Military/veterans transitionnews for 2/21/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/21/14

Good news story of the day

Stand Down for Veterans an Annual Success  (WHBF.com)  Helping homeless vets get back on their own two feet.

Military Transition

Veterans Affairs counselor supports transitioning Airmen  (31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs)  To assist eligible separating or retiring service members in answering benefits questions, the Airman and Family Readiness Center provides a counselor from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to inform members on benefits they are entitled to apply for.

Dr. Biden Speaks at Summit Focused on Post-9/11 Veterans at The Bush Institute  (Whitehouse.gov) Yesterday, Dr. Jill Biden joined President Bush at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas for a Summit focused on how Americans can support post-9/11 veterans as they transition back to civilian life.

New Arts Program for Veterans Helps Ease Transition to Civilian Life  (Greenpoint Gazette)  For Army veterans seeking to transition to civilian life, a New York City management company is offering a creative outlet for expression.

The Statehouse File: Soldier-to-teaching program passes House  (Herald Times) The transition to civilian life can be difficult for military veterans.

Veterans

Sandbox Veterans: Who they have/haven’t helped  (WANE.com)  Despite concerns in the community, the director of the Sandbox Veterans wouldn’t share financial records or name any veterans he’s helped.

Belding Veterans Park moving forward with WWI monument  (The Daily News)  On a cold, snowy day, Belding Mayor Ron Gunderson pulled his truck up to the Veterans Park, stepped outside, and grabbed himself a shovel.

Wells Fargo Celebrates Military Saves Week; Offers Free Financial Education Webinars  (The Street)  In an ongoing effort to support military members, veterans and their families, Wells Fargo is celebrating Military Saves Week by offering three free financial education webinars focused on home buying, credit, and budget and saving.

Restaurant refuses to seat Marine veteran because of his service-dog-in-training  (Marine Corps Times)  A Marine Corps veteran says he was told to leave a Texas restaurant because he brought his dog in training to be certified as his service animal.

Study: Soil dust suspected in illnesses among Iraq vets  (Military Times)  When Army Sgt. Jayson Williams deployed to Iraq in 2003, he was a healthy 33-year-old who enjoyed the outdoors, running and playing with his son.

Experts: Data lacking on long-term IED effects  (Military Times)  Troops injured by bomb blasts — who absorb the full brunt of a shock wave, are hit by flying debris or even exposed to bomb-making chemicals — are at higher risk for developing long-term health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, persistent headaches and some skin conditions, a panel of top scientists says.

JBLM deserter who lied about combat service sentenced to one year in jail  (The News Tribune)  An Army deserter’s nearly 10-year run from Fort Lewis ended this week when Kevin Shakely of Sacramento pleaded guilty to abandoning his military post and lying about his service in combat in a recent TV interview.

Veterans Affairs

Secure Veteran Health Identification Cards being introduced by VA  (Examiner.com)  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the phased roll out of newly designed, more secure Veteran Health Identification Cards. The new cards will have additional security features as well as look and feel different.

VA data breach ‘practically unavoidable,’ memo says  (CNBC)  The online privacy of veterans and Veterans Affairs employees—including their health-care and financial information—is at risk, according to an internal draft of a VA report obtained by CNBC.

More younger military veterans are committing suicide despite available VA programs  (BorderZine)  As he sits at a faded-black dining room table, a man in his mid-twenties stares at the front door, his reflection visible from the dirty tabletop where a brown paper bag holding his lunch rests.

Rubio, Miller would take away employee rights in name of serving veterans  (The Washington Post)  The latest in a series of moves against top civil servants in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would eliminate key employment protections.

Grieving widow looks for answers from Veterans Affairs after delay in receiving husband’s pension  (KJRH.com)  The 2NEWS Problem Solvers are getting answers for a woman who recently lost the love of her life.

Veterans pitch their needs for new clinic  (Gloucester Times)  Local, state and federal officials employees heard from a number of Gloucester veterans who shared their thoughts on what they would like to see in a new Veterans Affairs clinic planned for the city.

Tribal Health hires veterans advocate to assist vets signing up for VA health care benefits  (Char-Koosta News)   The recently created and filled position of Veterans Health Care Representative is another cog in the health care delivery machine that the Tribal Health and Human Services Department is fine tuning to make health care more accessible to more people as well as to recoup funds expended for treating veterans at its clinics.

Bipartisan legislative group wants to change VA funding  (USA Today)  A quiet backdrop to Washington’s government shutdown last October was the anxiety rippling through 3.9 million disabled veterans who rely on government compensation for wounds and injuries, their advocates say.

VA Accused of Obstructing American Legion’s Review of Claims Backlog  (Fox News)  The Department of Veterans Affairs is accused of obstructing the efforts of the American Legion, which reviews the processing of veterans’ claims.

