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operations iraqi freedom/

enduring freedom review 

www.VA.gov/GulfWar 

Information for Veterans Who Served in Iraq and Afghanistan

 and Their Families Vol. 3, No. 1 February 2006 

BUDGET REQUEST FOR VA TOPS $80 BILLION: 

Continues Commitment for VA/DoD 

Cooperation on Seamless Transition for 

New Veterans 

On February 6, 2006, Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

R. James Nicholson announced that President George W. 

Bush is seeking a record $80.6 billion for the Department 

of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, which 

begins October 1, 2006. The proposal is $8.8 billion, or 

12.2 percent higher than the budget for FY 2006. 

“Veterans are a priority,” Secretary Nicholson explained. 

“With the support of Congress, we can take care of the 

needs of our newest generation of combat veterans, while 

honoring our commitment to veterans of earlier eras.” 

The budget request is designed to ensure that VA will be 

able to care for those veterans who count on VA the most. 

It continues VA’s commitment to work closely with the 

Department of Defense (DoD) to ensure that service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their families receive timely, high-quality services and benefits. 

According to Secretary Nicholson, with this budget, 

VA will continue providing world-class care for veteran patients, including over 100,000 veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring 

Freedom (OEF). 

Ensuring Seamless Transition 

The budget request provides resources to make certain that 

service members’ transition from active duty military status 

to civilian life is as smooth and seamless as possible. 

Men and women on active duty will find it easier to access VA benefits when they get close to completion of 

their military service because of a program that allows 

early application for disability claims and other benefits. 

VA staff are located at 140 military installations around 

the country, as well as in Korea and Germany, to assist 

active duty members in applying for benefits before they 

separate from military service. 

Applications from separating service members are now 

processed at two locations to improve efficiency and 

consistency of claim decisions. (Continued on page 2, Budget) 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 

Congressional Hearing: VA Describes Major Initiatives 

in Response to Health Care and Other Needs of 

OIF/OEF Veterans ............................................................... 2 

Leishmaniasis Rates Dropping ............................................. 2 

100,000 Gulf War Exams Completed, OIF 

Registry Statistics ................................................................. 3 

Chief Officer Mather Retires ................................................... 3 

How to Get VA Disability Compensation ................................ 4 

About the Review .................................................................. 4 

Disability Compensation Rates for 2006 ............................... 5 

Electronic Notification of Newsletter Availability .................... 5 

Address Changes ................................................................. 5 

New Comic Book Gets the Word Out to New Combat 

Veterans; VA Seeking Feedback ........................................... 6 

VA to Survey Veterans for Centers of Excellence 

Award Program ..................................................................... 8 

New YOUR STORY Brochure Shows Veterans How to 

Record Their Military History Online ..................................... 8 

Straight from the Source ....................................................... 9 

Readers’ Survey Results ....................................................... 10

New VA Insurance Benefits OIF and OEF Veterans’ 

Financial Security .................................................................. 10 

Help Provided by Military Severely Injured Center ................ 10 

The Marines Have Landed .................................................... 11 

WRIISC Offers Transition Course.......................................... 11 

Where to Get Help ................................................................ 11 

Department of Veterans Affairs 
 

(Continued from page 1, Budget) 

Health Care Increases
 

In health care, VA has already worked with DoD to transfer several thousand injured service members from OIF 

and OEF from military medical facilities to VA health 

care facilities. For VA health care services, the budget 

proposal is an increase of $3.5 billion (about 11 percent) 

more than the Department’s FY 2006 level. 

CONGRESSIONAL HEARING: VA Describes 

Major Initiatives in Response to Health Care 

and Other Needs of OIF/OEF Veterans 

On June 19, 2005, a VA representative described major 

initiatives in response to health care and other needs of 

Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans during a congressional hearing that focused 

on the Department of Defense (DoD) efforts to collect 

and analyze occupational health environmental information for deployed forces. The hearing was conducted on 

the findings of a new Government Accountability Office 

(GAO) report called “Occupational and Environmental Health Surveillance of Deployed Forces: Tracking 

Toxic Casualties.” 

National Security, Emerging Threats, and International 

Relations Subcommittee Chairman, Congressman Christopher Shays of Connecticut chaired the hearing and 

offered opening remarks. There were two groups of witnesses. The first group consisted of veterans, including 

Mr. Brian Scott La Morte, a Company Sergeant Major 

of the North Carolina Army National Guard; Mr. Raymond Ramos, a retired Army Staff Sergeant; Mr. David 

Chasteen, an Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Veteran and 

Associate Director of Operation Truth; and Dr. Marcia 

Cross, the Director of Health Care for GAO. The second group consisted of government officials, including 

Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, Deputy Director of the Deployment Health Support Directorate for the Department of 

Defense; Dr. Susan Mather, then VA’s Chief Officer, 

Public Health and Environmental Hazards; and Dr. Mark 

Brown, Director, VA’s Environmental Agents Service. 

