VVA Chapter PI 887

Quarantine status still remains the same.  One change, those 15 years of age and above can now travel (vice 20 years).  Not many checkpoints are left.

1.  The Veteran Advisory Board held our first meeting of FY2021 on 17 November (virtual).  My first experience holding a virtual meeting, but it went very well.  Two issues that are very important from the meeting:

    a.  COVID-19 vaccine will be available for us service connected veterans here in the Philippines as soon as approved by the U.S. FDA and received by VA Manila.  The VA Manila Clinic has already purchased a extreme deep freezer in anticipation of receiving the vaccine.  The vaccine will ONLY be available for service connected veterans receiving care at the Manila clinic.  By law, the VA Manila is not authorized to provide the vaccine to non-service connected veterans or their family members.  Additional information on the procedures to receive the vaccine will be provided by the VA Manila as soon the procedures are finalized.

    b.  Please update all your contact information (phone numbers, email addresses, mailing address, and living address) as soon as possible.  Many of your contact information are incorrect.

2.  Military retirees, VA disability or other benefits, federal retirees, and social security recipients will see a 1.3% increase in their monthly checks for 2021.

3.  The new VA website is making it easier for veterans and family members to access VA benefits and services information.  Go to http://www.va.gov/getstarted  and check out the two newly updated booklets:  1.  Federal Benefits Handbook for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors.  2.  VA Welcome Kit.

MY OPINION:  VA, just as other organizations, is publishing on-line to save huge amounts of cost on printing, shipping/mailing cost.

BOTTOM LINE:  If you don’t know how to use a computer, learn or be sure someone in your household is computer literate.

4.  VVA National has also gone to on-line only for the VVA VETERAN.  You will no longer be receiving it in the mail.

Don’t forget our Chapter’s General Membership Meeting at 2pm, Tuesday, December 1, 2020 in the American Legion Post 123 Outdoor Pavilion.  Hope to see you all there.

Stay Safe!

JAMES (JIM) LARY President