New benefits for most recent combat vets

[Gimpy]

##### VA Press Release #####

Recently Separated Combat Veterans Have New Health Care Options

Combat veterans, including those from Afghanistan and the war on
terrorism, now have two years after they have separated in which they
can seek free health care for an illness or injury that might be
connected to their military service, according to a new Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) directive.

In the past, veterans had to have the disability or illness rated as
service-connected by VA in order to receive medical care without an
obligation to make a copayment. Now, VA facilities have the authority
to provide health care and other medical services to combat veterans
even in the absence of proof of service connection for up to two years.

?This really came about from lessons learned after the Gulf War,? said
Mark Brown, PHD, director, Environmental Agents Service. ?VA
appreciates that the wounds of military conflict are ot always obvious,
and that unexplained or difficult to diagnose illnesses are often
associated with military conflicts. Furthermore, our country is
sending
Reservists and National Guardsmen to fight moe and more often. Once
they left active duty, however, they were often left with nowhere to
turn.?

To receive free medical care, veterans must meet three conditions. 1)
Served in a theater of combat operations during a period of war or
hostilities; 2) Believe that the injury or illness is related to
military service; and 3) Have been separated from active duty no more
than two years.

National Guard and Reserve personnel who were activated and served in
combat or against a hostile force are also eligible, as long as they
were ordered to active duty by a federal declaration, served the full
period for which they were called and were released from active duty
under other than dishonorable conditions.

##### END ####

[Arrow]

thanks Gimpy...

l

[SEATJERKER]

...it seems that "the voice" was well heard, and when it starts coming in from different sources nationwide in abundence, it carries more weight...
...just the way it should have always been...
...keep up the good work that you do............