Transitionnews for Wednesday, December 11th 2013:

Good news story of the day

‘Roof-raising party’ benefits veterans store in Ansonia  (New Haven Register)  An organization that helps veterans got some much-needed help of its own Saturday when volunteers replaced a roof on its thrift store.

Transition

Career transition program expands to cover spouses  (Stars and Stripes)  Spouses of troops and veterans are now eligible for courses through the Veterans Career Transition Program, a host of online courses designed to boost job seekers’ resumes.

US representative meets with student-veterans about easing transition from military  (The Daily Californian)  Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California’s 14th district, discussed ways to ease the transition for former service members into civilian life during a meeting with UC Berkeley student-veterans Monday.

Businesses Step Up Efforts to Hire Veterans  (Military.com)  It took Francisco “Frank” Miranda, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, about three years to find a job in the civilian world that was a good fit. Since August, Miranda has been working at Home Depot in Totowa, N.J., where he and two fellow vet employees refer to each other by their former military ranks.

Veterans

Could Community Service Be the Answer for Veterans Looking to Treat PTSD?  (The Pacific Standard)  Thousands of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs for relief. They might be better served, however, if they tapped the hard-won wisdom of incarcerated Vietnam veteran Michael “Doc” Piper.

Reinventing Michael Banks: A Lesson in Empathy – recruitDC Guest Post  (RecruitDC.org)  Many veterans on the job hunt get frustrated because they feel like potential employers don’t understand or appreciate their experiences.

NM orders halt to investment scheme involving vet benefits  (Albuquerque Journal) The state Regulation and Licensing Department’s Securities Division said Tuesday it has ordered two investment companies involved in the illegal purchase of monthly pensions and disability payments from veterans and resale of them as investments to halt the scheme immediately.

Veterans, soldiers learn show biz with ABC  (Army Times)  Five Army veterans and current soldiers got the chance to write, direct and produce their own films for ABC television during the network’s November and December “Home for the Holidays” campaign — an initiative that encourages supporting and hiring veterans.

Veterans’ Law Attorney with Hook Law Center Explains Rules For Early And Delayed Social Security Benefits Claims  (Law Firm Newswire)  A recent survey indicates many U.S. veterans are uninformed about the advantages and disadvantages of delaying or hastening the start of their Social Security benefits.

Veterans Affairs

Hagan repeats call for action on VA backlog  (Winston-Salem Journal)  Sen. Kay Hagan on Tuesday again asked Eric Shinseki, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to reduce an enormous backlog of appeals made by veterans in North Carolina and the U.S. on claims for disability compensation.

Legionnaires’ bacteria found at Texas VA hospital  (Stars and Stripes)  Officials say water sources at more than three buildings at a Central Texas veterans hospital have tested positive for legionella, a

Benefits

Retirees pushed off Tricare Prime may be allowed back in  (Army Times)  More than 171,000 military retirees and family members booted from Tricare Prime on Oct. 1 when the Defense Department cut coverage areas for its managed health program could get their old health plans back under the compromise 2014 defense bill under consideration in the House and Senate.

Path To Reclaiming Identity Steep For Vets With ‘Bad Paper’  (NPR)  When Michael Hartnett was getting kicked out of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was too deep into post-traumatic stress disorder, drugs and alcohol to care as his battalion commander explained to the young man that his career was ending, and ending badly.

Gay Dallas couple faces veterans home loan problems  (Military Times)  Just days away from closing on a new house, a Dallas couple has discovered the Veterans Affairs Department won’t guarantee their new home loan because it doesn’t count the income of a non-veteran spouse for same-sex married couples in states that don’t recognize such marriages.

Budget deal would reduce COLAs for some military retirees  (Military Times)  A bipartisan budget deal to avoid another government shutdown and reduce the impact of sequestration over the next two years includes thorns for working-age retirees.

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Have a great day!