VA Introduces Text Messaging to Expand Efforts to Prevent Suicide

VA Introduces Text Messaging to Expand Efforts to Prevent Suicide

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding its efforts to prevent suicide through several new initiatives that increase the availability of services for Veterans, Servicemembers and their families.

The new initiatives include a new, free, confidential text-messaging service in the existing Veterans Crisis Line, introduction of toll-free access from Europe, and collaboration with Vets Prevail and Vets4Warriors, two groups providing crisis help to Veterans, Service members and their families.

“Offering text messaging services will help VA reach more Veterans and their friends and families,” said Dr. Janet Kemp, VA’s national mental health director for suicide prevention.  “We are working to meet their needs by communicating through multiple channels -- over the phone, through online chat, and now via text, which provides quick, easy access to support.  VA wants all Veterans to know that confidential support is only a text message away.”  

Since its founding July 2007, VA’s Veterans Crisis Line and the later Chat Service have received 500,000 calls and engaged in 31,000 chats resulting in over 18,000 rescues of Veterans in immediate crisis.

Now, in addition to the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255 and Press 1) and online chat (www.VeteransCrisisLine.net), Veterans and Servicemembers in crisis—and their friends and families—may text free of charge to 83-8255 to receive confidential, personal and immediate support.  The text service is available, like the Veterans Crisis Line and online chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and connects a user with a specially trained VA professional -- many who are Veterans themselves.

As a part of the effort to extend VA’s reach, Veterans and members of the military community in Europe may now receive free, confidential support from the European Military Crisis Line, a new initiative recently launched by VA.  Callers in Europe may dial 0800-1273-8255 or DSN 118 to receive confidential support from responders at the Veterans Crisis Line in the U.S. 

VA’s Veterans Crisis Line continues to add external resources to provide Veterans with additional support.   Two of these organizations include Vets Prevail (www.VetsPrevail.org) and Vets4Warriors (www.Vets4Warriors.com).  
In December, Vets Prevail launched a chat service that connects Veterans to caring responders who provide information on a wide variety of resources.  If the Veteran is in crisis or needs mental health support, the conversation is then seamlessly transferred to a VA Veterans Crisis Line responder.  

Vets4Warriors has helped thousands of their peers connect with confidential assistance through a free hotline (1-855-838-8255/1-855-VET-TALK) and online chat (www.Vets4Warriors.com). If a Veteran is in need of professional crisis or mental health support, Vets4Warriors’ responders will transfer the Veteran to a responder at the Veterans Crisis Line.

For more information about VA’s suicide prevention program, visit: http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

DoD starts prorating Imminent Danger Pay

DOD Begins Prorating Imminent Danger Pay

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2012 – Service members now will receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas, Pentagon officials said here today.

The change, which took effect yesterday, was included in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law Dec. 31.

“Members will see the prorated amount in their Feb. 15 pay records,” Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said.

The act called for DOD to pay service members imminent danger pay only for the time they spend in areas that qualify for the pay. In the past, service members received $225 per month if they spent any time that month in an area where the pay was authorized. “This is a more targeted way of handling that pay,” Kirby said.

Now, service members will receive $7.50 a day for days spent in these areas. Personnel who travel to the designated areas for periods less than 30 days should keep track of the number of days they are in the area to verify that they are paid for the correct number of days, officials said.

The military services are working to waive or remit debts for members who may have been overpaid for January, officials said. The services can waive this “when there is no indication of fraud, fault, misrepresentation, or when members were unaware they were overpaid,” Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said.

Proration is based on a 30-day month, which translates into a rate of $7.50 per day. It does not matter if the month is 28 or 31 days long, officials explained; if service members serve in affected areas for the complete month, they will receive the full rate of $225 per month.

The Defense Department defines imminent danger pay areas as places where members are subject to the threat of physical harm or imminent danger because of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism or wartime conditions.

Service members who come under fire, regardless of location, will receive the full monthly hostile-fire pay amount of $225.

Service members will receive notification of the change via emails, on the MyPay system, on social media sites and via the chain of command.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Veterans for Weed United Still Using POW/MIA Logo

Veterans for Weed have changed their name a little. Originally their name Veterans for Weed and using the acronym  "VFW" they are now called Veterans for Weed United and VFWU.

Of course VFW is a copyright owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. A cease-and-desist order to the Milwaukee based organization, which did alter their name slightly.

What is most outrageous about this group and their website: They have taken the POW/MIA logo
and changed it to suit their thoughts on "weed".

This logo shows "Pot Pow" and includes a soldier smoking a joint, with the words "stoner soldier"
underneath.

It is true that the POW/MIA logo is not covered under copyright laws, which the originators
failed to do, thus it is in the public domain.

But this misuse is an insult to those who are still missing, and most offensive to their families.
This is an outrage and a direct disrespect to anyone who ever wore the uniform of our country.
They should be ashamed of the blatant disregard of the feelings of our heroes who have not yet
returned home.

Is this a way to show respect and honor for our missing? Those we have promised "we will
never forget." Most assuredly not.

