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NOTE:  There are no Veterans' hearings scheduled as Congress is taking their August recess.  Congress is scheduled to reconvene on September 13.

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THURSDAY -- 09 SEPTEMBER 2010

VETERANS Q and A with JIM STRICKLAND - VOLUME 54 for 2010 -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

WEDNESDAY -- 08 SEPTEMBER 2010

VA's MY HEALTHeVET: A RUSE BY ANY OTHER NAME ... -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland looks at the VA's My HealtheVet program, another good idea that is dying a painful death.

EMPLOYEES AT JACKSON VA HOSPITAL REALLY KNOW HOW TO PARTY! -- The "Refresh and Rebalance Event" included aromatherapy, beach bingo, hula hoop contests, golf putting, massages and playing Wii.

VAOIG: MISMANAGEMENT PLAGUES VA'S FLITE COMPUTER PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT -- FLITE program managers did not adequately monitor the contractor's performance and did not ensure elements considered necessary for success were included in the FLITE program.

TUESDAY -- 07 SEPTEMBER 2010

ARMY USES BOMB TECHS TO STUDY CONCUSSIONS -- "We tried to identify those populations that we could have almost an assured likelihood that they would have a concussive episode."

VETERANS Q and A with JIM STRICKLAND - VOLUME 53 for 2010 -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

VA TO OFFER HIGH-DOSE TRIPLE FLU VACCINE THIS YEAR -- Just like a regular dose, the high-dose vaccine will fight three strains of the flu, including H1N1.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND -- 04, 05 & 06 SEPTEMBER 2010

THE WEEK IN REVIEW from VA WATCHDOG DOT ORG -- A complete, one-page look at VA and veterans' news for the week ending September 4, 2010.

VA GETS READY TO PAY FOR NEW AGENT ORANGE PRESUMPTIVES -- The first payments will be made immediately after October 30, when a required 60-day review period for Congress will expire.

FRIDAY -- 03 SEPTEMBER 2010

THE VA IS NOT THE PLACE TO WORK THAT IT USED TO BE -- Latest Partnership for Public Service report shows the VA dropped from 12th among large agencies to 21st.

VAOIG: VA'S JACKSON REGIONAL OFFICE HAS 24% CLAIMS ERROR RATE -- Other problems include lack of control over date stamping documents and processing competency determinations.

THURSDAY -- 02 SEPTEMBER 2010

VETERANS Q and A with JIM STRICKLAND - VOLUME 52 for 2010 -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

VAOIG FINDS MORE VA CLINICS NOT MEETING HEALTH CARE STANDARDS -- Problems include veterans' auditory privacy and protection of veterans' personally identifiable information.

WEDNESDAY -- 01 SEPTEMBER 2010

SHINSEKI SAYS VA CLAIMS BACKLOG WILL BE BROKEN THIS YEAR -- VA Secretary Eric Shinseki: "We intend to break the back of the backlog this year."

AGING VETERANS' COSTS CONCERN OBAMA'S DEFICIT CO-CHAIRMAN -- Alan Simpson: "The irony is that the veterans who saved this country are now, in a way, not helping us to save the country in this fiscal mess."

GAO: VA'S NONFORMULARY DRUG REQUESTS NOT HANDLED IN A TIMELY MANNER -- VA does not have the framework in place to ensure that appeals of denied nonformulary drug requests are resolved in a timely fashion.

FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM LAWSUIT CAN GO FORWARD -- A federal judge ruled that a lawsuit by Oregon Army National Guard veterans against war contractor Kellogg Brown & Root can proceed.

NURSES AT AUGUSTA VA TO PROTEST WORKING CONDITIONS -- Fed up with what they say are forced 16-hour shifts and inadequate staffing, some RNs are planning an informational picket.

FOXNEWS.COM EXCLUSIVE: VA SPENDS MILLIONS TO MAINTAIN VACANT AND HAZARDOUS BUILDINGS -- Some buildings are home to rats, septic rainwater, exposed asbestos, lead paint, mold, radon and barrels of unidentified chemicals.

TUESDAY -- 31 AUGUST 2010

VA FINALLY PUBLISHES NEW AGENT ORANGE PRESUMPTIVES RULE -- We have an easy-to-read text version and a PDF version available for viewing or download.

DIABETES NOW THE MOST COMMON VA CLAIM FOR VIETNAM VETERANS -- "There needs to be a discussion about the costs, about how to avoid false positives while also trying to be sure the system bends over backwards to be fair to the veterans."

VETERANS Q and A with JIM STRICKLAND - VOLUME 51 for 2010 -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

A LOOK AT WHO'S FOR AND WHO'S AGAINST NEW AGENT ORANGE PRESUMPTIVES RULE -- Age and Agent Orange are closing in on Vietnam veterans, a legacy of hurt for those who served -- and a very big bill for American taxpayers.

FAMILIES SUE PRUDENTIAL OVER HANDLING OF SURVIVORS' BENEFITS -- Prudential says: "The notion that we're taking something away from the beneficiaries is completely wrong and one of the worst, most misleading facts that has come out."

IS THE VA USING THE SCHIZOPHRENIA DRUG SEROQUEL PROPERLY? -- The VA often dispenses Seroquel to treat PTSD symptoms and sleeplessness, a common practice known as "off-label" prescribing.