Secretary of Defense: Create a Central National Registry for Military Sex Offenders

Lance Corporal Nicole McCoy

I joined the military because I wanted to serve my country.  I served as a Lance Corporal in the Marines for over three years.  In that time I was raped twice and sexually assaulted another two times.

The first time it happened I was serving abroad in Afghanistan.  After that first incident I was assaulted three other times over the course of three years.  It came to happen so often that I assumed it was normal and that it must happen to everyone.  I never received any training on how to deal with sexual assault in the military- I didnt even know how to report it.

When I finally decided to report the sexual assaults I was led through a maze of questions and excuses and I was even discouraged from reporting the crimes.  In the end, instead of getting justice I was ostracized and humiliated.

I learned that there is currently no national military sex offender registry and that offenders are not required to disclose their crimes on their discharge papers.  A sex offender registration for convicted for military personal would help to address the impunity that surrounds rape within rape the military.  Most veterans are honorable men and women who have served our country, but there are some who have committed serious crimes like rape and sexual assault during their service and the military has a responsibility to disclose that information for the sake of the public good.

When asked why sex offenders do not have to disclose on their discharge papers, some of the responses I was given were 1) It will take too long to create a national database or 2) the military is going green and it takes too much paper to add an extra check box to discharge papers.

This is part of a larger issue of rape within the military.  Some estimates reveal that more than 1/3 of women in the armed services are raped during their service.  If you serve in the US military and you rape or sexually assault a fellow service member you have an 86.5% chance of keeping the crime a secret and a 92% chance of avoiding court martial.

Join me in asking the Department of Defense to create a national database for sex offenders.  

