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DAVID FARRELL

Department Commander

Dear Comrades,

Our Fall Conference was very informative. I received a great deal of positive feedback from the attendees that said it was one of the better ones in several years. I think they have all been good myself. Adjutant Williams, Sherry and the office staff worked extremely hard to ensure we had a very nice time at our Conference, so please feel free to call and thank them if you had a good time. Also the Department Line Officers did a nice job on their seminars. The Auction did not disappoint, it provided a lot of excitement, as well as some heated bidding. Everyone who attended had lots of fun and laughs. The auction raised $2,000.00. Thanks to everyone involved.

Now that fall is upon us, and the leaves are changing, it is a really nice time to be out driving around the state. It can stay fall year round, cool but not cold. I started my visits of the VA Facilities and Veteran Homes. They really take good care of our veterans. I have also been able to attend some District Meetings as well while visiting the VA Hospitals and Veteran Homes. Between the District Meetings and PDC Hutchinson scheduling visits it has been pretty busy this past month. I have enjoyed every minute of it too. I thank you again for all your kind words and hospitality you have shown me.

May God Bless you all. May God Bless Our Troops serving in the World’s Greatest Military. May God Bless the DAV. Most of all may God Bless the United States of America.

David K Farrell

State Commander

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Nat’l. Hdqrs., DAV (877) 426-2838

NSO Office, Cleveland (216) 522-3507

NSO Office, Cincinnati (513) 684-2676

Washington Office, DAV (202) 554-3501

Cincinnati HSC,

Sheila Clements (513) 475-6443

Dayton HSC, (937) 268-6511

Gene McCorkle Ext. 2962

Wade Park HSC, (216) 791-3800

Walter Dryja Ext. 3395

Chillicothe HSC (740) 773-1141

Larry Queen Ext. 7916

Columbus Clinic, (614) 257-5487

Henry Snodgrass

Brecksville HSC, (440) 526-3030

Don Branford Ext. 7353

Warren Clinic (330) 392-0311

Youngstown Clinic (330) 70-9200

Ext. 105

Veterans Administration 1-800-827-1000

DATES TO REMEMBER

November 6, 2009 Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, Vets Memorial, 300 W. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio. Reception at 2 p.m. Induction Ceremony at 3 p.m.

November 7, 2009 Forget-Me-Not, Ross County Chapter #18, Golden Corral, Chillicothe, Ohio.

November 7, 2009 Mobile Service Office, South East Harley-Davidson, 23105 Aurora Rd., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Bedford Heights, Ohio

November 9, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Lorain County Veterans Service Office, 42495 N. Ridge Rd., Elyria, Ohio.

November 10, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wal-Mart Superstore, 4141 Pearl St., Medina, Ohio.

November 10-11, 2009 Forget-Me-Not, Willie Marcum Chapter #72, Buehler’s Grocery Store, Brunswick, Ohio.

November 11, 2009 Forget-Me-Not, Lloyd C. Ludwick Chapter #123, Various locations in Highland County.

November 11, 2009 Forget-Me-Not, Grove City Chapter #144, Wal-Mart, 1693 Stringtown Road, Grove City, Ohio

November 12, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., VFW Post 7609, 7325 Summit View Dr., Seven Hills, Ohio.

November 13, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., VA Medical Center, 10000 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville, Ohio.

November 13-14, 2009 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Lancaster Chapter #40, Carnival Foods & Kroger, Lancaster, Ohio

November 14, 2009 2^nd District Meeting, Dayton VAMC, Building #305, Lunch at 12 noon, meeting at 1 p.m., Dayton, Ohio.

November 16, 2009 Golden Corral, Military Appreciation Monday Event.

November 16, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Barnesville Chapter #121, VFW Post, 129 South Chestnut St., Barnesville, Ohio.

November 17, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Guernsey Chapter #28, 2090 North Ave., Cambridge, Ohio.

