President’sReport

3

Executive Director’s Report

4

Sports & Recreation6

New EnglandVAMC News

8

VANews9

PVA Sports& Recreation

Schedule10

WashingtonUpdate

12

InsideWhat’s

continued on page 5

If you have participated,

you are hooked!

Vol. LXIV, #10 The NewsleTTer of The New eNglaNd ChapTer paralyzed VeTeraNs of ameriCaOctober 2014

a member ChapTer of The paralyzed VeTeraNs of ameriCa – CharTered by The CoNgress of The uNiTed sTaTes

CORD WORDWORDCORD Article submitted by Lori Chase

Photos by Bob Abbott & Ken Higgs

Whether or not you placed, caught

the Lunker, made new friends

volunteered or just enjoyed the se-

renity that the Lakes Region of New Hampshire

offers, The NEPVA BASS TRAIL proves to be a

memorable family event.

Success of this one of a kind,

free disabled Bass tourna-

ment is attributed to tireless

volunteers made up of the

NEPVA Bass Trail Board of Directors (Direc-

tor, Tiny Lafontaine, Bob Soupy Campbell,

Laurie Campbell Morin, Lori Chase, Colin

Richards, Tommy Lee, Mark Fournier, and Karl

Ingoldsby and Jim Wallack, NEPVA bass trail

liaison), The Nam Knights, American Eagle

Bass Anglers, Hawg Hunters, individual boat

EVERYONE WINS AT LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE

captains from as far away as Connecticut, and

friends and family of those associated on deck

for no job too small. Sponsors, donations, and

fundraising at sportsman’s shows throughout

the year make this event possible and we strive

to keep the BASS

TRAIL free to all

disabled partici-

pants.

The weekend began

with boat captains arriving on Friday to seek

out those secret spots and the competition had

begun! Anglers, families and volunteers ar-

rived at their lakefront home for the next two

days with their bass trail family. The hours

following were spent reminiscing, catching up

from the prior year, and scheming strategies

for the next morning. A buffet dinner was

served and it was “early to bed, early to rise,

fish the next day and make up lies,” or at least

about those best kept fishing secrets.

Mother Nature was also on board with us, in

spite of prior forecasts of threatening storms

Saturday, she shone on the lake until dinner

time, with a brief shower and tornado warn-

ing. Despite New England forecasts, we had

no cancellations of our fierce boat captains

and die hard participants. They all arrived

with a “BRING IT ON and LETS FISH

attitude.”

Winnie winners, Mike Goodspeed (left) and Mike

Guilbault show off their winning catch. They now

move onto the Tournament of Champions in October.

September 5-7

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org

PARALYZED VETERANS of AMERICA

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTERNEPVA ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

1600 PROVIDENCE HIGHWAY-SUITE 143WALPOLE, MA 02081

TEL: (508) 660-1181, 1-(800) 660-1181FAX: (508) 668-9412; e-mail: info@nepva.org

web: www.nepva.orgOffice Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm

NEPVA OFFICERSPresident, Craig CascellaVice President, Wayne RossSecretary, Peter MooreTreasurer, Charles SchenaNational Director, Neal Williams

EXECUTIVE BOARD John BrakoBrad CarlsonWalter FarringtonMike GuilbaultDustin Soroka Jim WallackNeal Williams

Cord Word is published twelve times a year by the New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of America, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081 in the interest of Chapter members. Membership in NEPVA entitles you to a free subscription to Cord Word. Articles published in Cord Word do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, New England Chapter. NEPVA neither endorses nor guarantees any of the products or services advertised herein. Postmaster: send changes of address to NEPVA, 1600 Providence Hwy., Suite 143, Walpole, MA 02081

Monthly meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month at the NEPVA office in Walpole, Ma. The executive board meets at 10:30 a.m. Followed by the regular membership meeting at 1:00 p.m.

PROGRAM DIRECTORSDevelopment Director, Craig CascellaMembership Officer, Craig CascellaMS Liaison, John BrakoCommunity Outreach, Mike GuilbaultNEPVA Peer Mentor Rep., Mike GuilbaultScholarship Chairman, Craig CascellaSports Director, Brad CarlsonAssistant Sports Director, Mike GuilbaultBass Trail Liaison, Jim WallackWomen Veterans’ Liaison, Debra FreedVolunteer Chairman, Judy Goldstein

Hospital Liaisons Brockton, MA VAMC, Mike GuilbaultWest Roxbury, MA VAMC, Craig CascellaNorthampton, MA VAMC, Tim KellyProvidence, RI VAMC, Craig CascellaManchester, NH VAMC, Walter Farrington West Haven, CT VAMC, VacantWhite River Jct, VT VAMC, Craig CascellaTogus, ME VAMC, Neal Williams

STAFFExecutive Director, Debra FreedCord Word Editor, Judy GoldsteinGovernment Relations Director, Debra FreedAdministrative Assistant, Judy GoldsteinBookkeeper, Jeri FarinellaCord Word Design & Web Master, Harley Freedman

