     NVN1094 -------

     The National Veterans News is published electronically on the first
     Thursday of each month by Consolidated Press Bureau, Inc.  (CPB).

     CPB employs its best efforts to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
     all information contained herein, but CPB does not guarantee the
     sequence, accuracy, or completeness of any information contained in
     this publication, and disclaims all liability to all parties for
     damages, occasional errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

     National Veterans News is a trademark of Consolidated Press Bureau,
     Inc.. All rights reserved.

     Copyright 1994 Consolidated Press Bureau, Inc..
     ----------------------------------------------------------------

     QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

     Q.	I got married recently.  Does my wife automatically become
     the beneficiary of my Department of  Veterans Affairs insurance
     policy?

     A.	No.  You must notify VA in writing that you wish to change
     your beneficiary and provide complete identification of the new
     beneficiary.



     Q.	Does VA provide life insurance for all military personnel?

     A.	Yes.  Life insurance is available to all members of the
     military, regardless of where they serve, through the Servicemen's
     Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program.  Military personnel receive up
     to $200,000 of life insurance protection under the SGLI program,
     which is supervised by VA.  Coverage of $100,000 is automatically
     issued to all individuals entering active duty in the military, and
     they can apply for up to an additional $100,000.  A member of the
     uniformed services can decline in writing if he or she does not want
     the coverage.  More than 99.9 percent of all individuals currently
     serving on active duty in the military are covered by SGLI.



     Q.	I am a Persian Gulf veteran.  Do I qualify for burial in a
     Department of Veterans Affairs national cemetery?

     A.	Yes.  Burial in a national cemetery is available to all
     members of the armed forces and veterans discharged under conditions
     other than dishonorable who completed their required period of
     service, as well as their spouses, minor children and, under certain
     conditions, unmarried adult children.  Also eligible for burial are
     members of the Reserves and the Army or Air National Guard or the
     Reserve Officers' Training Corps of the Army, Navy or Air Force who
     die while on active duty for training.



     Q.	What benefits are included ion veterans' rights to burial
     in a national cemetery?

     A.	For eligible veterans and family members, VA provides a
     gravesite; handles gravesite preparation and burial; furnishes a
     headstone or marker, a Presidential Memorial Certificate and a flag;
     and provides perpetual care.



     Q.	Why does my VA medical center ask if I have medical
     insurance when I go for treatment?

     A.	VA is required by law to bill insurance companies for the
     cost of medical care furnished to veterans, including
     service-connected veterans for nonservice-connected conditions
     covered by health insurance policies.  This makes VA similar to other
     health providers.  Filing claims with insurers does not cost the
     insured veteran anything.  The collection process is between VA and
     the veteran's insurance company only.



     Q.	Will I have to pay VA the difference if my insurance
     company does not reimburse the full amount of VA claims for my health
     care?

     A.	No.  VA will not try to collect unpaid funds from a
     patient.  This should not be confused with bills VA may send to
     veterans in a certain income category (Discretionary) who make
     copayment to VA for their medical care.



     Q.	I'm the widow of a Persian Gulf War veteran who died from a
     service-connected disability.  Am I eligible for his VA home loan
     entitlement?

     A.	You have entitlement in your own right as an unremarried,
     surviving spouse.



     Q.	I'm an honorably discharged veteran of the post-Vietnam
     Era.  I plan to retire shortly and would like to buy a new home.  I
     know that I was entitled to a VA-guaranteed home loan when I got out
     of the service.  Has the time limit expired on this benefit?

     A.	VA loan guaranty eligibility does not expire until it is
     used, except for eligibility based on service in the
     Reserves/National Guard.  That eligibility expires Oct. 28, 1999.



     Q.	I received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army after
     two years' active duty service during the Vietnam Era.  I live in
     Calgary, Canada.  Can I buy a house there with my VA home loan
     entitlement?

     A.	No.  VA home loan guarantees are available only the United
     States and its territories and possessions, which include Puerto Rico
     and the Northern Marianna Islands.

     Q.	Can I be excused from possible liability if a non-veteran
     assumes my home loan guaranteed by the VA?

     A.	Anyone may assume your loan.  If the buyer is approved by
     VA, you may be released from liability.



     Q.	May I use my VA home loan benefit to purchase a house for
     my son?

     A.	No.  The home must be the principal residence of the
     veteran with the VA loan guaranty entitlement.



     Q.	Can a veteran get a VA-guaranteed loan to purchase a
     condominium unit?

     A.	Yes, if the unit is located in a condominium complex
     approved by VA.



     Q.	Am I required to live in the house I purchased with my VA
     home loan eligibility?

     A.	Yes.  The law specifically required that you certify your
     intention to personally occupy the property as your home within a
     reasonable period of time in order for you to qualify for the loan.



     Q.	I understand the Department of Veterans Affairs is required
     by law to recover costs from health insurers for nonservice-connected
     medical care provided to veterans covered by private insurance
     policies and plans.  Since I don't have medical insurance, will I
     lose my eligibility to receive VA care?

     A.	No.  Whether or not you have insurance does not affect your
     eligibility for VA care.  Neither does it have a bearing on your
     income level that determines your category of eligibility under the
     VA means test.  VA does not consider insurance as income.



     Q.	Will my insurance costs go up because VA bills my insurance
     for my medical care?

     A.	To date, there have been no instances reported of insurers
     premiums being raised due to claims being filed by the government.
     Health insurance is intended to cover medical services listed in your
     policy.  The premiums you, your spouse or your employer pay are for
     those services.  Since you are using your policy to allow VA to
     recover costs, the insurance is being used as intended.



     Q.	I recently heard a statistic that approximately one-third,
     or 250,000, of homeless men are veterans.  Does the Department of
     Veterans Affairs offer any aid or assistance to these veterans?

     A.	VA has a comprehensive network of health-care services and
     a broad range of benefits for veterans.  Many of these services,
     although not specifically designed for the homeless, have assisted
     homeless veterans or have prevented other veterans from becoming
     homeless.  VA is directing $70 million to its specialized homeless
     assistance programs this hear, including grants and per diem payments
     to public and nonprofit groups that provide assistance to homeless
     veterans.  Four new Comprehensive Homeless Centers also will be
     established, bringing the total to six centers in major U.S. cities.
     VA also is starting eight new programs for homeless mentally ill
     veterans and two new domiciliaries for homeless veterans.  VA's
     Homeless Chronically Mentally Ill (HCMI) Veterans Program and its
     Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCVH) Program assist more
     than 15,000 veterans each year with medical and psychiatric
     treatment, counseling and residential rehabilitation programs.  VA
     Secretary Jesse Brown recently presided over the first National
     Summit for Homelessness Among Veterans in Washington, D.C., in
     February.  More that 780 people from the public and private sector
     involved in helping homeless veterans attended the conference and
     shared ideas on how to increase public awareness of the problem,
     encourage new efforts and improve existing ones and develop new
     partnerships and strategies to end homelessness.

     Q.	How long can I receive benefits from the Department of
     Veterans Affairs under the Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty) or
     Chapter 30?

     A.	You may receive up to 36 months of educational benefits.
     Total entitlement under any combination of education programs
     administered by VA is a maximum of 48 months.



     Q.	I'm attending school under Chapter 30 of the GI Bill.  Am I
     eligible for tutorial assistance?

     A.	Yes.  You may receive a special allowance for individual
     tutoring if you enrolled in school at least half-time.  To qualify,
     you must have a deficiency in a subject to make the tutoring
     necessary.  The school must certify the tutor's qualifications and
     the hours of tutoring.  If eligible, you may receive a maximum
     monthly payment of $100.  The total benefit cannot exceed $1,200.



     Q.	Where can I get further information on VA education
     programs?

     A.	The VA regional office nearest you can be reached toll-free
     at 1-800-827-1000.



     Q.	What is a Presidential Memorial Certificate?

     A.	A Presidential Memorial Certificate expresses the country's
     grateful recognition of an individual's service in the armed forces
     and bears the signature of the President.  These certificates are
     available to the next of kin and other family and friends of deceased
     veterans or persons who are on active military duty at time of death.
     Apply at any VA regional office, the nearest of which can be reached
     by calling 1-800-827-1000.



     Q.	My wife is buried in a national cemetery that is now
     closed.  We always planned to be buried together.  What can I do?

     A.	Even a "closed" cemetery can accommodate the burial of the
     spouse of someone already buried there.  "Closed" only means lack of
     space prevents the cemetery from accepting full casketed burials of
     those without a spouse already buried in the cemetery.  Most "closed"
     national cemeteries can also accommodate burial or inurnment of
     cremated remains of those otherwise entitled.



     Q.	  When my son was born, I sent the Department of Veterans
     Affairs a notarized copy of his birth certificate so the VA could
     increase my compensation for him as my dependent.  However, VA now
     says they cannot authorize additional compensation until I send an
     original or a certified copy of his birth certificate.  I don't want
     to send the original.  What is a certified copy?

     A.	A certified copy is one that is obtained from the custodian
     of public records, such as a state's Department of Vital Statistics
     or the county court clerk.  A copy from one of these sources will
     contain a stamp or seal certifying that the document is a true copy
     of the original.  If you are near a VA regional office, you may take
     the original birth certificate and a VA employee will photocopy it
     and certify it as a true copy of the original for VA purposes.



     Q.	I receive VA compensation and I wish to claim my adopted
     child as a dependent.  What documentation dies the VA require?

     A.	You should provide VA with a certified copy of the final
     adoption decree or the adoptive placement agreement.  In areas where
     court records of adoption are not readily available, an original or
     certified copy of the revised birth certificate showing the name of
     the veteran as parent may be acceptable.



     Q.	I am a retired Army officer and have applied for disability
     compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Will my grade
     entitle me to increased compensation?

     A.	No.  Military pay grade is not a factor in determining the
     degree of disability attributed to military service.



     Q.	What is the difference between VA disability compensation
     and pension?

     A.	Compensation is paid to a veteran with a disability that is
     related to military service.  While the disability need not be a
     result of performance of duty, it must have occurred or have been
     aggravated during military service.  Pension eligibility is
     determined by the income of a veteran and the number of his or her
     dependents.  To qualify for pension, a veteran must be permanently
     and totally disabled, as determined by VA.



     Q.	I'm a widow of a veteran and the Department of Veterans
     Affairs pays me Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) based on
     myself and my daughter, who will be 18 years old this month.  When
     will she be eligible for DIC benefits in her own right?

     A.	The effective date of eligibility is the first month
     following the 18th birthday, provided you daughter is attending a
     VA-approved school and is unmarried.  The age limit for eligibility
     is 23.



