Monthly Archives: March 2014

Transitionnews: Military/Veteran Jobs and Benefits news of the day for for 3/19/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Good news story of the day

Bark-A-Que to fundraise for veterans medical service dogs  (Wink News)  ALTAIR Training Solutions, a Special Operations training facility located at the historical Copeland prison site, is sponsoring its annual “Bark-a-Que” to benefit Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, a nonprofit dedicated to pairing combat wounded veterans with PTSD service dogs, free of charge.

Military Transition and Jobs News

TAP, providing outreach and resources  (86th Airlift Wing)  A key transition assistance official visited Ramstein to discuss force management and inform Airmen on outreach resources and assistance programs allowing for a smooth transition back in to the civilian world.

Program Assists San Diego Veterans Entering Civilian Workforce  (KPBS)  Many new veterans in San Diego are adjusting to civilian life and at the same time trying to enter the job market.

Retraining preps Valley vets with in-demand skills for utility jobs (Modesto Bee)  For military veterans hoping to land jobs in the utility industry, “just hanging around” takes on a whole new meaning at 25 or 30 feet off the ground in a grove of tall wooden poles.

Pioneer to sponsor career fair for veterans  (Business Wire)  Pioneer Credit Recovery, a Sallie Mae company, and the New York State Department of Labor will sponsor a tri-county career fair for veterans in western New York on April 3.

Acadian, state team up to find jobs for veterans  (The Advertiser)  Don Elkins came home to Church Point from Vietnam in 1972. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Elkins said Tuesday. “I was working at a gas station with my brother-in-law.”

Jobs Initiative for Veterans (Hispanic Business)  Michigan will partner with a major national business group to help active-duty members find jobs after leaving the military.

Campaign to help the hiring of National Guard and Veterans  (Examiner)  American Jobs for America’s Heroes, a non- profit campaign to help connect employers and military, has announced that 1,000 employers across America have signed up to seek and hire National Guard members, veterans and spouses.

Tennessee, Iowa and Michigan to pilot initiative to help vets get jobs  (TriCities)  Tennessee, Iowa and Michigan will partner with a major national business group to help active-duty members find jobs after leaving the military.

Veterans News

House asks VA for presumptive conditions for Gulf War vets  (USA Today)  Gulf War veterans should have presumptive conditions associated with their service, including brain and lung cancer and chronic migraines, members of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs wrote in a letter Tuesday.

24 soldiers receive Medal of Honor in ‘historic’ event  (Army Times)  When Pfc. Leonard Kravitz was killed in Korea, his childhood friend Mitchel Libman was crushed.

OneRoof Energy® Joins San Bernardino Officials for Opening of Local Transitional Housing Program for Homeless Veterans  (Business Journals)  OneRoof Energy, Inc., a complete solar services provider, today joined Empower America Coalition, Turrill Transitional and other San Bernardino business and elected officials to commemorate the opening of The McMillen House, the largest of its kind transitional housing program for military veterans in the Inland Empire.

USAA Joins Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) as Corporate Partner  (NewsWise)  The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University (IVMF) is pleased to announce that USAA will join as a corporate two star partner in support of the institute’s programs for veterans and military families as, and after, they make the transition to post-service life.

Veterans open house to be held in Trent, Mar. 28  (Moody County Enterprise)  Trent, SD, Moody County and the S.D. Dept. of Veterans Affairs will be hosting an open house for veterans and their families on Friday, March 28 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Trent Fire Hall at 101 W. 3rd in Trent.

Raleigh summit, expo for women veterans set for April  (Star News Online)  The Department of Veterans Affairs and the N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs are partnering to host a Women Veterans Summit and Expo from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the N.C. National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters,

PCC chancellor talks about VA student benefit violations  (Tuscon News Now)  Pima Community College Chancellor, Lee Lambert, admitted Tuesday that the school messed up when dealing with veteran benefit certification.

Veterans service agency has 1st female director  (Vindy)  Twenty-five-year Army veteran Susan Skrzynski is the new executive director of the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, the first woman to occupy the position.

Gov’t approves study of marijuana smoking to treat PTSD in military veterans  (CBS News)  Could marijuana help treat post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans? New research aims to find out.

Volunteer sues after getting Legionnaires’  (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)  A Vietnam veteran who says he contracted Legionnaires’ disease while volunteering at the Pittsburgh VA’s University Drive campus has filed the latest lawsuit over the Legionella outbreak that sickened at least 22 people and killed six patients.

Tactical Veteran: Make a job contingency plan  (Military Times)  Like most Military Times readers, I’ve been following the news about the latest Defense Department budget cuts that could force thousands of service members into an early, unplanned transition from military to civilian life.

Benefits News

U.S.-based Tricare Service Centers will close April 1  (Military Times)  A reminder to military health care beneficiaries: Customer service at Tricare offices in military hospitals and clinics in the U.S. ends March 31.

Veteran friendly  (Herald-Tribune)  Florida wants to be known as the friendliest state for military veterans. It moved a step closer to that goal this month when the Legislature approved a bill that will cut college costs for veterans.

Veterans Corner volunteers assist 145 with VA claims  (Norman Transcript)  We are recognizing Ray Stelting as the volunteer of the week. He has been a dedicated supporter of Veterans Corner for the last six years. He served four years in the United States Army.

Disability Law Firm Heard & Smith Says SSA’s New Expedited Disability Process for Veterans is a “Very Small Step in the Right Direction”  (Street Insider)  Heard & Smith, a national disability law firm that concentrates on the disabled and the injured, is partially praising the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) new initiative to expedite disability claims from veterans who have a VA disability compensation rating of 100% P&T, and can show proof of their “permanent and total” disability rating.

Some veterans will now have their Social Security disability benefits expedited  (Stars and Stripes)  The federal government has launched a new process to expedite Social Security disability claims for a special category of veterans, the Social Security Administration announced Tuesday.

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Transitionnews: Military/Veteran Jobs and Benefits news of the day for for 3/18/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Good news stories of the day

24 to receive Medal of Honor today at the White House  (Army Times)  At the White House today, 24 people, three of them living, are receiving the Medal of Honor for their valor in wars of past decades.

Stark County veteran embarks on Warrior Hike along Appalachian Trail  (Ohio.com)  Cecil E. Thayer III plans to spend the next six months walking away his war.