VFWU should be forced to change this abomination and they way to do that is to inundate them
with letter and emails telling them to cease-and-desist. You can find their deplorable site
here http://theveteransforweed.com/index.shtml to place you complaints.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"


---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Ask The President

 I have posted a question on the White House You Tube Channel, asking the President to use
an Executive Order to create a Cold War Service Medal. If you follow the message below click on the White House You Tube channel link, on the right side type Cold War in the search box when the question comes up please click on like to vote in favor of the Medal.



What would you ask President Obama?
Tomorrow, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address at 9:00 p.m. ET. During that speech, he’ll lay out his vision for an America where hard work and responsibility are rewarded, where everyone does their fair share, and where everyone is held accountable for what they do.
There is a range of ways to get involved with this year’s State of the Union address.
Immediately following the President’s speech on Tuesday, be sure to stay tuned to WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU for a live panel featuring senior White House advisors answering your questions about the speech. Then, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, a group of policy experts and advisors to the President will sit down for Office Hours on Twitter -- discussing the issues that matter to you and your community.
Finally, on Monday, January 30, President Obama will join the conversation in a special Google+ Hangout, a live multi-person video chat, from the White House.
Participating in the Hangout is easy -- just visit the White House YouTube channel to submit your questions and vote for your favorites between now and January 28. A few participants will be chosen to join the President in the Google+ Hangout to ask their questions of the President live!
Check out WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU to learn more about watching the enhanced State of the Union online and all the ways you can ask questions this week:

WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU
Here’s the full lineup -- all times are ET.

Tuesday

• 9:00 p.m.: Watch the enhanced version of the speech that features graphics, data and stats that highlight the issues the President is discussing on WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU. Use the Twitter hashtag #SOTU to discuss the speech live.
• 10:00 p.m.: Immediately following the speech, pose your questions to a live panel at the White House. Senior advisors will answer your questions about the President’s address submitted via Twitter (use #WHChat and #SOTU), Facebook, Google+, and an in-person audience of Tweetup participants.

Wednesday Office Hours Schedule

• All Day: Josh Earnest, Principal Deputy Press Secretary, answers your questions on Twitter (@jearnest44)
• 1:00 p.m.: Office Hours with Mark Zuckerman, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council
• 3:00 p.m.: Office Hours with Dan Pfeiffer (@pfeiffer44), White House Communications Director

Thursday Office Hours Schedule

• 10:00 a.m. Veterans: Matt Flavin, White House Director of Veterans and Wounded Warrior Policy
• 11:00 a.m. LGBT: Miriam Vogel, White House Senior Policy Advisor and Gautam Raghavan, White House Associate Director for Public Engagement
• 12:00 p.m. Women: Racquel Russell, Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity and Avra Siegel, White House Deputy Executive Director for the Council on Women and Girls
• 1:00 p.m. Seniors: Jeanne Lambrew, Deputy Assistant to the President for Health Policy and Nick Papas, Assistant Press Secretary
• 2:00 p.m. Latinos: Felicia Escobar, White House Senior Policy Advisor, Julie Rodriguez, White House Associate Director of Public Engagement and Luis Miranda, White House Director of Hispanic Media
• 4:00 p.m. Small Business Owners: Christine Koronides, Senior Advisor for Economic Policy, National Economic Council
• 5:00 p.m. African Americans: Danielle Gray, Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy
• 6:00 p.m. Asian American Pacific Islanders: Chris Lu, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary
• TBD Youth: Administration official to be announced

Friday Office Hours Schedule

• 11:00 a.m. Foreign Policy: Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting
• 12:00 p.m. Education: Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy
• 1:00 p.m. Health: Jeanne Lambrew, Deputy Assistant to the President for Health Policy and Nick Papas, Assistant Press Secretary
• 2:00 p.m. Energy: Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change and Dan Utech, Deputy Director for Energy Policy
• 3:00 p.m. Consumer Protections: Brian Deese, Deputy Director National Economic Council
• 4:00 pm The Economy: Jason Furman, Principal Deputy Director National Economic Council
• 5:00 p.m. Job Opportunities: Portia Wu, Senior Policy Advisor for Mobility and Opportunity Policy
• 6:00 p.m. Urban Issues: Racquel Russell, Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity

Monday January 30

• President Obama participates in a Google+ Hangout from the White House

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

U.S. Embassy in Syria to close

It appears that the U.S. Embassy in Damascus  will close and all American personnel will
be evacuated by the end of this month.

According to senior Obama administration officials, this is to safeguard American lives due to
the problems and the decline of security issues.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has so far not been willing to increase protection to the Embassy,
and unless he does provide additional security the Embassy will be closed.

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

New York State increases tax exemption for Cold War Veterans

The New York Sate Legislature has taken a brave step forward for Cold War Veterans.

The legislature recently increased the amount of tax exemptions being given to Cold War Veterans. The increase was from $12,000 to $54,000. For those with service connected disabilities the increase is from $54,000 to $180,000.

This exemption is for those who served during the Cold War, from Sept. 2, 1945 to Dec. 26, 1991. Other tax exemptions for those who served during wartime periods are already in place.

It is now up to each local tax board and city council to approve the increase. It is hoped that even with
municipalities facing financial problems that each and everyone will approve the new exemption amounts as quickly as possibly.

It is just a small way to thank, honor and remember those who served. Cold War Veterans are a
very large voting block, and will remember who stood up to assist us for a long time. For those
who might be against these increases, veterans have a long memory, elections are not that far away.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"


---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996