American Legion Post 50 SAL 50 New York USA
| July 12, 2010 WVOX 1460 AM WVOX.com Sons of the American Legion Radio Report Craig Roberts National Media Relations Director The American Legion Discussing: Dept. of Veterans Affairs New Policy Regarding PTSD Eligibility Gen. David H. Petraeus takes over in Afghanistan Changes in Military Media Policy JPAC Finds Seven WWII Remains in India Arlington National Cemetery |
The "Sons of the American Legion Radio Report" can be heard live on WVOX 1460 AM in Westchester County and around the world on WVOX.com. The show is
held every Monday from 2:30 to 3:00 PM.
The host of the program is Kenneth G. Kraetzer, Commander of Sons of the American Legion in Pelham, NY; Vice Commander for Westchester County, and Vice
Commander for New York State. Please contact Ken at 914-450-9554 with any questions or comments about this radio and Internet production. The co-host of
the show is John Chuhran, a New Rochelle based PR executive and Sons of the American Legion member.
Special segments and "Holiday calls from Troops" are aired on the "Good Morning Westchester Show hosted by Bob Marrone.
The intro music, "To The Colors" has been provided courtesy of the US Navy band based at Newport, RI.
Information about many upcoming SAL Radio Reports can be found on Facebook under Ken Kraetzer.
Craig Roberts, Media Relations Director, The American Legion
After completing his second year of college in 1966, Craig Roberts yielded
to youthful impatience to serve his country and enlisted in the United States
Navy. Inspired by two WWII Navy pilot uncles, he took with him a strong
desire to follow their military careers. Craig was fortunate enough to be
accepted into the service’s Naval Aviation Cadet program. Assignments to
the Aviation Officer Candidate School, then primary and advanced flight
training squadrons, culminated in his being “winged” as a Naval Aviator two
years later.
Craig remained on active duty until 1978 when he returned to civilian life, re-
entered college and earned a degree from the University of Missouri School
of Journalism. For most of the succeeding 30 years, Craig pursued a
career as a broadcast and print journalist, mostly in the United Kingdom and
Western Europe. He is the author of numerous magazine articles on aviation
history and other topics and is a long time member of the Aviation/Space
Writers Association. Craig is also a proud member of the Military Officers
Association of America and The American Legion, where he works as the
organization’s Media Relations Director.
After completing his second year of college in 1966, Craig Roberts yielded
to youthful impatience to serve his country and enlisted in the United States
Navy. Inspired by two WWII Navy pilot uncles, he took with him a strong
desire to follow their military careers. Craig was fortunate enough to be
accepted into the service’s Naval Aviation Cadet program. Assignments to
the Aviation Officer Candidate School, then primary and advanced flight
training squadrons, culminated in his being “winged” as a Naval Aviator two
years later.
Craig remained on active duty until 1978 when he returned to civilian life, re-
entered college and earned a degree from the University of Missouri School
of Journalism. For most of the succeeding 30 years, Craig pursued a
career as a broadcast and print journalist, mostly in the United Kingdom and
Western Europe. He is the author of numerous magazine articles on aviation
history and other topics and is a long time member of the Aviation/Space
Writers Association. Craig is also a proud member of the Military Officers
Association of America and The American Legion, where he works as the
organization’s Media Relations Director.
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From: Public Relations Division [mailto:PR@legion.org]
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2010 1:27 PM
Subject: New VA regulations will simplify PTSD claims process for veterans
For Immediate Release
New VA regulations will simplify PTSD claims process for veterans
Washington (July 8, 2010) – While The American Legion welcomed new VA regulations that
make it easier for veterans to claim disabilities from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it
also urged the agency to allow private practitioners to diagnose and treat the condition.
The new VA regulations assume that veterans who served in combat zones may suffer from
one or more traumatic events (“stressors”) that prove service-connection for PTSD disability
claims. Veterans no longer need to provide documentation – sometimes difficult or
impossible to obtain – that proves they experienced a specific traumatic event at a certain
time and place.
