Newsbytes June 27, 2024 

In this issue: 
Celebration of Life for JrPNP Handzuk 
FRA Advocates for VA Funding Fee Reimbursement  
Congressional Hearing: Challenges Facing VCL 
Congressional Hearing Examines TAP 
VA Processes Disability Claims In Record Time

Celebration of Life for MRCM(SW) John S. Handzuk, USN (Ret.) 

Fleet Reserve Association National President 2023–2024 
Junior Past National President 2024–2025 

With profound respect and cherished memories, we invite you to join us in honoring the remarkable life and legacy of MRCM(SW) John S. Handzuk, USN (Ret.), a steadfast leader, devoted shipmate, and beloved friend. John’s lifelong commitment to our nation and the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) touched countless lives, and we gather to celebrate his enduring impact through the following events: 

Celebration of Life 
Date: Sunday, July 13, 2025 
Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM 
Location: 
FRA Branch 126 
7673 Blanding Blvd. 
Jacksonville, FL 32244  

Hosted by Past National President Robbie Robbins and supported by FRA Branch 126, this heartfelt gathering will feature a traditional 2-Bell Ceremony to honor John’s service. Following the ceremony, we warmly invite attendees to share stories and memories that capture John’s spirit. Branch 126 will provide food and beverages for all guests to enjoy as we come together in fellowship. 

Burial Ceremony with Full Military Honors 
Date: Monday, July 14, 2025 
Time: 10:30 AM 
Location: 
Florida National Cemetery 
4083 Lannie Road 
Jacksonville, FL 32218  

John will be laid to rest with the full military honors he so rightfully earned. FRA Branch 126 will conduct the Fleet Reserve Association burial ceremony, a fitting tribute to his service. Please note that cemetery events are limited to a 30-minute timeframe, and we ask attendees to arrive promptly. 

Additional Information 

In Lieu of Flowers: The family requests that donations be made to the Fleet Reserve Association Scholarship Fund in John’s memory, supporting the educational aspirations of future generations.  

Condolences: Cards and messages of sympathy may be sent to FRA Headquarters at 1600 Duke St, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314.  

Accommodations: Numerous hotels are available in the Jacksonville area, offering convenient access to both FRA Branch 126 and the Florida National Cemetery. 

On behalf of John’s family and the entire FRA community, we extend our deepest gratitude for your love, support, and prayers during this time. Your presence, whether in person or in spirit, honors John’s extraordinary life. His legacy of leadership, camaraderie, and dedication to the sea services will continue to inspire us all.  

John will be deeply missed, but his light shines on in our hearts. Fair winds and following seas, Shipmate. 

FRA Advocates for VA Funding Fee Reimbursement  
The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) legislative team, joined by shipmate William Ashton, met with the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity majority staff to discuss the proposed VA Funding Fee Reimbursement Act. The bill aims to allow active-duty service members who purchase a home within one year of separation or retirement to be reimbursed for the VA Funding Fee if they become eligible for an exemption, such as through a service-connected disability rating, within that year. The meeting focused on addressing the financial burdens faced by transitioning veterans, emphasizing the bill’s potential to ease their path to homeownership through the VA Home Loan Guarantee Program. 

The subcommittee staff raised critical questions about the funding costs associated with the legislation. The FRA team highlighted that the VA Funding Fee, typically 2.15% to 3.3% of the loan amount, can impose a significant expense—$6,450 to $9,900 on a $300,000 loan—on service members transitioning to civilian life. They argued that reimbursing the fee for those who qualify post-separation aligns with existing exemptions. 

Shipmate William Ashton, a key advocate, highlighted the bill’s broader impact on veteran engagement with the VA system. He noted that previous congressional hearings have identified barriers to veterans accessing benefits, particularly disability and healthcare services. By incentivizing service members to apply for disability ratings to qualify for fee reimbursement, the legislation could increase enrollment in the Veterans Healthcare Administration, addressing a longstanding issue. Ashton emphasized that this could lead to better health outcomes, potentially reducing long-term costs associated with untreated conditions, such as mental health crises or homelessness, which currently cost the VA billions annually. 

The subcommittee staff expressed interest but sought further data on the bill’s fiscal impact and its effect on VA administrative processes. Concerns were raised about the potential strain on the VA’s Loan Guaranty Program, which relies on funding fees to remain self-sustaining, and the need for streamlined implementation to minimize administrative costs. The FRA team acknowledged these concerns, committing to refine cost estimates and explore mitigation strategies. 

Moving forward, the FRA legislative team plans to conduct additional research on key data points, including precise veteran participation rates and the potential for increased loan volume to offset costs. They aim to secure a congressional sponsor, targeting members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The FRA will also engage veteran service organizations to build bipartisan support, ensuring the VA Funding Fee Reimbursement Act advances to honor the nation’s commitment to its transitioning service members. 

Congressional Hearing: Challenges Facing VCL 
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Jerry Moran with Ranking Member Sen. Richard Blumenthal, convened to examine the operations of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), a vital resource addressing the tragic rate of 17 veteran suicides per day. Testimonies from Brad Combs, former VCL lead auditor, Marcia Blane, a retired VCL responder, Alyssa Hundrup of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and VA officials Dr. Thomas O’Toole and Dr. Christopher Watson highlighted operational challenges. The VCL has experienced a 40% increase in contacts from 2021 to 2024, managing 3.8 million interactions, including 2,500 daily calls in 2024. Key issues included staffing shortages, handling of callers with complex needs (CWCN), and the burden on responders managing multiple simultaneous chats, which risks service quality and staff burnout. 

