Faced with a revolt in Congress, the Department of Veterans Affairs canceled a year-long review of its $4.3 billion-a-year Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder claims. The probe, when it began, was seeking fraudulent claims. In a statement released last week, though, VA acknowledged finding no fraud, only clerical errors. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an illness featuring symptoms such as flashbacks and anxiety. In May, VA started to review 72,000 claims for full disability approved in the 1999-2004 period. This touched off an angry response from, among others, Sen. Barack Obama, an Illinois Democrat. It had its effect. VA Secretary James Nicholson said, “In the absence of evidence of fraud, we’re not going to put our veterans through the anxiety of a widespread review of their disability claims.” Two cheers for rectifying a mistake.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.