The VA Research Advisory Committee meeting from June 18-19 in Boston was a firestorm that has been ignited. Our elected officials in the US Senate and US House of Representatives and the President and First Lady need to hear what happenned and put this issue as a PRIORITY. The Gulf War Veterans of 1990-91 have waited for 21 years and can not wait any longer for effective action! WE are ill and dying and need effective action. The VA Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Illness Research was set in action by a law generated and accomplished through Gulf War Veterans Advocacy actions. WE are the ones that are ill and the primary stake holhers in this issue. We encourage everyone to get this message to all elected officials! The VA RAC GWIR Report is included without attachments but the intent and information is there for all to read. The Basic report that was given follows: Draft Recommendation, Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses, June 19, 2012 The Institute of Medicine, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the United States Congress want to find treatments for Gulf War illness, the chronic multisymptom disease that destroys the quality of life of 250,000 Gulf War Veterans and threatens current and future troops subject to similar risks. The 2010 Institute of Medicine Gulf War and Health Report called for “a renewed research effort with substantial commitment to well-organized efforts to better identify and treat multisymptom illness in Gulf War veterans.” (PP.260-261) “Veterans who continued to suffer from these discouraging symptoms deserve the very best that modern science and medicine can offer….to speed the development of effective treatments, cures, and, it is hoped preventions…..We believe that, through a concerted national effort and rigorous scientific input, answers can likely be found” (p. x) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki declared on Feb.27,2010, “at VA we advocate for Veterans-it is our overarching philosophy and, in time, it will become our culture.” “This new approach is the first step in a still unfolding comprehensive plan of how VA will treat and compensate Veterans of the Gulf War era.” In the Veterans Benefit Act of 2010, Congress directed VA to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine “to carry out a comprehensive review of the best treatments for chronic multisymptom illness in Persian Gulf War veterans.” “Under this agreement, the Institute of Medicine shall convene a group of medical professionals who are experienced in treating individuals who served as members of the Armed Forces in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations of the Persian Gulf War during 1990 or 1991 and who have been diagnosed with chronic multisymptom illness or another health condition related to chemical and environmental exposure that may have occurred during such service.”(Public Law 111-275) Some VA central office staff members disagree. They say, “Not on my watch.” They have cut the budget for VA Gulf War illnesses research by two-thirds for FY2013, from $15.0 to $4.86 million. This cut was never discussed with the Research Advisory Committee, which was established by Congress to provide independent advice to the Secretary on proposed Gulf War health research plans. Of the $15.0 million budgeted and approved bythe Secretary and Congress for FY 2012, staff has spent $4.98 million. AppendixA They have changed the Gulf War Illness Research Strategic Plan so that they are not obligated to spend even this $4.86 million on GulfWar illness research. They can spend it on any illness found in Gulf War veterans, however few. In addition to gutting the strategic plan financially, they have eliminated the urgency, commitment, focus, and follow up called for by the IOM and the working groups of VA staff and outside advisors who wrote the original plan. The new draft of the plan is not effective and is not recommended as it currently stands. Appendix B They have misrepresented to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and to Congress the amount of research dollars being spent on Gulf War health, by including studies that have little or nothing to do with Gulf War veterans and by loading the Gulf War totals with the entire amount of studies that address problems common to veterans of all eras, although Gulf War veterans constitute a tiny fractions of these veterans. Appendix C. They have transformed the new Institute of Medicine treatment study into a literature review by an inexpert committee that has been indoctrinated to believe that Gulf War illness is, or may be, psychiatric, when science has conclusively shown it is not, including the IOM’s own 2010 report. The obvious purpose is to manipulate the new IOM committee into reachinga conclusion that reverses the 2010 report and misdirects future treatment and research. This result is the exact opposite from the intent of Congress in ordering the report. Appendix D. They have refused to conduct the IOM epidemiological study ordered by Congress to determine the rate of multiple sclerosis in Gulf War veterans. Appendix E They have commissioned a mammoth survey of Gulf War era veterans that omits the questions necessary to identify multisymptom illness and includes excessive questions on stress and anxiety. Such an approach is designed to produce psychiatric findings, while minimizing multisymptom illness, the signature health problem of the 1990-91 war. In research, the answers you get depend on the questions you ask. Appendix F These actions repeat the pattern of the last twenty years, as has been well documented in Congressional reports. EG., “Gulf War Veterans Illnesses: VA, DOD Continue to Resist Strong Evidence Linking Toxic Causes to Chronic Health Effects,” Nov1997. Appendix G. Today, these actions must be recognized for what they are. Reversing the recommendation of the Institute of Medicine is bad science. Undermining the policy of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is insubordination. Twisting the intent of Congress is law breaking. Misrepreksenting information to the Secretary and to Congress is lying. They have said, “Not on my watch.” So be it. The Research Advisory Committee has no confidence in the ability or desire of VA central office staff to formulate and execute an effective VA Gulf War illness research program. Staff particularly includes the Office of Research and Development, the Office of Public Health, and Department of Defense personnel from the Office of Force Health Protection and Readiness who interface with them. Many individual VA researchers are doing excellent work, and some staff members are well intentioned, but they are not the ones calling the shots. The Committee recommends that the obstructive actions outlined above be thoroughly investigated to identify the individuals responsible and that appropriate actions be taken to remove them from positions of authority and influence over Gulf War illness research. Until this occurs, the prospect of meaningful progress is illusory

Veteran Small Business Owner Resources:

With extensive discussion this week on veterans' employment and continuing work with IFA to help veterans become franchisees, VFW also wanted to highlight several other resources that can help veteran entrepreneurs start their own small businesses and possibly secure federal contracts: * Small Business Administration: SBA offers a variety of tools and resources to veteran entrepreneurs to help get a veteran-owned small business off the ground. These resources are provided regionally through Veterans Business Outreach Centers, or VBOCs. To learn about the services available through VBOCs and to find the center closest to you, visit the SBA's website at http://www.sba.gov/content/veterans-business-outreach-centers. * Patriot Loans: SBA also offers financing assistance options for veterans who want to start a small business. Patriot Express Loans are available to anyone who has served honorably to help with expenses ranging from start-up costs to major equipment purchases. Learn more at http://www.sba.gov/content/express-pilot-programs. * Central Contractor Registration: Businesses that seek to secure federal contracts, including set-aside contracts for veteran-owned and service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, must register with the federal government's Central Contract Registration. Start the process at https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx. * FedBid is an online marketplace that allows government agencies to identify contractors that can meet their needs. Veteran-owned and service disabled veteran-owned small businesses can register with FedBid for set-aside, competitive or sole-source contracts. The business model is reverse auction, meaning sellers can select to bid on contracts. The government agency, or "buyer," can select the contractor that meets their need. The cost of utilizing FedBid is factored into the bid. Sellers bidding on federal contracts must be registered with Central Contracting Registration. FedBid is just one of several online marketplaces that help businesses secure government contracts. Learn more at http://www.fedbid.com/.

