Nikki Wentling
Stars and Stripes
Washington, DC, United States
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Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Nikki:
From tents to tiny shelters, VA begins aggressive push in LA to end veteran homelessness
VA Secretary Denis McDonough on Feb. 25 announced his goals for veteran homelessness in 2022, one of which is to get at least 1,500 homeless veterans in Los Angeles into permanent housing. Nationally, he wants the VA to house 38,000 veterans this year. If the department achieves those goals, it will have housed 10% more veterans in Los Angeles and nationwide than in 2021. → Read More
Lawmakers seek answers about ‘poor and unsafe’ conditions at Walter Reed barracks
Three Democratic members of Maryland’s congressional delegation — Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Ben Cardin, and Rep. Jamie Raskin — wrote in a letter to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro that there was a “troubling pattern” of neglected facilities at Naval Support Activity-Bethesda, which is the site of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. → Read More
Senate passes bill extending health care to veterans suffering with illnesses caused by burn pits
The Health Care for Burn Pit Veterans Act now goes to the House, where some lawmakers are pushing for more comprehensive legislation that would provide health care and disability compensation to veterans exposed to burn pits. → Read More
VA proposes changing disability ratings for mental health, other conditions
In some cases, such as with mental health, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the changes would lessen the requirements that veterans need to meet to receive a 100% disability rating. → Read More
VA mistakenly approved doctors with revoked or suspended medical licenses to treat veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to thoroughly vet medical providers for its community care program, resulting in doctors with revoked or suspended medical licenses being approved to treat veterans, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. → Read More
VA’s coronavirus cases reach all-time high
The active case count reached 22,911 Wednesday, surpassing a high set in January. The record-breaking number of cases among VA patients reflects trends nationwide. → Read More
Republicans send support for troops fighting vaccine mandate
Forty-seven congressional Republicans filed a letter of support Friday for a lawsuit in which enlisted service members claim President Joe Biden’s administration is infringing on their religious rights by refusing to grant exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. → Read More
Biden awards three Medals of Honor for heroics in Iraq, Afghanistan
Three U.S. soldiers who fought in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan each received the Medal of Honor on Thursday, including two men who sacrificed their lives to ensure the safety of their fellow service members and a third who fought off suicide bombers at a U.S. base in Afghanistan. → Read More
New law pumps $15 million into improved maternity care for female veterans
The new law orders the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve its coordination with the community care facilities that provide maternity care to veterans, as well as offer childbirth preparation and parenting classes, nutrition counseling, lactation classes, breastfeeding support and breast pumps. → Read More
Biden orders VA to review link between burn pits and rare cancers
President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to review research into several rare cancers to determine whether they could be caused by exposure to toxins during military service. → Read More
Thousands take ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ to place flowers on Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Visitors with flowers in hand approached the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Wednesday, walking closer to the tomb than members of the public have been able to at any point in recent history. → Read More
100 years of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Thursday marks 100 years since remains were entombed at Arlington, creating the iconic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In the past 100 years, it has become a symbol of American service and sacrifice, as well as a place for mourning and reflection. → Read More
White House creates new national strategy for preventing veteran suicide
In addition to emphasizing firearm safety, the strategy aims to limit barriers to mental health care, reduce housing and food insecurity, increase research and improve emergency room crisis care, among other things. These issues will be addressed with a “series of executive actions” in the coming weeks, the strategy states. → Read More
‘It’s sick’: VA alerts veterans to false article about Biden withholding benefits
The Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Ga., sent an emergency email alert Friday about a false news story on a satirical site that veterans are misconstruing as true. → Read More
Trump’s ‘Mar-a-Lago Three’ violated law while interfering at the VA, House lawmakers charge
The House Oversight and Veterans’ Affairs committees released results Monday of a 19-month investigation into Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter, lawyer Marc Sherman and Bruce Moskowitz, a Palm Beach doctor, who were empowered by Trump to serve as advisers and organizers at the VA from 2016 to 2018 despite not having experience in the U.S. military or government. → Read More
Report: Social Media Can Identify Extremists in U.S. Military
The Rand Corporation released a report suggesting that the U.S. military should use artificial intelligence to examine social media trends to determine whether any military members are at risk of becoming extremists. → Read More
More VA health care workers get coronavirus vaccine as deadline approaches to prove status
While more employees are getting vaccinated, the department is working out a process to discipline and ultimately terminate workers who refuse the vaccines or fail to get an approved exemption. About 380,000 employees are subject to the mandate, and many face a deadline of Oct. 8 to show proof of vaccination. → Read More
A generation shaped by 9/11: Stories of Americans inspired to serve
In the 20 years since the attacks, some of those service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan multiple times. Some of the troops concluded their service and used the GI Bill to finish college, while others made a career out of the military. Their lives, and the lives of their families, were shaped by 9/11. → Read More
Veterans groups demand meeting with Biden about aiding Afghan allies
Organizations representing US veterans want an audience with President Joe Biden to ensure there’s a plan in place to evacuate allies and partners from Afghanistan. → Read More
Senate committee advances bill extending mammogram access to female vets
The Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans in Combat Environments bill, introduced by Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., would extend access to mammograms for all female veterans who served in areas with burn pits or other toxic exposures, regardless of their age, symptoms or family history. → Read More