Chapter Commander Tom Wendel
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Greetings!
Welcome to Chapter 10's April Newsletter.
We hope to see you at our upcoming cleaning of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial on Saturday April 13th and our Chapter Meeting on Saturday April 20th.
I encourage you to check out all of the great information in this month's newsletter. Please pay particular attention to the article below regarding the VA's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2020. The MISSION Act could be negatively impacted by the proposed budget.
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The Independent Budget and the VA Budget Request
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For more than 30 years,
The Independent Budget (IB)—DAV (Disabled American Veterans), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have been providing policy recommendations and independent proposed budgets on the actual needs and costs of the Department of Veterans Affairs. In February, prior to the Administration’s budget request, the IB released its comprehensive VA budget recommendations, to view
Click Here! The Administration released its budget request in March 2019, to view,
Click Here!
In recent testimony before the House of Representatives Veterans' Affairs Committee, the IB noted, "Although the budget request provides a seven percent increase in the level of discretionary funding, when factoring in VA’s own estimates of the cost of implementing the VA MISSION Act, the shift of $5.5 billion from mandatory to discretionary funding from the Choice program, and the increased cost for providing medical care due to inflation and other factors,
VA will not have sufficient resources to meet the health care needs of America’s veterans." To read the entire IB testimony,
Click Here!
To watch the April 2, 2019, hearing with testimony from the Secretary of the VA, Robert Wilkie, DAV, PVA, VFW and the American Legion,
Click Here!
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VA's budget proposal contained four legislative proposals that would reduce benefits to disabled veterans that were earned through their service. We will provide a summarization of two of the four proposals:
Round-Down of the Computation of the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Service-Connected Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for Five Years: The Administration’s new proposed budget for FY 2020 is seeking to round-down COLA increases from 2020 to 2024. The cumulative effect of this proposal levies a tax on disabled veterans and their survivors, costing them money each year. When multiplied by the number of disabled veterans and DIC recipients, millions of dollars are siphoned from these deserving individuals annually. All totaled, VA estimates it would cost veterans $34 million in 2020, $637 million over five years and $2 billion over ten years.
Clarify Evidentiary Threshold for Ordering VA Examinations: We oppose this proposal as it would be inherently detrimental to the VA claims process for all veterans. The Administration’s proposal would reduce anticipated disability compensation to veterans by $233 million in 2020, $1.3 billion over five years, and $2.8 billion over ten years. We strongly oppose this attempt to limit the due process rights of veterans, particularly when the result will be billions of dollars in lost disability compensation for those who were injured or made ill in service. To review the IB testimony and the four proposals they oppose and their responses,
Click Here!
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U.S. Army Band at Free Concert Friday April 12th
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On Friday, April 12; 7:30pm, President’s Cup, the U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own" will be performing a FREE concert at the Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas, VA. First-come, first-served basis and max 4 tickets per family.
T
o register and get free tickets,
Click Here!
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Volunteer to Clean the AVDL Memorial
Saturday April 13th
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Mark your calendar to join us for the 2019 kick-off on Saturday, April 13th at 7am.
The Memorial is located at 150 Washington St, SW, Washington DC.
To learn more about the Memorial,
Click Here!
We need approximately 15 volunteers. If you are interested, please sign-up so we can gauge the number of volunteers,
Click Here!
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DAV Information Seminar in Alexandria on Saturday April 13th
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Our friends at DAV Mount Vernon Chapter 11 will be hosting a DAV Information Seminar in Alexandria, VA on April 13th. Service Officers will be available to provide information and one-on-one claims service and assistance. T
o learn more,
Click Here!
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Chapter 10 Meeting on Saturday April 20
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DAV Arlington-Fairfax Chapter 10 will be meeting on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at 10 am. We meet at the American Legion Post #177, 3939 Oak St, Fairfax. We will be having our annual Election of Officers, discussing Resolutions, and Upcoming Events. We will have Service Officers available after the meeting, however, if you need immediate assistance, please reach out to the professional DAV National Service Officers in Roanoke or Washington DC. For their contact information,
Click Here!
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Yoga at the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial
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Starting on Saturday April 20, 2019, the National Park Service and VETOGA will be hosting an hour of morning yoga at the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. The program is geared towards veterans but is open to all. Yoga at the Memorial is a Healthy Parks Healthy People Program.
To learn more,
Click Here!
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Arlington National Cemetery Easter Sunrise Service April 21
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The annual Easter Sunrise Service will be held Sunday, April 21, 2019, at Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater. The non-denominational worship service begins with a prelude by the U.S. Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” at 6:15 a.m. The service is scheduled to begin with a call to worship at 6:30 a.m. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more,
Click Here!
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Common Wealth Coffee Honoring Women in Virginia
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On Thursday April 6th, DAV Chapter 10 attended Senators Warner and Kaine Commonwealth Coffee. The event highlighted contributions of women in Virginia with special guests, Congresswomen Elaine Luria, Jennifer Wexton, and Abigail Spanberger.
Chapter 10 Adjutant Shane Liermann and Chapter 10 Member Shamala Capizzi
were able to meet and discuss issues with both Senators and Congresswoman Luria.
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Chapter 10 at Women Veterans Honor Flight
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The first All Women Veterans Honor Flight, comprised of 48 Women Veterans from New England, visited the Women in Military Service for America Memorial on Saturday, April 6, 2019. DAV Members from Washington, Maryland and Chapter 10 were there to greet them. A special thank you to Chapter 10 Volunteers,Tanya Culbert, Anna Lutz, Theresa Bailey, Lisa Bogle, Joy Ilem and her father, Mr. Ilem, Ashleigh Byrnes, and Shane Liermann.
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Chapter 10 Chaplain Rev. John Hoffmann
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As your Chaplain, I am available if you are in need of prayer or just need someone to talk to, please give me a call or send me an email. If you become homebound or hospitalized, please let me know. To send me an email,
Click Here!
My phone number is 703-508-0200.
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Chapter 10 Adjutant Shane Liermann
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Our Election of Officers will be at the April Meeting. Any Chapter 10 member in good standing is eligible for an elected position. If you are interested, please let us know.
Please check out all of the links we have provided below. Also, please share this on your own social media sites and follow Chapter 10 on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with all information in between meetings.
Thank you to all of our volunteers and we hope to see you on Saturday April 13th as well as the Chapter Meeting on Saturday April 20th. DAV Chapter 10 is keeping the promises to the men and women who served.
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Our Mission: Fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served.
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