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March 20, 2023 – It is my sad duty as Grande Chef de Gare to inform you of the passing of Passe’ Grand Chef Ed Dunkle.  He passed away on the 17th of March and he will be truly missed. 

I have no further information to pass on to you at this time..

Annie

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Pearl Harbor Day 2021: 80th anniversary of ‘a date which will live in infamy’

Pearl Harbor attack

FILE – In this Dec. 7, 1941 file photo, smoke rises from the battleship USS Arizona as it sinks during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. AP

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New Veterans Affairs Life Insurance program (VALI)

Beginning January 1, 2023, based on Veteran advocacy and recent legislation, the VA will offer a new Veterans Affairs Life Insurance program (VALI).

Insurance is foundational in family financial planning as 63% of adults protect their spouse, children, or other beneficiary. As a person ages, life insurance becomes more popular, but also more expensive or difficult to approve the later someone applies. VALI has fixed premiums for life that are lower the sooner one signs up; an initial two year period to achieve the policy face value; and retains cash value that builds up over time.

VALI offers guaranteed acceptance whole life coverage up to $40,000 for all service-connected Veterans age 80 and under with no medical underwriting and no time limit to apply. Some Veterans over age 80 may also be eligible.

 VALI resources:

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The VA Finally Begins Paying Claims to Vets Exposed to Toxic Matter, Could Help 3.5 Million Vets

November 11, 2021 by USMilitary.org

Veterans who have been saying for years that they were exposed to toxic matter while serving in the Gulf are finally getting a bit of good news.

The VA has decided to cut hurdles for veterans and will begin paying claims.

For now, the VA will process disability claims for asthma, sinusitis and rhinitis that resulted from certain toxic exposures.

Veterans who served in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan have long alleged that they got sick from toxins in the air that were spread from sandstorms and burn pits.

These toxins led to service members having breathing issues and illness.

According to a burn pit registry from back in 2014, over 200,000 vets stated they got ill from toxins in the air.  But up until now, the VA has refused to help many of them.

Thankfully claims are now beginning to process with the expanded benefit, which has the potential to impact 3.5 million veterans.

“We have already paid over 4,000 claims, millions of dollars to veterans who are eligible on this new basis,” said Beth Murphy, executive director of compensation services for the VA.

The claims are not limited to burn pit exposure.

She said “this is even broader than that, we are not requiring folks to specify what they may have been exposed to. If you know you have asthma, sinusitis or rhinitis certainly please file a claim or if you have been denied in the past please reapply with a supplemental claim.”

“We’ve made it too hard for them to prove what they were exposed to, when, how long,” said U.S. Representative Elaine Luria from Virginia’s 2nd district.

Historically the VA has been slow to act on paying out claims to veterans.  They wait for the results of research and studies before they are willing to move forward.

This has left many veterans feeling frustrated with the Department.

However the VA and Congress finally appear to be signaling a policy change and a desire to help vets while they wait for more data to come in.

If you’d like to file a claim with the VA, you can do so at www.va.gov or call toll-free at 1-800-827-1000.