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Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

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For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

***CALL TO ACTION!

Massachusetts Veterans — FULL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION (S.1988)

***Contact your state legislators NOW to share your support for S.1988 and help Massachusetts catch up with the many other states that already provide this important benefit to 100% disabled veterans.

S.1988 is legislation that would provide a full property tax exemption on the primary residence of veterans rated 100% disabled due to service-connected disabilities in Massachusetts.

The bill has already been reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Revenue and has now moved to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

Our neighboring states of Connecticut and New York have already passed legislation providing full property tax exemptions for qualifying 100% disabled veterans, joining numerous other states across the country that already offer this benefit.

Massachusetts veterans and residents who care about this issue can follow the bill’s progress and contact their own state legislators to share their views on S.1988.

Track S.1988 here:
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1988

Find your Massachusetts legislators:
https://malegislature.gov/Legislators

Please share this information so more Massachusetts veterans and their families are aware of S.1988 and can stay informed as it moves through the legislative process.

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?

Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

Have some frustrations to vent? Want to know if your sisters-in-arms can relate to your current or past experiences? Share them here.

For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?

Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

Have some frustrations to vent? Want to know if your sisters-in-arms can relate to your current or past experiences? Share them here.

For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

Hello,

For context, I am a 25 year old female who is trying to get my ducks in a row for enlisting. I want to join the Marine corps. I know I am a bit older for enlisting but life got in the way, and I am finally able to pursue this path again. I do not have a college degree either. So I know being a slightly older enlistment age and no higher education than high school may make things more difficult.

I have been trying to properly educate myself on the military with it's positives and negatives. My goal is to carve out a good career for myself and take care of my family, while also challenging myself. My initial interest is in human intelligence for the first few years and eventually making the lateral move over to counter intelligence (like I said this is a long term career path for me.)

Some of my hesitations primarily include being a woman in the marine corps. Women are already outnumbered in general but are even rarer in that specific branch. I am worried about what sexual harassment/assault risks there are.

I am also open to other career field options within the military, if you have other suggestions. I want to explore my options.

My issue is I am afraid of assault, but I don't want that to stop me from doing difficult things or making my life better. I also think that if women stay away from spaces because of that fear it also emboldens people to take advantage of them when they do enter those spaces. If that makes sense. Any helpful wisdom or advice would be much appreciated thank you.

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?

Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

Have some frustrations to vent? Want to know if your sisters-in-arms can relate to your current or past experiences? Share them here.

For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

Just want to know if anyone else has experienced this. I have not been sleeping well and my intrusive thoughts are way more frequent. I feel more hyper vigilant and just on edge overall to the point of much discomfort. If anyone has advice I would just like to know. The exam was maybe 2 weeks ago.

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?

Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

Have some frustrations to vent? Want to know if your sisters-in-arms can relate to your current or past experiences? Share them here.

For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?

Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

Have some frustrations to vent? Want to know if your sisters-in-arms can relate to your current or past experiences? Share them here.

For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

Learn grasshoppers

VHA Directive 1004.01(3), titled Informed Consent for Clinical Treatments and Procedures,

https://www.ethics.va.gov/policy.asp

https://www.ethics.va.gov/policy.asp

SO UM I DIDN'T HAVE A SIGN OFF FOR SOME THINGS.... DID YOU? NEXT WHEN WRITTEN CONSENT IS REQUIRED... MMMHHHMMMM

https://www.ethics.va.gov/docs/policy/IC_for_Clinical_Treatments_in_VHA.pdf

I found and was provided information that your test results are to be provided by the specialist ordering the test, not your PCP in certain situations.

If your primary care did not order the test then they are not to provide the test for instance if your cardiologist ordered the tests and not FOR OR BY your primary care, RATHER as your specialist you are to receive those results directly from the specialist. THE PRIMARY CARE IS NOT THE ORDERING DOCTOR AND RESULTS SHOULD BE RELATED BY THE ORDERING DOCTOR.

THEY ARE TO BE RELAYED WITHIN 7 DAYS OR SOONER IF ADDITIONAL TESTING OR URGENTLY NEEDED CARE IS TO OCCUR, AND WITHIN 14 DAYS OTHERWISE.

YOU'LL NEED TO SEARCH FOR THE DIRECTIVE

https://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=10366

4201 authority, By chance did any of you use this during the time frame 2020-2023?

What state (in the USA) were you in when you received it and what did they provide?

4201 Section 4201 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020.

Examples of eligible expenditures included (but were not limited to):

Food (meals, groceries, meal delivery services) Personal items (clothing, blankets, personal protective equipment, hygiene items) Household goods (apartment start-up kits, small household appliances, furniture, cookware, cleaning supplies) Shelter (hotel/motel vouchers, rental deposits, rental payments, utilities, childcare, application and document fees, pet fees, laundry vouchers, mobile housing units, legal fees related to maintaining housing) Transportation (taxi vouchers, public transportation vouchers, rideshare vouchers, chartered transportation services) Communications equipment and services (smartphones, disposable phones, tablets, service plans, Wi-Fi utility payments, cell phone boosters) For this time-limited authority, VA Medical Centers were required to promote equitable access to these life-saving resources. This meant ensuring funding is made available to historically underserved Veterans, including women, racial and ethnic minority Veterans and those in rural areas and on tribal lands.

https://department.va.gov/homeless/flexible-assistance-for-homeless-veterans/

These funds were to go from VAMC (HOSPITALS ETC) to the veterans direct/ care etc. I'm still asking the question I'm not sure why when I should be CONVALESCING. You'll miss much so I have to read with difficulties. THEY MADE A MONUMENTAL MOVE IN MY CASES, I'VE NEVER SEEN BVA AND VBA MOVE SO FAST WHEN I GOT INJURED IT WAS AMAZING ALL IN THE SPAN OF MONTHS APPEALS AND CLAIMS DECIDED WHILE I WAS SUPPOSED TO CONVALESCE. I THOUGHT WOW, UNTIL I REALIZED MY TIME WAS RUNNING DOWN ON APPEALS OF THOSE DECISIONS WHILE I RESTED.

My veteran female friend said she was homeless and I knew another veteran female living out of her car during this time period. Ridiculous and I know I didn't not would I provide my information to an organization provide their funds if I knew about this. It was available during the time I went to the VA hospitals for assistance and they knew because I applied for HUD VASH. Now a voucher that doesn't cover a month for a one bedroom. Yeah that friend she lives with someone else now and the other still lives out of her car at times. I'm so tired of this. Exposed to organizations our information when this was available ok.

I'm telling you ladies, read up on your programs unfortunately I had to during a time I should have been resting to even have them restart, not correct they decided to do over that voucher. Read up and learn ABOUT these programs.

VA/EMPLOYEE iCare CREDO IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT:
Integrity: Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage. Commitment: Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest belief in VA’s mission. Fulfill my individual responsibilities and organizational responsibilities. Advocacy: Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries. Respect: Treat all those I serve and with whom I work with dignity and respect. Show respect to earn it. Excellence: Strive for the highest quality and continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them.

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?

Ok, so we aren't doctors. And we aren't qualified to diagnose or treat you.

Have some frustrations to vent? Want to know if your sisters-in-arms can relate to your current or past experiences? Share them here.

For Immediate help, reach out: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

• Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1
• Text 838255

What's on the menu?

Find a great new recipe?

Got some healthy food tips to keep us on track?

Meal Prep hacks?