TO:  U. S. Veterans in the Angeles City and Surrounding Areas

 

Please see attached E-mail and letter Mr. Jon Skelly, Director VARO Manila, received at the DAV Office Saturday, August 23, 2008.  

 

According to the VARO, both of these communications referenced above have been consolidated into one letter and will be mailed to all veterans who have used the VA van the past 12 months.  If veterans have been going to the VA OPC other than the VA van such as their POV or by a rental vehicle, they will not receive the letter from the VARO Management.  Therefore, the DAV Chapter 3 is sending the reference memos to all veterans on our DAV mailing list, local VVA members and other local veterans   This memo will also be sent by Joe Godfrey in our DAV CIB or Item of Interest. There are two major issues in the letters from the VA.  The first being the VA van will be discontinued effective October 1, 2008.  The letter from the VA Management outlines the reasons for their decision reference the van.    So I will not dwell on the van issue at this time.   The second and most important issue is the medication and prosthetics issued from the VA OPC. The VA Management letter states all veterans who have been receiving pharmaceuticals (medications) and prosthetics via the VA van to the DAV for pick up, will be delivered to the veterans by the Air 21 courier service. I have spoken with the VARO Deputy Director on potential problems of delivery by the courier service such as no one at home to receive the delivery, delivery time and possible loss of small packages although this should not occur with a courier service.  I asked if the VA OPC pharmacy could send the meds in a combined carton via Air 21 to the DAV similar to what the DAV is currently doing with the mail bag on the VA van.  The answer was yes, however, the veteran must contact the pharmacy at the OPC as to where the veterans wants their meds and prosthetics delivered; such as your home/apt., to the DAV or the FPO mail section (Angeles City RAO).  You must indicate the exact address for the delivery.  If you desire for the DAV to continue to receive and control your meds, we will be glad to do so as long as you contact the VA OPC of your delivery decision.  I recommend you do this as soon as possible and not later than September 19, 2008.  I determined this date due to the time frame in contacting the OPC pharmacy and also give the pharmacy ample time to adjust their delivery records.  You can contact the pharmacy by telephone (02-833-4566, X-4201), through your VA OPC PRA, by letter or VA Form 21-4138.   Since you will also need to confirm your mailing address with your PRA, I recommend veterans send a letter or VA Form 21-4138  THROUGH the OPC Pharmacy for the medication delivery address for Air 21 and TO their PRA/Team to confirm their mailing address.   The DAV has prepared a VA Form 21-4138 with receipt requested back to the veteran.  The veterans only need to come to the DAV to fill in the blanks on the form so it can be sent in the mail bag to the OPC Pharmacy prior to September 19, 2008.  The DAV will try to make these VA 21-4138 pre-printed forms available at the A. L. 123, VFW 2485 PSO and VFW DSO to help expedite this process. For veterans desiring their medications and prosthetics sent via Air 21 to the DAV office, our address is indicated below under my signature block.   The DAV is trying to set up a “Town Hall Meeting” with the VARO Dir. Jon Skelly and Dep. Dir. Richard Johnson, hopefully the second week of September, based on their schedule.  The venue, date and time will be announced as soon as possible.  This unique “Town Hall Meeting” will be an excellent forum to hear from those at VARO who made the decisions reference the VA van and delivery of medications and prosthetics via Air 21.  I am sure there will be ample time to ask questions on VARO and/or VA OPC problems veterans may have.  These questions should be general in nature rather than personal to save time.  We are sure the VARO Director and Deputy will stay around after the meeting to answer any personal questions.  We ask the veterans in the Angeles City and surrounding area to try their best to attend this important briefing and question/answer session Town Hall Meeting.  DAV Chapter 3 will do its best to keep all veterans informed via E-Mail, DAV CIBs/Item of Interest from Joe and memos to the Veteran Service Organizations leaders in the area to pass onto their members.  Veterans are advised to check the DAV bulletin board outside the DAV office at the Patio Inn V , to keep up dated or come inside the DAV office to talk to one of our SRs.  Please help us by ensuring the “word” gets out to all veterans by contacting your friends and posting of this letter with attachments in strategic locations. 

 

I feel it is important to clarify the VA van issue.  This may be a major topic also at the Town Hall Meeting.  I have already been asked several times ”I am disabled and cannot ride the bus to Manila due to my back or legs.”  The veteran’s primary physician is the one who will determine how the veteran can travel to the VA OPC based on the degree of the veteran’s disability, such as rental vehicle, POV, bus, etc.  Therefore, the veteran must discuss this with their VA OPC primary physician as soon as they can, even if they have to do it by letter or E-Mail. 

    

Veterans Helping Veterans,

 

E. Ralph Milward

Cdr., DAV Chapter 3

Tel: (045) 892-674

Cell: 0918-918-1132

 

DAV Ch. 3 Mailing Address

for Air 21 and VA OPC Pharmacy

 

DAV Chapter 3

C/O Patio Inn V Appartelle, RM 101

315 Pinatubo Road, Clarkview

Angeles City, Philippines 2009

Tel: (045) 892-6374 (DAV Office)

         (045) 8926841 9Patio Inn V Office)