Vietnam Veterans of America

During the fiscal year of 2023, VVA Membership had an annual growth of about .79% in FY22. VVA went from 89,113 to 90,436 as of June 2023, estimated .22% monthly growth. In November 2022, it was announced (act with Congress) to extend the service date from 02/28/61 to 11/01/55. As we have come out of the pandemic and back to full operations, we have seen membership and meeting participation rise on the chapter and national levels. Recruitment efforts are encouraged so we may continue capturing most of the living Vietnam-era Vets. In addition, three new chapters were chartered (CA/TN/MS). Concerning Veteran Benefit Services, VVA represented over 106,000 individuals in FY23, who received a total of $95,042,381 each month in benefits from the VA. VVA continues to have a success rate of 76% before the Board of Veterans Appeals for Legacy cases and 60% for cases under the Appeals Modernization Act. Additionally, VVA successfully advocated for a rule change with the VA, which corrected an error that would result in approximately $34,000,000 being returned to affected veterans. In The Veteran, Vol. 42, #2, VVA National President Jack McManus testified before the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees, presenting VVAs Legislative Priorities and Policy Initiatives for the Second Session of the 117th Congress. His testimony highlighted the most important legislative and policy issues facing Vietnam veterans and their families. The Government Affairs Committee launched a grassroots campaign to convince Congress to add hypertension to the Agent Orange presumptive disease list. VVA is pushing two bipartisan bills, H.R. 1972, Fair Care for Vietnam Veterans Act of 2021, introduced by Reps. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) and Peter Stauber (R-Minn.), and companion bill S.810, introduced by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. VVA was pleased to read in the 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress that the number of veterans experiencing homelessness on a single night in January dropped to 19,750, a far cry from the 49,000 in January 2009. Former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki saw the need and introduced a comprehensive plan to end homelessness, which included discharge planning for incarcerated veterans re-entering society, supportive services for low-income veterans and their families, and a national referral center to link veterans to local service providers. Additionally, the plan called for expanded efforts for education, jobs, health care, and housing. VVA believes that we were on the right track with the passage of P.L. 107-95, the Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001, which the VVA National Homeless Veterans Committee worked on for more than ten years before it passed. The Homeless Committee is grateful for the decreased number of homeless veterans; however, we will not take a victory lap until we end homelessness among all veterans. The Veteran, Vol. 42, #3 addressed that VVA reaffirmed its commitment to veterans in Puerto Rico with a visit to the U.S. territory by a VVA delegation comprised of VVA President Jack McManus; Marc McCabe, VVAs Strategic Adviser and Chief Service Officer; Alec Ghezzi, the interim VVA Benefits Director; and Mokie Porter, VVAs Communications Director. At the March 11 stakeholders meeting, arranged by Jorge Pedroza, president of the VVA Puerto Rico State Council, they began to learn first-hand about the obstacles impeding access to care for Vietnam veterans on the island. They were joined by leaders of Arecibo Chapter 398 and had spent the previous day meeting with Juaco Chapter 483 under the leadership of Joe Valentine. Carlos Escobar, the Executive Director of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System, and its five-person leadership team members also attended. We have come to listen to our veterans and to learn how best to address the pressing needs of rural American veterans in Puerto Rico, McManus said. Our role is to help anybody who wants to help veterans. The members of our organization are aware of what is going on in Puerto Rico, and VVA is committed to assuring that our brother and sister veterans here receive the same treatment as all veteran citizens of the U.S.A. Local VVA chapters have not let the COVID pandemic stop them from continuing their service to their communities. President McManus commented, In the last several months, Ive had the opportunity to visit with chapters and state councils as they come back to life with in-person meetings and events. As varied experiences, theyve been knock-me-over-with-a-feather type occasions that clearly showed me that being invisible does not equate to being inactive. Good Golly, Miss Molly! You all sure have been busy behind those masks and smelly sprays. The Minority Affairs Committee put Native American veterans on the agenda to explore how VVA can help them. They will host a workshop at the VVA National Leadership & Education Conference in August. They were also visited by more than 40 Korean Vietnam War veterans and are working on two issues with them: becoming honorary VVA members and receiving VA benefits. The VVA Membership Committee voted unanimously to support honorary membership for those Koreans who served in the Vietnam War. The BOD unanimously agreed, and 132 Korean Vietnam War veterans were granted honorary VVA memberships at the Board meeting. They were very joyful to become part of VVA. The Women Veterans Committee reports that women veterans legislation took a big step forward this past year: (1) MAMMO for Veterans Act was unanimously passed on March 24 in the Senate. The bill would expand veterans access to high-quality breast cancer screening and lifesaving cancer care. Two important changes to veterans benefits were passed, affecting many VVA members and family members. The Veterans Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022 (H.R. 7846), now public law 117-191, will increase VA benefits, including disability compensation, clothing allowances, and dependency. and indemnity compensation. The increase will be 8.7 percent, the same as Social Security. The adjustment will go into effect on December 1. The first checks reflecting the new rate will be issued on Dec. 31. On October 1, the VAs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers was expanded to include eligible veterans and family caregivers of all eras. Previously, it was only available to eligible veterans who served on or after September 11, 2001. VVA has long led the charge and galvanized action on such issues as Agent Orange, PTSD, Veterans Incarcerated, Homeless Veterans, Minority and Women Veterans, and the fullest possible accounting of American POW/MIAs. During VVAs current fiscal year (March 1, 2022, through February 28, 2022), Government Relations staff was instrumental in enacting the P.L. 117-168; the PACT Act marks one of the greatest expansions of veteran healthcare and benefits in our generation and highest legislative victory that VVA achieved.