Region One:  AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, and WY
Region President, Ron Buatte
rwbuatte@gmail.com
(208) 342-8566 

 

Region Two: CA, NV, HI, GU 
Region President, Dennis Egge
usa@earthlink.net 
(808) 382-5833 

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Posted November 2020 Veterans Day - NAUS Hawaii NAUS Hawaii Chapo Veterans Day celebration at the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial Dennis Egge; Chapter President

Posted January 30, 2019 Aloha NAUS Hawaii Chapter members: Very interesting first meeting of the year, this morning.   Memorial and Veterans Day purposes were defined. We honor a. military personnel who die while performing creditable duty, on Memorial Day; they become veterans the moment they were sworn in. b. all other veterans living or dead, and their loved ones, on Veterans Day   The Missle Defense Agency assured us that our missle defense system exists, today; we don't have to be concerned about any more false nuclear alarms   The State office of Veterans Services announced the current status of our new 120 bed veterans home, located in Kapolei. Construction hasn't started but the planning is progressing.   The VA advised: a. They have prior knowledge of 1/3rd, of the 20 veterans who become self-inflicted wounds casualties (aka suicides) each day; it seems most of these casualties come from the Defense Department's "Other Than Honorably" discharged (OTH) community. b. If you know of a veteran who is suffering from mental distress symptoms? Consider sharing your concerns with the VA crisis line is 800-273-TALK (8255); they will reach out to them. Imagine a severely distressd veteran calling? I can't. c. Veterans who have been discharged under OTH conditions are entitled to 90 days of mental health care; if their mental suffering is combat related the care is indefinite. d. they consider a homeless or jobless to be in crisis.   Senator Hirono's office announced this year's "Veterans Summit" will take place on Feberary 21 and 22. Venue is TBA   The VA apparently does not have access to OTH discharged military personnel service records, and therefore cannot reach out to these prime suicide candidates. Senator Hirono's office will confirm this, and if necessary, introduce legislation to bring the two departments together, to save lives.   The VA announced their job fairs are very successful. Their Human Resource HR employment number (808-433-0182) is available to veterans who are in need of a job. If you know an out of work veteran, please share this number with him.   At your service, Dennis Egge; Chapter President Aloha NAUS Hawaii Chapter members: Very interesting first meeting of the year, this morning.   Memorial and Veterans Day purposes were defined. We honor a. military personnel who die while performing creditable duty, on Memorial Day; they become veterans the moment they were sworn in. b. all other veterans living or dead, and their loved ones, on Veterans Day   The Missle Defense Agency assured us that our missle defense system exists, today; we don't have to be concerned about any more false nuclear alarms   The State office of Veterans Services announced the current status of our new 120 bed veterans home, located in Kapolei. Construction hasn't started but the planning is progressing.   The VA advised: a. They have prior knowledge of 1/3rd, of the 20 veterans who become self-inflicted wounds casualties (aka suicides) each day; it seems most of these casualties come from the Defense Department's "Other Than Honorably" discharged (OTH) community. b. If you know of a veteran who is suffering from mental distress symptoms? Consider sharing your concerns with the VA crisis line is 800-273-TALK (8255); they will reach out to them. Imagine a severely distressd veteran calling? I can't. c. Veterans who have been discharged under OTH conditions are entitled to 90 days of mental health care; if their mental suffering is combat related the care is indefinite. d. they consider a homeless or jobless to be in crisis.   Senator Hirono's office announced this year's "Veterans Summit" will take place on Feberary 21 and 22. Venue is TBA   The VA apparently does not have access to OTH discharged military personnel service records, and therefore cannot reach out to these prime suicide candidates. Senator Hirono's office will confirm this, and if necessary, introduce legislation to bring the two departments together, to save lives.   The VA announced their job fairs are very successful. Their Human Resource HR employment number (808-433-0182) is available to veterans who are in need of a job. If you know an out of work veteran, please share this number with him.   At your service, Dennis Egge; Chapter President the Introduction Letter from Dennis Egge Open Bill 2962

Posted February 9th 2018 TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 2962 WITH COMMENTS RELATING TO DIVORCE SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY FEBRUARY 6TH 2018 HEARING IN CONFERENCE ROOM 225pen the Introduction Letter from Dennis Egge pen Bill 2962

FEBRUARY 9th  2018 TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 2445 WITH COMMENTS RELATING TO DIVORCE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS, MILITARY, & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, & CULTURE AND THE ARTS FEBRUARY 15TH  2018 HEARING, AT 10AM, IN CONFERENCE ROOM 429 Open the full document to read and/or download Open Bill 2445

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FEBRUARY 9th  2018

TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 2445 WITH COMMENTS

RELATING TO DIVORCE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS, MILITARY, & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, & CULTURE AND THE ARTS

FEBRUARY 15TH  2018 HEARING, AT 10AM, IN CONFERENCE ROOM 429

Aloha Chair LoPresti and Vice Chair Fukumoto: Mahalo for providing this opportunity to share our sentiments, in support of House Bill 2445.  The National Association for Uniformed Services (NAUS) is well known on Capitol Hill, as “The Service Member’s Voice in Government;” while this voice is silent, NAUS Hawaii Chapter (HI-1) continues their legacy, at the will and pleasure of our nation’s largest per-capita uniformed services community, as an American Retirees Association affiliate.

