled, and not
everyone eligible attends. DoD in turn has been reluctant to
mandate TAP because it does not control all of those resources
also. VA representatives have been reported to not show up for
their portion of the briefing.
TAP and the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) Program
are not as readily available to the National Guard, Reserves or
medical hold patients. VA has dismantled its Office of Seamless
Transition and replaced it with the Federal Recovery Care
Coordinators who primarily operate out of Veterans Health
Administration (VHA), not the VBA. The VBA began a call center
program to contact veterans about their benefits, but only
after suicide rates became known.
It seems clear that the VA needs a more proactive outreach
approach. Each area of our country has its own unique
challenges of meeting the population needs and its veterans
population needs. That is why I am glad we have veterans
service organizations, State and county representatives with us
today, who can address the issues associated with reaching
rural and urban communities, women and minorities, younger or
older veterans, and those living in impoverished conditions.
I look forward to the testimony of our witnesses and to
hearing about their innovative practices and the outreach gaps
that they have identified.
I also look forward to the Ad Council testimony to hear
what they can teach us about advertising veterans benefits.
They have helped other Federal agencies to teach us that ``Only
You Can Prevent Forest Fires.'' or how to ``Take a Bite Out of
Crime'' or that ``Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk'' or
that ``Loose Lips Sink Ships.'' The genesis, of course, was
with the War Department, which immortalized Rosie the Riveter,
and later a more well-known one, ``This is Your Brain, This is
Your Brain on Drugs'' and the frying pan with the eggs in it.
Different branches of Government, including DoD, have
advertised effectively enough to permanently implant these
images into everyone's mind, not just veterans' minds, and
hopefully we can do a similar type of outreach and advertising
program that will make VA benefits or the way to access them so
firmly implanted in everybody's mind that a veteran might be
able to turn to somebody else on the street who is not a
veteran and say where do I go to get my benefits and, just like
I remembered, ``This is Your Brain'' or ``Only You Can Prevent
Forest Fires,'' all citizens can be educated where those
services can be accessed.
Family members, caregivers, and survivors new to the VA's
lingo, jargon and acronyms need materials and briefings that
are user friendly with personnel dedicated to assisting them.
On April 24, of this year, I held a roundtable discussion
with organizations that assist survivors, and they brought up
the need for a VA Survivor Affairs Office, so I have developed
a draft bill that would create such an office and we will be
asking the organizations for their feedback shortly.
Finally, I am hopeful that the Departments will be able to
provide insights into their joint efforts in cooperation with
each other, to provide materials, briefings, and Internet and
telephonic assistance that is accurate and consistent and
readily available. Web links are simple, and it is a shame that
such an obvious outreach tool has eluded the Departments so far
and needs Congressional oversight.
Bringing our men and women home is a responsibility that we
all share in caring for them as best we can once they are home.
It is great to see the efforts being made by the communities
all around the Nation to support our veterans, especially those
with disabling conditions. Hopefully, these efforts can be
augmented with the efforts of the Departments of both the VA
and Defense, and I hope that the message that the VA gets from
us today is a friendly, cooperative and helpful offer of
assistance to help to do better messaging, create better
outreach materials, announcements, and Web resources tailored
to different audiences and reaches the veterans, their families
and survivors in clear and simple language that will make them
all see the VA as a user friendly resource truly there for
their benefit.
I now recognize Ranking Member Lamborn for his opening
statement.
[The prepared statement of Chairman Hall appears on p. 45.]
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. DOUG LAMBORN
Mr. Lamborn. Mr. Chairman, thank you for yielding.
I am pleased to have this opportunity for a collective
discussion on the Department of Veterans Affairs outreach
efforts. I believe the VA is doing a much better job of
reaching Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom
(OIF/OEF) veterans now than it was at the beginning of the
Global War on Terror. This is a commendable development, and I
hope that a comparable improvement can be achieved in VA's
effort to reach older veterans. Veterans cannot obtain the
benefits they have earned if they don't know they are eligible
to receive them.
I am concerned that despite millions of dollars spent on
outreach every year, we have not effectively reached many
veterans of earlier conflicts. It is for this reason I was
proud to join with my colleagues in supporting H.R. 3681, the
``Veterans Benefits Awareness Act of 2007,'' which passed the
full House this week.
This measure, introduced by my good friend and Ranking
Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, John
Boozman of Arkansas, authorizes the VA to conduct national
advertising campaigns for benefits outreach.
I believe that with the enactment of this bill and help
from groups like the Ad Council, VA will be able to create
public service announcements that will provide effective
outreach for all veterans.
The Department of Defense spends billions each year on
recruitment ads, and I believe if VA spent just a fraction of
this amount, it would be very effective for outreach purpose.
Mr. Chairman, I would also like to recognize and thank
veterans service organizations for their outreach efforts to
veterans, and I encourage them to continue their excellent
work.
I look forward to our witnesses' testimony and a productive
discussion on ways to improve VA outreach.
I yield back the balance of my time.
[The prepared statement of Congressman Lamborn appears on
p. 46.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Lamborn, and thank you for
mentioning Mr. Boozman, who was the originator of the bill that
we passed this week.
I would like to remind the panelists that your complete
written statements have been made a part of the hearing record
so you can limit your remarks to 5 minutes each. We have the
clock system here. That way we will have sufficient time for
followup questions once everybody has provided their testimony.
Now I recognize Mr. Hare so he may introduce our first
panelist.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. PHIL HARE
Mr. Hare. Thank you, Chairman Hall.
Mr. Chairman, today I have the privilege and the honor of
introducing one of the members of our first panel, the Director
of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA), Tammy
Duckworth.
Director Duckworth was appointed to the Illinois Department
of Veterans Affairs by Governor Rob Blagojevich on November 1,
2006, and has brought a high level of leadership, dedication
and ingenuity to the IDVA ever since her appointment.
Along with Governor Blagojevich, Director Duckworth worked
tirelessly to help establish the Illinois Warrior Assistance
Program. This first-in-the-Nation program requires that all
returning Illinois National Guard members are screened for
traumatic brain injuries, also known as TBIs, while offering
other Illinois veterans that same opportunity.
It also created a 24-hour toll-free psychological help line
for veterans suffering from symptoms associated with post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
As a member of the military, Director Duckworth is
currently a Major with the Illinois National Guard. She served
in Iraq as the Battle Captain and Assistant Operations Officer
for a 500-soldier aviation task force and flew combat missions
as a Black Hawk pilot.
On November 12, 2004, Duckworth was co-piloting a Black
Hawk helicopter north of Baghdad when a rocket-propelled
grenade struck the cockpit of the aircraft and exploded.
Director Duckworth lost her right leg and most of her left as a
result of the attack.
Director Duckworth has received the Purple Heart, the Air
Medal, along with other decorations, citations, and badges.
Director Duckworth speaks four languages. I have trouble
speaking English. She has a BA in political science from the
University of Hawaii and an MA from the George Washington
University Elliott School of International Affairs.
I am pleased and honored to have her testify today on the
importance of veterans outreach programs.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Hare, and welcome, Director
Duckworth, and thank you for your service to our country and
veterans.
Joining you on the first panel is Ms. Darlene McMartin,
President of the National Association of County Veteran Service
Officers; Rick Jones, Legislative Director of the National
Association for Uniformed Services (NAUS); and Kathryn Witt,
member of Gold Star Wives (GSW). Welcome all.
Director Duckworth, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENTS OF TAMMY DUCKWORTH, DIRECTOR, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND MEMBER, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE
DIRECTORS OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; DARLENE McMARTIN, PRESIDENT,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICERS;
RICHARD A. ``RICK'' JONES, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR UNIFORMED SERVICES; AND KATHRYN A. WITT,
MEMBER, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE, GOLD STAR WIVES OF
AMERICA, INC.
STATEMENT OF TAMMY DUCKWORTH
Ms. Duckworth. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member
Lamborn and Congressman Hare. I would like to thank the
Subcommittee for holding this hearing today and providing the
opportunity to testify on this extremely important issue.
I am here on behalf of the National Association of State
Directors of Veterans Affairs, of which I am a member. Each
year, State Governments spend more than $4 billion to support
our Nation's veterans and their families. In Army terms, we are
a force multiplier for the Federal VA. Collectively, we are
second only to the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs in
providing benefits and services to the men and women who
defended our Nation.
Although each State is unique with its own traditions,
programs and resources, we are united by our common goal to
make a difference in the lives of our veterans.
We all know that at this point in the current wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, there is a need to increase awareness among
veterans about the benefits that are available to them. These
are benefits that they have rightfully earned and deserve. We
need to use every tool possible to ensure that they know about
what benefits are available to them and their family members.
Outreach is absolutely the key, especially with returning
veterans of OIF and OEF. Educating them about their benefits
through outreach and reaching them right now is essential to
their future well-being.
As the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans
Affairs, I can assure you that we are in dire need of
additional resources at the State level to reach the new
generation of veterans who are coming home, and to maintain
communications with previous generations, specifically our
aging Vietnam veterans who are retiring or reaching retirement
age and have increased healthcare needs, many of whom are
turning to the VA for the first time in 35 years.
Most of the States have the capability and infrastructure
to increase outreach but need the resources to do it. The
members of the National Association of State Directors of
Veterans Affairs would like Congress to pass a Federal grant
program to provide outreach to veterans regarding the available
benefits.
Let me explain how this would work. In Illinois, Governor
Blagojevich responded to the increased needs of our veterans by
actually more than doubling the number of our veterans service
officers. We now have 73 veterans service officers in 51
offices across the State of Illinois. These are all State of
Illinois employees. They are trained and certified by the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans, their
families and their survivors in completing applications for
both State and Federal benefits.
These service officers are part of the communities, and
have lived in those communities and they have the ability to
reach veterans in a way that the Federal Government cannot.
They also work very closely with the county Veterans Assistance
Commission, and together we form a partnership in researching
not just Federal, but State and sometimes municipal benefits as
well.
Increased funding for outreach through the States would
give veterans an opportunity to find out about and take
advantage of both their State and Federal benefits after they
have made it home.
You know when I was in Iraq and when we received our
briefings prior to being sent home, a lot of times your spouse
is sitting in the parking lot with the engine of the car
running as you are getting your TAP briefing, and our service
men and women just want to hop in the car and go home. They are
not paying that much attention, and it is important to get back
to them 45 days later after they have had time to reconnect
with their wives and their family. It is really important that
maybe 6 months, maybe a year later, when they start to show
some symptoms, to let them know of these benefits.
At this point in time they are out of the reach of the
Federal VA and the DoD. Many of them are going home to small
towns, population 2,000, places like Anna, Illinois, El Paso,
Illinois, you have similar towns in your own States, and that
is why as a State entity we, living in these States, have that
unique ability to reach out and provide services to veterans in
their local communities.
We also firmly believe that when a servicemember returns
home from Iraq and Afghanistan, they need that extra time to
reintegrate into their community, which is why Governor
Blagojevich, at the 45-day mark, after our National Guard has
come off of Federal order, he then uses Executive Order and has
made the PTSD and TBI counseling mandatory for all Illinois
National Guardsmen. It is an example of a way we are delivering
services to our servicemembers.
Unfortunately, we don't have similar access to the active-
duty forces. As a matter of fact, we don't get any information
from the Federal VA or the DoD when a servicemember leaves
active duty and comes home.
When a young man from El Paso, Illinois, joins the Army,
enlists, goes off, he does his tour, he comes home and nobody
tells me that he is coming home, and the first time I hear
about it is oftentimes from the State police because he has
been self-medicating and has been drinking because he is trying
to deal with his PTSD and ends up with a DUI.
The first call I get should not be from the State police.
The first call I should get should be from the VA or the DoD.
We are inspected by the Federal VA. We are certified by the
Federal VA, and we have information agreements. We need to know
when our servicemembers are coming home to Illinois so that we
can deliver the services that they deserve.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Duckworth appears on p. 47.]
Mr. Hall. Ms. McMartin
STATEMENT OF DARLENE McMARTIN
Ms. McMartin. Chairman Hall, Members of the Subcommittee,
it is truly my honor to be able to present this testimony to
you. As President of the National Association of County Veteran
Service Officers, I am commenting on the National Association's
views on the effectiveness of the Veterans Benefits
Administration outreach efforts.
The National Association of County Veteran Service Officers
is an organization of local Government employees. Our members
are tasked with assisting veterans in developing and processing
their claims. A large percentage of the claims presented to the
Veterans Administration each year originate in a county
veterans service office.
Each day our members sit across from those men and women
who wish to file a claim for benefits. They are our friends,
our neighbors, they are members of our community, with whom we
see often daily.
We exist to serve the veterans and partner with national
service organizations and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Our association focuses on outreach, standardized quality
training, claims development, and advocacy. We are an extension
or arm of Government, not unlike the VA itself in service to
the Nation's veterans and their dependents.
In this changing world, there is a need for multiple
approaches to outreach. Today we have our Nation's veterans of
World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and those just returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Veterans Benefits Administration has a monumental task
of reaching each of those veterans and making sure they
understand the benefits available to them. In the realm of
veterans outreach improvements, there is a clear need that the
veterans being discharged from active duty, especially during a
time of war, have access to information concerning veterans'
benefits entitlement.
Often, to reiterate what Ms. Duckworth said, often the
veterans are just glad to be going home and they are not
concerned about what benefits may be available to them. The
National Association of County Veterans Service Officers
proposes a partnership of the local county veterans service
officers, VA, DoD, to reach out and assist returning veterans
in their local areas.
A first step would be to provide county veterans service
officers a copy of the DD-214 and adding to that DD-214 a
section where it has the veteran's cell phone number and the
mailing address. This would provide the county veterans service
officer a ready tool for reaching out to the veteran.
Additionally, the National Association subscribes to
Chairman Filner's solution to the problem of veteran suicide
that requires the military to use qualified psychiatrists to
interview every member before separation and determine who is
in need of treatment while still on active duty. It has merit
and is probably the only way to reach every soldier being
discharged.
Additionally, we believe that anyone found to be suicidal
should be retained and retransferred to the VA for treatment,
just as a soldier with a serious physical injury is being taken
care of. Those who are in need of treatment for less serious
diagnosis should be given a fee-basis card for use in the local
community with a five-year renewal with VA approval.
These veterans live 60, 70 miles away from a VA facility,
and it is very difficult for them to get into a VA hospital
without having transportation, and the cost of gas right now
makes it very difficult for them to get to a VA hospital.
Across the Nation there are veterans who still do not think
they are a veteran because they didn't lose a limb or they
didn't get injured in any way. They came home and started to
work to support their families. They have never looked for any
help from the Government. When the veteran dies, their family
still does not know that they are entitled to benefits just
because their husband or father served this country.
These are people that need outreach. They are mostly lower
income, have never heard or reached out to the VA, and
therefore, don't think they are entitled to this help.
I look at rural and urban America and see the great need to
make these veterans aware of the benefits that they deserve.
They earned entitlement, not welfare. These veterans have never
made use of the VA Medical Centers, the GI bill, home loans,
pensions or compensation benefits. They just served our country
and they come home.
It is so rewarding when we meet one of these veterans and
tell them that they may be entitled, and see hope on their
faces. It sometimes means the difference between eating or
buying medicine. I am sure if a study was completed you would
see a large number of these rural veterans have never used the
VA for any services, and they didn't know they could.
It is our responsibility to make sure that each of these
veterans are getting their benefits. We do outreach to veterans
and widows in nursing facilities, and everything we possibly
can as a county office. In the State of Iowa, we just
instituted legislation to where they are giving $10,000 to
every county veterans service office, mandating that 99
counties will have funds from the State to do outreach
services. So in Iowa next year in 2009, there will be 99 county
veterans service officers available and ready, and there are
several more. We have thousands of them ready and willing to
help with outreach benefits to our Nation's veterans.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Ms. McMartin appears on p. 48.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Ms. McMartin.
Mr. Jones, you are now recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF RICHARD A. ``RICK'' JONES
Mr. Jones. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Hare, as we head
toward Memorial Day, your Subcommittee takes a good and very
well traveled road. It is critically important that our young
men and women who defend us know what our great and generous
country provides them following their service.
Regarding VA outreach, it is clear to us that veterans are
generally more aware about the availability of services today
than they were say 4 or 6 years ago. Not everything of course
is perfect and we can do better, but things are improved.
Let me give you a quick comparative analysis.
Six years ago, for instance, the administration was deeply
opposed to spending resources aimed at making veterans aware of
the benefits and services, and facilities were in decline. At
one point in that past period we had a Secretary of Veterans
Affairs who told the Nation, told Congress that the Department
was fully budgeted, needed not one penny more. Only months
following that announcement was the revelation of a $1.5
billion shortfall in VA resources needed to provide those
benefits to veterans.
And prior to that revelation, our association and many
other associations had pleaded with Congress for adequate
funding, and told them if we did not have funding addressed,
there would be cuts in services and healthcare, in education
benefits, backlogs and claims, and all of these sorts of
problems we face today.
During that period, things were in fact so bad that there
was a memorandum sent out by the Deputy Under Secretary for
Operations and Management, this was in July of 2002, that
actually directed all of its healthcare providers to stop
marketing VA programs to veterans. Basically the July 2002 memo
said too many veterans were coming in for services and the VA
was spending too much money. It directed VA officials across
the country to stop outreach to veterans. VA employees were
directed to stop participating in health fairs and standdowns
and related outreach projects all across the country. Medical
facilities were prohibited even from putting out newsletters
informing veterans about the services that they were legally
entitled to receive.
We are thankful that we no longer face that deeply
troubling period. If such heartless, shameful, incompetence
were in place today, our OEF/OIF folks would struggle virtually
alone because we have a couple of reports that indicate a great
number of folks face enormous stress, personal stress from
their experiences in combat.
The Defense Department shows that more than 1 in 4 of its
commissioned officers on their third or fourth tour have
symptoms commonly referred to as PTSD. That figure is of course
higher than the roughly 12 percent who show those same symptoms
after one tour and the 18.5 percent who show it after their
second tour.
Another recent report, this one from RAND, shows that
almost half of those returning troops, who number nearly
500,000, both reserve and active duty, will not seek treatment.
Many of these veterans simply believe they are not at risk.
They fear that the mental situation might be stigmatizing.
We need to assure these folks that the VA is open and
accessible for their benefit, and it is available. If not
addressed, these symptoms can compound and the costs will be
greater.
Secretary Peake's recent announcement on outreach presents
an opportunity for veterans to become more aware of VA's
accessibility and in some cases these outreach efforts can be a
matter of life and death for a veteran.
They need to hear not only that the system is open and
available to them, they need to hear that the system can tackle
their stress.
And believe me, we remain attentive that these most recent
efforts, as optimistic as they are, actually take root. We have
concerns, because residue from the previous attitude remains
within the system. Take, for example, reports out of Temple,
Texas, just a week or so ago that remind us that sometimes the
cost of care takes precedence over the care of our greatest
asset, the men and women who serve to protect us.
There was an e-mail that simply said we need to have less
time taken to examine these veterans coming in for PTSD exams
and to give them less of an effort because it costs too much
money--and takes too much time.
We are very fortunate to have the Secretary come out and
repudiate that e-mail and do it immediately and indicate that
is just one small e-mail that doesn't show the system-wide
efforts to serve our veterans.
Mr. Chairman, I thank you very much for this opportunity.
Hopefully we have reached a turning point, and we appreciate
your overview of this operation.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Jones appears on p. 50.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Jones. I too was glad to see Mr.
Peake repudiate that e-mail in the strongest possible terms.
Next is Mrs. Kathryn Witt from Gold Star Wives.
STATEMENT OF KATHRYN A. WITT
Ms. Witt. Thank you for allowing me to testify today. Most
of my testimony was about a survivor's office and the need for
a survivor's office, but you have already addressed that and
said you have drafted legislation on the issue. So I will just
skip over that.
The one thing I would like to mention is that the Army has
an excellent long-term family care office, and that would make
a great model for a VA survivors office. We would like to see
our national service officers trained by the VA in survivor
affairs, have a specific module of their training on survivor
benefits.
We would also like to see that training available to the
survivor representatives of other veterans organizations,
including GSW.
We have had some problems. There is a rather obscure
benefit where a lot of the survivors of veterans, as opposed to
those killed on active duty or are in retired status, are
entitled to military ID cards. It seems to me to be obscure and
very hard to get the information on this. You have to have a
letter from the VA, and they are not always aware that this
benefit is available or what the person is talking about. And
then you go to the military service, the ID card lab, and they
don't quite know what to do with it. We would like to see some
outreach on that and some clarification.
Another thing we would like to see some outreach and
clarification on is the State property tax exemptions. It is
very difficult to find information about these property tax
exemptions and reductions. Some of the ladies receive a letter
from the VA, and they don't even know why they are receiving
this. It is a VA Form 2. Others can't find anybody that knows
what they are talking about. It seems to depend on the State.
Some of these are substantial reductions and very important. It
seems to depend on the State that the VA is located in. It is
the Federal VA that is sending these letters out, and then in
some States they don't even seem to know what it is all about.
We would also like to see an online newsletter perhaps e-
mailed out specifically to survivors that could include any new
programs, discuss old benefits. You have a recurring cycle of
people needing to understand what their benefits are and how
they obtain them.
I would like to see an online newsletter on the VA Web site
e-mailed out encouraging people to forward it. I think that
would probably reach a whole lot of people.
I think we have made a whole lot of improvements in
outreach, and thank you for letting me testify.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Witt appears on p. 53.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you very much, Mrs. Witt, and all our
witnesses.
I will recognize myself now for 5 minutes or so.
Director Duckworth, in your testimony you suggested that
the VA or DoD notify the States when a veteran returns to his
or her home of record, but the Joint Executive Committee
reported that it began a State Seamless Transition Initiative
in 2007, and now 43 States and Territories have asked to be
notified of returning servicemembers. Is the association aware
of this initiative and why have not all of the States asked to
participate?
Ms. Duckworth. Yes, we are aware. Illinois has signed up
for it, and we have received seven notices, and that is it. We
have been told about seven veterans. The way that the procedure
works, and there are two procedures, one with the VA and one
with the DoD. When the servicemember leaves the VA and they are
injured, such as myself, you are then told, Would you like your
information to be released to your State? You have to actually
say ``yes'' and fill out a form that gets faxed to the State.
That is the Seamless Transition Initiative. It is very
cumbersome, it doesn't happen, and it only applies to those who
are severely injured, like myself, who are actually some place
in the VA system upon their discharge.
Illinois has received seven faxes.
Mr. Hall. That would be seven out of how many veterans
returning?
Ms. Duckworth. Tens of thousands.
The other aspect is the DD-214. When a servicemember leaves
active duty, at the very bottom of the form they are given the
option, would you like this sent to your State. When the
servicemember takes the time to sign that, we get that. But
most servicemembers are not told why it is important for them
to do that, and the additional benefits they will be able to
find out about. We get about 15 percent of the total number of
servicemembers. So we do not get the information, and we cannot
get to the veterans.
Mr. Hall. The VA and the DoD have worked together with the
National Guard Bureau to create 57 Transition Assistant
Advisors in the last 2 years. Feedback on the TAA seems to be
positive. Why can't these positions be utilized instead of
creating another grant program for the States?
Ms. Duckworth. The difference between what happens with the
National Guard, you are talking about one or two positions at
the National Guard Bureau. I have 73 service officers, and we
have all of the county service officers.
The difference is we will go to someone's home and sit at
their kitchen table. I have sent my service officers into
hospital rooms for Vietnam veterans dying from leukemia from
Agent Orange to fill out forms so that the survivor, his wife,
will get the benefits. That is the difference.
These folks are dealing with so many people they cannot
provide that personalized service that we can from the State
level and the county level. We actually will go and follow up
and keep calling you until you get the benefits that you
deserve. And we are federally certified.
Mr. Hall. Thank you for that explanation and for the work
that you do.
Ms. McMartin, you mentioned a proposed partnership between
your organization and VA and DoD. What has been the response
from the Departments to this proposal?
Ms. McMartin. Basically what we have gotten, several of our
service organizations are also certified. We have gone through
the accreditation process, the TRIP training. We actually have
access to virtual VA on a pilot program so we can get into the
computer system to know. So we have had some good positive. It
is only a pilot program, it is not out to all of our members.
They don't recognize us as an arm of Government. We still
have to do power of attorneys (POAs) and we still have to do
all of the steps to make sure that we can get the benefits for
the veterans. The veteran can't sign a release and we can't
assist the veteran without that power of attorney that is
necessary.
But we are out there with the veteran trying to help them,
and we still have another barrier that is very difficult to get
through. We have to call the 800 number just like every veteran
to get the information.
So when the veteran comes in and he is 80 years old and we
are trying to call an 800 number for them, we are still bound
by the same unfortunate problems that they have. Virtual VA has
helped that. We can go in and access the information if the
file has already been generated or information is already in.
But a new claim that is just processing and going through,
it is difficult to get the discharge from the State office. We
have to call them. If they don't have it, we send down to St.
Louis to try to get their DD-214s. Older veterans are being
billed to get a copy of their DD-214. We received a copy. We
sent down to St. Louis to get a copy of his DD-214 for an 80-
year-old veteran. He received a statement stating he had to pay
$15 to get that because it has been archived. So that is a
barrier.
Mr. Hall. That is a shame and a mistake that perhaps we can
do something about.
Rural veterans have been a concern of this Subcommittee for
some time, and although most people might not think of New York
State as rural, I know that we do have sections of the State
that are, and where we have a challenge in reaching all of our
veterans. I am curious what are some of the outreach tools the
counties have found to be effective to inform rural veterans
about their benefits?
Ms. McMartin. Well, you are talking to a good person. I
live in Iowa in a rural community. I have a population of 200
people that live in my community where I live. We are 50 to 60
miles from the closest VA facility. My county is 45 miles long,
so what we have done is I have an outreach office out in the
rural part of my community so the veterans can come into that
office 1 day out of the week.
I also do outreach to nursing facilities. We have seven
nursing facilities in our community, and we contact those
facilities on a daily basis as to new admits, new discharges,
to make sure that every widow and veteran that is going into a
nursing facility or an assisted-living facility is given a
call, a letter, contacting the family member to apply for those
benefits.
We assist with supermarkets of veterans benefits out in a
lot of our areas to make sure that certain populations of
veterans can go in. We go where the veterans live. If a veteran
calls, we go out to that community.
You were talking about the National Guard. They have that
one individual. Well, we have 99 individuals that can help. We
live with those veterans. We know them. They are our neighbors.
We know when somebody gets sick. They call me at home when
someone in our community is ill and needs to use a VA facility.
We partner and work together. We know the resources.
That is the other thing. We know what other resources are
out there in the communities. We know what the Department of
Health and Human Services offers and what Community Action
Agency offers. Those partnerships in doing outreach with those,
we go to those meetings and we go to the service organization
meetings. That is what local community advocacy is all about.
We can sit down with that veteran across the table at their
table, at their convenience, not at ours, and we are accessible
to them.
Mr. Hall. Thank you. And thank you for the work that you
are doing.
Mr. Jones, you make an interesting comparison to the
healthcare outreach efforts conducted by VHA, and pointed out
the horribly misguided steps some VA employees took to try to
limit services when the system became overloaded. What does
NAUS see as the lesson learned from the VHA outreach
experience, and how can the VBA be better positioned to respond
to an increase in workload demand?
Mr. Jones. One might ascribe VA's change in attitude as
simply a change in attitude, but that might not reach the real
reason for VA's changed approach toward outreach. It might
really be more a factor of a successful lawsuit brought against
the VA some years ago, and that lawsuit was initiated on two
fronts, one by a former Member of Congress, currently Governor
of Ohio, Ted Strickland, and also a sister organization of
ours, the Vietnam Veterans of America brought lawsuit following
that memo I spoke of in testimony. They were successful in that
suit and the court ordered VA to begin this outreach.
So what might be learned is that veterans need always to be
on guard for the rights and privileges and entitlements they
earned while defending this country. And that advocacy groups
in this State of affairs need always to be on the alert as well
to guard against any retreat of these benefits due to a loss of
funds or a lessening of priority.
I think that is the lesson to be learned. Advocacy groups
play an important role, and serve an important role with
Members of Congress who champion veterans issues and understand
that the freedoms we have today are directly a result of
service given by generations of Americans.
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Jones. I am going to ask one
question of Mrs. Witt before turning it over to the Ranking
Member, Mr. Lamborn, for his questions.
I am interested in your suggestion for a VA survivor
newsletter. Has the Gold Star Wives made that suggestion to VA
previously?
Ms. Witt. No, they have not made it to the VA previously.
Mr. Hall. Do you have any idea how far into the survivor
community an electronic or e-mail newsletter would work? In
some of the meetings I have had with veterans in my district,
some of the older veterans or survivors of veterans are not as
computer literate or don't have a computer that they have
access to.
Ms. Witt. I think it would go pretty deeply into our GSW
community, and they tend to pass it on to other survivor
communities.
Many, many of our ladies can receive e-mail. Some of them
can't respond to it, but they can receive it. And they tend to
share the information by telephone. So I think it would
penetrate very well.
Mr. Hall. Good, and I am glad to hear that. Of course they
can print it out and pass it on in printed form, and maybe the
Web site could suggest that. If you know someone who doesn't
have a computer and needs this information, please print it out
and pass it on.
I recognize the Ranking Member, Mr. Lamborn.
Mr. Lamborn. Ms. Duckworth, and thank you and all of you
for testifying today.
How much do your current veterans service officers spend on
outreach?
Ms. Duckworth. It is their everyday job, sir. We actually
have itinerant offices. In each of our 51 field offices, we man
office hours. But all of our service officers spend at least
some part of every day going to a community, visiting people's
homes, or actually holding similar things, benefit fairs. We
are everywhere.
That is the benefit of going down to the State and county
level, is, as I said before, we are force multiplier and we
know about their State benefits. We are part of those
communities. We are not being resourced by the Federal VA. They
are not giving us information we need so we can conduct the
outreach. We do outreach on a mass basis, but we can't actually
pick up the phone and call a recently discharged soldier
because we don't know that he has come home. Nobody tells us.
The DoD just gives him a plane ticket home, and nobody tells us
that he has come home.
The first call should not be when the State police calls me
and says I have one of yours. He has a DUI. Or when a sister
agency, a homeless shelter calls me and says, hey, we have a
guy. We can't do the person-to-person outreach, which we want
to do and can do.
Mr. Lamborn. Kind of a followup, if additional funding was
provided to States for veteran outreach, how would the States
use this funding and what type of outreach would they provide
to veterans that the VA is not currently doing?
