What VA is Doing for Women Veterans!

Did you know?

Program Mission

Women Veterans Health Care addresses the health care needs of women Veterans and works to ensure that timely, equitable, high-quality, comprehensive health care services are provided in a sensitive and safe environment at VA health facilities nationwide. We strive to be a national leader in the provision of health care for women, thereby raising the standard of care for all women.

To fulfill this mission, Women Veterans Health Care works to make certain that all eligible women Veterans requesting VA care are assured of:

• Comprehensive primary care by a proficient and interested primary care provider
• Privacy, safety, dignity, and sensitivity to gender-specific needs
• The right care in the right place and time
• State-of-the-art health care equipment and technology
• High-quality preventive and clinical care, equal to that provided to male Veterans

For more information and services please visit:
http://www.womenshealth.va.gov/WOMENSHEALTH/about.asp

2012 HELPFUL VA PHONE NUMBERS:

Bereavement Counseling......................................................... 1-202-461-6530

Civilian Health and Medical Program(CHAMPVA).................. 1-800-733-8387

Caregiver Support........................................................................1-855-260-3274

Education...................................................................................... 1-888-442-4551

Federal Recovery Coordination Program.................................. 1-877-732-4456

Foreign Medical Program....................................................... 1-888-820-1756

Headstones and Markers.......................................................... 1-800-697-6947

Health Care.................................................................................. 1-877-222-8387

Homeless Veterans.................................................................... 1-877-424-3838

Home Loans................................................................................. 1-888-827-3702

Life Insurance.............................................................................. 1-800-669-8477

Veterans Crisis Line................................................................... 1-800-273-8255

Pension Management Center............................................... 1-877-294-6380

Presidential Memorial Certificate Program.......................... 1-202-565-4964

Special Health Issues................................................................ 1-800-749-8387

Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD).................. 1-800-829-4833

VA Benefits............................................................................... 1-800-827-1000

VA Combat Call Center............................................................ 1-877-927-8387

Women Veterans........................................................................ 1-202-461-1070

2012 HELPFUL VA WEB SITE LINKS:

Burial and Memorial Benefits......................................................www.cem.va.gov

Caregiver Support.................................................................www.Caregiver.va.gov

CHAMPVA...................www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/forbeneficiaries.asp

eBenefits...................................................................................www.ebenefits.va.gov

Exposures.................................................... www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures

Education Benefits.........................................................................www.gibill.va.gov

Health Care Eligibility................................................www.va.gov/healthbenefits

Home Loan Guaranty........................................................www.homeloans.va.gov

Life Insurance..........................................................................www.insurance.va.gov

Memorial Certificate Program...........................www.cem.va.gov/pmc.asp

Mental Health..........................................................www.mentalhealth.va.gov

MyHealtheVet..................................................................www.myhealth.va.gov

National Resource Directory...........www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov

Prosthetics.....................................................................www.prosthetics.va.gov

Record..................................www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel

Returning Servicemembers................................................www.oefoif.va.gov

Women Veterans..................................................www.womenshealth.va.gov

VA Vet Centers.................................................................www.vetcenter.va.gov

VA Home Page.....................................................................................www.va.gov

VA Benefit Payment Rates............................www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/rates

VA Forms................................................................................www.va.gov/vaform

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment...........www.vetsuccess.gov

Report: Lackland MTI scandal still growing

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jul 26, 2012 19:48:47 EDT

SAN ANTONIO — The number of instructors at a Texas Air Force base under investigation in a widening sex scandal has increased from 12 to 15 and the number of alleged victims has also gone up by seven to 38, officials said Thursday.

Officials declined to identify the three new instructors at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland under investigation or comment on the nature of the allegations against them because no charges have been filed against the three, said Brent Boller, a spokesman for Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

The increase in the number of instructors and alleged victims was first reported by the San Antonio-Express News. The numbers could continue to grow.

“There may be others as we continue the investigation,” Boller said.

Last week, a military jury sentenced one former instructor, Staff Sgt. Luis Walker, to 20 years in prison after he was convicted of rape and sexual assault. The counts against Walker were the most severe in the investigation.

READ MORE HERE: Report: Lackland MTI scandal still growing - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Body armor for female soldiers set for wide distribution next summer

By LEO SHANE III

Stars and Stripes

Published: July 26, 2012

The Army is developing new body armor that is more form-fitting for female Soldiers.

U.S. ARMY

WASHINGTON — Army officials hope to issue form-fitting body armor for hundreds of female soldiers by next summer, part of an effort to provide better protection and cut down on noncombat injuries from the current bulky vests.