     Q.	My father served with the occupation forces in Nagasaki at
     the end of World War II.  He died last year of multiple myeloma.  Is
     my mother eligible for any compensation as a result of my father's
     service-connected condition?

     A.	Your mother should file a claim with VA for Dependency and
     Indemnity Compensation, citing your father's service in Nagasaki.
     Multiple myeloma is, by law, presumed to be service-connected if it
     appears at any time following a veteran's exposure to ionizing
     radiation while involved in certain radiation-risk activities during
     military service, including the occupation of Nagasaki at the end of
     World War II.



     ROHM AND HAAS RECEIVES EVE AWARD FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

     Rohm and Haas was just one of four organizations to receive a 1994
     Exemplary Voluntary Efforts (EVE) Award at ceremonies earlier today
     in Washington, D.C.  Marisa L. Guerin, Rohm and Haas vice president
     and director of Corporate Human Resources, accepted the award from
     U.S.  Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reisch, Assistant Secretary
     Bernard Anderson and Deputy Assistant Secretary Shirley J.  Wilcher.
     The EVE Award is given each year to recognize innovative, voluntary
     programs that increase employment opportunities for minorities, women
     and people with disabilities.  Rohm and Haas was singled out
     especially for its programs designed to encourage minorities and
     women to consider careers in chemistry.  "I happily accept the EVE
     Award on behalf of those who have worked for many years to be certain
     we include everyone in the Rohm and Haas workforce," said Guerin.
     "This support has come from all corners of the company -- from
     technical assistants and computer programmers to sales
     representatives and senior managers.  We are grateful that our
     progress has been recognized with the EVE Award," continued Guerin.
     "We look forward to making even greater strides in the future."
     Commenting on the award, Rohm and Haas Chairman and CEO J. Lawrence
     Wilson said, "I believe firmly in the strategic benefit of tapping
     into every aspect of the talent pool to ensure a competitive
     advantage for our company.  We want to have a workplace where the
     unique perspectives brought by gender, color and the country of
     origin are recognized, appreciated and rewarded.  "I'd match today's
     Rohm and Haas workforce with that of any other top-ranking chemical
     company in the world," continued Wilson.  "We have great people.
     And, while more progress needs to be made, we have come far in our
     efforts to have a truly diverse workforce.  I am especially proud of
     our involvement in programs to encourage minorities and women to
     follow career paths in science." Rohm and Haas has supported programs
     such as CHIME, PRIME and NOBCChE and others since their inception
     nearly 20 years ago.  The company also supports minority chemistry
     and chemical engineering programs at schools like North Carolina A&T,
     Howard, Vanderbilt and Drexel Universities.  Other efforts Rohm and
     Haas has in place include: -- Senior level internal programs to track
     the career development of women and minorities; -- Strong recruiting
     efforts that allow Rohm and Haas to hire more than 10 percent of the
     available women and minority Ph.D. candidates in chemistry and
     chemical engineering in the United States.  -- An employee-run
     advisory council on matters affecting women and minorities that has
     had the active support of management for more than 20 years.  --
     Ongoing training programs to help employees understand their own
     behaviors and their impact on others on topics ranging from sexual
     harassment to the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The EVE Award was
     initiated in 1983 and is presented by the Office of Federal Contract
     Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to contractors that "have exhibited
     innovative effort to increase employment opportunities for
     minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, disabled veterans
     and veterans of the Vietnam era."  According the OFCCP, a company
     must demonstrate commitment to equal employment opportunity that is
     measurable and innovative, efforts that go beyond "business as
     usual." Other organizations receiving the EVE Award today were
     Marshall University, Union Bank and Hyman/Manhattan, a joint venture.
     Procter and Gamble received the Secretary of Labor's Opportunity 2000
     award during today's ceremonies.  Rohm and Haas Company is a
     worldwide manufacturer of specialty chemicals and plastics which are
     used by industrial customers to make house paints, industrial
     coatings, adhesives, automotive parts, laundry detergents, diapers,
     motor oils and lubricants, leather goods, refined sugar, computer
     components medical devices, and many other products.  The company
     employs approximately 12,500 people worldwide and has annual sales
     approaching $3.5 billion.


     KIZER CONFIRMED AS HEAD OF THE VA MEDICAL SYSTEM

     WASHINGTON, Kenneth W. Kizer, M.D., M.P.H.,has been confirmed by the
     U.S. Senate as under secretary for health in the Department of
     Veterans Affairs (VA).  As under secretary for health, Kizer will be
     responsible for managing the Veterans Health Administration, the
     nation's largest integrated health care system, with a nationwide
     staff of 205,000 and a current budget of nearly $17 billion.  The VA
     system comprises 171 medical centers; more than 360 outpatient,
     community and outreach clinics; 130 nursing home care units; and 37
     domiciliaries.  An estimated 2.7 million individual veterans receive
     VA care annually.  "Dr. Kizer will be guiding the Veterans Health
     Administration through its most challenging period in history -- that
     of preparing for success in the framework of national health care
     reform," said VA Secretary Jesse Brown.  "His many talents
     immediately will be put to use in ensuring that veterans continue to
     receive high quality health care that is delivered in a timely and
     compassionate manner." Major congressional health reform proposals,
     modeled after the president's recommendation, call for VA, in
     addition to providing free services to service disabled and
     low-income veterans, to establish plans that would be open for
     enrollment to all veterans and their families.  VA has presented
     congressional testimony on its plans to reorganize its medical system
     in the competitive environment envisioned in reforming the nation's
     health care structure.  "It's a challenge I couldn't refuse," Kizer
     told the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs at his confirmation
     hearing.  "I believe that my experience ... would be useful to the
     Veterans Health Administration as it adapts to a very rapidly
     changing health care environment and as new paradigms of treatment
     and health service delivery become the norm." To provide quality
     health care at an affordable cost in the 21st century, Kizer called
     for VA to "reorient itself so that its normal modus operandi is one
     of local and regional integrated networks of service delivery having
     strong ambulatory care components.  "It needs to take advantage of
     advances in medical informatics and electronic information
     processing," added Kizer, who went on to say that VA "needs to be a
     system that focuses on the entire person and which integrates medical
     care with other services ... and in which male and female veterans
     are accorded the same priority and sensitivity." During the
     post-World War II era, VA adopted the academic model of health care
     in which physicians care for patients, teach medical students and
     residents, and engage in their own research.  Today, VA has developed
     strong ties to academic medicine with affiliations at 104 medical
     schools and 48 dental schools.  Of those ties, the new under
     secretary said, "Affiliations between academic medical centers and VA
     facilities allow the sharing of technologies, services and manpower
     that can be mutually beneficial.  I think that affiliations with
     academic medical centers also work to improve the quality of care
     provided at VA facilities." VA's active program of medical research
     has registered many accomplishments of international stature.  Kizer
     acknowledged an "intrinsic bias toward supporting research that would
     help improve the delivery of care" to America's veterans.
     Immediately prior to assuming his new duties, Kizer chaired the
     Department of Community and International Health at the School of
     Medicine, University of California, Davis (UCD), and for more than
     six years before that he served as California's director of health
     services.  He also held faculty appointments in emergency medicine
     and clinical toxicology at UCD, as well as public administration at
     the University of Southern California.  Kizer chairs the board of The
     California Wellness Foundation, one of the nation's largest
     philanthropies, and serves with several other nonprofit
     health-related organizations.  Kizer, a former U.S. Navy diver and
     diving medical officer, is nationally recognized for his expertise in
     environmental health and aquatic sports medicine.  He is a widely
     published author and frequent featured speaker in these and other
     areas.  Kizer earned both his doctorate of medicine and master's of
     public health degrees from UCLA in 1976, following graduation from
     Stanford University in 1972.  He has medical specialty board
     certification in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, occupational
     medicine, and general preventive medicine and public health.  He is a
     fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American
     Academy of Clinical Toxicology, the American College of Occupational
     and Environmental Medicine, the American College of Preventive
     Medicine, the Royal Society of Health, and the Royal Society of
     Medicine.


     TEAMSTERS BLOW THE WHISTLE ON COMPANY TAX BREAKS THAT KEEP WORKERS
     MIRED IN POVERTY

     A federal program of tax breaks is being exploited by Borg-Warner,
     the nation's largest security company to fatten its bottom line while
     it operates its business in a way that hurts the people the program
     is supposed to help, according to the Teamsters Union.  The Targeted
     Jobs Tax Credit was created to reward companies with tax breaks for
     hiring disadvantaged persons or Vietnam veterans with a history of
     unemployment.  But the Teamsters will present evidence that the
     federal program is so poorly run and policed that it perpetuates
     poverty, encourages the creation of "garbage" jobs, and actually
     gives the greatest rewards to the companies that treat their workers
     the worst.  A series of reforms will be proposed which, if enacted
     and enforced, could stop abuses of the program and enable it to meet
     its original goals of helping the neediest individuals escape chronic
     unemployment and work their way out of poverty.


     UNION BANK TO RECEIVE FEDERAL LABOR AWARD FOR RECRUITING PROCEDURES;
     FIRST EVER JAPANESE-OWNED COMPANY HONORED

     SAN FRANCISCO, Union Bank will receive a federal Department of Labor
     award for its employment and promotional opportunities for women,
     minorities, the disabled and Vietnam Era veterans.  The Office of
     Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) Exemplary Voluntary
     Efforts (EVE) Award honors federal government contractors who
     distinguish themselves by voluntarily implementing innovative
     recruiting and employee development programs.  Union Bank, 70 percent
     owned by the Bank of Tokyo, is the first Japanese-owned company ever
     honored in the 11 year history of the awards.  The awards ceremony
     will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept.  29, in the Great Hall
     at the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C.  Secretary of Labor
     Robert Reich will present the award to Union Bank, one of four
     companies to be honored for their voluntary efforts.  Union Bank's
     President and CEO, Kanetaka Yoshida, will attend the awards ceremony.
     "This is a wonderful honor for Union Bank and a credit to our human
     resources department who pioneered many of our successful employment
     programs," Yoshida said.  "California is a vibrant, ethnically mixed,
     socially progressive state and we work hard at attracting ambitious
     employees who reflect that energy.  It is this workforce that has
     helped Union Bank earn the achievements we enjoy today.  "I also
     would like to acknowledge our board of directors for their
     understanding and support," Yoshida continued.  "And, special credit
     also should be extended to our parent company, The Bank of Tokyo, for
     their commitment to our diversity programs." Union Bank was nominated
     for the EVE Award by the OFCCP district office in San Francisco.  The
     multi-step nomination process began with a stringent review of the
     bank's Affirmative Action compliance efforts, followed by an analysis
     of former or existing federal discrimination claims against the bank,
     and finally an evaluation of the bank's recruitment and development
     programs.  For example, one such program resulted in women and/or
     minorities being selected to fill all 11 branch manager positions in
     Northern California dating back to April 1992.  Union Bank's Senior
     Vice President Roger Crawford, director of human resources, said his
     department works hard at maintaining a workforce the mirrors the
     community.  "We have had tremendous success in recruiting our diverse
     workforce by actively participating in outreach programs and
     professional organizations such as the Bay Area Job Developers
     Consortium and the Goodwill Industries, as well as Financial Women
     International and the Urban and Hispanic Bankers Association,"
     Crawford said.  "But we don't just stop at recruiting.  We've also
     developed a number of educational and professional development
     courses to ensure our employees are prepared for advancement.  It's
     not enough to just recruit a diverse workforce; we want to help them
     advance as well." Based in San Francisco, Union Bank is the fourth
     largest commercial bank in California with $16.8 billion in assets.
     It has more than 200 offices statewide and five overseas facilities.


     RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN WWII VETERANS TO BE HONORED AT EMBASSY RECEPTION

     A joint Russian-American reception honoring Second World War veterans
     from both countries will be held during President Yeltsin's visit to
     Washington at the Russian ambassador's residence tomorrow, Tuesday,
     Sept. 27, from 6-8 p.m.  Russian guests of honor at the reception,
     co-sponsored by the Russian Embassy and The Center for Democracy,
     will include Russian Minister of Defense Pavel Grachev, Foreign
     Minister Andrei Kozyrev, and 28 marshalls and generals of the Russian
     armed forces.  American guests of honor include Navy Secretary and
     Mrs. John Dalton, former Defense Secretary Les Aspin, and a number of
     Senate and House veterans of World War II and current military
     leaders.  Earlier in the day, presidents Clinton and Yeltsin will
     hold a White House ceremony honoring the veterans.  "The Center for
     Democracy is proud of the fact that the idea for the two events --
     White House tribute and reception afterwards -- originated in a
     discussion earlier this summer which I held in Moscow with one of the
     Russian leaders who will be present tomorrow," noted Center President
     Allen Weinstein.  Among the speakers at the reception will be Kozyrev
     and Dalton.  Russian Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov will present a medal
     earned for World War II bravery to a Russian army veteran, long
     resident in the United States, Robert Zvi Glaizer.


     EPVA JOINS THE MTA AND NYC TRANSIT TO 'CELEBRATE THE ACCESSIBILITY'
     OF BOROUGH HALL STATION

     NEW YORK, Terence J. Moakley, Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association
     (EPVA) Associate Executive Director, Communications/Public Affairs,
     will be participating in a ceremony sponsored by New York City
     Transit to inaugurate the new disabled accessible elevators at
     Borough Hall subway station.  The event will take place at the
     elevator kiosk on the corner of Court and Montague Streets (by the
     fountain in front of New York State Supreme Court Building) in
     Brooklyn, N.Y. on Tuesday, September 20 at 10 a.m.  Brooklyn Borough
     President Howard Golden, NYC Transit President Alan Kiepper and
     Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman and Chief
     Executive Officer Peter Stangl will also be on hand for the
     celebration.  The new elevators are part of the MTA key station
     program, under which no less than 100 subway stations will be
     equipped with "street to platform" elevators.  Completion of this
     project will mean that the numbers 2 and 3 will be accessible in both
     directions and the numbers 4 and 5 will be accessible traveling
     uptown.  This program was designed with individuals with disabilities
     and senior citizens in mind, as part of the MTA's responsibility to
     comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  A
     similar event took place last May at the Herald Square subway station
     complex recognizing that station's accessibility improvements.
     Moakley, a wheelchair user, has been a member of the New York City
     Transportation Disabled Committee since 1985, which advises New York
     City Transit on accessible subway and surface transit improvements.
     At the ceremony, Moakley will discuss plans to make additional
     Brooklyn subway stations accessible.  EPVA, a chapter of the
     Paralyzed Veterans of America, was founded in 1946 to serve the needs
     of paralyzed veterans in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and
     Pennsylvania.  EPVA is dedicated to enhancing the lives of veterans
     with a spinal cord injury or disease by assuring quality health care,
     promoting research and advocating civil rights independence.


     SUPPORT PROGRAM REACTIVATED TO AID FAMILIES OF U.S. FORCES SERVING IN
     HAITI OPERATION

     WASHINGTON, A nationwide Family Support Network to assist the
     families of U.S. armed forces deployed in the Haiti peacekeeping
     operation has been reactivated by The American Legion.  William
     Detweiler, national commander of the 3.1-million-member veterans
     organization, said the Family Support Network is designed to aid
     families of National Guard and Reserve forces and other active duty
     personnel mobilized for the Haiti operation. First developed by The
     American Legion during the Persian Gulf War, the Family Support
     Network offers a toll-free number, 1-800-433-3318, for military
     families to call for assistance around the clock.  The requests for
     help will be relayed to the appropriate local American Legion
     organization for resolution by Legion or Legion Auxiliary members.
     Assistance can range from help with finding who to call about a slow
     payroll allotment check, to help for the family member who remains at
     home in handling household chores and child care.  Following its
     creation in October 1990 during the Gulf War, the Family Support
     Network received more than 34,000 phone calls from military families
     requesting assistance. "The families of those in the National Guard
     and Reserve who are being called up for this mission don't
     necessarily live near military bases where support is more readily
     available," Detweiler said.  "And, who knows better than we wartime
     veterans and our families what it means to be separated, often with
     little notice?" The national commander said the Family Support
     Network will remain in operation until units called up for the
     invasion return home.


     BEST WESTERN SPACE SHUTTLE INN HOSTS 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION: CEREMONY
     TO BE HELD AT VETERAN'S MEMORIAL PARK

     TITUSVILLE, Fla., For the seventh consecutive year, the Best Western
     Space Shuttle Inn, Titusville, will host the Florida branch of the
     2nd Infantry Division on Sept.  30-Oct. 1.  The reunion agenda will
     include a dedication ceremony in honor of foreign war veterans at 11
     a.m., Oct. 1, at the recently opened Titusville Veterans Memorial
     Park.  Organized in 1917 during World War I, the 2nd Infantry
     Division is one of only two divisions to be constituted on foreign
     soil.  "We will place bricks inscribed with the name of our division
     in front of the World War I monument and present a wreath in
     remembrance of all veterans during the ceremony," said Sheldon Silva,
     secretary/ treasurer and former president of the division.  "The
     Brevard County Honor Guard will conduct a 21-gun salute and taps, and
     retired U.S. Army Colonel Robert O. English will address the
     observance.  It will be a short but impressive ceremony." The Best
     Western Space Shuttle Inn continues to be chosen as the host reunion
     hotel by the division because of its proximity to diverse Florida
     attractions, according to Silva.  The Kennedy Space Center Spaceport
     U.S.A. and the National Wildlife Refuge are minutes from the hotel.
     Daytona Beach is approximately 40 miles away, and Disney World is
     within 35 miles.  Other annual military reunions held at the Best
     Western Space Shuttle Inn include the PT Boaters and LST 709,
     according to W.C. Van Engelenburg, owner of the hotel and member of
     the 2nd Division, who served in the Korean War with the Dutch special
     forces attached to the 38th Regiment of the 2nd Division.  With 1994
     and 1995 marking the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II,
     800,000 to 1 million former military personnel are expected to attend
     reunions, according to Reunion Research in San Francisco.  Best
     Western International's Together Again reunion program is available
     to assist reunion planners with military as well as family, school
     and other types of reunions.  Together Again provides planners with
     supplies such as personalized reunion souvenirs and reunion
     checklists.


     EPA'S DIOXIN REPORT REOPENS AGENT ORANGE CONTROVERSY, LEGION SAYS

     WASHINGTON, An EPA report on the hazards of dioxin gives new
     ammunition to veterans who charge the government with neglecting
     those injured by the herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
     "This should open the doors a little wider for veterans who need
     compensation and VA medical care for health problems caused by Agent
     Orange," said William M. Detweiler, the new national commander of the
     3.1-million member American Legion.  Detweiler, who was elected to
     the Legion's top post earlier this month, said the EPA study released
     yesterday also underscores the need for VA medical centers to become
     more involved in such issues as the reproductive health of female
     troops and the link between military service and birth defects.  "We
     failed to get involved in these medical issues for the Vietnam
     generation, and now we're seeing the same basic concerns about
     reproductive health and birth defects raised by Desert Storm veterans
     suffering from the Persian Gulf syndrome," Detweiler said.  He called
     upon the VA to expand the number of illnesses officially linked to
     Agent Orange exposure.  Currently, government rules recognize nine
     health problems as caused by the herbicide.  The Legion commander
     said the EPA's new scientific evidence justifies expanding the list
     to about 28, including diabetes, a variety of cancers and diseases
     related to the suppression of the body's immune system.  "The hidden
     suffering of Agent Orange veterans has gone on long enough,"
     Detweiler said.  "We must bind those wounds.  And we must deal with
     our Gulf War vets with more compassion and less skepticism."


     VIETNAM COMBAT VETERAN ELECTED AS AFA PRESIDENT

     ARLINGTON, Va., R.E. "Gene" Smith of West Point, Miss., was elected
     president of the Air Force Association by delegates to its 1994
     National Convention, held in Washington, D.C., Sept. 12-14.  Smith
     joined AFA in 1974 and is serving as chairman of the Long-Range
     Planning Committee.  He is a past chairman of the Veterans/Retirees
     Council; past president of Mississippi State AFA; and past president
     of the Golden Triangle Chapter.  His national AFA awards include two
     Medals of Merit, an Exceptional Service Award, a Special Citation,
     two State Storz Awards, and a Chapter Storz Award.  Smith is a Life
     member of AFA.  Smith is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel
     (1956-78) who saw combat in Vietnam.  He joined the Air Force in
     September 1956, serving in Air Defense Command and Tactical Air
     Command and flying a variety of fighter aircraft.  On Oct. 25, 1967,
     while flying his thirty-third combat mission over North Vietnam, he
     was shot down in Hanoi and captured.  He was repatriated on March 14,
     1973.  He completed his Air Force career in August 1978 as director
     of Operations for Air Training Command's 14th Flying Training Wing.
     Smith received two Silver Stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a
     Legion of Merit, two Air Medals, two Purple Hearts, the Vietnam Cross
     of Gallantry, a Meritorious Service Medal, and other military
     decorations.  Active in many business and civic organizations, he has
     served as president of the Starkville, Miss., Chamber of Commerce,
     Mississippi Airport Managers Association, Southeastern Airport, and
     the Greater Golden Triangle Economic Development Council Managers
     Association.  He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church and an
     elder.  He is also a Rotarian.  Smith was born in Marks, Miss.  He
     graduated from Tunica County High School in 1952.  He earned a degree
     in chemical engineering in 1956 at Mississippi State University.  The
     Air Force Association is an independent non-profit aerospace
     organization whose objective is to promote greater understanding of
     aerospace and national defense issues.  AFA is a grass-roots
     organization with a membership of nearly 180,000.  The Air Force
     Association was incorporated in the District of Columbia on Feb. 6,
     1946.


