Veterans Affairs

ReWalk Robotics service engineer Tom Coulter (right) looks on as paralyzed Army veteran Gene Laureano walks using a ReWalk device on Wednesday in the Bronx, N.Y.

Department Of Veterans Affairs To Pay For Robotic Legs

2:46pm December 17, 2015

by Merrit Kennedy

The exoskeleton's $77,000 price tag has been too expensive for many injured veterans. But after a major shift in VA policy, eligible veterans with spinal cord injuries may soon be able to walk again.

Daniel Harmon, a veteran of the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq, looks out the window of his room at the Hollywood Veterans Center in Los Angeles. The facility provides housing to homeless vets.

National

The U.S. Declared War On Veteran Homelessness — And It Actually Could Win

12:00pm August 04, 2015

by Quil Lawrence

In 2009, then-Veterans Affairs head Eric Shinseki declared that all homeless veterans would have housing by 2015. New Orleans has made big strides, but in Los Angeles, the problem persists.

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Alan Oates was exposed to herbicides, such as Agent Orange, while serving in Vietnam in 1968. Decades after returning home, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and because Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, he's able to receive VA benefits.

Can The Agent Orange Act Help Veterans Exposed To Mustard Gas?

11:03am July 16, 2015

by Caitlin Dickerson

Just like World War II vets who were exposed to mustard gas during secret chemical testing, Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange had trouble obtaining VA benefits — until they got the law changed.

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George Murray, who served in Vietnam, was able to access his medical benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs relatively easily while living in Boston. But veterans living in other parts of Massachusetts, like Cape Cod, have more difficulty. A

VA Data Show Disparities In Veteran Benefits Spending

1:08pm May 28, 2015

by Quil Lawrence

Nationwide veteran benefits data show a huge variation in coverage from state to state, and even within states. In Massachusetts, access to VA services changes dramatically from Boston to Cape Cod.

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While the Veterans Choice Act seems simple, making it work hasn't been as easy.

Veterans Choice Act Fails To Ease Travel Burdens For Vets In Need Of Care

11:27am March 11, 2015

by Steve Walsh

Last year, Congress tried to make getting care for vets easier by giving them the option of going outside of VA facilities. Seems pretty simple, but making that rule work hasn't been all that easy.

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A Fairchild C-123K Provider at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Air Force Reservists Say Agent Orange Residue Damaged Their Health

9:46pm February 19, 2015

by Lewis Wallace

The planes used to spray Agent Orange in Vietnam weren't retired from service — they were used by reservists in the U.S. for more than a decade after the war, exposing the crews to harmful chemicals.

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Grant County VSO Bob Kelley makes calls in his office at the Grant County Government Building in Marion, Ind.

National

Without Help, Navigating Benefits Can Be Overwhelming For Veterans

2:11pm January 15, 2015

by Steve Walsh

Veterans service officers often help veterans successfully navigate the complicated benefits process. For instance, not all vets in Indiana know about VSOs or have access to them.

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The ferry pulls in to Friday Harbor, the only incorporated city in San Juan County, Wash. Veterans will often travel the hourlong ferry ride to reach VA services here.

National

In Remote Washington, Veterans Services Are Ferry Ride Away

1:45pm January 15, 2015

by Patricia Murphy

Sometimes veterans don't claim their benefits because they live in remote areas that lack resources. In one Washington state county, Veterans Affairs services are at least an hour ferry ride away.

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Military

State Debuts Resource Program For Military Personnel

3:17pm November 11, 2014

by Neal Charnoff

North Carolina is launching an initiative aimed at serving active-duty military, veterans and their families.

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Sen. John McCain discussed the Veterans Choice Act at a news conference on Tuesday, with fellow Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake.

Can Civilian Health Care Help Fix The VA? Congress Weighs In

8:03pm June 03, 2014

by Quil Lawrence

In response to the crisis in lengthy wait times for medical care, Congress and veterans groups again are debating the proper role of private sector solutions.

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