2

of our Chapter Members & Friends

Scott R. Bonneau

Reginald R. LaChance

Wayne F. Post

We deeply regret the passing

NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICEPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

BOSTON VA REGIONAL OFFICEJ.F.K. FEDERAL BUILDING - Room - 1575 C

BOSTON, MA 02203TEL: (617) 303-1395 & 1-800-795-3607

Fax: (617) 723-7467Eastern Region Director, Joseph E. Badzmierowski

Senior Secretary, Ann Marie Wallace

PVA NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICETOGUS, VARO, 1 VA CENTER

BLDG 248, ROOM 112AUGUSTA, ME 04330

Serving maine, new HampSHire and vermont

TEL:(207) 621-7394, FAX: (207) 621-4829TOLL FREE: 866-795-1911

Senior National Service Officer, John StansburySecretary, Violet Bates

PVA NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICEBROCKTON VAMC

940 BELMONT ST., BLDG. 3 ROOM 207BROCKTON, MA 02301

TEL: (774) 826-2219FAX: (774) 826-3167

National Service Officer II, Heather Cherniack

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 3

By Craig C. Cascella NEPVA President

President’s Report

I would like to thank Chapter members who took the time

and cast their vote for Chapter Officers and Board of

Director positions. I view the NEPVA election much like

when we exercise our right and privilege to vote for our local

and National politicians - if you don’t vote, then you can’t

complain. I would sincerely like to thank Chapter members

who showed their confidence in me by casting your vote and

in the process, re-elected me as Chapter President. It is a plea-

sure to serve you, the membership, and help in any way I can

for the betterment of our members, the disabled community,

VA staff, and our respected Veterans Service Organization.

Your past and continued support is very much appreciated. I

look forward to another terrific year of activities and to con-

tinue moving the Chapter forward in a positive direction.

On August 27th, I was at the Chapter office for most of

the afternoon to review and

implement a tentative Fis-

cal Year (FY) 2015 Chapter

Budget. At the Chapter Board

meeting the following week,

the Chapter Board of Direc-

tors reviewed, offered feed-

back, and finalized the FY

‘15 Chapter Budget. We then

forwarded the FY ‘15 Chapter

Budget to the National Office

in Washington D.C. for their

review. Much thanks to Ex-

ecutive Director Debra Freed

and Bookkeeper Jeri Farinella

for their assistance in prepar-

ing the new budget.

By the time you receive this is-

sue of our newsletter, I will be

in Dallas, TX attending PVA’s

Mid-Fall BOD Meeting. Also

attending the meeting will be

Chapter National Director

Neal Williams. I’m sure we

will have information to pass along in our

next newsletter regarding the Mid-Fall

BOD Meeting.

Below this article, please take

notice of a recently passed Chapter

policy in regards to Individual Al-

lotment eligibility for Chapter Life

Members.

As always, feel free to visit NEPVA’s web site

(www.nepva.org), PVA’s web site (www.pva.org), and the

VA’s web site (www.va.gov) for up to date and recent news.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please

contact our office or your local NSO.

The New England Chapter’s New Individual Allotment Policy

At the recent September Chapter Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting, it was determined by the BOD to implement a new policy supporting half the room and individual allotments available for life members in good standing.

Effective October 1, 2014 until further notice the new Room Share Policy and Individual Allot-ment Program will be as follows:

The Chapter will sponsor one-half the room for the following three events: • TheNewEnglandWinterSportsClinicinSunapee,NewHampshire. • TheNewEnglandSummerSportsClinicinProvidence,RhodeIsland. • TheNationalVeteransWheelchairGames.

Any and all life members seeking any financial assistance from the Chapter, must appropriately register prior to the event registration deadline and also inform the Chapter if they are planning to participate.

Individual Allotment: This program is worth up to $1,000. It is not, nor will it be a “given” that each life member can receive this. There are various requirements & limitations that must be adhered to. 1:AnyrequestforanyIndividualAllotmentfundsmustbepresentedtotheChapterBODpriorto theeventthatsaidfundsarebeingrequestedfor.RetroactiveRequestswillnotbeacceped. 2:ThemaximumforFiscalYear2015willbe$1,000perlifemember. 3:ThisamountisnotallowedtoberolledoverfromyeartoyearNORwillanydifferencebegiven tothelifemember.Pleaseknowthatjustbecauseanallotmentofupto$1,000maypossiblybe available, it does not necessarily mean a member should use it all up. 4:TheChapterBODandChapterPresidentretaintherighttodetermineapprovalordisapprovalof whatandhowtheChapterfundsundertheIndividualAllotmentprogramwillbeorarebeingused.

