Save Our Vet's

This website is dedicated to the raising of awareness of the Plight of our Veterans trying to get help through the VA system! And to educate the American Public to the existence of the Vet Center program with the intent of procuring additional funding to Save Our Veterans!!!

THE GOOD NEWS: is that Congress as allocated $2.2 Billion (yes, BILLION) of what the VA is receiving to go directly to Mental Health! YEA!! THE BAD NEWS: is that the VA is not giving ANY of it to the Vet Center Program!!! Instead they are investing ALL $2.2 Billion into the ineffective Hospital systems! But there IS something we can do about it... but we MUST do it NOW! Currently there is a Bill before Congress to fund the Vet Center Program! (see below) to ask that the $180 Million (less than 10%) get diverted from the hospitals to fund this bill! There is no time to loose, for once the VA spends it - it is gone! Now there is a second way to help Save Our Veterans!! In addition to sighing this petition, I am hoping that you will take another minute of your time to e-mail your Congressman!! It is VERY simple!! Just  click the following link to the "Congress.org" website! Enter your zip code in the "Take Action Now" box and hit GO. Toggle the "Compose Your Own Letter" and take the next step! Then send them an e-mail and ask them to support his Act! Please don't delay! Do it now!!! Thank you!!! Jonelle Feel free to copy and paste the following letter....

Federal Insider  Friday, June 24, 2005 Funds for Health Care of Veterans $1 Billion Short Link to full story!

: 109 State: Federal Chamber: Senate Bill Number: S. 716 Sponsor: Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) Last Sponsor Date: Apr. 06, 2005 Vet Center Enhancement Act of 2005 (Introduced in Senate) S 716 IS 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 716 To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance services provided by vet centers, to clarify and improve the provision of bereavement counseling by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 6, 2005 Mr. AKAKA (for himself, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, and Mr. CONRAD) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs                        --------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance services provided by vet centers, to clarify and improve the provision of bereavement counseling by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the `Vet Center Enhancement Act of 2005'. SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF VET CENTERS. (a) Additional Outreach Workers- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall employ not more than 50 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom for the purpose of providing outreach to veterans on the availability of readjustment counseling and related mental health services for veterans under section 1712A of title 38, United States Code. (b) Construction With Current Outreach Program- The veterans employed under subsection (a) are in addition to any veterans employed by the Secretary for the purpose described in that subsection under the February 2004 program of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide outreach described in that subsection. (c) Assignment to Vet Centers- The Secretary may assign any veteran employed under subsection (a) to any vet center that the Secretary considers appropriate in order to meet the purpose described in that subsection. (d) Inapplicability and Termination of Limitation on Duration of Employment- Any limitation on the duration of employment of veterans under the program described in subsection (b) is hereby terminated, and shall not apply to veterans employed under such program or under this section. (e) Employment Status- Veterans employed under subsection (a) shall be employed in career conditional status, which is the employment status in which veterans are employed under the program described in subsection (b). (f) Definitions- In this section: (1) VET CENTER- The term `vet center' means a center for the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services under section 1712A of title 38, United States Code. (2) VETERAN OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM OR OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM- The term `veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom' means any veteran who served in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF BEREAVEMENT COUNSELING. (a) Clarification of Members of Immediate Family Eligible for Counseling- Subsection (b) of section 1783 of title 38, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by inserting `(1)' before `The Secretary'; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: `(2) For purposes of this subsection, the members of the immediate family of a member of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1) include the parents of such member.'. (b) Provision of Counseling Through Vet Centers- Such section is further amended-- (1) by predesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c): `(c) Provision of Counseling Through Vet Centers- Bereavement counseling may be provided under this section through the facilities and personnel of centers for the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services under section 1712A of this title.'. SEC. 4. FUNDING FOR VET CENTER PROGRAM. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2006, $180,000,000 for the provision of readjustment counseling and related mental health services through centers under section 1712A of title 38, United States Code, including for the discharge of the requirements of this Act (and the amendments made by this Act).

*Click here* to send an e-mail to your Senator, your Representative The President ,and to sign the petition! Please include your name, hometown, state and zip and  we will do the rest! Thank you!

Sample E-Mail: I am one of your constituents and I am very concerned that current estimates say that 30% of our Veterans returning from War in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from PTSD. While the House has just allocated $2.2 Billion of the VA's budget specifically to Mental Health, none of that money is going to fund the Vet Center Program. The Vet Center program has been proven to be the most effective program available for our Veterans to get the help they need to relieve them from the horrible suffering that PTSD causes. I implore you to support this wonderful program by supporting Bill #716! For less than 10% of the money already allocated for Mental Health, the Vet Center Program will have the funding they need to maintain and expand their successful program to care for these brave men and women! Please vote for and help to pass Bill # S.716!!!  For more information on the Vet Center Program, please go to "SaveOurVets.com) Thank you!

*Click here* to send an e-mail to your Senator, your Representative The President ,and to sign the petition! Please include your name, hometown, state and zip and  we will do the rest! Thank you!

to send an e-mail to your Senator, your Representative The President ,and to sign the petition! Please include your name, hometown, state and zip and  we will do the rest! Thank you!