The new funds will be distributed according to the proportion of veterans living in rural areas within each VA regional health care system, called VISNs, for "Veterans Integrated Service Networks."

Purple Heart Update


At the Department of Defense, a recent news transcript of a briefing with Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell commented on the recent Defense Department decision not to award the Purple Heart to military members who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Mr. Morrell emphasized that the Department took the condition seriously, even though the conclusion of the Department was that PTSD did not qualify for the definition of what a Purple Heart recipient is.

"I don't think anybody should assume that that decision is in any way reflective on how seriously we take the problem of PTSD in this department," Mr. Morrell said. "I think we will have spent about a billion dollars on research, development, treatment, preventative measures. And I think you will see more and more money being spent to combat this very real problem that we are all terribly concerned with. So just because an awards committee believes this particular injury does not qualify for this award, does not in any way reflect that we don't take this problem seriously and aren't committed to doing everything we possibly can towards preventing it, treating it, and taking care of those who are suffering with it."

Sources: Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense

More details on VA enrollment eligibility expansion are available at:
http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/PG8Relaxation.asp

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