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org4

Executive Director’s Report By Debra FreedExecutive Director

A Fresh(er) Perspective

By the time this comes out, both

the Veterans Games and Chap-

ter elections will have come and

gone. I’ll elaborate a little more on the

Games in a bit. However, I sincerely

hope you all voted! Your vote does mat-

ter. If you can’t take the time to vote

for Chapter elections, can you take the

time to vote for elections that dictate

more of your life?

You know, this was my eighth Veterans

Games out of the last eleven. Each time

I go, it is different! It is a different loca-

tion each time. This allows us to meet

new people and especially gives us a

different perspective. A fresher perspec-

tive! The Veterans Games were held in

Philadelphia, PA. While it was a great

time, several of the venues were actually

across the river in New Jersey.

The Chapter brought a contingent of

twenty plus athletes, of which at least

three were novices, as well as 20 plus

family members, aides, and VA staff. A

big shout out here to VA Sports Direc-

tor David Tostenrude. Why? Because

the VA was in the process of reducing

VA personnel attending these events at

VA expense. Trust me, it wasn’t Da-

vid’s doing. David & the New England

Chapter worked out a great agreement.

We are one of about three chapters

that include our long term care (LTC)

members. The Chapter would cover

all the rooms (it has done that the last

ten years I’ve been around) and David

would allow them to come with our

long term care veterans. It was a win-

win all around. Our LTC veterans have

worked really hard to be active and

ready for the Games.

Another huge shout out must go to

all the VA staff who give up a week

and more of their lives to travel, work

with, and care for our LTC members

and some outpatient veterans . If not

for them, our LTC fellows and vet-

erans would not be able to make the

journey. I mentioned how hard the

LTC members and others work. They

owe their abilities to Joanie Lynch &

Jenny McLaughlin. Joanie works with

a number of them in bowling, air guns,

and even swimming. Jenny works with

a number of them in track and hand-

cycle events. Finally, a big thank you to

Jim Delelio for driving the VA bus.

Lastly, many of you know the Chapter

sold the bus. The

same bus that

was used the

last three

years to

bring down

medical

equipment,

medical supplies,

and sporting equipment.

So, the Chapter rented a truck. It was

pretty big – the cargo area was 26 feet

by itself. I had never driven something

quite that big. We have all heard the

stories of how it is a tractor-trailer

driver’s fault. The car cut them off, or

veered into their lane. I found it amaz-

ing how arrogant and careless people

can be. Trust me, driving such a big

vehicle has certainly giving me a fresher

perspective!!!

The Massachusetts Governor’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans And The Women Veterans’ Network

Cordially invites you to its27th Annual Luncheon

A TRIBUTE TO THE VIETNAM ERA WOMEN VETERANS

Saturday, October 18, 201411:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Luncheon Served at 12 Noon

Lombardo’s 6 Billings Street Randolph, MA

Tickets - $25.00 per personNew England Roasted Turkey Dinner

Registration form available atwww.nepva.org

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 5

continued on page 7

Winniecontinued from page 1

This year, we continued to gain new

anglers and our female participants

increased.

Saturday morning began with the

Navy on board in the kitchen assisting

to prepare a hearty breakfast and bag

lunches for tournament participants.

Meanwhile The Nam Knights prepared

to assist anglers to the docks and in the

boats with their fine tuned, friendly and

humorous methods.

Back at the camp, families enjoyed

swimming, boating, reading, naps and

sightseeing as well as a barbeque lunch.

Photographer Bob Abbott was on the

water with Bob “Soupy” Campbell cap-

turing those secrets and pictures of the

competition. Photographer Ken Higgs

was on the land providing us with more

photos of this great day.

After lunch, reporters from 3 local

newspapers (Laconia Evening Citizen,

Meredith News and The Union Leader)

arrived, gaining stories and photos as

well as learning the history and success

of the NEPVA BASS TRAIL.

Promptly at 2pm, bags of fish, smiling

anglers, and captains as well as stories

and fish tales began. However all were

sworn to secrecy per the “fisherman’s

code.”

BIG FISH/LUNKER

Mark Fournier 4.12

1st Place

Mike Goodspeed and Mike Guilbault

5 fish at 11.88

2nd Place

Mark Fournier and Steve Carpenter

5 fish at 11.39

3rd Place

Rob Ramsci and Aidan Orr

5 fish at 10.04

Pontoon Division

Russ Toce (1st time participant) and

Karl Ingoldsby.

Tournament of Champions participants

Mike Goodspeed and Mike Guilbault

will troll to compete on Lake Winnipe-

saukee on Columbus Day weekend in a

two day tournament with an opportu-

nity to win a boat. Good luck guys!

Above: On the docks at Lake Winnipesaukee: (Top) Alex Obrien (front) and Lori Chase pose for a photo with Robert Botelho and Stephanie Kealey in the rear; (Center) disabled angler Heather Womble being loaded into her partner’s boat with her dad Scott Womble and Nam Knight Steve O’Donnell.; Left: The Nam Knights and other volunteers.

