Fair informs war veterans of their health options

Thousands of dollars in funding and services go largely unused by thousands of war veterans in the Texas Panhandle.

The first Veterans Health Information Fair was Thursday at the National Guard Armory in Amarillo and brought together a variety of information on veterans' services to help reverse that trend, said Larry Witthar, a Texas Veterans Commission counselor.

"There's no real advertising by the (Department of Veterans Affairs), so much of it is word of mouth or through events like this," said Witthar, who was working one of about eight booths at the fair. "A lot of veterans don't realize what's available to them."

Only a fraction of veterans claim what they've earned and may be missing out on federal money available to them, he said. About 837,000 service members have been mobilized since 2002, and only 39 percent have used health care coverage, according to the Veterans Affairs' website.

By Madelyn Bankhead-Vieth

Defense.gov News Article: Programs Will Suffer Without Adequate Funding, Mullen Says

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2011 – Military programs will suffer if the Defense Department’s budget for fiscal 2011 isn’t passed immediately, the nation’s top military officer told the House Armed Services Committee here today.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed the warning issued by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that the Defense Department faces a crisis if it’s forced to continue operating under a continuing resolution with less money than it needs.

“Some programs may take years to recover if the continuing resolution is extended through the end of September,” the chairman said in prepared remarks.

“I urge you to pass the fiscal year 2011 defense bill immediately,” Mullen said. “Even at a reduced topline, it will provide us the tools we need to accomplish the bulk of the missions we have been assigned.”

Forging on with money from the continuing resolution, he said, “would not only reduce our account by $23 billion, it would deprive us of the flexibility we need to support our troops and their families.”

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

Defense.gov News Article: Programs Will Suffer Without Adequate Funding, Mullen Says