Veterans
- Details
- Written by: Editor
COLUMBIA, SC – Army Pvt. Micah A. Sparks has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.
Sparks is the son of Brien A. Sparks and brother of Maurice E. Sparks of Lucerne, Calif.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake VA Clinic is resuming normal operations after having rescheduled appointments due to the Rocky fire, burning east of Clearlake.
The clinic will resume normal operations on Tuesday, Aug. 4, officials said.
If a veteran has been evacuated and needs a prescription refill, please contact the Clearlake VA Clinic at 707-995-7200.
If you are a Veteran having fire-related symptoms and are unable to travel to a VA Clinic, please call Telephone Linked Care at 800-733-0502.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson’s (CA-5) bipartisan legislation to help veterans and their families save for and afford health care passed the Senate on Thursday and will be signed into law by the president.
The bill, titled the Help Veterans Save for Health Care Act, passed as part of H.R. 3236, the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015.
Thompson’s bill will allow veterans who have supplemental health care coverage and also receive Veterans Administration (VA) care for a service-connected disability to enroll or participate in a Health Savings Account (HSA).
Currently, under IRS regulations, veterans and their families are prohibited from making and/or receiving contributions to a HSA for three months after receiving health care services through the Veterans VA for a service-connected disability.
The bill was co-authored by U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson (TX-3).
“This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will help make sure veterans and their families aren’t left on the hook for health care expenses they’d otherwise be covered for just because they received care from the VA,” said Thompson. “Making sure veterans have the same rights as other taxpayers to pay for their health care costs is the right thing to do for those who served our country in uniform.”
A HSA is a tool to help individuals and families to save and pay for health care expenses. However under the IRS regulations veterans and their families are being unfairly excluded from an important health care savings tool.
For example, a veteran with a service-connected disability may be enrolled in an employer-sponsored health plan with an HSA that provides health insurance coverage for their family.
Under current IRS regulations, the veteran would be barred from participating in his or her HSA for three months after receiving care at the VA for a service-connected disability – even if that HSA is used to cover out-of-pocket health care costs for non-VA care and for their spouse or children.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Joe Myers and Sue Tischbern have a working relationship that has come full circle.
They met when Tischbern was an instructor at the cosmetology school Myers attended.
Myers opened J. Myers Salon in Middletown in November 2012 and now they work together.
The salon offers a full range of hair services, waxing and sells handmade jewelry.
Tischbern fashions the jewelry and some pieces include antique and specialty beads.
Both Myers and Tischbern wanted to find a way to support military personnel and knew of Operation Tango Mike’s 12-year history of shipping care packages.
Thus, they decided to donate $3 of every salon service or purchase on every Wednesday to the local charity.
Myers has a history of military service in his family and Tischbern knows well the feeling of loss when someone does not return from deployment.
She tearfully explained that she and her daughter knew several young men who deployed in the Global War on Terror who were killed in action.
J. Myers Salon is located at 21136 Calistoga St. in Middletown, telephone 707-809-7020.
Operation Tango Mike holds packing parties to prepare care packages on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Umpqua Bank, 805 11th St. in Lakeport.
The organization can be reached at 707-349-2838 or
- Details
- Written by: Editor
SACRAMENTO – The State of California’s Employment Training Panel today approved a contract through its veterans' program for $199,050 to train and place in jobs 75 unemployed veterans.
The program provides veterans with the skills needed to enter the workforce and improves opportunities for advancement in high wage, secure jobs.
Since its inception in 2008 as a pilot program, more than 650 veterans have received workforce training through the program.
Veterans who have served on active full-time duty in the Armed Forces and were honorably discharged or released from active duty due to a service-connected disability are eligible for training under this contract, as well as reservists who have served on active full-time duty and are still on reserve status.
"California employers recognize the talent and experience our veterans bring to the workforce," said Stewart Knox, the Employment Training Panel's Executive Director. "The Employment Training Panel is proud support this program which helps businesses with the demand to train veterans for high wage jobs."
