Week in Review

August 30, 2018

Dear NOVA Members,

Here are this week's updates and articles on veterans affairs, news, legislation, and events. We have collected these articles from news sources across the country to ensure that you have the latest, most up-to-date information so that you may better serve your clients.

Lawmakers, Advocates Call for Change After VA Mishandled Military Sexual Trauma Claims

Stars and Stripes - Some lawmakers and veteran advocates are calling for more change to how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles claims of sexual trauma in the military after it was discovered the agency denied benefits to hundreds of veterans without due diligence. The VA receives about 12,000 claims each year from veterans who say they suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder related to a sexual assault that occurred during their military service.

Full Article

Leader of VA Electronic Health Record Project Resigns, Prompts Concern

Stars and Stripes - The person selected to lead a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health records resigned Friday only one month after taking the job, leaving one lawmaker concerned about “deteriorating and rudderless” leadership on the massive project.

Full Article

Senate Sets Date for VA CIO Nomination Hearing, Amid Concerns of ‘Rudderless’ EHR Leadership

Federal News Radio - The president’s pick to lead the Veterans Affairs Department’s biggest IT initiative in its history will soon have his day before Congress. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee announced a Sept. 5 nomination hearing for James Gfrerer, the nominee to be VA’s permanent assistant secretary for information and technology.

Full Article

Lawmaker Presses for Quicker Action to Help Military Clean-Up Crews of 1966 Nuclear Accident

Military Times - Veterans exposed to radioactive debris more than five decades ago haven’t made much progress in the courts to have their illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs, so now they’re hoping Congress can intervene.

Full Article

The VA Releases Second National Suicide Data Report

Psychology Today - This summer the Department of Veterans Affairs released its second VA National Suicide Data Report. This report, again representing a joint effort between the VA, analysts, and researchers, assesses suicide data from 2005 to 2015. Its predecessor, released in 2012, gave rise to the widely held belief that 22 veterans a day die by suicide. This report adjusts that figure by two, establishing a number closer to 20 a day. A number which has reportedly remained constant from 2008-2015.

Full Article

VA Considers Ending Ban on Transgender Surgeries for Disabled Vets

Stars and Stripes - The Department of Veterans Affairs is considering whether to end a ban on gender reassignment surgeries for disabled veterans, and it is seeking public input.

Full Article

Many Enlisted Women Suffer Adverse Mental Health Effects After Combat Injury, Study Finds

Military Times - Within a year after suffering a combat-related injury in Iraq or Afghanistan, 40 percent of military women were diagnosed with a mental health condition, according to a new study.

Full Article

As America's Vets Grow Older, the VA Faces a Long-Term Care Crisis

KPBS - On a recent morning in Camarillo, Cal., dozens of veterans, their spouses, and grown children settled into their seats at the Ventura County Office of Education, free coffees and sodas in hand, to hear lawmakers discuss what's waiting for their families as they enter old age.

Full Article

Congress Passes Flake, McCain Bill to Hire Support for Veterans Courts

KTAR News - Congress unanimously passed a bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) that calls for the Department of Veterans Affairs to hire at least 50 additional Veterans Justice Outreach specialists within the next year.

Full Article

Lawmakers Pushing Back Against Pentagon Changes to GI Bill

The Day - When Congress reconvenes after Labor Day, efforts to push back against a new Pentagon policy limiting which service members can transfer educational benefits to their family members are likely to resume. The Pentagon announced in July that starting July 12, 2019, service members who've served for 16 years or longer won't be able to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits to a spouse or child.

Full Article

To Root Out Lead Risk, the Army Is Going to Have to Screen 40,000 On-Post Homes

Army Times - The Army is putting together a plan to evaluate tens of thousands of homes with potentially toxic levels of lead after a Reuters report found that more than 1,000 children of soldiers had suffered from lead poisoning while living in on-post housing.

Full Article

NOVA News & Notes

ICYMI: Recently Discussed in NOVA Groups (Formerly Forums)

Information Exchange Forum - Accounting Resource Center \'working under BVA\'?

Information Exchange Forum - VA sends more RAMP invites; includes vets represented by attorneys/agents

Information Exchange Forum - Spouse military retirement benefits

Appellate News - Aggregate/Class Action to Compel VA to Decide Appeals Pending Longer than One Year (Monk)

Register for NOVA Fall Conference in Washington, DC on October 18-20!

The NOVA 2018 Fall Conference will be held at Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC! The NOVA Conference is intended for both new and experienced veterans law practitioners. The seminar will increase your knowledge, confidence, and expertise in representing veterans before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition, your time may be credited to your jurisdiction’s CLE requirements. We hope to see you in DC!

We are pleased to announce that the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims will hold an oral argument on Friday morning at the conference site!

