Broward Veterans Coalition

Community Focus Interview

EZCF 063024 Broward Veterans Coaliton 1338.mp3

It’s that time again! Howard veterans coalition annual veterans resource and benefits, fair!

Save the Date!

September 21,2024
New location
New time
And much more will be new as well!

Veterans ~
Tune into 93.1 or 97.3 Sunday morning to hear a Veterans Update. A monthly update on what’s happening in the Veterans Community.

Broward Veterans Coalition is behind the building of this monument.

We, the leaders of the Vietnamese-American Memorial Committee and the Vietnamese Community of South Florida, had a meeting with the Margate Commissioner Anthony N. Caggiano on June 18, 2024 at the City Hall. We submitted the documentations to the Margate Board of Commissioner to request the Board to allow us to build a Vietnam War Memorial in the city park.
As you see the front of the monument:
Inline image
- Overall, the monument has 10 feet long, 8 feet high on a base 12 feet long x 4 feet wide x 2 feet high. The black granite cladding on concrete monument.
- We engrave "Honoring the soldiers of the United States, of the Allied countries, and of the Republic of Vietnam who bravely fought and sacrificed in the Vietnam War for freedom" and “VIETNAM WAR MWMORIAL” on the granite.
- The American flag, Vietnamese flag and the seals of the United States and Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces are cast in colored bronze. We have been authorized to use them by the Departments of Army, Air Forces, Navy, Marines Corp, and Coast Guard Department.
- The soldier image in the middle is the statue that President Nguyen Van Thieu requested to design and choose as the national image of "Mourning" and Gratitude to the soldiers who fought and died for freedom in the Vietnam War. We choose this image and cast it in bronze (4x6 feet).
The rear of the monument:
Inline image
- In the middle is the Vietnam War history.
- On the left is a map of Vietnam divided in two by the Geneva Agreement of 1954. Communist Vietnam violated the agreement and launched a war to invade the South.
- On the right are a number of generals and high-ranking officers of the Republic of Vietnam among the thousands of soldiers who committed su***de rather than surrendering the communist on the day the New President ordered the surrender.
- Below are the cast bronze plaques with the names of the City Commissioners and Donors to thank who supported this Vietnam War Memorial.

Our soldiers who fought and sacrificed for freedom will not be forgotten.

Monthly General meeting
Today March 20, 2024
2PM
8601 W. Commercial Blvd
Tamarac, Fl

Hope to see you there!

Call your Mom~
No matter how old you are she is your safety net, your go to the person that knows everything you need an answer to. The one person that you may not always agree with but who ALWAYS loves you and has your back. The little song you sang to her endlessly,Sickness, bad breakup, car trouble, need a couple extra dollars, I’m pregnant, I won a prestigious award, I invented something, or she helped you learn to ride a bicycle learned to write your name the days you yelled out ~mom Watch Me Watch Me!
She will never stop loving you till the day she dies.
Why can’t you carve out time to call? Stop by? Surprise your mom? Show her more than in day a year you cherish her and all she taught you. When she is gone there are no words to describe what you feel. It’s an indescribable loss. Of course it is will all she does and how massively she permeates every part of your life down to how you brush your teeth.
Call your mom often, leave her a note, visit. For moms it’s the little things it means more than you know.
Start tomorrow and make the gift last all year and see how your relationship, friendship, understanding and love grows when you invested a nano fraction of yourself your mom gave to you!
Happy Mother’s Day to all Mom’s ~

For your information

This is a veterans need survey please all veterans fill this survey out. This will assist mission. United in the upcoming year to know what services are needed within the Veteran community.

https https://forms.gle/7daARbAsP4XrfKhv://forms.gle/7daARbAsP4XrfKhv8

2024 Veteran Needs Survey Please complete this survey to help us identify current needs for Veterans in South Florida. No personal identifying information will be collected or shared. Responses may be shared with community providers, partner agencies, and other Veteran-serving entities. Please share this link with other Vete...

