Afghan War, VA care top conference agenda: with the nation on a war footing, VFW's annual `march on the hill' was even more urgent this year. In addition to the main objective of taking veterans concerns directly to lawmakers, the VFW Legislative Conference, Feb. 25-27, focused heavily on supporting relief efforts and the war on terrorism

VFW Magazine, May, 2002 by Tim Dyhouse

As VFW members convened at this year's Legislative Conference, Commander-in-Chief Jim Goldsmith reminded them of their clout in Washington, D.C., and their duty to use it constructively.

"Our staff is thoroughly respected by the President and Congress," he said. "I want you all to actively participate while you are here, but more important, to continue that activism when you get home. When VFW speaks, Congress listens."

VA Secretary Anthony Principi, who spoke at the conference's General Session, agreed with Goldsmith's assessment of VFW's influence.

"Your presence in Washington is just one more example that you're serious advocates for the nation's veterans," said the VFW life member.

Col. David G. Pagano, commander of the Army's Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii, noted VFW's involvement on Capitol Hill as well.

"Your leadership comes here every year," said the recipient of the VFW Commander-in-Chief's Special Award. "They always ask the tough questions, demand answers and provide support."

Now that the nation is at war, Goldsmith said VFW's traditional commitment to active-duty troops and support of the President and Congress is crucial. He added that VFW members also must rededicate themselves to strengthening their presence in local communities.

"VFW will make darn sure our troops' voices are heard and their votes are counted," he said. "And it's vital that we make our Posts pillars of the community."

Goldsmith noted VFW's relief efforts following Sept. 11. He said that within five hours of the attack on the Pentagon, members distributed 5,000 Operation Uplink phone cards so troops could call home. Since the terrorist attacks, some 40,000 cards have been distributed.

Goldsmith also thanked the Ladies Auxiliary for raising money for the Attack on America Fund, which, as of the conference, had distributed checks to 37 of the 55 families that had lost active-duty members in the Pentagon attack. The fund had collected $244,017, with some $236,000 being distributed. A total of $125,000 was split among the military service branches and $111,000 (or $3,000 each) went to the families.

VFW Department of New York Commander Ben Thompson thanked all who contributed to his state's disaster relief fund, which collected more than $206,000. The Department will eventually distribute the money to the families of veterans killed in New York on Sept. 11.

Thompson also gave VFW a U.S. flag that "flew at the highest point over ground zero" at the World Trade Center during recovery and clean-up efforts.

Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Ray Sisk also praised the Ladies Auxiliary members who raised money for the Attack on America Fund: "I'm so glad we're compensating the survivors. I want to thank the Ladies Auxiliary."

`TIMELY BENEFITS'

One of the perennial issues VFW tackles when it heads to Washington each year is improving veterans benefits and health care. Principi took the opportunity to tout VA's zeal in providing better and faster service to vets.

"VA stands at a critical crossroads," he said. "I'm committed to ensuring excellence in timely benefits. We will have performance standards."

The VA secretary praised the work of a task force he formed last year to provide "practical hands-on solutions" for reducing the massive backlog of pending compensation claims. He said the task force delivered a report within 120 days that included 34 "solid" recommendations. To demonstrate that VA has made progress, he announced that 62,536 claims were processed in January 2002 as compared with 29,000 in January 2001.

On the health care front, Principi said VA "is a much better system" than it was six years ago. He said the growth of Category 7 patients (those with higher incomes or non-service connected conditions) has increased 500% since 1996. Noting that "more higher income vets must share the cost of higher health care," he defended VA's proposal to institute a now-defunct $1,500 annual co-pay charge for more affluent veterans.

Kingston Smith, deputy staff director for the House VA Committee, told National Legislative Committee members that the proposed co-pay "won't even be considered" by his committee, since it, too, opposed the measure. VFW's National Legislative Director Dennis Cullinan correctly predicted that the proposal, contained in the Administration's version of the VA budget, would be "dead on arrival."

Principi also announced that Pittsburgh and Miami will be the next sites to receive the first of six new national VA cemeteries.

`THE BEST' DEFENSE BUDGET

The proposed Defense Department budget was a popular topic among the featured speakers at the conference. Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), the first actual Vietnam War vet elected to Congress (in 1974), said "the budget this year is the best for personnel in my 28 years in Congress."

Principi chided pundits who criticized the size of the budget, which features the largest one-year increase since the Reagan Administration.

"It's necessary so we can bring our troops home whole in both body and mind," he said.