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Veterans Journal

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veterans journal

Flu clinics set this month for vets who are enrolled

01:00 AM EDT on Monday, October 2, 2006

The Providence VA Medical Center, at 830 Chalkstone Ave., will offer influenza and pneumovax inoculations for veterans already under the VA medical center’s care. Starting Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Oct. 27 from noon to 6 p.m., in the ambulatory care/FIRM waiting area, the clinics will continue each month through January.

Flu and pneumovax inoculations will be given on Nov. 15 and 16, Dec. 8 and Jan. 11. Appointments are not necessary. Pneumovax shots are needed only once every 10 years. Veterans’ spouses are not eligible to receive the flu shot. For more information call the VA at (401) 457-3336.

VA identity cards

The Department of Veterans Affairs introduced a new veterans identification card in March 2004 that converted the holder’s Social Security number and birth date to a code embedded on the card. Although some 2.4 million enrolled veterans have received the new VICs, VA estimates that between 3 and 4 million others have not yet.

The VA hopes to have the remaining cards replaced within the next 12 months.

For information, visit the VA’s eligibility Web site at www.va.gov/healtheligibility.

Gulf War Syndrome

In 1998, in response to the concerns of ill Gulf War veterans, Congress directed the Department of Veterans Affairs to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to review and evaluate what had become known as Gulf War Syndrome.

The NAS’ Institute of Medicine reported last month that “although veterans of the first Gulf War report significantly more symptoms of illness than soldiers of the same period who were not deployed, studies have found no cluster of symptoms that constitute a syndrome unique to Gulf War veterans.”

The committee did find evidence of a possible elevated rate of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among Gulf War veterans, but found no increase in deaths and hospitalizations. The committee recommended further surveillance of rates of testicular cancer, brain cancer and certain birth defects in connection with Gulf War veterans.

Agent Orange claims

Naval personnel who served aboard ship in Vietnamese waters and earned the Vietnam Service Medal but never went ashore in Vietnam are encouraged to file disability claims if they suffer conditions they believe to be related to the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Rep. Lane Evans of Illinois, ranking Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and the National Veterans Legal Service Program are urging such vets to apply because of an Aug. 16 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims that opened the door to such claims.

The Department of Veterans Affairs considers the following disabilities to be associated with Agent Orange: chloracne, Type II diabetes, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, respiratory cancers and soft-tissue sarcomas.

Survivors of veterans who died from Agent Orange disabilities listed above should consider applying for dependency and indemnity compensation by calling VA at (800) 827-1000.

Military history survey

The U.S. Army Military History Institute has begun a major project to document the service of Army veterans from the Spanish American War to the Vietnam War. The goal is to archive the completed questionnaires covering each veteran’s Army service from induction to discharge.

Veterans of World War II, Korea or Vietnam can take part by going online to the veterans’ questionnaire section at www.carlisle.army.mil or by calling (717) 245-3971. The institute is also accepting donations of items of significant historical interest from military service from all eras.

Submarine veterans meet

SUBVETS Groton meets tonight at its clubhouse, 40 School St., Groton, Conn., at 6:30. The monthly dinner, featuring a steamship round of beef, is Oct. 21 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the clubhouse. Reservations are required; call John Carcioppolo at (860) 445-5262.

Fleet Reserve Association

Blackstone Valley Branch 132 meets this evening at 7 at VFW Post 306, 171 Fountain St., Pawtucket.

Marine Corps League

The Higgin Submarine Veterans’ Groton’s Detachment meets tonight at the Mainstay Inn, 151 Admiral Kalbfus Rd., Newport, at 7. Kent County Detachment will meet Wednesday at VFW Post 449, Providence St., West Warwick at 7 p.m. to discuss plans for the Marine Corps birthday ball and to vote on a dues increase.

Disabled American Veterans

Chapter 17 Maurice Pion Post will meet Tuesday at Crompton Vets Club, Hepburn St., West Warwick, at 7:30 p.m.

MP Regimental Association

Rhode Island chapter members will meet Wednesday at the Greenwood Inn, 1350 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, for dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting at 7.

American Legion

Raymond Fontenault, Burrillville’s veterans’ service officer, is available Wednesday and the first Wednesday of each month at Berard-Desjarlais Post 88, 111 Chapel St., Harrisville, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Shields Post 43, 662 West Shore Rd., Warwick, is sponsoring an Italian fundraiser dinner on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.; tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children.

United Veterans Council

The council will meet on Thursday at 7 p.m. in conference room B, second floor, at the state administration building at One Capitol Hill, Providence.

Vietnam Veterans of America

Chapter 325 will meet on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., at 1958 Kingstown Rd., Peace Dale.

Pawtucket Veterans Council

The council will meet on Friday at VFW Post 306, 171 Fountain St., Pawtucket, at 2 p.m.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

The auxiliary department of Rhode Island will hold its fall conference at Gilbert Post 4487, 52 Underwood Lane, Middletown, on Saturday with registration at 8 a.m. and the business meeting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kelley-Gazzerro Post 2812, 1418 Plainfield St., Cranston, will meet on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. On Sunday, Gatchell Auxiliary 306 will host a bingo at 171 Fountain St., Pawtucket, at 1 p.m.

George W. Reilly can be reached at VeteransColumn@verizon.net or by writing to The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.