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org6

By Brad Carlson Sports Director

Sports & Recreation

Are the leaves starting to change out your

window? Mine are!

Summer has come and gone, but what a great

Summer!FromtheNewEnglandSummerSports

ClinictotheNationalVeteransWheelchairGames,

ormaybepaddlingontheCharlesRivercaught

your fancy!

Bythetimeyouarereadingthisarticle,our2nd

AnnualTrapShootwillbefinishedandwewillbe

postingtheresultsonourwebsite.(Resultsand

pictureswillalsobeintheNovemberCord Word).

Quick question, have you ever heard of chess on

iceinthesportsworld?I’msureyouhaveandit’s

calledCurling.LastmonthagroupofVeterans

wereinvitedtoTheOlympicTrainingCenterin

LakePlacid,NY.ThiswasadvertisedinChallenge

MagazineintheirSpringissue.Iwascuriousand

sentinanapplicationandtomysurpriseIwasac-

cepted.TheCampwasopentoVeteransonlydue

to a grant that enabled them to attend this Camp.

TheCampwasfivedaysofclassroomandonice

participation.

A brief description of the Sport is what you saw

intheOlympicGameswithsomeonethrowing

astone(the“Rock”)downtheiceinto4circles

(called“TheHouse”)tryingtogetclosertothe

middle(“TheButton”)thanyouropponent.It’s

similartoShuffleBoardbutonice.However,in

WheelchairCurlingtherearenoSweeperstohelp

guidetheRockdownthelane(calleda“Sheet”).

Well,that’senoughaboutthegame;onething

thatIwillsayisthatonceyoutrythisgame,you

willbehooked!Ifyouareinterestedinplaying

this great sport, you can contact me through the

NEPVAoffice.Wewouldlovetogetmorewheel-

chair players out there.

Justaquick“ThankYou”toallthemembersof

theU.S.CurlingTeamandalloftheCoaching

Staff who took time out of their busy schedules to

teach us about this fantastic sport!

AsImentionedlastmonth,wearetryingtohave

aWheelchairLacrosseClinicandformateam.

Asofthismonthnoonehasresponded.Ifyouare

interested,pleasecontacttheNEPVAofficeand

Iwillrespondto

you in a timely

manner.Wheel-

chair Lacrosse is

one of the largest

up and coming

sports in the

country!Don’tbe

left out!

Justaquickreminder-ifyouaregoingtotheWin-

ter Sports Clinic at Mount Sunapee, the deadline

is fast approaching. Make sure that they receive

your application before it sells out!

That’s all for this month, as always, there is

plenty to do, so get out there and do it!

At the Sponsors’ Dinner, former “Spirit of the Games” winner Mike Savicki (right) led the Pledge of Allegiance alongside former US Rep-resentative from PA and dinner MC, Patrick J. Murphy.

NEPVA athletes in action: (Above) Brad Carlson on the track; (Right-top to bottom) George Norton throws the Javelin; Peter Moore at the Slalom; Sam Penny competes in Billiards.

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 7

Congratulations to our Chapter Athletes:

52 Gold, 11 Silver, 6 Bronze

continued from page 5Winnie

Pretty close competition as you can see.

A few quotes: Mark Fournier – “I didn’t

mind being net boy, it kept me busy,”

Mike Goodspeed – “I tried to tell Mike,

but he said I got it, and he sure did”

Karl Ingoldsby – “I met a great guy and

had a great day.”

As our brief tornado touched down, we

enjoyed another grand buffet dinner

followed by our awards banquet. Spirits

were high, as was applause for our win-

ners.

A special presentation from Bill Church,

who donated a one of a kind custom rod

with the NEPVA BASS TRAIL logo on

it, was won by Phil Paquette. Phil who

had been hospitalized one week prior

had said he wouldn’t miss the trail and

it is on his bucket list each year!

Musical entertainment followed and we

celebrated Alex’s 30th and Zack’s 14th

birthdays.

If you have participated, you are

hooked, if you haven’t, you should be

hooked after reading this article.

We look forward to seeing you at the

Rockingham Hunting and Fishing

Expo in Salem, NH in January. Look

for upcoming dates in the Cord Word.

Please know that the VA continues

to work hard to keep these pro-

grams running. However, they

are taking notes on issues that affect the

representation of events such as these.

Whether you pay your own way, VA/

PVA help support you, or the Chapter

supports you, any athlete represents

themselves as well as their organization.

I want to thank all of our New Eng-

land delegation for their commitment

to maintain the high level of decorum

expected of our athletes, volunteers, and

family members. This will be the 3rd

year running that the chapter has not

received any negative feedback concern-

ing any of its attendees.