Ms. Duckworth. Definitely more staff so we can do more in-
home visits and hospital visits, actually getting out into
people's homes, especially with the case of the younger
veterans, sir. Many of them do not think that they need these
benefits or don't know about them, and so they don't initiate.
The way the system works now, if they initiate and contact
us, then we can tell them about the benefits. But if they don't
know about them, we can't help them. If they don't apply, we
can't help them. So additional funding would actually allow us
to visit the veterans, pick up the phone and call them. It
would allow us to go into their homes and get even deeper into
the community and follow up on a repeated basis.
Even though we have 73 service officers, it is still not
enough when I have 1.2 million veterans.
Mr. Lamborn. They are doing that right now?
Ms. Duckworth. We are doing that to the best of our
ability.
Mr. Lamborn. So it would be more quantity, but not any
qualitative difference?
Ms. Duckworth. The quality would be more one on one,
actually going into their homes. Right now we run offices and
visit homes when we get the request. But this would actually
allow us to penetrate even deeper and do more of the bringing
ourselves more into the local communities than just the offices
in that community.
Mr. Lamborn. Ms. McMartin, if additional funding was
provided to counties for veterans outreach, how would they use
that funding and what would they do differently compared to
what the VA is doing now?
Ms. McMartin. Currently now a lot of our counties have
limited budgets. Word of mouth is our outreach. We go to the
service organization meetings and do those. The funding that we
would get to do outreach would be to have, to host more veteran
fairs, host more PSA news releases, news articles, the funding
that the counties can't afford to do at this point in time.
In my local community if I got a grant, $1 per veteran, I
can send out flyers on a monthly basis to the veterans in the
community.
We can host different programs that are at nursing
facilities. We do these things, but we can do these with
funding. Right now we are doing them on such bare bone funds
that our funds are paying for the staff. It is not for a
billboard. It is not for PSAs. Those things when we get funds
coming in from an organization or donated, then we can do those
outreach efforts.
But right now the counties don't need to--like you said,
quantity, we need quality. We need quality outreach efforts.
Plus we need the referrals from the VA. If we don't get the
referrals from the VA, piggybacking on them. If we can get a
DD-214 that knows that veteran is coming home, we can send him
a welcome-home letter.
It is so disheartening to have a veteran come into my
office and say I didn't know you were here. We do news
releases. We do those things that our newspapers give, but it
is disheartening to not get that information out into the
community. And we would try and get as much information out
there as we possibly can.
If the VA has this money now to do outreach, the referral
down to the local level is very important. Just putting out an
800 number is not outreach. Putting out a flyer saying you are
eligible, you have got to know where to go to get the
assistance. And telling them that they can go to the State or
local offices, that is very important.
Mr. Lamborn. With the permission of the Chairman, one more
question.
Along those lines, how much time do county veterans service
officers spend on outreach right now, and what types of
outreach do they provide currently?
Ms. McMartin. Right now we spend, like she said, it is our
day-to-day job. When they don't walk in, we seek them out. We
try to find a way of doing that.
In Iowa, our Governor just passed a bill to mandate 20
hours a week in every county employee. No matter if they have a
thousand or 500 veterans, a minimum of 20 hours, and it is
based on population. So outreach is very important.
What we do on a day-to-day basis is outreach. It is calling
different organizations, finding out what services that we can
provide, sending out flyers or putting up things in newspapers
or going to the local libraries to tell them that we are
available and ready.
We don't have time to go out to every organization meeting,
but we could. I mean, with additional funding to assist with
that, then we could go out and just meet the veterans when they
come home. The active-duty soldier that comes back to my local
community I don't know until they need us. They don't
automatically come into the office.
If DoD would say you need to go see a local county service
officer and there was one available in every county, that would
help.
Record their DD-214. We get referrals on a database. The
recorder sends them over to our office to see if they might be
eligible for benefits. That also piggybacks on military tax
exemption to make sure that they apply for all benefits that
they are entitled to.
Mr. Lamborn. Thank you for your answer, and I thank you all
again for testifying today.
Mr. Hall. I have a couple of quick questions.
Director Duckworth, what would you think of having more VA
benefits counselors located throughout the State, such as co-
located in Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, or CBOCs, or at
Vet Centers, for example? And in addition to that, what would
you think of extended hours or weekend hours like a Medical
Center at such places?
Ms. Duckworth. I think that is good, sir, but the problem
with the VA representative is that they do not know about the
State benefits, and there are so many State benefits.
Illinois has a $350,000 mortgage loan program, as an
example, for each veteran of OEF/OIF. We give you 20 percent,
zero percent interest, and the other 80 percent is the lowest
rate, and we give a grant for the closing cost. The Federal VA
rep does not know about that.
There may be grants at the county level. We know about
them. I think it is great and we certainly need more and
extended hours. But on top of that, we need representation at
the State and municipal level.
Mr. Hall. What we need is to connect the Federal, the
State, and the county levels?
Ms. Duckworth. Yes, sir.
Mr. Hall. So if there are links electronically or by mail
to let people know through whatever media.
Mrs. Witt, do you think it would be beneficial if the VA
processed all survivor claims at one location rather than at
all of the 57 regional offices so there can be specialized
training for those types of claims?
Ms. Witt. Yes, sir, that is in writing that we would like
to see a survivor's office that also processed claims and that
could then expedite the routine claims.
Mr. Hall. Thank you very much.
Anything else, Mr. Lamborn?
Mr. Lamborn. I have one final question I would like to ask
Mrs. Witt.
When you talked to the VBA about the need for a survivor's
office, what was their response?
Ms. Witt. It requires Congressional action, basically.
Mr. Lamborn. Thank you.
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Lamborn.
I thank all of our witnesses on panel one. You have been
most helpful. You are now excused, and we are going to ask, as
the guard changes, our second panel to join us, which includes
Mr. Kerry Baker, Associate National Legislative Director of
Disabled American Veterans (DAV); Mr. Jacob B. Gadd, Assistant
Director for Management, National Veterans Affairs and
Rehabilitation Commission for the American Legion; and Kate
Emanuel, Senior Vice President of Non-Profit and Government
Affairs at The Advertising Counsel (The Ad Council).
Welcome to our panelists. I remind you that your written
statements are already entered into the record so you can feel
free to summarize them and that will leave time for questions.
Mr. Baker, we will start with you. You are recognized for 5
minutes.
STATEMENTS OF KERRY BAKER, ASSOCIATE NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE
DIRECTOR, DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS; JACOB B. GADD, ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR, VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION COMMISSION,
AMERICAN LEGION; AND KATE EMANUEL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, NON-
PROFIT AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, THE ADVERTISING COUNCIL
STATEMENT OF KERRY BAKER
Mr. Baker. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member. We
appreciate your invitation to testify today.
The VA has proven successful in ensuring that new veterans
receive outreach that truly sets high standards. As some of its
initiatives pertaining to OEF/OIF veterans, VA has reduced
claim processing time to an average of 110 days, hired 100 new
outreach coordinators specifically for new veterans, now
employs its own casualty assistance officers, and has entered
in a joint VA/DoD effort to ensure VA is notified of members
referred to the Physical Evaluation Board followed by a VA-
initiated contact to all those who have not yet applied for
benefits.
There are also numerous other ongoing outreach efforts that
target new veterans, such as transition and disabled transition
assistance programs, the Veterans Assistance at Discharge
Program, the Benefits Delivery at Discharge Program, and the
Coming Home to Work Program.
In addition to the foregoing, VA recently announced that
beginning in May 2008, it would begin contacting nearly 570,000
veterans by telephone to ensure they know about VA benefits.
These efforts are unprecedented. It is uncertain, but they
may be in part the result of the Veterans Benefits Improvement
Act of 2004 or Public Law 108-454.
This Public Law required the Secretary to submit a report
to Congress setting forth a detailed description of: (1) VA's
outreach efforts to inform veterans of the current benefits to
which they are entitled; and (2) the current level of awareness
of such benefits.
Congress required this report to include the following: (1)
a description of VA's outreach activities; (2) the result of a
national survey of veterans to determine their level of
awareness of benefits and whether they know how to access those
benefits; and (3) recommendations on how to improve those
outreach and awareness activities.
The VA was required to include in the survey a valid sample
of veterans from the following groups: World War II, Korean
conflict era, Vietnam era, Persian Gulf era, and family members
and survivors as well as other groups.
In response, VA published a report in December 2006. VA
claimed that its report complied with the first and third
requirement of the Public Law. However, VA failed to comply
with the second requirement of reporting to Congress the
results on a national survey to determine the level of
awareness of benefits.
To address this deficiency, the report indicated that VA is
planning to develop awareness measures in the next national
survey scheduled for 2008, which is 4 years after the law's
enactment and 3 years after the deadline given by Congress. VA
simply determined that the data on hand at the time did not
comply with the Congress' mandate. Moreover, VA could not have
complied with the third requirement that it recommend how to
improve outreach activities before it was able to understand
the true results of the second requirement. Nonetheless, the
DAV commends VA's outreach efforts for the newest generation,
but we can and do condemn the VA for ignoring all other groups.
Congress made clear in the 2004 legislation its intention
for VA to locate and reach out to older groups and younger
groups, and we commend it for such. In turn, VA failed to honor
Congress' mandate and is poised to continue such failure. We
believe that outreach efforts should be uniformly distributed
across the veteran population, which includes the newest
generation, the greatest generation and everyone in between.
The reasons for this are obvious. Approximately 10 percent of
World War II veterans, 5 percent of Korean war veterans, and 12
percent of Vietnam war veterans are service connected for
disabilities incurred during their military service. Yet by the
end of 2007, over 25 percent of discharged OEF/OIF veterans
were receiving benefits for service-connected disabilities.
These figures do not show that the new veterans are
disabled at more than twice the rate of older veterans, but
that they are receiving benefits over twice the rate, five
times the rate of Korean War veterans. However, do not
interpret DAV's position as disagreeing with enhanced outreach
for the Nation's newest veterans. Rather, we feel the degree of
outreach to the newest veterans in comparison to the outreach
offered the oldest veterans is very lopsided.
World War II veterans are still receiving benefits by the
tens of thousands for the first time in their entire lives. The
same group is dying at a thousand per day. Many have and will
continue to die without ever receiving the benefits they have
earned, not because VA refuses to grant such, but because they
simply never knew they were entitled to the benefits.
Many lessons have been learned through past mistakes and
older veterans have paid a high price for that knowledge. With
respect to outreach, we left those older veterans behind. Now
in a rush not to repeat those mistakes with the newest
generation, we are leaving them behind once again.
That concludes my statement, and I will be happy to answer
any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Baker appears on p. 55.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Baker. And Mr. Gadd, you are now
recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF JACOB B. GADD
Mr. Gadd. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Members of the
Subcommittee. Thank you for this opportunity to present the
American Legion's view on the effectiveness of VBA outreach
efforts. The American Legion commends the Subcommittee for
holding a hearing to discuss the importance of benefit outreach
to veterans.
VA in the last several years has improved its outreach
efforts, especially its efforts to reach and inform active-duty
servicemembers preparing to leave the military. The American
Legion remains concerned, however, that many transitioning OEF
and OIF veterans are not being adequately advised of the
benefits and services available to them from VA and other
Federal and State agencies.
This is especially true of Reserve and National Guard units
that are often demobilized in hometown reserve centers and
National Guard armories rather than active-duty demobilization
centers.
VA and DoD have made strides toward improved outreach. The
number of TAP programs and other military service briefings
conducted by VBA has suddenly increased since 2003, as has the
number of servicemembers attending the briefings.
Unfortunately, VA's efforts regarding TAP are hampered by
the fact that only one of the services, the Marine Corps,
requires that separating servicemembers attend these briefings.
This flaw in the system did not escape the Veterans Disability
Benefits Commission and resulted in the recommendation that
Congress mandate TAP briefings and attendance throughout DoD.
The American Legion strongly agrees with this
recommendation as well. In order for all separating
servicemembers to be properly advised of all their benefits, it
is crucial that Congress adequately fund and mandate both TAP
availability and attendance in all of the military services.
VA also affords separating servicemembers the opportunity
to start the disability claims process, at least 6 months prior
to separation from active duty, through its Benefits Delivery
at Discharge Program. Unfortunately, this program is not
available to all separating servicemembers, and it is only at
140 military installation. Necessary measures, including
adequate funding, should be taken to ensure that all separating
servicemembers, including members of the National Guard and
Reserve, have the opportunity to participate in the BDD process
if they so desire.
An overall weakness in VA's outreach program is that its
efforts to target veterans already in the VA system. Oftentimes
various mailings discussing changes in law, new benefit
entitlements and other pressing issues are only sent to
individuals currently receiving those benefits, or those that
are participating in one of VA's registry programs, such as
Gulf War or Agent Orange.
Unfortunately, this method drastically limits the number of
veterans reached since many are not currently receiving VA
benefits or being treated at a VA medical facility. In fact,
there are many veterans that have never even applied for VA
benefits. These are the veterans who fall through the cracks,
especially when it comes to being advised to changes in the law
or a regulation.
For example, it is not unusual for American Legion service
officers to encounter in-country Vietnam veterans diagnosed
with Type II diabetes that were not aware they were eligible to
receive disability compensation and free VA healthcare for
their condition despite the fact that the disability was
recognized as an Agent Orange presumptive disability 7 years
ago.
In most, if not all of these cases, the veteran was not
currently in the VA system. It is very apparent that VA needs
to expand its outreaches to reach these veterans. Some of the
American Legion outreach programs are conducted by department
service officers who have specialized training and experience
with VA regulations and are familiar with the many VA programs
and services.
Heroes to Hometowns Program. In an effort to increase
cooperation between DoD and the American people, the American
Legion entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the
Secretary of Defense's Office of Military Community and Family
Policy to assist in outreach and assistance efforts to
transitioning severely injured servicemembers.
Heroes to Hometowns is a program that focuses on
reintegration back into the community with networks established
at the National and State levels to better identify the
extraordinary needs of returning servicemembers and families.
In 2007, the Heroes to Hometowns Program expanded its
vision to the National Guard and Reserve components. This hard
to reach population lives in rural America, disconnected from
the traditional services provided by DoD or VA. The American
Legion, with its 2.7 million members and 14,000 posts, reaches
into these communities to convey strong support for America's
military personnel. With the Heroes to Hometowns Program, the
American Legion reaches out to provide support long after the
deployment is over.
Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for allowing the American
Legion to present comments on these important matters. As
always, the American Legion welcomes the opportunity to work
closely with you and your colleagues to reach solutions to an
array of problems discussed here today.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Gadd appears on p. 60.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Gadd. Thank you for your service.
And now we will recognize Ms. Emanuel for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF KATE EMANUEL
Ms. Emanuel. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for
asking the Ad Council to testify today. We have a long and
proud history of working with the Federal Government.
As the Chairman alluded to, we were founded in 1942 when
President Roosevelt asked the leading ad execs of the day to
help with World War II efforts. We created campaigns such as
Buy War Bonds, Rosie the Riveter, and Loose Lips Sink Ships.
And 65 years later we are still tackling the country's most
pressing social issues and remain the Nation's leader of public
service announcements (PSAs).
We represent a unique collaboration between the advertising
and media companies. Ad agencies throughout the country lend us
their top creative teams pro bono, and media donate their time
and space to our PSAs to deliver our messages to the public.
Presently we have about 22 campaigns with the Federal
Government that represents 50 percent of our docket. We work
with many Federal departments and agencies, including the U.S.
Departments of Transportation, Agriculture, Homeland Security,
Justice, Energy, Treasury, Health and Human Services (HHS), the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Library of Congress.
We address a host of social issues with these Federal partners,
obesity prevention, gun violence, energy efficiency and
financial literacy, just to name a few.
While most of our campaigns tend to raise awareness or
change behaviors, we do have some prior campaigns on Federal
benefits. In 2003, we partnered with the National Women Infants
and Children (WIC) Association to generate awareness of the WIC
Program. We also partnered with HHS on a campaign to raise
awareness on the State Children's Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP)
program in the 1990s.
Whether it is promoting awareness about a social issue or a
Federal benefit, the Ad Council recommends the following best
practices for creating successful campaigns. One--know your
audience. This is one of the golden rules of advertising and
PSAs are no exception. This entails gathering existing
information about your target audience, conducting focus
groups, and figuring out what they think about the issue.
Also, a good PSA should stick to one target audience, don't
try to be all things to all people.
Two, know the PSA proposition. A good PSA is one that takes
a complex issue and drills it down to an individual action that
is achievable. There are lots of important social issues out
there, but not all of them lend themselves to a PSA campaign.
Three, stick to one idea. An effective PSA, whether it is a
TV spot, newspaper ad or billboard, should say one thing. Your
message has to have a laser focus. This is perhaps the hardest
thing for many of our nonprofit and Federal Government sponsors
to embrace.
Four, let your Web site do the heavy lifting. All PSAs
should have a concise and easy to remember uniform resource
locators (URLs) that links to a Web site that is easy to
navigate and entertaining yet constructive. At the same time,
the Web site should keep to the campaign's message and not
overwhelm the user.
Typically we create separate campaign Web sites for our
Federal Government partners so that the public is directed to a
very user friendly Web site. In my written testimony, I have
submitted samples of our home pages of several of our Federal
Government campaigns.
Beyond Web sites, it is also really important to have
multiple fulfillment sources, such as a 1-800 number, materials
and brochures. I just want to add too, just listening to the
prior testimony, having a very strong and credible fulfillment
is very important. If services aren't there through a 1-800
number or if people can't really explain the process, national
PSAs aren't really going to do you any help and maybe frustrate
people even more.
Five, strive for creative excellence. We can all recall a
TV ad or PSA that was poignant or powerful or funny. It can
really strike a cord and motivate people to do something. It
will also motivate your average PSA director or radio station
to run your PSA.
Six, think long term. It is not surprising that the Ad
Council's most effective campaigns are our longest running--
Smokey Bear, McGruff the Crime Dog, Friends Don't Let Friends
Drive Drunk. In our experience, PSA effort should be at least
three years in duration to truly make a difference.
Seven, venture outside the PSA box. In today's cluttered
media environment, PSAs must be part of an integrated
comprehensive program that relies on public relations, grass
roots marketing, community events and cause marketing. You have
to think beyond the 30-second TV PSA.
One last tip is to establish clear metrics for success. No
matter how clever a PSA is, it needs to work. That is, you need
to motivate people to do something or think differently.
Therefore, you should establish clear metrics to evaluate your
efforts such as tracking donated media, tracking visits to the
Web site, and tracking attitudinal shifts among your target
audience. That is what we do for all of our campaigns.
Lastly, one campaign I would like to briefly mention today
is in an effort we are doing in partnership with the Iraq and
Afghanistan Veterans of America ((IAVA). As you may be aware,
IAVA is the Nation's first and largest group dedicated to the
troops and vets in these two wars. The goal of the campaign is
to decrease the depression and PTSD-related outcomes among
returning vets. A separate and complimentary effort will create
overall support for vets among the general public.
As this Subcommittee well knows, as many as 50 percent of
the 1.64 million vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will
struggle with serious mental health issues, and unfortunately
many of them not getting treatment, and many don't seek help
because of stigma or isolation.
So, in addition to the PSAs we created, we are also
creating a very comprehensive Web site with links to resources
and an online community exclusively for these vets. The on-line
community will allow them to simply listen in and share their
experiences in a judgment-free environment. Topics discussed
may include jobs, reconnecting with family, PTSD benefits and
more.
As we develop this Web site, we would welcome any guidance
from the VA. We would be very open to working with them to
jointly raise awareness to the benefits and services the VBA
provides.
Thank you again for asking us to be here today. I am happy
to provide additional expertise as the Subcommittee looks at
this issue..
[The prepared statement of Ms. Emanuel appears on p. 63.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you very much, all three of our panelists.
I would start out by asking Mr. Baker, in your testimony
the DAV provided a recap of VBA's requirements to report
outreach efforts which they have not sufficiently done. What
other steps should we in Congress take to ensure more
consistent and detailed reporting?
Mr. Baker. Well, I believe the law that was passed in 2004
is a very good one. How you could provide oversight to VA to
ensure they actually comply with that, I am not sure of your
oversight abilities. But that law required VA to conduct a
study of all veterans from World War II up to the present,
including survivors, and gauge their knowledge of benefits.
Now as I stated in my testimony, they concluded that they
come forth with ideas on how to improve those outreach
activities. I don't see how they could have done that if they
didn't do the second requirement.
Congress went a little further in 2006 when it passed
another similar law that required VA to put out a plan of
exactly what it was going to do to reach out to those veterans.
That plan was due in 2007, October 1st, 2007. To my knowledge,
that has not been completed either. And that is in my written
testimony.
So potentially some oversight hearings as to why these
things have not been done, I believe Congress took the right
steps and the right directions to ensure that the outreach that
we want for all of our veterans were done. I can't tell you why
VA has not complied with those. Maybe they can. But I believe
some outreach activities to find out, or oversight activities
to find out exactly how and why they are going to comply could
be a good starting point for the Committee.
Mr. Hall. Thank you. You also pointed out that VBA has not
done a good job in reaching out to previous generations of
veterans. DAV has a lot of experience in outreach with its
program and outreach plans. What do you suggest VA do to reach
different generations of veterans and other minority groups?
Mr. Baker. Well, I can tell you some of the things that DAV
does. We get assistance from the VA to do some of these things.
We have mobile service offices that are basically two-person
vans that are pretty large rolling offices. We have numerous of
these throughout the country. I was in the field when this
program got rolled out for the first time. And we would get
names and addresses from VA, and we would tell them which zip
codes we are going to be in. And we would get addresses from
those individuals from the VA. And we would send a letter out
to every single one that was identified as a veteran or
survivor in those zip codes and we would advertise that that
rolling service office was going to be at a specific location.
I remember one of the first times I took it out, I had
about 70 some people show up in one day, almost more than one
or two people can handle. And a lot of these people were World
War II veterans, Korean war veterans. And they never knew about
VA benefits or they didn't know what they were entitled to.
They were filing claims for the first time. And this is not a
very difficult procedure.
Now I don't know exactly how VA obtains that information,
but they have had it. It may be a mix of DoD and VA
information. I can certainly find out for you if you would
like. But that is one place to start. They have a lot of
contact information. It is just a matter of sending out
material to let these people know what they might be entitled
to and where to go to go get that.
Mr. Hall. Thank you. This question could be for both DAV
and the American Legion. Mr. Gadd, the Subcommittee staff
noticed there was very inconsistent information about VA
benefits on several of the VSO home pages, and that they often
did not link directly to the VA with the exception of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, who did a
commendable job of creating resources and links. I see this,
however, as primarily VA's responsibility. If the VA gave you
Web materials and links, would your organizations use them?
Mr. Baker. Absolutely. If VA gave them to us?
Mr. Hall. Yes.
Mr. Baker. We would certainly use them.
Mr. Hall. I assume the Legion also?
Mr. Gadd. Yes, sir.
Mr. Hall. Mr. Gadd, it sounds like the Heroes to Hometowns
Program enjoys a positive relationship with DoD and the States,
and it has just begun a pilot program with VA. Why has VA's
involvement only just begun and why is it on such a limited
basis?
Mr. Gadd. Great question. Recently we decided that with
Heroes to Hometowns, since it is a community program and VA is
in that community, that the transitioning servicemembers were
going back to their communities and by utilizing VA in their
hospital to access veterans and see who needs assistance as far
as personal--you know, with transportation, other services that
VA doesn't provide, by having someone from Heroes to Hometowns
in the hospital it is a win-win for the VA and also for our
program because VA can't solicit donations or community support
because it is a Federal agency. Whereas, our robust volunteer
program was able to realize that we can look in the community
and pinpoint those resources that the veteran needs with the
community resources.
Mr. Hall. Good. Thank you. About the Heroes to Hometowns
Program, do you know about how many disabled veterans have been
assisted since the program began and what type of services they
have needed? And what is your referral percentage to VA?
Mr. Gadd. Sir, I don't have those statistics with me, but I
know we have helped out over 5,000. It varies so much by State.
Just recently, as of last week, I found out that there was
a veteran who just got back home from Iraq and he had spent 18
months at Walter Reed. And while he was there, his basement
flooded in his home back in Cleveland. And with our resources
and the Heroes to Hometowns Program, this servicemember was
able to be given $8,000 in one week from community resources to
fix his home. And this is just an example of how different each
of those requests are. They don't really come through VA.
We have our flyer that we pass out at military treatment
facilities. We also have a very good Web site. So those are
some of the different ways that we outreach to them.
Mr. Hall. And very laudable ones. That sounds like great
work.
Based on your experience with outreach, which VA efforts
would you say are the most successful? Outreach efforts, which
ones would you say are the best?
Mr. Gadd. The American Legion just started supporting the
VA Welcome Home celebrations. That was a big improvement that
we noticed. It started here at the DC VA Medical Center. We
supported it last year and will again this year on June 14th.
It is a great event to bring in veterans in the catchment area
of each VA Medical Center. It has been mandated that each VA
Medical Center have a welcome home for every OEF/OIF veteran.
It gives an opportunity for those veterans coming back and
their family members to understand their benefits. That is one
of the newest things that we support.
Mr. Hall. Thank you.
Mr. Gadd. And certainly recognize.
Mr. Hall. I agree. That is very promising.
Ms. Emanuel, the Ad Council has had an impressive 60-year
history while finding new ways to communicate proactive and
timely messages to the American people on behalf of our
Government. Can you briefly tell me what is the Ad Council's
process in working with Federal agencies? Do you approach them
or do they approach you?
Ms. Emanuel. Both.
Mr. Hall. Has VA ever asked you for your assistance in
educating veterans about benefits or services?
Ms. Emanuel. No.
Mr. Hall. Have they assisted with the IAVA mental health
outreach project that you were talking about?
Ms. Emanuel. Not yet, but I know that IAVA had a very good
meeting with the VA about 2 weeks ago and they left that
meeting with an agreement to work together and see about
possible collaborations.
Mr. Hall. That is good. The number of volunteer
organizations and free media that you work with are impressive
and commendable. And I, from my previous life, know a little
bit about advertising and radio and TV and the power that it
wields. You did mention hard costs. Can you explain that more
and who incurs those costs?
Ms. Emanuel. Sure, the sponsoring organization incurs those
costs, so the Federal Government or a nonprofit sponsor. So
while the ad agencies donate their creative services pro bono,
there are certain hard costs to develop a PSA campaign such as
TV production, radio production, and distribution. We send out
Beta tapes to 28,000 media outlets throughout the country. It
pays for tracking the media where it is played and it pays for
any travel for the ad agency. It is mostly the production and
the tracking, the hard costs.
Mr. Hall. Do you find that the PSAs that the Ad Council
produces are played during broadcasts on TV or radio at good
times or what you consider to be high viewership times or do
they get shunted off into the middle of the night when they can
count toward the licensee's requirements to play them without
interfering with their income?
Ms. Emanuel. That is a great question. Actually there is no
real requirement for stations to play PSAs. In the '70s it was
deregulated. But what we found, we look at this really
closely--we monitor all our PSAs. And globally what we have
found is about 60 to 75 percent of our PSAs play in favorable
day parts so they are not at that 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m.
time slot. They are actually playing in very, good times.
Mr. Hall. Prime time?
Ms. Emanuel. It is not prime time necessarily. It depends
on the media. We get a lot more support from radio versus TV,
there are just more radio stations--it is cheaper for them to
donate their air time. We have been very pleased. You have to
do it right. I think you have to have the right components and
appeal to stations. They want to do what is right and they
would want to run something that they think is appropriate and
match it with a demographic, too. So if it is a kid targeted
message we really try and target for example Nickelodeon.
Mr. Hall. Right. I am just wondering if the service time on
the Super Bowl for instance to advertise, you know, ``Be All
You Can Be or the Marine The Strong and Proud,'' the lightning
bolts, the images that are manly and you see during the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) playoffs. I am
sure that they are buying, I would guess, this time?
Ms. Emanuel. Absolutely.
Mr. Hall. You talk about prime income generating time for
the networks or cable channels. Is it realistic to expect that
they will play a PSA during those types of events?
Ms. Emanuel. Probably not, but I know that the Kaiser
Foundation has a very prominent campaign on HIV/AIDS awareness
with Viacom, and they got a spot donated during American Idol.
So it just depends on your relationship with the media.
We have a campaign with HHS on preventive health. It is to
get older men to go to their doctor. We did a partnership with
ESPN to play those spots during ESPN's prime time. So it
depends on your relationships with the media basically.
Mr. Hall. Well, that is good. Maybe we need to have a
better relationship. Maybe the Committee should ask some of the
broadcast company executives to come in here and talk to them
about a patriotic gift of broadcast time for these PSAs.
Ms. Emanuel. Sure.
Mr. Hall. In describing the PSA proposition, you noted that
some issues don't work well with PSAs. Do you think a message
about veterans benefits would work?
Ms. Emanuel. Absolutely, I think that is a very PSA-able
proposition. You are trying to raise awareness about a specific
benefit. I think the challenge here would be it might not lend
itself to a donated media model. We rely strictly on donated
media. VA may want to consider paid media as well or do a combo
of the two. If you are trying to target Korean and World War II
vets, and Vietnam vets, as well as newly returned vets, those
would be a much different feel and look to the campaign. So if
it is a smaller population you are talking about, World War II
vets, a mass national PSA campaign probably wouldn't make
sense. You might want to do direct mail or something very
specific.
Mr. Hall. I believe that the VA should spend some money and
not just expect to get everything free in terms of broadcast
time. I gather from the Ranking Member's remarks that he would
agree with that. I think he said a couple percent or something,
but that is still significant compared with what is happening
now.
What is your opinion of the VA's Web site? Is it
entertaining, instructive or easy to navigate? And how does it
compare to other agencies that you work with?
Ms. Emanuel. Well, I did go to the Web site. I would say
that the VA Web site is typical of most Federal Web sites, and
no offense to any Federal Government or agency or department in
the room. Most Federal Government Web sites are not user
friendly. That is not what they were built for. They kind of
appeal to everybody. So I know the VA had a kids page. And you
have your executive staff bios. And I think that is true of
most Federal agency Web sites. If you look at HHS's it has got
everything on there, same with the National Institutes of
Health, Department of Transportation. And that is no criticism
of those Federal agencies. I think they are trying to do what
they know and have a mass appeal. And that is why we really
always create separate URLs with the Federal Government. I
think the VA would probably be well-suited to do the same.
Mr. Hall. Do you believe that the VA could utilize some of
the other multimedia outlets that you mentioned?
Ms. Emanuel. Sure. I think you have to be at all places
where everyone is. So if it is newspaper, billboards, new
media. You asked a question about on-line, I think it is really
important that you recognize that older folks or low income
folks are not on-line as much. So maybe a 1-800 number or
collateral materials are more important. But really there are
children of veterans who are on-line, so you really should be
everywhere. We don't really stick to one media outlet when we
take on a campaign look at one media, we usually do a
multimedia approach and do it all.
