Transitionnews for Wednesday, December 18th 2013:

Good news story of the day

Disabled Veterans National Foundation and G.I. Joe Coffee Team Up to Help Aspiring Veteran Entrepreneurs  (PR Newswire)  The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (www.dvnf.org), a nonprofit veterans service organization that focuses on helping men and women who serve and return home wounded or sick after defending our safety and our freedom, is pleased to announce G.I. Joe Coffee as a new sponsor. G.I. Joe Coffee, an Arizona-based company that is Veteran-owned and Veteran-operated, is a new startup that aims to use its profits to benefit those who have served in the military.

Transition

Labor Department Provides Grant for 900 Transitioning Troops  (American Forces Press Service)  The Labor Department today announced a $5,586,385 national emergency grant to assist about 900 transitioning military personnel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., the largest military base on the West Coast.

Air Force announces rollbacks to speed separations  (Military  Times)  The Air Force on Tuesday is releasing a list of more than 90 enlisted airmen who will be separated by the end of May — as much as a year early — through date-of-separation rollbacks.

Army Cutting Nearly 4000 Captains and Majors  (Outside the Beltway)  As we transition to a peacetime force, the Army is going to force some 4000 mid-career officers to retire early.

Veterans

Cuyahoga Community College Will Offer $500 Scholarships to Veterans  (NPR)  Cuyahoga County this summer set aside unused veterans service dollars to go back to veterans.

EGSC to open Military Student Resource Center  (The Forest Blade)  East Georgia State College is opening a new Military Student Resource Center in January. The  center is dedicated to providing active duty, reserve service members, veterans and dependents of service members with convenient high quality services.

Veterans sleep outside to raise awareness for homeless  (WLS Chicago)  Despite our cold weather, more than 20 veterans are sleeping outside Monday night to raise awareness of homeless veterans and to raise funds.

‘Saddles For Soldiers’ Program Finds Success Treating PTSD In Veterans Through Horse Bonding  (CBS Los Angeles)  It is estimated that at least 22 war veterans, returned from duty, are killing themselves each day in the U.S. according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Cavalry at Home: A soldier’s wounds and a will to live  (The News Tribune)  Spc. David Matakaiongo can’t shed the feeling that he’s still in Afghanistan.

Veterans Affairs

Limtiaco Working With Veterans Affairs Office to Help Vets Process Claims  (Pacific News Center)  Senator Limtiaco is working with the Veterans Affairs Office to set up satellite kiosks in senatorial offices to assist with Veterans Benefits Claims processing.

2 Florida Men Sentenced in Fraud Scheme Targeting Veterans Affairs  (NBC Miami)  A former repair contractor with a Florida property management company has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in defrauding a Department of Veterans Affairs mortgage program.

Benefits

Goodwill® Aligns With The VA To Help Veterans Access Benefits  (The Sacramento Bee)  Web portal helps military veterans and their families manage benefits and claims online.

Budget Bill Clears Senate Test, Cuts Military  (Fox News)  A two-year budget deal cleared a key Senate test vote on Tuesday, despite last-ditch efforts by Republicans to strip a provision that cuts into military retiree benefits, setting up a final vote in the Senate no later than Wednesday.

Year-end agreement: Budget heads to final passage  (Associated Press)  Year-end legislation to ease Congress’ chronic budget brinkmanship and soften across-the-board spending cuts moved to the cusp of final passage Tuesday, a rare display of Senate bipartisanship that masked deep Republican misgivings about slicing military retirement benefits.

Medical retirees included in COLA reductions  (Military Times)  Military personnel who are medically retired — those with combat or service-related injuries so severe they were offered full military retirement pay and benefits — would see their retired pay cut as a result of the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said Tuesday.

Budget deal cuts benefits for disabled veterans, says top Senate Budget Republican  (Washington Examiner)  Disabled military veterans will see their retirement benefits cut under the budget deal passed in the House of Representatives and pending in the Senate, according to the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee.

Senate GOP fails in final bid to restore military pension cuts to budget bill  (Fox News)  A final effort by Senate Republicans to halt cuts to pensions of military retirees failed late Tuesday, after Democrats blocked an amendment to the controversial budget bill.

Senate Votes Down Plan To Restore Veterans Benefits  (National Journal)  The Senate on Tuesday blocked a Republican-led effort to preserve approximately $6 billion in benefits to working-age military retirees, ensuring the cuts will remain a part of Congress’ broader budget deal.

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Have a great day!