May 4,2024 ~
A Veterans Living History ~
Come sit down and have a conversation with a Veteran! Ask any questions you may have to learn more about their experiences. Officers and. Enlisted from all Branches ~Noon to 4
At the Miramar library.
2050 Civic Center Place
Miramar, Florida.
**As an added Bonus **
Broward Veterans Coalition will be offering Notary Services for veterans with proof of service.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

May 4,2024 ~
A Veterans Living History ~
Come have a conversation with a Veteran! (Noon to 4)
At the Miramar library.
As a special Bonus:
Broward Veterans Coalition will be offering Notary Services for veterans with proof of service for only a donation.

Can't wait to see you there!

Indefinite’ Defense Department IDs Inconvenience Air Travelers, May Be Dropped As Acceptable Identification

Military identification cards displayed at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
Military identification cards displayed at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. (Marine Corps photo by Nell King)
Military.com | By Patricia Kime
Published April 16, 2024 at 3:49pm ET
Military retirees and some spouses or dependents whose next-generation Department of Defense identification cards have an "INDEF" expiration date continue to face problems using their IDs to traverse Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at U.S. airports.

And a potential solution under consideration at TSA -- that the agency drops the IDs, known as USIDs, as acceptable forms of identification when stricter travel requirements are implemented next year -- is sure to irritate those who like using their military IDs instead of a state driver's license or passport for travel.

Nearly a dozen military retirees have contacted Military.com in the past two years with concerns that their ID cards marked INDEF, meaning they have an indefinite expiration date, don't work with TSA screening technology in airports across the country.

Read Next: Pentagon's Second Review of Abbey Gate Attack Finds Troops Didn't See Bomber Before the Explosion

Former service members have run into the issue at Chicago O'Hare International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Orlando International, Tampa International, San Diego International and elsewhere.

According to TSA press secretary R. Carter Langston, the problem centers around USIDs that lack an expiration date. The "INDEF" designation cannot be read by the TSA's Credential Authentication Technology. When the CAT unit does not detect an expiration date, the CAT screen will display an "EXPIRED" alert, according to Langston.

The TSA officer is supposed to ask for another acceptable form of ID that can be read by the CAT unit, Langston said. If the passenger does not have another acceptable form of ID, the officer "will conduct manual inspection of the DoD ID presented as these IDs are currently acceptable forms of ID," Langston said in a statement.

The issue is largely a matter of inconvenience, since many people travel with a driver's license, passport or other form of identification.

But for DoD ID card holders, it could become a major problem beginning May 7, 2025, when all travelers and visitors to the U.S. will be required to have a passport, a state-verified REAL ID or another form of identification designated as acceptable by TSA.

Since the REAL ID Act of 2005 was passed, Defense Department IDs holders have been told their IDs are compliant and acceptable in lieu of a REAL ID and many have not bothered to get a REAL ID compatible state identification card.

They may need to or begin traveling with a passport, because given the ongoing issues, TSA is considering dropping DoD IDs from their list of accepted identification before the REAL ID requirement goes into effect, according to a source with knowledge of ongoing discussions between TSA and the Defense Department.

The Defense Department did not respond to a request for comment on the proposal, and Langston said he would not "confirm or deny discussions that are pre-decisional in nature."

But the proposal does not sit well among some former service members who spent decades serving their country and take pride in carrying a military ID.

"You can get on any military base in the country, but you can't get on an airplane with a military ID card? I don't agree with that at all," said a military retiree based in Washington state who requested that his name not be used to protect how he learned of the proposal.

The source added that the decision is not final and discussions were ongoing.

The Defense Department updated the new IDs, known as USID, for active-duty family members, military retirees and their dependents, reservists and Medal of Honor recipients in 2020, the first upgrade to the cards since 1993.

The USID cards look similar to Common Access Cards, which are issued to active-duty personnel, but they don't have a built-in chip. They were created to have durable lamination, full-color photos and enhanced security features to make them less able to counterfeit or misuse.

When the USIDs were introduced, TSA's scanning system was unable to read their barcodes. That issue largely was fixed in 2022 with a software update, and DoD ID cards work for most individuals whose cards have an expiration date.

But the problem continues for IDs with the "INDEF" date. And retirees aren't happy about it.

"It's been my assumption all along [that I could fly with a DoD ID card]," said the Washington-based retired officer. "I had an old ID until just a couple of months ago, and it worked just fine."

