Transitionnews for Thursday, January 2d 2014:

Good news story of the day

Convoy completes cross-country ‘Drive for Veterans’ in low-speed vehicles to help wounded veterans (Orlando Sentinel)  Participants in the “Drive for Veterans” were honored recently after completing a cross-country trip via low-speed electric vehicles at the huge retirement community.

Transition

Senate Passes Key Provisions of Kaine’s First Bill, the Troop Talent Act  (PoliticalNews.me)  The U.S. Senate passed key provisions of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine’s first bill, the Troop Talent Act of 2013, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2014.

New personnel chief: Know your options under force cuts  (Air Force Times)  Lt. Gen. Samuel Cox takes the reins as the Air Force’s newest personnel chief at a tumultuous time.

Deployment schedule means change in disbandment for Fort Carson brigades  (The Gazette)   The Army will disband the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team — not its 3rd Brigade Combat Team, as previously announced — by fiscal year 2015, a Fort Carson spokesperson confirmed on Monday.

Veterans

Wounded Warriors to take on new opponents in softball  (The Palm Beach Post)  While the Florida Legends and a lineup of All Stars have had their fair share of competition, on Jan. 18 they will be facing competitors who have been to war and back.

Kansas Honor Flight plans six trips for veterans in 2014  (The Kansas City Star)  The Kansas nonprofit that takes veterans to see their war memorials and other sites in the nation’s capital expects to take six more flights in 2014.

Aid may be available for vets suffering loss of jobless benefits  (Lowell Sun)  With 1.3 million people expected to begin losing unemployment benefits through the federal government this week, Tyngsboro’s veterans’ service officer stresses there is assistance still available for veterans in need.

Iraq War vet makes Colorado’s first pot purchase  (USA Today)  The new year got a little happier for pot smokers in Colorado on Wednesday as the nation’s first retail outlets for recreational marijuana opened their doors.

Veterans Affairs

VA web site for families of veterans with PTSD  (Examiner.com)  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has set up a web site specifically for the families of veterans who have PTSD.

Grave markers moved at Maryland veterans’ cemetery  (The Washington Post)  Grave markers were moved and the lawn was damaged Monday at a veterans’ cemetery in Prince George’s County, authorities said.

Benefits

Military pay cut battle is on  (My San Antonio)  This fight starts as soon as Congress reconvenes in January. At stake are billions of military pension dollars that will be cut over the next 10 years to help balance the federal budget. Should our troops pay that price?

Defend military pension cuts: Our view  (USA Today)  One of the best things Ronald Reagan did as president was to revamp federal pensions.

Leave veteran pensions alone: Opposing view  (USA Today)  Cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) cuts passed by Congress in its budget bill are nothing more than a tax on our country’s military retirees.

Cut to military pensions in federal budget angers SC veterans  (The State)  A cut in military pensions that’s part of the budget bill signed by President Barack Obama last week will be a “terrible thing” when it starts in 2015, three SC veterans leaders say.

Security Insiders: It’s Time to Reduce Military Health and Pension Benefits  The time has come: Military health and pension benefits, which have more than doubled in the past decade, should be reduced as the defense budget comes down, said a whopping 90 percent majority of National Journal’s National Security Insiders.

California VA Loan Limits For 2014 Published  (StreetInsider.com)  Blue Loan Services is a full service mortgage company that has been helping California home loan borrowers to find the best loan products and benefit from the lowest mortgage rates and fees for many years.

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Have a great day!