NAUS Hawaii Chapter (HI-1) sincerely appreciates your committee’s willingness to consider exempting a disabled Veteran’s Federal Title 38 United States Code chapter 11 related disability benefits from indirect, involuntary redistribution, through indemnification, in a military divorce action. In addition to the above action, we respectfully ask you to consider encouraging our family/domestic relations courts to designate apportionment award determination responsibility, to the cognizant United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ claims review process.  

Your committee’s action, in support of HB2445 will be greatly appreciated by our divorcing, disabled veterans and military personnel. It endorses the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s “Howell v Howell” decision, and most certainly strengthens Hawaii’s support for United States Code:

• Title 38 Chapter 11,
• Title 42 Section 659(h)(1)(A)(ii)(V),
• Title 10, Section 1408(a)(4)(B)

Dad and read BILL 2445 in PDF format

Thank you for being here for us,

D Egge

Dennis Egge; NAUS Hawaii Chapter President

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Need testimonials here......

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NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: June Iljana
916-206-3091
March 1, 2017
CalVet 17-023

California Veterans Homes Improve CMS Quality Ratings

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) notified the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) yesterday that CMS ratings for California Veterans Homes in Chula Vista and Yountville will increase to four stars, placing them among the highest performing facilities throughout the state.

CMS developed the star rating system to help consumers identify high-performing skilled nursing facilities based on a number of clinical factors, including compliance with Medicare health and safety standards, quality measures, and staffing. The rating for a facility is determined through health inspections and on-site surveys.

"CMS' star rating system is an essential measure of how well we are serving the veterans who entrust us with their healthcare," said CalVet Secretary Dr. Vito Imbasciani. "These increased ratings reflect a systematic effort by CalVet to recruit quality leadership in our veterans homes, provide clinicians with the support and resources necessary to succeed, and identify and standardize best practices throughout the system."

This is the second consecutive year of star rating improvements for both facilities and is the latest in an upward trend of clinical performance for CalVet. Last year, the Redding Veterans Home received five-stars – the highest possible rating – despite being a brand new facility. In addition, the Fresno Veterans Home received initial CMS certification with a near-perfect survey and anticipates a similarly high score in its first rating.

"We are proud of our staff's commitment to quality care across our system of veterans homes and we look forward to more great results from them over the coming year," Imbasciani said.

CalVet operates eight veterans homes throughout the state. Learn more about benefits and services for California veterans at www.calvet.ca.gov.

Region Three: CO, KS, NE, UT
Region President, TOM PAOLILLO 
mileview@yahoo.com 
(303) 690-2007

 

Region Four: AZ, NM, TX, OK
Region President, CHARLES MURPHY
cmurphy40@cox.net
(405) 601-0839 – (seeking a replacement)

 

 

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USA Region Five Report

Posted February 20, 2017

Veterans News from Ohio District 7

Congressional Representative Brian "Bob" Gibbs
https://gibbs.house.gov
Tel: 202-225-6265

It's been a busy few weeks. The House has passed a wide range of resolutions repealing last-minute rules written by the previous administration. We also passed legislation that helps veterans receive assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Too often, veterans are contacting caseworkers in my office as a last-resort after waiting weeks, months, or sometimes even years for an answer from the VA. Without major reforms, the VA's bureaucracy will continue to move too slowly, leaving veterans without the medical, financial, or vocational help they need. These brave men and women, who sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms, deserve better: THAT'S WHY I JOINED MY COLLEAGUES IN PASSING H.R. 512, THE WINGMAN ACT, which allows veterans to permit a congressional staff member assigned to a case have electronic access to their files at the VA. This bill streamlines the claims process for congressional offices and moves us another step closer to connecting veterans with the benefits they earned.

This past week, I introduced the Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act, a bill that expands Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens on water resources development projects owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers: While legislation passed in May 2009 opened National Park Service and National Fish and Wildlife Service lands to concealed-carry permit holders, Army Corps water project recreational lands were not subject to the law. This legislation brings Army Corps recreational sites that include water projects to the same standards as other federal recreational lands only when a citizen is allowed to carry a concealed firearm in accordance with state and local laws. The exclusion of Army Corps water resources development projects is a classic case of the government's left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. If an American has lawfully obtained a concealed-carry permit, he or she should be able to exercise their constitutional rights on federal recreation lands, regardless of the agency. The Second Amendment should also apply on the nearly 12 million acres and over 90,000 campsites the Army Corps of Engineers administers.

I also introduced legislation to provide clarification on the use and application of EPA-approved pesticides called the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act. It has bipartisan support. The bill corrects a 2009 court decision that required a duplicative and unnecessary National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for pesticides that have already been regulated, tested, and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). It removes the requirement for NPDES permitting for pesticides already approved by EPA for use under FIFRA, reducing bureaucratic burdens on farmers, ranchers, and local pest control agencies.  Bureaucratic red tape is making it more difficult and costly for farmers to responsibly protect their crops or local mosquito and pest control agencies to safeguard public health. Requiring an NPDES permit is unnecessary. It only adds compliance costs, and no new environmental protections. FIFRA appropriately regulated pesticides for sixty years before the enactment of the Clean Water Act and has regulated pesticides for forty years after. Everyone, especially farmers, want clean water. Which is why adding another layer of regulations at the risk of public health is irresponsible. Our nation has seen outbreaks of West Nile and Zika viruses in the last few years.

RATHER THAN WAITING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES TO BE DECLARED, WE CAN GIVE LOCAL AND STATE HEALTH AGENCIES THE TOOLS TO PREVENT OUTBREAKS BEFORE THEY START"

 

 

 

Uniformed Services Association Executive Director