WARNING from the VA about VAS

 

Forwarded by Kevin Secor, VSO Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

An organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit and general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans. This organization is not affiliated with VA in any way

 

[Websites with the name "vaservices" immediately after the "www" ARE NOT part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the US Government agency. D o not go to them or if approached or called, do not offer them any information concerning yourself or data on other veterans.

Keep in mind that the real VA website ends in .gov. Also, be aware that the Department of Veterans Affairs does not randomly call veterans, nor does it ask veterans for information which it does not already have--like Social Security Numbers. In particular, if you have not dealt with the VA previously--and in person--and all of a sudden, you receive a call from someone saying they are with the VA or something similar sounding, hang up the phone. Also, do not respond to emails which suggest that they are from the VA. The VA never conducts official business nor asks for personal information by email. Mike]

 

VAS may be gaining access to military personnel through their close resemblance to the VA name and seal. Our Legal Counsel has request ed that we coordinate with DoD to inform military installations, particularly mobilization sites, of this group and their lack of affiliation or endorsement by VA to provide any services.

 

In addition, GC requests that if you have any examples of VAS acts that violate chapter 59 of Title 38 United States Code, such as VAS employees assisting veterans in the preparation and presentation of claims for benefits, please pass any additional information to Mr.Daugherty at the address below.

 

Michael G. Daugherty

Staff Attorney

Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of General Counsel (022G2)

810 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20420

Nick says THANKS!!!

Hello everyone. 
 
Thank you for the packages.  I really appreciate everything you all are doing.  I am a Combat Photographer, which is a job I really enjoy doing.  Basically I take pictures of anything and everything that goes on out here.  I also spend a lot of time drawing, so I've become the go-to guy for anything art related. 
 
I am attaching a few photos of myself.  I don't have a whole lot from out here, as I'm usually behind the camera, not in front of it.  The internet is pretty hit and miss, but I will try to stay in touch as much as possible.  Thanks again for everything.
 
-Nick
 

 
Be watching for Nick's photography as we share his work in the Helmland...
 

OPSEC: ‘Loose Lips Sink Ships’

OPSEC: OPERATIONS SECURITY

  
Within the Navy, the odds of making it through boot camp without hearing 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' are improbable. Though the slogan is old, it still embodies the basic principle of Operational Security, or OPSEC.

What Is OPSEC?

Operations Security, or OPSEC, is keeping potential adversaries from discovering the critical information of our military. As the name suggests, it protects our operations – planned, in progress, and those completed. Success depends on secrecy and surprise, so the military can accomplish the mission faster and with less risk. Our adversaries want our information, and they don't concentrate on only soldiers to get it. They want to connect with the family member, the supporter or the friend.

 
 

There are many countries and organizations that would like to harm Americans and degrade our influence in the world. It's possible, and not unprecedented, for spouses, family members and those supporting U.S. military personnel to be targeted for intelligence collection. This is true in the United States and especially true overseas! What can you do?

 

Be Alert

Foreign governments and organizations collect significant amounts of useful information by using spies. A foreign agent may use a variety of approaches to befriend someone (Facebook even) and get sensitive information. This sensitive information can be critical to the success of a terrorist or spy, and consequently deadly to Americans.

 

Be Careful

There may be times when our troops cannot talk about the specifics of his or her job. It's very important to conceal and protect certain information such as flight schedules, ship movements, temporary duty (TDY) locations to include APO addresses and installation activities, for example. Something as simple as a phone discussion or email about where they are deploying, or going TDY, can be very useful to our enemies.

 

Protecting Critical Information

 

Even though information may not be secret, it can be what we call "critical information." Critical information deals with specific facts about military intentions, capabilities, operations or activities. If an adversary knew this detailed information, our warrior's mission accomplishment and personnel safety could be jeopardized. It must be protected to ensure an adversary doesn't gain a significant advantage.

 

By being a member of Soldiers' Angels in supporting our warriors, you may often know some bits of critical information. Do not discuss them outside of Soldiers' Angels via email, Facebook, texts, tweets or over the telephone. We have secure means as registered angels to disseminate information and these methods need to be followed to assure we are doing our part to provide a secure support net for our warriors and their families.

 

Examples Of Critical Information

• Detailed information about the mission of assigned units.

• Details on locations and times of unit deployments to include APO addresses.

• References to trends in unit morale or personnel problems.

• Details concerning security procedures
 

These bits of information may seem insignificant. However, to a trained adversary, they are small pieces of a puzzle that highlight what our troops doing and planning. Remember, the elements of security and surprise are vital to the accomplishment of the goals of the military and their collective personnel protection. It is your duty as an Angel to assure that protection.The bottom line is to use common sense and keep our troops safe on the front lines!

 
 
 

 

"OPSEC is a vital element in protecting the troops and missions, and I want to stress how vital a role every member of the team

plays in ensuring that we deny our adversaries potentially useful information.

 

"Whether we are on duty or off duty, we cannot afford to let our guard down. Your diligence in OPSEC

is key to ensuring our effectiveness in operations and our collective safety.