Under the approved contract, the South Bay Workforce Investment Board will work with the Occupational Safety Councils of America to deliver vocational safety training to meet the demands of the manufacturing, petrochemical and construction industries.
The training curriculum involves the Occupational Safety Councils of America’s Premier Safety Attendant Program, which includes Refinery Safety Overview, Safety Technician and Attendant Training, CPR/First-Aid/AED, and refinery site-specific training.
OSHA 10/30, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard training will also be provided for certification, as well as advanced commercial skills to develop trainee skills on the job site.
The Employment Training Panel is the state’s premier program supporting job creation and retention through training.
On Friday, it approved more than $14.2 million to train more than 13,600 workers in regions throughout California.
In total, the panel approved 38 training contracts aimed at supporting job creation and retention while increasing opportunities for workers through the development of job skills and training.
For more information about the program, please visit www.etp.ca.gov or call 916-327-5368.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, on Monday met with the Travis Regional Armed Forces Committee, a community consortium that strives to build bridges between Travis Air Force Base, the local community and civic leaders.
Following his keynote address, Congressman Garamendi met with Travis Air Force Base commanders for an update on Travis base security.
Since May, the base has increased random vehicle searches and the visible presence of armed security forces, particularly in areas where large numbers of people congregate.
These deterrence procedures will help the base more quickly respond to and prevent a lone wolf terror attack.
Though no one has made specific threats to Travis, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have noted that military bases are a desired target for some ISIL-inspired jihadists.
“Base security is on everyone’s mind in Congress. I need to know what’s working and what we can do better to keep our bases as safe as possible from terrorists,” Congressman Garamendi said. “I think increasing the number and visibility of security forces is an appropriate response to the lone wolf threat, and I suspect many other Members of Congress agree.”
During his speech, Garamendi explained why he voted against the initial version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Garamendi currently is a member of the NDAA Conference Committee, comprised of key members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. He will determine how he will vote on the final NDAA when it clears the Conference Committee.
“We are in the first quarter of a trillion dollar nuclear arms race,” Garamendi said. “Before we embark on these incredibly expanded nuclear weapons programs, I want to know why. By voting down my amendments for more information on the costs and risks of our nuclear weapons strategy, a majority of my colleagues in Congress would prefer we just vote yes and wallow in ignorance. I don’t like ignorance.”
The conversation also focused on base security and the importance of Travis Air Force Base for Solano County’s economy.
During a question-and-answer session, Garamendi responded to questions related to the security risk of privately-owned drones, the importance of the nuclear weapons treaty with Iran, and the status of America’s GPS satellite capabilities.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Do you qualify for reimbursement from the Department of Veterans Affairs? What services are available to you from hospice?
Did you know that without a power of attorney for health care (or advanced healthcare directive) and unmarried partner cannot authorize any funeral arrangements? Did you know that the VA does not pay any monies in advance for funeral costs?
Join representatives from the Lake County Veterans Service Office and Hospice Services of Lake County on Thursday, July 23, to get answers to these questions and other valuable information to help you and your family make a plan for end-of-life needs.
The meeting will take place beginning at 1 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, Konocti Post 437, 14770 Austin Road, Clearlake.
For more information, please contact Allison at 707-391-7667 or
- Details
- Written by: Department of Veterans Affairs
WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing four new studies that will use genetic and other data from VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP) to answer key questions on heart disease, kidney disease and substance use – high-priority conditions affecting veterans.
MVP, which has enrolled more than 390,000 veterans so far, has already become the nation’s largest database linking genetic, clinical, lifestyle and military exposure information.
Part of a beta test for data access, the newly funded studies are among the first to use MVP data to delve into pressing questions on veterans’ health.
MVP-based studies on PTSD, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are already under way.
“MVP is making important discoveries that will impact health care for veterans and all Americans,” said VA Secretary Bob McDonald. “We’re grateful to our Veteran partners, whose altruism has made this possible.”
The new research, which will specifically include the understudied African American and Hispanic veteran populations, ties into the broader national Precision Medicine Initiative announced by President Obama earlier this year.