The three veterans gave their accounts of the deployment-related illnesses they have experienced and asked 

that DoD and VA keep better records of troop location 

and possible environmental exposures in medical records. They also spoke of a wide range of environmental 

health concerns, including concerns about long-term 

health consequences from exposure to depleted uranium, vaccines, and other materials. 

Dr. Mather (who subsequently retired in January 2006, 

see article on page 3 of this newsletter), described many 

of the major initiatives of VA in response to health care 

and other needs of veterans returning from Operation 

Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom 

(OEF). She reviewed VA’s seamless transition activities, 

points of contact, veteran outreach, the benefits delivery 

at discharge program, outreach initiatives, training and 

education, and new clinical tools (you can see these 

things online at www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents). 

Additionally, Dr. Mather explained that VA’s goal is to 

“ensure that every serviceman and -woman returning from 

combat has access to world-class services, and in every 

way possible, to hold open the doors to an uncomplicated 

passage from soldier to citizen.” She stressed that in order 

for VA to reach their goal, VA and DoD need to continue to 

work together, in partnership, to provide a seamless transition of information that will allow for better care. One 

way that both VA and DoD have made significant progress is through the Federal Health Information Exchange 

(FHIE) that lets VA and DoD share health information. 

In addition to Chairman Shays, several members of Congress participated in the hearing, providing brief statements stressing the need to adequately communicate 

health risks and service-related illnesses to servicemen 

and -women, in addition to veterans. 

The above article was drafted by Tiffany A. Anzalone, Summer 2005 Intern, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, working in VA’s Environmental Agents Service. 

LEISHMANIASIS RATES DROPPING 

At the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, some health 

care providers worried that the disease leishmaniasis could 

be a health problem for servicemen and -women who served 

in the military in Southwest Asia. In 1990-91, only 32 of 

the nearly 700,000 veterans of the first Gulf War got this 

disease. On the other hand, the impact of leishmaniasis on 

U.S. troops currently deployed to Southwest Asia has been 

a lot more. Since January 2003, over 600 U.S. troops have 

been diagnosed with cutaneous leishmania, the mild form 

of this disease, and several hundred additional soldiers may 

have been infected. Still, considering the large numbers of 

troops deployed, this disease is relatively rare. 

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Furthermore, recent data indicate that rates of leishmaniasis are dropping significantly. Some observers attribute 

the reduction to DoD’s protective measures, specifically 

pesticide-treated uniforms and bed netting. 

Leishmaniasis is transmitted by the bite of infected sand 

flies. The disease as it appears in Southwest Asia is either 

in a cutaneous (skin) form or in a visceral (internal organs) 

form that affects the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. 

Leishmaniasis is found in about 90 tropical and subtropical countries and in southern Europe. More 

than 90 percent of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases occur in Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Peru, 

Saudi Arabia, and Syria. More than 90 percent of visceral leishmaniasis can be found in Bangladesh, Brazil, 

India, Nepal, and Sudan. A small number of people in 

rural southern Texas develop cutaneous leishmaniasis. 

No cases of the much more serious visceral leishmaniasis are known to have happened in the U.S. Leishmaniasis usually is more common in rural than urban areas, 

but it can be found in the outskirts of some cities. 

Sand flies become infected by biting an infected animal. 

Because sand flies do not make noise when they fly, 

they may not be noticed. Also, they are very small and 

may be hard to see. They are most active from dusk 

to dawn. 

People with cutaneous leishmaniasis usually develop 

skin sores within a few weeks after they are bitten. 

People with the visceral form develop symptoms within 

several months (rarely longer than a year) of when they 

were bitten. Most cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis will 

get better on their own and treatments are available. 

For additional information about leishmaniasis, including the diagnosis and treatment of this disease and references, see our Web site www.VA.gov/GulfWar, specifically Information Letter 10-2004-013, Under Secretary 

for Health’s Information Letter, dated October 6, 2004, 

entitled Guidance for the Diagnosis and Treatment of 

Leishmania Infection. 

100,000 GULF WAR HEALTH EXAMS 

COMPLETED; OIF Registry Statistics 

In 1992, VA established a program known as the Gulf War 

Health Registry Examination to provide free health examinations to veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War (that is Operations Desert Shield/Storm). This program is also open to 

veterans of the current conflict in Iraq (that is, the veterans 

of Operation Iraqi Freedom). 

As of January 9, 2006, a grand total of 94,678 veterans have participated in the Gulf War Registry examination program, 85,004 men and 9,674 women. This 

includes 3,534 Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans 

(3,085 men, 449 women). 