Overall, the twenty-one athletes won

52 Gold, 11 Silver, and 6 Bronze

medals from Archery to Motor Rally

and Swimming. It was great when VA

changed the rules concerning some

events. It used to be if you were a

swimmer, then that was all you could

participate in. Or, if you only did track,

you did your maximum of five events

and done. Field, Swimming, and Track

are each considered one whole event.

This new programming style allows

athletes to earn up to 13 medals and

still participate in two more events if

their schedule allows. It makes for a

more worth-while week.

2014 National Veterans W/C Games – NEPVA results

Wayne Ross–6goldinSwimming;1goldJav-

elin;1goldBowling;1silverDiscus

Mike Savicki–5goldinTrack;1goldinHandcy-

cling;2bronzeinShotputandJavelin

Brad Carlson–4goldinTrack;2goldinSwim-

ming;1silverinTrack;1silverinNineBall

Watson Connolly–4goldinSwimming;1gold

inHandcycling

Mark Sanders – 3 gold in Swimming

Mike Guilbault–1goldinSwimming;1silverin

Swimming;1silverJavelin

Tim Kelly–1goldinBowling;1goldSwimming;

1silverSwimming;1silverSlalom

Debra Freed–1goldAirRifles;1goldBowling;

1goldArchery;1goldhandcycling

Mary Lou Corrigan–1goldBowling;1gold

MotorizedSlalom;1goldSwimming

Carol L’Italien–1goldArchery;1goldTableTen-

nis;1goldAirRifles

Roland Filion–1goldHandcycling;1goldAr-

chery;1goldAirRifles

George Norton–1silverTableTennis

Eugene Ditto–1goldBowling;1goldMotor

Rally;1bronzeField-Discus

Peter Moore–1goldSlalom;1silverArchery

Lawrence Berry–1goldBowling;1bronzeAir

Rifles

John Brako–1goldMotorRally

Jimmy Loupe–1goldBowling;1goldMotorized

Slalom

Louis Liggiero–1goldMotorRally;1bronze

Bowling

Sam Penny–1goldBowling

Frank Williams–1bronzeBowling

Prince Blue–1silverBowling

Also participating were:

JohnTaylorandRobertMartin

Congratulations to All!

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org8

New England VAMC News

FLU FAQS!

Can I get the Flu from getting the flu shot?No! The viruses in the flu vaccine are inactivated, so you

cannot get the flu from the shot. Some minor side effects

that may last 1-2 days include soreness at the injection site,

low grade fever and minor aches.

Why do I need to get vaccinated against the flu each year?Flu strains change each year, so it is important to get vacci-

nated each year. The influenza vaccine is updated each year

to include the current strain.

When should I get vaccinated? The CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommends

getting a flu vaccine as soon as vaccine becomes available,

usually September. Vaccination is available throughout the

flu season. Flu outbreaks usually peak in January.

When does vaccine begin to work?Your body begins to develop antibodies as soon as you are

vaccinated, and it takes approximately 2 weeks to fully

protect you.

What are ways I can protect myself from the Flu? • Vaccinate!

• Washyourhands;soapandwateroralcoholbased

hand gels

• Coveryourmouthandnosewhencoughingor

sneezing

• Ifyouaresick,stayhome

• Practicegoodhealthhabits:plentyofsleep,healthy

foods and hydration, exercise and manage your stress!

Please contact your clinic to make arrangements to

receive this important vaccine. If you get the vaccine

outside the VA, please let your provider know!

OurNine Month Drawing

September winners

$50Rebecca DaileyAttleboro, MA

$25Timothy FournierEast Hartford, CT

$25

William BanyasNew London, CT

Army veteran, George Gill takes Third place in

the John La Forest Arts and Crafts Contest

that is held each year during the Marshfield

Fair in August. Mr. Gill, of Brockton, submitted his

hand carved interpretation of a Central American black

Crow. It took Mr. Gill over three months of tedious

and meticulous work to accomplish his life like piece.

Using a burning pen Mr. Gill patiently detailed the

body of the bird so that upon inspection one could see

the outline of the bird’s feathers that cover its body.

Wood carvings of birds are Mr. Gill’s hobby, he took

up this hobby for several years and it was just two years

ago that he took second place for his version of a life

like Wood Cock. Nice work, Mr. George Gill.

George Gill takes 3rd place in the John La Forest Arts and Crafts Contest

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 9

We want to eliminate

any barriers that make

it difficult for our Vet-

erans or survivors to re-

ceive benefits to which

they are entitled.

continued on page 13

A bathroom must be accessible, secure and supportive in order for us or our loved ones to live comfortably. Our Methuen, MA and Dover, NH showrooms specialize in accessible living and aging-in-place bath design ideas, proving that accessibility doesn’t mean giving up style! Roll-in showers, walk-in tubs, comfort-height toilets, hand-held showers, grab bars and more. Our array of products and expertise create a bath that supports privacy, comfort and dignity – all without sacrificing style.

Visit frankwebb.com for hours and directions.

