VMF September 2023 Newsletter

Posted by Terese Sarno
August 28, 2023

Kaiserslautern-Saarland Region Chapter Communications Coordinator; DA Global Veterans and Military Families Caucus Steering Committee; Co-Chair, DA Germany Veterans and Military Families Caucus

Masthead

September 2023

VOL. 3, NO. 9

To view in PDF, click here

"Folks, this mental health crisis is something we need to face together as a country. We have a moral obligation, in my view, to be there for each other, to reach out — reach to our neighbors in grief and stress and trauma and despair. Reach out to them to offer help or just a listening ear; to have the courage to ask for help when we need it. And it’s hard, because we know that even when it feels as dark as it can get, we aren’t alone. It’s important for people to realize they’re not alone.

…that’s what I want for everyone in America: not to feel isolated and alone, to know their country has their back and their President has their back.

Many people will have to seek mental health care at some point in their lives. Whether you’re in a red state, a blue state, it doesn’t matter.

Mental health care can be life-changing and even lifesaving. For all those brave enough and strong enough to seek help — and I mean that — brave enough and strong enough to seek help, we have to do better. Together, I know we will."

–President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

Editor’s Message

The Marion County (Kansas) police raid of the Marion County Record and the home of the publisher, Joan Meyer, traumatizing the healthy 98 year old who died a day later because of the pressure brought upon her during this home raid as well as that of her newspaper offices, was a horrendous event. This did not happen in a so-called third world country or well known anti-democratic regime. This was right in the United States of America. Makes you wonder what is happening in the USA where subversive fringe groups have steadily infiltrated law positions and are eroding our American freedoms.

Claytoonz on the Kansas Police raiding a newspaper

Courtesy of Jones Claytoonz.com

“SEIZED… but not silenced,”

Inside the Marion County Record: Staff rushed to publish a newspaper after police raid

The 'Marion County Record' that police raided has a history of hard-hitting reporting

Secretary Blinken on World Press Freedom Day

August 24th, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s detention in Russia extended additional three months to November 30 according to Russian news agency

Former Marine captain’s Syrian detention reaches 11th year
11th anniversary of journalist Austin Tice’s abduction in Syria

“One of the greatest dangers to this nation is our loss of freedom and what contributes to that is that so many people can't recognize when our freedom is under attack, such as your right to vote or a woman's right to make decisions over her own body. But another that's in danger is the freedom of the press because the media is not very popular and there are so many people who support attacks on a free press. One of those attacks occurred last Friday in Marion, Kansas.” –Clay Jones/Clayjonz

While journalists have become special targets world-wide, more and more extremists in the U.S. are focusing on denying journalists their guaranteed Constitutional right of freedom of the press. We need to make sure that our Constitutional rights are protected!

What can we do to reinforce our American Freedoms? VOTE! Encourage every U.S. citizen we know to register and to vote! Go to www.votefromabroad.org now and request your absentee ballot. If you live overseas, you need to register annually with your U.S. voting office to fulfill the official voting requirements for absentee voters.

Terese Sarno

Editor

Please join our caucus to show your support for the U.S. military!

ADVOCACY

Suicide Prevention | Mental Health America

VA S.A.V.E. helps prevent Veteran suicide

S.A.V.E. reflects the essential steps to remember in suicide prevention:

Signs of suicide

Asking about suicide

Validating feelings

Encouraging help and expediting treatment

Call 1-800-MyVA411 to report harassment or sexual assault at VA

A year in: Dial 988 then Press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line

Veterans Crisis Line DIAL 988 then PRESS 0

Military Crisis Line

Calling from Overseas?

In Europe
Call 00800 1273 8255 or DSN 118

In Korea
Call 080-855-5118 or DSN 118

In Afghanistan
Call 00 1 800 273 8255 or DSN 111

In the Philippines
Dial #MYVA or 02-8550-3888 and press 7

Your Words Matter: Choosing Words That Support

Healthy Relationships: Build Connections and Build Your Strength

Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee Releases Report

Preventing Suicide in the U.S. Military: Recommendations from the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee

Department of Defense (DoD) Quarterly Suicide Report (QSR) 1st Quarter, CY 2023

Outreach & Events | Outreach Events | Veterans Affairs

VA homeless programs support LGBTQ+ Veterans

Age-friendly summit: What matters most to older Veterans

VA launching 25 mobile medical units in US cities to help homeless veterans

Transition Assistance Program

Print Out Your VA Welcome Kit VETS Resource Guide

A Toolkit for Caregivers of Veterans for Disaster Preparedness

Post-9/11 Combat Veterans, Don’t Miss this Special Health Care Enrollment Period

One-year special enrollment period for post-9/11 combat Veterans ends Sept. 30.