Some of these Gulf War veterans have requested and received followup examinations. A total of 5,324 followup 

exams have been completed, including 4,747 for men, and 

577 for women. This includes 65 followup exams for OIF 

veterans (60 for OIF male veterans and 5 for women). 

That means that more than 100,000 examinations, (initial and followup) have been done (89,751 for men and 

10,251 for women). The grand total is 100,002 examinations, including 3,599 for OIF veterans (3,145 for men 

and 454 for women). 

While OIF veterans are automatically eligible for the 

Gulf War Registry examination program, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans are not unless they also 

served in the Gulf War Theater of Operations (which 

does not include Afghanistan). OEF veterans may be 

eligible for a similar examination. Veterans are advised 

to contact the nearest VA medical facility for personal 

eligibility information. 

CHIEF OFFICER MATHER RETIRES 

On January 3, 2006, 

Dr. Susan H. Mather 

retired from Federal Service. 

Susan H. Mather, M.D., M.P.H.,
 

served as a physician, teacher, 

manager, advocate, friend, and 

senior leader in VA since 1979. 

As Chief Public Health and
 

Environmental Hazards Officer, she led VA’s program to
 

provide high quality health
 

care services to veterans of
 

Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
 

She also was responsible for a wide array of “hot topics” 

including smoking, immunizations, Legionnaires disease,
 

women veteran health, HIV/AIDS, mustard gas, cold
 

injury, atomic radiation, hepatitis, and Agent Orange.
 

Dr. Susan H. Mather 

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She was the driving force behind the implementation of 

the Women Veterans’ Health Program. Her commitment 

and dedication to improving health care for women veterans was recognized when she received the 2003 Good 

Housekeeping /Wyeth Award for Women’s Health. 

One of only a few women graduating from the University 

of Maryland School of Medicine in 1965, she later earned 

a Masters Degree of Public Health and Epidemiology 

from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public 

Health. She worked for 26 years in VA Central Office. 

HOW TO GET DISABILITY COMPENSATION 

FROM VA 

Like all veterans, veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom 

and Operation Enduring Freedom are eligible for monthly 

payments, called disability compensation, from VA if they 

are suffering with illnesses or injuries that VA determined 

to have been incurred or aggravated during active military 

service. Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation also have 

special access to disability compensation for illnesses or 

injuries related to exposure to ionizing radiation. The 

service of the veteran must have been terminated from 

military service through separation or discharge under 

conditions that were other than dishonorable. 

The amount of disability compensation varies according 

to the degree of disability and the number of dependents. 

Benefits are not subject to Federal or state income tax. 

The receipt of military retirement pay, disability severance pay, and separation incentive payments known 

as Special Separation Benefits (SSB) and Voluntary 

Separation Incentives (VSI) also affects the amount of 

VA compensation paid. Under current law, the payment 

of VA compensation will affect the amount received in 

military retirement pay, disability severance pay, SSB, 

and VSI. 

The disability ratings range from 0 to 100 percent 

(in increments of 10 percent). For example, in 2006: 

• a veteran with a disability rating of 10 percent 

receives $112; 

• a veteran with a disability rating of 50 percent gets 

$690; and 

• a veteran who is totally disabled and therefore, 

evaluated at 100 percent, receives $2,393 monthly. 

(Continued on page 5, Compensation) 

ABOUT THE “REVIEW” 

This is the fifth issue of the “Operations Iraqi Freedom/ 

Enduring Freedom Review” newsletter. Earlier issues 

were dated December 2003, June 2004, February 2005, 

and September 2005. All of these issues are available 

online at www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents. 

The newsletter is written by VA’s Environmental Agents 

Service (EAS) to provide information for former military service members who served in Operation Iraqi 

Freedom, primarily in Iraq, for veterans who served in
 

Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom, their families, and for others interested in VA programs for these 

recent combat veterans. 

The “Review” describes the health concerns from such 

service, and VA’s programs and action by other governmental units to respond to the medical problems and 

other concerns of new veterans. 

The newsletter is also intended to help provide information to veterans and their families concerned about the 

health risks of exposure to various toxic substances. We 

hope to publish once or twice each year, depending on 

the amount of news on this subject, budgetary considerations, and reader interest. This newsletter was completed in early February 2006, and does not include developments that occurred after that time. Publication 

was subsequently delayed for budgetary reasons. 

Questions, comments, and suggestions for future

issues are encouraged and can be sent to the editor of the OIF/OEF Review, Donald J. Rosenblum,

Deputy Director, Environmental Agents Service (131),

VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, DC 20420. 


 

Requests for additional copies of the newsletter should 

also be sent to Mr. Rosenblum. Supplies are limited.

Please specify the quantity and issue date requested. 

Current and back issues of the “Reviews” are posted

on the Internet at www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents. 