 

Together, we will succeed."

 

Maj. Gen. Keith B. Alexander

Commanding General

U.S. Army Intelligence and

Security Command

 

 

Golden Eagle

As the chair for the Military Affairs Committee at the Chamber of Commerce, I invite you to nominate a business that you know goes above and beyond in support of the military in the community. You don't have to be a chamber member to nominate someone, but they  do need to be a chamber member to receive this award.

 

The Golden Eagle will be awarded to a Bismarck Mandan Chamber member who has an active record of military support in the Bismarck Mandan area. The purpose of the award is to recognize those in support of the military through community involvement and business interaction.

 

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2011 award online: http://www.bismarckmandan.com/committees/military/golden-eagle-award/

 

 

If you would like to double check to see if any business is a member of the chamber—please check out the up to date list here:

http://www.bismarckmandan.com/directory/company.asp

 

 

 
 
 
Shelle Michaels 
ShelleMichaels@SoldiersAngels.org

Soldiers' Angels National Communication Officer
Vet Tix Board of Directors
Interservice Family Assistance Committee Communication Conduit
Bismarck Mandan Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Chairperson
North Dakota National Guard Family Advisory Council Member
ND Employee Support for the Guard and Reserve Committee Member

"Ask for what you want, or take what you get!"
~ Shelle Michaels
 

www.Facebook.com/SoldiersAngelsOfficial
www.Facebook.com/ShelleMichaels
 

 

 

 

2nd Annual Support the Red, White and Blue; Give Love, Give Blood

 During the week surrounding February 11th, 2011 Soldiers' Angels encourages Angels and friends across the entire country to honor those that have shed their BLOOD for us by heading to a local blood bank and donating a pint.
 
Send your photos of your giving experience to ShelleMichaels@SoldiersAngels.org or pixt them to 218-779-7271 for automatic posting to our Facebook fan page.
 
 
Bismarck – the United Blood Services Blood Mobile will be at Rasmussen College at 1701 Century Ave on February 11, 2011.  Contact Kristen to set up your donation time at 701-371-5092. No formal drives other than in Bismarck are scheduled across the state of North Dakota; contact your local blood bank to schedule a time to give or feel free to set up a blood drive at your work site in honor of those that have shed their blood for us. Please share this with others.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Shelle Michaels 
ShelleMichaels@SoldiersAngels.org

Soldiers' Angels National Communication Officer
Vet Tix Board of Directors
Interservice Family Assistance Committee Communication Conduit
Bismarck Mandan Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Chairperson
North Dakota National Guard Family Advisory Council Member
ND Employee Support for the Guard and Reserve Committee Member

"Ask for what you want, or take what you get!"
~ Shelle Michaels
 

www.Facebook.com/SoldiersAngelsOfficial
www.Facebook.com/ShelleMichaels
 
 
 
 
 

VA Set to Verify Veteran Small Businesses

 
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel <http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel> 
 
 
VA Set to Verify Veteran Small Businesses
 
Washington (Jan. 3, 2010)- To further advocate for Veterans, VA
 announced that companies identifying themselves as small businesses or
 Veteran-owned businesses to gain priority for some Department of
 Veterans Affairs (VA) contracts must now provide documentation verifying
 their status within 90 days of receiving notice from the agency.
> "VA is committed to doing business with as well as supporting and
 protecting Veteran-owned small businesses," said Secretary of Veterans
 Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "Although the verification process may
 initially be a challenge to some small business owners and to VA, it's a
 necessary step to eliminate misrepresentation by firms trying to receive
 contracts that should go to service-disabled and other Veteran-owned
 vendors."
 
The Veterans Benefits Act of 2010, signed by the President Oct. 13,
 expanded VA's requirement to verify the status of businesses claiming
 Veterans preference to compete for VA contracts by being listed in VA's
 VetBiz.gov "Vendor Information Pages" (VIP) database. Companies will
 have to submit an application to substantiate their status as owned and
 controlled by Veterans, service-disabled Veterans or eligible surviving
 spouses. Only companies that submit the information will be listed in
 the VIP database.
 
The law requires VA to notify currently listed businesses that within 90
 days of the Veteran-owned business receiving the notice they must submit
 certain business documents. VA sent notices to more than 13,000 listed
 businesses by email and mail Dec. 10-11. Other companies, wanting to
 be listed in the database and considered for future set-aside VA
 contracts, also have to submit application packages. VA will work on
 those verifications after the existing listings are verified. 
 
The department plans to post additional information at www.VetBiz.gov in
 early February informing applicants how to submit their documents
 electronically. In the meantime, VA's notice to currently listed
 businesses encourages them to submit their information on CD-ROM.
 
Priority processing will be given to those Veteran-owned firms that are
 in line to receive a set-aside contract from VA, those that already
 conduct business with VA, and those that have already filed an
 application for verification. 
 
For more information, visit the Office of Small and Disadvantaged
 Business Utilization's website at
 www.va.gov/OSDBU/veteran/verification.asp or the main page at
 www.va.gov/osdbu/.
 
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