Military Transition News

Processing to resume for some early retirement, voluntary separation applications  (Air Force Times)  Air Force officials announced a decision Saturday to resume processing applications for voluntary separations and early retirement for airmen with 15 or more years of service, with the exception of some categories that require waivers such as for service commitments, time in grade or years of commissioned service.

Active-force sees sharp manpower drop  (Army Times)  Regular Army end strength in January took a sharp drop and hit 523,000 by the end of the month, after hovering around 530,000 early in the fiscal year.

Hiring Our Heroes hosts a job fair for military veterans and spouses on March 20 in Grand Prairie  (Dallas News)  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will host a “Hiring Our Heroes” job fair on March 20 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for military veterans and their spouses.

Southwest Ohio job fair offers help for military veterans who have felony convictions  (The Republic)  Officials in the Dayton area plan a job fair catering to military veterans — including those who have felony convictions.

McCaskill Pushes Jobs Bill for Vets  (CBS)  Pushing a plan to help veterans get back to work, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill stood outside the Soldiers Memorial downtown.

Job fair to target people with military service, experience  (WVEC)  The Army Career and Alumni Program will join forces with the Army Community Service and the Virginia Employment Commission to host a job fair March 27 at the Fort Eustis Club, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Veterans Job Fair set for April 3  (Bossier Press)  The Veterans’ Job and Resource Fair is set for Thursday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Bossier Civic Center.

Chairmen Carper and Harkin Commend Defense Department for Improving Transition Assistance Program  (Insurance News Net) Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, commended the Department of Defense (DOD) for taking key steps to improve a program designed to prepare servicemembers and veterans with information and provide resources on how to best use their GI Bill benefits.

Veterans News

Federal Government Signs Off On Study Using Marijuana To Treat Veterans’ PTSD  (The Huffington Post)  The federal government has signed off on a long-delayed study looking at marijuana as a treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, a development that drug researchers are hailing as a major shift in U.S. policy.

Lottery sales benefit Illinois veterans  (The Southern Illinoisan)  The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs on Monday announced a total of $241,582 in grants from Veterans’ Cash scratch-off lottery ticket sales to help fourteen non-profits and local governmental entities deliver specialized programs and services to llinois veterans.

Gov. Pence signs military family relief fund bill to help veterans  (Indianapolis Recorder)  Governor Mike Pence recently signed a bill that will help Hoosier heroes and their families by expanding access to the Military Family Relief Fund.

Collateral damage: The mental health issues facing children of veterans  (CBS)  How many of these homecomings have you seen on television since we went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan more than a decade ago?

Flag meant to honor fallen son is barred from memorial  (Philly.com)  Amy and Patrick Moore didn’t expect any trouble, not after the loss they suffered.

Benefits News

More veterans taking advantage of Post-9/11 GI Bill  (The Kansas City Star) In the year since Clemson University launched its Student Veterans Success Center, its volunteer staff has worked to transform the small alcove in the School of Computing into a place where those transitioning from military to civilian life can connect with their peers.

Legion post plans VA benefits talk  (Newark Advocate)  The Thornville American Legion Post 342 will sponsor an informational presentation about Veterans Affairs benefits that is open to all veterans and their family members.

Widow faces setback in benefits battle  (The Tennessean)  When Betty Osborne heard about World War II marine veteran Millard Sells fighting for nearly two decades to get his veteran’s disability benefits, she could only shake her head.

I won my battle, but other veterans still fight the VA for PTSD benefits  (Examiner)  While conducting research for my latest article, I ran across a headline that really hit me close to home: “Veteran fights VA to keep PTSD diagnosis”.

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Transitionnews: Military/Veteran Jobs and Benefits news of the day for for 3/17/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Good news story of the day

Clarksville veteran wins silver at Paralympics  (The Leaf Chronicle)  Clarksville veteran Heath Calhoun added his first Paralympics medal to an already impressive list of accomplishments Friday in Sochi, Russia.

Military Transition News

Job-hunting tips for military veterans back in the workforce  (The Guardian)  A job interview, for a military veteran, tends to be a formal affair.  He won’t  slouch or lean in a chair.

Job Fair for military veterans on March 19  (Examiner)  Leaving the military can be difficult.

Job fair March 25 to help veterans  (The Chippewa Herald)  A job fair for veterans, their spouses and service members will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, at the Eau Claire Army National Guard Armory, 1730 North Lane, Eau Claire.

Merced job fair attracts veterans, others looking for employment  (The Sacramento Bee)  Many came dressed in their best interview clothes Thursday for a veterans job fair in Merced.

Misunderstood veterans searching for jobs struggle to connect with recruiters  (The Guardian)  “I need to be a little bit more proactive, a little bit more – I don’t want to say the word – annoying,” Nick Marriott sighs, then chuckles. “Patient, too. I hate the waiting process.”

Vet Groups Question $1 Billion VA Jobs Program  (Military.com)  The administration is again hoping to establish a major veterans’  employment program that would see thousands of former service members employed  in public sector jobs across the country.

City hosts Veterans job fair downtown  (WOKV)  The city of Jacksonville is hosting a job fair this morning at the convention center downtown  for veterans and their families.

Senator introduces jobs, small business bills to help vets  (Navy Times)  New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has introduced two bills to help veterans look for jobs and start small businesses.

Veterans News

Veterans rallied Saturday for a solution to Ft. Bayard  (Silver City Sun-News)   Close to 100 people attended a rally Saturday afternoon at the Grant County Business and Conference Center to support the Southwest New Mexico Transition Center acquiring Fort Bayard.

Care and Benefits for Veterans Strengthened by $153 Billion VA Budget  (MilitarySpot)  Continuing the transformation of the Department of Veterans Affairs into a 21st century organization, the President has proposed a $152.7 billion budget, a 10.2 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2013, that will support VA’s goals to expand access to health care and other benefits, eliminate the disability claims backlog, and end homelessness among Veterans.

Holly Petraeus: ‘Some people don’t balk at taking advantage of veterans’  (The Guardian)  When you join the US military, you are taught about a lot of things: discipline, respect, loyalty. Yet there’s one thing that they don’t teach you in the military: how to protect your own finances.

Benefit set for Fallen Warriors Memorial  (Santa Maria Times)  The committee spearheading the Lompoc Valley Fallen Warriors Memorial to forever remember local residents who died while serving in the military has planned its first major benefit for Saturday night.

Paralyzed Madison combat vet goes ‘RoboCop’ with bionic suit that lets him stand and walk  (Wisconsin State Journal)  Just under three years ago, a powerful bomb blast ripped the earth apart along a remote road in Afghanistan, leaving Army Sgt. Dan Rose paralyzed from the chest down.