Mr. Hall. Thank you. I am going to ask Minority Counsel to
ask a question for Mr. Lamborn.
Mr. Lawrence. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Baker, Ranking
Member Lamborn wanted me to let you know that he had high
commendation for the DAV Mobile Service Officer (MSO) Program.
In fact he was so impressed by it that he introduced a bill
that the House passed, H.R. 1863, which would create a VA pilot
program that basically models the VA program after what DAV has
done.
Do you have the stats with you on what type of claims the
DAV is continuing to get from its service program? How many
claims are open and how many are granted? That type of
information.
Mr. Baker. I don't have the stats specific to the mobile
service office. I can get those for you rather easily. As you
know, in addition to the mobile service office we do
presentations that are just at a specific location out in the
field, not much different than the mobile service office. We
sometimes utilize the same type of method. We will send out
flyers to people in a certain zip code.
So you probably want it to be accurate, you want to have
both of those stats.
I do have in my--I don't know if this really goes to your
question in my written statement, in the past 17, 16 months if
you count the World War II claims and the Vietnam war claims
and Korean war claims, DAV represented well over 30,000 of
those just to receive brandnew service connections ever. I
couldn't get the VA's numbers up for that amount. Now, some of
those are from the MSO and some are from people coming into our
office. The fact is those are brandnew claims.
Mr. Lawrence. 30,000 service connections?
Mr. Baker. Over 30,000 service connections just in the past
16 months just for those three groups. Using VA's own numbers,
veterans over 56 years old, for 2006 there were 67,000 brand
new claims that have never been in the system before. And in
2005, there were 68,000 that had never been in the system
before. Those numbers undoubtedly show that there are countless
numbers of veterans out there from these old wars and simply
had never been in the system. And there are not laws being
passed that grant a lot of new presumptive service connections
that would get these guys in the door. These are benefits that
they have always been entitled to, that they are just not
getting. They are now through various outreach efforts, but
this simply isn't enough.
I can get you those numbers if you would like to have them.
We do track the new service connections and the increases and
the survivor claims. So I could probably track pretty much
whatever numbers you need to get.
[DAV provided information to Minority Counsel.]
Mr. Hall. Mr. Lamborn is here himself, and I recognize him
for the rest of his questions.
Mr. Lamborn. Yes, let me follow on to what the staff was
asking you a moment ago, but we do commend you for your efforts
and the outreach that you have done. I know we are talking
about further and better outreach, but some of your
organizations do a great job. And you in particular, I just
want to say you have done a great job in that connection, so
thank you.
Mr. Baker. Thank you.
Mr. Gadd. Thank you.
Mr. Lamborn. Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Lamborn. Mr. Baker, Mr. Gadd and
Ms. Emanuel, thank you for your testimony. You have been very
helpful and given us a lot to work with. So you are now excused
and thanks for your testimony and for your dedication to our
Nation's servicemembers and veterans.
And now I will ask our third panel to step forward and join
us at the table. Ms. Diana Rubens, Associate Deputy Under
Secretary for Field Operations of the Veterans Benefits
Administration for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Ms.
Leslye Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary for the Department of
Defense; and Mr. Kevin Crowley, Deputy Director of Manpower
Personnel for the National Guard Bureau for the U.S. Department
of Defense.
Welcome, all of you and as usual your statements are
entered in full. The written statements have been entered into
the record, so feel free to abridge them if you wish.
Ms. Rubens, you are now recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENTS OF DIANA M. RUBENS, ASSOCIATE DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY
FOR FIELD OPERATIONS, VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION, U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS; LESLYE ARSHT, DEPUTY UNDER
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, MILITARY COMMUNITY AND FAMILY POLICY,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; AND KEVIN CROWLEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR,
MANPOWER AND PERSONNEL, NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE
STATEMENT OF DIANA M. RUBENS
Ms. Rubens. Thank you, I appreciate the opportunity to
appear before you today and provide you some information on
what Veterans Benefits Administration has been doing for
outreach activities designed to address the needs of our brave
men and women who are still actively serving our country and
our distinguished veterans.
I believe that the VBA outreach programs exemplify our
pursuit of providing the best possible service to our Nation's
heroes. VA and DoD work through joint initiatives to assure the
wide dissemination of information on the array of benefits and
services available to servicemembers, including healthcare,
educational assistance, home loans, vocational rehabilitation,
employment, disability compensation, pension insurance, burial
and memorial services. For example, VA distributes the summary
of VA benefits in pamphlets to new recruits at military
entrance processing stations and the graduating cadets at the
military academies as well today.
In conjunction with DoD, Homeland Security, and the
Department of Labor (DOL), VBA personnel are located at
benefits delivery at discharge intake sites, where we conduct
Transitional Assistance Program briefings to retiring and
discharging servicemembers, and their spouses, and Disability
Transition Assistance briefings for servicemembers who have
applied for or anticipate applying for service-connected
compensation from VA.
These briefings are presented to both regular active-duty
servicemembers and pre- and post-deployment Reserve and
National Guard members. It is generally followed by an
opportunity for personal interview and assistance with the
submission of claims for benefits.
Last year, VA conducted over 8,000 briefings to almost
300,000 attendees. In the TAP briefings we introduced attendees
to VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program
and used this opportunity to present information on innovative
VR&E Programs, such as our Coming Home to Work Initiative, a
collaborative partnership between VR&E and Federal agencies to
provide civilian work experiences to interested servicemembers
who are interested in a medical hold status at a medical
treatment facility.
In 2006, transition assistance advisers were hired by the
National Guard and trained by the VA to provide outreach
services to servicemembers returning from OEF/OIF. The primary
function is to serve as the statewide point of contact and
coordinator, as well as provide information regarding VA
benefits and services to Guard members and their families, and
assist in resolving any problems they may have with VA
healthcare, benefits, or TRICARE.
Using our Veterans Assistance at Discharge system, we send
welcome home packages for recently separated servicemembers,
including the Reserve and National Guard members, containing a
letter from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs along with
pamphlets describing the benefits available.
These mailings are sent to the address provided to VBA by
the Department of Defense at the time of separation. To ensure
a seamless transition, in 2003 VA began to assign permanent and
full-time representatives to all key military treatment
facilities. We also began hiring recovery care coordinators.
These VA employees monitor patient progress and coordinate
submission of claims for benefits.
In our regional offices, case managers ensure that the
claims of the most seriously injured are expedited. VA and DoD
jointly sponsor our Benefits Delivery at Discharge Program. At
over 150 military facilities we accept disability claims within
60 to 180 days prior to release from active duty, collecting
service treatment records, conducting physical exams, and
completing disability rating decisions. We try to do that just
prior to or just after separation so that disability benefits
will commence as quickly as possible.
VA and DoD are also piloting a single disability evaluation
system with a rating decision that forms the basis for both the
Military Medical Evaluation Board process and the VA disability
rating process. In the event of an in-service casualty, the VA
regional office Casualty Assistance Officers visit family
members and assist them in applying for VA death benefits. We
coordinate these visits with the Military Casualty Assistance
Officers.
In order to ensure that the surviving spouse and dependent
children are aware of all benefits, the VA has established a
special survivor benefits Web site and mails a 6-month followup
letter to surviving spouses reminding them of benefits and
services available.
Outreach to other targeted veteran constituencies and their
dependents, such as homeless, Gulf War, Vietnam, elderly,
women, and POW veterans is often accomplished through
cooperation and a personalized outreach.
Mr. Chairman, we at VA are proud of our continuing role in
the transition of servicemembers from military civilian life
and continue to improve our quality and breadth of outreach
efforts to all servicemembers and veterans.
Thank you for allowing me to appear before you today. I
would be pleased to respond to any questions from you or Mr.
Lamborn.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Rubens appears on p. 74.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you so much for your testimony, and for
finishing in record time. And we now have the whole full-length
version and the abridged version. Thank you.
Ms. Arsht, you are recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF LESLYE ARSHT
Ms. ARSHT. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Lamborn.
Thank you for this opportunity to express the Department of
Defense's commitment to facilitating successful transitions
from military to civilian life, for military members, and to
support for families as these transitions occur.
Collaboration between DoD, the Department of Veterans
Affairs, the Department of Labor, and the National Guard Bureau
is more complete than ever before. My written testimony
outlines our groundbreaking approaches and a renewed spirit of
collaboration to deliver support to our military community
members, whether they live near or far from an installation.
Today I will concentrate on just a few of those programs
that feature improved information and service delivery. You
have heard about some of these programs and will hear about
other from other participants on these panels.
One of our newest outreach and benefits awareness
initiatives, the Joint Family Assistance Program, was
originally started in 15 States and is now, with Governors'
agreements, projected to expand to all 50 States and the 4
Territories by the end of 2008. This program facilitates
partnerships among Federal, State and local organizations;
builds benefits and transition assistance outreach for
deploying units; and provides a vital State-by-State database
for around the clock family assistance.
Another initiative comes from a paradigm shift that
recognizes the continuum of financial readiness, military and
veterans benefits, and transition assistance. In March 2008, we
created a new directorate, the Office of Personal Finance and
Transition. This directorate offers a new approach that will
ensure 24/7 global access to educational resources and
individualized financial and transition plans using the latest
technology and multiple delivery methodologies throughout the
servicemembers and their families' life cycles.
In creating this office, we have addressed the needs of
National Guard and Reserve members and their families which
differ from those of the active duty servicemembers. Building
on the traditional Transition Assistance Program, we launched
TurboTAP, a dynamic, automated, Web-based system for delivery
of transition assistance and related information. It allows
each National Guard and Reserve member to obtain a lifelong
account and a tailored individual transition plan that can also
connect them to information on military and veterans benefits,
many of which have significant cash value. This is a 21st
century approach to delivering individualized information and
benefits to servicemembers and families.
We have created multiple high-tech, high-touch initiatives,
both online and in person, which exist to better serve our
troops and families with their transition, financial readiness,
and benefits awareness needs. To augment the online system, in
the fall of 2007, we established the DoD TurboTAP mobile
training teams to support the National Guard and Reserve.
By the end of 2009, our goal is to have the TurboTAP mobile
training teams fully integrated and the deployment support
transition assistance in financial awareness programs in all 50
States. We will expand and enhance our new network of financial
professionals to provide financial counseling and planning
services ranging from budgeting and debt consolidation to
advanced financial planning.
Two other online resources we sponsor that would serve the
total force throughout their careers, as well as during
transitions, are Military OneSource and MilitaryHOMEFRONT, our
``Google'' for quality of life information. Military OneSource
is the hub of our online support services. It is available 24/
7, for all troops and families, with a friendly voice to help
solve problems. It offers free, convenient access to
confidential resources and referrals support. Military
OneSource is especially beneficial to those geographically
separated from installation services. Additionally, Military
OneSource offers in-person counseling and now also features
telephonic counseling.
In conclusion, our servicemembers and their families have
sacrificed much in support of the global war on terror. It is
our duty to provide our troops with the decisionmaking tools
they need to help them with the key financial and transition
decision points in their lives. On behalf of the men and women
in the military today and their families, I thank you and the
other Members of the Subcommittee for your steadfast support
during these demanding times.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Arsht appears on p. 78.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Ms. Arsht. Mr. Crowley, you are now
recognized for 5 minutes.
STATEMENT OF KEVIN CROWLEY
Mr. Crowley. Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Lamborn, I am
here on behalf of the Chief, National Guard Bureau, Lieutenant
General H. Steven Blum to testify about the Veterans Benefits
Administration's outreach efforts. I am grateful for the chance
to testify regarding veterans outreach for the National Guard.
In the National Guard we know that our people are our most
valuable resource. Accordingly, we understand the importance of
assuring that our soldiers and airmen returning from deployment
receive the support they need to serve the National Guard and
are federally transitioned to civilian life.
We are proud of our relationship with the Department of
Veterans Affairs, and specifically the Veterans Benefits
Administration. In 2004, Lieutenant General Blum met with the
Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a strategy to support
National Guard members who will have been deployed. As a
result, General Blum signed a memorandum of agreement with the
Department of Veterans Affairs and Under Secretary of Benefits
and Under Secretary of Health. Forty-eight States and
Territories have signed local MOUs with regional Veteran
Benefits Administration offices.
Since May 2005, 62 National Guard Transition Assistance
Advisers have been jointly trained by the National Guard and
Department of Veterans Affairs. Transition Assistance Advisers
are responsible for educating National Guard members and their
families on veteran benefits. Transition Assistance Advisers
also act as a conduit to the National Guard and the local
Veterans Affairs personnel.
Of the 62 Transition Assistance Advisers, 57 are veterans,
30 of which are disabled, and the remaining transition advisers
are spouses of active National Guard members.
The Transition Assistance Adviser initial training was held
in February 2006 at the Veterans Benefits Administration
training academy in Baltimore. Since that initial training, the
National Guard and the Veterans Affairs conducted annual
refresher training that included representatives for the
Veterans Benefit Administration. This training is further
supported by a jointly written and published Transition
Assistance Adviser quarterly newsletter that includes up-to-
date information on Veteran Benefit Administration issues.
When National Guard members return from overseas
deployment, they learn about veteran benefits available to them
through various means. We believe the most effective briefings
are those delivered locally. They allow National Guard members
to follow up with the same individuals who brief them and
allows family members to be present. We find that the Guard
families play a pivotal role in the application for benefits by
and for our airmen and soldiers.
In April 2008, the National Guard Bureau published our
First Warrior Support newsletter that was specifically directed
at the benefits of National Guard members. This newsletter is
distributed to the local transition advisers who add local
contact information.
Transition Assistance Advisers submit a monthly report to
the Veterans Affairs beginning this year. The report is
modified to include referral information to the Veterans
Benefit Administration, Veterans Health Administration, and Vet
Centers. The National Guard Bureau and Veterans Affairs will
use this data to measure the effectiveness of our education
outreach programs to make modification improvements where
necessary.
Additionally, we believe Congressional initiatives like the
inclusion of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon in the 2008 National
Defense Authorization Act will continue to improve our
collective outreach activities to provide airmen and soldiers
the education and counsel available to them as they transition
back into communities and civilian lives.
The two key pieces are, one, that educational meetings are
scheduled to be conducted at the 30-, 60-, and 90-day mark. And
two, that the education is being conducted locally and
harnessing available resources at that level. We appreciate
that the Office of the Secretary of Defense Reserve Affairs is
working with us to provide the guidance to meet Congressional
intent.
As Ms. Arsht acknowledges, our close relationship with the
Office of the Secretary of Defense's Military Community and
Family Policy is another example of their partnering with us to
provide the needed support services and outreach for our
geographically disbursed servicemembers and their families. The
collaborative nature of our relationship with the Office of the
Secretary of Defense has allowed them, through the Joint Family
Support Assistance Program, to be able to effectively outsource
the resources to all 54 States and Territories to address the
needs for all Reserve component members.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss these important
matters with Congress and with the National Guard Bureau, and
look forward to working with your Committee to ensure these
programs remain robust. I would like to thank the Committee for
its continued support of the men and women of the Armed Forces.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Crowley appears on p. 83.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Crowley. And thank you all for
your testimony and for your work on behalf of our Nation's
veterans. It is good to hear about all the progress you are
making and the new things you are trying. And one thing that is
for sure is that we are all moving on these issues and on
trying to solve some these problems.
Ms. Rubens, I wanted to start by asking you why with Joint
Executive Council (JEC), Benefits Executive Council, Health
Executive Council (HEC), and the Senior Oversight Committee, no
one has figured out that there should be links to the VA home
page on the DoD Web site.
Ms. Rubens. I will tell you I made a note during the
earlier testimony to pursue that opportunity. It doesn't make
sense to me that we are not connected. It is an opportunity
where those servicemembers are going in to look at that current
information as they are part of DoD and what might be available
to them when they are discharged. And so I will pursue that as
I go back to the office.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question #1
in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears on
p. 85.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you, that was easy. Well, sometimes in
business or governmental affairs, the obvious eludes us, but
that would be great.
In earlier testimony from the DAV they mentioned the
biannual plan for outreach activities due to Congress on
October 1, 2007. What has happened to that report?
Ms. Rubens. I have to be honest with you I am embarrassed
to tell you that I am not certain, but I will go back and look
into that and get back to you and follow up.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question #2
in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears on
p. 85.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you. They also mention 2008's National
Veterans Survey. Do you know if that process has begun?
Ms. Rubens. I believe that has begun. I also will tell you
that we have begun, under the guidance of Secretary Peake, to
do real hands-on outreach with telephone calls being made
currently to over 17,000 veterans that are currently being care
managed as well as over 500,000 OEF/OIF returnees to ensure
that they are aware that we are still here. If they need us, we
are available.
We have a variety of benefits available that are going to
be presented to them from the healthcare and benefits side as
well as to ensure that if they hadn't taken advantage of us
when they first were discharged we are still available, ready
to talk to them and provide any services that we can.
Mr. Hall. And I want to thank you also for providing the 5-
year breakdown on TAP attendance. Can you also tell us how many
of those briefed were active duty, Guard, Reserve, survivors,
or other family members?
Ms. Rubens. I don't have those numbers right in front of
me, but yes, we can give you the breakdown on how many of those
were active duty. 300,000, if I am not mistaken, was actually
just last fiscal year.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question
#3(a) in the post-hearing questions for the record, which
appears on
p. 86.]
Mr. Hall. Do you know or could you guess why the numbers
have gone down significantly between 2006 and 2007?
Ms. Rubens. I don't have the breakdown with me, but I will
look at that. If there is something that we can develop that
will give us an explanation as to why, I will absolutely
provide that for you.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question
#3(b) in the post-hearing questions for the record, which
appears on p. 86.]
Mr. Hall. This probably falls in the same category, but why
are the numbers that you reported for briefings attendees about
double of those reported by DOL to DoD for the same time
periods?
Ms. Rubens. I have not seen their numbers, but we will look
into that.
Mr. Hall. If you can find information about that, I would
appreciate it.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question
#3(c) in the post-hearing questions for the record, which
appears on p. 86.]
Mr. Hall. In examining the TAP Program it was brought to
the Subcommittee's attention that one of the major problems
with conducting TAP briefings is the VBA personnel don't always
show up for their portion of the briefing. How do the regional
officers ensure that they are present at all of the TAP
briefings? And how do you handle it when your staff are no
shows or cancel?
Ms. Rubens. To be honest with you, that is the first time I
had heard that. If you have specific examples, I would like to
pursue that. I think there is an issue of accountability there.
Our regional offices are working very closely with their nearby
military partners in an effort to be there. We have worked very
hard to ensure there is a consistent presentation, no matter
what facility whether it is Pendleton or Fort Lewis or any of
the other facilities, and so we will pursue this.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question #4
in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears on
p. 86.]
Mr. Hall. We will provide you with some examples.
Do you provide unique benefits briefings to survivors or
for caregivers of the severely injured who will need assistance
in accessing the additional supportive resources such as aid
and attendance or housing adaptation?
Ms. Rubens. If I am tracking your question, we have an
array of benefits that are available, you are correct. When it
comes to the caregivers, I know we are developing a process and
program that will help support them. When it becomes an issue
of home adaptation or of vocational rehabilitation, if a
veteran is expressing interest to us or has a need, for
instance, for that home adaptation, we have folks that are in
that business line that will make themselves available to
provide that specific information.
[Additional information was provided by VA in the response
to Question #5 in the post-hearing questions for the record,
which appears on p. 87.]
Mr. Hall. Ms. Rubens, what would you think of the VA
creating an Office of Survivor Affairs?
Ms. Rubens. You know, I thought I did make a note when the
Gold Star Wives mentioned that and looked at it in their
testimony, and I will go back and pursue that. To be honest
with you, I don't know that it is something that requires
legislation, and so I think it is something for VBA to pursue.
We have under the previous Under Secretary made it a
priority and elevated it, if you will, as to maintain and track
how long and how well we are doing specifically on that
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation claim from those widows
and widowers, and we continue to be aware of the fact that for
those family members it is critical for us to be there. It is a
difficult time for them.
[Additional information was provided by VA in the response
to Question #7 in the post-hearing questions for the record,
which appears on p. 87.]
Mr. Hall. In your experience or during your tenure, has VA
ever tried to develop PSAs of its own or worked with the Ad
Council as other Federal agencies have done?
Ms. Rubens. I will tell you that I have actually already
asked Ms. Emanuel for her card so we can become the next Smokey
Bear ad campaign.
Mr. Hall. I suppose I will ask each of you, if you have any
ideas for what the pitch should be, the slogan or whatever,
that is something that I am sure a lot of us would like to
know.
Do you track the response rate generated from Veterans
Assistance Discharge System mailings that the VA sends out?
Ms. Rubens. I do not know the answer to that, but I will
find out for you.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question #6
in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears on
p. 87.]
Mr. Hall. The number of BDD sites you reported, 142, does
not match the number that VA and DoD report in their annual JEC
report, which was 130 sites. Can you explain the discrepancy?
And why are only 40 regional offices BDD participants and not
all of them?
Ms. Rubens. I believe that all of our regional offices are
available to provide BDD, but I will also tell you that we have
some very concentrated separation points where we work with DoD
and have permanent full-time employees at those facilities.
As to the rationale for why my numbers don't match, no, I
will have to go back and figure out where we added some.
Ms. Arsht. I might be able to answer this. I think it may
be determined by the number of MOUs that have actually been
signed. I am on the EC Working Group on BDD.
Mr. Hall. Ms. Arsht, the Subcommittee reviewed three of DoD
Web sites that offer supportive services to servicemembers and
the families and found that they don't easily link to the VA
home page. This is sort of the same question again. Would that
be problematic?
Ms. Arsht. I actually was a little surprised to hear that,
too. TurboTAP, for instance, was designed to connect DoD,
Department of Labor, and VA and to make it easy in the
transition venue to use a zipcode and go directly to the office
that would be serving you. That is especially designed for
Guard and Reserve members, of course. I am glad to go back and
look at that as well.
[The DoD response is included in the response to Question
#1 in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears
on p. 89.]
Mr. Hall. Thank you. And when the Subcommittee staff called
the Military OneSource toll free line and asked about veterans
benefits, we were told we had to contact VA for any
information. Then we were given another toll free line, but
that was the number for VA's health revenue facility, which was
the wrong number.
Does DoD or VA train Military OneSource operators on VA
benefits? And what kind of quality checks do you do on
referrals done by Military OneSource?
Ms. Arsht. Again, this was a very surprising comment that
you made in your opening. We do train Military OneSource
consultants. The stakeholder is usually responsible for helping
us with that training, and we have for some period of time had
VA reps who assist us. This is one of those things we have to
go back and see. It would be great if we had an actual case
that we could go back and try to understand what actually
happened when the call came in and get the whole case history
on it.
Mr. Hall. Okay, we can provide you with that. Could there
be more information on VA benefits integrated into Military
OneSource or does the VA need to have a Veteran OneSource
counterpart?
Ms. Arsht. The important thing to remember about Military
OneSource's concept is that it is a referral system. There are
certain things that we provide that are DoD-centric, but, as it
builds out it becomes more and more a central information
delivery system. It is important that there be expertise that
backs up the question and answering process. So it is better
when the people who are preparing the answers and the protocols
to respond to a series of questions actually know what
questions will likely come up and get prepared in that way. The
deeper their understanding is, the better the performance is
going to be. You would want VA to be deeply involved in the
creation of such a thing.
Mr. Hall. DoD has had a lot of successful experience since
the fifties with advertising, especially in recruiting. The new
Military OneSource commercials are commendable, and I am just
wondering if you could suggest what the VA could be doing to
match DoD's communications level or level of effort?
Ms. Arsht. I really think the Ad Council is the expert in
the room here on that.
Mr. Hall. Okay. TAP seems to be the best way to reach
transitioning servicemembers and their families in person.
However, I have heard that the VA does not consistently show up
to provide their portion of the veterans benefits briefing.
Conversely, I have also heard that the VA does not also always
know when these briefings are taking place. So how can the
process be improved? And where is the Joint Executive Council
oversight on this issue? And why was TAP removed from its 2007
annual report?
Ms. Arsht. TAP removed from whose annual report?
Mr. Hall. The JEC annual report.
Ms. Arsht. Okay, well, I don't know. I will have to find
out. But on the content of TAP, just yesterday I was at the
quarterly meeting of the Advisory Committee for Veterans
Employment Training and Employer Outreach. ACVETEO is what it
goes by its acronym. It is co-chaired by the Departments of
Labor, VA and DoD. All have ex officio positions on this
Committee. It also has a number of employers, and they are
devoting themselves to doing a review and an assessment of the
current TAP program and curriculum to establish even more
consistency. We have been trying repeatedly over the years to
get more and more consistency into the delivery of the 2\1/2\-
day program. This is yet another effort to achieve that kind of
uniformity in the content, the sequencing, and the delivery of
the program.
So there is a concerted effort underway to have TAP be at
the level that we need it to be in order to be effective.
It is important to say also, as other members of the panels
have said, that we need more than one delivery system for
getting information into the hands of our different
populations, because we still do hear repeatedly that our
servicemembers coming home, just want to go home, and what we
are trying to do is get with the 21st century. You know, the
young generation, does everything on-line, and we are trying to
digitize and be 24/7 and make it available to them as they need
it. That is different from sitting in a classroom for 2\1/2\
days.
[The following was subsequently received from DoD:]
The VA Office of Seamless Transition provided the
information for the 2006 report on the Transition Assistance
Program. Upon discontinuation of the VA Seamless Transition
Office, the task to provide information was not passed to
another entity for the 2007 report. The Department is working
with the VA to include current information in the 2008 report.
Mr. Hall. What I am hearing is there are a lot of good
programs and efforts being made, and what needs to happen is to
complete the link and find the places and the things that are
falling through the cracks. And if there are briefings taking
place that the VA doesn't know about, there has to be a system
where they are automatically notified of all of them.
I want to ask you one more question; and that is, can
veterans come back and attend the TAP class after they are
discharged? A TAP briefing?
Ms. Arsht. I will find out. My guess is, yes, but I don't
know for sure.
[The following was subsequently received from DoD:]
Yes, veterans can access the Transition Assistance Program
after they are discharged. The Department's recent initiative,
TURBOTAP, is a dynamic automated Web-based system that is the
backbone of the Department of Defense's TAP process. It allows
each servicemember to receive customize accounts of benefits
prior to and after separation.
Additionally, separated servicemembers can be authorized to
attend workshops up to 180 days after their date of separation.
If more than 180 days have elapsed since their date of
separation, and they are seeking employment assistance and
counseling, they will be referred to the local One-Stop Career
Center System where they can access an array of services,
including those provided by a Disabled Veterans' Outreach
Program specialist or Local Veterans' Employment
representative.
Mr. Hall. It might be a good idea, especially, as you
mentioned, when they first come home, they just want to go
home.
Ms. Arsht. I am certain that the answer is yes, because the
Guard and Reserve do that. They have been doing that for a long
time.
But one of the reasons that we want to have the online
service is that we can provide more on-demand service. You
don't have to go to class to learn. And in the curriculum, the
TAP managers at the installations have the information
available to them.
Mr. Hall. I am going to hold my questions to Mr. Crowley
and defer to Mr. Lamborn.
Mr. Lamborn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
For Ms. Rubens, what type of outreach does the VA provide
specifically for survivors? You have talked about different
populations, but could you refer to again, if you didn't
already do this, the survivor, such as the Gold Star widows?
Ms. Rubens. DoD and VA's casualty assistance officers maybe
visits together, and then we have 6-month followups. Those are
for the individuals. For the survivors, it is part of our
overall outreach. There is nothing specifically that I'm aware
of that is targeted to survivors, although I will make sure
that I am not telling you a tale and look at what else we can
do to improve that outreach and target that group specifically.
Mr. Lamborn. Good. Because for the Gold Star Wives, I
think--you heard the testimony. I think maybe some kind of
outreach there might be good and appropriate.
For Ms. Arsht, it is my understanding that in a hearing
held by our colleagues on the Subcommittee on Economic
Opportunity last week in South Bend, Indiana, it became
apparent that DoD is doing a much better job of reaching out to
active duty and National Guard members, but, in contrast, it
was clear that Reservists had a higher chance of falling
through the cracks and on average did not receive the same type
of transition support as their counterparts. And could you
please comment on specific ways the DoD is trying to address
this problem?
Ms. Arsht. Well, our Joint Family Assistance Program, which
is being established in the States--and Mr. Crowley can speak
to this, also. We have 15 States currently in that program. The
Reserve components, both Guard and Reserve, are actively
engaged in the participation of those programs and they are
obviously eligible for Military OneSource and many of the other
things that I mentioned here, including transition assistance
and so forth.
I am not sure where that impression came from. They are
very much a part of our target audience, to reach what you
would consider to be off-installation populations that are away
from the normal delivery of services.
Mr. Lamborn. Thank you.
Ms. Rubens, you have already commented briefly on this, but
just as kind of a followup, what are your thoughts--do you have
any further thoughts of working with the Ad Council and doing a
national campaign? I noticed you got her business card.
Ms. Rubens. It is something within VBA that we are focused
on and concerns us greatly. We recognize that the World War II
generation needs a different form of communication and a
different message than today's discharging servicemember, and
we are very interested in trying to figure it out.
If we pursue the Ad Council, while it has to be
overarching, it needs to be specifically targeted so we are
really speaking to that World War II generation and the Korean
generation and those that are in the process of retiring, the
Vietnam-era veteran, versus our newer generation.
As I was listening to Ms. Emanuel and her discussion about
some of our Web site issues, the variations between the TV
ads--and the radio ads--and what about radio and the Internet?
What about XM and Sirius? How do we plug into those as well for
the different generations that are taking advantage of
different public media, whether it is print or audio or
television? It is something that I am excited about the
opportunity to pursue.
Mr. Lamborn. Thank you.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Hall. Thank you, Mr. Lamborn.
Ms. Rubens, I would hope, because Congress gave the VA
permission to advertise, that we don't have to require you to
advertise. I know that may not be your decision, but I think we
probably all up here feel that you can only do so much with
PSAs, and it may be necessary, as DoD has found for recruiting
purposes, to buy some time during prime advertising hours. In
tight budgetary times, there is obviously a lot of demand for
what dollars there are. I hope some of them go toward paid
advertising if it seems that is the best way to reach a certain
audience.
Mr. Crowley, previous witnesses have noted that it has been
hard for the VA to reach into the Guard and Reserve. Is that
the reason for creating the TAA positions? They are fairly new
positions. You mentioned that the advisers submit a monthly
report and have included VBA referral information. Do you know
how many Guardsmen transitioned and how many were referred to
VA?