House Passes VA Funding:

: By a vote of 407-12, the House Thursday night overwhelming passed the Military Construction/VA funding bill despite threats of a veto by the Administration. To see how your representative voted, click on http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll305.xml. The bill, H.R. 5854, provides $146.4 billion dollars for FY 2013, which is a 10-percent increase above last year's levels. VA funding includes $54.5 in Advanced Appropriations for medical care, a boost for medical services and increases for jobs and disability programs for veterans. House members voted to withhold funding on the DOD-VA integrated medical record project until both departments implement recommendations made by GAO earlier this year. It also provides: * $6.2 billion for mental health services * $5.8 billion for homeless veterans programs * $35 million for continued research on the effects of PTSD and TBI * $174 million for expansion of Arlington National Cemetery * $1.1 billion for major and minor construction projects * $1.7 billion for family and military personnel housing For the committee press release and a list of amendments, go to http://appropriations.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=297903.

      

Unemployment High for Young US Military Veterans

While members of the military make up a tiny fraction of the U.S. population, the unemployment rate for America’s military veterans far exceeds the national average. About 12 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are unemployed, compared to 8.5 percent of Americans nationwide. Hundreds lined up for this veterans job fair hopeful of finding work. Some are still in service, like Ernest Pisogna who is stationed in Afghanistan. This Job Fair will determine whether he re-enlists or is discharged. “I am in computers and telephones so I am going to see what they may have to offer," he said. More than 50 companies participated. The interviewers were respectful, the vets were encouraged. Michael Sorrentino served a total of 12 years in the military. He lost his construction job in 2008 and has been looking for steady work ever since. He recently found help at the America Works employment service. “They don’t charge you. They don’t question you. You give them a resume. If you don’t have a suit, they give it to you. They send you to pick one up. You don’t have shoes, they send you to pick it up," Sorrentino said. "They tell you what to say on an interview. They give you lessons.” America Works has offices in several American cities and one of its specialties is placing veterans. The service is supported financially by local, state and federal governments. “I don’t share I am in a shelter, but if they ask me, I tell them. I will share with them. Very tough; very competitive, too. But I am sure I will find something. I am a fighter, a survivor," Frank Greene explained. Green is both unemployed and homeless. Liz-Ann Jacobs' situation is similar. As a Naval Reservist and young mother, joblessness has meant she had to send her young child to a family in Trinidad and Tobago. Jacobs says she is on the verge of homelessness. Military duty requires her to attend monthly meetings and to ship out for a few weeks of active duty each year. Her Reserve obligation, she says, can be a problem for prospective employers. “I feel the tension as soon as you say, 'You know what, I am in the reserves.' Their whole aspect, 'Oh my gosh, she could leave at any point in time.' And, it’s hard for me," Jacobs said. "I want to be grounded." Lee Bowes is the chief executive officer of America Works. She says preparing veterans for job interviews is critical. “They don’t know how to prepare themselves for the private sector marketplace. Everything from having the appropriate clothing for interviews to knowing how to take the experience they’ve had in the service and translate it into the types of jobs that exist in the private market," Bowes said. And with thousands of American men and women set to leave the military in the next couple of years, the big question is: will there be jobs for them when they get home? http://www.voanews.com/templates/widgetDisplay.html?id=137758313&player=article

      

VA Women Vet Programs Update:

The Department of Veterans Affairs has published a regulation officially amending VA’s medical benefits package to include up to seven days of medical care for newborns delivered by women Veterans who are receiving VA maternity care benefits. ―The regulation change makes formal the commitment VA made to women Veterans,‖ said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Erik K. Shinseki. ―This falls in line with the broad range of services VA is proud to offer women Veterans who have served this nation.‖ Newborn care includes routine post-delivery care and all other medically necessary services that are in accord with generally accepted standards of medical practice. The effective date of the rule is Dec. 19, 2011, but the regulation applies retroactively to newborn care provided to eligible women Veterans on or after May 5, 2011. VA has women Veterans program managers at every VA medical center to help women Veterans learn more about the health care benefits they have earned with their service. For more information about VA healthcare for women Veterans, visit http://www.womenshealth.va.gov.