Houston’s WWII sailor in famous kissing photo dies at 86  (Chron)  Glenn Edward McDuffie, the young sailor from Houston who can be seen in one of the most iconic photos from the end of World War II, has died, according to family members.

Disabled ex-Air Force sergeant says federal security officers tased him at downtown Portland office  (Oregon Live)  A former U.S. Air Force sergeant is suing the federal government and four federal officers for allegedly tasing him several times and striking him in the head and back as he tried to go through security at a downtown Portland office for an appointment.

Benefits News

A Senate bill would speed up veterans’ disability claims  (The Olympian)  It took soldiers returning to the United States from Europe more than a week to cross the Atlantic by boat at the end of World War II. Today troops can traverse the globe from Afghanistan in as little as 24 hours.

Bill offers more benefits for Louisiana’s ‘wounded warriors’  (The Town Talk)   Louisiana’s military personnel returning from war with serious injuries and spouses who have lost loved ones deserve more benefits than the state now offers, say Reps. Frank Howard and James Armes.

Veterans news: Gather papers now  (Courier-Journal)  All veterans who were discharged (separated) from military service must have a copy of their discharge certificate in order to receive veteran’s benefits, whether filing a claim for service-connected illnesses, injuries, and wounds, or in the event of death.

Agent Orange talk prompts memories, emotion  (The Hays Daily News)  In a soft, halting voice, Katherine Glaser told of how she watched her father die when she was young.

Mobile Vet Center will visit Bennington on Tuesday  (Bennington Banner)  The Mobile Vet Center (like the one pictured here) is headed to American Legion in Bennington VT for a Veterans Welcome Home event for all veterans on Tuesday, March 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AFTER ASHES FOUND, DAUGHTER ASKS: WHO DID I BURY?  (AP)  Dellaina Grundy isn’t sure whether any of the cremated remains buried in her father’s grave in a veterans cemetery are his, and she doesn’t expect to ever know.

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Transitionnews: Military/Veteran Jobs and Benefits news of the day for for 3/14/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Good news story of the day

Marines volunteer to help renovate home of WWII veteran  (WMUR)

He didn’t know that the injury would eventually catch up to him in October when his knee gave way walking down the stairs of his home in Bedford. Ruchin tore four tendons and is currently going through rehabilitation.

Military Transition/Jobs News

Employers, Wounded Warriors and Veterans Register Now for Hiring Conference  (U.S. Navy)  Whether you’re a veteran or wounded warrior looking for a job or an employer looking for qualified candidates, the 4th Annual Wounded Warrior Hiring and Support Conference is the place to be May 28-29 in Raleigh, N.C.

Soldiers graduate to new career  (U.S. Army)  For nine Soldiers leaving the Army, their career futures are looking bright. The Soldiers are the first at Fort Carson to benefit from the Veterans in Piping program offered through the Local Union No. 58 Plumbers, Pipefitters and HVAC Service Technicians, training Soldiers on welding and pipefitting.

‘Transition GPS’ helps troops re-enter civilian world  (U.S. Air Force)  Feedback on “Transition GPS,” which prepares service members to enter the civilian workforce, indicates it improves on the program it replaced, the director of the Defense Department’s Transition to Veterans Program office said here March 11.

Syracuse Offers Programs for Veterans, Spouses  (DOD Live)  The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University is currently enrolling eligible veterans and their spouses in an online program to enhance their career skills and job marketability.

FIRST COUNTY: Home Base Iowa Rolls Out  (WHOTV)  Governor Branstad launched “Home Base Iowa” last November. It serves as a stepping stone to help service members’ transition back into civilian life.

From Hero To Hired  (Arkansas Matters)  Hiring our Heroes has a simple, but important purpose.

Army to cut combat brigades  (The Hill)  The Army may need to cut its number of brigade combat teams nearly in half to accommodate the Pentagon’s plans to slice the Army’s size to below 450,000 soldiers after 2017.

Veterans News

VA: We budgeted before DOD; troop reductions not accounted for  (Stars and Stripes)  Lawmakers fear that the Veterans Affairs department might not be asking for enough money to meet its needs, the National Journal reported Thursday.

Diabetes: Silent Epidemic Among Veterans  (Ozarks First)  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs calls diabetes a silent epidemic among those who have served in the military and is dedicating resources to better management of the disease.

Congress Wants to Shield Veterans From Another Government Shutdown  (National Journal)  During the last government shutdown, lawmakers feared veterans were days away from not receiving their disability checks.

Brundidge Rotarians learn about veterans benefits  (Troy Messenger)  Randy Ross, Pike County veteran’s service officer, was the program guest of Rotarian Lamar Steed at the Brundidge Rotary Club Wednesday.

Despite congressional muscle, Michigan ranks near bottom in US in funding for veterans (MLive)  After 17 years in the military, U.S. Navy and Gulf War veteran Gary Alcumbrack has done his best to navigate the civilian world even as he wrestles with nightmares that won’t go away.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs says changes have been made at Atlanta VA Medical Center  (WSBTV)  Channel 2 Action News was the first to uncover federal audits showing that mismanagement at the Atlanta VA Medical Center contributed to the deaths of three patients.

VA hospital knew human error caused Legionnaires’ outbreak  (CBS)  In January 2013, CBS News reported that a Veterans Affairs hospital in Pittsburgh knew for more than a year it had an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, but failed to warn patients.

Former Veterans Affairs Psychiatrist Sentenced for Medicare Fraud  (National Journal)  A licensed psychiatrist formerly employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was sentenced today to serve 18 months in prison for falsely claiming to provide at-home services to Medicare beneficiaries.

Veterans Corner: VA looks to reduce opiod prescriptions  (Lake County Sun)  The Department of Veterans Affairs has initiated a multi-faceted approach to reduce the use of opioids among America’s veterans using VA health care.

Medal of Honor recipient Ola Lee Mize dies at 82  (Army Times)  Medal of Honor recipient, Korean War hero and Special Forces legend retired Army Col. Ola Lee Mize has died at 82, according to the Medal of Honor Society. He died Wednesday after a lengthy illness.

Benefits News

VA seeking to educate vets on unclaimed benefits  (KTAR)  Calling all veterans in need of health care, education assistance, even home loans. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs said you could be eligible for more benefits than you think.

