NewsBytes October 2, 2026

In this issue:
Lawmakers Open FRA Convention
Hegseth Hears From Troops
VA Awards Suicide Prevention Grants
Robotic Gloves Restore Grip
Record Homelessness Grants Awarded
VA Suicide Report Released

Lawmakers Open FRA Convention
The Joint Opening Ceremonies of the 98th FRA and 93rd Auxiliary FRA National Convention at The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas brought Nevada's congressional delegation and one of the Department of Veterans Affairs' leading innovators before delegates from across the country. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) welcomed Shipmates to her home state by video, and Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) joined the ceremonies in person to address the membership directly.

Rep. Lee's remarks tracked closely with the Association's own legislative agenda. She spoke to the importance of keeping the Major Richard Star Act intact as a standalone measure, the need to address the toxic exposures that continue to affect veterans, and the value of expanding employment opportunities for those who have served. Following the ceremony, numerous members sought out FRA's legislative staff to say how impressed they were by the Congresswoman's command of the issues facing servicemembers, veterans, military retirees, and their families. Dr. Anne Lord Bailey of the Veterans Health Administration, who leads VA's Strategic Initiatives Lab, followed with a presentation on VA's work with immersive technology. Her live demonstration was a hit with Shipmates, many of whom tried the equipment themselves and saw firsthand how virtual reality is being used in VA clinical settings to help manage pain and anxiety, support recovery, and keep veterans connected to the people who matter most to them.

The FRA thanks Sen. Cortez Masto, Rep. Lee, and Dr. Bailey for taking time to engage with the membership, and thanks their staffs for the effort behind the scenes that made these appearances possible. The Association remains firm that the Major Richard Star Act must pass in full, without phase-ins, income tests, or offsets drawn from other earned benefits, and that toxic exposure claims must be adjudicated accurately and without delay. Dr. Bailey's demonstration also highlights a core FRA conviction: a modern VA, from its health record systems to the tools in its clinics, is essential to restoring the veteran to health and purpose. The Association will continue to support research and technology that produce real results for Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, and to stand with Members of Congress who champion the Sacred Trust.

The convention also marked a change in national leadership. Richard Fetro of Branch 101, Santa Clara Valley, now serves as Junior Past National President after a year in which he carried FRA's priorities to Capitol Hill, including testimony before a joint session of the Veterans' Affairs Committees, and Donna Jansky of Branch 31, Northshore, continues as National Executive Director. The Association's national leaders for the year ahead are:

• National President: Sha'ron Martin, Branch 166, Virginia Beach
• National Vice President: Gabriel Falu, Branch 99, Kempsville
• Regional President, Northeast/New England: Joyce Harris, Branch 20, Groton
• Regional Vice President, Northeast/New England: Abe Zino, Branch 23, Buffalo
• Regional President, East Coast: Paula Falu, Branch 99, Kempsville
• Regional Vice President, East Coast: Yukie Hilliard, Branch 99, Kempsville
• Regional President, Southeast: William Thornton, Branch 184, Middle Georgia
• Regional Vice President, Southeast: TJ Johnson, Branch 126, Jacksonville
• Regional President, Heartland: Gene Jarnagin, Branch 136, Viking
• Regional Vice President, Heartland: Kurt Baker, Branch 14, Milwaukee
• Regional President, Southwest: Rogelio Bocud, Branch 302, Carson
• Regional Vice President, Southwest: Don Kelley, Branch 289, Imperial Beach
• Regional President, West Coast: Robert Porter, Branch 185, Golden Spike Ogden
• Regional Vice President, West Coast: Charles McIntyre, Branch 101, Santa Clara Valley
• Regional President, Northwest: Irving Salsbury, Branch 170, Everett
• Regional Vice President, Northwest: Tim Miller, Branch 97, Whidbey Island
• National Chaplain: Victor Sanchez Jr., Branch 166, Virginia Beach
• National Parliamentarian: Virgil Courneya, Branch 274, High Sierra

The Office of Legislative Programs congratulates National President Martin and the entire leadership team and looks forward to carrying the Association's legislative agenda forward under their direction.

Hegseth Hears From Troops
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth joined approximately 600 service members for an early morning physical training session at the Pentagon on September 30, using the formation to connect directly with junior enlisted personnel, noncommissioned officers, and commanders before delivering his State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico later that day. "We want to hear from you," the Secretary told the troops, stressing that candid feedback from the deckplates is essential to keeping the force focused on warfighting readiness.

At Quantico, Hegseth returned to the theme of discipline and high standards he introduced at the same venue a year earlier, urging leaders to lead every formation as they would want their own son or daughter's formation led. He announced a new four-star Autonomous Warfare Command to oversee drone development and employment, with dedicated career paths for service members, targeted for establishment on October 1, 2027. He also confirmed a 20 percent reduction in the number of generals and admirals by January 1, along with initiatives on installation energy resilience, officer accession programs, and a new Office of Religious Affairs reporting directly to the Secretary.

