No report yet on the success of the Jewish War Veteran’s Capitol Hill Action Day(s), held March 5th and 6th.

It makes one proud to be associated with this group, that they are out there actively seeking change and protection for past and present warriors.

Here are their key 2008 legislative goals:
• Mandatory Funding
The VA health care system needs a stable funding mechanism to ensure health care “supply” is
available to meet and care for the growing demands for services.
JWV especially desires to see the VA upgrade polytrauma and other specialty care services for
OIF/OEF veterans with multiple trauma injuries including traumatic brain injury (TBI) and severe
eye injuries.
• Wounded Warrior “Seamless Transition”
JWV recommends a major overhaul of the disability ratings process to provide wounded service
members comprehensive and fair disability ratings and benefits prior to their medical separation or
retirement form active duty.
• A Total Force Approach to the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)
JWV notes that no significant upgrades to the MGIB have been enacted since prior to 9/11. This is
unacceptable. A weak GI Bill harms recruiting, hurts transition to civilian life, and denies the nation
the time-tested benefits of a better educated, higher-paid workforce with military experience.
• VA Disability Benefits System
The number of initial claims and appealed claims for service-connected disabilities continues to rise.
JWV recommends the VA automate the claims processing system and move to a paperless
environment as soon as possible.
JWV also believes it is most important to establish uniform standards and procedures for ratings
claims.
• Disabled Veterans Tax Fairness
For thousands, even tens of thousands of disabled veterans, VA decisions on their appealed claims
can take years to resolve. JWV wants Congress to enact “look back” legislation to remove the threeyear
statute of limitations for filing amended tax returns for veterans who have not received timely
disability determinations from the VA.
• Protection of Veterans Personal Identity and Information
JWV commends the VA for elevating the Chief Information Officer and centralizing management
oversight of information security.
JWV urges Congress to conduct regular oversight hearings to identify weaknesses in the VA’s
information security and to order appropriate corrective actions.
• Homeless Veterans
Veterans make up a disproportionate share of homeless people, representing roughly 26 percent of
the homeless. The number of OEF/OIF veterans who are homeless is on the rise including homeless
female veterans.
The VA should expand outreach and intervention programs directed at homeless veterans.