Military Update: VA, Congress shrug as sleep apnea claims ‘surge’  (Stars and Stripes)  Last June the VA Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation privately recommended to Allison A. Hickey, under secretary for benefits, that the Department of Veterans Affairs consider four steps to address a “recent surge” in VA compensation awards for sleep apnea.

Benefits

Troop Advocates Prep for Future Benefits Battles  (Military.com)  Fresh off a lobbying victory to undo military pension cuts, an officers’ group is preparing for more legislative battles over the upcoming Defense Department budget.

Warning: Website Scam Targets Military  (Better Business Bureau)  BBB Military Line is sharing information from the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Command (CIC) warning about a new website scam in which criminals are attempting to take advantage of soldiers and their families.

Hampton man gets five years for falsely claiming military benefits  (Inside Tidewater)  For one man, “Be all you can be” included being other people.

Troops prefer cash over in-kind benefits  (Military Times)  Proposals to front-load military compensation with more cash now rather than back-loading it with deferred, in-kind benefits later on are gaining traction with the commission tasked with recommending reforms to the current system.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/20/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/20/14

Good news story of the day

Wounded Warrior Program Founded by Col. With TBI  (Military.com)  A plaque here hangs on the wall at the Wounded Warrior complex dedicated by Gen. James Amos, the Marine Commandant, to the self-described “mean S.O.B.” who overcame his own traumatic brain injury to start the program.

Military Transition

New efforts help soldiers with life after Army  (NBC)  After years at war, America’s military is slimming down, leaving thousands of service members looking for their next steps. Fort Bragg already sees an average of 8,500 soldiers leave the Army each year. A reduction in force is expected to increase that number.

Bank of America commits to hiring 10,000 more veterans  (San Antonio Business Journal)  As the U.S. military prepares to scale back in the face of budget cuts, Bank of America is committing to hire another 10,000 veterans and service members by 2019 as part of a strategy to help military personnel returning to civilian life.

From service to new skills: Spectrum Health expanding job program for veterans  (MLive)  For eight months, Hugh Lehigh struggled to find work after relocating from Seattle to West Michigan in 2012.

Bush hosts summit on helping veterans transition  (SFGate)  Efforts must be made to end the stigma attached to post-traumatic stress disorder, which can hinder military veterans’ transition into civilian life and employment, former President George W. Bush said Wednesday.

Blackstone Continues Efforts to Support Veterans  (Market Watch)  Blackstone Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder Stephen A. Schwarzman, today attended the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative Summit.

Bush Institute aims to identify best resources for vets’ transition   (Military Times)  Researchers at the George W. Bush Institute in Texas want to know which military advocacy and assistance groups are truly helping veterans.

Veterans

Congressman Raul Ruiz bills target veterans issues  (MyDesert)  Better access for disabled veterans to jobs, health care and national parks are among bills introduced by Rep. Raul Ruiz.

Veterans using marijuana to ease PTSD symptoms  (KHOU)  A growing number of veterans suffering from PTSD are using medical marijuana to ease their symptoms even though they risk violating federal drug laws.

After Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Brain-Injured Veterans Search for Solace  (Wall Street Journal)  Pete Bunce walked into a room at a U.S. military hospital in Germany in March 2004, and stared hard at the unconscious young Marine on the bed. His head, gouged by shrapnel from an insurgent bomb in Iraq, was grotesquely swollen. His face was distorted and his right eye was near blind.

Nonprofit begins search for a wounded-veteran recipient for a new home  (FayObserver)  A search to find a wounded veteran in search of a home near Fayetteville will begin today.

Land O’ Lakes jail opens special place for veterans  (The Tampa Tribune)  A new unit in the Pasco County jail has been opened to help a particular segment of the inmate population: military veterans.

Lifetime with Marines finally ends for man, 84  (Fredericksburg.com)  After dedicating 65 years of his life to the Marines, Richard Govoni will finally take a break.

Pentagon agency slow to ID, return remains of America’s fallen  (CBS)  There are 83,000 Americans missing tonight

Veterans Affairs

Klein planning veterans’ affairs initiative  (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)  A Lubbock city councilman in his last months in office is making one more effort to raise official awareness of veterans’ issues at City Hall.

Veterans Affairs names new director for central Ill., west-central Indiana health care  (The Republic)  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has named a new director for its Illiana Health Care System based in Danville.

Woman sentenced for defrauding Dept. of Veteran Affairs  (WVEC)  A Richmond woman was sentenced Wednesday to twenty months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

VA Announces Cape Canaveral National Cemetery  (Space Coast Daily)  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has officially announced the new 318-acre Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Scottsmoor, Florida.

Vietnam Veterans Currently Denied Benefits for Agent Orange Exposure  (MintPress News)  During the Vietnam War, the U.S. and the UK sprayed more than 20-million gallons of the herbicide Agent Orange over eastern Laos, Cambodia and communist-held Vietnam.