Veterans Benefit Fair  (Rochester Homepage)  Hundreds of veterans got an opportunity to learn what benefits they are eligible for today at the Veterans Benefit Fair at Monroe Community Hospital.

Law Extends Financial Support For Veterans  (Indiana Public Media)  Governor Mike Pence Thursday signed legislation that will extend the state benefits members of the armed services and their families receive.

Survey shows distrust of retirement reform in the ranks  (Military Times)  The Pentagon’s new proposal for reforming military retirement is drawing sharply negative reactions from today’s career-minded service members, according to a recent survey of Military Times active-duty readers.

Life care lawyers can help navigate veterans’ benefits  (Cleveland Jewish Media)  With the cost of long-term care rising every day, seniors want to know how to pay for care without breaking the bank.

Gay military widow not getting death benefits  (CNN)  She misses her most around the holidays, especially St. Patrick’s Day — the day they first met — and Valentine’s Day, their wedding anniversary.

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Transitionnews: Military/Veteran Jobs and Benefits news of the day for for 3/13/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition, jobs, benefits, and veterans affairs news of the day for 3/13/14

Good news story of the day

‘Feel the warmth’: York veteran gets national award  (The State)  Korean War veteran and POW TJ Martin has worked behind the scenes to honor York County veterans and promote their causes.

Military Transition

Veterans Tour Local Companies for Jobs  (WJBF)   Veterans swapped their boots and camo for suits and ties on Wednesday.

UP garners military hiring recognition from diversity magazine  (Progressive Railroading)  Profiles in Diversity Journal recently recognized Union Pacific Railroad as one of the nation’s “25 Most Influential Companies for Veteran Hiring.”

35 companies participating in military job fair  (WAVE3)  A military job fair will host 35 companies at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Clayton State job fair also looks to attract veterans  (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)  Clayton State University’s Office of Career Services will hold its annual job and graduate school fair for university students and alumni on March 20.

‘Transition GPS’ helps troops re-enter civilian world  (U.S. Air Force)  Feedback on “Transition GPS,” which prepares service members to enter the civilian workforce, indicates it improves on the program it replaced, the director of the Defense Department’s Transition to Veterans Program office said here March 11.

AF stops work on most force-shaping programs  (Air Force Times)  The Air Force has halted work on most of its force reduction programs while it re-evaluates them, according to a statement released Wednesday.

New program will help veterans ‘suit up’ for job search  (Aiken Standard)  The Aiken Warrior Project and Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA are teaming up to make sure student military veterans will look spiffy while they are seeking work.

Soldiers offered new career track  (Bayonet & Saber)  The Department of Veteran Affairs has rolled out a new career track for transitioning service members and their Families.

State Agencies Launch Veterans Jobs Program  (NBC Washington)  Two state agencies have formally joined forces to run a program that helps match Virginia veterans with employers.

Veterans

Are Veterans Getting the Money They Deserve in Latest Budget?  (National Journal)  Although budget requests are routinely dismissed as pie-in-the-sky wish lists doomed to be slashed, lawmakers fear that the Veterans Affairs Department actually might not be asking for enough money to meet its needs.

Veterans Thrift Store organizes win-win for everyone  (Tampa Bay Online)  David Lindsay, the son of a U.S. Air Force enlistee who served in three wars, has a soft heart for veterans in need.

Gay veterans push back against organizers of St. Patrick’s Day parade  (Boston.com)  A dozen gay veterans pushed back today against organizers of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Boston and rebutted a charge that MassEquality had lied on its parade application and did not have a group of veterans who wanted to march.

Report: Gulf War symptoms too broad for one definition  (USA Today)  Gulf War veterans have such a wide array of symptoms and exposures that researchers and clinicians should not apply one definition to everyone, and should instead “select one based on their needs,” according to a report from the Institute of Medicine released Wednesday.

Wounded Warrior Project Presents 2014 Veterans Policy Objectives to Senate, House Veterans Affairs Committees  (4-Traders) Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) unveiled its 2014 policy priorities today, aimed at meeting unfulfilled obligations to the nation’s newest wounded veterans, during testimony before the Committees on Veterans Affairs for the Senate and the House of Representatives.

JUDGE: DECORATED SOLDIER WON’T GET MEDAL OF HONOR  (AP)  Lt. Garlin Murl Conner left the U.S. Army as the second-most decorated soldier during World War II, earning four Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, seven Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during 28 straight months in combat.

Veteran unemployment rises, Reagan job creation higher than Obama’s  (Examiner.com)  Curtis L. Coy, Deputy Under Secretary for Economic Opportunity for the Veterans Benefits Administration on Monday released the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) through email communications that shows that Veteran unemployment rose in February 2014.

Veterans Affairs

Shinseki: Advance Funding Won’t Solve VA Problems  (Military.com)  Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Wednesday told a Senate panel that advance funding for all VA operations would not solve all the department problems in the event of another government shutdown.

Spokane Veterans Affairs hospital brings budget concerns to Sen. Patty Murray  (The Spokesman-Review)  Staff shortages and the worry of possible budget cuts prompted local managers at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Spokane to ignore the chain of command and take their concerns straight to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who put pointed questions to senior officials during a Wednesday hearing.

Accountability demands grow as more VA patients complain of bad care  (The Augusta Chronicle) Richard Johnson tried seven times in three years to speak to Rebecca Wiley’s administration about issues with his care at the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

VA: Funding decline for TBI care is good news  (Military Times)  Funding for traumatic brain injury care would drop under the White House’s proposed fiscal 2015 budget, but Veterans Affairs Department officials say that’s actually good news.

Benefits

Wissota Springs to host veteran benefits seminar  (The Chippewa Herald)  If you are in need of assisted living, and you are a wartime veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran, help could be on the way.

Local Vet Heads To Washington To Fight For Benefits  (News Channel 5)  They served our country, but many veterans are finding transitioning back to civilian life has a few more challenges than they expected. One local man is now among a select group to fight for veteran benefits.

Veterans Administration Medical Center sets March 24 open house on veteran health care programs  (NewHampshire.com)  The Manchester Veterans Administration Medical Center will host an open house for new enrollment for health care on Monday, March 24, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Manchester VAMC, 718 Smyth Road.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 3/12/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 3/12/14

Good news story of the day

US Paralympic Team Includes 8 Army Veterans  (Military.com)   An active-duty soldier and seven Army veterans are competing this week in the Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Military Transition

80 employers to recruit veterans in ‘Hiring our Heroes’ Grand Rapids job fair  (MLive)  A job fair targeted at U.S. military veterans is returning to Grand Rapids.