Mr. Crowley. I would like to get that information and
submit it for the record on the numbers.
[The following was subsequently received from DoD]
For the month of April 2008 (the first month will all
States/territories reporting), there were 781 referrals from a
National Guard transition assistance advisor (TAA) to the
Veterans Benefits Administration. This number just represents
the month of April 2008. Since this is a new report, we believe
this number may be low. Some of our TAAs are new; however,
reporting methodologies are in their infancy. We will continue
to track these numbers.
Mr. Crowley. The answer to the original part of your
question, the VA approached us back in the 2004 time frame, and
the concern was look at their structure, access and eligibility
to the facilities at the time, and that is what that
partnership grew out of. It was a recognition on their part,
with the numbers of National Guard that were redeploying back
since the war started in 2003, what was in place. It really was
VA approaching us. How can we partner out there better
addressing those issues?
Mr. Hall. What are some of the challenges you have
encountered in reaching out to your people, and are there
special populations that should have different materials and
outreach efforts to better target their needs?
Mr. Crowley. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Lamborn
acknowledged an issue about other, past veterans. What we are
seeing, maybe it was an unintentional byproduct, but some
States, like New Hampshire, for example, is very progressive.
What we found as recently as two years ago, we are servicing
Vietnam veterans through our traditional systems advisers. Not
all of them are coming through.
But to get to the point of your question, we are relying on
folks to self-identify. That is the key piece. So the outreach
has to get beyond those folks who recognize that they have a
problem or are being referred to by somebody. So the question
is, how do we appropriately get to that group? And that is that
piece of iceberg that is below the waterline. These people
don't think that they have a problem, and families don't know
if they have an issue.
That is a key piece our program is addressing, not the very
seriously injured like Director Duckworth. It is those folks
who have come back and trying to beat the demobilization
process and doing everything they can to get home. We are
trying to address those issues post redeployment.
Mr. Hall. Thank you.
Are the problems different for Guard and Reserve members
when they are wounded or become ill?
Mr. Crowley. That is a good question, Mr. Chairman.
No, when all is said and done, I don't think the issues are
different. But, obviously, there is an inherent difference in
somebody being injured on active duty and somebody being
injured in title 10 status but reverting back to their home
State and territory.
For example, for Army installations, we have 23 Army
installations in 21 States, yet we have 54 States and
territories where our guardsmen redeployed back to. So,
clearly, there are not enough active-duty installations for
them to fall back into. And, obviously, we look at the VA as a
piece as well and the community based health center
organizations that are out there.
So, to answer your question, I am not sure that it is
handled exactly the same. But the geographic dispersion, the
availability of facilities, whether they are military
facilities or whether they are VA facilities are a handicap for
us.
Mr. Hall. Can you tell me more about the Beyond the Yellow
Ribbon Initiative that you mentioned in your testimony?
Mr. Crowley. Beyond the Yellow Ribbon was an initiative in
2008. What it allowed for was mandatory, in our case, the
National Guard, mandatory briefings. This was to provide
education at the 30 day--and by that, Mr. Chairman, I mean 30
days from release from active duty, to come back in an
organized training event at the 30-, 60- and 90-day mark.
Our belief is that we should capture all individuals that
at least start to self-identify, but within a 90-day period we
are visibly seeing every soldier, every airmen who is coming
into that training event.
Mr. Hall. Thank you.
I just have one more question for Ms. Arsht, which is, from
one of our previous panels, we learned that the Marine Corps is
the only service that is currently requiring members upon
separation to attend TAP briefings. Is that accurate and can
that or should that be changed?
Ms. Arsht. It is a two-part answer.
The pre-separation counseling part of TAP is required for
everyone. They can complete a form to opt out of the remainder,
but pre-separation counseling is required for everyone. The
Marines are the only ones who have required that everyone
attend the complete TAP course.
What we have recommended and encourage is that commanders
know and recognize that the TAP curriculum is important to
servicemembers and that when they want to go, they should be
allowed to go. And that is the spirit in which we think TAP is
being implemented.
Mr. Hall. Thank you.
Ms. Rubens, if I may ask you a couple of more questions.
It seems like the VA was having success with the Office of
Seamless Transition and establishing a better working
relationship with the VBA, the VHA and the DoD. Why did the VA
decide to close that office and how do the Federal Recovery
Coordinators employed by VHA learn how to brief on VBA
benefits?
Ms. Rubens. I will tell you I am not sure why they decided
to change the title from Seamless Transition. The Federal
Recovery Coordinators have been trained through our
cooperation. I will also tell you that VBA and VHA, at least at
my level, are very focused on working together to ensure
particularly our most seriously injured servicemembers and
veterans are getting coordinated care.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question #7
in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears on
p. 87.]
There was cooperative training for half the country. It was
tough duty in Palm Springs a couple of weeks ago, from the
Federal Recovery Coordinators down through I think their
Transition Advocates where they are also former patients,
veterans that have gone through the system and are assigned to
some of the seriously injured to help ensure that they are
making their way through whatever the corridors might need to
be made, whether it is from a military transition facility or a
polytrauma center or a more convenient local Medical Center.
We have at each Regional Office an OEF/OIF coordinator.
They jointly went to the training in Palm Springs. There will
be followup training in Florida for the other half of the
country where the Regional Office coordinators will join in an
effort to, as a team, be cognizant of how we ensure we are not
losing those folks through the cracks, that we are managing
their care as they come out of the military and make their way
through the VA system.
Mr. Hall. Thank you.
Lastly, in the JEC annual report, there are several special
categories of veterans with exposure issues that VA notes it
provides outreach to. This includes Agent Orange, Gulf War
syndrome, SHAD and Edgewood. Why has VA not included the women
from Fort McClellan in its efforts, knowing how much less
likely women are to identify with VA programs?
Ms. Rubens. I will have to get back to you on that.
[The VA response is included in the response to Question #8
in the post-hearing questions for the record, which appears on
p. 88.]
Ms. Rubens. I will tell you that I think that we are
working to ensure that women veterans are more well-informed.
We have Women Veterans Coordinators in all of our regional
offices. Obviously, as women take on larger roles in the
military, they are a larger audience for us.
Mr. Hall. I appreciate that thought.
I also sit on the Board of Visitors for West Point, which
is in my district; and we have been briefed recently on
incidents of sexual harassment; and they are dealing with a
change in the mentality and the culture of the Armed Forces and
the Army, in particular, as women take on a larger role and men
get used to it. And trying to teach them that they protect each
other, regardless of gender. Not to mention that today's
officers have a very high standard that they need to live up
to.
And I have heard some comments in those meetings that women
who have been not just at the academies but in the services who
experience unwanted sexual attention from male members of the
force frequently come back suffering from mental health
problems that are caused maybe in part by combat, that
everybody, regardless of gender, experiences, but also that are
caused by these episodes of harassment or whatever experiences
they have gone through that are unique to being female.
As a result, they are reluctant to join a discussion group
or a briefing or a meeting where they are sitting. They might
be more likely to go to a nonmilitary women's support group
than to go a veterans--an all-veterans group where they are
sitting mostly with men.
I am just throwing that out there because I am sure you are
aware of this, and I am interested in seeing what programs come
out of the VA to try to help with that.
I want to thank you all for your testimony. It has been
illuminating, and thank you for your work on behalf of our
soldiers and our veterans and our Guard and Reserve.
We may have reason to hold a roundtable discussion, which,
if we do, we will ask you to participate in and maybe bring
some of our friends back from the Ad Council, from the
advertising and communications fields, and maybe even some of
the network broadcast executives who can tell us how patriotic
they are and how much time they are going to give us. But that
is for another day.
So thank you everybody for your patience, those of you who
hung in for the whole long hearing. We value your insights and
opinions, and we will try to do the best we can to put them to
work.
This hearing stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 4:07 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Prepared Statement of Hon. John J. Hall,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Good Afternoon:
I would ask everyone to rise for the Pledge of Allegiance--flags
are located in the front and in the rear of the room.
The last few months we have had a series of hearings on the VA
claims processing system, which resulted in the Full Committee passing
the Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008, HR
5892. I have been very pleased with the bill's progress and am grateful
that we have 30 cosponsors already.
However, during the course of those hearings, I often heard words
like ``confusing,'' ``misinformed,'' ``stigmatizing,'' and
``overwhelmed'' to describe how veterans felt about accessing their
duly earned VA benefits. It occurred to me that there was a secondary
problem that was not internal to VA operations, but indicative of its
outreach to the veterans they were supposed to be serving. Benefits
information was not getting out in clear, simple language that was
consistent and easy to use.
As many of you may know, the House recently passed the Veterans'
Benefits Awareness Act of 2007, H.R. 3681, which authorizes VA to
advertise. DoD knows how to advertise. Congress gave DoD that authority
in the 1950s and since then they have inspired many to join ``The few,
the proud'' or to ``Be all that you can be.'' Today, DoD also even uses
TV commercials to educate the military community about its Military
OneSource support program.
But, beyond the issue with advertising that I hope H.R. 3681 will
address, I felt we needed this oversight hearing to examine the
effectiveness of all of the VBA's outreach efforts, and asked staff to
further investigate. During that process, it became evident that there
were a lot of inconsistencies and gaps in how VA is informing the
public about its benefits and services.
Staff found it difficult to readily ascertain what--in fact--
official VA information was, and what was incorrect. Even with all of
the joint councils between VA and DoD, there is no clear ability to
correctly find VA through DoD sources. For example, DoD has three
websites that offer service members transition assistance, but none
that connects with VA and when calling the DoD Military OneSource toll
free line, the operator gives the incorrect call line for VBA. It took
staff almost 30 minutes, three phone calls, and six menu options to get
to the right VBA operator to get claims questions answered. At what
point would a disabled veteran have quit--stressed, frustrated, and
worst of all, unassisted?
Veteran Service Organizations and other nonprofits, which are doing
their best to assist veterans, families, and survivors, are left on
their own to create veterans' benefits messages and lines of
assistance, which sometimes link to VA, but often do not. I believe it
is VA's responsibility to create promotional and educational materials
that these organizations could use, so that VA is readily recognizable
and available no matter how the veteran finds it.
There have also been inconsistencies reported in how VA conducts
in-person outreach. VA is a primary component of the Transition
Assistance Program or TAP briefings that take place for separating
active duty service members, National Guard, and Reserves. VA reports
that it attends these briefings when it knows they are taking place.
But, they are not always notified by the military commands when a
briefing is scheduled, and that not everyone eligible attends. DoD, in
turn, has been reluctant to mandate TAP because it does not control all
of the resources. VA representatives have been known to not show up for
their portion of the briefing. TAP and the Benefits Delivery at
Discharge program are not as readily available to the National Guard,
Reserves, or Medical Hold patients. VA dismantled its Office of
Seamless Transition and replaced it with Federal Recovery Care
Coordinators who primarily operate out of VHA, not VBA. VA began a Call
Center program to contact veterans about their benefits, but only after
suicide rates became known. It seems clear that VA needs a more
proactive outreach approach.
Each area of the country has its own unique challenges in meeting
its populations' needs. That is why I am glad that we have veteran
service organizations and state and county representatives with us
today who can address the issues associated with reaching rural or
urban communities, women and minorities, younger and older veterans, or
those living in impoverished conditions. I look forward to their
testimony and hearing about their innovative practices and the outreach
gaps that they have identified.
I also look forward to the Ad Council testimony to hear what they
can teach us about advertising veterans' benefits. They have helped
other Federal agencies teach us that ``Only You Can Prevent Forest
Fires'', how to ``Take A Bite out of Crime,'' and that ``Friends Don't
Let Friends Drive Drunk''. Interestingly, their genesis was with the
War Department, which immortalized Rosie the Riveter and warned, ``Lose
lips sink ships.'' Currently, they are working on PSAs with the Iraq
and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Furthermore, family members, caregivers, and survivors new to VA's
lingo, jargon, and acronyms, need materials and briefings that are
user-friendly with personnel dedicated to assisting them. On April
24th, I held a roundtable discussion with organizations that assist
survivors. They brought the need for a VA Survivor Affairs Office to my
attention. So, I have developed a draft bill that would create such an
office and will be asking the organizations for their feedback shortly.
Finally, I am hopeful that the Departments will be able to provide
insights regarding their joint efforts and cooperation with each other
to provide materials, briefings, and Internet and telephonic assistance
that is accurate, consistent, and readily available. Web links are
simple--it is shameful that such an obvious outreach tool has eluded
the Departments and needs congressional oversight.
Bringing our men and women home is a responsibility that we all
share. It is great to see the efforts being made by the communities all
around this Nation to support our veterans, especially those with
disabling conditions. However, these efforts should be augmentations to
the ones being provided by the Departments. I hope the message VA gets
today is how to do better messaging--to create outreach materials,
announcements, web resources and briefings that are tailored to its
different audiences and can talk to veterans, families and survivors in
clear, simple language that will make them see VA as a user-friendly
resources and truly there for their benefit.
Prepared Statement of Hon. Doug Lamborn,
Ranking Republican Member,
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.
I am pleased to have this opportunity for a collective discussion
on the Department of Veterans Affairs' outreach efforts.
I believe VA is doing a much better job of reaching OIF/OEF
veterans now than it was at the beginning of the War on Terror.
This is a commendable development, and I hope that a comparable
improvement can be achieved in VA's efforts to reach older veterans.
Veterans cannot obtain the benefits they have earned if they don't
know they are eligible to receive them.
I am concerned that despite millions of dollars spent on outreach
every year, we have not effectively reached many veterans of earlier
conflicts.
It is for this reason, I was proud to join with my colleagues in
supporting H.R. 3681, the Veterans' Benefits Awareness Act of 2007,
which passed the full House this week.
This measure, introduced by my good friend and Ranking Member of
the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity John Boozman, authorizes VA to
conduct national advertising campaigns for benefits outreach.
I believe that with the enactment of this bill and help from groups
like the AD Council, VA will be able to create public service
announcements that will provide effective outreach for all veterans.
The Department of Defense spends billions each year on recruitment
ads, and I believe that if VA spent just a fraction of this amount it
would be very effective for outreach purposes.
Mr. Chairman, I would also like to recognize and thank veterans'
service organizations for their outreach efforts to veterans and I
encourage them to continue their excellent work.
I look forward to our witnesses' testimony and a productive
discussion on ways to improve VA outreach. I yield back.
Prepared Statement of Tammy Duckworth,
Director, Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, and Member,
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs
I would like to first thank the Subcommittee on Disability
Assistance and Memorial Affairs for holding this hearing today and
providing the opportunity to testify on this extremely important issue.
I'm here on behalf of the National Association of State Directors of
Veterans Affairs, of which I am a member.
Each year state Governments spend more than $4 Billion to support
our nation's veterans and their families. Collectively, we are second
only to the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs in providing
benefits and services to the men and women who defended our Nation.
Although each state is unique, with its own traditions, programs, and
resources, we are united by our common goal to make a difference in the
lives of our veterans.
The members of National Association of State Directors of Veterans
Affairs bring together the best of all states and territories. We work
together to find real solutions to the common problems we face, and the
pooling of expertise and knowledge allows our organization to serve as
a resource for each state, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and
Congress.
We all know that at this point, over six years into the current
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a need to increase awareness
among veterans about the benefits that are available to them. These are
benefits that they have rightfully earned and deserve. We need to use
every tool possible to ensure that they know about what benefits are
available to them and their family members.
Outreach is the key, especially with the returning veterans of
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom who have young
families and are facing plenty of challenges when they return home.
Educating them about their benefits through outreach and reaching them
right now is essential to their future wellbeing.
As a veteran of the Iraq war, an advocate for fellow veterans, and
the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, I can
assure you that we are in dire need of additional resources at the
state level to reach the new generation of veterans and to maintain
communication with previous generations. Specifically our aging Vietnam
veterans who are retiring or are reaching retirement age and have
increasing healthcare needs.
Most of the states have the capability and infrastructure to
increase outreach but need the resources to do it. The members of
National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs would like
to Congress pass a Federal grant program to provide outreach to
veterans regarding available benefits, programs, services. We strongly
believe that outreach grants should be provided through the state
veterans' agencies [S. 1314].
Let me explain how this would work. In Illinois, we have 73 Veteran
Service Officers (VSOs) who are trained and certified by the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans, their families and
their survivors in completing applications for state and Federal
benefits. They are located in 51 offices throughout the state of
Illinois. These Service Officers are a part of the community and in the
communities already, so they have the ability to reach veterans in ways
that the Federal Government cannot.
The Veteran Service Officers work in conjunction with the Federal
Government because they are trained and certified to assist veterans in
applying for Federal benefits. In addition, there are state benefits
that they make veterans aware of that are especially helpful to them
and their family members. So, increasing funding for outreach through
the states would give veterans the opportunity to find out about and
take advantage of their state and Federal benefits.
Like many states, Illinois is extremely generous in state benefits.
These benefits include additional compensation, education, healthcare,
housing, burial, employment, real estate, and permits. They also assist
incarcerated veterans due for release. They do not, however, recruit
veterans into any of the veterans' organizations.
If the Federal Government invested in that structure of veteran
service officers currently existing in the states and in communities
across the country, they could provide the successful outreach that is
needed to assist these veterans. A Federal grant program can provide
outreach to veterans regarding available benefits, programs and
services. Again, we strongly believe that outreach grants should be
provided through the state Veterans' agencies.
We also firmly believe that the states ability to educate veterans
on Federal benefits would be greatly enhanced if the Federal Department
of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense would share
information with the states about when the veteran comes home. This
information would allow states to better serve the veteran on their
arrival or soon thereafter.
For example, when a service member returns from Iraq or
Afghanistan, the State of Illinois does not know that he or she has
returned to the state unless they enter one of our offices or we are
contacted by another Government entity. It is often when a veteran has
already had some type of issue that we hear from them instead of having
the ability to reach out to them beforehand.
For example, if a recently returned veteran of the war in Iraq is
having trouble dealing with the symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder, he or she might self medicate with alcohol. If that
veteran is drinking and driving and is pulled over for a DUI, we will
hear from the State Police first, before we can tell that veteran about
the assistance that might be available for symptoms of PTSD, like the
VA helpline or the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program. That is a sign
of a broken system.
If the Federal Government shared information about returning and
existing veterans, it would greatly increase our collective outreach
capabilities because the states can assist in getting these veterans
their Federal benefits. As you know, states already have plenty of
programs in different areas that allow for sharing of information with
the Federal Government.
Currently, in cases of the veteran population, the Federal
Government will share information when they are entering our veteran
nursing homes. As part of that information sharing with the Federal
Government, the states are regularly inspected and audited. These are
procedures that states are already familiar with and complying with on
a regular basis. This should reassure the Department of Veterans
Affairs that the states are willing and capable to adhere to any
Federal privacy of data regulations.
If the Federal Government shared information with the state when a
veteran returns home, we would increase the outreach capabilities for
the Federal Government and assist the veteran in making a smoother
transition back to civilian life.
Again, I would like to thank the Subcommittee on Disability
Assistance and Memorial Affairs for holding this hearing today and the
opportunity to testify on this extremely important issue. The members
of National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs will
continue to work together to assist our nation's veteran population in
every way possible.
Thank you.
Statement of Darlene McMartin,
President, National Association of County Veterans Service Officers
Introduction:
Chairman Hall, members of the Subcommittee, it is truly my honor to
be able to present this testimony before you. As President of the
National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO), I am
commenting on NACVSO's views on the effectiveness of Veterans Benefits
Administration's Outreach Efforts.
The National Association of County Veterans Service Officers is an
organization made up of local Government employees. Our members are
tasked with assisting veterans in developing and processing their
claims. A large percentage of the claims presented to the Veterans
Administration each year originate in a county veterans office. Each
day, our members sit across from those men and women who wish to file a
claim each day. They are our friends and neighbors, members of our
communities whom we see often daily. We exist to serve veterans and
partner with the National Service Organizations and the Department of
Veterans Affairs to serve veterans. Our Association focuses on
outreach, standardized quality training, and claims development and
advocacy. We are an extension or arm of Government, not unlike the VA
itself in service to the nation's veterans and their dependents.
In this changing world there is a need for multiple approaches to
outreach. Today, we have in our Nation veterans of WW2, Korea, Vietnam
and those just returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Veterans
Benefit Administration (VBA) has a monumental task of reaching each of
these veterans and making sure they understand the benefits available
to them.
Veterans' Outreach Improvements:
There is a clear need that veterans being discharged from active
duty, especially during time of war, have access to information
concerning VA benefits entitlement. Often veterans are just glad to be
going home and are not concerned with what benefits may be available to
them. NACVSO proposes a partnership of the local County Veterans
Service Officers, VA and DoD to reach out and assist the returning
veterans in their local area.
A first step would be providing the CVSO's a copy of the DD-214 and
the addition of the veterans' cell phone number in the mailing address
after separation block of the DD-214. This would provide the CVSO a
ready tool for reaching out to the veteran. Additionally, NACVSO
subscribes to Chairman Filner's solution to the problem of veterans
suicides, that requires the military to use qualified physicians to
interview every member before separation and determine who is in need
of treatment while still on active duty, has merit and is probably the
only way to reach every soldier. Additionally we believe that anyone
found to be suicidal should be retained and transferred to the VA for
treatment just as a soldier with a seriously physical injury. Those who
are in need of treatment for a less serious diagnosis should be given a
Fee Basic Card, for use in the local community with a five year renewal
with VA approval.
Veterans Outreach Background:
Across our Nation there are veterans that do not think they are a
veteran because they did not lose a limb or get injured in anyway. They
came home and started to work to support their families. They have
never looked for any help from the Government. When the veteran dies
their families still do not know they are entitled to benefits just
because their husband or father served his country. These are the
people that need outreach. They are mostly lower income and have never
reached out to the VA and therefore they don't think they are entitled
to this help.
I look at rural and urban America and see the great need to make
these veterans aware of the benefits that they deserve, that are earned
entitlement not welfare. These veterans have never made use of the
VAMCs, the GI Bill, Home Loan, Pension or Compensation Benefits. They
just served their country and came home. It is so rewarding when you
meet one of these veterans and tell them what they may be entitled to
and see the hope on their face. It sometimes means the difference in
eating or buying medicine. I am sure if a study was completed you would
see a large number of rural veterans have never used the VA for any
service and did not know they could. The VA has a responsibility to
reach out and make everyone aware of their entitlement. One of the ways
is for the County Veterans Service Officer to spread the word. To go
into the communities with the message those veterans and their
dependents have benefits due them. While many counties do fund a County
Veteran Service Officer, the vast majority do not provide funding for
outreach and other informational services.
Outreach efforts must be expanded in order to reach those veterans,
dependents and survivors that are unaware of their benefits and to
bring them into the system. Nearly 2 million poor Veterans or their
impoverished widows are likely missing out on as much as $22 billion a
year in pensions from the U.S. Government, but the Department of
Veterans Affairs has had only limited success in finding them,
according to the North Carolina Charlotte Observer.
Widows are hardest hit. According to the VA's own estimate, only
one in seven of the survivors of the nation's deceased Soldiers,
Sailors, Airmen and Marines who likely could qualify for the pension
actually get the monthly checks. What's more, participation in the
program is falling. Veterans and widows are unaware that the program
exists. They simply don't know about it and the VA knows that many are
missing out on the benefit. ``We obviously are here for any veteran or
survivor who qualifies,'' said a VA Pension official. ``But so many of
these people--we don't know who they are, where they are. ``The VA's
own report from late 2004 recommended that the agency ``improve its
outreach efforts'' with public service announcements and other pilot
programs. While it made limited efforts to reach veterans or their
widows through existing channels, it is difficult to determine whether
such efforts have been successful.
Of all those likely eligible, only 27 percent of veterans and 14
percent of widows receive the money. It is obvious that there is a
great need for outreach to into the veteran's community and the local
CVSO is the advocate closest to the veterans and widows and with
minimal funding could reach the maximum number of eligible veterans and
widows.
Therefore, NACVSO continues to support H.R. 67, introduced by
Congressman Mike McIntyre of North Carolina, and S. 1315, by Feingold
of California, both Outreach Bills that would allow Secretary Peake to
provide Federal, state, local grants and assistance to state and county
veteran's service officers to enhance outreach to veterans and their
dependents. We are already present in most communities and stand ready
to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs with this monumental task.
Conclusion:
This concludes my comments. I am ready to answer any questions the
committee may have. Thank you.
Prepared Statement of Richard A. ``Rick'' Jones,
Legislative Director, National Association for Uniformed Services
Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Lamborn, and members of the
Subcommittee:
On behalf of the National Association for Uniformed Services
(NAUS), I am pleased to be here today as you examine the effectiveness
of VBA outreach efforts.
The National Association for Uniformed Services celebrates its 40th
year in representing all ranks, branches and components of uniformed
services personnel, their spouses and survivors. NAUS membership
includes all personnel of the active, retired, Reserve and National
Guard, disabled veterans, veterans community and their families. We
also serve as the main contact for the Society of Military Widows. We
support our troops, honor their service, and remember our veterans,
their families and their survivors.
While much publicity is directed at VA outreach to health care, the
question at hand for today's hearing is whether similar attention is
being delivered to addressing the problems associated with VBA.
Clearly, the benefit programs under the jurisdiction of VBA,
including the provision of disability compensation payments, fulfill a
primary obligation to make up for the economic and quality of life
losses veterans suffer as a result of service-connected diseases and
injuries. While we can never fully repay those who have stood in harm's
way, a grateful Nation has a duty and obligation to provide benefits
and health care to its veterans as a measure of its share of the costs
of war and national defense.
Understanding the benefits side of the Department, it must also be
clearly understood that VBA is closely linked to the Health side of the
VA. Both focus on securing appropriate attention to the relief of
eligible veterans and serve in coordinating a veteran's earned benefits
and services.
As the National Association for Uniformed Services assesses the
effectiveness of VBA outreach, we believe it is important that we first
have an understanding on the number of OEF/OIF troops using the
Department's health care system.
At present, approximately 1.6 million troops have served in the two
theatres of operation since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan. More than 837,000 Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans have left active duty and become
eligible for VA health care since fiscal year 2002. According to the
Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately half these veterans are
former active duty troops (414,588) and half are Reserve and National
Guard members (422,870).
As is well known, advancement in battlefield medicine has improved
the chances of survival in warfare. However, many of our present day
wartime casualties suffer from multiple severe injuries such as
amputation, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). Care for these individuals requires an intense
management of treatment for their injuries and special consideration of
their families who stand by these returning heroes.
Reports from VA indicate that from fiscal year 2002 through the
current date 39 percent (325,000) of the total separated OIF/OEF
veterans have obtained VA health care. Among this group, 96 percent
were evaluated and been seen as outpatients only, not hospitalized. The
remaining 4 percent (13,000) OIF/OEF patients have been hospitalized at
least once in a VA health care facility.
VA informs the National Association for Uniformed Services that of
the OIF/OEF veterans who have sought VA health care approximately
166,000 were former active duty troops and 159,000 were Reserve and
National Guard members. Again, the population seeking care is nearly
half active duty and half Reserve Component troops.
In total, over the last six years VA reports that 6 percent of the
5.5 million veterans in the VA medical care system are veterans of the
most recent military conflict, OEF/OIF veterans.
The Department attributes the rate of VA health care used by recent
veterans to two major factors. First, the department says that recent
combat veterans have ready access to the VA system, which is free of
charge for five years following separation. In addition, the Department
attributes a high rate of veteran participation is due to an extensive
outreach effort developed by VA to inform veterans of their benefits,
including ``a personal letter from the VA secretary to war veterans
identified by DoD when they separate from active duty and become
eligible for VA benefits.''
The National Association for Uniformed Services applauds the
recent, May 1, Department announcement of a dedicated outreach program
directed at nearly 570,000 Afghanistan and Iraq combat veterans. The
effort, according to VA, is to make sure these veterans are aware of
``VA's medical services and other benefits for which they are
entitled.'' In making the announcement, James B. Peake, Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, said, ``VA is committed to getting these veterans the
help they need and deserve.''
The newly initiated VA Outreach program is set out in two phases.
Phase one will contact ``the estimated 17,000'' who are sick or injured
in Iraq and Afghanistan. VA assures the public that each of these
veterans will have ``the opportunity'' to have a care manager appointed
to their case. It is not clear to NAUS how this choice will be
presented, but we understand the faith with which it is being
presented.
The second phase of VA's outreach program will target 550,000 OIF/
OEF veterans who have been separated from military service but have not
sought VA care or services. We are encouraged to hear Dr. Edward
Huycke, chief of the VA-DoD coordination office, say, ``We will leave
no stone unturned to reach these veterans.''
In examining the effectiveness of the outreach effort, it is
important to recognize the stark difference in today's VA's language
over that used in the recent past several years. We commend this change
in expression and tone.
However, we remain attentive to see that the most recent effort and
the improved tone it reflects does not fail. Clearly there are
concerns. Residue from a previous attitude remains within the system.
We are seriously concerned, for instance, about reports at the
Temple, Texas, VA Medical Center, which suggest that time and money
could be saved if diagnosis of PTSD were stopped or deeply discounted.
A PTSD program coordinator and psychologist at the Olin E. Teague
Veterans Center sent an email with the subject line ``Suggestion'' to
several VA staffers working with PTSD cases. The email suggested that
VA doctors and clinicians give altered diagnosis to patients exhibiting
symptoms of PTSD in order to save time and money. In the email, the
staffer said, ``We really don't . . . have time to do the extensive
testing that should be done to determine PTSD.''
In a statement, however, VA Secretary Peake repudiated the email
and said, ``a single staff member, out of VA's 230,000 employees, in a
single medical facility sent a single e-mail with suggestions that are
inappropriate and have been repudiated at the highest level of our
health care organization.''
The National Association for Uniformed Services appreciates the
Secretary's promise to see that VA gives ``absolute accuracy in a
diagnosis.'' His immediate response and public commitment to veterans
is welcome and well received. Nevertheless, the incident is deeply
troubling because veterans not only need to hear about the services
they earned and deserve; they need to know that once they come to VA
their exams are completed and their services are delivered.
Mr. Chairman, as we head into Memorial Day next week, your
Subcommittee takes a good, well-traveled road. In sending young men and
women to defend our Nation, it is important that we let them know what
our great and generous country provides them following their service.
Indeed, we have a strong moral obligation to do so because without
American patriots in uniform freedom itself might well be extinguished.
It is clear to NAUS that veterans are generally more aware about
the availability of benefits and services than they were four to six
years ago. Not everything is perfect and we can do better. But things
are improved.