Veterans Affairs should focus on results, not more spending: Opinion  (NJ.com)  The average veteran waits close to nine months to learn whether he or she will receive the benefits earned and the care needed from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Benefits

House chairman: Obama administration ‘obstructed’ review of veteran benefit program  (The Daily Caller) The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs chairman Rep. Jeff Miller accused the Obama administration of obstructing the work of a veteran group trying to investigate unprocessed veteran benefit claims.

Veterans could have Social Security disability benefits expedited  (Stars and Stripes)  Veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation rating of 100 percent Permanent and Total will soon have their applications for Social Security disability benefits processed faster, the Social Security Administration announced Wednesday.

Military Lobby Gets Ultimate #ThisTown ‘Compliment’  (Intercepts)  In Washington, there are compliments. And then there are “compliments.” Sometimes — no, oftentimes — both kinds are inadvertent. A key military lobby got one this week that was both a “compliment” and inadvertent. In fact, in shrewd terms, it might be the ultimate #ThisTown pat on the back.

Senate candidate campaigns in Augusta on veteran benefits, health care  (Augusta Chronicle)  U.S. Senate candidate Michelle Nunn said Wednesday during a campaign visit in Augusta that providing quality health care and restoring retirement benefits to area veterans are among her top priorities.

Months after court ruling, DOMA issues remain unresolved  (Washington Blade)  Ever since the Supreme Court ruled against the Defense of Marriage Act last year, the Obama administration has been rolling out on a continual basis new federal benefits for married same-sex couples — but access to some benefits remains uncertain months after the decision.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/19/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/19/14

Good news story of the day

Rohnert Park company finds all-American niche  (Press Democrat)  Strips of red, white and blue fabric lay draped on tables and piled in bins, making the North Bay Industries warehouse in Rohnert Park look like the set of “The Colbert Report” on Patriot Day.

Military Transition

Military Transition Support Project Aims To Better Connect San Diego Veterans With Resources  (KBPS.org) On Tuesday, several community stakeholders gathered on the campus of San Diego State University as part of the Military Transition Support Project, a project focused on helping military veterans transition back into civilian life.

‘One central table’ to help vets?  (U-T San Diego)  In San Diego, a region where 15,000 Marines and sailors are discharged from the military each year, there’s an ambitious new plan to help these troops figure out their next mission, which is civilian life.

Workshops Help Military Transition Back to Civilian Life  (Your4State.com)  More than 35 service men and women were at a workshop Tuesday with one thing in common. 

Vets’ transition conference on tap at George W. Bush Institute  (Military Times)  Former President George W. Bush will host a veterans’ summit in Texas on Wednesday focused on ways to provide assistance to separating service members and their families.

Iowa House committee approves bills that would ease veterans’ transition after their service  (TribTown.com)  An Iowa House panel approved legislation Monday that would help veterans transition into life after military service.

Bloomsburg University group offers hand to veterans  (TribLive.com)  Brian Bengier of Millville spent 10 months in Afghanistan in 2008, serving in the National Guard as an infantry soldier until a roadside bomb exploded 15 feet from the truck he was in, riddling his body with injuries.

New scholarship serves those who’ve served  (MenaFN.com)  Although government financial aid to military veterans covers the lion’s share of the cost of higher education, a new scholarship at Colorado State University will help close the gap between the GI Tuition Assistance Bill and the real cost of attending school.

Veterans

Will America forget its veterans?  (The Christian Science Monitor)  When the camera first panned to Michelle Obama sitting next to Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg, a wounded warrior, during President Obama’s State of the Union message last month, my breath caught in my throat.

Soldiers to Summits, Wells Fargo Announce Mt. Whitney Expedition for Wounded Veterans; Now Accepting Applications, Nominations  (PR Newswire)  A climbing expedition designed to help wounded veterans overcome barriers in their lives was announced today by Soldiers to Summits (S2S) and Wells Fargo.

Ex-Marine’s suit over sexual assault case faces uphill battle  (McClatchyDC)  Ariana Klay says she was raped by two men, one of them a fellow Marine Corps officer, while serving at the famed Marine Barracks in Washington. She can be a compelling witness to her nightmare.

The University Of Texas At Arlington Receives $122,000 From Chase To Fund Education Programs For U.S. Military Veterans  (Business Wire)  As part of a $1 million investment nationwide, Chase announced today that it will provide a $122,000 grant to The University of Texas at Arlington to fund educational opportunities for military veterans.

Two doctors join veterans’ clinic  (GuamPDN.com)  Two new physicians have started treating veterans at the Guam Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.

Veterans Affairs

Veterans Affairs brings in new director for Central Illinois  (Commercial News)  Japhet Rivera has been appointed as the new director of the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System.

Funding for Walla Walla veteran home on shaky ground  (Union-Bulletin)  A bill that would help bring an 80-bed veterans home to Walla Walla is getting another chance in the state House of Representatives.