Minnesota Veterans Art Experience To Offer Vets Creative Outlet, Ease Transition  (KCENTV)  The Red Wing Arts Association has teamed up with Paul Riedner to create the Minnesota Veterans Art Experience (MVAE), a series of free art events for vets across the state.

Re-up, retention bonuses for select few, budget documents show  (Air Force Times)  Competition for bigger, but fewer, re-enlistment bonuses will be much tighter this year and next.

N.C. congressmen question DoD’s plans for 440th Airlift Wing at Fort Bragg  (FayObserver)  Four congressmen from North Carolina have sent a letter to the Department of Defense raising concerns over the possible shuttering of a Fort Bragg unit.

Veterans

SDSU’s College of Business Ranked Among Top 20 Schools for Military Veterans  (The Business Journal)  The College of Business Administration at San Diego State University (SDSU) announced today that the college was ranked as the 18th best business school in the nation for M.B.A. programs available to military veterans by Military Times magazine.

One of Vietnam’s fiercest battles recalled in film  (Union-Tribune)  They were days of survival, just south of the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam during the winter of 1968.

THE UNCOUNTED  (CNN)  More than a dozen medals lined a shelf in Liz Snell’s home.

Veterans Affairs

More veterans suffer from ALS, but VA moves to help  (Sacramento Bee)  Thomas Corbett may never know what – if anything – from his five years as a heavy-equipment mechanic in the Marine Corps brought on the disease that likely will steal from him the use of nearly every one of his muscles and, sometime in the next several years, his very breath.

Joint hearing to focus on future Veterans Affairs budget  (Washington Post)  The House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees are scheduled to hold a joint hearing on Wednesday to discuss funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, roughly one week after President Obama proposed boosting the organization’s budget by 3 percent.

Vets battle VA on post-Vietnam Agent Orange claims  (Military Times)  Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Bailey never fought in Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia, where many U.S. troops were exposed to the toxic defoliant Agent Orange.

OSHA investigates propane explosion and fire at Veterans Affairs construction site in Aurora  (The Denver Channel)  An explosion sparked a fire at the Veterans Affairs construction site at E. 17th Ave. and Fitzsimons Pkwy in Aurora overnight. That’s just a few blocks northwest of E. Colfax Ave. and Interstate 225.

Casey, Heller Unveil VA Backlog Report, Legislation  (PoliticalNews.me)  Chairs of the VA Backlog Working Group, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Dean Heller (R-NV), along with Senators David Vitter (R-LA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), released the 21st Century Veterans Benefits Delivery Act, comprehensive legislation designed to reduce the backlog of veterans’ disability claims.

Leidos Awarded Contracts by Department of Veterans Affairs  (The Wall Street Journal)  Leidos, a national security, health and engineering solutions company, today announced three contract wins from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help the agency maximize operational efficiencies, reduce healthcare costs, and improve veteran care.

Congress Must Step Up for Veterans   (The Huffington Post)  Watch TV these days, look around online, or go to a live sporting event, and it’s nearly impossible to miss the growing appreciation of the sacrifices made by America’s veterans.

Benefits

Helping veterans with education, benefits (WTNH)  What’s essentially a one-stop shop for veterans is being set up today to help them sign up for some programs and to help them move forward in life after the military.

VA seeking to educate vets on unclaimed benefits  (KTAR)  Calling all veterans in need of health care, education assistance, even home loans.

Using Cultural Guides to Bridge the Veterans’ Employment Gap  (The Huffington Post)  Veterans’ employment is a national topic; look no further than the constant media and White House attention it receives.

‘No rationale’ for Tricare’s refusal to cover genetic tests  (Military Times)  A change in medical classifications last year has left clinical laboratories across the U.S. carrying a $10 million tab for Tricare.

Commissary fruit, vegetable prices may soar in some Pacific stores  (Military Times)  Commissary officials are floating a proposal that could cause the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables to skyrocket in stores in Guam, Japan and South Korea.

Inhofe Wants More Info on Confusing DoD Budget ‘Now’  (Defense News)  The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to clear up lingering confusion about its 2015 spending blueprint. And he wants it to do so “now.”

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 3/11/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 3/11/14

Good news story of the day

Marine Dad Surprises his Kids  (Military Times)  Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School students Peytan and Tillman Caskey knew their dad was coming home from Afghanistan on Friday. But they did not expect him to show up at school.

Military Transition

PAVE program helps disabled Inland Empire veterans find jobs  (The Sun)  Knowing that college was not what he wanted to do in his 20s, Mike Metal joined the Navy and trained to fight pirates in the dangerous waters off the east coast of Africa.

Best for Vets: Business Schools 2014  (Military Times)  As service members and veterans have become bigger priorities for schools, some are starting to offer MBA degrees tailored to the military.

Welcome efforts to connect veterans to jobs  (The News Tribune)  With the military anticipating serious downsizing in coming years, organizations like Rally Point 6 have their work cut out for them.

G.I. Jobs Releases the 2014 Top 20 Hot Jobs for Veterans  (IT Business Net)  G.I. Jobs, the premier media resource for transitioning service members, today released its second annual list of the Top 20 Hot Jobs For Veterans.

New York National Guard Hosts Veterans Job Fair At Lexington Avenue Armory on March 27  (BlackAnthem)  The New York National Guard will host a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring our Heroes Job Fair on Thursday, March 27 at the Lexington Avenue Armory.

Air Force details fleet cuts, states hardest hit  (Air Force Times)  The Air Force on Monday announced specifics on planned cuts to its fleet over the next five years, including 50 F-15Cs heading to retirement and multiple MQ-1 Predator units upgrading to the newer Reaper drone.

How Big Will the US Army Be in 2019? Not Even the Army Knows  (Defense News)  Just as the budgeting office of the US Army was preparing to submit its fiscal 2015 budget, last-minute word from the White House turned everything on its head.

How the Army plans to thin the ranks  (Army Times)  If you’ve been hoping for a chance to voluntarily end your contract and collect a payout, don’t hold your breath.

Veterans

After a conviction, help for incarcerated veterans  (Baltimore Sun)  The Iraq War veteran wants to get his paralegal certificate.

Rep. Tom Cotton: Hire a Veteran  (NewsMax)  Employers should hire veterans because of the skills they gain from their military service, said Senate hopeful Rep. Tom Cotton, a former U.S. Army captain.