Witnesses identified procedural and management hurdles impacting VCL effectiveness. Combs and Blane pointed to inadequate training for complex calls, a lack of clear standard operating procedures, and an emphasis on metrics over quality, which they argued hinders life-saving efforts. Hundrup’s GAO report noted a policy shift redirecting CWCN calls to mainline responders without specialized training, increasing stress and potentially compromising care. Recent terminations of social science assistants, essential for locating veterans in crisis, and a poorly implemented return-to-office policy were cited as exacerbating operational strain. The committee also raised concerns about whistleblower protections, with Combs noting weak safeguards and Blane describing a culture that discourages open reporting. 

The hearing emphasized a commitment to improvement, with VA officials pledging to address 12 of 14 Inspector General recommendations by the end of fiscal year 2025 and GAO recommendations by January 2026, including reviewing CWCN call management and digital service workloads. A proposed $6 million budget increase to $312 million for 2026 was discussed, though its sufficiency was questioned given an 80% rise in text interactions. The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) is actively monitoring the situation and encourages members to contribute feedback through a survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6D79V99 to support advocacy efforts. The committee stressed the need for enhanced training, better resource allocation, and stronger oversight, with plans to track staffing and call volume data to ensure the VCL effectively supports veterans in crisis. 

Congressional Hearing Examines TAP 
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, led by Chairman Mike Bost and Ranking Member Mark Takano, held a hearing to address improvements to the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), which supports service members transitioning to civilian life. The hearing featured testimony from Ms. Rebecca Burgess, Senior Fellow at the Yorktown Institute; Mr. Ross Dickman, Chief Executive Officer of Hire Heroes USA; Mr. Manish Gupta, Chief Technology Officer of Combined Arms; and Mr. Joseph C. Loomis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TurboVets, INC. These witnesses highlighted gaps in TAP and proposed technology-driven solutions to enhance veteran transitions. With approximately 200,000 service members transitioning annually, only 52% meet TAP’s mandated 360-day timeline, and 60% of post-9/11 veterans report difficulties adjusting to civilian life, including unemployment, underemployment, and mental health challenges. 

The witnesses emphasized the need for a more personalized, data-driven TAP. Mr. Gupta described Combined Arms’ platform, which connects 85,000 veterans across all 50 states to 650 vetted organizations offering 1,500 services, such as housing and job support, using predictive analytics to tailor resources. Mr. Dickman highlighted Hire Heroes USA’s one-on-one coaching, which has facilitated 110,000 job placements, stressing the importance of skills-based hiring and public-private partnerships to address underemployment, particularly among junior enlisted veterans. Mr. Loomis outlined TurboVets’ AI-driven platform, which streamlines benefits access and job matching, advocating for a 12-month pre-transition process to address issues like financial literacy and credit repair. Ms. Burgess shed light on the lack of a national veteran strategy, noting that fragmented systems and poor data sharing between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hinder outcomes, especially for women, minorities, and junior enlisted veterans. 

The hearing addressed operational challenges, including low TAP completion rates and inadequate command support, with some commands prioritizing mission needs over transition preparation. Concerns were raised about the DoD’s absence from the hearing, despite a recent memorandum of understanding with the VA to enhance collaboration, including potential automatic VA healthcare enrollment. The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) recently joined a group of Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and Military Service Organizations (MSOs) focused on modernizing TAP. Additionally, the FRA recently met with Congress to discuss VA loan fee reimbursement legislation, which would greatly assist with not only transitioning service members into civilian society but also their entry into the VA healthcare system. 

Committee members expressed bipartisan support for TAP improvements, including Rep. Jen Kiggans’ Veterans Energy Transition Act to fund employer training in the energy and manufacturing sectors. However, concerns were raised about recent VA bylaw changes potentially allowing discrimination based on politics or marital status, which could impact trust in VA care. The committee called for enhanced DoD-VA data sharing, standardized outcome metrics, and expanded public-private partnerships to ensure veterans access tailored employment, education, and mental health resources. Follow-up actions include requesting detailed DoD-VA plans to implement their memorandum and improve TAP’s effectiveness. 

VA Processes Disability Claims In Record Time
The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) applauds the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for reaching a historic milestone in its commitment to serving America’s Veterans. In fiscal year 2025, the VA has processed more than 2 million disability benefits claims—breaking records and doing so more than a month faster than in FY 2024.

At this pace, the VA is on track to exceed last year’s total by more than 14%, having already awarded over $120 billion in compensation and pension benefits to Veterans and their survivors. The backlog of disability claims has decreased by more than 74,000, while the average processing time has improved from 141.5 days in January 2025 to 131.8 days as of June 21, 2025.

“VA has reduced the claims backlog and has processed these claims faster than ever for a simple reason: we’re focused on getting results for Veterans,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “We are just getting started in our mission to help Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors get the care and benefits they’ve earned.”

The FRA welcomes this significant progress and commends the VA’s commitment to timeliness. However, the Association will continue to closely monitor developments to ensure this acceleration does not compromise the accuracy of claims decisions.

Delivering benefits promptly is essential—but ensuring they are delivered correctly is equally vital. The FRA remains dedicated to advocating for a system that honors both speed and precision in support of those who served.

Veterans are encouraged to visit VA.gov to learn more and apply for the care and benefits they have earned.