VA terminates contract with ex-Merced County employee  (The Fresno Bee)  The Department of Veterans Affairs has terminated its contract with Anthony J. Thompson, a Merced County ex-employee who was arrested last week on suspicion of sexual bribery.

County officials working to bring veterans’ nursing home to Putnam  (Palatka Daily News)  Putnam County could be the site of a veterans’ nursing home if everything goes according to plan.

Cost for veterans’ tax break higher than expected  (Dayton Daily News)  A plan to exempt veterans from paying taxes on their retirement benefits is moving forward, even after its sponsor said it may cost the state more than double what she originally envisioned.

Report: Unsanitary conditions at Conn. VA hospital   (Army Times)  The Veterans Administrations’ Inspector General’s Office has cited the VA Connecticut Healthcare System hospital for an array of problems including unsanitary operating room conditions and high worker absenteeism.

Group hammers VA for veterans’ deaths  (Army Times)  The conservative advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America unveiled a new online campaign Tuesday that bluntly states: “American veterans are dying, it’s the VA’s fault.”

Benefits

Tricare for Life beneficiaries reminded of mail-order Rx requirement  (Army Times)  Tricare has begun notifying military retirees and family members who use Tricare for Life that they must start filling long-term prescriptions by mail or at a military treatment facility starting next month.

State wants to honor veterans by ensuring they receive their government benefits  (My Central Jersey) As many as 8,000 military veterans living in New Jersey may be entitled to valuable government benefits but are not taking advantage of them, according to state officials who are trying to raise awareness for veteran programs by visiting the Garden State’s shopping malls.

Rahall Meets with Seniors and Veterans in Bluefield  (National Journal)   In Bluefield on Tuesday, attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new mobile clinic for veterans and visiting seniors at the Bluefield Recreation Center, U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) vowed to continue to vote to protect the benefits and services owed to seniors and veterans.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/18/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/18/14

Good news story of the day

Innovative program is tailored to prevent homelessness among vets  (Los Angeles Times)  Kris Warren, a Marine veteran with combat duty in Iraq, remembers the  disorientation and other problems that kept him from reentering civilian life.

Military Transition

DOD Works with NBA to Improve Troops’ Transition Assistance  (American Forces Press Service)  As the Defense Department looks for ways to ease the difficult process of transitioning from service member to civilian, it’s also seeking out companies in the private sector who can help lead the way in training and hiring veterans, said Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Iowa lawmakers approve bills that would ease veterans’ transition after military service  (The Republic)  Iowa lawmakers have approved legislation that would help veterans transition into life after military service.

Army launches new incentives to quit active, join reserves  (Army Times)  If you’re looking to leave active duty (or among the thousands getting the boot), the National Guard and Army Reserve want you.

Sen. Blunt Wades Into End-Strength Debate Between Army, National Guard  (Inside Defense)  Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) has been trying to rally fellow lawmakers to join him in urging Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to prevent the Army from executing a plan that would cut the size of the National Guard and restructure the service’s aviation assets, according to a draft letter obtained by Inside the Army that Blunt’s office has been circulating on Capitol Hill.

Veterans

Veteran’s lawyer talks role of PTSD in Reseda shooting  (KABC TV)  A lawyer for an Iraq War veteran accused of murdering his neighbor in Reseda spoke out on Monday. He claims his client, Ricardo Tapia, suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder and sought help from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Homefront Veterans: Skiing With Wounded Warriors  (The Daily Beast)  On the California slopes of Mammoth Mountain a group of locals have created something remarkable: a weekend of skiing and snow sports for wounded veterans and their families. John Kael Weston was there.

Medical Marijuana Sought by More Veterans  (Liberty Voice)  Medical marijuana is being sought by more veterans returning from war zones. For decades, prescription medications were seen as the only viable solution for those who had been traumatized by war.

Pa. university group offers hand to veterans  (The Washington Times)  Brian Bengier of Millville spent 10 months  in Afghanistan in 2008, serving in the National Guard as an infantry soldier until an  IED exploded 15 feet from the truck he was in, riddling his body with injuries.

Veterans honored at the Roundhouse  (KOB.com)  Veterans will be honored at the New Mexico Capitol on Monday for Military and Veterans’ Day at the Legislature.

Veterans Helping Veterans aims to create connections  (The Portland Press Herald)  A new program, set to begin in June, is recruiting volunteers for a support network serving military veterans.

Eglin’s recovery care coordinator is changing lives one wounded vet at a time  (NWFDailyNews.com)  Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Lacey entered the tiny office and greeted the man who helped change his life.

Whiteman leaders deliver long-overdue medals to WWII POW  (Air Force Times)  Retired Chief Master Sgt. Charlie Sibert thought he’d been summoned to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., late last month to tell his story again.