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(Continued from page 4, Compensation) 

Veterans with disability ratings between 30 and 100 

percent are also eligible for monthly allowances for a 

spouse ranging from $40 to $135, and for each child, 

$20 to $98. (The amount depends on the disability rating of 

the veteran.) 

A veteran who is in need of regular aid and attendance 

of another person, or who is permanently housebound, 

may be entitled to additional benefits. VA must make the 

determination before the veteran can get these benefits. 

To determine the eligibility of OIF/OEF veterans for disability compensation, VA adjudicators consider each case 

individually, looking at a number of factors, including the 

various exposures, duration of these exposures, elapsed 

time between exposure and onset of the disease, gender, 

family history, age at the time of exposure, the extent to 

which a nonservice-related exposure could contribute to 

the disease, and the relative sensitivity of exposed tissue. 

For a given individual, VA will consider the possibility that various diseases were caused by exposures to 

numerous risk factors, if supported by medical/scientific evidence. To be eligible for compensation, VA 

must determine that it is at least as likely as not that a 

veteran’s illness was caused by his/her exposure to toxic 

substances during military service. 

Must Apply to Be Considered 

Compensation is not automatically given to any veteran. 

VA veterans service representatives (VSRs) can provide 

the necessary application and assist veterans who need 

help in completing it. VSRs are located at all VA Regional Offices, in VA medical centers, and at most VA 

clinics. For help in locating a VSR near you, call the 

following toll-free telephone number: 1-800-827-1000. 

You may also apply online at the Web site listed below. 

Other Benefits 

In addition to the compensation program described 

above, individual veterans may be eligible for health 

care and the full range of other benefits offered by VA, 

including education and training, vocational rehabilitation, home loan guarantees, life insurance, pension, 

burial benefits, and more. 

To learn more about VA’s programs, veterans and

other interested parties can visit the VA home page

http://www.VA.gov, or call 1-800-827-1000. 

DISABILITY COMPENSATION RATES FOR 2006
 

No Dependents Veteran with Spouse Only 

10% $112 — — 

20% $218 — — 

30% $337 30% $377 

40% $485 40% $539 

50% $690 50% $757 

60% $873 60% $954 

70% $1,099 70% $1,193 

80% $1,277 80% $1,385 

90% $1,436 90% $1,557 

100% $2,393 100% $2,528 

These rates were effective December 1, 2005 in accordance with Public Law 109-111, enacted November 22, 2005. Veterans with disability ratings of at least 

30 percent are eligible for additional allowances for 

dependents. Dependents include spouses, minor children, children between ages 18 and 23 who are attending school, children who are permanently incapable of 

self-support because of disability arising before age 18, 

and dependent parents. The additional amount depends 

on the disability rating. 

Veterans with certain severe disabilities may also be eligible for additional special monthly compensation. For 

additional rate information, see compensation rate tables 

online at www.vba.VA.gov/bln/21/Rates/comp01.htm. 

ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION OF 

NEWSLETTER AVAILABILITY 

You can sign up to receive electronic notification of 

the publication and availability of future issues of the 

OIF/OEF Review online by logging on to our Web 

page, www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents and following the 

easy instructions. 

ADDRESS CHANGES 

If this newsletter has your old address, please use this 

form to update our mailing list. Send the completed 

form to the OIF/OEF Review, Austin Automation Center (200/397A), 1615 Woodward Street, Austin, TX 

78772-0001. 

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___ 

___ 

___ 

______________________________________ 

If you have access to the OIF/OEF Review via the VA 

Web site www.VA/gov/EnvironAgents and wish to discontinue receiving a copy by mail, please complete 

the form below and return it to the Austin Automation 

Center. If you are receiving more than one copy of 

the newsletter, please let us know. Write to the Austin 

address at the bottom of page 5. Please provide your 

name, address, and social security number. Thank you. 

Check or circle the language that describes your situation. 

My address has changed, and I would like to 

continue to receive the newsletter. 

I am receiving more than one copy, but I only 

want to get a single copy. 

I don’t need to get the newsletter by mail as I 

can read it at www.VA/gov/EnvironAgents. 

___ Other (explain) 

You may use this or other paper. Please indicate which publication that you are receiving 

as this office puts out 4 national newsletters. 

Please Print your: 

First Name 

Middle 

Last 

SSN 

New Street/RFD/ 

Military Unit 

APO/FPO 

Indicate 

which if 

applicable 

City 

Alpha State/or 

APO/FPO Code 

Zip Code 

COMIC BOOK GETS 

THE WORD OUT 

TO NEW COMBAT 

VETERANS; VA 

Seeking Feedback 

VA is trying something new 

to help new combat veterans and their families understand the range of benefits 

and programs VA offers. 

Cover of Test Comic Book. 

Known around VA as graphical outreach, VA is testing 

a new comic book approach as a way to get important 

information about VA programs out to new veterans who 

may not know about everything that VA can do for them. 