With dozens of high-quality brands, Frank Webb’s Bath & Lighting Centers are the showrooms of the F.W. Webb Company, the largest plumbing supplier in the Northeast.

This means more products, expertise and value in bath and kitchen plumbing fixtures and lighting.

More than 35 showrooms throughout the Northeast including:

98 Lindbergh Ave. Methuen, MA 01844

781-325-7140

218 Knox Marsh Road Dover, NH 03820

603-842-6888

are not mutually exclusive.Accessible living & style

(September 24, 2014)- The Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA) today announced that it is introducing a uniformed

disability claims form to better serve Veterans, families and

survivors. Standardizing the process by

which Veterans file claims and initiate

appeals will make it easier for Veterans

and their survivors to clearly state what

benefits they are seeking from VA and

provide information that is necessary

to process their claims and appeals.

The new forms eliminate applicant

guesswork, which often leads to delays

in decisions and ultimately delays in

receiving benefits. The new regulations

go into effect in late March 2015.

“We must do everything that we can to make it as fast and

easy as possible for Veterans and their survivors to file for

and receive an accurate decision on their claim,” said VA

Secretary Robert McDonald. “Our Veterans and survivors

will know, at the outset of the claims process, what is needed,

which removes subjective interpretation from the process. We

want to eliminate any barriers that make it difficult for our

Veterans or survivors to receive benefits

to which they are entitled.”

In the past, a Veteran or survivor did

not have to use a certain form to seek

compensation or other benefits from

VA. Claims or appeals (Notice of Dis-

agreement) could be submitted on any

piece of paper which caused delays due

to missing information.

By using standard forms for all disabil-

ity claims, VA can more quickly and

accurately identify what the Veteran is claiming or appealing.

This will allow VA to immediately move on to next steps in

the evidence-gathering and decision-making process, which

VA Updates Disability Claims Application New Process Will Reduce Processing Times and Improve Quality

VA News

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org10

Mid-America PVA TournamentSeptember 26–28, 2014Eufaula, OK – Lake Eufaula

Southeastern PVA TournamentOctober 10–12, 2014Appling, GA – Clarks Hill Lake

Vaughan/NationalPVA TournamentOctober 24–26, 2014Mt. Vernon, IL – Rend Lake

Florida Gulf Coast PVA TournamentMarch 27–29, 2015Kissimmee, FL – Lake Toho

2014–15 Paralyzed Veterans of AmericaBass Tour

Keystone PVA TournamentAugust 29–31, 2014Jefferson Hills, PA

North Central PVA TournamentSeptember 6–7, 2014Sioux Falls, SD

Lone Star PVA TournamentOctober 17–19, 2014Fort Worth, TXPistol & Rifle ShootOctober 17, 2014Fort Worth, TX

Arizona PVA TournamentOctober 25–26, 2014Tucson, AZPistol & Rifle ShootOctober 25, 2014Tucson, AZ

Mid-Atlantic PVA TournamentNovember 7–9, 2014Richmond, VA

Florida Gulf CoastPVA TournamentMarch 12–14, 2015Odessa, FL

PVA National Shooting Sports Circuit

Paralyzed Veterans Sports & Recreatio n Schedule

For more information contact PVA Sports at 800-424-8200 or www.pva.org/sports

Nevada PVA TournamentMarch 20–22, 2015Las Vegas, NV

Cal-Diego PVA TournamentMarch 27–29, 2015Redlands, CAPistol & Rifle ShootMarch 27, 2015Lytle Creek, CA

Iowa PVA TournamentMay 15–17, 2015Cedar Rapids, IA

Mid-America PVA TournamentMay 22–24, 2015Sedgwick, KS

Colonial PVA TournamentJune 5–7, 2015Baltimore, MD

New England PVA TournamentDate TBDLocation TBD

Vaughan/NationalPVA TournamentCircuit Year-EndJuly 10–12, 2015Edwardsville, IL

Annual PVA /NWPA Billiards Tournament Series Schedule

Annual PVA/AWBA Bowling Tournament Series Schedule

Mountain States PVA TournamentMay 16–18, 2015Fountain, CO

Buckeye PVA TournamentJune 19–20, 2015(Not a NWPA event)Independence, OH

PVA Handcycling Schedule

35th NVWGJune 21–26, 2015Dallas, TX

National VeteransWheelchair Games

Kentucky-Indiana PVA TournamentApril 17–19, 2015Gilbertsville, KY – Kentucky Lake