Related: Defense Department Expands ID Card Renewals by Mail to US-Based Retirees, Dependents

Military and Veteran Benefits, News, Veteran Jobs Military.com helps millions of military-connected Americans access military and veteran benefits and news, find jobs and enjoy military discounts.

You missed a great speech by Dr Robert Watson! Everyone talked and networked a bit and listened intently about the fascinating detail of DDay and WWII. A little coffee some sweets. 50-50 winner and winner of the American Flag!

VA sets record for disability benefits delivered to women vets
By Jonathan Lehrfeld
Thursday, Mar 21

Veterans Affairs leaders on Thursday announced the department is delivering disability compensation benefits to a record number of women veterans.
A total of 702,557 women veterans are receiving disability compensation benefits from VA, officials shared. That’s an all-time record high and a 26% increase over five years ago.

“These record numbers demonstrate that we’ve made tremendous progress in recent years, but they are still just the beginning,” Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tanya Bradsher, the first woman to serve in her role at VA, said in a release.
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Mental health outreach efforts need more focus on women vets: report
Advocates say more research and emphasis is needed on the particular mental health challenges facing women veterans.
Women veterans who receive earned disability compensation benefits from VA get an average of $26,809 per year and have an average 68% combined disability rating, according to the release. That compares to an average 61% combined disability rating for men, VA Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs told reporters Wednesday.

The average grant rate for women veterans is 89.2%, the release said, meaning that roughly nine out of 10 women veterans who applied for disability benefits with VA received benefits for at least one condition.
“We want every woman veteran to come to us for the benefits that they have earned and deserve,” Jacobs said, noting that VA is hosting targeted women veteran outreach events across the country throughout the year.
Meanwhile, this week the White House announced that VA and the Department of Defense are launching a new Women’s Health Research collaborative to explore opportunities to promote the advancement of women’s health research and improve care for veterans and service members.
It wasn’t until just over 100 years ago that women veterans were granted access to government health care. Today, VA provides a wide range of health care assistance for women vets, from breast cancer screenings and mammograms for those with potential toxic exposures to access to reproductive health services and maternity care coordination.

But aside from disability compensation and health care benefits, VA says it is working hard to provide other resources for women veterans.
Last fall, VA hosted its first national women Veterans Experience Action Center, a virtual convening that aided more than 340 women veterans to apply for care and benefits.
“Everyone I spoke with was excellent and made me feel very taken care of,” one woman said at the time.
And while they make up 16.5% of the veteran population, women veterans received 27.5% of Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits and 26.4% of Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits in 2023, Jacobs noted.
Separately, the department reached another milestone this month. It announced earlier this week it processed its one millionth veteran benefits claim in fiscal year 2024 on March 4 — the earliest that’s been achieved in VA history and nearly six weeks faster than the previous record from last fiscal year.

This is where you put your retired worn out torn United States of America flags! This is located outside American Legion Post 321 in Cooper city! available at all hours

https://www.youtube.com/live/uBbdm6Fj-2A?si=uqS-lkAcYGbx3Sy0

National Vietnam War Veterans Day observance. The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration conducts a wreath laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. on National Viet...

Radio interview ~

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vR3srZVhJgV8Dsr7Xt_IVpN1DTapmN7l/view?usp=sharing

https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-record-benefits-delivered-women-veterans/

VA sets all-time record for benefits delivered to women Veterans The Department of Veterans Affairs is delivering disability compensation benefits to a record number of women Veterans — an increase of 26% over five years

Attention All Veterans

TODAY the Broward Veterans Coalition is having a speaker!

Florida State representative Robin Bartleman.
She will be giving a legislative update and there will be a Q&A afterwards.

8601 Commercial Blvd., Tamarac, Fl 2 PM
See you there.

Calling all Veterans to Help…It is with great sadness we are announcing we have lost another veteran.
Carl Muscatello, “The Kissing Sailor”

Carl was a local Plantation,Florida resident. His services will be held at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church Plantation, Fl at 10:30 AM -March 22, 2024.
**Veterans we are asking you to bring American Flags and Navy Flags for the Flag Line as the procession moves to Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in North Lauderdale, Fl at 1230.
Let’s honor our fellow Veteran!

Did you know?

The real reason??

DST was first implemented in the US with the Standard Time Act of 1918, a wartime measure for seven months during World War I in the interest of adding more daylight hours to conserve energy resources. Year-round DST, or "War Time", was implemented again during World War II.