Of course, VA also has many other brochures and written materials explaining VA programs, but we think that 

some veterans may really like the comic book approach! 

A Widely Used Approach 

Many government agencies and private companies already use comic books for outreach and education. They 

all have the same goal to give basic information to people 

that is clear and attractive. 

For example, many veterans are already familiar with 

military comic books and graphical instruction products 

used for teaching things like weapons and vehicle maintenance. Similarly, the Federal Bureau of Investigations 

(FBI) has a comic book on avoiding drug use. 

In another example, the Epilepsy Foundation has a comic 

book that talks about dealing with epilepsy in young adults. 

In fact, a lot of research shows that comic books are an effective form of training, for example, to promote the benefits of good eating habits and other ways to keep healthy. 

Testing the Concept 

To test this idea, VA has developed a test comic book 

called “America’s Heroes: Volume 1 Homecoming”. 

We’re showing just the cover page here, but you can see 

the whole thing online at www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents. 

Aimed at new veterans returning from Operations Iraqi 

Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the new comic book 

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tries to show military service in a realistic and respectful 

way. We think it’s pretty entertaining, but it also gives 

great basic information about most of the major VA programs available to veterans. 

The comic book shows both men and women veterans who 

have different interests and concerns for their post-military 

lives. For example, it shows veterans who take advantage 

of VA home loan guarantee and educational benefits. It 

also shows some special programs VA has for veterans 

who may face problems coming back to civilian life. 

Also, the back cover contains a listing of VA contact 

information for a wide variety of VA programs, for a 

veteran’s future reference. We hope that veterans will 

find the new comic book so interesting that they will 

want to keep it for future reference. 

This comic book is aimed at a general audience, but we 

are also considering new comic books for other veteran 

groups, such as women veterans and veterans from the 

Reserve and Guard. 

You Can Help! 

For VA, comic books are a new outreach and educational approach. We think it will be very helpful to 

veterans and their families. But, we want to make 

sure that this works! 

We are inviting readers to take a look at the new comic 

book online, and help us evaluate it. Go to our Web 

site www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents; look for the test 

comic under the Animation heading (just above “Gilgamesh”) at the bottom of the page. Click at the bottom of the page to advance the comic’s pages one-ata-time, or scroll down. You can click or scroll to get a 

previous page. The image size can be adjusted at the 

top of the page. Most people will need 100 or higher 

percent magnification to get a readable script resolution. We want to hear what you liked, what you did 

not like, and find out if it helped explain VA programs 

that might be useful to you now or in the future. 

Where did you get this newsletter? 

What did you like best about the comic book? 

What did you like least? 

Does it provide useful information about 

VA programs? 

How could we improve the comic book to get this

information to veterans? 

Did you learn anything about VA programs that you

might want more information about? 

Would you like to get additional information about

VA programs through future comic books? Why or

why not? 

Do you have any additional suggestions about the

comic or outreach to OIF/OEF veterans? 

OPTIONAL 

Your name 

Full Mailing address 

Please check all that apply to you: 

__ I am an Iraqi Freedom Veteran 

__ I am an Enduring Freedom Veteran 

__ I am the spouse of an Iraqi Freedom Veteran 

__ I am the spouse of an Enduring Freedom Veteran 

__ Other (specify) ___________________________ 

Please mail your comments to 

OIF/OEF Comic Book Review (131), VA Central Office, 

810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420. 

Thank you. 

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VA TO SURVEY VETERANS FOR CENTERS OF 

EXCELLENCE AWARD PROGRAM 

Later this year, VA will make the second round of presentations of the coveted Environmental Health Center of 

Excellence Awards. These awards are based on survey 

responses received from veterans who will be contacted 

by mail next month. The individual veterans being sent 

the survey had received the Agent Orange, Gulf War, or 

Ionizing Radiation Registry examination. 

The survey will ask veterans to name a VA staff person, including a Registry clinician or coordinator, that has provided them with outstanding customer service. Veterans may 

wish to acknowledge the facility rather than an individual. 

The following 13 centers were identified as exceptional in 

a similar survey conducted in 2004: 

• VA Medical Center (VAMC) Boise, ID; 

• VAMC Cheyenne, WY; 

• VAMC Durham, NC; 

• VAMC Fargo, ND 

• VAMC Fresno, CA; 

• VAMC Grand Junction, CO; 

• VAMC Manchester, NH; 

• W.G. (Bill) Hefner, VAMC Salisbury, NC; 

• VAMC San Francisco, CA; 

• VAMC White River Junction, VT; 

• VA Outpatient Clinic (VAOPC) Oakland Park, FL; 

• VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic 

Williamsport, PA; and 

• VAOPC Winston-Salem, NC. 