Six years ago, for instance, the administration was deeply opposed
to spending resources aimed at making veterans aware of the benefits
and services available at the Veterans Department. And facilities were
in decline.
At one point in that past period, a former Secretary of Veterans
Affairs told the Nation that the Department budget was adequate. This
announcement, made in April of that year, told Congress that VA did not
need one-penny more. However, only a month later the Secretary reversed
his statement to tell the Nation that his Department would fall $1.5
billion short of the resources needed to carry veterans services
through the remainder of the year.
Prior to this revelation, NAUS and other associations had presented
ample witness to deficiencies throughout the system. We pleaded with
Congress and the Administration that funding levels were totally
inadequate and, if not addressed, would lead to cuts in veterans health
care services, reductions in veterans education benefits, and logjams
in veterans disability claims for service connected injury or illness.
During that period, things were so bad that a memorandum sent out
by the Deputy Under-Secretary for Operations and Management (July 19,
2002) actually directed all of its health care providers to stop
marketing VA programs to veterans.
In basic, the July 2002 memo said too many veterans were coming in
for services and VA was spending too much money. It directed VA
officials across the country to ``Stop Outreach to Veterans.'' VA
employees were directed to stop participating in VA health fairs, Stand
Downs and related outreach events that informed veterans about programs
available to them. Medical facilities were prohibited even from putting
out newsletters informing veterans about the services they were legally
entitled to receive.
We are thankful that we no longer face that deeply troubling
period. If such heartless, shameful incompetence were in place today,
many of OEF/OIF would struggle alone.
Studies conducted by The Army surgeon general's Mental Health
Advisory Team clearly show that our troops and their families face
incredible stress today. According to the Department of Defense (DoD),
27 percent of noncommissioned officers on their third or fourth tour
exhibited symptoms commonly referred to as post-traumatic stress
disorder. That figure is far higher than the roughly 12 percent who
show those symptoms after one tour and the 18.5 percent who demonstrate
these disorders after a second tour.
And among the approximately half-million active-duty soldiers who
have served in Iraq, more than 197,000 have deployed more than once,
and more than 53,000 have deployed three or more times.
A recent Rand Corporation study suggests that almost half of these
returning troops will not seek treatment. Many of these veterans do not
believe they are at risk or they fear that admitting to a mental health
problem will mean being stigmatized. Yet if these brave individuals and
their families are made aware of access to VA facilities, to which they
are entitled, they are likely to find a treatment therapy that leads to
health.
If not addressed, stress symptoms can compound and lead to more
serious health consequences in the future.
Secretary Peake's recent announcement presents an opportunity for
veterans to become more aware of VA's accessibility and readiness to
meet their health care needs. The Secretary's effort is commendable. In
some cases, a successful outreach can be a matter life and death.
Veterans need to hear that VA is part of our nation's commitment to
them. They need to hear that with appropriate care, our veterans can
tackle stress and get themselves back on track.
NAUS believes that Secretary Peake's announcement marks a turning
point in outreach efforts. We are guardedly optimistic. But it is clear
that more needs to be done, including follow-through throughout the VA
system.
Of course, there is a financial cost to improved outreach. But as
important is the fact that if we do not make veterans aware of the
benefits and services available to them, there is a hidden cost in
lives lost, families disrupted and long suffering in homelessness and
related problems for decades to come.
We urge the Subcommittee to continue its excellent work with other
champions in this Congress to ensure resources are ready not only for
the provision of a veteran's earned benefits but for the veteran's
awareness of these services as well. It is important that we do so.
After all, these brave men and women shouldered a rifle and risked
everything to accomplish their mission, to protect another people's
freedom and our own country from harm.
As a Nation, we need to understand that the value of their service
is far greater than the price we pay for their benefits and services.
Appreciation for Opportunity to Testify
As a staunch advocate for veterans, the National Association for
Uniformed Services recognizes that these brave men and women did not
fail us in their service to country. They did all our country asked and
more. Our responsibility is clear. We must uphold our promises and
provide the benefits they earned through honorable military service.
Mr. Chairman, you and the members of your Subcommittee are making
progress. We thank you for your efforts and look forward to working
with you to ensure that we continue to protect, strengthen, and improve
veterans benefits and services.
Again, the National Association for Uniformed Services deeply
appreciates the opportunity to examine with you outreach efforts to
veterans, families and survivors on the benefits available to them.
Statement of Kathryn A. Witt,
Member, Government Relations Committee, Gold Star Wives of America,
Inc.
``With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in
the right, as God gives us to see right, let us strive to finish the
work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who has
borne the battle, his widow and his orphan.''
. . . . President Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, March
4, 1865
Thank you for your invitation to testify before the Subcommittee on
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the Committee on Veterans
Affairs.
I am Kathryn Witt, and I am the widow of SGM Keith M. Witt, U.S.
Army (Retired). I would like to say that my husband received excellent
care and superb service from our local VA and VA Medical Center.
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. (GSW) was founded in 1945 and is a
Congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organization comprised of
surviving spouses of military service members who died while on active
duty or as a result of a service-connected disability. GSW currently
has approximately 10,000 members who are surviving spouses of those who
served in World War II, the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the current
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other smaller conflicts.
Survivors Office
GSW would very much like to see a Survivors Office at the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Ideally a Survivors Office would
represent survivors at the Policy level as well as have personnel who
are trained to assist survivors with claims and provide the necessary
information on survivor benefits and how to apply for them.
Survivors are often referred to and thought of as family members,
but survivors really are not family members. Survivors are a separate
and distinct category of beneficiaries. The VA benefits survivors
receive are very different from the benefits of other beneficiaries.
GSW has numerous reports of survivors who have called the VA
Regional Offices and either been given erroneous information,
incomplete information or no information. Apparently the personnel
answering the phones have little or no training on survivor benefits
and no readily accessible source for survivor benefit information.
Ideally claims for survivor benefits would also be handled
exclusively by this office and routine, properly documented claims
could be expedited.
We have numerous complaints from all categories of survivors who
have filed for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and waited
months and years for a routine, properly documented application to be
processed. In some instances these spouses have lost their homes,
ruined their credit ratings, had to file for bankruptcy, or had to
defer needed medical care or go heavily in debt to obtain medical care.
The spouses who suffer the most in this particular situation have been
long term caregivers for their husbands who had a service connected
disability and have therefore been unable to maintain a career or
acquire personal resources.
Army Long Term Family Care
The Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs office of the Human
Resources Command in Alexandria, VA, provides training and Army
certification on VA survivor benefits to every Army Casualty Assistance
Officer (CAO). The Army Long Term Family Care office gives every
survivor a loose leaf notebook that contains a copy of the VA handbook,
``Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents'' and lists of mailing
addresses, website addresses and phone numbers the survivor might need
in addition to the necessary Army information. The Casualty Assistance
Officer also assists the survivor in locating a VA office and filing
the necessary VA claims. The Army Long Term Family Care office also
offers assistance to surviving spouses and children for as long as they
need assistance. Although the primary mission of the Army Long Term
Family Care office is to assist survivors of Army personnel who died on
Active duty, they will also assist survivors of other military
services, retired survivors, and veterans when they are asked to do so.
These folks do a tremendous job of assisting survivors and others in
need of assistance. This program should be duplicated for all the
military services. This Army Long Term Family Care office would be an
extremely good model for a VA Survivors Office.
National Service Officers Trained on Survivor Benefits
Our recent surviving spouses are overwhelmed with grief and with
everything that needs to be done when their military spouses die. Some
are not even aware that they are entitled to VA benefits; others do not
know the benefits to which they are entitled, let alone how to go about
obtaining those benefits. They are confused about which benefits are
from DoD and which benefits are from the VA. Some are unaware that they
must file a claim for VA survivor benefits.
Training for the National Service Officers (NSO) from the Veterans
Service Organizations (VSO) should include a substantial segment on
survivor benefits. Training on survivor benefits should also be
available to members of organizations like GSW.
ChampVA and Medicare Part B
ChampVA requires disabled surviving spouses under the age of 65 to
purchase Medicare Part B at a cost of approximately $100 per month.
Many disabled surviving spouses are not aware that ChampVA requires
that they purchase Medicare Part B to retain their ChampVA benefits.
The requirement for disabled surviving spouses to purchase Medicare
Part B needs to be revoked, but at a minimum an outreach program needs
to be established to ensure that disabled surviving spouses are aware
of the need to purchase Medicare Part B in a timely manner.
In most cases they were not made aware of the requirement to
purchase Medicare Part B until ChampVA denied coverage for medications
or a claim was denied. When they discovered that they had to purchase
Medicare Part B, they were also required to pay penalties and interest.
Only those receiving Social Security Disability payments under the
age of 65 are required to purchase Medicare Part B. Enabled persons
under the age of 65 entitled to ChampVA are not required to purchase
other health insurance to receive ChampVA benefits. The Federal
Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) does not require those under 65
to purchase additional health insurance to receive benefits from FEHBP.
This ChampVA requirement not only discriminates against the disabled,
but it is levied against those least able to pay.
GSW strongly recommends that all those entitled to Medicare Part B
purchase it; however we believe that the ChampVA requirement to
purchase it discriminates against the disabled and is just plain wrong.
Military ID Cards
GSW also has many members who are unaware that they are entitled to
a military identification card for commissary and exchange privileges
if their deceased spouse was a 100 percent disabled veteran, and they
are eligible for DIC. These surviving spouses are not receiving the
information or the required letter from the VA. Additionally, the
personnel in the military who are supposed to issue the identification
cards do not know how to get the information into the various computer
systems as required and therefore cannot issue the identification
cards. Outreach to the surviving spouses who are eligible for the
military ID card and more coordination with DoD would be very much
appreciated.
Property Taxes Exemptions and Reductions
Many of our surviving spouses are entitled to property or real
estate tax exemptions on their homes. In some states the VA provides
letters to these surviving spouses that are to be given to their local
tax office to verify that they are entitled to this exemption or
reduction. In some cases the surviving spouse receives the letter from
the VA and has no idea what the letter is for or that he or she is
entitled to a property tax exemption or reduction. In other states the
surviving spouse is aware that she is entitled to the property tax
exemption or reduction, but no one at the VA who is familiar with this
issue and either can provide her with the appropriate letter or refer
her to someone who can provide the letter. We need more outreach and
clarification on this issue.
Newsletter
One way to increase outreach to survivors might be to have a newsletter
for survivors.
As the cost of printing and mailing a newsletter would be
prohibitive, I would suggest that a survivors' newsletter be attached
to the VA website www.va.gov. The website could contain a request that
those who read the online newsletter pass a link to others in a similar
situation. There should also have a subscriber list so that either
copies of a new newsletter could be emailed to them or a notice that a
new newsletter is available could be mailed to them.
The newsletter could contain information about changes in VA
benefits, new benefits, COLAs, etc. Each addition could contain an
article about an existing benefit, the criteria for receiving that
benefit and how to apply for that benefit. It could include the email
addresses and phone numbers a survivor might need to obtain information
about different benefits. It could also contain a ``contact us'' link
that would allow a survivor to ask questions and a database of prepared
answers to frequently asked questions.
As we all know, improvements and new ideas are needed to make the
VBA outreach efforts more effective.
Thank you for this opportunity to testify before you today.
Statement of Kerry Baker,
Associate National Legislative Director, Disabled American Veterans
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
On behalf of the 1.3 million members of the Disabled American
Veterans (DAV), I am honored to appear before you today to discuss the
effectiveness of the Veterans Benefits Administration's (VBA's)
outreach efforts. In accordance with our congressional charter, the
DAV's mission is to ``advance the interests, and work for the
betterment, of all wounded, injured, and disabled American veterans.''
Such a goal is not attainable for all disabled veterans without proper
outreach efforts.
Outreach to service members, veterans, and their dependents is an
integral part of the VBA. Outreach is a cooperative effort among the
five VBA business lines (Compensation and Pension, Education, Loan
Guaranty, Insurance, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) and
among VA elements including field organizations, VHA, NCA, and the
Office of Public Affairs (OPA). This testimony will focus on VBA
outreach centered in the field of compensation and pension.
In June 2006, Congress passed the ``Veterans' Housing Opportunity
and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006'' (S. 1235). Pub. L. No. 109-233,
Title IV, Sec. 402(a), 120 Stat. 408 (codified at 38 U.S.C. chapter
63). Congress intended this legislation to, among other things, improve
and extend outreach and benefits programs provided under the laws
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (the ``Secretary'').
Congress declared in S. 1235 that the outreach services program is
to ensure that all veterans (``especially those who have been recently
discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service and
those who are eligible for readjustment or other benefits and services
under laws administered by the Department'') are provided timely and
appropriate assistance to aid and encourage them in applying for and
obtaining benefits. Such benefits and services are to assist those
veterans in achieving a rapid social and economic readjustment to
civilian life, and to obtain a higher standard of living for themselves
and their dependents. Specific to the outreach services program
authorized by S. 1235, Congress charged the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) with ``the affirmative duty of seeking out eligible
veterans and eligible dependents and providing them with such
services.'' 38 U.S.C.A. Sec. 6301(a) (West 2002 & Supp 2007).
Under section 6302 of the forgoing statute, the Secretary must,
during the first nine months of every odd-numbered year (2007 being the
first odd-numbered year), prepare a biennial plan for the outreach
activities of the VA for the two-fiscal-year period beginning on
October 1 of that year--October 1, 2007, was the beginning of the
current two-fiscal-year period. The statute requires the VA to include
the efforts in each biennial plan utilized to identify eligible
veterans and dependents who are not enrolled or registered for benefits
or services under the programs administered by the VA. The report must
also include plans for informing eligible veterans and dependents of
modifications of the benefits and services under the programs
administered by the VA. Based on DAV's research, we must conclude that
the VA has failed to issue this report, despite its due date of October
1, 2007.
In carrying out the purposes of title 38, United States Code,
Chapter 63, the VA is required to provide outreach services as follows:
(b) Individual notice to new veterans. The Secretary shall by
letter advise each veteran at the time of the veteran's
discharge or release from active military, naval, or air
service (or as soon as possible after such discharge or
release) of all benefits and services under laws administered
by the Department for which the veteran may be eligible. In
carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure,
through the use of veteran-student services under [38 U.S.C.A.
Sec. 3485] that contact, in person or by telephone, is made
with those veterans who, on the basis of their military service
records, do not have a high school education or equivalent at
the time of discharge or release.
(c) Distribution of information. (1) The Secretary--
(A) shall distribute full information to eligible veterans
and eligible dependents regarding all benefits and services to
which they may be entitled under laws administered by the
Secretary; and
(B) may, to the extent feasible, distribute information on
other Governmental programs (including manpower and training
programs) which the Secretary determines would be beneficial to
veterans.
(2) Whenever a veteran or dependent first applies for any
benefit under laws administered by the Secretary (including a
request for burial or related benefits or an application for
life insurance proceeds), the Secretary shall provide to the
veteran or dependent information concerning benefits and health
care services under programs administered by the Secretary.
Such information shall be provided not later than three months
after the date of such application.
Through this Act, Congress also mandated that VA provide, ``to the
maximum extent possible, aid and assistance (including personal
interviews) to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and eligible
dependents with respect to subsections (b) and (c) and in the
preparation and presentation of claims under laws administered by the
Department.'' 38 U.S.C.A. Sec. 6303(d).
In December 2006, Congress passed another bill affecting, among
other things, outreach to veterans concerning health care: The
``Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of
2006'' (S. 3421). Pub. L. No. 109-461, Title II, Sec. 213(a), 120 Stat.
3422. Since health care is not the subject of this hearing, we are
providing this for informational and persuasive purposes only. In the
foregoing section of S. 3421, Congress mandated the following:
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct an extensive
outreach program to identify and provide information to
veterans who served in the theater of operations for Operation
Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom and who reside in
rural communities in order to enroll those veterans in the
health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs during
the period when they are eligible for such enrollment.
The foregoing provisions of law, and other existing provisions,
have proven rather successful in ensuring that Operation Enduring
Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans receive outreach
that truly sets new standards for the very proposition. For example,
According to VA Pamphlet 2-01-08, which briefly outlines the
Department's strategic goals, OEF/OIF initiatives are reported as
follows:
In 2007, prioritized claim processing for OEF/OIF
veterans, finalizing claims received in an average of 110 days.
Hired 100 new outreach coordinators to provide services
to returning OEF/OIF veterans.
Created an Advisory Committee on OEF/OIF Veterans and
Families to advise the Secretary.
Coordinated 8,236 transfers of OEF/OIF service members
and veterans from a military treatment facility to a VA medical
facility.
Received 39,000 referrals from the Post Deployment Health
Reassessment (PDHRA) initiative.
Participated in 805 PDHRA On-Site and 247 Call Center
events since November 2005. A total of 32,321 referrals were made to
VAMC and 15,842 to Vet Centers.
Contacted 91% of severely injured or ill OEF/OIF service
members/veterans, by a VA case manager, within 7 days of notification
of transfer to the VA health care system.
In addition to the above, VBA employees conducted 8,154 Transition
Assistance Program (TAP) briefings in 2007 with 296,855 attendees,
including 100,976 individual interviews. Through April of FY 2008,
those numbers are 4,877; 195,037; and 47,909 respectively. The Disabled
Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) works in conjunction with the TAP
program for those members leaving service because of disability.
Under the Veterans Assistance at Discharge (VADS) program, VA
generates the mailing of a ``Welcome Home Package'' that includes a
letter from the Secretary, VA Pamphlet 21-00-1, A Summary of VA
Benefits, and VA Form 21-0501, Veterans Benefits Timetable, to all
veterans recently separated or retired from active duty. A follow-up
letter is mailed six months later.
The Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program is a program that
provides transition assistance and continuity of care to service
members who are separating from active duty. Under the BDD Program,
service members may begin the disability claims process with VA up to
180 days prior to separation. As of December 2006, there were 140 BDD
sites that actively process claims from separating service members. VA
and DoD signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in November 2004 which
established a Cooperative Separation Process/Examination under the BDD
program. The MOA stipulates that only one examination is to be
conducted, using VA protocols, which meet the needs of VA and DoD.
Another program, Coming Home to Work (CHTW) is an early outreach
effort with special emphasis on OEF/OIF service members at military
treatment facilities who are pending medical separation from active
duty. Participants work with a VA Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
(VRC) to obtain unpaid work experiences at Government facilities to
learn skills they may use to ease transition to civilian employment.
The VA and DoD are also collaborating to ensure VA is notified of
service members referred to the Physical Examination Board (PEB) who
may be medically separated or retired and transitioning to VA and
civilian life. Under this initiative, DoD is providing VA with the
names of service members entering the PEB process. The monthly list
enables VBA to contact service members who have not yet applied for
disability compensation to ensure that they are informed of potential
benefits administered by VA.
The VA now employs Casualty Assistance Officers (CAOs) that visit
family members of veterans who die on active duty and assist them in
applying for benefits. The visits are coordinated with military CAOs to
ensure that family members are aware of and linked with the necessary
VA services.
In addition to the foregoing, the VA recently announced in an April
24, 2008, Department News Release that beginning May 1, 2008, VA would
``begin contacting nearly 570,000 recent combat veterans to ensure they
know about VA's medical services and other benefits.'' The News Release
quoted the Secretary as stating: ``We will reach out and touch every
veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom to
let them know we are here for them,'' and that ``VA is committed to
getting these veterans the help they need and deserve.''
A contractor-operated ``Combat Veteran Call Center'' will telephone
two distinct populations of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. In the
first phase, calls will go to an estimated 17,000 veterans who were
sick or injured while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. The VA will offer
these veterans a ``care manager'' to ensure they each receive
appropriate care and know about their VA benefits.
The second phase will target 550,000 OEF/OIF veterans who have been
discharged from active duty but have not contacted VA for services.
Once contacted, these veterans will be informed about VA's benefits and
services. VA employees will make follow-up calls if needed. The Chief
of the joint VA and Department of Defense coordination office, Dr.
Edward Huycke, was quoted in the News Releases stating: ``We will leave
no stone unturned to reach these veterans[.]''
These outreach efforts are truly unprecedented. They appear to be
mainly the result of Congress' passage of S. 1235. However, these and
other ongoing outreach efforts may be in part the result of the
``Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004'' (S. 2486), passed in
December 2004. Pub. L. No. 108-454 (see Title VIII, Sec. 805).
Just as section 402 of S. 1235 requires VA to prepare a 2-year plan
for outreach activities, for which it has not complied, section 805 of
S. 2486 also requires a similar plan, but for which it has only
partially complied. Specifically, section 805 of S. 2486 requires the
Secretary to submit a report to Congress setting forth a detailed
description of:
(1) the outreach efforts of the [VA], as of the date of the
enactment of this Act, to inform members of the uniformed
services and veterans (and their family members and survivors)
of the benefits and services to which they are entitled under
laws administered by the Secretary, and (2) the current level
of awareness of those members and veterans (and family members
and survivors) of those benefits and services.
Congress required this report to include the following:
1. A description of the outreach activities conducted by the
Secretary in each of the three Administrations of the [VA] and
outreach activities conducted by other entities within the
Department.
2. The results of a national survey, conducted as described
in subsection (c), to ascertain service members' and veterans'
level of awareness of benefits and services referred to in
subsection (a) and whether service members and veterans know
how to access those benefits and services.
3. Recommendations by the Secretary on how outreach and
awareness activities to veterans and service members may be
improved.
The national survey required by subsection (b)(2), is outlined in
subsection (c), and must include a statistically valid sample of
persons in each of the following groups:
1. World War II veterans;
2. Korean conflict era veterans;
3. Vietnam era veterans;
4. Persian Gulf era veterans;
5. Active duty service members;
6. National Guard and Reserve members activated under title
10, United States Code;
7. Family members and survivors
Public Law 108-454 prompted VA to publish an Interim Report on
Outreach Activities (Interim Report) in December 2006, despite its due
date to Congress of December 2005.
The VA claimed that its Interim Report complied with the first and
third requirements of P.L. 108-454. However, as to the second
requirement, that VA report on the results of a national survey of
service members and veterans to determine their level of awareness of
benefits and services available to them, the Interim Report states that
``VA reviewed all available survey and program data, but none was able
to provide us with a comprehensive or objective measure of awareness.''
The reason given by VA for its noncompliance with the second
requirement of P.L. 108-454 was that ``existing information was
collected only from those veterans who were already receiving a VA
service or benefit. This excluded the possibility of measuring
awareness among all populations identified.''
To address this deficiency, the Interim Report states that VA's
Office of Policy and Planning (OPP) is planning a Department-wide
effort to develop awareness measures and implement these measures in
the conduct of the next national survey scheduled for 2008.
Acknowledging this, the DAV senses a disconnect between Congress'
mandate and the VA's resulting actions.
For example, P.L. 108-454 expressly requires VA to conduct a survey
that includes a statistically valid sample of the following: (1) World
War II veterans; (2) Korean conflict era veterans; (3) Vietnam era
veterans; (4) Persian Gulf era veterans; (5) active-duty service
members; (6) National Guard and Reserve members activated under title
10, United States Code; and, (7) family members and survivors. The VA
is then required to use the results of that study to determine the
collective awareness of benefits and services available to those groups
under laws administered by the Secretary.
The VA's actions were nothing more than a review of available data
on-hand, followed by a determination that the available data did not
comply with Congress' mandate. Further, the VA's plan to utilize the
previously scheduled 2008 national survey as its compliance with
requirement two of P.L. 108-454 will continue to be in non-compliance
with that requirement. Moreover, the DAV does not believe that the VA
could have possibly complied with the third requirement of P.L. 108-
454, that it recommend how to improve outreach and awareness
activities, before it is able to understand the true results of the
second requirement of P.L. 108-454.
The DAV can only commend VA's outreach efforts concerning the
newest generation of veterans--efforts that are unprecedented in the
entire history of the VA. These new veterans will not live a single
year, much less multiple decades, ignorant of the benefits that they
have earned. Their lives, shattered by disability and the unshakable
memories of war, will be set forth on a path of improvement and
rebuilding immediately upon discharge from service.
Nonetheless, we can and do condemn the VA for practically ignoring
all other groups of veterans. In the 2004 legislation mentioned herein,
Congress made clear its intentions for the VA to locate and reach out
to those older groups of veterans, and we commend it for such. In turn,
the VA failed to honor the mandate of Congress and it appears poised to
continue such failure.
Congress' mandate in the 2006 legislation mentioned herein
concerning older groups of veterans was much more discretionary,
however. See 38 U.S.C.A. Sec. 6301(a) (stating ``purpose'' of outreach
services program as to ensure all veterans ``especially those who have
been recently discharged . . . and those who are eligible for
readjustment or other benefits . . .'' are provided assistance to aid
and encourage them in obtaining benefits). While the statute's language is
not all-inclusive to the newest generation of veterans, it is certainly
suggestive of such. Therefore, we fault Congress for allowing this slight
discretion--we fault the VA for capitalizing on such discretion.
The DAV firmly believes that VBA's outreach efforts should be
uniformly distributed across the veteran population, which includes the
newest generation, the greatest generation, and everyone in-between.
The reasons for this are obvious.
For example, according to the 2001 National Survey of Veterans
(NSV), there were approximately 25,095,000 living veterans in 2001. Of
those, veterans of World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam
War, made up 73.5 percent, or 18,444,825 of all living veterans as of
2001. Of those, 8,193,824 were reported as combat veterans. Yet,
according to the survey, only 2.3 million total veterans were receiving
compensation as of September 2000. In contrast; however, only 19,246
veterans 56 years old and older began receiving benefits for the first
time in 2001.\1\ In 2005, 68,195 veterans over the age of 56 began
receiving benefits for the first time; 67,629 veterans over the age of
56 began receiving benefits for the first time during FY 2006.\2\ The
VA's ABR for FY 2007 has not yet been published. However, a
recapitulation of DAV's monthly reporting system for the past 16 months
reveals the DAV represented 2,611 World War II veterans, 3,391 Korean
War veterans, and 26,869 Vietnam War veterans that received new awards
for service-connected disabilities for the first time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ VBA Annual Benefits Report Fiscal Year 2006 (ABR 2001 et seq.),
Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, p.
20.
\2\ ABR 2005, 2006.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To put these numbers into a different perspective, approximately 10
percent of World War II veterans, 5 percent of Korean War veterans, and
12 percent of Vietnam War veterans are service-connected for
disabilities incurred during military service. These numbers are scant
when compared to the percentage of discharged OEF/OIF veterans already
receiving benefits. By 2007, there was slightly more than 630,000 OEF/
OIF veterans discharged from service.\3\ Approximately 224,000 of these
veterans filed disability compensation claims well before the end of
2007, which is over 35 percent. Approximately 70 percent of those
claims, or 156,800, which is nearly 25 percent of the total number of
discharged OEF/OIF veterans, resulted in a favorable decision.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Blimes, Linda. Soldiers Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan:
The Long-term Costs of Providing Veterans Medical Care and Disability
Benefits. John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Jan. 2007.
\4\ VA Pamphlet 2-1-08.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The above numbers do not show that OEF/OIF veterans are disabled at
more than twice the rate of older veterans, but that they are receiving
benefits at over twice the rate. The VA's current and unprecedented
efforts of placing phone calls to nearly 600,000 OEF/OIF veterans will
undeniably increase the rate of which the newest generation obtains
benefits when compared to veterans of past wars, which is already, on
average, an approximate 3 to 1 ratio.
Do not interpret the DAV's position as one of disagreement with
enhanced outreach for the nation's newest veterans. Rather, we feel
that the lopsided degree of outreach to these new veterans in
comparison to the outreach offered to our oldest veterans, has now
reached a level of absurdity. World War II veterans are still receiving
benefits, by the tens of thousands, for the first times in their entire
lives--between six and seven decades after their service. This same
group continues to die at approximately 1,000 per day. Many have died
and will continue to die without ever receiving the benefits to which
they are lawfully entitled, not because VA refused to grant such
benefits, but because many simply never knew they were ever entitled to
any benefits.
In light of the laws passed in 2004 and 2006, it is apparent that
the VA does not have any plans to reach out to the older groups of
veterans in the same manner they are reaching out to the newest group
of veterans. Congress can and should rectify this situation by removing
the discretion provided to the VA in 38 U.S.C.A. Sec. 6301(a), which
allows it to place emphasis on newly discharged veterans by stating:
``especially those who have been recently discharged or released from
active military, naval, or air service and those who are eligible for
readjustment or other benefits and services under laws administered by
the Department.'' This change would require VA to focus on outreach
efforts that would apply equally to veterans of all wars.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony and I will be pleased to
consider any questions by you or other members of the Subcommittee.
Statement of Jacob B. Gadd,
Assistant Director, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission,
American Legion
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for this opportunity to present The American Legion's
view on the effectiveness of Veterans Benefit Administration's (VBA's)
outreach efforts. The American Legion commends the Subcommittee for
holding a hearing to discuss the importance of benefit outreach to
veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in the last several years,
has improved its outreach efforts, especially its efforts to reach and
inform active duty service members preparing to leave the military. The
American Legion remains concerned, however, that many transitioning
service members, especially those returning from Operations Enduring
Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF) are not being adequately advised
of the benefits and services available to them from VA and other
Federal and state agencies. This is especially true of Reserve and
National Guard Units that are often demobilized at hometown Reserve
Centers and National Guard armories, rather than active duty
demobilization centers.
VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) have made strides toward
improved outreach. The number of Transitional Assistance Program (TAP)
and other military services briefings conducted by VBA has steadily
increased since 2003, as has the number of service members attending
the briefings. VA also mails all recently separated or retired service
members a ``Welcome Home'' package that includes both a pamphlet,
summarizing available VA benefits, and a veterans' benefits timetable.
Unfortunately, VA's efforts regarding TAP are hampered by the fact
that only one of the services, the Marine Corps, requires its
separating members to attend these briefings. This flaw in the system
did not escape the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) and
resulted in the recommendation that Congress mandate TAP briefings and
attendance throughout DoD. The American Legion strongly agrees with
that recommendation. In order for all separating service members to be
properly advised of all VA benefits to which they may be entitled, it
is crucial that Congress adequately fund and mandate both TAP
availability and attendance in all of the military services.
VA also affords separating service members the opportunity to start
the disability claims process, at least 6 months prior to separation
from active duty, through its Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD)
program. Unfortunately, this program is not available to all separating
service members with service-related medical conditions as the program
is only available at 140 military installations. Necessary measures,
including adequate funding, should be taken to ensure that all
separating service members, including members of the National Guard and
Reserve, have the opportunity to participate in the BDD process, if
they so desire.
Vet Centers
The American Legion believes that VA needs to ensure that future
Vet Centers are positioned to reach as many rural veterans as possible.