Veterans Affairs

House committee chairman wants VA middle managers held accountable  (Federal News Radio)  The author of new legislation that would make it easier for the Veterans Affairs  Department to fire its senior  executives says the agency is too shy about cutting loose middle managers who  are performing poorly.

VA Defends Bonus To Former Local Director  (KWTX.com)  In a letter to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs this month, a top VA official is standing behind the millions in bonuses Veterans Affairs handed out to a handful of VA executives nationwide, despite a growing backlog in disability claims.

NEW: Web of frustration for veterans affected by tainted water  (Herald-Tribune)  After providing a measure of relief to some retired U.S. Marines, the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to frustrate others seeking compensation for exposure to contaminated water while stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

U.S. senator concerned about staffing for Billings VA clinic  (Trib.com)  Some Montana veterans and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester are concerned that the expanded Department of Veterans Affairs Billings Clinic will not be adequately staffed in time for its scheduled opening in less than six weeks.

Benefits

Iowa lawmakers OK bills that would help veterans  (Albuquerque Journal)   An Iowa House panel approved legislation Monday that would help veterans transition into life after military service.

Rental assistance available to eligible veterans  (The Richmond Register)  Kentucky River Foothills Development Council recently received a Supportive Services for Veteran Families grant from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to financially assist veterans who have problems paying rent or obtaining housing.

Veterans groups want all COLA cuts repealed, for future warriors too  (The Washington Times)  Fresh off winning a repeal of retirement-pay cuts for current and former military members,  veterans groups say they now want to go back and cancel the cuts for future  service members too, saying that the budget can be balanced without targeting  veterans.

Group helps veterans get benefits in Chester  (Daily Times)  Counselors from the Veterans Support Group at York House were on hand Wednesday to assist military veterans in navigating the labyrinthine bureaucracy of receiving their entitled benefits.

Security Insiders: High Time for Congress to Cave on Closing Military Bases  (National Journal)  It’s high time for Congress to agree to the Pentagon’s request to close military bases, a whopping 91 percent of National Journal’s National Security Insiders said.

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Military/Veterans Transitionnews for 2/14/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/14/14

Good news story of the day

Veterans Conservation Crew Restore Trails at National Monument  (Street Insider)  This week, an all-veterans conservation crew began a four-week project to improve popular hiking trails in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument near Palm Springs, CA.

Military Transition

1,499 first lieutenants, captains face July force shaping board  (Air Force Times)  The Air Force is planning to cut 520 overmanned first lieutenants and captains in the biomedical sciences corps, dental corps, medical services corps and nurse corps categories this year through force shaping boards.

Veterans Make Great Interns: 6 Ways To Recruit  (Yahoo Small Business)  Finding great students and recent graduates for your internship program is no easy feat.

Department of Revenue holds job fair for veterans (Courier-Herald)  Veterans have many valuable skills to offer a future employer, and the Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR) wants to meet with those interested in joining the ranks of state employees.

Branstad, Reynolds announce removal of barriers for veterans, military spouses who want to teach in Iowa  (Oskaloosa News)  Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced a new effort to eliminate licensing barriers for qualified veterans and military spouses who want to teach in Iowa.

Tenney throws support behind NY Jobs for Veterans  (The Telegram)  Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney on Tuesday announced her support for the NY Jobs for Veterans program, the same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo lent his support to the initiative.

UMSL conference brings together vets, academics, employers, agencies  (UMSL Daily)  The civilians came to talk about veterans sourcing – finding veterans, recruiting them, hiring them and retaining them.

Veterans

Veterans Home Battle Hits Legislature  (Nebraska TV)  The contention over the Veterans Home move from Grand Island to Kearney hits the Capitol City.

Military veterans invited to NBA All-Star event Friday  (The Times-Picayune)  Military veterans will be admitted free Friday to a practice event leading up to the NBA Rising Stars Challenge game.

Attorney General to investigate Sandbox Veterans  (WANE.com)  After watching a 15 Finds Out investigation and hearing complaints from members of the community, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office has launched its own investigation into the Sandbox Veterans.

Attack on US veterans website may have been aimed at military members  (PC World)  A cyberattack against the Veteran of Foreign Wars website, believed to have been initiated in China, may have sought to spy on U.S. military members, security company FireEye said Thursday.

Roadside bomb blasts’ effects on brain still a mystery  (USA Today)  Too little is known about how or whether bomb blasts cause long-term damage to the human brain and body, according to a scientific panel focusing on wounds caused by roadside bombs, the most common enemy weapon used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Senate bill would provide clean service records for discharged gay, lesbian troops  (Stars and Stripes)  A bill that would upgrade the service records of gay, lesbian and bisexual troops discharged due to sexual orientation and open the door to veterans’ benefits has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Armed Services Committee for review, officials said.

Veterans Affairs

Veterans Affairs urged to set up database to measure long-term health effects of bomb blasts  (Star Tribune) Roadside bombs have killed nearly 3,600 military service members and wounded 34,000 more in Iraq and Afghanistan, but many of the long-term health effects are unknown for those who seemingly walked away without serious injury.