Lawrence W. Deyton, M.S.P.H., M.D., recently appointed Chief Public Health and Environmental Hazards Officer, will sign each certificate and request that the Center 

Directors arrange for display in areas where it could be 

easily recognized. 

Environmental Agents Service (EAS) Director, 

Dr. Mark A. Brown indicated that EAS has decided 

to open up the process and welcome nominations 

from registry participants who do not receive a formal survey. Consequently, any veteran who has received excellent service from VA in the last year or 

two and would like to share his or her experience with 

EAS officials, can write to EAS, AWARDS, VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., DC 20420. 

We welcome your input. Please be specific. 

NEW “YOUR STORY” BROCHURE SHOWS 

VETERANS HOW TO RECORD THEIR 

MILITARY HISTORY ONLINE 

The Veterans Health Adcomponent of the Depart

ministration, the largest 

-

ment of Veterans Affairs 

recently distributed to every VA Medical Center, Vet 

Center and Regional Office, a new brochure that 

explains how a veteran can 

record his or her military 

history online with “MyHealtheVet.” The brochure 

is also available online at 

www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents. 

MyHealtheVet is a VA 

Web site that provides a 

great deal of health information for veterans and 

others. It is located at 

www.myhealth.VA.gov/. 

The program lets veterans record their personal military history in privacy and at their convenience. The 

information is permanently and confidentially retained 

in MyHealtheVet. 

If they wish, a veteran can choose to share their history 

with their health care providers and others. This is a 

totally voluntary program. Veterans are not required 

to participate. 

In particular, details of incidents that may involve exposures to occupational and military hazards, including 

exposure to a wide range of environmental hazards 

encountered during military service, can be of value 

to veterans and to their health care providers as part of 

understanding a veteran’s medical problems and complaints, and to help establish rapport. 

The new brochure, titled “Your Story: How would you 

like to tell your military story,” describes how to log on 

to “MyHealtheVet,” and to record information about incidents that took place during a veteran’s military career. 

According to VA officials responsible for maintaining 

the MyHealtheVet Web site, the “Your Story...” is the 

most popular item. 

8
 
The program provides an online military history form that 

allows a veteran to easily record details including the time 

and location where an incident occurred, branch of service, military occupation and specialties, assignments, 

military or occupational exposures that may have occurred, and other relevant details. 

STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE; VA’s 

Environmental Agents Service is Serious About 

Communicating with Veterans 

Communication is an important part of every relationship. For 

nearly 25 years, VA has been communicating with a special 

group of veterans who might have been exposed to environmental hazards while serving in combat. 

Debuting in 1982, the Agent Orange Review was the first VA 

national newsletter designed to inform Vietnam veterans of 

health issues specifically related to their military service. It 

quickly proved to be “an invaluable resource of information 

for veterans and others,” according Layne Drash, former 

director of Environmental Agents Service in Office of Public 

Health and Environmental Hazards. 

Back in the early 1980s, there was little knowledge in the 

veterans community about Agent Orange and the long-term 

effects of exposure to dioxin, Drash noted. So the newsletter was filling a communication void. 

But to be effective, it had to present complicated information in an easy-to-read format. This was one of the toughest challenges, according to the newsletter’s first editor, 

Donna St. John, who now works for USO. 

The VA Office of Public Affairs published the Review 

throughout the mid-1980s. In 

1989, responsibility transferred 

to Donald Rosenblum in Environmental Agents Service. Under his watch, the concept of 

communicating directly with 

veterans has blossomed. Veterans want and need this information to protect their health. We 

give them as much information 

as we can find,” he explained. 

Donald Rosenblum with 

the newsletters he produces for veterans who 

may have been exposed to 

environmental hazards. 

Today, Rosenblum produces four 

national newsletters for veterans 

who may have been exposed to 

environmental hazards: the Agent Orange Review, Gulf 

War Review, Operation Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom 

Review, and Ionizing Radiation Review. Each newsletter is 

published about twice a year, depending on the amount of 

new information available. 

The newsletters are sent directly to veterans registered on 

VA’s four health registries, which offer physical examinations tailored to address specific health issues, as well as 

VA medical centers, vet centers, regional offices and other 

interested parties. 

The first issue of the Gulf War Review was released in 

October 1992. It was originally called the Persian Gulf 

Review but the name was changed in 1997 to be sensitive to 

individuals of Persian ethnicity. It offers up-to-date information on new clinical programs and the research agenda 

concerning health issues that arose during and after the 

1991 Gulf War. 

In 2003, Rosenblum began working on a newsletter for 

veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, because their 

environmental exposures differed from veterans of the first 

Gulf War. So far, he has produced three 12-page issues with 

information on the possible long-term health consequences 

of military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

With the publicity on Agent Orange and Gulf War health concerns, a group of veterans involved in the testing of nuclear 

weapons after World War II recently contacted VA to urge 

creation of a newsletter relating to their health concerns. In 

response, Rosenblum started the Ionizing Radiation Review. 

