The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will roar through the nation’s capital this weekend. The American Legion has dedicated space for veterans and service members to gather and socialize during the event. (U.S. Park Police)
WASHINGTON — The American Legion is providing VIP-style space for veterans and active-duty service members to gather during a weekend of racing in the nation’s capital.
President Donald Trump is hosting the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the first IndyCar race on the streets of Washington, D.C., and part of the national celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Racing starts Saturday with practice runs and an International Race of Champions competition. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix — the main event — is on Sunday.
About 2,000 veterans and service members will have dedicated space to gather and socialize through a hospitality initiative led by The American Legion.
“The American Legion has a long history of bringing veterans and service members together, and this is a remarkable opportunity to do that in the nation’s capital,” said Mario Marquez, executive director of government affairs.
The American Legion also will have service officers on hand to answer questions about benefits and services.
Headed to a VA appointment? Bring your health ID card
Veterans no longer need to check in for medical appointments by stating the last four digits of their Social Security at a growing number of health facilities run by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The VA is transitioning to a new federal electronic health record system that will only require a quick scan of a Veteran Health Identification Card to automatically bring up a patient’s medical record, the VA said.
The update applies to all sites that have moved to the new EHR system.
The system is live at 14 VA medical centers, 55 clinics and 116 remote offices, the VA said. It is being implemented across the entire VA health network.
The new card-scanning feature speeds up check-ins and ensures that the wrong patient data is not retrieved with an incorrect set of numbers.
The VA is advising veterans to get into the habit of bringing their VA health ID card to appointments.
The new EHR system is shared with other agencies, including the Defense Department, enabling the VA to have a veteran’s complete patient charts and medical records.
After scanning their card, veterans may receive a wristband depending on the care they’re scheduled to receive. Veterans who prefer not to use their card can still check in by providing their last name and date of birth.
Tips for keeping your benefits from scammers
A cybersecurity company is offering veterans tips to protect themselves from scammers targeting their benefits.
“Scammers are increasingly exploiting the specialized language of military benefits to lower a veteran’s guard,” says Tomas Sinicki, managing director at Coveron, created and backed by Nord Security. “By impersonating officials and creating a false sense of urgency around benefit updates or service records, these criminals exploit the very systems designed to support those who served.”
He offered the following guidelines to veterans:
- Confirm that calls and notices about your benefits are coming from a legitimate source. If you receive a call purporting to provide updates, verify the information with your local VA office or service branch. Do not share personal information.
- Research veteran-friendly charities before making donations. Scammers often use names that sound similar to established charities supporting veterans and their families.
- Don’t automatically trust a caller ID. Scammers can falsely make it seem like calls are from a local VA office or from VA headquarters in D.C.
- Consider using an anti-fraud detection and monitoring service that alerts individuals to identity theft, cyber scams and threats to their credit.
The National Association of Atomic Veterans is meeting for its annual convention. The organization advocates for benefits and health care coverage for radiation-exposed veterans. The plume of a nuclear weapons test detonation, shown here, rises over Bikini Atoll, the Marshall Islands, July 25, 1946. (Library of Congress)
Atomic veterans meet for annual convention
The National Association of Atomic Veterans — which advocates for radiation-exposed veterans — opened its annual convention Thursday in Rapid City, S.D.
The convention, which ends Sunday, is focusing on the organization’s work to secure compensation and other benefits for veterans exposed to radiation while on active duty, including those involved in cleanups and accident-response missions.
Radiation-exposed veterans recognized under the PACT Act, signed into law in 2022, include service members who participated in the Enewetak Atoll cleanup, responded to the 1966 nuclear weapons accident near Palomares, Spain, and worked at the B-52 accident scene in 1968 near Thule Air Force Base (now Pituffik Space Base) in Greenland.
The PACT Act is the shortened name for the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022, which compensates and provides health care coverage to veterans who became sick or injured from toxic exposures during military service.
The Military Family Advisory Network, in partnership with CVS Health, is expanding its popular pantry restock program to more include families moving to more bases in California and Washington state. Here, volunteers pack bags with food in 2021. (Javier Orona/U.S. Army)
Pantry restock program grows for military families on the move
The Military Family Advisory Network, in partnership with CVS Health, is expanding its popular pantry restock program to more bases in California and Washington State.
Eligible families undergoing a military move are able to receive $150 worth of pantry staples to ease their transition to a new home, according to the organization.
Participating families may also qualify for up to three months of grocery assistance through “Instacart Health Fresh Funds,” the organization said.
The Military Family Advisory Network said that 60% of respondents to a recent survey reported having more than $1,000 in out-of-pocket expenses that were not reimbursable following a military move in the last two years.
The pantry restock program is open to military families relocating to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state and to the following bases in California: Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Coronado, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Naval Base Point Loma and Camp Pendleton.
“What started as a response to a clear and pressing challenge has grown into a program that’s reshaping how we support military families,” said Shannon Razsadin, who leads the Military Family Advisory Network.
The Military Family Advisory Network is a military-connected organization that convenes a mix of active-duty personnel, reservists, veterans and military spouses. Its mission is to support the entire military-connected community.
Military families understand the financial pressures and strains of frequent military moves. Approximately 25% of service members have at least one parent who served in the military before them, according to Auburn University.
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