The FRA supports direct lines of communication between civilian defense leadership and the enlisted force. When Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen are heard by senior officials, operational bottlenecks surface sooner and quality of life problems get fixed faster. The Association will follow the new command and the flag officer reductions closely to ensure that sea service end strength, career paths, and the welfare of the enlisted force are protected as the department reorganizes, and it urges that Coast Guard members, who serve under the Department of Homeland Security, be included in efforts to hear directly from the force.

VA Awards Suicide Prevention Grants
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced on September 29 that it has awarded $111.9 million to 191 community organizations through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program for fiscal year 2027. The grants fund local organizations that provide outreach, suicide risk screening, mental health support, crisis intervention, and connections to housing and other services for veterans and their families.

VA officials noted that 61 percent of veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had not received VA health care in the year before their deaths, which makes community partners an essential safety net. In 2025, Fox grantees served approximately 17,000 veterans, service members, and family members. "Community organizations are critical to reaching Veterans who may not otherwise connect with VA care," said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

The FRA strongly supports community based mental health programs that reach veterans where they live. Meeting a Shipmate in crisis with accessible, local support is a core part of the Sacred Trust, and the Association is working with a coalition of partner organizations to identify the root causes of the mental health crisis across the military and veteran community. FRA will press Congress to sustain full funding for the Fox program and to hold VA accountable for measuring how many grantee referrals result in veterans being connected to ongoing care.

Robotic Gloves Restore Grip
The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding the use of the Carbonhand, a soft robotic glove made by Bioservo that helps veterans regain hand function after spinal cord injury, stroke, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and orthopedic injuries. The lightweight glove uses artificial tendons and sensors in the palm and fingertips that detect a veteran's intent to grip and deliver smooth, proportional power.

More than 40 VA medical centers now offer the device, and about 100 veterans have received one to date. VA occupational therapists calibrate each glove digitally and can adjust settings remotely as a veteran's needs change. VA estimates that roughly 250,000 veterans live with impaired hand function. One Army veteran living with ALS said the glove gave him "freedom, self-reliance again, and the ability to do things I haven't been able to do in a long time."

The FRA commends VA for putting proven assistive technology in the hands of the veterans who need it. Tools that restore independence in daily life are central to the Association's goal of restoring the veteran to health and purpose. FRA urges VA to expand access beyond the current 100 recipients and to ensure that rural veterans and those far from a major medical center can be fitted and supported without long travel or wait times.

Record Grants Target Veteran Homelessness
The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a record $1.17 billion in grants to 680 organizations to prevent and end veteran homelessness, with funds flowing as fiscal year 2027 began on October 1. The awards include $855 million through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program for rapid rehousing and homelessness prevention, and $318 million through the Grant and Per Diem program for transitional housing and supportive services.

The grants build on fiscal year 2025, when VA placed 51,936 homeless veterans into permanent housing, the highest total in seven years. VA also reported enrolling more than 250,000 new veterans in health care and opening 41 new health care facilities. "These grants underscore our commitment to expanding critical services that prevent Veteran homelessness," said Secretary Collins.

The FRA strongly supports sustained funding to end veteran homelessness. Stable housing is the foundation for every other benefit a veteran has earned, from health care to employment, and no Sailor, Marine, or Coast Guardsman who served this nation should be without a place to live. The Association will urge appropriators to protect these programs in the fiscal year 2027 funding process and will watch that grant dollars reach high cost fleet concentration areas where housing pressures on veterans are greatest.

VA Releases Annual Suicide Report
The Department of Veterans Affairs released its 2026 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report on September 30, covering data from 2001 through 2024. The report found 6,488 veteran suicides in 2024, an average of 17.7 per day, and a sharp divide by enrollment status. Since 2001, the suicide rate among veterans enrolled in VA health care fell 2.2 percent, while the rate among veterans not enrolled rose 70.8 percent. From 2023 to 2024, the rate for enrolled veterans declined 4.8 percent and the rate for those not enrolled rose 3.7 percent.

Sixty-two percent of veterans who died by suicide in 2024 had not received VA health care in the prior year. In response, VA is now tracking, for the first time, how effectively its staff and community partners move veterans into VA care. The Veterans Crisis Line answered more than 1.3 million calls, chats, and texts in fiscal year 2026, a 7 percent increase over the prior year, with satisfaction above 97 percent, and VA completed more than 5.5 million suicide risk screenings through August 2026.

The FRA monitors veteran health data closely to advocate for effective, evidence based mental health policy. The widening gap between enrolled and unenrolled veterans is the clearest message in this report: connection to care saves lives. The Association will press Congress to maintain robust funding for suicide prevention and outreach, and will continue its coalition work on the root causes of the crisis. Any Shipmate or family member in need can reach the Veterans and Military Crisis Line 24 hours a day by dialing 988 and pressing 1, or by texting 838255.