Stars and Stripes - Insurance Guide - August 3, 2023

New tech gives Veterans the gift of time—for the things they truly love

Login.gov offers new in-person identity verification for Veterans
U.S. phone number needed for phone check portion of Login.gov identity verification, but there is a mail verification option. You will receive a letter by mail with a one-time code that is good for 30 days. You can manually update the address from the state-issued ID earlier in the identity verification process. If you are still unable to complete identity verification through Login.gov with these options, then the agency application you are using to verify your identity will have an alternate path for users who cannot verify their identity through Login.gov. Contact [email protected] with all questions - email, password, authentication methods, or verifying your identity.

VBBP - Financial Education and Financial & Credit Counseling

CSP Direct Deposit Enrollment User Guide Tips and tricks to secure your clicks

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Lawsuit to block student loan forgiveness for 800,000 people dismissed

Biden overhauls how the military prosecutes sexual assault

Ohio's Issue 1 voted down in Tuesday's special election

Supreme Court Case Renews Focus On Tax Challenges For Americans Living Abroad

An Arkansas judge has blocked a law targeting librarians over 'harmful' books

Medicare drug price negotiations raise the question: What's a fair price?

US Officials Found Chinese Malware Hidden in Military Systems

Remarks by Vice President Harris During a Moderated Conversation at the NAACP 114th Annual Convention

Watch live: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at NAACP convention in Boston

President Biden Designates Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument

Biden creates a new national monument near the Grand Canyon

PragerU and other changes coming to Florida schools this year

Navajo Code Talkers museum still a long way from reality

VMF Steering Committee members Andrew Anderson and Robert Scott discussed future projects when they met in Valencia with supporters including family members.

Post-9/11 Combat Veterans, Don’t Miss this Special Health Care Enrollment Period

Special health care enrollment period for post-9/11 combat Veterans ends Sept. 30

SEPTEMBER

National Suicide Prevention Month

National Service Dog Month

September 4 – Labor Day Thank the labor unions, workers and labor leaders for ensuring a 40-hour workweek, sick leave, and vacation time.

September 2 – V-J Day (Victory over Japan)

September 5 –Primary–Rhode Island Special general election for U.S. House District 1 Ballot return deadline: Received by September 8, 2023

September 5 –The Posse Veterans Program 2024 Cohort Scholarship Preliminary Interview And Information Session-Online, 8 pm ET

September 10 – World Suicide Prevention Day 2023

September 10 – DA VMF Caucus Meeting WebEx link 07:00 EDT, password: dems

September 11 – Patriot Day

September 13 – Louisiana Primary Registration deadline

(September 23, 2023 -GeauxVote Online Registration only)

September 15 – National POW/MIA Recognition Day

September 17 – Constitution Day and Citizenship Day

September 17-23 – Constitution Week “It is every American’s right and obligation to read and interpret the Constitution for himself.”— Thomas Jefferson

September 18 – Air Force (USAF) Birthday

September 18 – Air National Guard Birthday

September 19 – National Voter Registration Day www.VoteFromAbroad.org

September 24 – Gold Star Mother’s Day and Family Day

September 29 – VFW Day

September 30 – Post -9/11 combat Veterans Special health enrollment period ends

Upcoming DA Activities

WHAT’S CONGRESS UP TO?

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (S. 2226)
Passed Senate (House next) on Jul 27, 2023
Sponsor: John F. “Jack” Reed, Senior Senator for Rhode Island. Democrat.

Cultural issues shape up as battleground when Senate and House negotiate NDAA

House to leave for August recess without resolving key spending fight…

The real reason Congress leaves Washington every August