Mid-Atlantic PVA TournamentMay 29–31, 2015Richmond, VA – James River

National PVA TournamentJune 5–7, 2015LaPlata, MD – Potomac River

Lone Star PVA TournamentJune 26–28, 2015Garland, TX – Lake Ray Hubbard

Florida Gulf CoastPVA TournamentApril 24–26, 2015Tampa, FL

AWBA National EventNational EventJune 15–20, 2015Tampa, FL

New EnglandPVA TournamentDate TBDLocation TBD

Mid-South PVA TournamentOctober 17–19, 2014Memphis, TN

Mid-Atlantic PVA TournamentMarch 20–22, 2015Midlothian, VA

Mid-America PVA TournamentApril 10–12, 2015Oklahoma City, OK

Mountain StatesPVA TournamentAugust 21–24, 2014Colorado Springs, CO

Cal-Diego PVA TournamentSeptember 12–14, 2014Fountain Valley, CA

Nevada PVA TournamentDecember 4–7, 2014Las Vegas, NV

Cal-Diego PVA TournamentJanuary 26–27,2015Point Loma, CA

Mid-Atlantic PVA TournamentMarch 12, 2015Richmond, VA

Annual PVA Air Rifle & Air PistolProgram Schedule

Buckeye PVA TournamentMay 15–16, 2015Geneva, OH

Camp PendletonDate TBDCamp Pendleton, CA

Pensacola ClassicSeptember 13–14, 2014Pensacola, FL

Air Force MarathonSeptember 20, 2014Dayton, OH

Rims on the RunSeptember 27–28, 2014DeLand, FL

Army Ten MilerOctober 12, 2014Washington, D.C.

Marine Corps MarathonOctober 26, 2014Washington, D.C.

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 11

The Abilities Expo 2014

TheAbilitiesExpowasheldthisyearattheBostonConvention&

ExhibitionCentertheweekendofSeptember5throughthe7th.Our

NationalPVArequestedtheChapterhostatablesupportedbyPVA.

Wedid!MembersMr.RonBielicki,Mr.WayneRoss–VP,Mr.Tim

Kelly–HospitalLiaison–Northampton,andmyselftookturnsover

the first two of the three day event.

Itwasamazingtoseethelargevarietyofvendors–onehundredfifty

one(151).Therewerenumerousworkshopsavailablethroughoutthe

weekendtofitanyoneandeveryone’sschedule.Andwhilemost

peopledon’tusuallyspeakhighlyofthefoodcourt,itwasconsidered

one of the best food-courts providing a nice variety of sandwiches,

grainsalads,andpizza.IfPVAdoesnotaskagainnextyear,thechap-

termayhaveit’sownbooth.

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org12

Washington Update Produced by PVAGovernment Relations Department

On August 7, 2014, the

President signed into law P.L.

113-146, the “Veterans’ Ac-

cess to Care Through Choice, Account-

ability, and Transparency Act” (previ-

ously H.R. 3230). The law reflects the

compromise developed between House

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chair-

man Jeff Miller (R-FL) and Senate

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chair-

man Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

The centerpiece of the legislation is the

so-called “choice” provisions that pre-

sumably offer certain veterans a choice

about where they can receive health

care services—either from the VA or

a private provider. The law allows for

expanded contract care if a veteran has

requested an appointment but not been

seen or if a veteran lives at least 40 miles

from the nearest VA facility (VAMC,

CBOC, etc.). The law requires the VA

to issue a “Choice Card” to all eligible

veterans. Veterans eligible for the choice

option had to either enroll in VA health

care prior to August 1, 2014 or be a

Post-9/11 combat veteran who is still

within the authorized five-year win-

dow to enroll in VA health care. This

provision was put in place to limit the

number of veterans coming to the VA

to take advantage of the choice option,

thereby holding down the costs of the

legislation. The overall cost of the bill

is approximately $17.0 billion. Approxi-

mately $10.0 billion is directed for the

purchased care option. This provision

of the law is required to be implement-

ed within 90 days of enactment.

The law also authorizes $5.0 billion to

increase capacity by hiring additional

direct care providers (doctors, nurses,

etc.). The bill includes authoriza-

tions for 27 new capital leases. It also

provides the VA Secretary the authority

to fire Senior Executive Service (SES)

employees more easily with expedited

appeals rights for the SES employee.

PVA was pleased to see that the com-

promise bill included these provisions

to hire additional doctors, nurses, and

other health care providers. We have

long argued that the access problems

that have been identified around the

country are a reflection of the lack of

internal capacity.

Unfortunately, we do not believe that

the compromise legislation does enough

to address the physical infrastructure

problems that exist across the system.

The VA identified serious physical

infrastructure resource needs in a

supplementalrequestinJuly;however,

that concern was largely ignored by

Congress.

PVA will continue to monitor the

implementation of this legislation as

the expanded option to seek private

health care could ultimately undermine

the existing VA health care system. In

the meantime, we would encourage

PVA members to keep National staff

informed as the choice option is rolled

out across the country.

Major Veterans Legislation Signed Into Law

Social Security Turns 79!