VETERANS House approves long-delayed funding for VA and military construction as shutdown nears By SVETLANA SHKOLNIKOVA STARS AND STRIPES • March 6, 2024 The House approved a $460 billion spending package on March 6, 2024. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON — The House approved a $460 billion spending package on Wednesday to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs and five other federal agencies through the fall, signing off on a long overdue budget for veteran health programs and military construction. Lawmakers voted 339-85 in favor of six spending bills after months of drawn-out negotiations between the Republican-led House and Democrat-led Senate that nearly shut down the government multiple times since the start of fiscal 2024 on Oct. 1. The series of bills needs to pass the Senate by Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown. The VA legislation contains almost none of the divisive policy mandates House Republicans had approved last year in their version of the bill, including a proposed ban on the VA offering abortions in cases of r**e or in**st or when the life of the mother is at risk. Other policies removed during bipartisan negotiations would have prohibited gender-affirming care for transgender veterans and the display of pride flags at VA facilities. “This legislation does not have everything either side may have wanted but I am pleased that many of the extreme cuts and policies proposed by House Republicans were excluded,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “House Democrats rejected outright their archaic restrictions on women’s reproductive health care.” Republicans were able to achieve one notable victory, however. A provision in the VA bill will bar the department from automatically reporting veterans who are found incapable of handling their own finances to a federal gun background check system that could block firearm ownership. The policy was instituted by the VA to help prevent veteran su***des, most of which involve a gun. The VA would need a court order to report a veteran under language inserted by Republicans but also championed by some Democrats. “No veteran should lose their constitutional right to bear arms simply because they need help managing their finances, and if they are a danger to themselves or others, a judge should make that decision — not a VA bureaucrat,” said Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Rep. Mark Takano of California, the committee’s top Democrat, refused to support the spending bill solely because of the gun ownership provision. He said veterans who are deemed incapable of managing their income typically have serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and dementia and should not be able to buy a firearm. “I have fought to prevent the scourge of veteran su***de so why on earth would this Congress cede one more important safeguard against a veteran’s death?” he said Wednesday in a floor speech. “I personally cannot.” Funding for various VA programs, including su***de prevention, makes up a significant portion of the spending package. Lawmakers touted increased investments in mental health and substance abuse programs for veterans, health care specifically for women veterans, and services for homeless veterans. More than 550,000 veterans were diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder in 2022 and the number of homeless veterans exceeded 35,000 during a homelessness survey in January. “We held strong on our commitment to veterans,” said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. The bill also boosts spending on construction projects in the military, funding the design and construction of more than a dozen barracks and the renovation and construction of National Guard and Reserve facilities. Congress still needs to approve fiscal 2024 appropriations for the Defense Department and five other agencies before their funding expires on March 22. The delay in the funding process means lawmakers will still be working on the 2024 budget as the White House releases its 2025 budget request on Monday. SVETLANA SHKOLNIKOVA Svetlana Shkolnikova covers Congress for Stars and Stripes. She previously worked with the House Foreign Affairs Committee as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow and spent four years as a general assignment reporter for The Record newspaper in New Jersey and the USA Today Network. A native of Belarus, she has also reported from Moscow, Russia.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2024-03-06/veterans-affairs-budget-congress-shutdown-13230708.html
Source - Stars and Stripes

House approves long-delayed funding for VA and military construction as shutdown nears The House approved a $460 billion spending package on Wednesday to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs and five other federal agencies through the fall, signing off on a long overdue budget for veteran health programs and military construction.

BVC is going to have an excellent speaker for the month of March!

Florida State Representative
Robin Bartleman

She will be giving a legislative update! This is an excellent opportunity to ask questions and converse with her.

Put it on your calendar March 18, 2024 at 2 PM at Tamarac community center
8601 West Commercial Blvd., Tamarac, FL

See you there.

City of Myrtle Beach shut down a free coffee event for veterans. Here’s why

City of Myrtle Beach shut down a free coffee event for veterans. Here’s why A free coffee event for veterans event at a downtown Myrtle Beach restaurant was shut down by the city of Myrtle Beach, and the organizers voiced displeasure with the city on social media.