by larryw | Jul 2, 2023 | Events, Press Release, Veteran Services
The North Texas Veterans Experience Action Center along with VA, state, and community partners will host a virtual event on Tuesday, July 18th – 20th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT for North Texas Veterans, caregivers, Service members, survivors, and family members to help you get the services and benefits you’ve earned!
Are you looking to get a status on your claim or sign up for VA health care? Whatever it is, VA and partners are here to help.
Simply schedule an appointment to speak directly with VA and get dedicated one-on-one service. At the time of your appointment, a Veterans Service Officer will call you—via telephone—to kick off your appointment. We look forward to connecting with you!
Veterans who don’t have access to a telephone to receive their VEAC appointment call can visit VA sites where phones will be provided. Visit the registration page for more information.
Registration runs through Sunday, July 16th. Appointment availability is limited and please note this event will serve residents of North Texas counties only—all out-of-area registrations will be canceled. For a list of participating counties, and to register for the event, visit the North Texas VEAC registration link.
by larryw | Apr 29, 2022 | Veteran Services
On April 26, VA announced the addition of nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumed service-connected disabilities due to exposure to fine particulate matter for Veterans who served any amount of time in
• Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria or Uzbekistan during the Persian Gulf War, from September 19, 2001, to the present, or
• The Southwest Asia theater of operations from August 2, 1990, to the present.
VA identified, through a focused review of scientific and medical evidence, a biological plausibility between airborne hazards, specifically particulate matter, and carcinogensis of the respiratory tract; the unique circumstances of these rare cancers warrant a presumption of service connection.
Veterans and survivors who had claims previously denied for any of the below respiratory cancers are encouraged to file a supplemental claim for benefits:
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx;
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the trachea;
• Adenocarcinoma of the trachea;
• Salivary gland-type tumors of the trachea;
• Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung;
• Large cell carcinoma of the lung;
• Salivary gland-type tumors of the lung;
• Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung and;
• Typical and atypical carcinoid of the lung.
VA will contact impacted Veterans and survivors to inform them about their eligibility and it will provide information on how to apply.
To apply for benefits, Veterans and survivors may visit VA.gov or call toll-free at 800-827-1000.
by larryw | Apr 1, 2021 | Training, Veteran Services
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is preparing to launch the Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) as part of its continued effort to support Veterans seeking retraining and economic opportunities in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
VA in partnership with the Department of Labor published a list of high-demand occupations. The list is available here and includes healthcare, education, media, engineering, and high tech opportunities.
Covered education programs must provide training for a high-demand occupation. GI Bill approved programs of education, excluding bachelor’s and graduate degrees, and VET TEC approved training programs are eligible.
Effective April 4, VA will begin working with education institutions to identify eligible training programs and complete VRRAP participation agreements. VA will publish a comprehensive list of approved VRRAP educational institutions and programs on its website to ensure that Veterans know what training opportunities are available under the program.
VA has 17,250 training spots open for eligible Veterans and will soon announce additional details on how Veterans can apply to participate in VRRAP.
If you have any questions, please contact the Education Call Center at 888-442-4551 between 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday to speak with a representative.
by admin | Mar 24, 2020 | Veteran Services
The nature of the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetimes and we must be alert about protecting and caring for our members. With this in mind, we are canceling our Membership Meeting for April 13 and will evaluate future meetings in late April.
We will rely on telephone, email and social media to communicate with our members since person-to-person contact is not the safest option. Our Membership Committee, Out Reach Committee and others will be calling our members at random to check on their welfare. We encourage you to reply to this message if you are needing help. Information concerning the corona virus and recommendations from the Center for Disease Control can be found at www.coronavirus.com.
We thank you for your patience, resilience and continued service to our great organization and country. Please be safe and practice the recommendations to protect yourself.
by admin | Nov 18, 2019 | Membership, Veteran Services
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.
In July this year Congress passed the LEGION Act (Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service) and President Trump signed the bill into law on July 30, 2019. One of the impacts from this law is that the American Legion’s eligibility criteria immediately changes from seven war eras to two: April 6, 1917, to Nov. 11, 1918, and Dec. 7, 1941 to a time later determined by the federal government.
The Frisco American Legion, Peter J. Courcy Post, 178 serves Frisco and the North Texas community through Texas Boys State, Flag Education, School Programs, a statewide High School Oratorical Contest, and its regionally known Color Guard. It is actively engaged in assisting Frisco and North Texas Veterans.
11 things you need to know about the LEGION Act
For more information on membership please contact us, or you can also find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ALPOST178TX/
by admin | Aug 23, 2019 | Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, POW/MIA, Veteran Services
The Veterans History Project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the firsthand accounts of American wartime veterans so that future generations may learn about veterans’ experiences in their own words to better understand the realities of war. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project (VHP) in 2000, and the project is overseen and archived by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress (LOC).
All veterans who reside in the 26th Congressional District are encouraged to register to be interviewed for the Veterans History Project. Interviews will be conducted every Tuesday at U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess’ Lake Dallas district office.
You can sign up by submitting your interview request to Congressman Burgess’ office by mail, email, or by calling his district office at 940-497-5031. (If you are unsure of your residency, please check here.)
The Project collects first-hand accounts of U.S. Veterans from the following wars:
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1939-1945
- Cold War
- Korean War, 1950-1953
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Grenada–History–American Invasion, 1983
- Panama–History–American Invasion, 1989
- Operation Restore Hope, 1992-1993
- Persian Gulf War, 1991
- United Nations Operation in Somalia
- Haiti–History–American intervention, 1994-1995
- Operation Allied Force, 1999
- Peacekeeping forces–Bosnia and Hercegovina
- Operation Joint Guardian, 1999-
- War on Terrorism, 2001-2009
- Afghan War, 2001-
- Iraq War, 2003-2011
In addition, U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc.) also are invited to share their valuable stories.
Note: This post does not constitute an endorsement of U.S. Congressman Michael Burgess on the part of the American Legion or its members.
