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Week Ending March 9, 2006

Executive Order 13426 establishing a commission on care for America’s returning wounded warriors and a taskforce on returning global war on terror heroes.

To “ provide a comprehensive review of the care provided to America’s returning Global War on Terror service men and women from the time they leave the battlefield and through their return to civilian life” the President orders the establishment of a the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors.

The Commission will be nine members appointed by the President. Members will not be paid beyond per diem and travel expenses.

The Commission mission is to examine the effectiveness of returning wounded service members’ transition from deployment to successful return to productive military service or civilian society and recommend any needed improvements.

The other duties of the Commission are:

To evaluate coordination, management and adequacy of healthcare, disability, traumatic injury, education, employment delivery as well as other benefits and services to returning wounded troops by Federal and private sector participants and recommend ways to ensure high-quality services;

To analyze the effectiveness of existing outreach to troops about benefits and services awareness and ability to access the benefits and services and identify ways to reduce barriers to and gaps in those benefits and services;

Consult with foundations, veterans service organizations, non-profits, faith-based and other organizations in performing Commission duties;

The Secretary of Defense will provide administrative, analytical and staff support and will be delegated any responsibilities the President may incur to the Commission under current law.

The Commission will report to the President by June 30, 2007 unless an extension is necessary. The next deadline is July 31, 2007. The Commission will terminate 30 days after the final report.

The EO also establishes a Task Force in the Department of Veterans Affairs. The task force will be interagency and will include the Secretaries of Defense, Labor, HHS, HUD, Education, Office of Management and Budget, SBA and others.

The task force will identify and examine existing Federal services currently provided and  gaps in those services and will seek recommendations from appropriate federal agencies on how to fill those gaps effectively and expeditiously with existing resources. The Task Force will insure that in providing services all agencies are communicating and cooperating.

The task Force is charged with outlining a government-wide action plan that identifies existing services and ensures delivery. The plan will be presented to the President on April 22, 2007.

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