U.S. Periods of War and Dates of Recent Conflicts

"Many wars or conflicts in U.S. history have federally designated “periods of war,” dates marking their beginning and ending. These dates are important for qualification for certain veterans’ pension or disability benefits. Confusion can occur because beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” in many nonofficial sources are often different from those given in treaties and other official sources of information, and armistice dates can be confused with termination dates. This report lists the beginning and ending dates for “periods of war” found in Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It also lists and differentiates other beginning dates given in declarations of war, as well as termination of hostilities dates and armistice and ending dates given in proclamations, laws, or treaties. The dates for the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are included along with the official end date for Operation New Dawn in Iraq on December 15, 2011, and Operation Enduring Freedom on Afghanistan on December 28, 2014. This report will be updated when events warrant. For additional information, see the following: CRS Report RL31133, Declarations of War and Authorizations for the Use of Military Force: Historical Background and Legal Implications, by Jennifer K. Elsea and Matthew C. Weed, and CRS Report R42738, Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad, 1798-2016, by Barbara Salazar Torreon.."
U.S. Periods of War

VA Conducts Nation’s Largest Analysis of Veteran Suicide

"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has undertaken the most comprehensive analysis of Veteran suicide rates in the U.S., examining over 55 million Veteran records from 1979 to 2014 from every state in the nation. The effort extends VA’s knowledge from the previous report issued in 2010, which examined  three million  Veteran records from 20 states were available.  Based on the data from 2010, VA estimated the number of Veteran deaths by suicide averaged 22 per day.  The current analysis indicates that in 2014, an average of 20 Veterans a day died from suicide.

“One Veteran suicide is one too many, and this collaborative effort provides both updated and comprehensive data that allows us to make better informed decisions on how to prevent this national tragedy,” said VA Under Secretary for Health, Dr. David J. Shulkin. “We as a nation must focus on bringing the number of Veteran suicides to zero..."
Veterans suicide

Health Care for Veterans: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

"The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), operates the nation’s largest integrated health care delivery system, provides care to approximately 6.7 million unique veteran patients, and employs more than 311,000 full-time equivalent employees..."
Veteran's health

A Releases Latest Nationwide Data on Access to Veterans Health Care

"Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) posted the second in a series of bi-monthly data updates showing progress on its efforts to accelerate access to quality health care for Veterans who have been waiting for appointments.

Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan D. Gibson announced that VA has now contacted approximately 70,000 Veterans across the country to get them off of wait lists and into clinics for medical appointments. Gibson also announced the release of the latest updated, facility-level patient access data, which demonstrates that the number of appointments has increased by almost 200,000 from May 15 to June 1..."

Veterans, health care

VA Provides Guidance to Same-Sex Married Couples Seeking Benefits

"After close consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is providing guidance to same-sex married couples on the benefits and services to which they are entitled under current laws and regulations.

"VA worked closely with DOJ to develop guidance to process cases involving same-sex marriages and to implement necessary changes swiftly and smoothly in order to deliver the best services to all eligible Veterans," said Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan D. Gibson.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which governed the definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" for all federal agencies. However, there remain certain provisions of federal law governing Veterans' benefits and services that, like DOMA, define a spouse as a member of the opposite sex. In September 2013, the U.S. Attorney General announced President Obama's directive to cease enforcement of those VA-specific definitional provisions..."
Veterans, Same-Sex Marriages

Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors

"Veterans of the United States armed forces may be eligible for a broad range of benefits and services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Some of these benefits may be utilized while on active duty. These benefits are codified in Title 38 of the United States Code. This booklet contains a summary of these benefits effective Jan. 1, 2013. For additional information, visit www.va.gov..."
veteran benefits

New Online GI Bill Comparison Tool

"The Department of Veterans Affairs launched today an online GI Bill® Comparison Tool to make it easier for Veterans, Servicemembers and dependents to calculate their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and learn more about VA’s approvedcolleges, universities and other education and training programs across the country..:.
GI-Bill

Homeless Incidence and Risk Factors for Becoming Homeless in Veterans

"OEF/OIF and women veterans experienced higher homeless incidences after military separation. At 5 years after separation from the military, 3.7 percent of the veterans experienced an initial episode of homelessness (the newly homeless). OEF/OIF and women veterans experienced higher incidences of homelessness than their non-OEF/OIF and male counterparts. The 5-year homeless incidence rates ranged from 3.2 percent for non-OEF/OIF men to 4.0 percent for OEF/OIF women veterans. OEF/OIF veterans experienced higher homeless incidences than non-OEF/OIF veterans at each year of the first 5 years after discharge..."

VA Gulf War Task Force Report Released

"The Department of Veterans Affairs has released the second in a series of annual reports from its Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Task Force, outlining how the department will address the concerns of Veterans deployed during the Gulf War of 1990-1991. The report is available on the Internet..

