General

TREA joins Toxic Exposure in the American Military Working Group In June, TREA joined a new coalition of 13 VSOs/MSOs to address the issue of toxic exposure. The T oxic E xposures in the A merican M ilitary (TEAM) coalition will research currently available data to develop resources and advocate for additional exposure treatment for veterans and active duty service members. There are more than 165,000 veterans enrolled in the VA's Burn Pit Registry -... Read More

TREA REPORTS GOOD NEWS FOR VIETNAM VETERANS Senate clears Navy Blue Water Bill Measure goes to President for Signature On June 12, 2019, the Senate cleared legislation, H.R. 299, that would expand disability compensation for Vietnam-era veterans who have been unfairly denied benefits for illnesses linked to Agent Orange exposure for decades. The House passed the bill on May 14 on a 410-0 vote. The Senate action sends the bill to the President to sign... Read More

TREA "The Enlisted Association" Washington Update • DOJ Decides not to Appeal the Decision in Procopio TREA "The Enlisted Association" Washington Update DOJ Decides not to Appeal the Decision in Procopio GOOD NEWS FOR NAVY BLUE WATER VETERANS The Solicitor General submitted a motion to SCOTUS to dismiss Gray v. Wilkie as a moot case, as DoJ has decided not to appeal the decision in Procopio. This means Procopio is now law of the land:... Read More

TREA Members -- MISSION Act begins June 6, 2019 VA health care options are expanding and TREA is sharing important information to keep you informed! These changes may provide you with the option to see private sector care providers, if you meet the eligibility criteria described below. Here is a brief summary about the changes and what they mean to you. Additional information will be posted on TREA s Website at www.trea.org VA Health Care... Read More

2019 Memorial Day Message I bring you warm greetings from TREA: The Enlisted Association National President Philip Hilinski and the full Board of Directors as we approach Memorial Day 2019. It is inspiring that so many Americans will honor their loved ones with visits to cemeteries or participate in ceremonies across the Nation. A special thanks goes out to those still on active duty, veterans, their loved ones and friends who provide continual support. Memorial... Read More

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The House Committee on Veterans Affairs recently cleared several bills and sent them to the House floor for action. Summaries of each proposal are listed below. H.R. 2045 - Veterans Benefits Agency A new agency would be created at the Department of Veterans Affairs to manage veterans benefits programs under H.R. 2045 . The current Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) mostly focuses on disability compensation and pension claims, which has resulted in a lack... Read More

Navy Blue Water Vietnam Veterans Act, H.R. 299 -- Passes House 410-0 TREA IS PLEASED TO REPORT The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a measure to ease disability benefit rules for veterans who served on ships off the coasts of Vietnam . These veteran suffered serious illnesses that are connected to chemical defoliant exposure. The legislation, H.R. 299, passed 410-0 with strong bipartisan support from both Democratic and Republican leadership. Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman... Read More