In a Spring 2004 event in Belmont, NC, Rep. Myrick presented over 200 medals and ribbons to 25 veterans.  It was a great event, and over 100 people attended.  The major citations that we presented at the ceremony were: 7 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 8 Bronze Stars, 10 Purple Hearts, 21 Air Medals, 2 POW Medals, 1 Meritorious Service Medal, and 3 Army/Air Force Commendation Medals.

In the Summer of 2004 Rep. Myrick held another medals ceremony to honor those who fought in Korea.  It was a special ceremony on July 27, 2004, the 51st Anniversary of the end of the Korean War.  More than 200 veterans, and 1,000 people, braved the heat to receive their due recognition.  We presented the veterans with the Korean War Service Medal, and the Korea Freedom Medal, which is given by the Korea Freedom League on behalf of the Korean people.

On Monday, June 6, 2005, Rep. Myrick hosted a very special medals ceremony.  More than 30 D-Day Veterans were honored, as well as 21 other veterans who received various medals for their distinguished service. Rep. Myrick presented the Jubilee of Liberty Medal (the commemorative D-Day medal) to 20 veterans who participated in D-Day, and presented 12 Jubilee of Liberty Medals posthumously to families of D-Day veterans.  Other medals presented to veterans included Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals, Purple Hearts, Bronze Star Medals, and Navy Commendation Medals.  More than 200 friends and family members of the veterans were on hand to participate in this ceremony. 

In honor of Veterans Day, Rep. Myrick presented medals to veterans and their families at a special medals ceremony in Gastonia, NC on November 26, 2007.  Rep. Myrick presented medals to 15 recipients; 5 were posthumously awarded.  9 of the recipients served in WWII, and 6 served in Vietnam.  Two Bronze Star Medals were awarded as were seven Purple Hearts.    

If you, or someone you know, has not received their proper citations and medals please call Rep. Myrick's staffer, Robert Becker, at (704) 861-1976.  He will be happy to assist you.

Meeting with the VA Secretary
On April 14, 2005,  Rep. Myrick and her staff had a meeting with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson (picture to the right).  Rep. Myrick asked for this meeting to express the concerns of local veterans.  They discussed a number of issues including the length of time a veteran has to wait to get assigned to a primary care Doctor (or physician assistant) after he is enrolled in VA's Health Care System, and the possibility of VA enrolling certain veterans just for prescription drug services and allowing their private primary care providers to write their prescriptions with the VA providing the medicine without the necessity of being seen by a VA doctor.  In addition to these topics, Secretary Nicholson listened to several other of Rep. Myrick’s concerns.  The meeting was very productive as the VA Secretary now knows many of the issues NC Veterans face.

                  Veteran Issues Passed By Congress

Concurrent Receipt
New concurrent receipt legislation passed Congress in 2003, and has been signed into law.  Rep. Myrick worked hard to help restore full concurrent receipt to all military retirees with Purple Heart or combat-related disability, including National Guardsmen and Reservists.  For the first time in over 100 years, veterans who have been injured in combat will receive pay for both retirement and disability.

This legislation will also provide military retirees who have been disabled 50% and above with full concurrent receipt.  This concurrent receipt plan was included in the Fiscal Year 2004 Department of Defense Authorization bill and will be implemented over a period of 10 years.  250,000 deserving disabled military retirees will now receive full concurrent receipt.

Under current law, very few retired reservists and national guardsmen qualify for Purple Heart or Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) concurrent receipt.  With the passing of this bill, concurrent receipt is extended to include all retired National Guard and reservists who are Purple Heart recipients, or who are CRSC qualified.

In addition, with the passing of this bill comes the establishment of a bipartisan commission appointed by Members of Congress and the White House to review the retiree disability system.  This commission will be made up of 13 members, half of whom will be highly decorated combat veterans.  For the first time since 1946, there will be a thorough review of the system.

Passing a concurrent receipt plan for military retirees has been long over due and is an important first step in providing for our veterans and military retirees.  Our Veterans have sacrificed greatly to serve and protect our freedoms and this nation owes them our utmost gratitude and support.  I thank all our veterans for defending our freedoms.

Veterans Healthcare
Congress has worked hard to help the Veterans Administration take care of our veterans.  Today, there are more than 7 million veterans enrolled in the VA health care system, compared to about 4.3 million enrollees in 1999.  The House has taken the lead to help meet this increased demand for VA health care services. 

In the past ten years Congress has made significant gains in direct funding for veterans health care.  Between the years 1995 and 2004, appropriations for VA medical care grew by 63%.  This has helped reduce much of the long waiting times at VA health care clinics.  The waiting lines should also continue to decrease in the future.

Veterans Education Assistance Program
In the past several years, Congress has provided the most expansive benefits to veterans seeking their education, through the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), since Congress created the modern version of the program in 1985.  150,000 more veterans can now take advantage of the GI Bill benefits they earned to pursue higher education or job training. 

Survivor Benefit Plan
On May 20, 2004 Congress passed H.R. 4200 the Fiscal Year 2005 National Defense Authorization Act.  This Act had provisions in it that allows thousands of military survivors to receive increased annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan, also known as "The Widow's Tax."  

The provision included in H.R. 4200 will:  Eliminate the Social Security offset under the Survivor Benefit Plan and increase the annuities paid to survivors of military retirees who are 62 or older from 35 percent of retired pay to the percentages indicated for the following periods: 

(1)        For months after September 2005 and before April 2006:  40%

(2)        For months after March 2006 and before April 2007:  45%

(3)        For months after March 2007 and before April 2008:  50%

(4)        For months after March 2008: 55%