What's old is new again: @WRNMMC_DHA has brought back direct dial to clinics to make appointments. Definitely will save patients the trouble of having to figure out a workaround for the central appointment system -

Honored and humbled during what has been an extremely difficult year for the profession. So grateful to the #veterans and VA employees who shared their stories. Congratulations to follow honoree @iliemit as well as @QuilLawrence @Chris_ArnoldNPR @jimog Thomas Brennan @thewarhorse

NEW: Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick sits on the House Veterans Affairs Committee: ⁦@DOJCrimDiv⁩ Charges Congresswoman with Stealing $5 Million in ⁦@fema⁩ funds

Local DC heads up: @NORADCommand will conduct a an air defense exercise, Nov. 19 between midnight and 2 a.m. EST in the National Capital Region. Participating aircraft include F-16 fighters, a @USCG MH-65D Dolphin helicopter, @USArmy UH-60s @USNavy King Air and CAP C-182

Folks were asking on @SECNAV post for the backstory on this case - been a lot of debate recently about why vets place a premium on the 100% disability rating and a higher premium on medical retirement

#Marine veteran wins battle for burn pit-related medical retirement (posthumously) via @militarytimes

.@MarineCorpsFdn President Maj. Gen. Lukeman shares a special message with the veteran community as our nation approaches the 250th birthday of the Marine Corps. Check out the video to learn how you can honor a Marine in your life by nominating them for Marines Across America.

And another: The unregulated industry that coaches veterans to pile on benefits - ⁦@washingtonpost⁩

Next story in ⁦@washingtonpost⁩ series on ⁦@VAVetBenefits.⁩ ⁦@DeptVetAffairs⁩ pays more in disability for sleep apnea than some lost limbs

Lawmakers Demand ⁦@DeptVetAffairs⁩ Affairs Reverse Male Breast Cancer Decision — via ⁦@propublica⁩

They're really doubling down. If you’re at Fort Leavenworth and know what’s happening with the DFAC closure, message me. I understand there are social media restrictions during the shutdown, but I can still share what’s going on and you can stay completely anonymous.

Republican lawmakers lash out at Pentagon for keeping them in the dark

.@DeptVetAffairs tech glitch halts GI Bill payments to thousands via @HopeSeck @MilitaryTimes Advocates say it has nothing to do with the shut-down

U.S. Supreme Court weighs whether contractor can be sued under state tort claims for wartime negligence via @MilitaryTimes

.@SenTuberville proposes commission to study @DeptVetAffairs disability ratings system via @MilitaryTimes

.@svac @SVACDems host hearing on @VAVetBenefits in wake of @washingtonpost article on the VA's disability program. @VetAffairsOIG testifying. Watch live here:

Everyone should have their whooping cough shots but this is unforgivable from a public health standpoint: Louisiana officials waited months to alert public about deadly pertussis outbreak, investigation finds

.@theNASEM also looking for experts experts to participate in an ad hoc committee for a new consensus study to conduct an epidemiological study of veterans who served at Fort McClellan, Alabama, from 1979-1999 (ICMYI @SignalCorps1970)

The federal government’s own Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry just last year determined that Marines stationed Lejeune from the 1950s to 1987 had a higher risk of developing this rare disease from consuming water contaminated with chemicals

.⁦@DeptVetAffairs⁩ VA Makes It Harder for Male Veterans With Breast Cancer to Get Coverage via ⁦@propublica⁩