This week’s HeroVet feature is the WWII Navajo Code Talkers. They transmitted messages on behalf of the Allies that saved countless American lives. Thankfully, their code was never broken. On Veterans Day, a dozen of these Veterans were proudly welcomed by NYC Mayor Bloomberg at the Mayor’s breakfast and in the parade that followed. Thanks to HBO CEO Bill Nelson, their trip to the Big Apple from Arizona was fully underwritten; they rode on the Pacifica float to the cheers of appreciative New Yorkers. Pacifica is the HBO series on the War in the Pacific, opening in March.

Speaking of history, I was pleased to see that the History Channel has joined our group of Veterans Advantage partners who are combining their discounts. In addition to the current 10% discount off the list price on its Web site for a special WWI 7-Disc DVD selection, Veterans Advantage members get another 20% off on top of that and save a whopping $42! That alone pays for the first eight months of your annual Veterans Advantage membership!

Other places you may see your Veterans Advantage discount being combined is via our special online links to Dell and Target. There are special savings there for holiday shoppers.

While visiting, I also saw an award hanging on the wall, recognizing this week’s HeroVet, Bob Kingsley. He’s a great example of someone who never forgot his roots, and is also a supporter of the WWP. Read more about Bob Kingsley and his service to the country.

Here’s a couple of tips I think will help you get started:

If you are exploring our program for the first time: Click any of the blue links across the top for background on our program. We’ve worked to enhance this area to underscore the importance of our mission — ranging from unique money-saving benefits across a range of key everyday categories with your Veterans Advantage Card, to the latest news and resources to keep you informed about your ongoing benefits from the government and the private sector. And finally, through our charitable activities, we want you to know that you are truly part of something special.

If you are not a member yet, I encourage you to sign up today and get started.

If you are already a member: Click on “Members Only” in the upper right hand corner of each page to access your benefits to enter with your Veterans Advantage Member ID and password. You’ll find direct benefit access just one or two clicks away from anywhere on our Web site.

Our valuable member services support continues to be online: visit the personalized “Your Account” area and “Contact Us” for online support or see our Help section. And finally, your Veterans Advantage Membership qualifies you for our free weekly member e-newsletter that updates you on the latest inclusions in your benefits package and is posted on our new site under “Resources.”

All of us here at Veterans Advantage hope you like this upgrade to our Web site. Tell us what you think!

Enjoy VeteransAdvantage.com today.

And a special salute to John Rowan, our HeroVet and the President of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), as he and his first-rate staff work tirelessly to improve the quality of life and health of our Veterans.

For instance, this week we feature Charles Bolden as our new HeroVet. The son of a teacher, and a proud grandfather himself, this Marine has been nominated to be the next NASA administrator. He will lead an organization that by virtue of its ambitious challenges has been inspiring young people for 50 years. Bolden has made speaking out for military kids a priority, reminding educators and the public of the unique challenges they face.

Speaking of special days and special dads, Saturday is D-Day, an important day for many fathers of Veterans Advantage members…and VA members themselves. Be sure to pause to remember those who served and sacrificed in WWII, so that we could enjoy the freedoms we have today.

And most importantly, we must do our part to keep this message alive. Recent reports suggest the National D-Day Memorial, unveiled just eight years ago, is experiencing a severe drop-off in donations that threatens its existence. Please consider making a donation to keep it alive, by clicking here.

Thankfully, servicewomen and their spouses are getting the attention of the White House, as First Lady Michelle Obama has made the needs of military families her chief priority. Multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan have created special needs and challenges for our military families that we cannot ignore. We are hopeful this new administration can work with the private sector to begin to address them.

With one eye on your finances, this week’s newsletter highlights some major monthly expenses and how you can cut them with Veterans Advantage. We offer deep discounts on your prescription drugs, your health club membership, your contact lens supply, and your cell phone bill. Be sure to take advantage of these benefits of membership!

