At Your Service
For and about Hawaii's militaryBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Sunday, April 29, 2001
Question: What efforts are being taken by the VA to assist women veterans? [FOR YOUR BENEFIT]
Clinic provides health
care to women vetsAnswer: A National Registry of Women Veterans has been in existence since 1994 which identifies all women veterans separated from active military duty since Jan. 1, 1942. There is a women's clinic as part of the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical and Regional Office Center. The clinic provides comprehensive, holistic health care, including health screening, education and referral services for all eligible women veterans. The clinic also provides care for acute illness and general health-care needs. If you are a female veteran, register with the VA. Bring your discharge certificate (DD214) to the second-floor registration desk, VA Ambulatory Care Center, mountainside of Tripler Army Medical Center, directly across from the parking garage.
Q: I am a veteran and I need a hearing aid. Are they available through the Veterans Affairs (VA)?
A: Check in with the Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical and Regional Office Center Ambulatory Care Center registration area, located on the second floor, to find out if you qualify. To qualify, a veteran must have a service-connected hearing loss, a 10 percent or higher service-connected disability for whatever condition, or a Purple Heart medal. If you qualify, a hearing test will be scheduled.
If you have previously enrolled in the VA and have received a "zero-percent" disability rating for hearing loss, you still qualify for hearing aids. The zero rating only means you do not receive any monetary compensation for your hearing loss.
Finally, if you believe that you have a hearing loss as a result of military service, you can file a claim with the VA's benefits section for monetary compensation. A hearing examination will be set up. Once the hearing loss is found to be service-connected, the hearing aids will be made available.
When you visit your VA health provider, bring as much information as you can relating to your hearing loss, such as any previous hearing exams you may have had by civilian doctors, documentation that you worked around guns, artillery, or flight deck on aircraft carriers, etc.
If you have questions about benefits as a veteran, call Fred W. Ballard, assistant public affairs officer, at 433-0049, or the Star-Bulletin at 529-4747.
New Kaneohe barracks to be completed in 2002 [BRIEFLY]
The Korte Co., one of the nation's leading providers of integrated design-build and construction services, broke ground recently on a new temporary living facility for Marines at the Kaneohe Bay base. The project is slated for completion in March 2002.
When completed the 23,625-square-foot, four-building temporary living facility will include 50 efficiency living units with kitchenettes, administrative office space, and lobby and dining areas.
[CALENDAR]
MAY 4
>> Single Marine and Sailor's "Pre-Cinco de Mayo 5k & Family Fun Run." Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. 6:30 a.m. Starts and ends at Dewey Square. Register at the Semper Fitness Center, Bldg. 3037, or by phone at 254-7593. $12. All registered contestants will receive a SM&SP Cinco de Mayo 5k T-shirt. A free 1-mile Family Fun run will be conducted at the end of the run. Information packets may be picked up at the Semper Fit Center on Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
MAY 5
>> The U.S. Army Retiree Council will conduct a retiree appreciation seminar. 8 a.m. Nehelani Club. Schofield Barracks. Speakers will provide information on military health care, TRICARE retiree dental program and the development of a continuing-care retirement resort in Hawaii. The program ends with a no-host luncheon. For more information, contact the retirement services office at 655-1514.>> Military Appreciation Night at Paradise Cove.
MAY 5-6
>> Camp H.M. Smith's double elimination spring slow-pitch softball tournament. Bordelon Field. Camp Smith. Teams may register at the Semper Fit Center, Bldg. 9, though April 30. Registration fee is $175 per team. Contact Dave Pablo for more information at 477-0498.
[DEPLOYMENTS]
U.S. NAVY (PACIFIC FLEET)
Western Pacific
USS Chicago (SSN 721)
USS Louisville (SSN 724)
USS Kamehameha (SSN 642)
USS Columbia (SSN 771)
USS Santa Fe (SSN 763)
USS Los Angeles (SSN 688)
USS Chosin (CG 65)
USS Frederick (LST 1184)Hawaii area
USS Asheville (SSN 758)
USS Buffalo (SSN 715)
USS Charlotte (SSN 766)
USS Columbus (SSN 762)
USS Greeneville (SSN 772)
USS Hopper (DDG 70)
USS Lake Erie (CG 70)
USS O Kane (DDG 77)
USS Port Royal (CG 73)
USS Reuben James (FFG 37)
USS Russell (DDG 59)Eastern Pacific / West Coast U.S.
USS Salvor (ARS 52)
U.S. ARMY
Sinai: 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry RegimentAlaska, Kosrae, E. Micronesia, Bangladesh: 84th Engineers
East Timor: 25th Division, 9th Regional Support Command (U.S. Army Reserve)
Singapore: 9th Regional Support Command
Korea, Canada, Guam, Honduras, Japan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Kenya: Tripler Army Medical Center
Bosnia & Kosovo: 25th Division, 9th Regional Support Command
HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD
Germany: 291st Combat Communications Squadron, Air National GuardEngland: 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, Air National Guard
Italy: 292nd Combat Communications Squadron, Air National Guard
Persian Gulf, Germany, Italy and Turkey: 201st Combat Communications Group, Air National Guard
The Philippines: 204th Airlift Squadron, Air National Guard
Honduras: Company D, 1-207th Aviation, Army National Guard
COAST GUARD
Guam: HH-65 helicopter
MARINE CORPS
Okinawa: 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment; C Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine RegimentThailand: Combat Service Support Detachment 79
Gregg K. Kakesako covers Hawaii's military
for the Star-Bulletin. Email him at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
