Veterans Helping Veterans Podcast

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Replay - Dr Thompson VA Deputy Director of Suicide Prevention Apr 22, 2014

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Caitlin Thompson (M.Ed. ‘02, Ph.D. ‘06) VA Deputy Director of Suicide Prevention A national leader helping to reduce the suicide rate among our nation's military veterans. Excellent show with Dr Thompson she is a kind and compassionate warrior fighting the good fight to keep us alive. I for one appreciate it. - Tbird Veterans Crisis Line 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.

Service Dogs: Bill Dahlkamp, Ex. Dir. Support Dogs, Inc. Apr 16, 2014

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Support Dogs, Inc. Bill has been with Support Dogs, Inc. since April 1998. Support Dogs was founded on training assistance dogs for people who needed assistance with mobility-related tasks. Today, Support Dogs trains a variety of assistance dogs to meet several segments of the population. Service Dogs - These dogs are trained to complete mobility-related tasks for someone with a physical disability. The dogs are trained to open doors, retrieve dropped and distant objects, help with undressing, carry bags, rises to counters, as well as a variety of other mobility-related tasks. Psychiatric Service Dogs - These dogs are trained to help military veterans suffering from the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These dogs are trained not only to be very confident and obedient in any environment, they act as a grounding mechanism for their client. Canine-Assisted Activity Dog - This dog is trained and placed with an individual who is an employee of the facility in which the dog will work. Typically, the dog is used as a therapeutic tool by the handler, helping to initiate a response from the residents, patients, or clients of the facility. Hearing Dogs - These dogs are trained and placed with someone who is Deaf or hard of hearing. The dog can alert to sounds in the environment, such as a door knock, smoke alarm, alarm clock, or a name call. I will be with Support Dogs on GiveSTLDay May 6, 2014. A great day for local giving, it’s nationwide find yours here and be a philanthropist for a day.

James Cripps won the first ever VA claim for Agent Orange exposure in CONUS Apr 09, 2014

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Read the Board of Veterans Appeal Decision Here. James Cripps won the first ever VA claim for Agent Orange exposure in CONUS James Cripps "On November 2, 2009, I won the first ever VA claim for Agent Orange exposure, "inside the Continental United States." The claim was granted for Chloracne, Diabetes and Heart Disease with ICD implant, as due to Agent Orange exposure at Fort Gordon GA., in the years 1967-1969. You will be able to read the Board Of Veterans Appeals detailed decision along with the supporting evidence at WWW.va.gov in a couple of months when it is posted. From the web site choose Board of Veterans Appeals, then click on Decisions. Next type in the search box Docket No.08-11 937." Read the Board of Veterans Appeal Decision Here.

Ask Basser - Veterans Affairs Math and other interesting items. Apr 07, 2014

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Want to know how the Veterans Affairs does it's math? Baser will explain it and some other interesting things that the veteran can do. VA Service Connected Ratings Disability Calculator Combined Ratings Source: Veterans Affairs If VA finds that a Veteran has multiple disabilities, VA uses the Combined Ratings Table to calculate a combined disability rating. Disability ratings are not additive, meaning that if a Veteran has one disability rated 60% and a second disability 20%, the combined rating is not 80%. This is because subsequent disability ratings are applied to an already disabled Veteran, so the 20% disability is applied to a Veteran who is already 60% disabled. Below you will find the steps VA takes to combine ratings for more than one disability and examples using the Combined Ratings Table to illustrate how combined ratings are calculated. Read Full Article

Bill Dahlkamp Executive Director Support Dogs, Inc. Mar 26, 2014

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Support Dogs, Inc. is the organization that provided Tbird her PTSD service dog Cinder. A wonderful organization. Bill has been with Support Dogs, Inc. since April 1998. He came to Support Dogs, Inc. with a strong background in non-profit organizations, implementing workplace literacy programs for an adult education program in Springfield, IL, and working for Illinois Special Olympics at their state office in Normal, IL. Bill started as the education coordinator for Support Dogs and soon took on more responsibilities. Bill was named Executive Director in April 2010, after spending five years as the Program Director. "I feel very fortunate and honored to be part of this amazing organization. It is wonderful to meet and work with our volunteers and clients daily, seeing how their involvement with the organization improves and enriches their lives. There have been so many rewarding experiences for me thus far and I look forward to many more in the future." Bill’s canine family currently includes German Shepherd Morgan, who helps socialize the advanced training dogs to a breed other than another Labrador or Golden retriever.

Bob Walsh Veterans Attorney on Keith Roberts Case Mar 26, 2014

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Bob Walsh will discuss Airman Keioth Roberts case SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, APPELLEE, on Appeal from the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (05-2425) Keith Roberts, wrongly imprisoned Vietnam-era veteran now living in a half-way house in Northern Wisconsin received an adverse ruling Friday from an en banc (full) panel of the UNITED […] Read More at Veterans Today

Paul Sullivan: Bergmann & Moore VetLawyers.com Mar 19, 2014

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The President and the Veterans Affairs Secretary issued $164 billion Veterans Affairs budget. Related Information: Care and Benefits for Veterans Strengthened by $164 Billion VA Budget - Continuing the transformation of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) into a 21st century organization, the President has proposed a $163.9 billion budget, a 6.5 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2014, that will support VA’s goals to expand access to health care and other benefits, eliminate the disability claims backlog, and end homelessness among Veterans. The budget includes $68.4 billion in discretionary spending, largely for healthcare, and $95.6 billion for mandatory programs – mostly disability compensation and pensions for Veterans. New Hope For Gulf War Veterans Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield 23 Years later. Veterans Affairs under orders from Congress came up with a plan on how to do deal with the record nearly 300,000 appeal that are choking Veterans Affairs.

continue Mar 09, 2014

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Veterans Helping Veterans radio show. Ask Basser Mar 09, 2014

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VA claims process talk. What to do when you get a denial letter and how to figure Retroactive Pay. And many other things.

Dr Thompson VA Deputy Director of Suicide Prevention Mar 05, 2014

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