Although Vet Centers have extensive outreach plans, more outreach is
needed to reach other groups of veterans who may not know they are
eligible to use Vet Centers or those who may not be familiar with the
program in general. Many veterans learn of Vet Centers by word of
mouth. Reaching veterans residing in rural areas will be a challenge.
Surely, the 100 new Vet Center GWOT outreach coordinators that will be
hired will also enhance outreach to eligible veterans. VA's plan to
create 23 new Vet Centers by the end of 2008 will bring the number of
Vet Centers to 232. This will improve access to readjustment services
for many combat veterans and their families, some of which reside in
underserved areas.
Other Outreach Efforts
An overall weakness in VA's outreach program is that its efforts to
target veterans already in the VA system. Often times, various
informational mailings discussing changes in law, new benefit
entitlements, and other pressing issues are only sent to individuals
who are currently receiving VA benefits, or those who participated in
one of VA's various registry programs, such as Gulf War or Agent
Orange. VA also makes such information available at its medical centers
and outpatient clinics. We realize that it may be easier to locate and
contact veterans that are already being served by VA or have been in
the past. Unfortunately, this method drastically limits the number of
veterans reached since many are not currently receiving VA benefits or
being treated at a VA medical facility. In fact, there are many
veterans that have never even applied for VA benefits.
These are the veterans who fall through the cracks, especially when
it comes to being advised of changes in law or regulation, or the
addition of new benefits to various presumptive categories, that could
directly affect their eligibility to receive various benefits. For
example, it is not unusual for American Legion Service Officers to
encounter ``in-country'' Vietnam veterans diagnosed with type II
diabetes that are not aware they are eligible to receive disability
compensation and free VA health care for the condition, despite the
fact the disability was recognized as an Agent Orange/herbicide
presumptive disability 7 years ago. In most, if not all, of these cases
the veteran was not currently in the VA system. It is very apparent
that VA needs to expand its outreach efforts to reach these veterans.
VA should expand its use and distribution of public service
announcements, press releases and other media tools, especially in
instances where the information affects a large number of veterans, in
order to reach veterans that do not have any current or past
affiliation with VA. The American Legion also encourages VA to enhance
its outreach efforts by working closer with Veterans' Service
Organizations (VSO), utilizing VSO publications to reach veterans VA
may not otherwise be able to reach.
American Legion Outreach Programs
Department (State) Service Officers
Department Service Officers have specialized training and
experience with VA regulations and are familiar with the many VA
programs and services. They provide an invaluable service to veterans
as this service is free and the veteran does not have to be member.
When a veteran contacts The American Legion National Headquarters,
views our website, or speaks to a Legion member, they are referred to
that state's Department Service Officer. A Post Service Officer's Guide
is distributed to 14,000 posts nationwide to help answer benefit
questions which also serves as a referral source for veterans wishing
to file claims.
Heroes to Hometowns
In an effort to increase transparency and cooperation between DoD
and the American people, The American Legion entered into an
understanding with the Office of the Secretary of Defense's (OSD)
Office of Military Community and Family Policy (MCFP) under the
authority of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military
Community and Family Policy, Leslye A. Arsht, to assist in outreach and
assistance efforts to transitioning severely injured service members.
The American Legion agreed to provide outreach support to the military
community's severely injured as they transitioned home through a
program known as Heroes to Hometowns. This program embodies The
American Legion's long standing history of caring for those ``. . . who
have borne the battle . . .'' and their families.
Heroes to Hometowns is designed to welcome home service members who
no longer serve in the military. The American public's strong support
for our troops is especially evident in their willingness to help
service members who are severely injured in the war, and their ever-
supportive families, as they transition from the hospital environment
and return to civilian life. Heroes to Hometowns is a program that
focuses on reintegration back into the community, with networks
established at the national and state levels to better identify the
extraordinary needs of retuning families before they return home and
the local community to coordinate Government and non-Government
resources as necessary for as long as needed.
There are three charter members in each State's Heroes to Hometowns
Executive Committee, each uniquely able to contribute to overall
support with the ability to tap into their national, state, and local
support systems to provide essential links to Government, corporate,
and non-profit resources at all levels and to garner the all important
hometown support.
State Heroes to Hometowns Committees are the link between the
Military Treatment Facilities and the community. The charter members
consist of the State Office of Veterans Affairs, the State Transition
Assistance Office and the State's veterans community represented by The
American Legion. Heroes to Hometowns is a collaborative effort and The
American Legion leads communities in preparation to support returning
service member in areas such as:
Financial Assistance;
Finding suitable homes and adapting as needed;
Home and Vehicle repairs;
Transportation for veterans to medical appointments;
Employment and educational assistance;
Child care support;
Arrange Welcome home celebrations;
Sports and recreation opportunities
When transitioning veterans request assistance via a web-form or
brochure available through The American Legion, the veteran's contact
information is shared with the State Executive Committee. The American
Legion State offices refer the veteran's request to the local Post,
which connects with the veteran to provide assistance. The American
Legion focuses on those needs not provided by Federal and state
agencies.
To assist in the coordination of community resources, The American
Legion supports OSD's Military Homefront Online Support Network for
military personnel and community organizations to connect and
collaborate. Located at www.homefrontconnections.mhf.dod.mil, this
online network is dedicated to citizens and organizations that support
America's service men and women. Through the support network, veterans
can easily identify and quickly connect with national, state and
community support programs.
In 2007, the Heroes to Hometowns program expanded its vision to
include all transitioning service members, to include the underserved
National Guard and Reserve components. Currently, the National Guard
and Reserve do not have mandated TAP briefings when demobilizing. This
hard to reach population primarily lives in rural America, disconnected
from the traditional services provided by DoD or VA. The American
Legion, with its 2.7 million members and 14,000 posts, reaches into
these rural communities conveying a consistent message of strong
support for America's military personnel; the veteran who return home;
care for the veteran's family; and a patriotic pride in America. With
the Heroes to Hometowns program, The American Legion reaches out to
provide support long-after the deployment is over.
Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Program
The American Legion is a staunch supporter of VA's Voluntary
Service (VAVS) program. In fiscal year 2007, some 7,527 regularly
scheduled Legionnaires volunteered 909,137 hours at 167 VA facilities.
Legionnaires volunteer at VA Medical Centers (VAMCs), Community-Based
Outpatient Clinics, Vet Centers, and many other locations in support of
hospitalized veterans.
The American Legion recently entered into a pilot program with VA
in creating Heroes to Hometowns VA Volunteer Coordinators at 10 VAMCs.
These coordinators will work with the VAMC Social Work offices and
identify transitioning service members' needs with community resources.
Currently, The American Legion is working with the VAVS program to
increase the level of community support at VAMCs. By providing
volunteer outreach training and resources to support a sustained
outreach program, The American Legion is working to prepare the
American Homefront for the return of our fighting men and women.
Department of Veterans Affairs OEF/OIF Welcome Home Celebration
The American Legion is an active participant in the annual OIF/OEF
``Welcome Home'' Celebration Event held at VAMCs nationwide. This event
is designed to provide outreach services and offer valuable
information, education and support to transitioning service members and
their families. Legionnaires answer questions about veterans' benefits,
filing claims and military discharge review requests. Here in
Washington, D.C., during the Welcome Home event held at the DC VAMC,
medical staff enrolled transitioning Marines into the VA medical system
for their five years of free medical services, while community
volunteers provided an environment of support with live music, food and
valuable information about veterans' benefits and local community
resources.
The American Legion Magazine
The American Legion uses a multimedia approach to its outreach. The
American Legion Magazine has historically provided valuable and timely
information on the issues facing America's veterans. This tradition is
carried on into the 21st century via The American Legion website,
www.legion.org, a hub for information, resources and specific points of
contact for local assistance. A full library of informative brochures,
outline the leading issues facing America's veterans today to the
furthest reaches of the American landscape. At any point, a
transitioning veteran may receive assistance from The American Legion
via informational brochures, printed media, web-based request forms, a
1-800 call center, state veterans' service officers and most
importantly, the local American Legion post.
The American Legion Local Post
The American Legion Post is important in providing direct outreach
as it provides a common meeting place for veterans and their families.
The local Post may be the first place a veteran stops when returning
home. It may be the first place where the community as a whole thanks a
returning veteran for their service and sacrifice.
Department of Virginia American Legion Post 270 is a leading
example of the support provided by The American Legion family. Each
year the food manufacturer ``Newman's Own'' awards financial grants to
organizations that support the military. In 2004, Post 270 was awarded
the Newman's Own ``Best Volunteer Program in the Country Supporting Our
Active Duty Military and their Families'' for the post's outreach to
Walter Reed Medical Center. All across America, American Legion Posts
have partnered with businesses to assist returning veterans find
gainful employment. Most notably, The American Legion has partnered
with Military.com and Recruit Military on veteran-targeted job fairs.
Within the past month, The American Legion worked with Walter Reed
Medical Center to host a career and benefits fair for the injured
service members in outpatient care. Employers, many veterans
themselves, meet with injured servicemembers and their supporting
family member in a relaxed atmosphere. Servicemembers and family
members were able to have dinner and meet with employers from all
across the nation.
The American Legion works closely with the DoD, VA and the
Department of Labor (DOL) to assist transitioning veterans in accessing
their benefits and resources in order to reach their fullest potential,
regardless of location or disabilities. The American Legion believes
that more emphasis should be placed on Heroes to Hometowns and programs
that allow transparency within the Government and utilizes the
established resources with communities to fulfill the unmet needs of
transitioning servicemembers. The American Legion has a proud history
of securing and protecting the earned benefits of America's veterans.
The American Legion stands ready to continue this legacy today by
caring for those veterans returning from the current conflicts.
Conclusion
Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for allowing The American Legion to
present comments on these important matters. As always, The American
Legion welcomes the opportunity to work closely with you and your
colleagues to reach solutions to the array of problems discussed here
today that are in the best interest of America's veterans and their
families.
Statement of Kate Emanuel, Senior Vice President,
Non-Profit and Government Affairs, The Advertising Council
Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Committee, thank you
for asking the Ad Council to testify today. My name is Kate Emanuel and
I oversee nonprofit and Government affairs for the Ad Council.
Background about the Ad Council
The Ad Council was founded in 1942 when the leading advertising
executives of the day were asked to rally both funds and moral support
necessary for America to win WWII. Working in tandem with the Office or
War Information, the Ad Council created campaigns such as Buy War
Bonds, Plant Victory Gardens, Rosie the Riveter's ``We Can Do it'' and
``Loose Lips Sink Ships.'' After the war, the Ad Council's leadership
decided to carry on their mission and help the country tackle peace-
time issues. More than sixty-five years--and thousands of campaigns--
later, the Ad Council remains America's leading producer of public
service communications.
The nonprofit Ad Council represents a unique collaboration between
the advertising, media, and business communities. Advertising agencies
throughout the country lend us their best and brightest talent to
develop our campaigns pro bono and the media generously donate their
advertising time and space to deliver our messages to the American
people. Their collective donation of volunteer labor and free media is
extraordinary: Last year, the Ad Council received over $2 billion in
donated media on behalf of our fifty-plus PSA campaigns.
Through the years, taglines like ``Only You Can Prevent
Wildfires'', ''A Mind is A Terrible Thing to Waste'' and ``Friends
Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk'' have become part of our society's
vernacular. And as society has changed, so too has the Ad Council.
Whether it was polio in the '50s, the Peace Corps or racial
discrimination in the '60s, pollution in the '70s, AIDS in the '80s,
recycling in the '90s, the Ad Council continues to address the most
pressing social issues of the day. Today, the Ad Council's docket
includes campaigns addressing childhood obesity, autism, global
warming, Internet safety, financial literacy, and cyberbullying to name
just a few.
Although most Americans can assuredly recite Ad Council slogans, Ad
Council PSAs are not just memorized--they mobilize. For example:
-- Since its launch, the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services' Adoption campaign has received $150 million in
donated media and more than 13,000 new families have started
the adoption process with the hope of giving a child from
foster care a permanent home.
-- The Ready campaign--which encourages Americans to prepare
for all kinds of emergencies--has garnered more than $676
million in donated media over the last 4\1/2\ years. The
Ready.gov website has received more than 27 million unique
visitors and 2.1 billion hits.
-- In just the first six months of the Big Brothers Big
Sisters' Mentoring campaign, calls to the hotline increased by
more than 2,000%. Mentoring applications soared from 90,000 a
year to 620,000 in nine months, a sevenfold increase.
-- The first year of NHTSA's ``Buzzed Driving'' campaign
generated nearly $80 million worth of donated media support,
leading to campaign awareness of at least 4 in 10 members of
the target audience nationwide.
Ad Council's partnership with the Federal Government
The Ad Council is an organization with a rich history of partnering
with the Federal Government and stepping in when the country is facing
a crisis. Just as the Ad Council created ads shortly after the attacks
on Pearl Harbor, the organization created its ``I am an American''
campaign within days of the 9/11 attacks, providing inspiration, hope
and healing to all Americans. Additionally, PSAs addressing the flu
vaccine shortage sought to encourage Americans who weren't at risk to
give others ``a shot''. The Ad Council also joined with former
Presidents Bush and Clinton to urge Americans to support the tsunami
relief efforts and later, Hurricane Katrina.
Presently, we have 22 campaigns with the Federal Government which
comprise approximately 50% of our docket. We work with many of the
Federal departments and agencies, including Transportation, Justice,
Energy, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Homeland
Security, EPA and the Library of Congress. We address a host of social
issues in tandem with these Federal partners, including obesity, gun
violence, financial literacy, energy efficiency, wildfire prevention,
drunk driving, disaster preparedness and literacy. A full list of our
campaigns and summaries are attached.
The way we work is that our ``sponsor''--either the Federal
Government or a non-profit organization--pays for hard costs to produce
the PSA campaign. They also serve as the issue expert. The Ad Council
brings on a pro bono ad agency to develop the creative work and we then
distribute the PSAs to the media, via a nationwide network of over
33,000 media outlets (TV, radio, print, outdoor, out-of-home, and
Internet).
While most of our campaigns attempt to raise awareness, inspire
action or change behaviors, we do have some historic campaigns that
were created to promote awareness of Federal benefits. For example, in
2003, we partnered with the National WIC association to generate
awareness of the WIC program and communicate its benefits to women and
children who are in need of assistance. We also partnered with HHS on a
campaign to raise awareness about the SCHIP program in the early
1990's.
Somewhat related, we partnered with the Department of Defense's
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) on a campaign that
targeted employers to continue their support for their employees in the
Guard and Reserve during training or active duty periods. This nine-
year campaign encouraged employees to learn their rights and
responsibilities for their active duty employees.
Ad Council's Best Practices
Whether it is promoting awareness about a social issue or a Federal
benefit, the Ad Council recommends the following best practices for
creating effective, sustainable and motivating PSA campaigns.
Identify a Core Target Audience: In the world of
advertising, there is nothing more important than knowing your audience
and public service advertising is no exception. A successful media
campaign must know what the target audience thinks about the issue and
the most effective way to communicate its message. In addition, a PSA
should stick to one target audience and not try to be all things to all
people. This entails gathering all credible and existing research about
the campaign subject matter and obtaining new information through focus
group research. This research will guide strategic development, help
determine breakthrough language, and ensure the creation of a message
that resonates with the target audience. In addition, target-audience
attitudes and behaviors should be tracked before and throughout the
course of any campaign to measure its impact.
Know the PSA Proposition: A good PSA is one that takes a
complex issue and drills it down to an individual action that is
achievable. So, for example, we know that a PSA campaign can't
eliminate health disparities, discrimination, poverty or global
warming. But, if done right, a motivating and simplified campaign can
encourage someone to speak out against racism, lead a healthy
lifestyle, reduce their carbon footprint or mentor a child. And
recognize when a PSA campaign is not the best way to go. Some issues
simply don't work well with PSAs--messages that only affect a small
percentage of the population, are time sensitive or messages that
advocate.
Stick to One Idea: An effective PSA--whether it's a TV or
radio spot, newspaper or print ad, web banner or billboard--should say
one thing. The most reliable way to ensure focused advertising is to
start with a single-minded creative brief which serves as the strategic
blueprint for your campaign. It should address these core elements: 1)
background (why are we advertising?); 2) target audience (who are we
talking to?), 3) strategic insight (what will get their attention?); 4)
main message (what should the advertising say?); 5) support (why should
they believe us?); 6) call to action (what do we want them to do?)
Let your website do the heavy lifting: Keep your PSA
message single-minded and let your ``back end'' (i.e. your website and
collateral materials) convey in-depth information about your issue. All
PSAs should include a concise and easy to remember url that links to a
website that is easy to navigate and entertaining yet instructive. Make
sure the website keeps to the campaign's message and doesn't overwhelm
the user. Typically, the Ad Council creates separate campaign websites
for our Federal Government partners so that the public is directed to a
very user-friendly website. Please find attached screen grabs of the
homepages of a handful of the Ad Council's campaigns with the Federal
Government, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(www.smallstep.gov), U.S. Army (www.boostup.org), U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office (www.inventnow.org), EPA (www.noattacks.org), USDA
(www.mypyramid.gov), U.S. Forest Service (www.smokeybear.com), SAMHSA
(www.whatadifference.org) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security
(www.ready.gov).
Finally, allocate the proper resources for site updates and
maintenance and refresh the content as often as you can.
Think beyond your website: Once a PSA has been seen,
heard, read or clicked, it needs to provide information so that the
public can find out where to get help or offer their support. Depending
on your target audience, you may want to go beyond just a website and
have a comprehensive fulfillment program (i.e 1-800 number, collateral
materials, curriculum, posters, etc.)
Strive for Creative Excellence: Great creativity can
strike a chord and motivate people to change. When creating PSAs, keep
in mind these general creative themes:
Talk to the audience as you would a friend
If possible, entertain them
If needed, make them uncomfortable . . . to a point
Once you've got them, don't ask for too much (i.e.
``Visit a website to learn more'', ``Speak to your kids about
their friends'', ``Take the keys from a drunk driver'')
Highly motivational and creative advertising not only inspires
consumers, but it's more likely to motivate the media (i.e. a PSA or
community affairs manager) to donate their time or space. Establishing
a review panel of experts from the advertising industry can help ensure
first-rate creative messages. For example, to maintain its top quality
creative work, the Ad Council has an advisory group comprised of the
top creative minds in the advertising industry that reviews each
campaign at specific points in the campaign development cycle
(strategic development, concept development and rough cuts) in order to
ensure the best execution of the research-based strategy.
Think Long Term: Effective public service media campaigns
require a sustained level of advertising--over the long term--to effect
change. In the Ad Council's experience, in order for any campaign to
penetrate the American collective consciousness and change overall
behaviors, a PSA effort must be at least three years in duration and is
most effective over five years or more. In fact, the Ad Council's most
effective PSA campaigns are the longest running: ``Smokey Bear'',
``McGruff the Crime Dog'', ``Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk'',
``A Mind is A Terrible Thing to Waste'', and ``Vince and Larry, the
Crash Test Dummies''.
Seek regular and frequent exposure: The most compelling
PSA is powerless without regular public exposure, which is increasingly
challenging in today's cluttered media PSA environment. Thus, creating
a media outreach strategy and forming innovative partnerships with
media outlets are critical to maximizing a PSA's exposure. In addition,
conducting local and community media outreach greatly enhances a
campaign's media support.
Another factor contributing to high levels of donated media
support is the number of options provided to media outlets. Ideally,
PSAs should be produced in as many lengths or sizes as possible. This
gives the PSA Directors the flexibility to run spots that target their
specific audiences, and fit within their programming schedule needs.
Rely on Multi-Media outlets: A PSA campaigns must be able
to mold its message to the current media and remain flexible for
change. Campaign messages should be produced and distributed in
multiple media formats for maximum success, such as broadcast
television, cable, radio, magazine, newspaper, outdoor, Internet and
theater and other ``new'' media opportunities. Therefore, understanding
the ongoing changes to the media landscape is essential to
communicating effectively.
In fact, some of the Ad Council's campaigns that target
youth--such as our campaign with the U.S. Army on high school drop out
prevention--actually lead with interactive components, not traditional
PSAs. For example, the ``Boost up'' campaign consists of a virtual
community of support for any teen struggling to make it to graduation.
The campaign relies heavily on user-generated content and mobile
messaging in addition to the most popular social networking sites--
MySpace, YouTube and Facebook. The website (www.boostup.org) serves as
a hub, facilitating conversations and aggregating support, in addition
to serving as a resource to parents and teens. All of these elements
are designed to work together to encourage peer discussion about the
importance of graduating from high school.
Venture Outside the PSA Box: In today's cluttered media
environment, you need to think beyond the PSA and employ a host of
elements to make sure your message reaches your target audience. PSAs
should therefore be part of an integrated, comprehensive approach that
relies on all forms of media as well as new media, public relations,
grassroots marketing, community events, cause marketing, etc. You
should also stay on top of innovative communications tools such as
podcasting, taxi cab tops, in-school programming and other emerging
media outlets such as PDAs, video email, satellite radio and
interactive television.
Find experienced and well-regarded sponsors: Partnering
with a reputable non-profit or Government sponsor, with a strong
national grass-roots and community presence, can help secure donated
media and further the reach of your campaign.
Establish clear metrics for success: No matter how much
donated media a PSA campaign receives, its true success should be
measured by behavior change and awareness building. Establish realistic
measures before your campaign launches, including:
Donated media support
Press coverage
Visits to the website Calls to the toll-free number
Changes in awareness levels
Changes in behavior
The Ad Council conducts extensive research and surveys to
measure the impact of all of our campaigns. Success of a campaign is
measured by tracking donated media (via quarterly reports), tracking
visits to the campaign's website or calls to a toll-free number, and
conducting pre- and post-campaign launch tracking studies that measure
attitudinal, behavioral and awareness shifts among the campaign's
target audience.
Be Flexible and Proactive: Stay on top of consumer trends
and evolve your message over time to maintain relevance. If possible,
work with community-based groups and coalitions to amplify your message
and give it a local face.
Be Patient: Social change is not an overnight phenomenon.
In nearly all instances, changing social norm from a behavior that is
acceptable to unacceptable, or vice versa, takes time, dedication and
continued funding.
Ad Council & IAVA campaign on Veteran Support:
One campaign I'd like to briefly mention today is an effort we're
doing in partnership with the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America or
IAVA.
As you may know, IAVA, founded in 2004, is the nation's first and
largest group dedicated to the troops and veterans of the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan. A nonprofit and non-partisan organization, IAVA
represents more than 90,000 veteran members and civilian supporters in
all 50 states.
The goal of this campaign, which will include TV, radio, print,
outdoor and Internet PSAs, is to decrease the depression and PTSD-
related outcomes among returning veterans. A separate and complementary
effort will create overall support for veterans among the general
public.
As this Subcommittee well knows, as many as 50% of the 1.64 million
veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will struggle with serious
mental health issues. Unfortunately, less than 40% of those with mental
health issues are being treated. Many avoid seeking help because of the
stigmas around seeking treatment or being diagnosed with a mental
illness. Additionally, since Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans make up less
than 1% of the U.S. population, this contributes to the isolation they
feel once they are back in the U.S. and makes connecting with other
vets challenging.
The campaign's advertising objectives will be twofold:
-- To increase the number of veterans who seek treatment for
their mental health issues by connecting them with other
veterans as they all readjust to civilian life.
-- To encourage the families of these vets--relatives, friends
and loved ones--to initiate a discussion about the mental
health issues these vets may be facing. This is important
because we know that veterans who have received help often cite
their family as the catalyst. However, most families don't know
how to broach the subject constructively. The campaign will
provide resources and tips on how to start this oftentimes
difficult conversation.
IAVA and the Ad Council will create a very comprehensive campaign-
specific website with links to resources and an online community
exclusive to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. The online community will
allow vets to simply listen in or share their experiences in a
judgment-free environment. Topics discussed might include jobs, re-
connecting with family, PTSD, benefits, and more. As we develop the
campaign website, we would welcome any guidance the VA wishes to
provide in terms of connecting veterans with the resources available to
them through the VA.
Conclusion
If done right, PSA campaigns can raise awareness, change behaviors
and inspire action. Thank you again for the opportunity to share our
best practices. The Ad Council is happy to provide additional expertise
or assistance as the Subcommittee looks at ways to help our country's
veterans obtain their Federal benefits.
Sample of homepages of Ad Council's Federal Government-sponsored
campaigns:
EPA & childhood asthma (www.noattacks.org):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.001
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & adult and childhood
obesity (www.smallstep.gov):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.002
U.S. Department of Homeland Security & citizen preparedness
(www.ready.gov):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.003
U.S. Department of Agriculture & nutrition education
(www.mypyramid.gov):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.004
U.S. Forest Service & wildfire prevention (www.smokeybear.com):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.005
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration & mental
health anti-stigma (www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.006
U.S. Army & high school drop-out prevention (www.boostup.org):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.007
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office & inspiring invention
(www.inventnow.org):
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T3055A.008
Ad Council's
Federal Government-sponsored campaigns
Presently, the Ad Council has 22 campaigns in partnership with the
Federal Government:
Adoption, Department of Health and Human Services
Booster Seat Education, Department of Transportation
Childhood Asthma, Environmental Protection Agency
Drunk Driving Prevention, Department of Transportation
Emergency Preparedness, Department of Homeland Security
Fatherhood Involvement, Department of Health and Human
Services/Office of Family Assistance
Energy Efficiency, Department of Energy
Financial Literacy, Department of Treasury
High School Drop-out Prevention, U.S. Army
Inspiring Invention, Department of Commerce/U.S. Patent
Office
Lifelong Literacy, Library of Congress
Lupus Awareness, Office of Women's Health/HHS
Mental Health Anti-Stigma, Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration/HHS
Nutrition Education, Department of Agriculture
Obesity (adult and childhood) Prevention, Department of
Health and Human Services
Patient Involvement, Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality/HHS
Reducing Gun Violence, Department of Justice
Suicide Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration/HHS
Teen Dating Violence, Department of Justice
Underage Drinking prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration/HHS
Wildfire Prevention, Department of Agriculture
Campaign Summaries:
Adoption
The campaign aims to significantly increase awareness of the urgent
need for parents to provide loving, permanent homes for foster
children. The campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, the
Adoption Exchange Association and the Collaboration to AdoptUSKids.
Booster Seat Education
This campaign, in partnership with the U.S. Department of
Transportation's NHTSA, addresses the importance of having your child
in a booster seat if they are under 4,9". The goal of this campaign is
to educate parents that a booster seat is a life-saving transition to
an adult safety belt. This campaign is a continuation of another
historic campaign on seat belt education featuring the Crash Test
Dummies, Vince and Larry.
Childhood Asthma
In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this
campaign addresses the pervasiveness of asthma in children affecting
one out of 13 kids under 15, or 5.5 million. The campaign highlights
some unexpected items that can trigger asthma attacks and simple ways
to take care of these items so that they are safer for a child with
asthma. The PSAs direct parents to call 1-866-NO-ATTACKS or visit
www.noattacks.org to learn how to stop asthma attacks before they
start.
Drunk Driving Prevention
This historic partnership with the U.S. Department of
Transportation/NHTSA has saved thousands of lives with its iconic
tagline Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk. Recently, the objective
of the campaign shifted to inspire dialogue and recognition of the
dangers of ``buzzed'' driving and subsequently motivate people to stop
driving buzzed. The campaign hopes to educate people that consuming
even a few drinks can impair driving and that Buzzed Driving is Drunk
Driving.
Emergency Preparedness
In order to encourage more Americans to prepare themselves, their
families and their communities, the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security has sponsored this campaign to educate and empower Americans
to prepare for and respond to all kinds of emergencies. While 91% of
Americans believe it's important to be prepared for emergencies.
However, only 55% of households report having taken any steps at all to
prepare. The PSAs direct audiences to www.ready.gov, a comprehensive
and easy-to-use site that gives Americans the information and tools
they need to prepare for and respond to potential emergencies. The
campaign also has a Spanish language component as well as kid and
business targeted PSAs.
Energy Efficiency
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the objective of the
Energy Efficiency campaign is to redefine how consumers approach energy
efficiency. The campaign, still underdevelopment, targets grade school
children and their parents to promote a lifelong interest in pursuing
energy efficient behaviors.
Fatherhood Involvement
In an effort to show dads the critical role they play in their
children's lives, the Ad Council has partnered with U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services' Office of Family Assistance on a campaign
that communicates to fathers how essential they are to their children's
well-being. The ads conclude with the tagline, ``Take time to be a dad
today'' and encourage fathers to visit www.fatherhood.gov or call 1-
877-4DAD411 to learn how to be more involved dads.
Financial Literacy
Currently in development, this campaign sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Treasury, will target 18-24 year olds with providing
awareness of financial literacy by educating and shaping their
behaviors toward money management and credit before or as bad credit
habits are forming.
High School Drop out Prevention
The Boost campaign gives parents and at-risk teens (who might be at
risk of dropping out of school), a boost to stay in school and
graduate. The PSAs, in both Spanish and English, direct audiences to
visit www.boostup.org for guidance on a range of teen issues, and how
to help teens achieve their full potential and graduate high school.
Inspiring Invention
In an effort to help inspire a new generation of inventors, the Ad
Council has partnered with the United States Patent and Trademark
Office and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation to launch the
Inspiring Invention campaign. The PSAs aim to help children realize
that there is a role for every kind of unique curiosity and imaginative
idea as it relates to invention. The ads urge children ages 8-11 to
make innovation, invention and the development of new ideas an integral
part of their lives and to visit www.InventNow.org, to recognize that
``Anything's Possible. Keep Thinking.''
Lifelong Literacy
The objective of the Lifelong Literacy campaign, in partnership
with the Library of Congress, is to inspire fun and promote literacy in
all types of learning, especially reading. From books to magazines to
comics, reading gives kids the opportunity to explore their
imaginations. The PSAs encourage youth to log on to www.literacy.gov to
discover, learn and explore.
Lupus Awareness, Office of Women's Health/HHS
This campaign, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services' Office of Women's Health, strives to increase
awareness of lupus, its symptoms and health effects. The objective is
to help women, especially minority women who are at greatest risk,
decide whether professional medical evaluation and treatment is
warranted. (Due to the low profile of lupus, its symptoms and health
effects, more than half of those with lupus suffer four or more years
and visit three or more doctors before obtaining a diagnosis. Late
diagnosis contributes to significant morbidity, disability and
mortality.)
Mental Health Anti-Stigma
This campaign aims to decrease the negative attitudes that surround
mental illness. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of HHS' Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the campaign seeks to
reach young adults (ages 18-25) with a message of acceptance and
understanding of mental illness. The PSAs encourage friends to offer
their support to a friend who has been diagnosed with a mental illness.