“These new regulations are a great step forward for veterans of any war era,” said Barry
Searle, director of The American Legion’s veterans affairs and rehabilitation division. “They’
ve already been exposed to traumatic events or conditions. Now they don’t have to fight
another battle with their own government to get their PTSD disabilities recognized.”
Searle disagrees with VA’s continuing requirement that PTSD must be diagnosed and
treated by the agency’s own medical staff – not private practitioners.
“This requirement seems to be a step backward in an otherwise commendable move by the
VA,” Searle said. “Private health-care providers should be given the opportunity to work with
veterans and diagnose those who suffer from PTSD.” He said that if VA has concerns about
the consistency of PTSD assessment standards, it should create a certification process for
private practitioners that would satisfy its requirements.
The new regulations for proving PTSD disabilities should also have a positive impact on the
VA claims backlog, according to one of Searle’s deputy directors, Ian de Planque.
“Research and development for stressors in this type of claim can be very time-consuming.
The results are often fruitless because the necessary records may not exist – record-
keeping in combat zones or during military operations is sometimes inadequate.”
De Planque said that much of the time VA spends on documenting PTSD cases can now be
used to help reduce the agency’s disability claims backlog.
Referring to VA’s continued exclusion of private doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of
PTSD, de Planque agreed that VA needs to guarantee a certain level of expertise among
doctors who deal with the traumas of warfare. “But many private practitioners are quite
experienced in dealing with this sort of trauma and are fully capable of rendering
authoritative medical opinions.
“Furthermore, VA allows for private medical opinions in every other area of disability claims,”
de Planque said.
Media contact: Marty Callaghan at mcallaghan@legion.org or 202-263-5758/202-215-8644.
Source: The American Legion
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2010 1:27 PM
Subject: New VA regulations will simplify PTSD claims process for veterans
For Immediate Release
New VA regulations will simplify PTSD claims process for veterans
Washington (July 8, 2010) – While The American Legion welcomed new VA regulations that
make it easier for veterans to claim disabilities from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it
also urged the agency to allow private practitioners to diagnose and treat the condition.
The new VA regulations assume that veterans who served in combat zones may suffer from
one or more traumatic events (“stressors”) that prove service-connection for PTSD disability
claims. Veterans no longer need to provide documentation – sometimes difficult or
impossible to obtain – that proves they experienced a specific traumatic event at a certain
time and place.
“These new regulations are a great step forward for veterans of any war era,” said Barry
Searle, director of The American Legion’s veterans affairs and rehabilitation division. “They’
ve already been exposed to traumatic events or conditions. Now they don’t have to fight
another battle with their own government to get their PTSD disabilities recognized.”
Searle disagrees with VA’s continuing requirement that PTSD must be diagnosed and
treated by the agency’s own medical staff – not private practitioners.
“This requirement seems to be a step backward in an otherwise commendable move by the
VA,” Searle said. “Private health-care providers should be given the opportunity to work with
veterans and diagnose those who suffer from PTSD.” He said that if VA has concerns about
the consistency of PTSD assessment standards, it should create a certification process for
private practitioners that would satisfy its requirements.
The new regulations for proving PTSD disabilities should also have a positive impact on the
VA claims backlog, according to one of Searle’s deputy directors, Ian de Planque.
“Research and development for stressors in this type of claim can be very time-consuming.
The results are often fruitless because the necessary records may not exist – record-
keeping in combat zones or during military operations is sometimes inadequate.”
De Planque said that much of the time VA spends on documenting PTSD cases can now be
used to help reduce the agency’s disability claims backlog.
Referring to VA’s continued exclusion of private doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of
PTSD, de Planque agreed that VA needs to guarantee a certain level of expertise among
doctors who deal with the traumas of warfare. “But many private practitioners are quite
experienced in dealing with this sort of trauma and are fully capable of rendering
authoritative medical opinions.
“Furthermore, VA allows for private medical opinions in every other area of disability claims,”
de Planque said.
Media contact: Marty Callaghan at mcallaghan@legion.org or 202-263-5758/202-215-8644.
Source: The American Legion