Neb. VA head defends decision to move vets’ home  (Dayton Daily News)  The director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs on Thursday defended a decision to build a new state veterans’ facility in Kearney instead of in the current building’s longtime home, Grand Island.

Veterans Taking Claims Against Memphis VA Medical Center To Next Level  (WREG.com)   “I went to serve my country and now this is what I get,” one veteran said.

Two VA employees face drug charges  (Wisconsin State Journal)  Two employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs face felony charges of buying and selling narcotics at a Middleton VA office.

Broad veterans’ bill faces uncertain fate in Senate  (Army Times)  The repeal of planned reductions in military retirement pay by Congress has left the Senate’s wide-ranging veterans’ legislative package in limbo.

VA medical training facility to be built next to hospital at Lake Nona  (WFTV.com)  Channel 9 was there Thursday as Sen. Bill Nelson got a look at plans for a new Veterans Affairs medical training facility that will be built next to the VA hospital project at Lake Nona.

How VA is driving telemedicine  (FCW.com)  There’s a quiet revolution going on in health care that has big implications for the future of medicine.

Federal agencies partner with VA to protect GI Bill education benefits  (Char-Koosta News)  The Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Education and Justice, along with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission recently announced the launch of a new online complaint system designed to collect feedback from veterans, service members 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 Department of Defense Military Tuition Assistance Program.

Black History Month panel sponsored by Ohio Dept. of Veterans Services  (Examiner.com)  The unique experiences of African-American veterans will be discussed by veterans of different eras in a panel discussion sponsored by the Ohio Department of Veterans Services in honor of Black History Month.

Benefits

Veterans’ cost of living benefit that was cut, restored  (WVEC.com)  Members of Congress have moved swiftly to restore an important benefit for military veterans.

Veterans Alliance will get paratransit bus  (The Press Enterprise)  A chance meeting between a nonprofit veterans’ group leader and a Hemet City Councilwoman at a cold-weather shelter has led to the group’s selection as a recipient of a surplus transit bus to take veterans to medical appointments.

Complicated Vote Sends Simple Message from Congress: Don’t Mess With Vets  (Defense One)  By a 95-3 vote, the Senate on Wednesday approved a House-passed that would unwind $6 billion in cuts to veterans’ benefits from last year’s budget deal that proved to be a political fiasco for all involved.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/13/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/13/14

Good news story of the day

Veterans at Togus making fly rods, building friendships  (Kennebec Journal)  Linwood Brayall and his grandson, Jordan Meunier, have spent a lot time casting for fish in the lakes and streams around Kennebec County, but it could be that some of their best times will come as they prepare for their next big trip.

Military Transition

Majors, colonels most at risk when retirement board meets in June  (Air Force Times)  As many as 596 officers could be involuntarily retired under a broadened selective early retirement board that will meet this summer.

Scott prepares for force reduction measures  (375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs)  In December, the Air Force announced several force management programs aimed to cut 25,000 Airmen during the next five years and the first phase of that has begun with applications for voluntary separations.

ACAP makes transition to civilian life easier  (KSWO.com)  Service members at Ft. Sill getting ready to retire, or get out of the army, are working hard to prepare for their next career.

AW2 provides resources to those in need  (Fort Riley Post)  Navigating the medical or physical evaluation board process can be a daunting task. In addition to working toward recovery from an illness or injury, Soldiers are faced with a pile of paperwork, numerous appointments and question after question.

Finding the right fit leads to success after military  (The Redstone Rocket)  There are many things about military life that service members can count on – the uniform, dining facilities, drill sergeants and chain of command, to name a few.

Veterans job fairs to be held in Lincoln, Omaha  (The Washington Times)  State officials are hoping to help Nebraska veterans and their spouses find jobs through two upcoming Hiring Our Heroes job fairs.

New Franchise Opportunity Designed To Help Veterans Become Entrepreneurs  (NJ.com)  There is good news for veterans.

Veterans

Veterans Service officer looks out for those who served  (Dayton Daily News)  Jeff Stapleton says he’s a walking billboard for the local Veteran’s Service Office.

Fla. attorney who led gambling ring tied to veterans charity sentenced to 6 years in prison  (Fox News)  An attorney convicted of leading a $300 million gambling ring that used a veterans charity as a front has been sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Veterans to graduate from Hamilton County Municipal Court Treatment Program  (Examiner.com)  Veterans from the Tri-State area will graduate from the Hamilton County Municipal Court Veterans’ Treatment Program this Thursday.

Veterans affairs

VA reaches out to female veterans, salutes women’s service  (The Valley Dispatch)  After more than 700 flight hours in and out of Vietnam, Air Force Lt. Joyce Massello was back on a commercial plane, headed home to the United States, her deployment over.