Officials from Program Executive Office Soldier announced earlier this month that they will field 100 prototypes this fall to a few female engagement teams from the 101st Airborne Division. Critiques from about 30 women will be used to evaluate and refine the models.

It’s the latest step in a three-year effort to develop armor that “addresses the physical differences between the sexes.”

Female soldiers for years have noted problems with the standard-issue military body armor. Too-long plates, too-wide shoulders and too-square configurations of the vests lead to uncomfortable pressure points and potentially dangerous gaps.

Lt. Col. Frank Lozano, product manager for Soldier Protective Equipment, said in a statement that changes in the female body armor allow for a more customizable and secure fit, and more freedom for those soldiers to move their arms and shoulders.

“Most females tend to have a narrow or thinner waist as it relates to the chest area, so we pulled the waist area in,” he said. “Some women will want more room in the waist area so we allowed for adjustability.”

READ MORE HERE: http://www.stripes.com/news/body-armor-for-female-soldiers-set-for-wide-distribution-next-summer-1.184102?localLinksEnabled=false?&utm_campaign=Weekly+Update&utm_medium=email

Shinseki predicts significant VA advances in the next year - The Ruptured Duck - Stripes

By LEO SHANE III
Published: July 24, 2012

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki

AP

WASHINGTON – Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki offered a largely upbeat assessment of his department’s accomplishments over the last three years during remarks at the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention on Tuesday. He also outlined an even rosier future, promising to return next summer with more good news.

Shinseki said the department remains on track to reach its 2015 goals of ending veterans homelessness and eliminating the benefits claims backlog, and said he’s encouraged by recent advances in establishing lifelong electronic medical records. He also chronicled numerous areas where the VA has seen significant funding increases since 2009, and he predicted a continuation of that trend, if President Barack Obama is re-elected.

Here’s a sampling of Shinseki’s budget preview for fiscal 2014:

• A 37 percent increase in funding for programs for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, over anticipated fiscal 2013 levels;
• A 35 percent increase in funding for women veterans programs;
• A 17 percent increase in prosthetics funding;
• A 13 percent increase in traumatic brain injury funding;
• A 12 percent increase in spinal cord injury funding ;
• A 11 percent increase in long-term care funding;
• A 6 percent increase in mental health funding.

Shinseki said he also expects the new benefits management system to be fully operational by next summer, and by then fewer than 40 percent of all benefits claims will be pending for more than 125 days.

ARTICLE HERE: Shinseki predicts significant VA advances in the next year - The Ruptured Duck - Stripes

VA HOMELESS VETERAN STAND DOWN SCHEDULE 2012

Date	Days	Location	Contact	Phone Number
July 3-4, 2012	2	Missoula, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-6045
July 13-15, 2012	3	San Diego, CA	Darcy Pavich	619-393-2040
July 27, 2012	1	Columbia, MO	Katie Burnham Wilkins	573-814-6244
Late July/ Early August	1	Miles City, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-6045
August 15-16, 2012	2	Browning, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-6045
August 18, 2012	1	Hamilton, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-6045
September 11, 2012	1	Akron, OH	Laura Williams Dunlop	330-762-7328
September 14, 2012	1	Chillicothe, OH	Amy Combs	740-773-1141 ext. 6477
September 14, 2012	1	Durham, NC	Bob Williamson	919-286-0411
September 20, 2012	1	Sherman, TX	Tammy Wood	214-467-1863
September 20-22, 2012	3	Great Falls, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-6045
September 22, 2012	1	Milwaukee, WI	Barbara Gilbert	414-342-2224
September 28, 2012	1	Stockton, CA	Stacy Studebaker	650-444-8034
October 4, 2012	1	Bellevue, KY	Chris Chatifield	859-392-3969
Mid-October	1	Arlee, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-6045
October 17-18, 2012	2	Detroit, MI	Linda Jones	313-576-3870
October 26-27, 2012	2	Dallas, TX	Tammy Wood	214-467-1863
October 28, 2012	1	Sedalia, MO	Katie Burnham Wilkins	573-814-6244
November 9, 2012	1	Chicago, IL	Jeanne Douglas	708-383-3225
November 9, 2012	1	San Antonio, TX	Jerry Rangel	210-616-9915
November 13, 2012	1	Binghamton, NY	Adam Ormsby	315-425-4428
November 14, 2012	1	Fort Worth, TX	Linda Saucedo	214-927-4501
Fall 2012	1	Manchester or Nashua, NH	Lisa Jacobus	603-624-4366 ext. 3622
TBD	2	Anaconda/Butte, MT	Anthony Snell	406-447-604