November 18, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Clint Kramer Chapter #12, 428 Moxahala Ave., Zanesville, Ohio.

November 19, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Lancaster Chapter #40, VFW Post, 1131 Sugar Grove Road, Zanesville, Ohio.

November 20, 2009 Mobile Service Office,

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Conrath-Bean Chapter #37, 355 East State Street, Athens, Ohio.

November 21, 2009 Mobile Service Office, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jackson County Chapter #45, 170 Pearl Street, Jackson, Ohio

November 21, 2009 Forget-Me-Not, Wayne County Chapter #44, Buelers Milltown, Wooster, Ohio.

Feb. 28 – Mar. 3, 2010 DAV Mid-Winter Conference, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA

March 21, 2010 4^th District Meeting, Ottawa American Legion Post #63, Main Street, Ottawa, Ohio

April 11, 2010 8^th District Meeting, Clint Kramer Chapter #12, lunch at 1 p.m., meeting to follow at 2 p.m., Zanesville, Ohio

June 24-27, 2010 DAV Department Convention,

The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

July 31 – Aug. 3, 2010 DAV National Convention, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia

October 8-10, 2010 DAV Department Fall Conference, The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

NOTE FROM YOUR ADJUTANT

Frank Williams, State Adjutant

Thought for November: A Hero is no braver than an ordinary man. But he is brave for 5 minutes longer.

More good news for “Free Food For Veterans”!!!

Applebees Restaurants will again provide free meals for Veterans on November 11, Veterans Day. However, unlike Golden Corral, Applebees require proof that you served, such as DAV Membership Card (or any other Veteran Organization Card), or Military Active or Retired ID Card. Of course, they will also accept a copy of your DD214.

Golden Corral will provide their Free Meal from 5PM to 9PM on November 16, 2009 and will honor your word that you are a Veteran.

All restaurants who provide this HONOR TO VETERANS, will not give free meals to your family. You must pay for all family members who are not also Veterans, if you decide to bring them with you!

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is commended by Congress for his progress and his honesty about problems and challenges. However, the VA has been unable to make significant headway in reducing its huge backlog of claims benefits that now stands at more than 1 million! Our NSO Supervisor David Bilinovich spoke on this subject at our Fall Conference, commenting on claims examiners working mandatory overtime and pushing “numbers”, sometimes at the expense of quality.

One very bright spot is the VA’s suicide hotline which has handled 185,000 calls – about 375 a day – and stopped 5,200 suicides in progress. The saving of just one life makes the hotline a success.

Those of you having internet access may be interested in visiting the Congressional Website http://armedservices.house.gov/ where you can view FY2010 Defense Authorization Bill in its entirety. If you take the time to look closely in the areas of Personnel/Health Care/VA Compensation you may be surprised.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your dinners at Applebees and Golden Corral during the Veteran’s Day time frame.

As always, keep our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in your thoughts and prayers as they fight, like we have fought, to keep America free. Never shall we forget that Freedom is not Free!!

VA EXTENDS “AGENT ORANGE” BENEFITS TO MORE VETERANS PARKINSON’S DISEASE, TWO OTHER ILLNESSES RECOGNIZED

WASHINGTON – Relying on an independent study by the Institution of Medicine (IOM), Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam Veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to Agent Orange.

The illnesses affected by the recent decision are B cell leukemias, such as hairy cell leukemia; Parkinson’s disease; and ischemic heart disease.

Used in Vietnam to defoliate trees and remove concealment for the enemy, Agent Orange left a legacy of suffering and disability that continues to the present. Between January 1965 and April 1970, an estimated 2.6 million military personnel who served in Vietnam were potentially exposed to sprayed Agent Orange.

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 illnesses and their military service. This “presumption” simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits.

The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“We must do better reviews of illnesses that may be connected to service, and we will,” Shinseki added. “Veterans who endure health problems deserve timely decisions based on solid evidence.”