The report focuses on efforts to improve the delivery of health care for Gulf War Veterans. One of the most substantial additions is the launch of a prototype clinical care model specifically for Gulf War Veterans, which is the most critical point of service VA provides. There are also efforts underway to create better links between specialty knowledge on Gulf War health issues and subject matter experts for health care providers serving these Veterans at the point of care..."

Draft Gulf War Task Force Report Is Released

"...This year’s report focuses on improvements in the delivery of health care for Gulf War Veterans. One of the most substantial additions is modifications to clinical care models used for Gulf War Veterans, which is the most critical point of service VA provides. There are better linkages between specialty knowledge and services at the basic point of care. Clinical research and development is significantly contributing new concepts and methods to clinical practice and clinical education throughout VA..."

Review of the Management Recovery Act Funds for Monument and Memorial Repairs
"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provided funds to Federal agencies to acquire goods and services to help stimulate the U.S. economy. We conducted this review to determine if the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) implemented effective policies and procedures to ensure accountability and transparency for $50 million it received in ARRA funds.

What We Found
NCA was on track to meet the deadline for obligating ARRA funds. However, NCA needed to improve management processes to guarantee efficient administration of the funds in line with ARRA accountability and transparency objectives.

NCA did not use a formal process to document the prioritization and selection of ARRA-funded projects. NCA did not ensure that staff completed the documentation of procurement information, as required by Departmental guidance, by recording it in the Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS). Further, NCA did not establish outcome-based (original signed by:) performance measures for its projects to enable the achievement of ARRA-related objectives..."

VA Publishes Final Regulation to Aid Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
"eterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to access quality health care and qualify for disability compensation under a final regulation that will be published on August 31, 2010 in the Federal Register by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The new rule expands the list of health problems VA will presume to be related to Agent Orange and other herbicide exposures to add two new conditions and expand one existing category of conditions.

“Last October, based on the requirements of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 and the Institute of Medicine’s 2008 Update on Agent Orange, I determined that the evidence provided was sufficient to award presumptions of service connection for these three additional diseases,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “It was the right decision, and the President and I are proud to finally provide this group of Veterans the care and benefits they have long deserved.”

The final regulation follows Shinseki’s determination to expand the list of conditions for which service connection for Vietnam Veterans is presumed. VA is adding Parkinson’s disease and ischemic heart disease and expanding chronic lymphocytic leukemia to include all chronic B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia.

In practical terms, Veterans who served in Vietnam during the war and who have a “presumed” illness don’t have to prove an association between their medical problems and their military service. By helping Veterans overcome evidentiary requirements that might otherwise present significant challenges, this “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process and ensure that Veterans receive the benefits they deserve...

Individuals can go to a website at http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm to get an understanding of how to file a claim for presumptive conditions related to herbicide exposure, as well as what evidence is needed by VA to make a decision about disability compensation or survivors benefits.

Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services for Veterans exposed to the chemical is available at Agent Organge"

Healthcare Inspection: Primary Care Services for Women Veterans:Accessibility and Acknowledgement of Test Results
"Ensuring that women veterans receive comprehensive primary care services is a
fundamental goal for Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This review evaluated the
accessibility and acknowledgment of results of gender-specific tests provided at VHA
facilities or through fee basis arrangements.

We identified women veterans who had one of the following tests completed at VHA
facilities: Pap smears, bone mineral densitometry, and mammography. We also
identified women veterans who underwent mammography outside of VHA facilities
through fee basis arrangements.

During October 1 – December 31, 2008, 19,893 women veterans had at least one
outpatient visit at which one of the specified tests was performed. Medical records from
each of the defined populations of tested patients were randomly selected for review..."

A Brief History of Veterans' Education Benefits and Their Value
"...This report reviews the evolution of veterans' education benefit programs prior to the enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. It also examines how changes in the estimated value of those benefits compares with changes in average college prices, and provides a discussion of the interaction between veterans' education benefits and federal student aid benefits made available under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended."

Veterans Benefits: An Overview
"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide range of benefits and
services to eligible veterans, members of their families, and survivors of deceased
veterans. VA programs include disability compensation and pensions, readjustment
benefits, and health care programs. The VA also provides life insurance, burial benefits, housing and other loan guaranty programs, and special counseling and outreach programs. While eligibility for specific benefits varies, veterans generally must meet requirements related to discharge type and length of active duty military service. This report provides an overview of major VA benefits and the VA budget. It will be updated as events warrant."

Follow-Up Healthcare Inspection VA’s Role in Ensuring Services for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans after Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation
"In a July 2006 report, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Healthcare Inspections (OHI) described the health status of and services provided for a group of service members and veterans who had received inpatient rehabilitative care in VA facilities for traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained during or after tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. At the request of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the OIG conducted a follow-up assessment to determine the extent to which the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) maintains involvement with these same individuals to ensure that their health care needs are met..."

Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, 2008 ed.
"Veterans of the United States armed forces are eligible for a broad range of programs and services provided by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs(VA). These benefits are legislated in Title 38 of the United States Code. This booklet contains a summary of these benefits effective January 1, 2008. For additional information, visit the VA web site at http://www.va.gov/."