     AFA SAYS ENOLA GAY REVISIONS MUST GO FURTHER

     ARLINGTON, Va., Delegates to the 1994 Air Force Association National
     Convention unanimously adopted a resolution Monday that calls the
     recently revised Enola Gay script only the beginning of what should
     be "a continuing process of revision." The planned 1995 exhibit,
     titled "The Last Act: The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II,"
     has been widely criticized by veterans, members of Congress, and the
     general public as lacking balance and context.  The first two
     500-page drafts of the script essentially portrayed the Japanese as
     the victims of American aggression at the end of World War II.  Under
     pressure from Congress and veterans groups in August, the Air and
     Space Museum backed off from a June 21 declaration that the script
     was final, except for "minor wording changes." In mid-August, museum
     director Martin Harwit promised to deliver yet another revision by
     September 1.  The Air Force Association resolution notes that while
     "improvements have been made" in this latest revision, "there are
     serious lingering structural, contextual and ideological issues that
     must still be addressed in cooperation with members of Congress,
     veterans groups, and military historians." The Association stated
     that adding a photo exhibit to the front of the exhibit, titled "War
     in the Pacific: An American Perspective," will provide greater
     context on Japanese expansionism, atrocities and aggression.  But the
     resolution stated, "'The American Perspective' must be incorporated
     throughout" the rest of the exhibit as well.  An analysis of the
     latest script, conducted by AIR FORCE Magazine Editor in Chief John
     Correll, who authored previous reports and articles on the exhibit,
     points out that the emotional center of the exhibit, titled "Ground
     Zero: Hiroshima and Nagasaki," remains largely intact and continues
     to be out of balance, even when measured by the standard set by the
     museum director.  Correll also points out that speculative material
     on Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb has been preserved,
     including an underlying "attitude" that blames American decision
     makers for prolonging the war, rather than Japanese leaders.  While
     photos of American suffering during World War II have been added to
     the exhibit, there is still a 2 to 1 ratio of Japanese suffering to
     American suffering.  Correll notes that the changes in the script are
     commendable, but they are not as sweeping or as comprehensive as some
     may believe.  In its resolution, the Association stated that "The
     National Air and Space Museum is a national treasure.  As such, it
     has an obligation to tell the story of the end of World War II
     honestly, accurately, and in the proper balance and context." The Air
     Force Association is an independent nonprofit aerospace organization
     whose objective is to promote greater understanding of aerospace and
     national defense issues.  AFA is a grass-roots organization with a
     membership of nearly 180,000.  The Air Force Association was
     incorporated in the District of Columbia on February 6, 1946.


     LOCAL UNIONS TO AID CEMETERY RESTORATION

     ROCHESTER, Pa., On Saturday, September 10, members of International
     Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 140 will host a
     volunteer work day at the Irvin Cemetery in Rochester, Pa.  The
     four-acre cemetery, which is nearly 200 years old, has suffered from
     the effects of at least 60 years of neglect.  There is an overgrowth
     of brush and trees, graves that have sunken as much as two or three
     feet, and the destructive results of numerous acts of vandalism.
     There are more than 500 graves known to be located there.  However,
     some sources such as a local historical society believe the true
     number could be greater than 2,600.  Among those buried there are at
     least 350 veterans from wars as far back as the Civil War and Spanish
     American War with some as current as the war in Vietnam.  Volunteers
     from Local Union 140, in many cases assisted by members of their
     families, will work to clear brush, level graves, cut down trees and
     reseed the area with grass.  There will also be volunteers from other
     unions such as Carpenters Local 422 who are volunteering to build a
     tool storage shed on the cemetery property.  Much of the material
     needed for this project along with food for the volunteers has been
     donated or sold at reduced cost by local merchants.  Local Union 140
     Community Service Chairman Mark Benkart, became aware of the
     conditions at the cemetery from a local group formed in April of 1993
     called the "Irvin Cemetery Project!" According to the current
     chairman of the project, Cliff Horter, "Our group was formed from
     neighbors and others interested in restoring some dignity to those
     who are laid to rest there."  Benkart also stated, "Many people who
     live in the Beaver County Area would be surprised to find out that
     they have ancestors here and that many people connected to the
     history of the county are buried here." Local Union 140 President
     Jeff Davis added, "It is our desire to give something  back to the
     people of Beaver County where our members work, and in particular the
     Borough of Rochester where our Local Union is chartered, by helping
     restore the dignity that is deserved to those buried here." Local
     Union 140 is comprised of over 200 members that work in Beaver County
     for the local electric utility, Duquesne Light Company.


     THE AMERICAN LEGION ELECTS NEW LEADER

     MINNEAPOLIS, A Louisiana attorney and active member of the New
     Orleans community who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era
     has been elected to lead the nation's largest veterans organization.
     William Detweiler, 54, was elected national commander of The American
     Legion by delegates to the organization's 76th annual National
     Convention here today.  Following his election, Detweiler told the
     3,300 assembled delegates that during his year-long term as national
     commander, the 3.1 million- member American Legion will fight for
     inclusion of the VA medical system in health care reform; seek a
     constitutional amendment to protect the American flag from physical
     desecration; and work for improvements in veterans health, education
     and training programs.  He said the Legion also will stress the
     importance of maintaining America's national security and continuing
     The American Legion's membership growth.  "The VA health care system
     must be a partner in any plan for health care reform," Detweiler told
     delegates.  "Congress must hear this message loud and clear and
     appropriate the necessary funds to correct years of inadequate
     funding to allow the VA to operate efficiently and be a viable choice
     for veterans." The newly elected national commander also warned
     against the continued downsizing of U.S. armed forces.  "It now seems
     to be part of 'political correctness' to gut our military strength.
     Meanwhile, we see our armed forces sent on so-called peacekeeping or
     humanitarian missions.  Often, they are placed under the command of
     someone other than American leaders." Detweiler said The American
     Legion believes American troops should not be committed to missions
     unless there is a clear national interest at stake and Congress has
     given prior approval.  "And, we must insist that American troops
     remain under control of U.S.  commanders," Detweiler said.  He also
     urged all Legionnaires to support the Citizens Flag Alliance, a
     coalition of organizations seeking a constitutional amendment to
     protect the American flag from physical desecration.  Detweiler, a
     practicing attorney who has been the elected Constable of the First
     City Court for the City of New Orleans since 1979, received a
     bachelor's degree in sociology and political science from Loyola
     University in New Orleans in 1961 and a law degree in 1963 from
     Loyola School of Law.  He is a past president of the Louisiana City
     Marshals and City Constables Association, the Tennessee Williams/New
     Orleans Literary Festival, and was recently reelected to his fifth
     two-year term to the House of Delegates, Louisiana State Bar
     Association.  Entering the U.S.  Army in 1963, Detweiler served until
     1966 as an operations officer with the U.S.  Air Defense Command at
     Ft. Bliss, Texas.  He joined American Legion Post 307 in New Orleans
     in 1966 and began his rise to leadership of the 3.1 million-member
     organization with his election as Post 307's first Vietnam-era
     commander in 1972.  He later held leadership positions at the
     District (county/parish) and Department (state) levels, including
     District vice commander.  He served as judge advocate for the
     District from 1970-1985 and for the Department from 1969-86.
     Detweiler chaired The American Legion's Public Relations Commission
     from 1978-1986 and the National Foreign Relations Commission from
     1987-1992.  Between national chair positions, he served as national
     vice commander for 1986-87.  Elected national vice commanders were:
     Joseph T. Craig of Ketchikan, Alaska; Silas M. Noel of Frankfort,
     Ky.; Calvin E.  Patton of Camp Spring, Md.; H. Gordon Burleigh of
     Ticonderoga, N.Y.; and Vernon K.  Grosenick of Wautoma, Wis.
     Detweiler appointed the Rev. Roy L. Pryor Sr. of Saluda, S.C., as
     national chaplain.  M. LaReine Maxey of Big River, Calif., was named
     national historian, and Charles D. Aucoin of Westlake, La., was
     tapped for the position of national sergeant-at-arms.


     HONEYWELL SETTLES LABOR DEPT. DISCRIMINATION MATTER: AGREEMENT PUTS
     20-YEAR-OLD LOCAL ISSUE TO REST; BUILDS ON DIVERSITY PROGRAMS ALREADY
     IN PLACE

     MINNEAPOLIS, Honeywell Inc.  today said it has reached a settlement
     with the U.S.  Labor Department regarding the Department's finding
     that, between 1972 and 1977, Honeywell discriminated against women
     union workers in Minneapolis area factories.  The settlement comes 20
     years after a routine Labor Department audit of Honeywell operations.
     At the time, the Department raised concerns about some local
     Honeywell factory promotion and assignment practices that were part
     of a labor agreement between Honeywell and Teamsters Local Union
     1145.  Honeywell worked with the union local to change the practices
     in question in 1975.  "This agreement lays a 20-year-old issue to
     rest for Honeywell employees and for the company,"  said Mannie
     Jackson, Honeywell senior vice president of marketing and
     administration.  "At the same time, it encourages investment in
     current and future employees by furthering Honeywell's ongoing
     initiatives to foster an environment where all employees feel
     valued." Today's agreement calls for Honeywell to provide a total of
     $3.5 million in back pay and interest to the hourly female employees
     that the Labor Department has identified as having been affected.
     The Department contends that there were about 400 potential job
     assignments between 1972 and 1977 that should have been filled by
     women, with as many as 6,000 hourly female employees who may have
     been candidates.  Honeywell employed an average of 3,175 women at
     local factories between 1972 and 1977.  The Labor Department number
     assumes that almost all those women were affected and builds in an
     additional 3,000 to reflect potential turnover rates.  Additionally
     under the settlement, Honeywell will invest $3 million over the next
     five years to build upon a broad range of diversity programs already
     in place.  Honeywell's diversity initiatives and forward-looking work
     environment have won it national acclaim, including twice being named
     one of the nation's top 100 companies for working mothers by Working
     Mother magazine.  "Honeywell is proud of the diversity programs we
     have put in place over the past two decades and for the national
     recognition we have received as being a good place to work," Jackson
     noted.  "This agreement recognizes our past work and supports our
     commitment to build on those efforts in the future." The agreement
     specifically states that Honeywell is not admitting discrimination by
     settling, Jackson noted.  "We believe the practices cited by the
     Labor Department were consistent with general industry practices of
     the 1970s,"  he said.  "But we also wanted to resolve this in a
     responsible manner.  It just doesn't make sense to prolong an issue
     that has been pending in the Labor Department for two decades." In
     March 1994, the Secretary of Labor found that Honeywell owed back pay
     to women affected by its past promotion and assignment practices at
     Twin Cities area factories between 1972 and 1977.  The Department's
     decision came after it had been criticized for its long delays in
     resolving sexual discrimination claims.  "The settlement is in
     everyone's best interests,"  said Jackson.  "By working in a spirit
     of cooperation and partnership, Honeywell and the Labor Department
     have been able to arrive at a model solution."