Wisconsin Legislature considers $80 million for nursing unit at King veterans home  (Wisconsin State Journal)  A new 200-bed nursing unit at Wisconsin’s largest veterans home would replace existing facilities, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Veterans Affairs said.

Veterans sought for Black Veterans Summit Feb. 24  (Ventura County Star)  The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is co-hosting a California Black Veterans Summit Monday, Feb. 24, in Los Angeles in an effort to develop lines of communications between the black veterans’ community, black military history organizations, CalVet and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

VA may expand medical services in Las Cruces  (Las Cruces Sun-News)  An increasing number of area veterans has prompted the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to consider expansion of its medical clinic and services in Las Cruces.

Republicans Look to Help Obama Clean House at Veterans Affairs  (National Journal)  The Veterans Affairs secretary could directly fire or demote a senior career civil-service official under legislation proposed by Rep. Jeff Miller on Tuesday.

Investigators: VA sexual abuse allegations unsubstantiated  (Omaha World-Herald)  Federal investigators say allegations of staff-on-patient sexual abuse at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha were unsubstantiated.

Benefits

Around the Army: Scam website targeting Soldiers  (Bayonet & Saber)  The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command wants former and current service members to know there is a false website that is targeting the Army benefits website.

West Genesee School Board rejects veterans tax break, for now  (Syracuse.com)  The West Genseee School Board Wednesday rejected a proposal to offer veterans a partial break on their school taxes until board members have more information about how it will impact the district.

Senate Democrats Pull Surprise Flip on Sequester, Veterans Benefits  (National Journal)  Senate Democrats abruptly reversed course Wednesday morning, announcing they would vote on the House bill to undo $6 billion in cuts to veterans’ benefits later in the day.

Senate votes to restore military COLA benefits  (The Washington Post)  Shortly after passing a suspension of the limit on federal borrowing Wednesday, the Senate voted 95-3 to pass a bill restoring military retiree benefits that were cut last year, choosing to adopt the House’s solution of extending automatic cuts to Medicare to accompany the pension increase.

Senate votes to restore benefits to veterans  (The Washington Post)  Senators voted 95 to 3 Wednesday to restore military retiree benefits cut last year as part of a compromise budget deal, adopting a House bill that covers the move by extending reductions to Medicare.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/12/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/12/14

Good news story of the day

Miles of Smiles Fundraiser benefits veterans suffering with PTSD  (Naples News)  Chef Shannon Yates of Nevermind Awesome Bar & Eatery in Cape Coral co-hosted a Kobe Beef “Backyard BBQ” fundraiser to benefit the Miles of Smiles Foundation.

Military transition

Army IDs More Than 500 Senior NCOs for Separation  (Military.com)  The U.S. Army has identified hundreds of senior noncommissioned officers for involuntary separation as the service advances toward reducing 80,000 soldiers from its ranks by 2018.

Airmen to face force-shaping review boards starting in May  (Stars and Stripes)  Airmen who fail to make the cut under this year’s force-reduction measures will likely be told between May 14 and Sept. 14, and be out of the service no later than Jan.15, according to Air Force officials.

Business-minded vets may want to attend this conference  (NWF Daily News)  As the military downsizes, a conference will be held this weekend to encourage veterans to start their own businesses.

Training program helps veterans transition  (The Journal)  For veterans, making the transition from military service back to civilian life, especially entering the workforce, can be a challenge.

Veterans

Student veterans strive to find voice  (UWire.com)  Until December, the UH veteran community voiced complaints that they had no real group or organization representing them.

Veterans Organization Plans to Buy Hotel  (PAHomepage.com)  An advocacy group for veterans is one step closer to opening a place for homeless veterans to live. Wednesday a judge ruled the Valor Clinic Foundation can legally buy the Hotel Jonas building.

Oysterponds school board considering veterans tax exemption  (Suffolk Times)  The Oysterponds school board decided Tuesday it needs more information before voting on the approval of a new veteran tax exemption proposal.

Sen. Udall Targets Better Care for Veterans in Rural NM   (Public News Service)  U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., is co-sponsoring a bill that could improve access to health services for veterans living in rural areas.

QuickChek raises funds for military veterans  (NJ.com)  QuickChek Corporation, a market leader in food services with an exceptional fresh coffee and fresh food program, has raised $124,875 in just six weeks to help support military veterans living in New Jersey and New York communities through a recent in-store donation program.

Small Business Administration lends hand to veterans  (Gateline.com)  Our nation’s veterans have served our country proudly and bravely. They are true American heroes, and we must make sure we’re doing everything possible to support them once they re-enter civilian life.

Dozens gather to honor Marine who died alone  (Santa Fe New Mexican)  The streets of downtown Santa Fe shut down temporarily Tuesday to make way for the funeral procession of a reclusive former Marine who died alone in his home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Moore tornado victim learns to live with injuries  (NewsOK.com)  One night recently, military veteran EH Pittman accidentally hit himself in the mouth, busting his lip open.