We honored Bonnie as a HeroVet in 2003 when TAPS was just starting out. We are proud and grateful for her extraordinary commitment and accomplishments in providing critical assistance and support to family members who have lost a loved one.

Do what you can to help Bonnie and TAPS today. You Can learn more at taps.org.

There was little thought given to this question for those who served and sacrificed in Vietnam and the results were painful and disastrous; they continue to reverberate through American society nearly 35 years after the end of that war.

Along with training and equipping our troops for wartime service, we need to focus our energies on how we train and equip them to reenter American society. The consequences of inadequate re-entry programs are disturbing and real. Read the article by Give an Hour Founder Dr. Barbara Romberg, who examines the response to the rise in suicides in the Army community. And read our HeroVet profile of Brian Delate, a talented actor and director, long active in the New York veterans community, and now making news on the national scene with an award-winning movie about the perils – and triumphs – faced by people with PTSD. Clearly, we have an obligation to our brave men and women not to repeat the mistakes of Vietnam.

With an eye on your wallet (as always), we highlight this week discounts for food, computers, your upcoming tax filing, and, lastly, flea and tick medication for your pet. Our new discount program with 1800petmeds.com has everything you need to protect your pets from insect-related illnesses this spring.

Our first visit included the New York City Commissioner of Veterans’ Affairs, Roger Newman (USAF), and his special deputy Clarice Joynes (USMC). We stopped by to drop off our “TopVet” award to Clarice for her tireless efforts to bring much-needed support and benefits to the city’s estimated 250,000 Veterans.

After lunch, we visited the offices of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and its Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckoff. We honored Paul with our “HeroVet” award for his efforts with the historic passage of the new GI Bill benefits during the summer.

We appreciate the service of both organizations to our nation’s Veterans.

Our Veterans Day was filled with activities in New York City. First, Lin, Advisory Board member Peter Eldredge and I attended a breakfast at Gracie Mansion hosted by Mayor Bloomberg. It was well attended by the Veterans community.

Then, it was off to the Intrepid to listen to President Bush (who arrived via Marine One landing on the Battleship Bataan (LHD-5) next to the Intrepid to receive the 2008 Intrepid Freedom Award), NY Gov Patterson, Senators Schumer and Clinton and witness the rechristening of the fabled aircraft carrier, after a two-year renovation. Bill White, the Intrepid’s President ably organized a very moving ceremony and tribute to those who serve. We were fortunate to meet the Marine Corps Commandant, General James Conway, who offered remarks at the ceremony.

In the afternoon, I participate in an hour-long segment on Fox News (The Strategy Report) hosted by Harris Faulkner (her father is a Vietnam Vet). The NYC parade was a great success, thanks to the tireless work of Vince McGowan (who also presented the President with a special award), Pat Gualtieri and the United War Veterans Council of New York. Here are some photos of the day.

On Veterans Day, we were proud to announce our strategic partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). The WWP provides programs and services to severely injured service members during the time between active duty and transition to civilian life; through their activities (Soldier Ride, among many others) and support, they honor the heroes of the 9/11 generation. Most of these warriors have suffered extraordinary injuries that would have been deadly just a few years ago; now, they face emotional and physical hardships that the rest of us,those more fortunate, can only imagine. Veterans Advantage is honored to partner with WWP in providing complimentary lifetime memberships to these American heroes.

If you know someone injured (physical or psychological, stateside or deployed) on or after October 7, 2001(OEF), tell him or her to become a WWP Alumni member at alumni.woundedwarriorproject.org. You may also be eligible for the program if you are the spouse or family member and joining on behalf of a warrior, and if you were injured before but participated in Operation Enduring Freedom.

In our discussions to set up this special ongoing partnership, top management at WWP were particularly impressed with Veterans Advantage’s package of everyday savings benefits – providing valuable financial relief in this difficult wartime economy. And in this week’s newsletter, we highlight just a small sampling of these benefits so you can kickoff a happy – and prosperous – 2008 holiday season.