Nutrition Education
This campaign motivates moms to encourage proper nutrition and
physical activity for their families, emphasizing that a bright future
starts with a healthy lifestyle. The notion that ``Good Nutrition Can
Lead to Great Things'' reinforces that healthy eating and physical
activity are fuel for a kid's mind and body. Sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, the campaign encourages viewers to visit
www.MyPyramid.gov and use the USDA's Food Pyramid as an effective tool
to help their children make healthy choices.
Obesity Prevention
This campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services tackles the consequences of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy
eating habits that have taken over our country. The PSAs communicate
that getting healthy is not impossible, especially if you take it one
``Small Step'' at a time. The PSAs use humor to inspire overweight
adults to incorporate some of the suggested small steps into their
hectic lives.
Childhood Obesity Prevention
This PSA campaign attempts to address the alarming obesity epidemic
that is putting America's children at risk, including physical
troubles, emotional stress and increase incidence of chronic disease.
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
this campaign, which features a fun, interactive website, helps kids
see the lighter side of healthy eating and gives them new reasons to
``eat better.''
Patient Involvement
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead
agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a
mission of improving the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness
of health care for the public. Gaps in the health care system open
patients up to serious medical errors, even under routine
circumstances. Asking questions at every step is an effective defense.
This campaign encourages the public to be active members of their
health care team and delivers actionable, simple ways for people to be
more involved at www.ahrq.gov/questionsaretheanswer.
Reducing Gun Violence
Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and in partnership with
Project Safe Neighborhoods, this campaign takes on the serious threat
of gun violence to America's young people. The PSAs encourage youth to
think about the repercussions of gun crimes and reminds them that the
consequences, death or jail time, just as seriously affect their
families.
Suicide Prevention
The goal of the campaign, in partnership with the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration, is to encourage and educate
parents on ways to get help for their teens who may be at risk for
suicide. (Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24
year olds, following accidents and homicide.) The campaign is still
under development.
Teen Dating Violence
Still under development, this campaign in partnership with the U.S.
Department of Justice, will help teens recognize the ``digital gray
areas'' of teen dating violence.
Underage Drinking Prevention
This campaign seeks to reduce and delay the onset of underage
drinking by increasing communication between parents and youth.
Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, the PSAs encourage parents to talk to their children
early and often about the dangers and consequences of underage
drinking.
Wildfire Prevention
The longest running campaign in Ad Council history, Smokey Bear and
his famous warning, ``Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires,'' is sponsored
by the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State
Foresters. Responding to the massive outbreak of wildfires in 2000, the
campaign changed its focus to wildfires and Smokey's slogan to ``Only
You Can Prevent Wildfires.'' The PSAs direct people to
www.smokeybear.com to learn about wildfires and how we can protect our
forests.
Prior Federal Government campaigns:
Volunteerism
In partnership with USA Freedom Corps, the campaign encouraged
every American to answer the President's Call to Service by engaging in
service to their neighbors, to our Nation and the world. Audiences were
urged to volunteer in a way that reflects their talents and their
interests. To help them find such a volunteer opportunity, they were
offered the option of visiting the USA Freedom Corps Web site, which
features the largest clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities ever
created, or calling a toll-free number (1-877-USA-CORPS) for
information about service opportunities.
Hurricane Katrina:
Hurricane Katrina Relief: Following the devastation of
Hurricane Katrina, the Ad Council created PSAs featuring former
Presidents H.W. Bush and William Clinton asking Americans to
donate to the USA Freedom Corp's Katrina fund.
Hurricane Help for Schools
In response to the destruction and devastation caused by
Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Department of Education, in
partnership with the Advertising Council, produced three public
service announcements featuring Mrs. Laura Bush. The public
service announcements were created in support of school-related
relief efforts--Hurricane Help for Schools--for the hundreds of
thousands of displaced children.
Hurricane Mental Health Awareness
The campaign, sponsored by HHS's Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), helped the survivors
and first responders who were impacted by the hurricanes and
were in need of mental health services. Those affected are
encouraged to take a break, and assess how they and their
families are handling the recovery. They were invited to call a
confidential toll-free number to get help and speak to a
trained mental health professional.
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
This longstanding campaign (1972-2001)--sponsored by the Department
of Defense's National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and
Reserve (ESGR)--targeted employers and directed them to the ESGR to
learn their rights and responsibilities for their active duty
employees.
Voter Registration and Youth Civic Engagement
The U.S. Department of Defense's Federal Voting Assistance
Program's ``Get Out The Vote'' campaign has been a campaign of the Ad
Council's since 1980. Originally created to promote voter registration
and participation in the electoral process among Uniformed Services
personnel stationed abroad, the campaign evolved over the years to
increase civic engagement among 18-24 year olds. The PSAs urge these
young adults (the largest group of non-voters in America) to become
involved in their communities in any way they can, including voting in
local elections, volunteering in their spare time or reading the
newspaper and discussing current events with friends.
Troop Support
Launched in 2006, this campaign, in partnership with the U.S.
Department of Defense, encouraged Americans to participate in
activities that show their support of the troops. The PSAs invited the
public to log on to www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil to find ideas, both
large and small, on how to show their support for the men and women of
the military. (The campaign was an extension of the Department of
Defense's ``America Supports You'' initiative, which launched in
November 2004.)
Statement of Diana M. Rubens,
Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations,
Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, I appreciate the
opportunity to appear before you today. I am pleased to provide
information on the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) outreach
initiatives designed to address the needs of the brave men and women
who are actively serving our country today and those of our
distinguished veterans. I believe that each program I discuss
exemplifies our pursuit of providing the best possible service to our
Nation's greatest heroes.
Benefits Information at time of Induction into Service
Since November 2004, everyone inducted into the five military
branches receives a VA benefits pamphlet at the Military Entrance
Processing Station. This pamphlet provides inductees with basic
information on VA benefits and services at the start of their military
active service. We want to be sure they know that VA will be there for
them in the future.
Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
Transition Assistance Program (TAP) briefings are conducted
nationwide and in Europe to prepare retiring or separating military
personnel for return to civilian life. At these briefings,
servicemembers are informed of the array of VA benefits and services
available, instructed on how to complete VA application forms, and
advised on what evidence is needed to support their claims. Following
the general instruction segment, personal interviews are conducted with
those servicemembers who would like assistance in preparing and
submitting their applications for compensation and/or vocational
rehabilitation and employment benefits.
Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP)
The Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) is an integral
component of transition assistance for servicemembers who may be
released because of disability. Through VA's DTAP briefings, VBA
advises transitioning servicemembers about the benefits available
through VBA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program.
The goal of DTAP is to encourage and assist potentially eligible
servicemembers in making informed decisions about the VR&E program and
to expedite delivery of these services to eligible servicemembers and
veterans.
While TAP and DTAP briefings are central to VA's efforts to inform
servicemembers about VA benefits and services, VA also provides
briefings to servicemembers about military separation and retirement
services programs, military medical facilities, physical evaluation
boards, casualty assistance services, and various other military
liaison activities.
The chart below reflects the number of briefings and personal
interviews conducted by VBA representatives for the past five years.
This includes briefings conducted for regular active duty military
members, pre-and post-deployment briefings for Reserve and National
Guard members, and briefings conducted overseas. VA has increased the
number of briefings presented by 40 percent since 2003.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal Year Briefings Attendees Interviews
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2003 5,840 210,015 102,402
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004 7,834 276,574 122,120
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 8,184 326,664 124,092
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 8,541 393,345 93,431
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007 8,154 296,855 100,976
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008 (Through 3,962 161,749 39,917
March 2008)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)
The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program
provides services and assistance necessary to enable veterans with
service-connected disabilities to become employable or gains in
independence in daily living.
Job Resource Labs were fully deployed in all regional offices in
2006. These labs include all the necessary equipment, supplies, and
resource materials to aid VR&E staff and veterans in conducting
comprehensive analyses of local and national job outlooks, developing
job search plans, preparing for interviews, developing resumes, and
conducting thorough job searches. These self-service job resource labs
aid veterans in the job search process through the use of a
comprehensive online employment preparation and job-seeking tool.
VR&E is also continuing to expand the ``Coming Home to Work''
initiative, which is a collaborative partnership between VR&E and
Federal agencies to provide civilian work experiences to interested
service members who are in a medical-hold status at military treatment
facilities and who meet the eligibility requirements for the VR&E
program.
National Guard and Reserve Members
In peacetime, outreach to Reserve and National Guard members is
generally accomplished on an ``on call'' or ``as requested'' basis.
But, with the onset of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom
(OEF/OIF) and the activation and deployment of large numbers of Reserve
and National Guard members, VBA's outreach to this group has greatly
expanded. VA has made arrangements with Reserve and Guard officials to
schedule briefings for members being mobilized and demobilized. These
benefits briefings for Guard and Reserve members increased from 821
briefings for more than 46,000 attendees in FY 2003 to over 1,800
briefings for more than 96,000 attendees in FY 2007.
Transition Assistance Advisors (TAAs)
A memorandum of agreement was signed in 2005 between the Department
of Veterans Affairs and the National Guard Bureau to institutionalize a
partnership and to support better communication between the two. VA is
encouraging state National Guard Coalitions to improve local
communication and coordination of benefits briefings to assure that
National Guard and Reserve members are fully aware of benefits. As a
part of this partnership, the National Guard Bureau employs 57
Transition Assistance Advisors (TAAs) for the 50 states and 4
territories.
The TAAs' primary function is to serve as the statewide point of
contact and coordinator. They also provide information regarding VA
benefits and services to Guard members and their families and assist in
resolving any problems with VA healthcare, benefits, and TRICARE. VA
and the National Guard Bureau teamed up at the beginning of the program
in February 2006 to provide training to the TAAs on VA services and
benefits. VA has participated in subsequent annual refresher training,
as well as monthly TAA conference calls.
Veterans Assistance at Discharge System (VADS)
The Veterans Assistance at Discharge System (VADS) generates a
``Welcome Home Package'' for recently separated veterans (including
Reserve and National Guard members) that contains a letter from the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, along with pamphlets describing VA
benefits and services and a benefits timetable. VADS also sends
separate packages that explain Education, Loan Guaranty, and Insurance
benefits. In addition to the VADS mailings, a separate personal letter
from the Secretary, along with benefits information, is sent to each
returning OEF/OIF veteran. The VADs mailings are sent to the address
provided to VBA by the Department of Defense at time of separation.
Benefits Delivery at Discharge
In concert with the military services outreach program, VBA
continues its Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) Program through
which servicemembers can apply for service-connected disability
compensation within 180 days of discharge. The required physical
examinations are conducted, service medical records are reviewed, and a
preliminary rating decision is prepared prior to or shortly after
discharge so that benefits can be awarded shortly after discharge.
Current BDD program participants include 40 regional offices and 153
military installations (142 DoD sites and 11 Homeland Security Coast
Guard sites). This number includes five locations overseas (three in
Korea and two in Germany). Participation in the BDD program is offered
to servicemembers who are within 60 to 180 days of release from active
duty and who are able to remain in the area in order to complete the
medical examinations.
Disability Evaluation System (DES)
In response to recommendations by the Dole-Shalala Commission,
West/Marsh Independent Review Group, Secretary Nicholson's Global War
on Terrorism Returning Heroes Commission, VA and DoD launched a
Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot on November 27, 2007. The DES
pilot is scheduled to run for one year. The pilot program differs from
the existing DoD DES process in the following significant ways:
1. VA is brought into the process at the Medical Evaluation Board
(MEB) stage, counseling the servicemember and taking a claim for VA
disability compensation.
2. One examination is performed according to VA protocols,
normally done by VA, which forms the basis for the MEB and Physical
Evaluation Board (PEB) decisionmaking as well as the VA disability
rating, should the member be found medically unfit.
3. If the PEB determines that the member is medically unfit, VA
assigns the evaluation for the unfitting condition(s) as well as any
other claimed conditions.
The VA rating for the unfitting condition is used by DoD for
purposes of determining the amount of severance pay or placement on the
temporary or permanent disability retired list. In conjunction with the
DES pilot, VA is also initiating enhanced data sharing between DoD and
VA regarding medical information.
Seamless Transition Program
With the onset of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation
Iraqi Freedom (OIF), VA established the Seamless Transition Program to
ensure we are meeting the needs of servicemembers seriously injured in
these operations.
In 2003, VA began to assign permanent, full-time representatives at
key military treatment facilities where seriously injured OEF/OIF
returnees are hospitalized, including Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Brooke
Army Medical Center, and Madigan Army Medical Center.
VA representatives at these facilities provide benefits information
and assist in filing claims. They monitor patient progress and
coordinate the submission and smooth transfer of claims to VA regional
offices. Each veteran's claim is then case-managed at the appropriate
regional office of jurisdiction to expedite processing. Additionally,
VA assigns special benefits counselors, social workers, and case-
managers to work with these servicemembers and their families
throughout the transition to VA care and benefits systems to ensure
expedited delivery of all benefits.
VA and its Federal partners recently established a new Federal
Recovery Coordinator Program Office and deployed Federal Recovery
Coordinators to key military treatment facilities. These Coordinators
help develop and implement individual recovery plans for seriously
injured servicemembers.
Casualty Assistance_In-Service Deaths
Casualty Assistance Officers (CAOs) from VA regional offices visit
family members of servicemembers who died on active duty to assist them
in applying for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and other
survivors' benefits. These visits are coordinated with the military
CAOs. A special brochure that outlines benefits and services for
survivors of servicemembers is provided. The benefits application
process is streamlined through the use of a simplified one-page
application form that is faxed to the VA Regional Office and Insurance
Center in Philadelphia. All of these claims are processed within 48
hours of receipt of required documents. Because family members are in
an acute stage of grief during the initial visit, a six-month followup
letter is sent to ensure that surviving spouses and dependent children
are aware of the full range of benefits available to them.
Survivors Benefits Web Site
In 2005, VBA participated in a joint agency effort with the
Department of Defense to create a single point of access to benefits
information specific to survivors of OEF/OIF servicemembers. The Web
site was launched in July 2005 and offers users a choice of information
for survivors of servicemembers who died while on active duty, or
survivors of veterans who died as a result of a service-connected
disability.
Other Eligible Dependents & Survivors
As required by Public Laws 107-14, section 6 (Outreach to Eligible
Dependents) and 107-103, section 304 (Improvement of Veterans Outreach
Programs), VA has developed pamphlets describing potential benefits.
These are mailed out by the regional offices to approximately 600,000
survivors a year that apply for a United States flag for burial
purposes. A benefits pamphlet is also sent to all dependents and
survivors who file original claims for DIC, Death Pension, Dependents'
Educational Assistance, and proceeds of Government Life Insurance.
Homeless Veterans
As part of Public Law 107-95, VBA established full-or part-time
Homeless Veterans Outreach Coordinators (HVOCs) at all 57 regional
offices. The HVOCs routinely meet with representatives from various
Federal agencies, service organizations, associations, and other groups
that are involved in homeless veterans programs, to learn more about
programs that homeless veterans may access. HVOCs continue to actively
participate in ``stand downs'' for homeless veterans. Stand downs are
typically one- to three-day events providing food, shelter, clothing,
health screenings, VA and Social Security benefits counseling, and
referrals to a variety of other services, such as housing, employment,
and substance abuse treatment.
Since FY 2003, the VA Regional Offices have conducted personal and
telephone interviews with more than 171,000 homeless veterans.
Former POW Outreach
Each VA regional office has a Former Prisoner of War Coordinator
who regularly disseminates benefits information and provides
individualized assistance to former prisoners of war (POWs). A computer
database is also maintained of all former POWs to ensure all former
POWs and their surviving spouses are notified of outreach activities
and information of general interest.
Gulf War Veterans
Additional outreach to Gulf War veterans who served in the
Southwest Asia Theater of Operations during the period of August 2,
1990 to July 31, 1991 is provided through the Gulf War Review
newsletter, which is issued three to four times annually and mailed to
about 220,000 individuals. It contains information about Gulf War-
related issues and new legislation. A special Gulf War Helpline also
supports Gulf War veterans with information and assistance.
Vietnam Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
The Agent Orange Review newsletter is published annually by the
Veterans Health Administration in partnership with VBA and is mailed to
approximately 600,000 Vietnam veterans.
Elderly Veterans
VBA outreach coordinators have established relationships with local
area agencies on the aging, Social Security Administration (SSA)
offices, and other organizations that assist older Americans. VBA
distributes 2 million copies of VA Pamphlet 20-00-1, A Summary of VA
Benefits, to the more than 1,300 SSA offices nationwide annually.
Women Veterans
Women Veterans Coordinators at regional offices continue to work
closely with their counterparts in the Veterans Health Administration
and Vet Centers, as well as with local service organization
representatives. Through such partnering, local outreach events have
been expanded to regional activities such as the annual Women Veterans
Appreciation Day in Branson, Missouri. VBA representatives at the
national and local levels continue to work with the Center for Women
Veterans, the VHA Women Veterans Health Program, and the Secretary's
Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, to improve outreach to women
veterans. VBA is currently working with the Center for Women Veterans
and Seamless Transition Offices to plan the June 2008 National Summit
for Women Veterans.
Mr. Chairman, VBA outreach programs provide wide dissemination of
information on the array of benefits and services available to
servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Our employees are
dedicated to ensuring veterans receive the benefits and services they
have earned through their service to our Nation, and we work diligently
to provide information and assistance in a timely, thorough, accurate,
understandable, and respectful manner.
The effectiveness of our aggressive outreach efforts is
demonstrated in the dramatic increase in the number of veterans who are
filing disability claims. VBA's annual claims receipts have grown 45
percent--from 578,773 claims received in 2000 to 838,141 in 2007, an
increase of 259,368. In 2008, we anticipate claims receipts will exceed
850,000.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I greatly appreciate
being here today and look forward to answering your questions.
Statement of Leslye Arsht, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense,
Military Community and Family Policy, U.S. Department of Defense
Distinguished members of the committee: Thank you for the
opportunity to discuss what the Department of Defense (DoD) is doing to
provide Service members and their families with the information and
resources necessary to facilitate a successful transition from military
to civilian life.
We require a great deal from our Service members and their
families, whether they be Active, National Guard, or Reserve, and I
want to affirm the Department's steadfast commitment to them.
Returning to private life after serving in the military is a very
complex undertaking. To assist them in doing so, we must empower our
Service members with the tools and information they need to develop
individual solutions to the challenges they may face as they return to
civilian life. Service members' and their families most immediate goals
are finding a job, changing careers, enrolling in higher education, and
ultimately improving their economic quality of life.
Federal Collaboration
I am impressed by the dedication and willingness of all our Federal
partners to provide an assortment of highly desirable transition
services. You can be truly proud of the manner in which the DoD,
Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have
continued to enthusiastically support our men and women in uniform. The
sustained interest and support of this Committee is also vital to our
efforts.
The three Federal departments have been working together in earnest
for well over a decade. The many professionals within these departments
are bringing DoD, DOL, and the VA even closer together for a common
goal of preparing Service members and their families for military life
and transition into the civilian community at a pace greater than at
any time before. Examples of our increasingly focused efforts include
the Transition Assistance Program Steering Committee and the Secretary
of Labor's Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and
Employer Outreach (ACVETEO). DoD and VA also continue to partner
extensively though the VA/DoD Joint Executive Council (JEC), the
Benefits Executive Council (BEC), and the Health Executive Council
(HEC).
The rest of my statement today will touch on the many programs,
actions, and activities under way that reflect the shared commitment to
delivering transition assistance, employment assistance, and benefits
information to our servicemembers and their families.
Office of Personal Finance and Transition (PF&T)
The DoD has undergone a paradigm shift and adopted a new philosophy
with respect to assisting our transitioning Service members and their
families. Recognizing that financial readiness, military and veterans
benefits, and transition assistance are closely linked to one another
and must be addressed as a whole, The Office of the Deputy Under
Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (ODUSD
(MC&FP)) established its newest directorate, the Office of Personal
Finance and Transition (PF&T), this past March.
Combining oversight for both the Financial Readiness Program and
the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), previously operating
independently within separate Office of the Secretary of Defense
directorates, the office is responsible for a broad range of policies,
educational programs, and resource services that address both the
financial readiness and transition assistance needs of military members
and their families.
Through education, counseling, and an inventory of high-tech and
interactive resources and programs, PF&T is responsible for ensuring
all military members and their families have access to the tools
necessary to attain economic security throughout their military careers
and beyond and to make educated decisions regarding their next military
career milestones and ultimate transitions to the civilian workforce.
Ensuring military members and their families have an accurate and
complete understanding of both military and veterans' benefits, and how
application of those benefits affects their individual transition and
economic security plans, can have significant retention implications,
which, in turn, can contribute to mission and force readiness. Part of
the office's philosophy is that military life is a series of key
transitions, and that ``transition assistance'' is a lifelong process,
required for these transitions within the military just as much as it
is for the transition out of the military.
With a mission inclusive of all services and components (Active
Duty, National Guard, and Reserve) and their families, PF&T is
establishing a national network of financial and transition
professionals and resources through a ``train-the-trainer'' approach to
ensure the DoD is responsive to the financial readiness and transition
needs of state Adjutant Generals and Governors, military regions and
installations, and individual units. Additionally, this new approach
will ensure 24/7 global access of educational resources and
individualized financial and transition plans using the latest
technology and multiple delivery methodologies throughout the Service
members' and their families' life cycle.
However, while this represents the future vision of the nature of
transition assistance, it is important to discuss the formal TAP as it
exists today to show how it currently assists our troops and families.
Transition Assistance Program
Since its inception in 1990, the goal of TAP has been to provide
Service members and their families the skills, tools, knowledge, and
self-confidence necessary for a successful reentry into the Nation's
civilian workforce. The goal is to help prepare them to move into the
job market or an educational institution. We deliver TAP through a
collaborative effort involving DOL, the Military Services, VA, the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Education
(ED), the Small Business Administration (SBA), the National Veterans
Business Development Corporation, and other Federal, state, local and
non-profit organizations. The Veterans Service and Military Service
Organizations provide outstanding support to TAP and to our Service
members and their families at both the national and local levels.
There are four key components to TAP, the responsibility for each
shared among DoD, Labor, and the VA.
Preseparation Counseling is the first component of TAP. This
counseling is mandatory for separating and retiring Service members and
all eligible demobilizing members of the National Guard and Reserve.
The Military Services are responsible for providing Preseparation
Counseling. Service members are introduced to information about
employment opportunities and how to go about finding a job. Also during
this phase of TAP, Active Component Service members, looking for a job
post-military, are encouraged to attend a DOL TAP Employment Workshop.
For the National Guard and Reserve, similar information is provided,
geared to their needs. The Guard and Reserve receive a Uniformed
Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) briefing.
USERRA briefings are scheduled at installation demobilization sites in
coordination with the demobilization commander. National Guard and
Reserve personnel are also informed, during the Preseparation
Counseling session, about the services available to them at the DOL
One-Stop Career Centers. Surveys show that the overwhelming majority of
the Guard and Reserve activated have jobs when they are activated;
therefore, they have jobs to which they will return. However, members
looking for jobs or a career change are encouraged to visit and
register with the One-Stop Career Center nearest their residence, once
they return home.
While at the demobilization station, they get information about
their eligibility to receive employment assistance and other transition
services up to 180 days after demobilization from any of the Military
Services Transition Offices and DOL One-Stop Career Centers.
In addition to the DOL Employment Workshops, the Military Services
provide a vast array of additional employment seminars and one-on-one
counseling to Service members. This extensive assistance covers resume
and cover letter writing, information about electronic job banks and
Internet access to automated employment tools (resume writer, cover
letter, and job assistance tutorials), tools on salary negotiation;
location of job fairs, details about Federal employment workshops and
seminars, opportunities for post military employment networking,
relocation assistance, information about Government partnerships for
employment and training, benefits for members who are involuntarily
separated, employer panels, and information about Veterans benefits
(including disability benefits).
The second component of TAP is the DOL TAP Employment Workshop.
Attendance is voluntary for Active Duty Service members and their
spouses, with the exception of the Marine Corps, which has made
attending the DOL Employment Workshop mandatory. The curriculum,
facilitators, workshop materials, data collection and analysis related
to the employment workshops are the responsibility of DOL. Service
members receive information on labor market conditions, assessing
individual skills and competencies, how to write effective resumes and
cover letters, proper interviewing techniques, and the best methods of
searching for jobs. They also learn how to use electronic employment
data banks. Finally, they get information addressing the special
employment needs of those separating with a disability.
The third component of TAP is the VA Benefits Briefing. Attendance
at the VA Benefits Briefing is voluntary for Active Component Service
members. The briefing addresses education and training, health care,
home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment
(VR&E), disability benefits, burial benefits, and dependents' and
survivors' benefits.
Demobilizing National Guard and Reserve Service members receive a
VA briefing which also includes information on Disabled Transition
Assistance Program (DTAP). The materials, information, counselors, and
all data collection and analysis related to the VA Benefits Briefings
are the responsibility of the VA.
The fourth component of TAP is the Disabled Transition Assistance
Program. Attendance at DTAP is voluntary for Active Component Service
members and is a separate briefing. DTAP is for servicemembers and
veterans who have, or suspect they have a service-connected disability
or an injury or illness that was aggravated by service. During the DTAP
briefing, VA addresses VR&E, sometimes referred to as Chapter 31. DTAP
addresses the five tracks to employment: re-employment, rapid access to
employment, employment through long term services, independent living
services, and self employment. DTAP also addresses other services such
as medical, dental, optical, mental health treatment, special adapted
housing, vet centers, vocational/educational counseling and special
hiring authorities for Federal employment. VA provides all materials
and information, counselors, data collection, and any analysis related
to DTAP.
We also cannot overlook the many options for Federal employment
such as Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), Veterans Employment
Opportunities Act (VEOA), Appointment of 30% or More Disabled Veterans,
Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP), SBA, and the National Veterans
Business Development Corporation Programs for those who want to start
their own business or franchise.
Finally, as a result of recommendations from the VA's Returning
Global War on Terror Heroes Task Force, DoD has established a goal for
TAP and DTAP attendance of 85% for separating Service members and
demobilizing National Guard and Reserve Forces. To meet this goal, we
have tasked the services to allow Service members to attend these
sessions so they have access to the employment resources they need to
help them transition into the workforce or into an educational
institution. In partnership with the DOL and VA, a lifelong learning
approach to transition assistance is being developed, to include the
redesign and modernization of existing TAP curriculum and course
objectives for the four components of TAP. TAP will be designed into a
``purple'' solution for transition assistance using highly interactive
features hosted on the TurboTAP website and multi-media mobile learning
technologies (m-learning) to deliver program modules as standalone,
web-based, and hybrid courses with a blend of web-based and traditional
classroom instruction. The TAP will also provide instructors and
facilitators with access to the latest interactive technologies and
teaching methodologies to maximize student participation and increase
effectiveness and value of course curriculum, regardless of delivery
location. This modernization of the TAP programs will provide global
24/7 access and increased quality control of TAP and enable commanders
to meet the 85% goal while enhancing the Service members' and their
spouses' learning experience.
TurboTAP
There is much concern about how we can better serve the National
Guard and Reserve Components coming from Operation Enduring Freedom
(OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). As I've stated earlier, we are
leveraging technology in its many forms to change how the National
Guard and Reserve members transition out of the military, in addition
to serving as a valuable tool for the Active Component Service members
as well. This leveraging has resulted in what we call ``TurboTAP''.
When TAP was originally developed in 1990, we did not design it
with the needs of the National Guard and Reserves in mind. Their
mission has changed dramatically since 9-11 and the requirements, with
respect to TAP, warrant a fresh look. To better meet the needs of the
Guard and Reserves, DoD, with the cooperation and collaboration of the
Military Services, National Guard Bureau (NGB), DOL, VA, ED, SBA, and
the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, has designed a
dynamic, automated web-based system for delivery of transition
assistance and related information. The TurboTAPweb portal, launched in
2007, allows each Service member, regardless of component, to obtain a
lifelong account and a tailored Individual Transition Plan based on
their transition needs which can also connect them to information on
military and veterans benefits, many of which have significant cash
value. Examples include the Montgomery GI Bill, the Thrift Savings Plan
and the Savings Deposit Program.
This portal architecture is the backbone of the updated DoD TAP
process for National Guard and Reserve Service members. Usability,
flexibility, adaptability, and individual customization are the keys to
successful implementation of this new technology-enabled process. The
goal for this system is to increase Service member participation,
satisfaction, and ultimately, enhance awareness of military benefits
for recruitment, retention, and transition.
We continue to be encouraged by the possibilities for TurboTAP.
Military personnel can access a comprehensive Transition Guide for
Guard and Reserve and a Pre-separation Guide for the Active Component,
obtain employment information, build a resume online, conduct a job
search, contact and locate their local One-Stop Career Center for
employment assistance, locate the nearest VA Regional Office, Vet
Center, and Medical Center, use helpful checklists reminding troops of
key things to do prior to leaving the service, be connected to
information about VA benefits, services, and programs, and the list
goes on.
TurboTAP better meets the needs of the National Guard, Reserve, and
Active Component Service members and their families because the website
gives them the tools to connect and access the information to meet
their needs when they are ready--present or future. This is a 21st
century approach to delivering individualized information and benefits
to Service members and families. We plan to make the transition to an
online transaction, much like banking and bill paying have become. The
success and accountability of the transition will be managed online
versus a form being hand carried to a personnel file. As we continue to
expand the capabilities of the website, we will solicit your approval
and legislative support.
The site can be accessed at www.TurboTAP.org.
Outreach, Counseling, and Decision-Making Tools
There are multiple ``high-tech, high-touch'' initiatives, both
online and in person, that exist to better serve our troops and
families with their transition, financial readiness, and benefits
awareness needs.
In the Fall of 2007, DoD TurboTAP Mobile Training Teams began
training the National Guard and Reserves. These highly specialized
outreach teams travel to State level deployment support and
reintegration programs at the request of National Guard and Reserve
Component leaders to connect Service members to the benefits they have
earned through military service. The TurboTAP Mobile Training Teams
provide information about transition assistance, service-related
benefits, and related on-demand financial counseling services. By the
end of 2009, DoD's goal is to have the TurboTAP Mobile Training Teams
fully integrated into deployment support, transition assistance, and
financial awareness programs in all 50 states. By coupling financial
assistance with transition assistance, Service members will better
understand how their benefits can help them reach their military
career, personal and family goals and provide economic security
throughout their lifetime.
