Comment on AN92-Proposed Rule-Carroll, Bonnie

On the front of the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington, DC, there is a bronze plaque with Abraham Lincoln's immortal words - "To care for he who shall have borne the battle, and his widow and his orphan." In August 2003, the Department of Veterans Affairs kept that promise by expanding eligibility for services at the Vet Centers to the families of our nation's fallen heroes, offering bereavement counseling to those who have paid the ultimate price for freedom and are grieving the cost of bearing the burden of battle. In the years since this expanded eligibility, surviving military families have found solace and comfort at the VA Vet Centers. As one widow told us, "my Vet Center counselor is the only therapist who can truly understand my pain, be my bridge to the service of my husband, and give me comfort as I honor my fallen hero." As the President of the Veteran Service Organization providing peer based emotional support, resources, and information to surviving families, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) I implore the VA to continue eligibility for Vet Center bereavement counseling to the families of our fallen heroes. Our nation owes a sacred debt to those families who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom - to those "widows and orphans" who inspired the founding of the Department. This critical support has been proven to of immense value and I encourage a review of the record of success both at the Readjustment Counseling Service and also at TAPS. It is an invaluable partnership that offers the perfect compliment of care. We will be reaching out to key members of Congress to advocate for this continue eligibility and critical service, and we request you review the attached article from the TAPS magazine which speaks to the heart of this incredible partnership between TAPS and the VA Vet Centers. I am available for further discussion. Thank you for the opportunity to comment, Bonnie Carroll, Army Widow