In VA-35, Both Campaigns Predict Tight Race

The race to replace 35th District Delegate and Democratic Attorney General candidate Steve Shannon is within a 2-point margin – or at least it was two weeks ago, according to polls conducted for Republican candidate Jim Hyland.

Hyland’s margin, described by his campaign manager Kevin Conroy as “within the margin of error,” reflects a tightening of the race since a July benchmark poll, when pollsters Barry Zeplowitz and Bill Lee of TelOpinion Research indicated in a confidential memo posted on Hyland’s website that Hyland held a 7-point lead 43 percent to 36 percent lead, with 21 percent undecided. The memo did not indicate the size of the sample or whether “likely voter” filters were used.

Read more at Collins on Politics

Gates to wounded warriors: I thank you from the bottom of my heart

Secretary of Defense Robert M.Gates, speaking at a summit held at the Pentagon for wounded warriors and their families, said he wanted to reflect on an event a few months ago when Frank Buckles, a 107-year-old veteran, was present at a ceremony when a new exhibit was opened. Upon discharge from the military after World War I, Frank Buckles got “sixty bucks and a free pass to the Y[MCA],” as his severance.

To our wounded warriors, Gates said, I’ve been amazed by your grit and resilience. Part of my duties was to visit Walter Reed and other hospitals and I wasn’t sure I could keep it together and if I could handle it, to see the wounded. But I found instead that they lift me up, he said. Gates became emotional, his voice wavering, and looked solemn as he sniffled a bit and looked out at the audience. I will repeat the pledge I made to myself and everyone, he said, that other than winning the wars we are in, my highest priority is caring for those who are wounded.

Gates said they are now converting the disability rating process so that one service member has one exam, and one rating which will be shared between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Veterans Administration (VA). Working together, the DOD and VA can cut in half the time required to get to the disability payment process completed through the VA.

Many have returned bearing the scars of war, and some of those wounds are not readily apparent, Gates continued. In Iraq and Afghanistan, improvement in techniques and medical care has made it possible to survive an injury that many used to not be able to live through. This, however, has made evident how much we do not know about Traumatic Brain Injuries. We are poised to learn a lot more. We’ve also gone a long way to deal with the psychological effects of what has turned out to be a very long war.

As we all know, Gates said, not everyone returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is getting the mental health care they need. Too often people have avoided help because they were afraid of it affecting their security clearance or even their jobs. They are trying to remove the stigma by keeping counseling not part of the evaluation process, so that having it not affect their jobs is hopefully going to make it more likely to have men and women in uniform seek help.

Although we’ve made significant progress in the last year there is no doubt we still have a lot of work to do. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Gates concluded, and his remarks were received with a round of applause.

Veterans owed more than blanket, hot meal

At the Senate Appropriations Committee, Joint Subcommittee meeting on “Homeless Veterans,” Senator Patty Murray(D-WA) said when our country fails to live up to obligations to our veterans, there is a result of high rates of drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and chronic unemployment, and all of these are contributing factors to homelessness. Experts estimate that 1 in 4 of all the nation’s homeless are veterans. Our veterans are heroes, she said, and we must ensure that they never reach the point of homelessness. Women veterans are the fastest growing group of homeless veterans, and we must ensure that the Veteran’s Administration evolves along with the needs of the veterans that it is serving, but HUD (Housing and Urban Development) must take steps to promote affordable housing.

Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) said we have to provide veterans with health care, mental health care, and transitional services. He quoted a different set of statistics, saying that approximately 20-33 percent of the homeless in shelters are veterans. The bottom line, he said, is that it’s critical for the success of the programs to have properly trained staff and appropriate facilities. A large percentage of veterans that are homeless served in Vietnam or Korea, and they’ve got trouble dealing with transitioning back into civilian life and dealing with guilt and forgiveness. “Our veterans are owed more than a blanket and a hot meal,” he said.

Mark Johnston, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, HUD, said they have developed programs specifically to deal with homeless veterans. Because homeless people face many challenges, there is a need to have many separate programs to deal with each specific issue. HUD just announced a 11.75% reduction in homelessness since 2005. This is the first time we’ve ever seen a reduction in homelessness, Johnston said. HUD had partnered with the VA and others to target the chronically homeless. HUD provided permanent housing, and this have provided a permanent solutions to thousands.

Peter H. Dougherty, Director, Office of Homeless Veterans Programs, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, said their goal is to help veterans not only with benefits, but to help them find gainful employment and permanent housing. Benefits are very important, and they have expedited homeless veteran’s claims. We believe that it is important, he said, that veterans receive health care benefits which may or may not be contributing to their homelessness. There has been a significant reduction in homelessness, but funding is needed to ensure that the program continues and chronic homelessness be addressed.

Cheryl Beversdorf, President and CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, said veterans receive employment assistance, transitional housing, and counseling. Affordable housing is the number one unmet need amongst veterans, particularly those with chronic health problems. She requested Congress to provide supportive services to veterans, and help with funds made available so that there would be an increase in available housing made to low income veterans. When asked why so many veterans are homeless, she said PTSD is a significant issue, along with employment problems, health problems, and that so many things veterans have learned in the military are not transferable to civilian life.