     Back pay arrangements

     Under the settlement, the Labor Department's Office of Federal
     Contract Compliance Programs is responsible for determining who
     should receive back pay and the amount each will receive.  Former or
     current female Honeywell hourly employees with questions about
     eligibility and related issues can call the Office of Federal
     Contract Compliance Programs at (202) 219-8000.  The government
     expects to begin mailing notification to the women it has identified
     as being eligible starting this week.  Honeywell then expects to mail
     checks to these women in early 1995.  Individual payments will vary
     depending upon the woman's seniority group and other criteria.  The
     women who will receive payments all held hourly union positions in
     Twin Cities area factories and worked within one of four specific
     seniority groups.  Depending on the seniority group, additional
     criteria regarding dates of service and the worker's position also
     may apply.

     Diversity investments

     Also under the settlement, Honeywell has agreed to invest $3 million
     over the next five years on programs to enhance diversity.  Honeywell
     will use the funds to expand and enrich a broad range of initiatives
     already in place.  In 1986, Honeywell established a diversity
     department that functions as a dedicated resource to identify and
     monitor issues, arrive at solutions and help guide the company's
     diversity initiatives.  Underlying these initiatives is Honeywell's
     commitment to encourage active employee participation, to be
     proactive and to reflect the workforce diversity inherent in
     Honeywell's own customer base.  Honeywell offers programs and
     workshops, some mandatory, in such areas as sexual harassment
     awareness and prevention, intercultural communications and
     sensitivity to and appreciation of diversity.  The company's
     professional development programs seek to build and strengthen skills
     across all employee backgrounds and levels.  And the company supports
     10 formal employee groups -- among them, the Women's Council, the
     Black Employee Network and the Older Workers League -- to help
     identify and address issues and opportunities facing specific
     employee segments.  These and other initiatives have earned Honeywell
     national recognition.  Honeywell is named in the 1993 book "The Best
     Companies for Minorities"; more recently, Black Professional magazine
     selected Honeywell for inclusion in its September 1994 overview
     "Great Places to Work." In 1986, the Disabled American Veterans
     National Board gave Honeywell its Large Employer of the Year award.
     And Working Mother magazine selected Honeywell as one of the nation's
     top 100 companies for working mothers in 1991 and again in 1993.  The
     publication cited Honeywell as one of the country's most innovative
     and advanced companies in support of working families.  Criteria
     under which Honeywell was selected included pay for women,
     advancement opportunities for women, support for child care and
     family-friendly benefits.  Honeywell is a global controls company
     providing products, systems and services that increase comfort,
     environmental protection, energy conservation, productivity and
     safety in homes and buildings, industry, and aviation and space.  The
     company employs 51,000 people in 95 countries on six continents, and
     had 1993 sales of $6 billion.


     THIRD PENNSYLVANIA GUARD OFFICER GIVEN HIGH POST

     FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa., Brig. Gen.  Walter Stewart of the
     Pennsylvania National Guard has been appointed an assistant to the
     Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, it was announced today.  He
     becomes the third current Pennsylvania Guard general officer to be
     selected and appointed to a major Guard position at the national
     level.  "This is an unprecedented achievement for the Pennsylvania
     Guard," said Maj.  Gen. Gerald T. Sajer, Pennsylvania's Adjutant
     General.  "It shows clearly the high level of professional competence
     and the great depth of the senior officer corps within the
     Pennsylvania Army Guard." Gen. George Joulwan appointed Stewart, of
     Bernville, Berks County, as his assistant for mobilization and
     reserve affairs.  Stewart will advance to the rank of major general.
     Maj. Gen. Allen E. Chandler, a Philadelphia pediatrician, is deputy
     surgeon general for National Guard Affairs, and Maj. Gen. George W.
     Schuler, a Philadelphia educator, is deputy commanding general for
     the Training and Doctrine Command of the National Guard.  Joulwan is
     himself a native Pennsylvanian, from Pottsville.  In announcing the
     selection, Joulwan said he expects Stewart to "be our center pin for
     increasing reserve component involvement throughout the European
     Theater." Joulwan added that one of Stewart's first tasks will be to
     work on increasing the planning to integrate Guard and Reserve units
     in European missions.  Stewart has 28 years' service in the active
     Army and National Guard and is a veteran of the Vietnam War.  He was
     commander of the 28th Aviation Battalion when it was converted to a
     brigade in 1986.  He has been an assistant adjutant general since
     February 1991.


     FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF VETERAN SEEKING COMPENSATION
     FOR RADIATION EXPOSURE

     WASHINGTON, A federal appeals court today overturned a Court of
     Veterans Appeals (COVA) decision denying a World War II veteran
     compensation for ailments believed caused by radiation exposure while
     he was stationed in Nagasaki, Japan, less than two weeks after
     detonation of an atomic bomb.  The controversy concerns the meaning
     and effect of a 1984 law that Congress intended to make it easier for
     certain veterans to establish entitlement to compensation for
     illnesses believed caused by radiation exposure during their military
     service.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) interpreted the new
     law as removing a veteran's right to prove service connection for
     disabilities other than those included in a list of illnesses
     recognized by the VA as caused by radiation exposure, according to
     the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), which represented the veteran.
     The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in its ruling in
     Combee v. Brown agreed with the DAV's argument that the 1984 law was
     intended to supplement -- not replace -- existing procedures for
     proving disability claims.  "The Federal Circuit's ruling is a major
     victory for veterans whose disabilities may be caused by radiation
     exposure but are not on the list of illnesses officially assumed to
     be associated with radiation exposure," said DAV National Adjutant
     Arthur H.  Wilson.  "Although illnesses not on the VA's list may have
     no established or assumed relation with radiation exposure, veterans
     now are no longer prevented from proving their claims with scientific
     or medical evidence of actual causation."


     DAVID HYMES ELECTED NATIONAL COMMANDER OF JEWISH WAR VETERANS OF THE
     UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

     WASHINGTON, The Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. (JWV), this
     nation's oldest, active national veterans' organization, announces
     the unanimous election of David H. Hymes of Lincolnwood, Ill., as
     national commander.  The election took place at the organization's
     99th annual national convention in Dallas.  Following his election,
     the new national commander commented, "I am honored to be elected
     national commander of this great organization, and I pledge to work
     for you, the members of JWV, to the best of my ability." Born in
     Chicago in 1917, Hymes entered the Army in 1941, prior to the attack
     on Pearl Harbor.  He saw his first overseas duty in Panama in 1942.
     After attaining the rank of sergeant, Hymes returned to the United
     States in late 1942 to attend Officers Candidate School, and was
     commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps in
     1943.  After serving with a transportation battalion for six months,
     he was transferred to the Adjutant General Department.  As a
     lieutenant, Hymes found himself in England with SHEAF Headquarters,
     and was promoted to first lieutenant, becoming the postal finance
     officer for the invasion of Europe.  Hymes landed on Omaha Beach to
     carry out the assignment of furnishing all APOs with their supplies.
     While on duty, Hymes was wounded in February 1945, and was
     hospitalized for nine months in England, France and Illinois.  He was
     separated from the Army in February 1946.  Hymes joined Skokie Post
     328 in 1963, and left to help form the Dr.  Samuel Perlman Post 800
     in 1967, where he served as post commander from 1970-1972.  Hymes was
     subsequently elected Illinois department commander in 1976.  Among
     the many awards bestowed upon Hymes by his department was the
     Distinguished Veteran Award in 1977, the Honor Award, and the highest
     awards given by Post 800 -- the Doc Award and the Recognition Award.
     Hymes has also been cited by the Illinois State Legislature and the
     Cook County Veterans Assistance Commission for his work on behalf of
     veterans.  On the national level, Hymes has served on the National
     Executive Committee (NEC) since 1977, and was elected NEC secretary
     in 1979.  Hymes served on the Budget Committee and held the position
     of national civil rights officer from 1981-1987.  He recently
     completed a term as JWV national programs chairman for 1993-1994, and
     national public affairs officer from 1988-1993.  Hymes also served as
     chairman of the National Resolutions Committee and chairman of the
     National Convention Rules Committee.  Additionally, Hymes served on
     the board of directors of the National Museum of American Jewish
     Military History, the museum which chronicles Jewish participation in
     defense of this nation.  Hymes is also a life member of the Disabled
     American Veterans, and is a long-time member of the JWV Century Club.
     Hymes and his wife, Evaline, have two children and four
     grandchildren.  Founded in 1896, JWV is known as the "Patriotic Voice
     of American Jewry," and will celebrate its centennial in 1996.


     VIETNAM WAR HERO SLATED FOR RECOGNITION BY CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY

     SACRAMENTO, Calif., Major Nguyen Quy An rescued four U.S. airmen when
     their helicopter was shot down during the Vietnam War.  His bravery
     is not forgotten.  On Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 10 a.m. this former
     South Vietnamese helicopter pilot is scheduled to be recognized on
     the floor of the California State Assembly.  Tomas Alvarado will
     escort An to the ceremony on behalf of the California Department of
     Veterans Affairs (CDVA).  Alvarado currently serves as deputy
     director for CDVA.  On the day of his heroic action, An guided the
     stricken aircraft to a suitable landing site and, under heavy enemy
     fire, landed beside the downed chopper.  He loaded the four
     Americans, took off and returned them to their base.  For his
     heroism, the United States awarded An the Distinguished Flying Cross.
     Senate Joint Resolution 48, authored by Senator Alfred Alquist (D-San
     Jose) and co-authored by Assemblyman Dominic Cortese (D-San Jose),
     memorializes President Bill Clinton and Congress to permit An and his
     daughter to remain in the United States and assist them in obtaining
     U.S. citizenship.  An was recently featured in the
     nationally-syndicated television program "The Crusaders."  His story
     also appeared in The Sacramento Bee in January.


     NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO EXHIBITION
     FEATURING THE ENOLA GAY AND THE END OF WWII

     WASHINGTON, The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum has
     announced that an exhibition focusing on World War II in the Pacific
     Theater from 1937 to 1945 has been added to the upcoming exhibition,
     "The Last Act: The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II.  The new
     exhibition, tentatively titled "The War in the Pacific:  An American
     Perspective," is being added in response to complaints from veterans'
     organizations and military historians that "The Last Act" was
     unbalanced in that it did not provide sufficient context about the
     origins of World War II.  "After reviewing the original exhibition
     script many times," National Air and Space Museum Director Martin
     Harwit said, "we felt that their concerns were valid, and we think
     this new exhibit -- coupled with changes within the original
     exhibition -- addresses those concerns." "American Perspective" will
     focus on the ways that Americans experienced the Pacific War, both on
     the battlefield and on the home front.  The background for the
     exhibition will be the major military engagements of the Pacific,
     beginning in 1937 when Japan embarked on the conquest of China and
     continuing with the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the
     major carrier battles and costly assaults on Pacific islands that
     followed.  The photo exhibition will end with the capture of Okinawa
     by American forces, in June 1945.  Against that setting, photographic
     images will show views of the war as seen by individual soldiers,
     sailors, marines and airmen.  The exhibition will occupy an area of
     approximately 4,000 square feet and will consist of approximately 50
     photographs.  "American Perspective" will also include a Grumman
     F6F-3 Hellcat, the most successful carrier-based fighter in World War
     II.  The exhibition will be located in the "Special Aircraft
     Exhibitions" gallery space in the museum, directly adjacent to "The
     Last Act."  Each visitor to "The Last Act" will first pass through
     "American Perspective." "Every major exhibition or film undergoes a
     very thorough review process," Harwit said.  "As 'The Last Act' went
     through this process, a number of military historians and
     representatives of veterans' organizations expressed their concerns
     that the exhibition did not include enough information about the
     origins of World War II and Japanese expansionism and aggression in
     the late 1930s and early war years.  Because the focus of the
     exhibition was the final months of the conflict, they were concerned
     that an uninformed visitor would leave the exhibition with the false
     impression that Japan was the victim and the United States the
     aggressor." A central feature of "The Last Act" will be the forward
     fuselage of the B-29 Enola Gay, the aircraft that dropped the first
     atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.  The restoration of
     the Enola Gay is the largest such project in the museum's history,
     costing the museum nearly $1 million and requiring more than 35,000
     hours of labor since the restoration effort began in 1984.  "The Last
     Act" will focus on five areas: the Pacific War in the summer of 1945,
     the decision to develop and use atomic bombs, the two missions, the
     effects of the bombings on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and
     the legacy of the bombings.  "American Perspective" will be curated
     and designed by a team of National Air and Space Museum staff
     members.  The exhibition team includes Col. Tom Alison, USAF (Ret.),
     curator of military aircraft; Lt. Col. Donald Lopez, USAF (Ret.),
     former deputy director of the National Air and Space Museum; Capt.
     E.T. Wooldridge, USN (Ret.), former chairman of the department of
     aeronautics and current Ramsey Fellow (naval aviation historian); and
     Nadya Makovenyi, assistant director for exhibits and public spaces.


     EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE TO BATTLE COLLEGE AID SCAMS

     Hundreds of college consulting rip-off operations have sprung up all
     across the country in the last five years, according to Daniel J.
     Cassidy, founder of the Education Roundtable, a professional
     association of specialists in the education-information field.  The
     largest of these operations are little more than pyramid-schemes.  A
     company will have hundreds or even thousands of licensees who market
     the college aid services in their local area by preying on anxious
     students and their families.  The licensee will offer such services
     as college selection, career information, SAT preparation, and most
     importantly, a computer search for financial aid sources, and charge
     from $100 to $500.  "Most of this information is available free in
     libraries and bookstores," Cassidy points out.  "In addition, these
     rip-off operations usually provide financial aid sources that do not
     at all match the student's situation, so the student pays a lot of
     money for a list of sources that he or she does not even qualify
     for," added Cassidy.  Cassidy formed the Education Roundtable in part
     as a way to fight against these scams by establishing minimum
     standards of accuracy, originality, and reliability for anyone
     working or publishing in the education-information field.  The need
     for such oversight is tremendous.  In 1992, for example, the Federal
     Trade Commission shut down a fraudulent college aid company called
     Academic Guidance Services.  Headquartered in Mount Laurel, New
     Jersey, AGS had recruited over 17,000 licensees who filed a
     class-action suit against AGS for making fraudulent claims and
     providing bogus services.  The Federal Court ordered AGS to pay its
     former licensees $1.05 million.  Thus far, 10 leading experts in the
     education-information field have joined with Cassidy in this battle
     against college aid scams.  They include, Pamela Mendelsohn (author
     of Happier by Degrees: A College Re-entry Guide for Women), and Gail
     Ann Schlacter (author of numerous financial aid guides for
     minorities, women, the disabled, and veterans).  "In the education
     arena, this idea of quality control is not new by any means,"
     contended Cassidy.  "Peer review is a standard mechanism in every
     area of specialty for assuring the quality of the work produced by
     people engaged in a given specialty.  We would be in grave danger if
     the American Medical Association or the American Bar Association did
     not try to control quacks and charlatans.  The Education Roundtable
     will do the same for the education-information field,"  Cassidy said.
     Daniel J. Cassidy is the author of The Scholarship Book, (Fourth
     edition; Prentice Hall, 1993), The Graduate Scholarship Directory,
     (Third edition; Career Press, 1993), and The International
     Scholarship Directory, (Third edition; Career Press, 1993).  Cassidy
     is also the founder and president of National Scholarship Research
     Service, which he started 15 years ago.  Cassidy has extensive radio
     and TV experience, and is available for interviews.  Call
     707/546-6781.


     AMVETS ELECTS NEW COMMANDER; NEW YORK VETERAN TO LEAD VETERANS
     ORGANIZATION

     BUFFALO, N.Y., AMVETS today elected Arthur W.  Klingel, Jr., of
     Massapequa, N.Y., as its national commander for 1994-95.  Klingel,
     having served one term as national first vice commander for
     membership, will now serve a one-year term as leader of the nation's
     fourth largest veteran organization, headquartered in Lanham, Md.  A
     member of Post 88 (Massapequa, N.Y.), Klingel has held other key
     offices in the organization ranging from department commander to
     National District I commander.  He has also served as national judge
     advocate for five years as well as a two-year term as commander of
     Post 88.  His election took place at the AMVETS national convention
     in Buffalo where some 2,000 delegates and members have been meeting
     this past week.  Klingel, an attorney-at-law, is sole proprietor of
     the law practice, Arthur W. Klingel, Jr.  located in Massapequa, N.Y.
     A U.S. Navy veteran, Klingel and his wife Elizabeth reside in
     Massapequa.  AMVETS, whose members have served their country since
     World War II, was chartered by Congress in l947.  With more than
     1,400 posts around the world, AMVETS is dedicated to helping veterans
     help themselves, promoting world peace and preserving the American
     way of life.


     AMVETS ANNOUNCES SELECTIONS FOR SILVER HELMET AWARD

     BUFFALO, N.Y., Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown and Rep.
     Lane Evans (D-Ill.) head the list of those named today to receive the
     prestigious AMVETS Silver Helmet Award.  Brown is to receive the
     Silver Helmet Rehabilitation Award; while Evans will receive the
     Silver Helmet Congressional Award.  Others selected for awards are
     Chicago Sun-Times columnist Irv Kupcinet (Americanism); David L.
     Armstrong, Jefferson County judge/executive in Louisville, Ky.
     (Civil Servant); and Russell Tarver Sr., of AMVETS Post 34 in Cicero,
     Ill. (AMVET of the Year).  Recipients of the AMVETS Special Award are
     AMVETS Past National Commander Joe F.  Ramsey Jr., Bernard F.
     Mullins, consultant to the AMVETS/Toyota USA Safe Driving Challenge
     program and Elisabeth Visser, a Canadian citizen whose heroic efforts
     saved many lives during the German Occupation of Holland during World
     War II.  Miss America 1994, Kimberly Aiken of Columbia, S.C., will
     receive the AMVETS Auxiliary Humanitarian Award.  For nearly 36
     years, the AMVETS Silver Helmet Award has been presented to public
     figures and private citizens alike to recognize outstanding
     accomplishments in various fields.  During this time, the award --
     which is a silver replica of the World War II G.I. helmet -- has come
     to be known as the "Veterans' Oscar." This year's selections were
     made at the AMVETS national convention in Buffalo, attended by some
     2,000 delegates and members.  AMVETS is a congressionally chartered
     veterans organization, whose members have served their country from
     World War II to the present.  With more than 1,400 posts throughout
     the world, AMVETS is dedicated to helping veterans help themselves,
     promoting world peace and preserving the American way of life.


     DR. WILLIAM BENNETT TO KEYNOTE VFW NATIONAL CONVENTION OPENER

     LAS VEGAS, Nev., Dr. William Bennett, co-director of Empower America,
     will be the keynote speaker for the opening session of the 95th
     National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).  The
     session will take place in hall N2 of the Las Vegas Convention Center
     on Monday, Aug. 22 at 9:00 a.m.  Bennett was appointed chairman of
     the National Endowment for the Humanities by President Ronald Reagan
     in 1981.  In 1985 he was named Secretary of Education and later
     became "drug czar" in 1989 under President George Bush.  In his
     post-government career, Bennett has authored two books: the highly
     praised "Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories" (on the
     New York Times best seller list), and The "Index of Leading Cultural
     Indicators." A commentator and frequent guest on "Good Morning
     America,"  "CNN," "The MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour" and NBC's
     "Nightline," Bennett is currently a distinguished fellow in cultural
     studies at the Heritage Foundation and is co-director of Empower
     America, both public policy "think tanks." Dr. Bennett was the 1987
     recipient of the prestigious VFW James E.  Van Zandt Citizenship
     Award.  The VFW, founded in 1899, is the nation's oldest major
     veterans organization.  Its more than 2.1 million members include
     approximately 1.1 million World War II veterans, some 528,000
     veterans of Vietnam, more than 425,000 Korean War veterans and
     veterans of Panama, Grenada, Lebanon and the Persian Gulf War, as
     well as occupation and expeditionary forces.


