VOW: Voice of Our Warriors

09/19/2024

https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/2024/09/18/report-vets-wait-decades-for-help-on-military-toxic-exposure-issues/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=marine-dnr

Advocates are pushing for reforms after finding that vets average a three-decade wait for full help with toxic exposure conditions.

09/01/2024

About Military Records:

My Husband Jay, signed up for the Army after he married me. We were married consistently throughout his military career. No separation, except geographical because of duty stations overseas or his deployment to Afghanistan. However, when he died and I received his ERB along with other documents, the ERB said he was single. It was a clerical error that can not be fixed since the records are locked once a service member has died (according to my casualty affairs officer and mortuary affairs). It can not be appealed, no hearing can be held, and the error will stand forever in the ERB. I am posting this for 2 reasons. 1 is to state that in my opinion, the DoD stance that all records are locked at the time of death may be the right call but for clerical errors or provably false information there should be a process to amend the documents. Locking at the time of death may also limit the awards that should have been granted at or near the time of death. And 2, Clerical errors happen. Medals and other things on DoD documents may be accurate or inaccurate, and data may be missing or input incorrectly. Always check your records and make sure they are accurate. Fix them while you can.

08/26/2024

On this day we Honor Them: Today, please take a moment to remember Abbey Gate, we honor the Fallen 13.

Say their names;
SsgtDarin T Hoover
Sgt Johanny Rosario Pichardo
Sgt Nicole L Gee
Cpl Hunter Lopez
Cpl Daegan W Page
Cpl Humberto A Sanchez
Lcpl David E Espinoza
Lcpl Jared M Schmitz
Lcpl Rylee J McCollum
Lcpl Dylan R Merola
Lcpl Kareem M Nikoui
Navy Corpsman Maxton W Soviak
Army Ssgt Ryan C Knauss.

08/04/2024

It is not just Veterans who are outraged. For the last few years I have been working on trying to get an increase to the DIC for Military/Veteran Widows. I have called and emailed almost every member of Congress (both houses, all parties) to pass the "Caring for Survivors Act S. 414/H.R. 1083". The response from Lawmakers has been, "Where will the money come from to cover an increase?". How about we quit funding our enemies!

Frustration and outrage are mounting among a bevy of prominent veterans over a report detailing how US currency is flowing into Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and propping up the regime that American soldiers fought against for decades. Late last month, a government watchdog organization on Afghanis...

08/01/2024

Rant:
For the military community, political campaigns, and all nonprofits in general…Stop overworking your volunteers. Stop advertising “jobs” that are really just unpaid volunteer positions. AND stop stringing along volunteers with the false hope of paid work in the future.

There are two organizations that I volunteer with when I have time(no I am not going to say who), I know there may never be a penny in it for me in the future but they are close to my heart.

To All the others who have approached me in the last year, I am trying to survive and do good things. In order to be a productive member of our society, I have to pay my bills and to do that I need a paycheck, not phony awards or pats on the back. I do not need “credit” for my work but I do need a paycheck. I am not independently wealthy. I am not going to stop being an advocate. I will call, email, zoom, teams, and meet face to face with almost anyone at any time to advocate for the military community (Active duty, National Guard, Reserve, Veterans along with their families, caregivers, and survivors). I have been know to go to or crash political events often with my own flyers about pending legislation and needs of the community and “hand them out” as a talking point to the politicians (on both sides since DoD & VA issues are bipartisan issues). I will do what I can as I can to bring awareness to these issues.

Oh. And because it happened recently … don’t offer me an advocate position on a board and then tell me I can not advocate or discuss legislation with lawmakers when you are one of the few organizations that were created to be the equivalent of a union for active duty service members that have been silenced by the rules and regulations associated with active duty and national guard.

07/11/2024

Why is the "Acting Secretary of the Army Patrick Murphy" campaigning?
https://www.army.mil/article/233671/rules_restrict_political_activity_by_dod_personnel
the article above is from 2020 but the same rules apply for 2024
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-campaign-launches-vets-coalition-after-prez-s-blunder-about-american-deaths-in-afghanistan/ar-BB1pLzFP?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=4bb6cd3623fe4b3df3a6e328373a8011&ei=43

With the 2020 election season in full swing, the Department of Defense officials are reminding military members and civilian employees of limits to what...

07/06/2024

WTF: So the DoD (from DoD budgeted money) gives you money to leave when "they" need to downsize but if you later develop service-connected health issues that cause you to file for VA Benefits (from VA budgeted money), you are SOL until you pay back the DoD money....At the time a veteran is sick and unable to work to survive. This is BS. It is bad enough that because of Congressional budget rules, Veterans are now paying for some of their earned VA benefits through fees tacked on to their own VA home loans.

A federal law has forced thousands of disabled veterans to return the separation incentives they received, throwing many into sudden hardship.

05/16/2024

Fort Campbell's Boots Display Opening Ceremony takes place this Friday at 10:00 a.m. on the 101st Headquarters' front lawn.

05/13/2024

How did I spend my Monday (and will be working for a bit) ... Reading, Formatting to print, and printing the entire United States Code - Title 38 & 10.....I need to order paper and ink again. I am a tactile person, I want a copy in my hand. I decided printing it myself would be cheaper than buying a copy and then having to buy a new copy every few years as the laws change or are amended. Lots of paper & ink, 3 ring binders and sticky notes later, I have something that I can easily find what I need for the VA and Armed Service laws.

04/23/2024

This is a big one for me.... please use the link to contact elected officials and share on your own social media to get as much support as possible

Bill of the Week
HR 1083 and S 414



HR 1083 and S 414, Caring for Survivors Act of 2023. These bills will improve and expand eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation paid to certain survivors of deceased veterans. There is an old saying that the toughest job in the military is that of a military spouse. That continues post-service. While the death of a loved one is certainly terrible, to have the benefits limited or taken away can be another burden that can be alleviated by this bill. If that spouse had been attending to a totally disabled veteran at the time of their death, it goes without saying that they should be entitled to the same compensation for the original amount of time given to that veteran.



Please contact your elected officials and ask for their support.

I just took action to support HR 1083 and S 414, Caring for Survivors Act of 2023. Click to do the same.

03/26/2024

https://www.free-range-advocate.com/blog/malpractice-claim-denied

My DoD medical malpractice claim has been denied. The claim was denied because the documentation did not support the diagnosis of cancer, even though a mass was present in 2012, One document in French and one translated to English from USAG BENELUX/SHAPE-Chièvres clinic stated that a mass was found...

03/26/2024

https://www.free-range-advocate.com/blog/why-the-issues-associated-with-the-military-community-matter-to-me

       I am the widow of an Active-duty service member. My husband, Sgt Jeremy "Jay" Seals, died because of Military Medical Malpractice and Neglect combined with the effects of Toxic Exposure. Jay was exposed to Burn Pits and other Tox