Related articles

• Women Veterans Medical Benefits to Include Newborn Care (offthebase.wordpress.com)
• Sec. Shinseki: VA on Track to Break Claims Backlog (takingonacause.com)

VA Claims Update: 4/5/12

The Department of Veterans Affairs is moving a step closer to fixing a disability claims system that for years has taken in more claims than are processed. The department is about to rollout nationally a new automated Veterans Benefit Management System to make claims determinations faster and more accurate. In 2009, VA produced 900,000 claims decisions, but took in 1 million new claims. VA increased its claims decisions to 1 million in both 2010 and 2011, but then took in 1.2 million and 1.3 million new claims, respectively. The new automated system will be launched in 16 of the VA's 56 regional offices this fall to complement ongoing manual efforts, with the rest of the ROs brought onboard by 2014. VA's intent is to have no claim older than 125 days, and for every rating decision to be 98 percent accurate. Read more at http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=67793.

Related articles

• Sec. Shinseki: VA on Track to Break Claims Backlog (offthebase.wordpress.com)

Attention Women Veteran's

From: Bob Kozberg rjk@cbsnews.com The CBS Weekend News, which airs Saturday/Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. EST (5:30 p.m. CST/PST), is putting together a story about the high unemployment rate among female veterans, according to the latest numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there may be some explanations as to why the 22% rate is so alarmingly high, compared to the national average... even when all the explanations are factored in, the rate remains alarmingly high. What we're looking for is to profile one or two women who have recently served in the military, who have seen combat, and who are continuing to have problems getting employment. What were your expectations upon returning home? What's the reality been like? What is your sense of why returning vets are finding it disproportionately harder to get jobs? Is there an (unspoken) fear by potential employers of dealing with PTSD? Is it an (unspoken) concern about future redeployments? We are producing this story out of Lo! s Angeles, soour preference for interviews would be those who live west of the Rockies. We would do any interview on site (coming to you, instead of conducting it in a studio). Our goal is to put a story together that looks behind the numbers. The person(s) we interview will be speaking for herself, not on behalf of the group, but she will be emblematic of what a growing number of female combat veterans are experiencing. If you meet the criteria and don't mind sharing your current situation (as difficult as it is) with a national audience, please contact me. Our deadline is ASAP. Thank you so much, Bob Kozberg, Producer, CBS News, Los Angeles Bureau (323) 575-3425(office) rjk@cbsnews.com

Stop Loss Pay Extended:

Stop Loss Pay Extended: Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP) has been extended to Oct. 21, 2012. The Office of Enlisted Personnel Management believes many qualified individuals have not applied for the pay and hopes that the extension will allow those eligible more time to apply under the program guidelines. RSLSP was established to compensate for the hardships military members encountered when their service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss authority between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009. Eligible members or their beneficiaries may submit a claim to their respective military service in order to receive the benefit of $500 for each full or partial month served in a Stop Loss status. To apply for the pay, or for more information on RSLSP, including submission requirements and service-specific links, go to http://www.defense.gov/stoploss

VA Women Veteran Programs Update

The Department of Veterans Affairs has published a regulation officially amending VA’s medical benefits package to include up to seven days of medical care for newborns delivered by women Veterans who are receiving VA maternity care benefits. ―The regulation change makes formal the commitment VA made to women Veterans,‖ said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Erik K. Shinseki. ―This falls in line with the broad range of services VA is proud to offer women Veterans who have served this nation.‖ Newborn care includes routine post-delivery care and all other medically necessary services that are in accord with generally accepted standards of medical practice. The effective date of the rule is Dec. 19, 2011, but the regulation applies retroactively to newborn care provided to eligible women Veterans on or after May 5, 2011. VA has women Veterans program managers at every VA medical center to help women Veterans learn more about the health care benefits they have earned with their service. For more information about VA healthcare for women Veterans, visit http://www.womenshealth.va.gov.