Click HERE to register.

The NOVA Room Block Rate at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill is $215 plus tax, per night, single or double occupancy, and is available three days prior and three days after the conference based upon room availability. Room reservations must be made by Monday September 17, 2018 for this rate to be honored. *We recommend booking your room early as the room block always fills before the deadline.

Click HERE to book your hotel room now!

ATTENTION: DATE CHANGE! Register for NOVA's Next Webinar "Writs of Mandamus After Martin v. O'Rourke" Coming on September 19!

In this webinar, Maura Clancy, Robert Chisholm, and Zachary Stolz of Chisholm Chisholm and Kilpatrick, will discuss the applicable standards for filing writs of mandamus based on VA’s unreasonable delay before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). They will address the recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit) in Martin v. O’Rourke, which adopted the six-factor TRAC standard. In addition to reviewing relevant case law, Maura, Robert, and Zachary will explore important practical considerations when deciding if a writ should be filed.

To register for this webinar, please click HERE.

If you have already registered for this webinar, but the new date does not work for you, please contact Meghan Dunham at the NOVA office.

NOVA Welcomes New and Returning Members for August 2018

NOVA would like to welcome the following members to the NOVA community. We look forward to meeting you and working with you to help better serve our nations’ veterans:

Megan Hall – Disabled American Veterans; Cincinnati, OH
Michael Branum - Gallian, Welker & Beckstrom; Saint George, UT
Joseph Bochicchio - Joseph M. Bochicchio, PLLC; Charlotte, NC
Carmella George - GeorgeNorth, LLC; Jacksonville, NC
Monica Irelan Karas - Tabak Law, LLC; Milwaukee, WI
Christopher Clay - Disabled American Veterans; Mason, OH
Hagar Dickman - Bay Area Legal Aid; Woodside, CA
Nicholas Simpson - Curran & Associates; Osage Beach, MO
David Tierney - Rawls Law Group; Richmond, VA
Jonathan Heiden - West & Dunn, LLC; Waunakee, WI
Mylee Sabarre - Vietnam Veterans of America; Silver Spring, MD
Christopher Chambers - Chambers Law Firm, P.A.; Spring Hill, FL
Harry Binder - The Rep For Vets; Sarasota, FL
Christopher Loiacono - The Rep For Vets; Sarasota, FL
Benjamin Binder - The Rep For Vets; Sarasota, FL
Ben Burnside - Deuterman Law Group; Greensboro, NC
Chris Stevens - Deuterman Law Group; Greensboro, NC
Kelly Shuler - ABS Legal Advocates, P.A.; Lawrence, KS
Jeremy Wolf - Dentons US LLP; Mission Hills, KS
Stacy Tromble - National Veterans Legal Services Program; Washington, DC
Brandy Disbennett-Albrecht - Virginia Dept. of Veterans Services; Roanoke, VA
Anne Buckley-Johnson - Buckley Johnson Law Firm; Bridgewater, NJ
Brent Filbert - Univ of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic; Columbia, MO
Paul Kachevsky – Danbury, CT
Donnel Beckles – Veterans Help Group; Parkland, FL
Alicia Stone - Wounded Warrior Project; Jacksonville, FL
Anita Nigam - Wounded Warrior Project; Washington, DC
Leah Zawasky - Wounded Warrior Project; Pittsburgh, PA
Edna Bradley - The Bradley Law Firm, PLLC; Germantown, TN
Matthew Lane - Matthew D. Lane, Jr., LLC; Lafayette, LA
Gary Bradley – Davisville, WV
Glen Marumoto - Hawaii Office of Veterans Services; Pearl City, HI
Cherie Fuchs Military Officers Association of America; Alexandria, VA
Christine Rodrigues - Fausone Bohn, LLP; Northville, MI
Cheryl Calloway - Calloway LLC
Robert Raper - Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz Calloway LLC
George Henderson - Henderson Law Corporation; Long Beach, CA

Save the Date for Future NOVA Conferences!

Spring Conference 2019
Nashville, TN - March 21-23, 2019
Hotel: Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown

Fall Conference 2019
Portland, OR - September 12-14, 2019
Hotel: Hilton Portland Downtown

Spring Conference 2020
Atlanta, GA - April 23-25, 2020
Hotel: Loews Atlanta Hotel

Fall Conference 2020
Cincinnati, OH - October 22-24, 2020
Hotel: Hyatt Regency Cincinnati

This email was sent by:
National Organization of Veterans' Advocates, Inc.
Ste 1150 - 1775 Eye Street NW
Washington, DC, 20006

You have received this email because you are a member or existing contact of National Organization of Veterans' Advocates, Inc. , a membership organization powered by SilkStart. update notification preferences unsubscribe from this list