Military veterans especially unhappy at federal agencies  (The Washington Post)  The federal government’s annual employee-satisfaction survey shows that veterans’ perceptions of workplace fairness are more negative than their non-veteran counterparts, and they’re more likely to feel disengaged from their supervisors, according to a Federal News Radio article that explores some of the causes of those trends.

Many veterans who are prescribed opioids become chronic abusers  (Examiner)  The states of war in Iraq and Afghanistan in this era has lead to high rates of prescribing of opioids for U.S. military veterans.

Navajo military veterans struggle with housing  (Los Angeles Times)  In World War II he served as a Navajo code talker, one of the Marines who became legendary by using their native tongue to transmit messages the enemy could not decipher. Years later, to express its appreciation, the Navajo Nation built Tom Jones Jr. a house.

Are Marine departures a taste of things to come in N.C.?  (FayObserver)  As state leaders begin to build a virtual wall around our military against a possible future base realignment and closure, some Marines are already slipping through.

Military retiree tapped as new DoDEA director  (Military Times)  A retired Amy colonel with 12 years of experience in education administration in public schools has been named the new director of the Department of Defense Education Activity.

Veterans Affairs

VA budget tackles two major goals  (Daily World)  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has proposed $68.4 billion in discretionary spending, largely for health care, with goals to eliminate years of medical claims backlog and a focus on reducing homelessness among veterans.

Veteran’s Affairs office will soon have new home  (WAFB)  Tony Coleman and his coworkers at the Department of Louisiana Veteran’s Affairs provided a tour of their service office on North Boulevard Monday.

Veterans Affairs office in Baton Rouge getting evicted after complaining about building  (The Times-Picayune)  After officials with the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs in Baton Rouge publicly complained about the condition of the building the city-parish is leasing for them, their landlord now plans to evict them.

Petition started to keep 800 VA jobs from moving out of downtown St. Louis  (KMOV)  St. Louis Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed is fighting to keep hundreds of Veterans Affairs from moving to St. Louis County.

Bill would speed progress on claims backlog  (Military Times)  The backlog of benefits claims pending with the Veterans Affairs Department has dropped by almost half from this time last year, when it made headlines as a national embarrassment and an insult to the service of veterans.

Benefits

Immigration change gives legal status to undocumented relatives of US military  (Fox News)  Immigration reform may be stalled in Congress, but a new Obama administration policy is extending legal status and military benefits to thousands of illegal immigrants who are the spouses, parents and children of American military members.

“Homefront Connections” can provide valuable information for area veterans  (WCF Courier)  Veterans, mark down March 19 on your calendar.

Military Update: Commissaries to be run as a business, not a benefit  (NJ.com)  Behind the plan to slash taxpayer support of commissaries is a concept Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his senior advisors have embraced: That base grocery stores should operate as a business and not a benefit.

Proposed military retirement overhaul would reduce overall compensation  (Fierce Government)  The Defense Department outlined two possible ways to revamp the military retirement benefits system, both of which would offer more upfront benefits to military members while reducing overall compensation after retirement.

Social Security Q&A: Military retirement; IRA withdrawals  (Providence Journal)  Q: Will my military retirement affect my Social Security benefits?

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 3/10/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 3/10/14

Good news story of the day

A real-life Rosie  (Mansfield News Journal)  “My mom was the original Rosie the Riveter,” Doug Dickerson is proud to say.

Military Transition

Area nonprofit a one-stop shop for those leaving military  (The Olympian)  Bernard Bergan didn’t have a clear idea of what he wanted to do as he wound down his Army career last summer.

When Veterans Enter the Job Market  (WSJ Online)  After 15 years defending the cyber front lines for the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Michael Gdula figured his experience would make it easy to land an information-technology security job in the private sector.

CNO predicts steady manning levels, outlines plans to shelve some ships  (Navy Times)  The Air Force is looking to send home more than of 20,000 airmen this year. And the Army likely will be forced to slash four times as many soldiers in coming years.

Proposed spy plane cuts have area around Beale Air Force base worried  (Sacramento Bee)  Leanna Whiteley took a telephone order for a plate of chicken enchiladas, then listed her ties to Beale Air Force Base.

Post-9/11 vet unemployment rate jumps to 9.2 percent  (Military Times)  The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans jumped in February, nearly erasing the gains of a few months ago, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.

Veterans

Military veteran ID cards granted on honor system  (TribLive)  Pennsylvania military veterans can apply for special driver’s licenses or ID cards showing their veteran status, but the state is relying on “self-certification” and random audits to ensure no one is scamming discounts, benefits and recognition.

ID cards available to county veterans  (LimaOhio.com)  American military veterans filed in to the Delaware County Recorder’s office Saturday to purchase a new ID card.

Ohio inmates mount tribute to military veterans  (WXIX.com)  Inmates and staff have put up murals and military paraphernalia at a southern Ohio prison to create what they call a “Veterans Corridor” in tribute to people who served in the U.S. military.

More military consumers cite aggressive debt collection  (Military Times)  Debt collection is emerging as a big issue for service members and veterans, according to data released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on March 6.

Remains of Tacoma airman killed in 1969 will finally return  (The News Tribune)  More than 44 years after his plane was lost in combat during the Vietnam War, U.S. Air Force Capt. Douglas David Ferguson is coming home.

Fundraiser identifies Marine pilot killed in crash  (Marine Corps Times)  A fundraising effort has identified the pilot who was killed March 1 when his F/A-18C crashed in Nevada as Marine Corps Capt. Reid Nannen.

‘Band of Brothers’ veteran William Guarnere dies  (CNN)  William Guarnere, a World War II veteran popularized by the “Band of Brothers” miniseries, has died. He was 90.

Veterans Affairs

Veterans covered under VA care meet requirements  (Insurance News Net)  Veterans who already have Veteran Affairs health care are covered under the new American Care Act requirements.

Altman: VA’s calculation of outstanding claims questioned  (Tampa Bay Online)  From their home in New Port Richey, Lauren and Jim Price have been waging a battle against the Veterans Administration, which they say is an overtaxed system that is not responsive to the needs of those who have served.

Report: VA didn’t pay some veterans’ health costs  (PNJ.com)  Even as the Obama administration works to provide health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, government investigators uncovered dozens of cases where the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to cover emergency hospital costs for uninsured disabled veterans.

VA announces rollout of Secure Veteran Health Id cards  (Perry Daily)  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a phased roll out of newly designed and more secure Veteran Health Identification Cards.