“There’s already been an impressive amount of data collected through MVP, and we’re continuing to engage more veterans in the program and building its research infrastructure through studies like these,” said Dr. Timothy O’ Leary, VA’s chief research and development officer.
The new studies, involving consortiums of VA researchers and university colleagues, will explore specific questions related to chronic illnesses common among veterans.
They will also help establish new methods for securely linking MVP data with other sources of health information, including non-VA sources such as the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).
The new studies include the following:
– Cardiovascular risk factors: Drs. Farooq Amin and Peter Wilson at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, and Dr. Kelly Cho at the Boston VA Health Care System, will lead an effort probing the genes that influence how obesity and lipid levels affect heart risk. Using MVP data, their team will also look at whether these genetic factors differ among African Americans and Hispanics. “These populations are extremely important in VA,” said Amin.
– Multi-substance use: Drs. Daniel Federman and Amy Justice at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and Dr. Henry Kranzler at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, will examine the genetic risk factors for chronic use of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids – and the dangerous use of all three together. “MVP offers an unprecedented opportunity to advance this field,” said Federman.
– Pharmacogenomics of kidney disease: Dr. Adriana Hung at the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System will focus on how genes affect the risk and progression of kidney disease. One goal is to examine how patients with diabetes – who often develop kidney problems – respond differently to the drug metformin, the standard first-line treatment for diabetes, based on their genetic profile. The project will also look at the genetics of hypertension, a major risk factor for kidney disease. “Kidney disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Veterans and we’re hoping to gain insights that will drive personalized medicine for this population,” said Hung.
– Metabolic conditions: Dr. Philip Tsao at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and Dr. Kyong-Mi Chang at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, leading a team of researchers from five VA regions and two universities, will explore the role of genetics in obesity, diabetes, and abnormal lipid levels (namely, cholesterol and triglycerides), as drivers of heart disease. “This project will help us more thoroughly understand the underlying causes of cardiometabolic disease and develop new therapies that are safe, effective, and personalized,” said Tsao. “This is also a great opportunity to partner with our colleagues at Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania,” added Chang.
For more information about MVP and VA research in general, visit www.research.va.gov .
- Details
- Written by: Editor
NORTH COAST, Calif. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced Thursday that his office is accepting applications from those ages 17-23 who are interested in attending the four service academies requiring nominations: United States Air Force Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy at West Point, and the United States Naval Academy.
The fifth service academy, the Coast Guard Academy, does not require a nomination.
“One of the highest honors I have as a representative in Congress is getting to annually nominate exceptional candidates from our community to the service academies,” said Thompson. “Just last month, three exceptional young men were accepted into the academies, and I’m pleased to announce that the nomination process for 2016 class is underway. If offered appointments, these young men and women will receive both a world class education and the skills they will need to become tomorrow’s military leaders.”
Eligible candidates must be at least 17 years old, but younger than 23, in the year of their admission to the academy, a United States citizen, unmarried, and a resident of California’s Fifth Congressional District.
The benefits of attending a service academy include:
· Cadets will receive a four year education and degree from some of the most prestigious colleges in the country. All service academies have high academic standards.
· In exchange for a five year commitment to the military candidates selected receive a world-class education valued at $400,000. Schooling, room, board and books are all paid for. In addition medical and dental coverage will be provided.
· The service academies’ key focus is on preparing the leaders of tomorrow through leadership, mental, emotional and physical development.
· Cadets will have job security upon graduation as they will go into service as a commissioned officer in the United States military.
· An O-1 commissioned officer earns a base pay of $3,692.10 per month plus 30 days of leave a year.
· A new second lieutenant earns $ 2,934.30 per month. In addition, they receive a $253 basic allowance for subsistence. Airborne status pays and extra $150 per month and combat zone pay extra $225 month. Additionally, they receive a housing allowance to live off post, which varies by location.
Class of 2015 accepted nominees from the Fifth District included Connor Hudak, Napa, and Rashad Brown, Vallejo, U.S. Naval Academy; and Jamie Gates, Cotati, United States Military Academy at West Point.
Interested applicants should contact Thompson’s Santa Rosa District Office at
How to resolve AdBlock issue?