Here is A good Link I enjoy very much one weary soldier

Physician Reimbursement Cuts Avoided:

On Wednesday, the president signed H.R. 3630 into law to extend current physician payment rates under Medicare and Tricare through the end of the year. In 1997 Congress instituted a plan known as the Sustainable Growth Rate to keep Medicare and Tricare reimbursement rates in line with inflation; however, the cuts envisioned have never been instituted. The bill signing averted an “all-at-once” cut of 27.4 percent in the amount reimbursed to doctors, which could have prompted more physicians to opt out of accepting Medicare and Tricare patients.

New Veteran Health Benefits Handbook:

The VA began mailing a personalized Veteran Health Benefits Handbook the last week of FEB to all veterans enrolled in VA health care. The new handbook is tailored specifically for each veteran and provides detailed information about the VA health services the veteran may be eligible to receive. The Veteran Health Benefit Handbook provides answers to common questions such as contact information for the Veteran's local facility, instructions on how to schedule appointments, guidelines for communicating treatment needs and an explanation of the veteran's responsibilities, such as co-pays, if applicable. For additional information about the Veterans Health Benefits Handbook refer to "http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/assets/documents/publications/faq_veterans.pdf" or call VA at 1 877-222-VETS (8387).

President Barack Obama has proposed a $140.3 billion budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The $140.3 billion for FY2013 is roughly a 10% increase over the FY2012 request of $127 billion request for FY2012.

$1 billion over five years for a Veterans Job Corps, a new effort to leverage skills Veterans developed in military service for a range of jobs protecting and rebuilding America’s public lands. The initiative would put up to 20,000 Veterans to work on projects to restore America’s lands and resources.

The proposed budget would fund services for newly discharged veterans, continue the drive to end homelessness among veterans, improve access to benefits and services, reduce the disability claims backlog, improve the Department's collaboration with the Defense Department and strengthen its information-technology program that is vital for delivering services to Veterans.

The budget request includes $64 billion in discretionary funds, mostly for medical care, and $76 billion for mandatory funds, mostly for disability compensation and pensions.

If approved by Congress, the new spending levels would support a health care system with 8.8 million enrollees and! growing benefits programs serving nearly 12 million service members, veterans, family members and survivors, including the eighth largest life insurance program in the nation; education benefits for more than 1 million Americans; home loan guarantees for more than 1.5 million veterans and survivors; plus the largest national cemetery system in the country.

Highlights from the President's 2013 budget request for VA, include

Medical Care

The President's proposed budget seeks $52.7 billion for medical care, a 4.1 percent increase over the $50.6 billion approved by Congress for the current fiscal year, and a net increase of $165 million above the advance appropriations level already enacted for FY 2013.

For the next fiscal year, VA estimates 6.33 million patients will use VA for health care. About 610,000 of those patients will be Veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The budget request also would provide:

$403 million for the gender-specific health care needs of women Veterans, improving their access to services and treatment facilities;

$6.2 billion for mental health, a 5.3 percent increase in funding over the current level, making possible increased outreach and screenings, expansion of innovative technologies for self-assessment and symptom management of post-traumatic stress disorder, and enhancements to programs that reduce the stigmas of mental health;

$7.2 billion for long-term care, meeting VA's commitment to provide long-term care in the least restrictive and most clinically appropriate settings, such as non-institutional programs that serve a daily population of about 120,000 people;

$583 million in direct appropriations for medical research, which receives another $1.3 billion from other sources, with emphasis on research for traumatic brain injury, suicide prevention, PTSD and genomic medicine;

$792 million to support the activation of health care facilities, including new hospitals in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Denver and Orlando, Fla.

Funding in VA's major construction account of $396.6 million is provided to continue construction of new medical facilities at Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis and Palo Alto, Calif.

Examiner's Perspective Relating To PTSD

VA Compensation & Pensions Update

The following is written from a C&P (Compensation and Pension) examiner‘s perspective relating to psychiatric exams to assist veterans in navigating the VA system. It is also a good guideline for all VA exams. A little common sense and clarity of thinking will go a long ways towards getting you what you are entitled:

(1) Be on time or a little early.

(2) Be polite. Yelling at the examiner for the injustices you perceive will do nothing but alienate him/her.

(3) Curse at your risk. You can get your point across much better with proper English than you can with outlandish language.

