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UPDATE: VETS' COMMISSION RELEASES LONG-AWAITED

FINAL REPORT -- Few if any of the Commission's proposals

are expected to become reality until at least 2009.

 

 

We finally have the final report from the Veterans' Benefits Disability Commission (VDBC).

It's about the size of War and Peace.

As soon as I can wade through it I'll have some commentary.

The report is available for download.

Full Commission report is here...
http://www.vetscommission.org/
pdf/eReport_prepub_9-27.pdf

The executive summary is here...
http://www.vetscommission.org/pdf/
ExecutiveSummary_eV_9-27.pdf

And, we have a brief article about the report below.

For more about the Vets' Commission, use the VA Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/ses
search.php?q=veterans%27+disa
bility+benefits+commission&op=ph

Story here... http://content.hamptonroads
.com/story.cfm?story=133833
&ran=4816&tref=po

Story below:

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Panel recommends huge benefit increases for disabled vets

By DALE EISMAN
The Virginian-Pilot

WASHINGTON -- A panel of retired military officers and enlisted members recommended sweeping changes today in the way the nation compensates injured veterans, including a multi-billion dollar hike in payments to disabled military retirees and their survivors.

The congressionally created Veterans Disability Benefits Commission released a package of 113 recommendations, calling for an overhaul in how the Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates disabled vets and sets their compensation and a new emphasis on aiding those suffering post-combat stress.

The panel also urged Congress to provide increases of up to 25 percent in disability benefits to reimburse disabled veterans for damage to their quality of life caused by service-related injuries or conditions.

Compensation to disabled veterans today is based generally on their projected loss of earnings.

The 13-member commission put no price tag on its proposals. But the cost of just one of its major suggestions, a plan to let the survivors of disabled vets combine their VA benefit with insurance most purchased from the Defense Department while on active duty, will total $9 billion over 10 years, according to a Bush administration estimate.

Because Congress is wrapping up work on the federal government's 2008 budget – the new fiscal year began on Monday – few if any of the commission's proposals are expected to become reality until at least 2009.

Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com

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Larry Scott  --