By Debbie Gregory. On September 18th, California Governor Jerry Brown announced the appointment of the new secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet). Colonel Vito Imbasciani, a 69-year-old Los Angeles urologic surgeon and Kaiser Permanente executive, is poised to fill the position left vacant by the previous acting secretary, Debbie Endsley. Endsley was […]
By Debbie Gregory. John James Lavoie served in the U.S. Marine Corps for over 20 years, and that is certainly something to be proud of. But there’s a possibility that it wasn’t enough for him as he is now in the position of having to clear his name. Lavoie has been accused of “Stolen Valor,” […]
By Debbie Gregory. Last January, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) received an anonymous allegation that staff at the Los Angeles VA Regional Office (VARO) were inappropriately shredding mail regarding veterans’ disability compensation claims. It was also alleged that VARO supervisors were instructing their staff to shred these documents. The following month, the OIG/Office of […]
By Debbie Gregory. California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Representative Ted Lieu of Torrance proposed a bill that aims to facilitate housing for veterans at the West Los Angeles Campus. This is an effort to remove veterans from the county’s alleyways and sidewalk shantytowns and onto the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ West Los […]
By Debbie Gregory. In this age of rapid communication, many of us have had a moment where we’ve sent a reply to an email or text message and the second it goes, we question if we sent to the right person. We second guess whether we remembered to attach that document referenced in the note. […]
By Debbie Gregory. In the Army’s case against Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the soldier held prisoner for years by the Taliban after leaving his post in Afghanistan, military prosecutors have reached into a section of military law seldom used since World War II. For months, there has been speculation if Bergdahl would be charged with […]
By Debbie Gregory. Considering an exit strategy when moving from one career to another can be challenging, but for military personnel it may be much more complex. Servicemen and servicewomen know that they will be moving to civilian status in a given amount of time. The skills they acquired in the military may not easily […]
By Debbie Gregory. As crazy as it sounds, swimming with the largest shark in the world is therapy for some Atlanta disabled veterans. The Atlanta VA Medical Center’s recreational therapy program recently partnered with the Georgia Aquarium allowing disabled Veterans the chance to participate in the “Journey with Gentle Giants” dive immersion program. Journey with […]
By Debbie Gregory. As the first anniversary of Jason Simcakoski’s passing approaches, an inspector general’s report faults a Wisconsin Veterans Affairs hospital for the accidental overdose of the Marine Corps veteran. The outrage of Simcakoski’s death has sparked legislation aimed at strengthening guidelines for prescribing painkillers. His parents, widow and daughter watched as a Senate […]
By Debbie Gregory. Three initiatives have been launched in the state of New Hampshire, all in an effort to assist the medical community better serve their military and veteran population. The first initiative will impact the 10 community facilities run by the NH Dept. of Health and Human Services. This landmark effort will position a […]
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