Veterans seem to appreciate and benefit from the newsletters. One who receives the Ionizing Radiation Review 

responded in a reader survey that he liked having research 

findings compiled into a single source. He previously had 

to sift through reams of literature to find information and 

sometimes had to turn to “relatively obscure sources.” 

To read editions of all four newsletters, visit 

www.VA.gov/ Environagents/. For more information, contact: Donald J. Rosenblum, Deputy Director, 

Environmental Agents Service (131), VA Central Office, 

810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC, 20420. 

The above article was jointly prepared by Environmental Agents 

Service intern Tiffany Anzalone, then a graduate student at 

Louisiana State University, and Matt Bristol, Assistant Editor 

of the VA’s Employee magazine VAnguard. It appeared in 

the September/October issue of the VAnguard. 

9
 
 

 

 

 

READERS’ SURVEY RESULTS 

From time to time, the editor of this newsletter takes 

a brief survey of its readership to ensure that the 

newsletter is “on the right track” and is responding 

to the needs of the readers. We ask for suggestions 

about additions and deletions, and for general comments about the publication. In the third issue of this 

newsletter, dated February 2005, we included such 

a survey. 

Readers were asked whether he or she was a veteran, 

spouse of a veteran, or other relation, and whether 

they were a first time reader of the OIF/OEF Review. 

They were also asked what they thought of the newsletter, whether it met their needs, what changes they 

would like to see in the publication, and what additional comments and suggestions they have regarding 

the newsletter. 

The respondents were invited to use the form included 

in the Review or to use their own paper. More than a 

dozen replies have been received, with mostly positive comments. Common remarks characterized the 

newsletter as 

“ Great,” 

“Very informative,” 

“Good information,” 

“Lot of information, and 

“Exceptionally informative.” 

Several people questioned why there wasn’t more about 

Afghanistan veterans. 

Review editor Donald J. Rosenblum indicated that he was 

pleased with the survey response, but disappointed that the 

volume of reply was small. He noted that there were few 

suggestions offered for improvement of the newsletter. 

No Need to Wait 

If you have any comments or suggestions, we would really like to hear from you. Send your comments to: 

Editor, OIF/OEF Review 

Environmental Agents Service (131) 

Environmental Agents Service 

VA Central Office 

Washington, DC 20420. 

We read and consider all comments and suggestions, but 

due to the volume of correspondence received, we are 

unable to reply to each individual directly. 

NEW VA INSURANCE BENEFITS OIF/OEF 

VETERANS’ FINANCIAL SECURITY 

VA’s new Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection program adds to the financial security 

and well-being of this country’s military forces. Prudential 

Financial, Inc., the program’s insurer, is making payments 

under this program, ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, to 

service members who experienced certain traumatic injuries while on active duty. 

The program, which began on December 1, 2005, is designed to provide financial assistance to military families 

through extended times of medical treatment and recovery. 

Benefits are payable retroactively to October 7, 2001, for 

service members and veterans who suffered certain traumatic injuries while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom or 

Operation Enduring Freedom. 

VA and the Department of Defense are working to identify eligible service members and veterans. Eligibility 

information is available at www.insurance.VA.gov or 

by calling the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance 

office at 1-800-419-1473. 

HELP PROVIDED BY MILITARY SEVERELY 

INJURED CENTER PROGRAM 

“Seamless support as long as it may take” is the mission 

of the Military Severely Injured Center program. VA is 

part of this nationwide effort set up by the Department 

of Defense to meet the immediate financial, health care, 

employment and family needs of severely wounded Iraq 

and Afghanistan veterans. 

Veterans and family members can call toll-free at 

1-888-774-1361 anytime (24 hours a day) for immediate assistance. The center is an advocate for the severely injured. It helps cut red tape, coordinate local assistance, and helps veterans meet the challenges 

of readjustment. 

The Center works closely with local groups – veterans 

service organizations, businesses, chambers of commerce, 

religious groups, and other donors – to support the return 

and long-term reintegration of severely disabled veterans 

into their communities through Heroes to Hometown Committees. For information on establishing a committee, go 

to www.Military HomeFront.dod.mil and search “Military 

Severely Injured Support.” 

10
 
 

 

 

THE MARINES HAVE LANDED 

Alert: The Marines Have Landed. Last year two activeduty Marines Corps officers joined the Seamless Transition 

Office at VA Central Office. The Marines are working with 

employees from the major components of VA to ease the 

transition of military service members to civilian life. 

The Seamless Transition Office helps ensure priority access for 

veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, coordinate 

patients’ health care and benefit needs, identify returning 

veterans, improve outreach to returning service members, and 

educate VA staff regarding transition assistance tools and services. 