     AMVETS SELECTS EMPLOYERS OF THE YEAR; WINNERS NAMED AT NATIONAL
     CONVENTION IN BUFFALO

     BUFFALO, N.Y., Paltier Corporation, of Michigan City, Ind., General
     Refractories Co., of Warren, Ohio, and Freightliner Corporation of
     Mt. Holly, N.C., were named Employer of the Year by AMVETS, the
     nation's fourth largest veterans service organization.  The annual
     award recognizes those employers who have distinguished themselves in
     their respective size categories during the past year in recruiting,
     hiring and retaining veterans -- disabled, Vietnam era and women
     especially.  Paltier, a corporation who specializes in metal products
     is the winner of the 25-100 employees category.  The company has a
     total of 80 employees in the firm, of which 12 are veterans, 8 are
     Vietnam veterans, and 2 disabled.  General Refractories, a refractory
     products company, is the winner of the 101-300 employees category.
     The company's efforts in utilizing the state of Indiana's job
     employment service and its Local Veterans Employment Representative
     (LVER) have aided in increasing the company's number of new hires by
     100 percent.  General Refractories has employed a total number of 113
     new personnel, 9 of which are veterans, 3 Vietnam era veterans and 1
     disabled veteran.  Freightliner Corporation, a truck assembly
     company, is the winner of the 301-Up employees category.  The company
     has hired a total of 2,225 employees, of which 20 are veterans, 4
     Vietnam veterans and 2 are women veterans.  More than 2,000 delegates
     and members of AMVETS and its subordinate organizations are meeting
     this week during the group's 50th convention at the Buffalo
     Convention Center.


     STATE OFFERS $65 MILLION IN NEW MORTGAGE FUNDS TO FIRST-TIME
     HOMEBUYERS

     BOSTON, On behalf of the Weld-Cellucci Administration, Secretary Mary
     L. Padula today announced the availability of $65 million in
     mortgages at the fixed, 30-year rate of 6.99%.  The mortgages are
     available starting Thursday, August 18, 1994 through participating
     lenders statewide under the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency's
     (MHFA) popular first-time homebuyer program.  "This mortgage program
     goes a long way in encouraging self-sufficiency among Massachusetts
     residents," said Secretary Padula.  "This exciting opportunity gives
     new owners the pride and security of owning their own home as well as
     the sense that they are investing in their neighborhoods and
     communities." "We are pleased to be able to offer first-time buyers
     mortgages at such an attractive rate," said MHFA Executive Director
     Marvin Siflinger.  "By securing a low, fixed-rate for the life of the
     loan, the State has paved the way for literally hundreds of
     prospective buyers to become first-time homeowners." The mortgage
     offering is expected to help approximately 650 families buy their
     first home at an annual savings of $1,200 in principal and interest
     costs (compared to payments on a conventional mortgage of 8.5%).  To
     qualify, borrowers must have a signed Purchase and Sale Agreement and
     meet income and home purchase price guidelines.  Except in
     federally-targeted areas, applicants must be first-time buyers.  In
     addition to the attractive interest rate, MHFA loans offer a minimum
     down payment of only 5%.  Other benefits include flexible
     underwriting requirements and, in some cases, closing cost
     assistance.  MHFA has also introduced a flexible point program
     through which qualified borrowers can choose whether to pay zero, one
     or two points at closing.  For borrowers who choose not to pay two
     points, the mortgage interest rate will be slightly higher,
     increasing by 1/8th of a percent for each point not paid.  Funds are
     available through various MHFA programs including Homebuyer
     Counseling, Neighborhood Rehabilitation, and General Lending.  Half
     of the $20.5 million in General Lending funds are set aside for
     "priority borrowers" defined as minorities, veterans, and disabled
     lower- income households.  Funds are expected to be disbursed rapidly
     and only to applicants who have already signed a Purchase and Sale
     Agreement.  Prospective buyers who have not yet reached the Purchase
     and Sale stage are encouraged to take advantage of other MHFA
     mortgage offerings later in the year.


     AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM CONTINUES REVISIONIST LINE ON WORLD WAR II

     ARLINGTON, Va., The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space
     Museum continues to ignore criticism from veterans groups, military
     historians, and members of Congress directed at its plans for a 1995
     exhibit that takes a revisionist approach to the atomic bombing of
     Japan in World War II.  In an upcoming article in AIR FORCE Magazine,
     Editor in Chief John Correll writes that the revised plans for the
     museum's exhibit, recently renamed "The Last Act:  The Atomic Bomb
     and the End of World War II," still include a unilateral emphasis on
     Japanese suffering in the war and excessive use of provocative Ground
     Zero pictures and artifacts.  In contrast, the plans only pay slight
     attention to events prior to 1945.  According to Correll, the
     curators have chosen to use the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the
     first atomic bomb in World War II, as a prop in "an emotionally
     charged program about the atomic bomb."  The revised script is still
     unbalanced and still fails to provide adequate historical context for
     understanding the events of August 1945.  Air Force Association
     Executive Director Monroe Hatch, Jr., said, "How can anyone watch the
     last act of a play and fully understand what the play is all about?
     Such a treatment provides neither context nor balance."  The museum's
     "Last Act" devotes less than one page out of 295 text pages to
     explaining Japanese military activities and atrocities.  By contrast,
     it uses 84 pages and 97 photos to hammer away at Japanese suffering
     from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.  While Correll cites some minor
     improvements in the new exhibit script, he points out that some of
     the most offensive passages have been only slightly modified.  For
     example, the original script stated:

     "For most Americans, this war was fundamentally different from the
     one waged against Germany and Italy -- it was a war of vengeance.
     For most Japanese, it was a war to defend their unique culture
     against Western imperialism."

     The new script allows the following changes:

     "For most Americans, this war was different from the one waged
     against Germany and Italy:  it was a war to defeat a vicious
     aggressor, but also a war to punish Japan for Pearl Harbor and for
     the brutal treatment of Allied prisoners.  For most Japanese, what
     had begun as a war of imperial conquest had become a battle to save
     their nation from destruction."

     Despite such minor changes, the "tilt" of the exhibit is highly
     partisan, Correll writes.  He notes that the script is interspersed
     with "Historical Controversies," such as:  Would the Bomb Have Been
     Dropped on the Germans?  Did the Demand for Unconditional Surrender
     Prolong the War?  How Important Was the Soviet Factor in the Decision
     to Drop the Bomb?  Was a Warning or Demonstration Possible?  Was an
     Invasion Inevitable Without the Bomb?  Was the Decision to Drop the
     Bomb Justified?  Overall, Correll concludes, the undertone is one of
     suspicion about why the United States used the atomic bomb.  In fact,
     "museum officials have seemed reluctant to accept the explanation
     that it was a military action, taken to end the war and save lives."
     Correll also points out that museum officials have been
     mischaracterizing the views of military historians, especially those
     of Air Force Historian Dr. Richard Hallion.  Contrary to
     out-of-context remarks ascribed to him by museum officials, Hallion
     states, "The overall impression gained from 'The Last Act' is that
     the Japanese, despite years of aggression and wanton atrocities and
     brutality, remain the victims.  The culprits in this version of
     history are the American strategic bombing campaign (against
     civilians) and those who directed and implemented it."


     VIETNAM POW COVERUP CONTINUES IN CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, ACCORDING TO
     PULITZER PRIZE WINNING REPORTER SYDNEY SCHANBERG

     NEW YORK, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Sydney H. Schanberg says in
     an article in the September issue of PENTHOUSE that the Clinton
     Administration, like previous ones, is continuing a coverup of
     documentation that may prove there are still American prisoners alive
     in Vietnam and Laos.  It was Schanberg's own experiences in Cambodia,
     which he chronicled, that were later turned into the Academy Award
     winning film, "The Killing Fields." In a lengthy expose of what he
     calls an organized effort to hide or debunk "tangible evidence" from
     intelligence reports that secret prison sites exist in Southeast Asia
     where American servicemen have been held since the end of the Vietnam
     War in 1973.  "There's a myth in Washington that virtually all the
     government's POW documents have been declassified and are available
     to the public," Schanberg writes in the 25th Anniversary issue of
     PENTHOUSE.  "The truth is that the most significant files, from the
     highest levels of government and the intelligence community, were not
     covered by the Bush and Clinton executive orders and remain under
     lock and key." Schanberg, documenting decades of deceit and
     misinformation from the Pentagon and intelligence community that
     demonstrate the existence of living POWs and MIAs, says that when
     military officials "tried to tell the truth" they were debunked and
     often "defamed as malcontents or worse." There has been "no wide and
     sustained public outcry over this national scandal" because "when the
     war ended, almost everyone in America wanted to forget Vietnam, erase
     it, bury it.  They still do." PENTHOUSE, which was launched at the
     height of the Vietnam War, has been one of the most consistent
     critics of official policies and actions in Southeast Asia,
     publishing dozens of articles about the neglect and abandonment of
     veterans, POWs and MIAs as well as a monthly column on veteran
     concerns.  The 25th Anniversary issue of PENTHOUSE, which goes on
     sale in early August, is the largest ever published by its parent,
     General Media.  The issue contains articles ranging from the
     Schanberg piece and an essay by Arthur M.  Schlesinger, Jr.  on the
     dangers of the political correctness movements, as well as explicit
     photos of Tonya Harding and Jeff Gillooly excerpted from a sex video
     made on their wedding night.


