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Army Secretary Pete Geren and Dr. James B. Peake, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, signed a

mutual support agreement, Feb. 12, outlining continued assistance to service members and their

families transitioning through the military Disability Evaluation System. Wounded, ill and injured

service members in the Disability Evaluation System process will continue to be offered assistance

from the Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"By providing VA support to Soldiers, this agreement formalizes a resource that will help them get

the health care and benefits they earned with their service," Geren said. "We must look at our policies

through the eyes of our Soldiers and their Families, as we have done in developing this agreement."

"Today's agreement reaffirms VA's commitment with the Army to provide the care and benefits our

veterans deserve," said Secretary Peake. "We share a duty to do what's right for our soldiers and their families."

The Army will continue providing nurse case managers, legal assistance, physical evaluation board liaison

officers, chain of command, primary care managers and other service specific support. Soldiers also may

call the Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline at 1-800-984-8523 (overseas DSN 312-328-0002) or E-mail,

wsfsupport@conus.army.mil.

VA service representatives will continue providing information and advice regarding how medical evidence

is used in the evaluation of disabilities under the Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

VA service representatives will assist and advise service members as they prepare documentation for VA benefit

claims. VA benefit claims include the VA portion of joint claims processed through the Disability Evaluation System

Pilot Program.

At military installations where the VA does not have permanent staff available, service members may contact VA

service representatives via phone or e-mail. A listing of veterans' service organizations recognized by VA to help

with VA benefits claims can be found at www.va.gov. VSOs also may provide assistance with this process.

For more information, contact Paul Boyce, Army Public Affairs, (703) 697-2564

If you are interested in using the Post Banquet facilities, call the Post on 703-221-2507

during the above hours or contact Commander Smith on 703-967-1687 for more details.

The American Legion Post 28 Banquet Facilities are normally for their members and Guests.

It is sometimes available to the public but depending on the type of event it may be necessary

to obtain a "License" from The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.  Banquet

or Banquet special event and mixed beverage special event licenses are the most common.

Banquet (also known as one-day) licenses are issued to individuals for private events where

alcohol is provided at no charge to guests, such as wedding receptions, retirement parties, etc.

Banquet special event and mixed beverage special event licenses are issued to duly organized,

nonprofit  corporations and associations raising money for athletic, charitable, educational, political,

or religious purposes.

For your convenience, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control has developed an

Internet Banquet License Application that allows you to apply and pay for a banquet license from

the convenience  of your home or office. For more information, visit the Virginia Department of

Alcoholic Beverage control? web site at:(http://www.abc.virginia.gov/licensing/banquet.htm)

VA and DoD Pilot Single Physical

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) have signed a memorandum to pilot a single physical examination to be used by both departments. The single physical examination would be used by DoD to determine the medical fitness of injured personnel to remain in uniform and by VA for awarding disability compensation. Servicemembers from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, and the Air Force?s Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base will participate in the pilot, which will begin later this month. For further information (http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,155738,00.html) read the full story at Military.com.

Help for Homeless Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest federal provider of direct assistance to the homeless. Services provided include health care, outreach and case management, employment, rehabilitation, transitional residential care, therapeutic work and assistance with permanent housing. VA also partners with hundreds of communities on Stand Downs across the nation where homeless veterans are given a temporary refuge that offers them food, shelter, clothing and a range of community and VA assistance. Providers can contact VA's Homeless Veterans Programs Office by telephone at (202) 273-5764 or e-mail VA at (mailto:homelessvets@mail.va.gov) homelessvets@mail.va.gov. For more information on VA benefits for homeless veterans, visit VA's Homeless Veterans Programs Office website at (http://www.va.gov/homeless/) http://www1.va.gov/homeless

Army Veterans Can Enroll in Registry

Veterans have the opportunity to record details of their service for their descendents and future generations on the Registry of the American Soldier, managed by the Army Historical Foundation of Arlington, Va. Every registry entry will include the Soldier's name, rank, hometown and service history. Registrants may also share their stories through anecdotes, memories and photographs. Those eligible may enroll through the (http://www.usarmyregistry.org historical foundation's website . Spouses, parents, children and friends may also enroll veteran soldiers, including those who are deceased.

New Veteran Scholarships

Wesleyan University announced the creation of 10 new scholarships dedicated to helping veterans cover the gap between the cost of tuition and expenses and their GI Bill benefits. The scholarships are needs based and will be awarded to veteran students who would otherwise not be able to afford to attend Wesleyan. Veterans who wish to apply for this scholarship must do so as part of the normal admissions process at Wesleyan University. Visit the university's (http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/) admissions department website to learn more.