Social Security celebrated its 79th birthday on August 14,

2014. To commemorate this occasion, Social Security Works,

a nonprofit organization devoted to safeguarding the security

of those who rely on Social Security programs, is issuing its

2014 state reports outlining the importance of this insurance social

safety net to people throughout the country. Their summary report—

Social Security Works for the United States—highlights the story of

a PVA member who came to rely on Social Security Disability Insur-

ance (SSDI) after he was discharged from the military. That report

can be found at http://www.socialsecurityworks.org/wp-content/up-

loads/2014/08/US2014.pdf. More information about Social Security

can be found at www.socialsecurityworks.org. Social Security Works

is one of more than 300 organizations, including PVA, that make up

the Strengthen Social Security coalition.

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 13

“(Ride-Away) knew what to do. Dave made all the phone calls to the VA... saving me $25,000!”

Steve poses here with his Ride-Away Sales Consultant, Dave Qualey, of the Londonderry, NH facility.

-Steve Hodgkins Malden, MA

It’s no wonder why Ride-Away customers remain so loyal — Superior Support! Ride-Away — America’s #1 provider of modified vehicles for people with disabilities.

• VetsMobileOps Program• VA assistance support• All vehicle trade-ins accepted• 24/7 Roadside assistance• QAP Certified factory trained technicians

888-Ride-Away (888-743-3292)

www.Ride-Away.com

FREE TO MEMBER

for contact info on these itemsCALL THE NEPVA OFFICE

Power WheelchairInvacare TDX SP

Good for larger person (200lbs)Good battery; has tilt featureAdditional controller on back

Pick up in Kingston, MA

Quickie Power WheelchairGood condition. Needs new cushion.

Batteries good. 18 x 18” seatPick up in Brockton

Hand Controls and behind theseat Wheelchair Lift for folding wheelchair.

Both came out of a 1996 Sonoma pickup truck.

Pick up in Harpswell, ME

Walker with seat and brakesAluminum cane

Pick up in Wellesley

continued from page 9VA News

saves administrative processing time and speeds the delivery of earned benefits.

The existing process is also inconsistent with most, if not all, other government

and non-government application processes, such as applying for social security, ap-

plying for a driver’s license, applying for a job or filing for an income tax refund.

“These days, government agencies and private businesses rely on standard forms to

deliver faster and more accurate customer service,” said Under Secretary for Ben-

efits Allison A. Hickey. “VA’s ability to deliver better customer service requires the

use of standard forms as well. That is why we worked extensively with our partners

in the Veterans community to streamline the way we process claims while preserv-

ing the effective date rules concerning informal claims through the creation of a

new intent to file a claim process.”

The updated process also includes standardizing the traditional informal claims

process by employing a new “Intent to File a Claim” process which affords the

Veteran or survivor one year to compile the necessary documentation or evidence

to support the claim while preserving an effective date of claim.

More information about VA Forms 21-526EZ, 21-527EZ, 21-534EZ or VA Form

21-0958, Notice of Disagreement, may be found at www.ebenefits.va.gov or www.

va.gov/vaforms/.

Cord Word October 2014

www.nepva.org14

MobilityAdaptive

Equipment

VOTED #1IN CUSTOMER

SERVICE

LARGEST RAMPVANINVENTORY AT ONE

LOCATION IN SOUTHERNNEW ENGLAND!

Welcome To

Free Veterans Maintenance Program*

We work with the VA for you. New van upgrades every 2 years saving

you $25,000 on average and sometimes very little out of pocket.

-VETERAN SPECIALS--VETERAN SPECIALS--VETERAN SPECIALS-

www.amemobility.com1551 Fall River Avenue, Seekonk, MA 02771

*Please call for details and qualifi cations

1-800-311-2849

If you can’t come to uswe’ll come to you

LIFETIMEWARRANTY(Call or visit us for

more information)

October 2014Cord Word

www.nepva.org 15

Enjoyboth hands on the wheel !

KEMPF is a NMEDA member.

Visit: www.kempf-usa.com to find videos and com-ments from users and to request a quotation.

Call Toll-free: 1-888-4-KEMPF-US (453-6738) for a free DVD and free brochure.

DARIOS is VA accepted.KEMPF features nationwide free at-home pick-up and delivery and at-home service.

Digital Accelerator Ringoptimized for speed

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Leominster, MA

Permit No. 17

New England PVA1600 Providence Highway, Suite 143Walpole, MA 02081

tel: 508 660-1181 800 660-1181fax: 508 668-9412

Email: info@nepva.org

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:30pm

Make a Donation Today!

100% of your

tax deductible donation

goes to Chapter programs.

Mail your check payable to:

NEPVA

1600 Providence Hwy., Ste 143

Walpole, MA 02081

Holiday Inn, Mansfield, MA

Cocktails: 5:45 p.m.; Dinner: 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: $20.00 per person

Call the NEPVA office for tickets

Join Us for the Annual NEPVA Banquet

Friday, October 10th

18th Annual Winter Sports Clinic for Disabled VeteransJanuary 12-16, 2015

To Register visit www.nehsa.org

Application Deadline is December 1, 2014