America's Veterans

"A grateful nation needs always, always, always to honor and celebrate our veterans. And we must fulfill our solemn obligation to, as Lincoln said, 'care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan"
Senator Joe Biden

Improving health care for our wounded soldiers.

We must have the best facilities: Joe Biden promises that the care of our soldiers will be held in the highest priority, and that our hospital and military medical facilities will address the new special needs of our troops for decades to come.

1. Family Involvement: Joe Biden knows that the emotional support that family members give their loved ones, along with the personal, medical and convalescent care, is invaluable and integral to a soldier's recovery. We must ensure that family members of our wounded are never forced to choose between providing care for their loved ones, or keeping their jobs. Joe Biden proposes:

A guaranteed 12 months of Family and Medical Leave coverage for families of injured soldiers. Extended medical care to family member to family members while they live at military treatment centers. Improved anonymous crisis counseling services

2. Adequately Screen and Treat TBI and PTSD: Soldiers returning from Iraq are suffering traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. Joe Biden intends to:

• Establish a protocol for pre-deployment assessment and documentation of cognitive function of members that can be used for comparison after deployment to assist in diagnosis.
• Require the Secretary of Defense to establish two centers of excellence to develop the best screening and treatments centers for these conditions.
• Authorize the use of non-VA facilities for rehabilitation and community reintegration.
• Establish a pilot program for assisted living services for veterans with TBI.

3. Improve care: Implement a series of programs to improve veteran care:

• Develop an electronic health record system
• Increase the caseworkers.
• Require that case managers be properly trained in navigating the VA system.
• Authorize active duty heath benefits for medically retired service men.
• Streamline the Disability Evaluation System
• Create a single manual for outpatient care service, online
• Establish a board to review disability determinations of soldiers separated September 2001 to December 2009.

4. Reform Disability Claims. The backlog of pending claims and the delays in the appeals process is simply unacceptable. At the end of 2006, compensation claims pending averaged 127 days. Appeals resolutions took 657 days, on average. To reduce this backlog, Joe Biden would:

• Update and simplify the disability determination and claims process.
• Establish a lawyer corps to represent veterans during adjudications
• Allow survivors to step in and pursue undecided claims.
• Require the VA to review and improve the education of claims adjusters
• Require a publication each year, by region, of rejected claims.

5. Job Placements. Educational Services. With all that our soldiers have suffered, no offense could be worse than the veteran who comes home to find it difficult to find civilian work. It is an insult and an outrage. Deployed reservists often come home to find that their employer is gone. The national unemployment rate for young veterans is three times the national average. Older veterans who must cope with a changing global economy may need job training for new careers. Joe Biden will:

• Increase funding for programs which help veterans find jobs in skilled trades from construction to transportation.
• Provide grants to non-profit organizations that provide training and job placement services.
• Allow reservists who return to college to return with the same academic standing they had before their call-up.
• Delay resumption of student loans for 12 months on return.

Joe Biden's Record.

Thirty years of dedication to our veterans.

Improved funding for Veteran health care.

Special funding for Veterans with Agent Orange Related Illness

Fighting to reduce the backlog of veteran's claims and the hardships they cause.

Concurrent compensation: allowing receipt of retirement pay and disability compensation.

Helping Military Retirees and Reservists with health insurance

Improving job opportunities

Honoring the service and dedication of this country's soldiers.

And lastly, Celebrating Our Veterans. Educating Americans on the accomplishments