DoD is expanding and enhancing its network of financial
professionals to provide financial counseling and planning services to
meet the needs of all our Service members and families, ranging from
budgeting and debt consolidation to advanced financial planning. To
augment our own network of contracted financial professionals, DoD is
building and expanding relationships with United States Department of
Agriculture Cooperative Extension educational institutions, community
colleges, universities, non-profit financial readiness partner
organizations, financial planning associations, and DoD on-installation
banks and credit unions to provide our troops with a variety of
financial planning and counseling resources. A key to the success of
expanding resources and partnerships is the train-the-trainer program
being developed by DoD. The websites and multimedia mobile learning
technologies (m-learning) will deliver train-the-trainer program
modules as stand--alone, web-based, and hybrid courses with a blend of
web-based and traditional classroom instruction. Benefits awareness and
an understanding of how these benefits fit into a larger financial
wellness plan can act as a powerful retention tool, or, should the
member still decide to leave the service, can assist tremendously with
the decisionmaking process for a second career.
Additionally, at the request of National Guard and Reserve units,
the Department is dispatching consultants with financial readiness
specialties to attend special events such as drill weekends,
reintegration, pre-deployment, and wellness fairs, to meet with Guard
and Reserve members and families and provide education on many aspects
of financial readiness and transition.
One of the newest key outreach and benefits awareness initiatives
is the Joint Family Support and Assistance Program (JFSAP). Originally
started in 15 States and now projected to expand to all 50 (to include
the four territories) by the end of 2009, the JFSAP facilitates
partnerships among Federal, state and local organizations, builds
benefits and transition assistance outreach for deploying units, and
resources a vital state by state database for around the clock family
assistance. Through partnerships with such groups as the Red Cross,
JFSAP will help reach Service members and their families within each
State, especially the geographically dispersed families of the National
Guard and Reserve, to ensure they are aware of and can easily be
connected to benefits within their area. In this manner, we can
contribute to the financial well-being of all troops and families, and
in keeping with the new DoD philosophy, leverage this awareness as a
retention tool.
Regarding financial tools, DoD is committed to providing our
Service members and families with those that will enable them to truly
enhance their financial wellness and economic security. DoD is building
a catalog of resources through technology, expanding online counseling
and mentoring tools, and researching and providing more decisionmaking
calculators for financial career decisions to help troops address the
question that all Service members eventually have to confront: ``Should
I go or should I stay?''
Three of the key online resources sponsored by DoD that contain
transition, financial, and benefits information are Military OneSource
(www.militaryonesource.com), Military Home Front
(www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil), and TurboTap (www.turbotap.org).
Military OneSource provides support services 24/7 for all troops
and their families, including the Guard and Reserves, regardless of
their mobilization status, and offers free, convenient access to
confidential resource and referral support. When a Service member or
spouse calls or emails, a master's level consultant provides
assistance. Military OneSource is especially beneficial to those
geographically separated from installation services or those who are
unable to seek assistance during traditional working hours. The ``Money
Matters'' section of Military OneSource contains financial calculators,
DVDs, CDs, and informational pamphlets to assist a family in its
financial plan. Additionally, Military OneSource now features
telephonic financial counseling to augment those programs provided by
the services.
Military Home Front is DoD's ``Google'' for quality of life
information. As a sister site to Military OneSource, MilitaryHOMEFRONT
is the library of DoD information on quality of life issues--to include
transition and financial readiness--useful to installation staff and
policy makers. In Fiscal Year 2007, there were over 1.7 million visits
to the site.
MilitaryHOMEFRONT, in coordination with the JFSAP, has introduced
the MySTATE database (www.mystate.mhf.DoD.mil), a powerful new tool
providing State and local Service members and their families across the
Nation with access to various organizations and businesses that offer
special discounts and services specifically for military personnel and
their families. MySTATE includes State directories, locations of
programs and services, maps, directions and much more. The website also
gives users the opportunity to provide feedback on the organizations or
businesses listed.
Credentialing and Certification
While in the service, Service members receive extensive, high-
quality training in a wide range of military professional fields
(referred to as MOS's and Rates). The training, combined with military
work experience, contributes significantly to a highly skilled
workforce. Making the conversion from military occupations and skill
sets to civilian jobs and certification presents challenges for
transitioning military members. It is critical that DoD assist these
troops in overcoming these challenges since credentials help pave the
way to immediate employment in the civilian world and long-term
economic security
In response, DoD, in partnership with the DOL, formed the
Credentialing Working Group to address the issue of the conversion of
military training and experience into nationally recognized industry
accepted certifications. The Working Group is carrying out its mission
by expanding current information, leveraging assistance resources, and
promoting uniformity and reciprocity across the States with regard to
certification, licensing, and apprenticeship to assist and prepare
individuals to transition into civilian life with credentials for high-
wage high-demand jobs that can provide economic security.
Conclusion
In conclusion, our Service members and their families have
sacrificed much in support of the Global War on Terror. Our military is
experiencing a dynamic deployment cycle of unprecedented levels. It is
DoD's duty to provide our troops with the decisionmaking tools they
need to help them with the key financial and transition decision points
in their lives to enable them to execute their individual career and
economic security plans. The new DoD Office of PF&T, in partnership
with other Federal and private agencies, will get us there.
On behalf of the men and women in the military today and their
families, I thank you and the members of the Committee for your
steadfast support during these demanding times.
Statement of Kevin Crowley, Deputy Director, Manpower and Personnel,
National Guard Bureau, U.S. Department of Defense
Introduction
Chairman Hall, Ranking Member Lamborn and distinguished members of
the subcommittee, on behalf of Chief of the National Guard Bureau, H.
Steven Blum, I am here to testify before on the effectiveness of the
Veterans Benefits Administration's outreach efforts. I greatly
appreciate your commitment to veterans and current members of the Armed
Services and am grateful for the chance to testify regarding veterans
outreach for the National Guard.
In the National Guard, we recognize that our people are our most
valuable resource. Accordingly, we understand the importance of
assuring that our Soldiers and Airmen returning from deployments
receive the support they need to continue to serve in the National
Guard and effectively transition to civilian life.
NGB Interactions with the Veterans Benefits Administration
In the fall of 2004, LTG Blum met with the Secretary of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to develop a strategy to support
National Guard members who had been deployed. As a result a working
group was established that developed a memorandum of agreement which
was signed by LTG Blum and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Under
Secretary for Benefits and Under Secretary for Health. In addition to
the national memorandum of agreement, 48 states and territories have
signed local memorandum of understandings that include the Regional
Veterans Benefits Administration offices.
Since May 2005, 62 National Guard Transition Assistance Advisors
have been jointly trained by the National Guard and Department of
Veterans Affairs. Transition Assistance Advisors work at the State
Joint Force Headquarters and are responsible for educating National
Guard members and their families on Veterans benefits. Transition
Assistance Advisors also act as a conduit between the National Guard
and local Veterans Affairs personnel. Of the 62 Transition Assistance
Advisors 57 are Veterans, 30 of which are disabled Veterans, and the
remaining Transition Assistance Advisors are spouses of active National
Guard members.
The Transition Assistance Advisor initial training was held in
February 2006 at the Veterans Benefits Administration Training Academy
in Baltimore. This training was conducted jointly between the National
Guard Bureau and the Department of Veterans Affairs and covered basic
information on all Veterans Benefit Administration programs preparing
Transition Assistance Advisors to act as an advocate for National Guard
members and a liaison to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Since that initial training, the National Guard Bureau and
Department of Veterans Affairs have conducted annual refresher training
that includes representatives from the Veterans Benefit Administration,
Veterans Health Administration, and State Directors of Veterans
Affairs. Annual training is supplemented by monthly phone calls jointly
hosted by the National Guard Bureau and Veterans Affairs Central Office
with representatives from the Veterans Benefits Administration on-call
to answer questions. This training is further supported by a jointly
written and published Transition Assistance Advisor quarterly
newsletter that includes up-to-date information on Veterans Benefit
Administration issues. We were pleased in January 2008 when the State
Directors of Veterans Affairs also joined our newsletter to continue to
emphasizing state benefits.
What the National Guard is doing to assure returning service members
know about their VA Benefits
When National Guard members return from an overseas deployment,
they learn about Veterans benefits available to them through various
means. These include briefings during the demobilization process, state
reintegration programs, post deployment health reassessments, and
numerous other state sponsored events. We believe that the most
effective briefings are those delivered locally. First, it allows
National Guard members to follow up with the same individuals who
briefed them. Second, it allows family members to be present, and we
find that Guard families play a pivotal role in the education of our
Airmen and Soldiers. Families also play a key role in National Guard
members following through on applying for health benefits.
At the National Guard Bureau, we continue to educate our
Transitional Assistance Advisors and National Guard leadership on
Veterans benefits. Additionally, in April 2008, we published our first
Warrior Support newsletter that is specifically directed at the
benefits of National Guard members. This newsletter is distributed
through the local Transition Assistance Advisors who add local contact
information.
Each month, Transition Assistance Advisors submit a monthly report.
At the request of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in January 2008,
the report was modified to include referral information to the Veterans
Benefit Administration, Veterans Health Administration and Vet Centers.
This information will be used by the National Guard Bureau and
Department of Veterans Affairs to measure the effectiveness of our
education and outreach programs and to make modifications and
improvements where necessary.
Best practices in the states or at NGB for reintegration of returning
servicemembers that we have seen
There are numerous examples where the National Guard has partnered
with the Department of Veterans Affairs at the local level to deliver
innovative programs that educate National Guard members. We believe the
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon initiative will continue to improve the
collaboration between local National Guard and Department of Veteran
Affairs personnel.
Conclusion
Few areas, if any, are more important to the National Guard Bureau
as veterans outreach programs. We have appreciated the support we have
received from the Department of Veterans Affair, and we thank them for
their service to all Veterans.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss these important matters with
Congress and I look forward to working with your Committees to ensure
that these programs remain robust. I would like to thank the committee
for its continued support of the men and women of the Armed Forces.
MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Washington, DC.
June 2, 2008
Ms. Diana M. Rubens
Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations
Veterans Benefits Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Avenue
Washington DC 20420
Dear Ms. Rubens:
In reference to our House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing on
``Examining the Effectiveness on VBA Outreach Efforts'' on May 22,
2008, I would appreciate it if you could answer the enclosed hearing
questions as soon as possible.
In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is
implementing some formatting changes for material for all full
committee and subcommittee hearings. Therefore, it would be appreciated
if you could provide your answers consecutively on letter size paper,
single-spaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety
before the answer.
Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to
Ms. Megan Williams by fax at (202) 225-2034. If you have any questions,
please call (202) 225-3608.
Sincerely,
John J. Hall
Chairman
__________
Questions for the Record
The Honorable John J. Hall, Chairman
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
House Veterans' Affairs Committee
May 22, 2008
Examining the Effectiveness of VBA Outreach Efforts
Question 1: At the hearing you said you would pursue this
opportunity. Did you find out why with the JEC, BEC, HEC, and SOC,
there are no links to the VA homepage on the DoD websites?
Response: The Department of Defense (DoD) currently has a link to
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Web site on the DoD DefenseLink
Web site under the ``Web sites'' dropdown menu. Two other military
websites Navy.com and MyArmyBenefits.us.army.mil have links to the VA
Web site. A link is also provided on MilitaryOneSource.com.
The VA/DoD Benefits Working Group, a subgroup of the Benefits
Executive Council (BEC), is working to provide links to the VA Web site
on all the main DoD Web sites. The BEC will ensure the links are placed
on the appropriate sites.
Question 2(a): At the hearing, the DAV mentioned the biennial plan
for outreach activities due to Congress on October 1, 2007, what has
happened to that report?
Response: The outreach report required by Public Law (PL) 109-233
is due to Congress on December 1, 2008. The Department of Veterans
Affairs Office of Policy and Planning has the lead role in coordinating
and preparing the report.
Question 2(b): DAV also mentioned plans for a 2008 National Veteran
Survey. Has the process begun?
Response: The National Survey of Veterans was awarded by the Office
of Policy and Planning on May 28, 2008, to Westat, Inc. of Rockville,
Maryland.
Question 3(a): Can you tell me how many of those briefed during the
last five years of TAP classes were active duty, national guard,
reserve, survivors or other family members?
Response: Prior to fiscal year (FY) 2007, VA collected data only on
active duty and reserve/guard attendees. In FY 2007, VA began
collecting the information by type of briefing and included family
members.
Total VA Benefits Briefings (FY 2004-FY 2006)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal Year Active Duty Reserve/Guard Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004 188,208 88,366 276,574
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 208,006 118,658 326,664
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006 299,984 93,361 393,345
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VA Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Briefings
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal Year Active Duty Reserve/Guard Family Members Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007 145,846 15,662 3,345 164,853
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FYTD 2008 * 98,476 12,218 2,109 112,803
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Through May 2008.
Other VA Benefits Briefings (Non-TAP)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal Year Active Duty Reserve/Guard Family Members Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007 94,777 27,439 9,786 132,002
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FYTD 2008 * 54,673 31,396 1,266 87,335
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Through May 2008.
Question 3(b): Why have the numbers gone down significantly between
2006 and 2007?
Response: The number of military benefits briefings conducted in FY
2007 declined for a number of reasons.
DoD closed a number of military bases in FY 2007. As
a result of fewer military bases, the number of briefings
scheduled/conducted in FY 2007 was less than the number in FY
2006.
During FY 2007, DoD increased the deployment period
from 12 months to 15 months. Many servicemembers who would have
separated in FY 2007 were extended into FY 2008.
The deployment of additional units (``surge'') placed
more soldiers on ``stop loss.'' This ``stop loss'' in FY 07
reduced the number of servicemembers attending benefits
briefings.
Question 3(c): Why are the numbers you reported for briefings and
attendees about double of those reported by DOL and DoD for the same
time period?
Response: The numbers reported by VA in the May 22 testimony were
for briefings for regular active duty military members, pre- and post-
deployment briefings for Reserve and National Guard members, and
briefings conducted overseas. Those numbers included not only VA's TAP
to prepare retiring or separating military personnel for return to
civilian life and disabled transition assistance program (DTAP)
briefings for servicemembers who may be released because of disability,
but also other VA benefits briefings. Other VA benefits briefings
include briefings such as Commanders' Calls on VA's educational
programs and VA's loan guaranty program.
Question 4: In examining the TAP program, it was brought to the
Subcommittee's attention that one of the major problems with conducting
TAP briefings is that the VBA personnel don't always show up for their
portion of the briefing. How do the regional offices ensure that they
are present at all of the TAP briefings and how do you handle it when
your staff are no-shows or cancel?
Response: A TAP Steering Committee is responsible for the ongoing
coordination of TAP activities both in the United States and overseas.
The Committee includes representatives from the four military service
branches. If a VA employee does not show up for a briefing, the local
Transition Assistance Office would contact the regional office of
jurisdiction to address the issue. If the issue could not be resolved
at the local level, the TAP Steering Committee would notify the
Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) central office who would
intercede in the matter. To ensure VA representatives are present at
all TAP/DTAP briefings, the local transition assistance office manager
coordinates the schedule requirements with the local regional office.
Question 5: At the hearing you mentioned that you were developing a
process to provide unique benefits briefings to survivors and for
caregivers of the severely injured who will need assistance in
accessing the additional supportive resources, such as aid and
attendance or housing adaptation. Can you tell me more about that
process, its strategic plan and timeline?
Response: VA has implemented special outreach programs for
veterans' survivors and caregivers of severely injured servicemembers.
Casualty assistance officers from the local VA regional office visit
family members of service members who died on active duty and assist
them in applying for VA benefits. These visits are coordinated with the
military casualty assistance officers. A special brochure targeted at
surviving family members outlines our benefits and services. The
benefits application process is streamlined through the use of a
simplified one-page application form faxed to the VA Philadelphia
Regional Office and Insurance Center. All survivor claims are processed
within 48 hours of receipt of required documents. Because family
members are in an acute stage of grief during the initial visit, a 6-
month followup letter is sent to ensure the family is aware of the full
range of VA benefits available to them. Additional outreach is
scheduled as needed.
VBA liaisons are assigned to military treatment facilities to
support our severely injured service members and provide VA benefits
information and assistance. They meet with the service members and
their caregivers to provide information about the full range of VBA
services, including aid and attendance, specially adapted housing
benefits, education benefits, and vocational rehabilitation. The
liaisons assist service members in completing their claims and in
gathering supporting evidence.
Additionally, each VA regional office has a designated Operation
Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) coordinator for
outreach activities. This coordinator is the primary VBA point of
contact for severely disabled service members and their caregivers. VBA
has distributed guidance to field staff to ensure the roles and
functions of OEF/OIF coordinators are fully understood and proper
coordination of benefits and services takes place at the local level.
Question 6: Does VA track the response rate generated from the VADS
mailings it sends out? If so, what is it?
Response: VA has an expansive outreach program. We have no means to
track whether a claim was made in response to the veterans assistance
at discharge system (VADS) mailing or another outreach effort.
Question 7: It seems VA was having success with its Office of
Seamless Transition and was establishing a better working relationship
with VBA, VHA, and DoD. Why did VA close that office?
Response: The Office of Seamless Transition is not dissolved;
rather, it is reorganized to best allow for the operation and
management of the component parts. The component parts evolved as the
mission expanded, and the logical placement of the work became evident.
The Office of Seamless Transition has been reorganized into the
following three categories: policy, care management, and outreach.
Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF)
Executive Director Office (Policy): The Under Secretary for Health
(USH) established the OEF/OIF Program Office and the Executive Director
position. The Executive Director serves as an advisor to the USH on
issues regarding the transition and continuity of care for OEF/OIF
veterans seeking health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA). The office also provides strategic direction for policy and
coordination of the transition of health care services and works with
the Department of Defense (DoD) and other agencies to ensure a smooth
continuum of care for service members as they become veterans. This
office collaborates with other VA offices, including the Office of
Policy and Planning (OPP) and the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA)
to specify remedies for barriers and challenges as they are identified.
The office also serves as the USH's daily contact point for Senior
Oversight Committee activities.
Care Management and Social Work Service (Care Management): VA
created this office, within the Office of Patient Care Services (PCS),
in October 2007 in response to a need for clinical case management of
OEF/OIF service members, veterans, and their families. This realignment
brought together several key clinical programs engaged in coordinating
and managing care for OEF/OIF service members and veterans. Care
management and social work staff work closely with the staff from
polytrauma, rehabilitation, nursing, and mental health services, as
these programs are all under the single Veterans Health Administration
(VHA) organizational structure of the PCS office. Military liaisons,
VBA and our internal social work and nursing staff members are
responsible for patient issues.
This new office's mission is to coordinate patients' health care
and to partner with VBA in addressing their benefits. OEF/OIF
coordinators at each VA medical center and benefits office coordinate
with DoD discharge staff to facilitate a continuum of care and services
at locations nearest the veteran's residence after their military
discharge. This coordination ensures that service members and veterans
are receiving patient-centered, integrated care and benefits. These
essential programs now work in concert at every organizational level,
including the national level, to efficiently and effectively meet the
needs of our OEF/OIF service members and veterans.
The VHA/DoD Coordination Office (Outreach): This office provides a
national focus on VHA's systematic efforts to identify new veterans and
to provide information on services available to them. This component
works closely with DoD and the Reserves and National Guard. Starting in
May 2008, the VA/DoD Coordination Office began making phone calls to
15,000 veterans who may have a need for care management, and more than
500,000 separating service members who may not be aware of VA benefits
to which they are entitled. The VA/DoD Coordination Office also
coordinates efforts with Reserve and National Guard units on DoD's
post-deployment health reassessment (PDHRA) program. During the period
of November 2005 through May 2008, VHA staff have supported over 1,400
PDHRA events and DoD's 24/7 PDHRA call center. These Reserve and
National Guard PDHRA activities have generated over 60,000 referrals to
VA medical centers and vet centers.
Question 8: In the JEC Annual Report there are several special
categories of veterans with exposure issues that VA notes it provides
outreach. This included Agent Orange, Gulf War, SHAD, and Edgewood. Why
has VA not included the women from Ft. McClellan in its efforts;
knowing how much less likely women are to identify with VA programs?
Response: Women veterans who were stationed at Ft. McClellan have
recently expressed concerns about exposure to biological or chemical
agents. VA contacted DoD for any information regarding possible
exposure and was advised that no women were tested or exposed to
chemical agents while stationed at Ft. McClellan. If DoD does inform VA
that a service member was exposed to chemical agents, a letter is sent
to them explaining how to apply for benefits. VA has designated women
veteran coordinators (WVC) at each VBA regional office to actively
conduct outreach activities to women service members and veterans. The
WVCs are available to provide benefits counseling and assist in
obtaining VA services.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Washington, DC.
June 2, 2008
Ms. Leslye Arsht
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
Military Community and Family Policy
Military OneSource
Department of Defense
1300 Defense Pentagon 30844
Washington, DC 20301
Dear Ms. Arsht:
In reference to our House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing on
``Examining the Effectiveness on VBA Outreach Efforts'' on May 22,
2008, I would appreciate it if you could answer the enclosed hearing
questions as soon as possible.
In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is
implementing some formatting changes for material for all full
committee and subcommittee hearings. Therefore, it would be appreciated
if you could provide your answers consecutively on letter size paper,
single-spaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety
before the answer.
Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to
Ms. Megan Williams by fax at (202) 225-2034. If you have any questions,
please call (202) 225-3608.
Sincerely,
John J. Hall
Chairman
__________
Questions for the Record
The Honorable John J. Hall, Chairman
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
House Veterans' Affairs Committee
May 22, 2008
Examining the Effectiveness of VBA Outreach Efforts
Linking DoD Web Sites to VA Homepage
Question 1: At the hearing we discussed the DoD websites
(Defenselink, Military OneSource, and Military Homefront) that offer
supportive services to service members and their families, but found
that they don't easily link to the VA homepage. The Chairman asked if
that would be possible. Is it?
Answer: Yes, that is possible. We will link TurboTAP and
MilitaryHOMEFRONT to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website
homepage. We are working with the Armed Forces Information System to
link Defenselink to the VA homepage.
VA Benefits Training for Military OneSource Operators
Question 2: At the hearing, we discussed what happened when the
Subcommittee called the Military OneSource (MOS) toll free line and
asked about veterans' benefits, and we were told to contact the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for any information, but we were
given a toll free line for VA's Health Revenue facility, which was the
wrong number. You mentioned that the Department of Defense (DoD) does
provide training to Military OneSource operators on VA benefits. Can
you provide the protocol for this training and who gives it? What kind
of quality checks do you do on Military OneSource referral information?
Answer: Please be assured that VA's Health Revenue Center is the
proper source for veteran's benefits information and that the correct
number was provided to the caller. To obtain this information, we used
our internal recovery process, a tool to recover information and
provide quality control checks on answers that have been provided to
callers. We were able to access this information by tracking the calls
pertaining to VA.
There are two VA toll-free numbers that provide benefit assistance:
877-222-8387 for the Health Revenue Center and 800-827-1000 for VA's
Telephone Assistance Service. MOS consultants refer these numbers to
callers seeking information about VA benefits, pay, Medicare Part D
forms, VA health care enrollment, locations, directions, etc. The MOS
consultant will stay on the line with the caller, if desired. MOS
consultants also have access to VA contact information via the VA
website and have resource materials at their desks with these numbers.
The MOS staff is provided training on the use of the VA website
(https://iris.va.gov/scripts/iris.cfg/php.exe/enduser/cci/
phonenbrs.php) as one of the primary reference points for VA callers.
The Department and the military services provide training to ensure up-
to-date and accurate information is being presented. All training
materials are reviewed on a quarterly basis.
If it is learned after the fact that the caller was dissatisfied
and if the caller has provided his/her name, MOS will initiate a
recovery process based on the person's name to determine what
information was incorrect and will then provide an additional resource.
If the caller has provided his/her name and telephone number, the MOS
consultant follows up within three days to ensure the resource was
appropriate and met the needs of the requester. In this particular
case, the call was anonymous; therefore, it wasn't possible to initiate
a recovery process based on the caller's name or to follow up.
Prior to providing referral information to an individual, the
consultant validates the resources. If the MOS consultant is providing
a ``warm handoff,'' the MOS consultant will contact the resource,
describe the request and stay on the line with the caller until the
caller agrees it is okay for the MOS consultant to hang up.
Possibility of VA OneSource Sister Site
Question 3: Could there be more information on VA benefits
integrated into Military OneSource or does VA need a ``Veteran
OneSource'' counterpart?
Answer: Military OneSource is available to all active duty, Guard
and Reserve members and their families with resources to manage the
mobile military lifestyle. As troops transition to Veterans, a warm
handoff to the Department of Veterans Affairs is arranged if the caller
agrees. The consultant will stay on the line to ensure the referral
will provide the requested assistance.
If the caller prefers for the information to be sent to them, it is
researched and provided within 72 hours of the initial call. After the
information is sent, the consultant will follow up with the caller and
ask if the information was received, if it was helpful and what follow
up questions or concerns may be addressed.
Joint Executive Council oversight of TAP
Question 4: What is the Joint Executive Council oversight doing
regarding TAP attendance and ensuring that VA knows when the briefings
are taking place and why was TAP data removed from its 2007 Annual
Report?
Answer: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Task Force on
Returning Global War on Terror Heroes examined transition assistance
program (TAP) attendance, and as a result, Secretary Gates pledged to
the President that the Department of Defense (DoD) would increase
attendance at TAP and VA Disabled TAP (DTAP) sessions to 85% of those
separating Service members and demobilizing National Guard or Reserve
members. The Joint Executive Council (JEC) will continue to reflect
this commitment to increasing TAP attendance in future Joint Strategic
Plans.
DoD strongly encourages attendance at the four separate parts of
the TAP process:
1. Pre-separation counseling, conducted by DoD, is mandatory by
law for all separating or transitioning Service members and provides a
broad overview of transition resources available. During the
counseling, Service members can decide which topics they would like to
learn more about through formal TAP classes. While Service members,
other than Marines, can opt-out, they are encouraged to take advantage
of all of these sessions.
2. Attendance to the Department of Labor (DOL) Employment
Workshop, while not mandatory, is very highly encouraged by DoD. DOL
tracks attendance by both servicemembers and spouses and reports those
numbers to DoD on a quarterly basis. National Guard and Reserve members
are also provided a Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment
Rights Act briefing to ensure they understand their rights and the
responsibilities of their employers as they transition back to their
jobs. DOL workshops are scheduled by installation TAP managers or
individual units and are made available on a frequent, recurring basis
at appropriate intervals on installations or at demobilization points
to accommodate the flow of transitioning Service members.
3. The VA benefits briefing covers VA benefits and the claims
process for departing Service members. As with the DOL workshops,
attendance to VA benefit briefings is strongly encouraged. The VA
provides attendance reports to DoD on a recurring basis.
4. The VA DTAP provides more detail about the special benefits
afforded to those transitioning servicemembers who may have a Service-
connected disability. Reports on attendance are provided to DoD.
Generally, coordination for both the VA benefits briefings and DTAP is
done on the local level, working with VA Regional Offices to ensure
these sessions are scheduled at appropriate times on installations and
at demobilization sites.
DoD is working in concert with VA and DOL to overcome the
challenges which can disrupt attendance at any of TAP's four
components. In many cases, demobilizing National Guard and Reserve
members are afforded precious few days to demobilize, which can affect
attendance at formal TAP classes. Additionally, operational
requirements may keep a Service member on station longer than
anticipated, which can also limit the number of available days to out-
process prior to separating. Finally, physical attendance at a TAP
class, which has been considered the optimal method to deliver
necessary TAP information, may not be the preferred method of receiving
information by younger Service members.
Increasing access to TAP information through multiple delivery
methodologies (i.e.--interactive websites available 24/7, info
reminders via e-mail or cell phones/blackberries, and interactive
Compact Disks and Digital Video Disks) would be a force-multiplier in
getting TAP information into the hands of the separating Service member
and would deliver an invaluable complement to formal TAP classes in a
format in which younger Service members routinely and comfortably
operate. In this spirit of increasing access, DoD, DOL, and VA have
collaborated to launch TurboTAP (www.turboTAP.org), an online
repository of TAP information which allows the user to establish a
lifelong account featuring information tailored to the Service member's
interests and personal transitioning needs. TurboTAP is not designed to
replace the formal TAP process; it is provided as a supplement to which
even a veteran, having long departed from the military, can refer back
to review and learn about separation programs and policies.
Finally, to transform the old paradigm for TAP where Service
members are educated on resources and programs close to the end of
their service, DoD has embraced a new philosophy where Service members
will be educated on their available benefits and transition resources
early on and throughout their careers. Adopting this practice, Service
members will be better-informed and make more educated decisions about
their transition from military service; doing this has already proven
to actually increase retention. The Office of Personal Finance and
Transition, the newest office within DoD, is dedicated to combining the
personal finance and transition assistance programs, looking at both
programs holistically, and communicating the benefits and resources for
each throughout a Service member's career. This, in turn, would
mitigate those instances where transitioning Service members may want
to return home rather than attend classes following a deployment.
In response to your question about the absence of TAP data from the
2007 Annual Report, we are working with VA to include current
information in their 2008 report. The VA Office of Seamless Transition
addressed the TAP data issue in the last report submitted in 2006.
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
Washington, DC.
June 2, 2008
Mr. Kevin Crowley
Deputy Director
Manpower Personnel
National Guard Bureau
U.S. Department of Defense
1300 Defense Pentagon 30844
Washington, DC 20301
Dear Mr. Crowley:
In reference to our House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing on
``Examining the Effectiveness on VBA Outreach Effort's'' on May 22,
2008, I would appreciate it if you could answer the enclosed hearing
questions as soon as possible.
In an effort to reduce printing costs, the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Committee on Printing, is
implementing some formatting changes for material for all full
committee and subcommittee hearings. Therefore, it would be appreciated
if you could provide your answers consecutively on letter size paper,
single-spaced. In addition, please restate the question in its entirety
before the answer.
Due to the delay in receiving mail, please provide your response to
Ms. Megan Williams by fax at (202) 225-2034. If you have any questions,
please call (202) 225-3608.
Sincerely,
John J. Hall
Chairman
__________
Questions for the Record
The Honorable John J. Hall, Chairman,
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs,
House Veterans' Affairs Committee
May 22, 2008
Examining the Effectiveness of VBA Outreach Efforts
Question: At the hearing you offered to submit the following
information for the record: You mentioned that the advisors submit a
monthly report and have included VBA referral information. Do you know
how many Guardsmen transitioned and how many were referred to VA?
Answer: For the month of April 2008 (the first month with all
states/territories reporting), there were 781 referrals from a National
Guard transition assistance advisor (TAA) to the Veterans Benefits
Administration. This number just represents the month of April 2008.
Since this is a new report, we believe this number may be low. Some of
our TAAs are new; however, reporting methodologies are in their
infancy. We will continue to track these numbers.