(4) Keep in mind that your examiner is the person that is going to judge you. It's his/her job and that is why you are there. To be adjudicated fairly how would you like to be remembered? A skuzzy stereotypical veteran or a troubled one who is doing the best he/she can.

(5) Do not talk about alcohol or drug related issues. You are not there to be assessed for those problems. You are there to be assessed for your psychiatric functioning as today relates to your service history. If the examiner asks about alcohol or drugs, politely remind them that you are not there for those issues (assuming you've ever had them,) but for how impaired you are in your daily functioning. It's best to avoid even talking about them.

(6) Don't waste your time relating how badly you believe you've been mistreated. The examiner only has a short time to figure out how impaired you are and they need the facts. In coherent, concise, sentences, and not rambling rants that end nowhere.

(7) Answer the questions to the best of your ability. If you don't know say so.

(8) Be honest. Don't embellish your stories with fanciful tales. Just the facts please. Be able to document everything you tell the examiner. You may run into someone who checks stories out. If possible have letters from people you served with, unit diary copies of incidents that occurred during your time and space, and letters from family members. Family member letters usually don't add a lot of weight to your case because families are there to support you and examiners understands that.

(9) When responding to examiners you need to pick the worst moment of time relating to that question. You need to be rated for the worst times you have had. As an example, pick a really bad day you have experienced and relate all of your answers to that day. Such as, the day you could not sleep, was anxious and startled easily, was grouchy to your wife and friends, you felt like your heart was coming out of your chest, and nothing went right for you. That day should have been in the last 30-90 days. If it was a year ago you may not need to be having this exam.

(10) Remember when you are asked, ―ow are you doing today?‖ to report how you REALLY are doing and not how you'd like to be doing. Most veterans want to be doing MUCH better than they really are. It's like they know they can be doing better, and have done better, but their pride does not want to let anyone know how badly they really are doing

(11) Ask if it would be okay to have your husband/wife in the room with you during the exam. Husbands and wives can tell the truth much better than the veteran. Ask your spouse how well you've done in the past ten days versus your own opinion of how you've been doing. Quite a dramatic difference if you are truthful!


The questions you are being asked are on a script in front of the examiner. After examiners do this for a while they get a sense of what is in front of them. It's not too difficult to determine when someone is flat out lying and when they are struggling with memory. Examiners can be scammed but the scammers often pay a price. It's a Federal criminal act to lie in order to gain monetary compensation. And the odds are you will be prosecuted. It simply isn't worth it. Examiners are generally good people trying to do a very difficult job. Make it easy for them. [Source: Mountain Home AFB Counselor Steve A. Neff, MSW Dec 2011 ++]

If you disagree with a
VA Disabality Claim Result 
File A NOD (Notice of  Disagreement)

Do You Qualify For VA Health Care?

Answer a few questions to find out if you qualify for free or low-cost health care benefits from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

1. Are any of these statements true?

• You served in the active military, naval, or air service and were honorably discharged or released
• You were/are a Reservist or National Guard member and you were called to active duty by a Federal Order (for other than training purposes) and you completed the full call-up period

Yes No

     

DOD Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES).

DoD outlined new and clearer guidance for the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). 
This includes several major changes to streamline the process for wounded warriors.  
DoD uses IDES to determine a service member’s fitness for duty.  If the service member 
is found medically unfit for duty by DoD, then they are informed of the proposed VA 
disability rating before they leave the service so the member will know the approximate 
amount of compensation and benefits they will receive from the VA.  
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/DTM-11-015.pdf

House VA Discusses VA Rating Schedule:

This week the House Veterans Affairs’ Subcommittee on Disability and Memorial Affairs discussed VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD). The Subcommittee members questioned witnesses on the differences between DOD and VA ratings systems, ratings they feel are often in direct conflict with each other, causing confusion for the veteran. VSO representatives highlighted equitable compensation for like injuries and that the VASRD has not been reviewed or updated to ensure that disability categories, rating percentages and compensation levels remain accurate. Other areas discussed by all included possible restructuring of the Individual Unemployability (IU) benefit, accuracy of claims and measuring quality of life payments. To view the recorded webcast or for more information from the hearing visit the House VA website at:http://veterans.house.gov