Examiner Editorial: Veterans Affairs department needs stem-to-stern overhaul  (Washington Examiner) Drastic measures are called for when people have to work in “a poorly maintained, often older, office building in which the environment puts the occupants at risk for upper respiratory conditions.

VA has yet to close on long-delayed Western New York cemetery  (The Buffalo News)  Four years after the Obama administration agreed to establish a national veterans cemetery in Western New York, and 17 months after Sen. Charles Schumer revealed Veterans Affairs had selected a site, the federal government has yet to purchase the land.

More vets suffer from ALS, but the VA moves effectively to help  (News Observer)  Thomas Corbett may never know what – if anything – from his five years as a heavy-equipment mechanic in the Marine Corps brought on the disease that likely will steal from him the use of nearly every one of his muscles and, sometime in the next several years, his very breath.

Benefits

Pentagon: No formal proposal for retirement overhaul until 2015  (Navy Times)  Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wants to wait until next year before asking Congress to make fundamental changes to the current military retirement system, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday.

These Are the Pentagon’s Ideas for Reforming Retirement Benefits (Defense One)  The Defense Department has outlined several possibilities for overhauling retirement benefits for military personnel, which could provide more cash up front to service members but limit overall compensation.

Military health, grocery benefits under pressure  (Albuquerque Journal)  One of the two biggest changes to military compensation proposed in the president’s 2015 defense budget request would roll back, after 20 years, an offering of multiple health-insurance options to millions of beneficiaries.

Group: Medicaid expansion would cover some vets  (Insurance News)  About 21,100 veterans in Virginia and 4,100 of their spouses could qualify for health coverage under Medicaid if lawmakers decide to expand eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, according to estimates.

North Carolina lawmakers are questioning proposed changes to the military’s Tricare health system  (FayObserver)  Members of Congress who represent Fort Bragg are pressing defense officials for answers about changes to a military healthcare program.

DoD Budget: Expect Big Changes In Five-Year Spending Priorities  (Defense News)  Just before Maj. Gen. Jim Martin, the US Air Force budget director, walked into the Pentagon briefing room on March 4, an aide slipped him a note.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 3/7/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 3/7/14

Good news story of the day

Veterans launch effort to help homeless comrades  (WFMZ)  Veterans served our country, and now people in Reading are gathering to serve them.

Military Transition

Jobs program for National Guard members expanding to include all military branches  (The State)  An effort to help S.C. National Guard members find jobs will be expanded to serve all military members, Gov. Nikki Haley announced last week.

The career technical training track: What’s in it for you?  (Army.mil)  Beginning a new career as a civilian employee when leaving the military can be filled with exciting opportunities to grow both professionally and personally.

Service members, military spouses gather to prepare for civilian life  (Jackson Daily News)  It’s a much different battlefield than they’re used to, but it’s one they want to head onto fully prepared.

Legion to Train Women Veteran Entrepreneurs  (Military.com)  The American Legion will conduct a two-day entrepreneurial course, “For Her Entrepreneurship – Resources, Opportunities, Experiences & Support (For HEROES),” in conjunction with its annual Washington Conference in the nation’s capital.

Big budget cuts pose ‘tough, tough choices’ for Pentagon: Hagel  (Reuters)  Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned on Thursday that “tough, tough choices are coming” if the Pentagon implements deep future spending cuts required by law, including whether to slash the Army to 420,000 soldiers and decommission an aircraft carrier.

Veterans

Veterans Find Success As Entrepreneurs  (Forbes)  In study after study, entrepreneurs are often associated with natural tendencies toward tenacity, passion, vision, and flexibility. These are often the same descriptors used for military veterans. Perhaps that’s why so many vets have chosen to start their own business.

Access to social workers could keep veterans out of criminal justice system, researchers find  (Science Daily)  Approximately one in six veterans struggles with substance abuse, and 20 percent show signs of mental health issues or cognitive impairments, previous research has shown.

LAWSUITS REVIVED BY SOLDIERS OVER WASTE DISPOSAL  (AP)  A federal appeals court on Thursday revived dozens of lawsuits by soldiers and others who claim they were harmed by improper waste disposal while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

New program aims to help struggling veterans  (NVDaily)  When William Sutton, founder of Veterans of Valor, learned about the vast community of homeless veterans throughout the county, he decided to start a program that would work to provide those men and women with what they deserve.

Veterans Affairs

VRAP gets cash to carry through school terms  (Military Times)  A $65 million fix by the Veterans Affairs Department will keep thousands of unemployed veterans in job training programs through the end of this semester.

Veterans benefits claims backlog: proposed legislation addresses a comprehensive problem  (PennLive)  The chronic backlog of veterans benefits claims, which has generated little urgency in recent years, is fast getting the attention of Washington lawmakers.

The untold story of U.S. veterans  (Philadelphia Business Journal) Now is the time for an authentic view of United States veterans.

Habitat, Veterans Council aims to serve those who have served  (The Times)  Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana announced a partnership Thursday that will eventually put a Northwest Indiana veteran’s family in a new home.

How veterans can fight back against VA abuse  (Daily Caller)  Veterans across the country are outraged and frustrated by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ widespread culture of violating constitutional rights while processing disability claims. Investigative reporting by the Daily Caller has recently brought to light that VA officials are systematically destroying veterans’ disability claims in order portray the backlog in claims as smaller than it is.

Benefits  

Exclusive: DoD proposes revolutionary changes in retirement benefits  (Military Times)  After years of silence on the intensely controversial issue of military retirement reform, the Pentagon on Thursday unveiled a detailed proposal for fundamental, far-reaching changes to the current pension system, Military Times has learned.

Proposed commissary cutbacks draw criticism  (Pilot Online)  The ink had barely dried on President Barack Obama’s proposed 2015 defense budget Tuesday when resistance to cuts in benefits for military members and their families began to surface.

Proposal would revamp Survivor Benefit Program  (Military Times)  A Defense Department proposal to revamp its Survivor Benefit Program would save money by increasing the premium that retirees pay for coverage.

Disability pay: simpler, broader, more generous  (Military Times)  The Pentagon’s new retirement reform proposal would make sweeping changes to the complex system of benefits that aim to compensate wounded warriors for injuries that cut short a military career.

DoD: Give reservists immediate retirement pay  (Military Times)  Reservists would be eligible to begin receiving military retirement pay immediately after completing 20 years of part-time service under a new Pentagon proposal for overhauling the retirement system.