Other illnesses previously recognized under VA’s “presumption” rule as being caused by exposure to herbicides during the Vietnam War are:

· Acute and Subacute Transient Peripheral Neuropathy

· AL Amyloidosis

· Chloracne

· Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

· Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2)

· Hodgkin’s Disease

· Multiple Myeloma

· Non-Hodgkin’s Lymnphoma

· Porphyria Cutnanea Tarda

· Prostate Cancer

· Respiratory Cancers, and

· Soft Tissue Sarcoma (other than Osteosarcoma, Chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or Mesothelioma)

Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange

SENATE SENDS VA HEALTH CARE FUNDING REFORM BILL TO WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON – Oct. 14 – The U.S. Senate gave final approval Tuesday to legislation that will finally reform the budget and appropriations process for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ medical care programs, ensuring veterans receive the health care they have earned in a timely manner.

The Senate’s unanimous approval comes on the heels of a 419-1 vote in the House last week, passing H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act.

The bill is now headed to the White House. President Obama voiced support for this landmark legislation and is expected to sign it into law.

“With the support of Congress, we now are on the brink of a long-overdue victory that will help ensure timely access to medical care for the men and women who have served, are serving and will serve in defense of our nation,” said DAV National Commander Roberto Barrera. “For two decades, the Disabled American Veterans and other veterans service organizations have worked to reform the budget and appropriations process to ensure that veterans receive the health care they have earned in a timely manner.”

The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act authorizes Congress to approve veterans medical care funding one year in advance to better meet the anticipated demand for veterans health care services. The advanced funding will give the Department of Veterans Affairs up to a full year to plan for the most effective and efficient way of delivering medical care. Additionally, this would require the Government Accountability Office to audit the budget development process to ensure that sufficient funds are included.

“This legislation will help every disabled veteran and every future disabled veteran,” said Commander Barreara. “This is happening because so many of DAV’s members and supporters have stepped up and called on Congress to put an end to chronic lapses in budgets almost every year for decades. We stood up for veterans together, and veterans and their families are going to benefit.”

Commander Barrera expressed DAV’s gratitude to several Senators who played leading roles in getting the legislation approved.

“This was truly a bipartisan effort in the Senate, led by the very able Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Dan Akaka, who drafted and sponsored the legislation in the Senate. His dogged determination and skillful leadership proved to be central to passing advance appropriations legislation,” Barrera said. “Senator Akaka has proven time and again that he is a true champion for all of America’s veterans, one who we can rely on to aggressively fight for out interests in Congress, and we are grateful for all that he has done for veterans, especially disabled veterans.”

“Senator Richard Burr, the Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, played an important role throughout this legislative process. His insightful contributions strengthened the bill, and his steadfast support was absolutely essential to moving this legislation through the Senate,” Barrera said.

“Senator Olympia Snowe was a crucial supporter of advance appropriations from the very beginning. Her dedication to working in a bipartisan manner for the benefit of veterans helped lead to over half the Senate cosponsoring the legislation,” Commander Barrera said.

Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Johnson laid the groundwork for his historic victory with his sponsorship of veterans funding reform legislation dating back to 2002. He has consistently worked to increase funding levels for veterans health care programs and unselfishly put his full support behind advance appropriations legislation when it was needed,” Barrera said.

“One of the most pivotal moments leading to this legislative victory was the inclusion of advance appropriations language in the budget resolution earlier this year. Veterans have Senator Jim Inhofe to thank for offering that amendment which protected advance appropriations in the budget. His forceful advocacy of advance appropriations at that crucial moment was essential to the ultimate approval of advance appropriations this year,” Commander Barrera said.

“Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad also played a key role when he supported the advance appropriations amendment in the budget, and later worked out an agreement with the House to retain the advance appropriations legislation in the final budget resolution. Senator Conrad continues to be a strong voice for veterans in the Senate,” said Barrera.

The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation’s disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families. More information is available at www.dav.org

Information Bulletin

IMPORTANT NUMBERS