WRIISC OFFERS TRANSITION COURSE 

The mission of the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) is to provide service to combat veterans who 

have difficult-to-diagnose disabling illnesses through clinical 

care, risk communication, education, and research addressing 

potential environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes. 

The WRIISC in Washington, DC has developed a Transition 

and Orientation Class to welcome and orient veterans who 

are new to the VA system. This class is designed for veterans 

returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who reside in the DC 

metropolitan area. The VA medical centers have a multitude 

of resources to offer new veterans. However, the size of the 

VA system may leave new veterans a little overwhelmed. The 

Transition and Orientation Class held at the Washington, DC 

VAMC is designed to ease the transition from active duty and 

help new veterans learn to navigate the VA system effectively. 

The Transition and Orientation Class provides information 

about many topics of interest to new veterans including: 

• Introduction to health care benefits 

• Information about filing a claim or troubleshooting 

an existing claim 

• Overview of the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program 

• Introduction to the Primary Care System 

Speakers include representatives from the Veterans Benefits 

Administration, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, the Social Work Service, and the WRIISC. 

This class is currently offered monthly, and each class lasts 

approximately an hour and one half. If you are a new combat 

veteran and live in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, 

please email us at wriisc.dc@VA.gov for more information on 

this class. Due to space limitations, reservations for this class 

are required. We look forward to hearing from you! 

WHERE TO GET HELP 

Active duty military personnel with questions or concerns about service in Southwest 

Asia (including Operations Iraqi Freedom, and 

Enduring Freedom) contact your commanding 

officer or call the Department of Defense (DoD) 

Gulf War Veterans’ Hotline (1-800-796-9699) 

for information. DoD also offers the “Direct 

Veterans Hotline,” with the toll-free number 

1-800-497-6261. 

Gulf War veterans, including OIF veterans 

with concerns about their health should contact 

their nearest VA medical center. The telephone 

number can be found in your local telephone directory under Department of Veterans Affairs in 

the “U.S. Government” listings. Medical care is 

available, and a Gulf War Registry examination 

is also available on request. 

The VA Gulf War Information Helpline can 

also provide information and assistance. The 

toll-free telephone number is 1-800-PGW-VETS 

(1-800-749-8387). 

Check our Web sites for more Gulf War information on health care and other benefits (including 

those for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom veterans) at www.VA.gov/GulfWar, 

www.VA.gov/EnvironAgents, and www.VA.gov. 

Gulf War veterans in need of marital/family 

counseling should contact the nearest VA medical center or VA Vet Center, also listed in your 

phonebook under Department of Veterans Affairs 

in the “U.S. Government” listings. For additional 

information about these programs call the VA Gulf 

War Information Helpline at 1-800-PGW-VETS 

(1-800-749-8387). 

Gulf War veterans seeking disability compensation 

for illnesses incurred in or aggravated by military 

service can contact a Veterans Benefits Counselor at the nearest VA regional office or health care 

facility at 1-800-827-1000, or call the VA Gulf 

War Information Helpline at 1-800-PGW-VETS 

(1-800-749-8387). You can also start a claim online 

at www.VA.gov. 

11
 
 

 

 

 Gulf War veterans interested in learning about the 

wide range of benefit programs administered by 

VA should contact a Veterans Benefits Counselor at 

the nearest VA regional office or health care facility at 

1-800- 827-1000, or call the VA Gulf War Information 

Helpline at 1-800-PGW-VETS (1-800-749-8387). 

Representatives of veterans service organizations, 

including the American Legion (1-800-433-3318), 

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States 

(1-800-VFW-1899), Disabled American Veterans 

(1-877-426-2838), etc., have been very helpful to Gulf 

War veterans, especially veterans who are seeking 

disability compensation. (These organizations are 

cited as examples. There are many other excellent 

organizations. VA does not endorse or recommend 

anyone group over another.) 

County Veterans Service Officers also have been of 

great help to many military veterans, including those 

who served in the Gulf War, who are seeking benefits 

they earned through their service to the Nation. 

For additional Federal benefit information, see VA’s 

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents booklet. It is updated annually to reflect changes in law 

and policies. It is available for purchase from the 

U.S., Government Printing Office, Superintendent 

of Documents, Washington, DC 20402, Web site: 

bookstore.gpo.gov. VA’s World Wide Web pages are 

updated throughout the year to present the most current information. The VA home page (www.VA.gov) 

contains links to selections on compensation and pension benefits, health care benefits and services, burial 

and memorial benefits, etc. 

Department of 

Veterans Affairs 

ce (131) fi Central Of

810 Vermont Avenue, N.W. 

Washington, DC 20420 


 OFFICIAL BUSINESS

Penalty for private use $300

/ operations iraqi freedom

enduring freedom review 

Information for Veterans Who 

Served in Iraq and Afghanistan 

and Their Families 

February 2006