See comparisons: Examples of how the value of annual payments would change under the new proposal.  (Military Times)  Scroll to the bottom of the page for a very informative infographic put together by Military Times.

DOD report from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Military Times) Recommendations to the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (.pdf)

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 3/6/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 3/6/14

Good news story of the day

Sources: Marine Kyle Carpenter will receive MoH for heroism in Afghanistan  (Marine Corps Times) William Kyle Carpenter, a Marine Corps veteran who was severely wounded during a November 2010 grenade attack in Afghanistan, will receive the nation’s highest combat valor award later this year, Marine Corps Times has learned.

Military Transition

Veterans, Disabled Hiring Requirements Looming  (Human Resources Executive)  A significant number of affirmative-action requirements go into effect for federal agencies and contractors March 24 that experts are concerned might blindside more than one employer.

Free career programs for veterans, spouses available through Syracuse University  (Army.mil)  The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University is currently enrolling eligible veterans and their spouses in an online program to enhance their career skills and job marketability.

Federal agencies partner to help protect veterans, servicemembers, Families using GI Bill Education Benefits  (Belvoir Eagle)  The Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Education and Justice, along with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission announced the launch of a new online complaint system designed to collect feedback from veterans, servicemembers and their Families who are experiencing problems with educational institutions receiving funding from federal military and veterans educational benefits programs, including benefits programs provided by the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the DoD Military Tuition Assistance Program.

Intel seeks three wounded military veterans for one-year trainee jobs  (Oregon Live) John Reschar wants to make sure the word is heard: Intel Corp. has made it a priority to identify and recruit three wounded military veterans to fill one-year, fully paid jobs as project management analyst trainees.
Job conference set up specifically to help veterans  (The Daily Gazette)  Saratoga County will sponsor a hiring conference geared specifically to veterans next Wednesday at Empire State College in Saratoga Springs.

Air Force halts voluntary separation pay, 15-year retirements  (Air Force Times)  The Air Force Personnel Center has halted processing of early retirement and voluntary separation applications for both officers and enlisted.

Building a U.S. Army of 125,000 Spartans  (Real Clear Defense)  Defense cuts are coming. The only question is how much. As it has grappled with the fiscal realities of sequestration, the U.S. Army has sought to define its mission in a post-war environment.

CivilianJobs.com Announces the 2014 Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military® Finalists  (North Fork Vue)  CivilianJobs.com, where America’s military connects with civilian careers, announced the finalists for the Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military today. Marking the sixth year of its publication in 2014, the MVE recognition serves to help military-experienced job seekers and veterans identify the top employers to target for civilian careers.

Veterans

Veterans fair offers counseling, budget advice  (The ShortHorn)  Lance King was just starting college after most people he knew in high school had already earned a degree.

Framingham could house next veterans court  (Wicked Local)  Framingham District Court could soon house the state’s next veterans court, offering specialized attention to MetroWest veterans who face criminal charges and are dealing with substance abuse and mental illness.

Veterans share stories of hope, discover resources at Lovell FHCC Homeless Veterans Summit  (My Suburban Life)  Navy Veteran Joseph Yadron, dressed smartly in a suit and tie, hesitantly approached the podium, looked out at the supportive crowd of more than 150 people Feb. 26 in Bourke Hall at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, and shared his story of homelessness and recovery.

Maj. Kurt Lee, Korean War hero, dies at 88  (Marine Corps Times)  Marine Maj. Kurt Chew-een Lee, a legendary hero at Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War, and the Corps’ first Asian American regular officer, died Monday at his home in Washington, D.C., according to multiple sources. He was 88.

Veterans Park to benefit from Macy’s “Heart Your Park” program  (KAGSTV)  College Station’s Veterans Park and Athletic Complex is among 550 parks across the country that will benefit from Macy’s “Heart Your Park” program this spring.

Veterans now can be recognized on Pa. licenses  (WFMZ)  Pennsylvania’s military veterans now can get a special designation on their driver’s licenses and identification cards.

Veterans Affairs

VA Boosts Funding to Expiring Training Program  (Military.com)  The Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday announced that veterans enrolled in training programs that extend beyond when program funding expires on March 31 will be provided the money needed to complete their courses.

Art exhibit showcases talents, records history, helps veterans heal  (Navajo Times)  Confronting the impact the Vietnam War had on him, combat veteran James Yazzie, Diné, sought help from Albuquerque’s Veterans Affairs Medical Center about eight years ago.

House to ask for autonomy for Gulf War Illness board  (USA Today)  The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is putting together legislation to give autonomy back to a Gulf War illness advisory committee that has been stripped of its independence over the past year.

Texas congressman joins calls for Veterans Affairs’ Eric Shinseki to explain mass medical test purge exposed by Examiner  (Washington Examiner)  A Texas congressman joined demands that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki explain the mass purge of medical appointments disclosed last week by the Washington Examiner.

Reports show conflicting statements about patient deaths at Atlanta VA Medical Center  (WSBTV)  One of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ highest ranking executives is under fire because of what he told a congressional subcommittee about a patient death scandal exposed by Channel 2 Action News.

Report: VA official in Nashville ran up expenses, delayed veterans’ benefits  (Shreveport Times)  An unnamed U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs official stationed in Nashville not only violated federal rules and ran up thousands of dollars in unauthorized expenses, but also caused an unknown number of benefits delays for area veterans, a new report has found.

Benefits

Sen. Warner opposes cuts to military commissaries in Hampton Roads  (The Orlando Sentinel) Sen. Mark R. Warner wants to block proposed cuts to commissaries, a popular option for military families in Hampton Roads, because a high-level commission has yet to issue a report on the larger issue of compensation and benefits.

Gates: Compensation, benefits more than a third of DoD budget  (Federal News Radio)  In the newly released 2015 budget proposal, President Barack Obama is asking TRICARE participants to pay more out-of-pocket for their health care.

VFW to Congress: Scrap sequestration  (Military Times)  Veterans of Foreign Wars members have spent most of this week lobbying Congress on a fix for sequestration spending cuts, calling it their top legislative priority this year.

Tricare won’t pay for genetic tests; labs left with bills  (Military Times)  A change in medical classifications last year has left clinical laboratories across the U.S. carrying a $10 million tab for Tricare.

Veterans Benefit Fair  (Rochester Home Page)  Kevin Doran sits down with Monroe County Veterans Agency outreach coordinator Ken Moore about the upcoming Veterans Benefit Fair.

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