6 May, 2005
The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate
713
Dear Senator Obama:
On behalf of the Fleet
Reserve Association (FRA), I want to personally thank you for bringing light to
the need for the Department of Veterans Affairs to modernize its record keeping
system during the 21 April 2005 Joint hearing before the House and Senate
Veterans Affairs Committees.
As I mentioned at the
hearing, the Presidential Task Force to Improve Veterans Health Care’s Final
Report addressed some issues that would smooth the transition of service
members to veterans’ status and speed the development of their claims. I have
enclosed a copy of the Task Force’s recommendations along with some additional
background information.
The following information
may help provide a tangible blueprint for the steps that must be taken to
ensure returning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom
(OEF) combat veterans, as well as all other service men and women who complete
their term or retire from military service receive timely access to VA benefits
and services. The Association sincerely appreciates you volunteering to help
usher in a more efficient method of record keeping and stands ready to assist
in any way it can.
Please feel free to contact
our legislative team if we can ever be of assistance to you or your staff.
Sincerely,
JOSEPH L. BARNES
National Executive Secretary
JLB:mss:jhh