DAV
February 10, 2021
By M. Todd Hunter
After years of fighting to deliver quality care and benefits to the nation’s men and women in uniform, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana took over the gavel as chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in January. Tester’s first hearing as chairman was to consider the President’s nomination of Denis McDonough to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Previous chairman Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas now serves as ranking member of the committee.
“Serving as Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is an honor of a lifetime, and I’m grateful for the chance to lead the committee on behalf of Montana’s veterans and all who’ve served our nation proudly,” Tester said in a press release the day prior to taking over as chairman. “I’m looking forward to continuing the bipartisan partnership Senator Moran and I have built, and am ready to roll up my sleeves along with our committee members and veterans advocates to hold th
DAV
By Matt Saintsing
After completing Officer Candidate School, World War II veteran Vernon Baker led troops in German-occupied Italy. His courage in spearheading an attack on an enemy stronghold resulted in him belatedly receiving the Medal of Honor. Photo credit: AP PHOTO/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, JESSE TINSLEY, FILE
How a DAV member and courageous warrior became the first living African American World War II Medal of Honor recipient
Of the seven Black World War II Army veterans to receive the Medal of Honor in 1997, Vernon Baker was the sole survivor. More than half a century had passed between the day he led a fearless attack in German-occupied Italy to when President Bill Clinton belatedly presented Baker with the nation’s highest award for valor.
DAV
December 23, 2020
The Department of Veterans Affairs officially published its final regulation to improve and expand the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers to include veterans with serious illness a long-standing DAV priority. The final regulation went into effect Oct. 1.
Now, eligible veterans, beginning with those from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War eras whose injuries or illnesses occurred on or before May 7, 1975, with a single or combined service-connected disability rating by the VA of 70% or higher, will qualify for the comprehensive package of caregiver benefits under the program if they meet certain care-based needs criteria established by the VA.