     HOUSE PASSES LANDMARK COMPENSATION BILL FOR PERSIAN GULF VETERANS;
     MONTGOMERY CALLS PASSAGE 'UNPRECEDENTED'

     WASHINGTON, The U.S. House of Representatives passed landmark
     legislation today providing compensation to Persian Gulf War veterans
     for illnesses attributed to service in the Persian Gulf and approved
     a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in disability
     compensation for service-disabled veterans.  H.R. 4386, the Veterans'
     Persian Gulf War Benefits Act would authorize presumptive
     compensation payments to Persian Gulf War veterans who manifest
     chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illnesses within the
     later of two years from their departure from the Gulf theater or a
     period of two-years following the effective date of the new
     provision.  It also provides funding for research and requires the
     secretary of veterans affairs to develop a new outreach program and
     work within the federal government to establish a protocol for
     diagnosing the disease.  "It's time for Congress to do what is right
     for this group of wartime veterans who are suffering.  While the
     causes for their suffering have not been identified, we have a moral
     obligation to grant some monetary relief for their disabilities,"
     stated U.S. Rep. G.V.  (Sonny) Montgomery (D-Miss.), chairman of the
     House Veterans' Affairs Committee and sponsor of the bill.  "I hope
     we can get this unprecedented relief bill onto the president's desk
     before the end of this session; these veterans need our help now,"
     said Montgomery.  U.S. Rep. Jim Slattery (D-Kan.), who co-authored
     the legislation, added, "This is historic legislation which shows
     that this nation is committed to meeting the needs of those who have
     borne the battle on behalf of our freedoms; they deserve the benefit
     of the doubt.  This is the right bill at the right time for these
     veterans." The House also passed H.R. 4088, the Veterans' Benefits
     Act of 1994, sponsored by Slattery, to provide a 3 percent COLA in
     the rates of service-connected disability compensation and dependency
     and indemnity compensation (DIC), effective Dec. 1, 1994.  The bill
     adds Hodgkin's disease, porphyria cutanea tarda, respiratory cancers,
     and multiple myeloma to the list of diseases presumed to be service
     connected if suffered by Vietnam veterans.  The bill also provides
     that salaries of members of the board of veterans' appeals be made
     equivalent to those paid to administrative law judges, and contains
     numerous provisions designed to speed up and improve the adjudication
     process within the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Both bills will
     now be sent to the Senate, which is considering similar legislation.
     conference committee would resolve any differences in House and
     Senate bills following Senate approval.


     DIAMOND JACK'S RIVER TOURS' SCHEDULE SPECIAL SUMMER/FALL LOCAL
     BOATING ADVENTURES

     DETROIT, Diamond Jack's River Tours, the only tour boat company on
     the Detroit River, is presenting four special boating adventures for
     marine enthusiasts of all ages.  The company's 86' Coast guard
     approved mini-ship, the Diamond Belle, will make all four trips.  The
     first cruise, "In the Wake of the Bob-Lo Boats," will be a nostalgic
     trip that follows the S.S. Ste. Claire and S.S.  Columbia's route to
     the former amusement park.  Co-sponsored by the non-profit Great
     Lakes Maritime Institute, funding arm of Dossin Great Lakes Museum on
     Belle Isle, the trip will include a pass by the two famous boats'
     current berth.  Guests will also leisurly pass by Fort Wayne,
     Fighting Island, Grosse Ile and Fort Malden.  A narration will be
     presented to point out highlights along the way.  The Diamond Belle
     will turn around at Bob-Lo Island and proceed back up river.  The
     trip includes lunch.  The next trip is the popular Lake St. Clair and
     St. Clair River Cruise, now in its fourth season.  Guests will depart
     from Detroit, sail up the river and across Lake St. Clair, then
     journey up the St. Clair River, with a turn-around in Lake Huron.
     This is the trip for freighter enthusiasts -- up close and looming
     large.  The Diamond Belle will dock at the St. Clair Inn for lunch,
     with guests having the option of eating on board or at the Inn.  The
     on-board meal is catered by the Inn.  People may also board at St.
     Clair, have lunch, and continue on into Lake Huron for the
     turn-around, then disembark back in St. Clair.  The downbound trip
     routes through the famous St. Clair Flats.  The third special cruise
     aboard the Diamond Belle is the "Heavy Weather Voyage" to Put-In-Bay
     in Lake Erie(A).  Budweiser will feature prizes, a disc jockey and
     cash bar.  Guests will enjoy four hours on the island for shopping
     and playing.  Travelers must be 21 years of age or older to make this
     voyage.


     AMVETS TO CONVENE IN BUFFALO

     WASHINGTON, Veterans health care, POW/MIA questions and veterans
     employment will dominate the AMVETS 50th National Convention, Aug.
     13-20, at the Buffalo Convention Center in Buffalo, N.Y.  In all,
     more than 150 separate resolutions will be deliberated in various
     national committees, then voted on by the delegates.  Thomas F.
     Higgins, sheriff of Erie County (Buffalo) and past recipient of the
     AMVETS Silver Helmet Civil Servant Award, will keynote the
     convention, which officially opens Aug. 16 and is expected to draw
     more than 2,000 members of AMVETS and its subordinate organizations.
     Also on hand to address the delegates will be secretary of Veterans
     Affairs Jesse Brown; Brig. Gen. James W. Wold, USAF (Ret.), deputy
     assistant secretary of defense, POW/MIA Affairs; Lt. Gen.  Claude M.
     Kicklighter, executive director of the World War II Commemoration
     Committee; and Brig. Gen. Preston M.  Taylor Jr., assistant secretary
     of labor for veterans employment and training.  Throughout the week,
     other top officials from the federal government, the Republic of
     China and the Philippines will be in attendance.  AMVETS, which
     observes its 50th anniversary this year, is the nation's fourth
     largest congressionally chartered veterans organization.


     A HAND UP, NOT A HAND DOWN: CALIFORNIA STANDS UP AT "STAND DOWN" FOR
     HOMELESS VETERANS

     SACRAMENTO, Calif., Following successful operations this year in Long
     Beach, Ventura and San Diego, as many as 400 homeless veterans will
     be given a hand up in Sacramento at the largest homeless veterans
     event in Northern California, State Veterans Affairs Director Jay
     Vargas announced Thursday.  Some 35 agencies, including the
     California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA), will offer these
     "Missing In America" a chance to break their cycle of homelessness
     Aug. 5, 6 and 7 at Sacramento's third annual stand down, according to
     Vargas, a retired Marine colonel.  More than 400 volunteers,
     including doctors, dentists, lawyers and judges, will work for three
     days and two nights at the Camp Pollock Boy Scout facility in North
     Sacramento.  Working out of a military tent city they will provide
     food and shelter as well as medical, dental, legal and employment
     services.  Local businesses such as Sierra Sound Co. in Auburn, as
     well as local individuals, have donated $17,000 in cash and many
     services worth thousands of dollars, according to Don Harper,
     Sacramento stand down director, Vietnam Veterans of California Inc.
     (VVC).  When the stand down is over, the homeless vets and their
     families will have clean clothes, connections to employment, photo
     identification cards, resolution of legal issues and solutions to
     medical problems.  "Most importantly, they will have some of their
     dignity restored," said Vargas, a Vietnam veteran.  VVC has scheduled
     a news briefing and a reception for Thursday, Aug. 4, from 3:30 to 4
     p.m. at the stand down site.  Camp Pollock is located at 467 Del Paso
     Blvd.  Staff, volunteers and veterans will be available for
     interviews.  CDVA is in charge of collecting and distributing
     clothing, coordinating entertainment for a USO-type show Friday and
     Saturday night and serving a special meal for the veterans.  Roy
     Collins, veterans services division, is overseeing the clothing
     collection and distribution.  Steve Janosco of the Legislative and
     Public Affairs Office, Claudette Stone and Robert Washington of the
     Cal-Vet home loan program and Pamela LaMarr of the Human Resources
     Division are among several department employees volunteering their
     time to entertain the veterans and volunteers.  Six local bands are
     confirmed for Sacramento Stand Down 94: Shanghai Allstars, Midnight
     Flyers, Coda, Beerdawgs, Summer of Love and the Cavalry Christian
     Center Victory Choir.  Northern California comedians slated to
     perform are Air Force veteran Dale Newton, Jeff Williams and Rick
     Pulido from Sacramento, Dennis Gaxiola from McClellan A.F.B. and
     Byron Yee from Walnut Creek.


     GULF VETERANS BOARD EXPANDING INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS

     WASHINGTON, An interagency council that reviewed recommendation for
     investigating the health of troops serving in the Persian Gulf War is
     reporting a multifaceted response in federal medical programs and
     research.  In reviewing those recommendations, the Persian Gulf
     Veterans Coordinating Board affirmed the administration's commitment
     to a thorough investigation of health complaints of veterans of the
     Gulf War, with a special emphasis on a subgroup with unexplained
     illnesses after Persian Gulf service.  The description of federal
     activities -- including a new health survey and improved uniformity
     in case assessment -- responds to an April report by outside experts
     convened for a National Institutes of Health technology assessment
     workshop.  The panel recommended directions for research as well as
     techniques for clinical assessment of ill military members and
     veterans.  Coordinating Board agencies, the Departments of Defense
     (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), and Health and Human Services (HHS),
     already are supporting more than 20 programs to learn more about the
     long-term health consequences of military service in the Gulf, and
     the Board's Research Coordinating Council agreed that additional
     research is needed.  The Board's statement on the NIH workshop
     recommendations describes interagency collaboration in a large Navy
     epidemiological study which, including control cases, will survey 1.2
     million service members' records for information on hospitalization
     and birth defects.  It also will include special physiological
     testing of 2,250 Navy Seabees.  VA researchers will focus on Gulf
     veterans' health and risk factors through three newly established
     environmental hazards research centers.  In response to an NIH
     workshop recommendation for a short health questionnaire to develop
     more accurate data on symptom prevalence, VA also is working with the
     other agencies to launch a mail survey of a random sample of 10,000
     veterans and active duty members to compare symptoms and health
     status with an equal-sized group not deployed to the Gulf.  A health
     examination will be offered to a representative sample to help
     validate participants' self-reported health status.  In addition, the
     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of
     Health and Human Services will be conducting a telephone survey of
     Iowa residents to compare the health status of some 2,000 veterans
     who served in the Persian Gulf with that of 2,000 veterans who served
     during the Gulf War but were deployed elsewhere.  VA is working
     closely with CDC on this study.  The Board agreed with
     recommendations for a uniform case assessment protocol, which has
     been developed and implemented since the workshop report was issued.
     This "Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Protocol" is designed for
     patients whose diagnosis is not readily apparent after routine
     medical assessment.  It is being used jointly by DoD and VA.  DoD has
     completed or scheduled 768 examinations under this protocol.  This
     new Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Protocol also specifically
     addresses screening for viscerotropic leishmaniasis, a serious form
     of the parasitic disease that has been detected in less than three
     dozen service members and veterans.  The departments are recommending
     attending physicians consider the disease in examining the patients
     and, if it is suspected, consult with infectious disease specialists
     to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a test requiring a
     bone marrow biopsy is appropriate.  DoD also is continuing its work
     as a world leader in developing less invasive, experimental
     viscerotropic leishmaniasis tests that may provide for broader
     screening use in the future.  Additional initiatives outlined by the
     Board are: -- DoD is preparing a request for proposals for a study
     that will examine chemical effects and an ill-defined condition known
     as multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome.  -- As suggested by the
     workshop panel, studies have considered, and will continue to
     examine, the role of stress from deployment and post- traumatic
     stress disorder, with a goal of developing intervention strategies.
     -- DoD has formed a work group to review policies for routine future
     health surveillance for troops involved in overseas deployment.