Veterans affairs

Veterans home is on time and budget  (Albany Democrat-Herald)  The 154-bed Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home complex under construction on the edge of the Samaritan Health Sciences Campus is ahead of schedule and on budget, Linn County and Lebanon city officials were told Tuesday afternoon during a behind-the-scenes tour of the $40 million project.

Marco Rubio and Jeff Miller Tackle Veterans Affairs Reform  (Sunshine State News)  Two Florida Republicans teamed up on Tuesday to launch an effort to reform the federal Veterans Affairs Department.

Veterans Affairs disability claims backlog on the rise, hovers around 400K  (The Washington Times)  The Veterans Benefits Administration announced that 1,000 new backlogged cased — those that have been pending for more than four months — have been added to its list.

Senate confirms Obama nominees at State and Veterans Administration  (The Washington Post)  The Senate voted 90-8 Tuesday evening to confirm former Time Magazine managing editor Richard Stengel to be undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs.

Proposal by Rep. Jeff Miller would make firing failing Veterans Affairs bosses easier  (Washington Examiner)  Top career civil service executives at the Department of Veterans Affairs could be fired more easily for failing to deliver quality medical care to patients or timely decisions on disability benefits, under legislation proposed by the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

R.I. Veterans Affairs Associate Director and FMF Reservist Retires After 26 Years Service  (Naval Station Newport Public Affairs)    A Reservist who serves as associate director, Rhode Island Division of Veterans Affairs (VA), retired from military service to her country, Feb. 8, in a ceremony at the Statehouse.

Veterans Advocacy Group Endorses VA Management Accountability Act of 2014  (PR Newswire)  Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), a national organization representing U.S. military veterans and families, announced today its support for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Management Accountability Act of 2014.

Governor Corbett Encourages Pennsylvanians to Take Part in National Salute to Veteran Patients Week  (The Sacramento Bee)  Governor Tom Corbett today encouraged every Pennsylvanian to participate in National Salute to Veteran Patients Week at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers across Pennsylvania.

Veterans to Get Clinic Closer to Home  (WNEP.com)  By the middle of this year, veterans in Wayne and Pike counties should not have to travel as far to see a doctor.

Benefits

Reid opts to help out vulnerables restore military pensions  (The Hill)

Senate Democrats on Tuesday cast aside legislation from the House to repeal a controversial cut to military pensions and pressed ahead with a rival plan from their most vulnerable incumbents.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/budget-appropriations/198108-reid-opposed-to-house-pension-cut-bill#ixzz2t7HIgzAa
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook

fit Cuts  (The Wall Street Journal)  Momentum is growing in Congress to repeal or roll back a recent pension reduction for younger military retirees, in a sign of lawmakers’ continuing struggle to reduce soaring costs of retiree-benefit programs.

Senate Republicans in a Box on Veterans Benefits  (National Journal)  Senate Democrats are determined to get a bill reversing $6 billion in controversial cuts to veterans benefits through the chamber this week without offsetting the cost. Their message: Veterans have “paid in full” their debt to the nation and shouldn’t be used as budget pawns.

House Votes to Repeal Cuts to Vets Benefits, Extend Sequester  (National Journal)  The House voted 326-90 Tuesday to reverse a controversial $6 billion cut in veterans benefits included in last year’s budget deal.

House votes to cancel cuts to military benefits  (The Washington Times) Acting to appease furious veterans’ groups, the House passed a bill Tuesday to undo about $6 billion worth of cuts to military retirement benefits.

Snow, ice doesn’t deter 50 veterans, surviving spouses  (The Norman Transcript) We are recognizing Harold Harvell as the Veterans Corner volunteer of the week.

Unanimous approval in U.S. House for in-state tuition for vets  (Military Times)  Lawmakers in a deeply divided House of Representatives can’t agree on much anymore, but they’re unanimous on at least one thing: Veterans shouldn’t be stuck with out-of-state tuition costs at public universities.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/11/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/11/14

Good news story of the day

Wounded Warriors set sights on Sochi gold  (Army.mil)  Three wounded warriors who recovered at Brooke Army Medical Center, are aiming to glide to gold in Sochi, Russia, next month.

Military Transition

Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair Set for Feb. 13  (San Diego Business Journal)  A job fair for veterans and military spouses will be held Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at University of Phoenix campus, 9665 Granite Ridge Road in San Diego

Construction industry pledges to hire 100,000 veterans  (The Washington Post)  First lady Michelle Obama and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez on Monday will announce a pledge from construction companies to hire 100,000 veterans over the next five years as part of an initiative seeking to encourage non-government support for former troops.

St. Louis aldermen pass veterans jobs bill  (Fox2now.com)  A veteran’s jobs bill is one step closer to reaching the St. Louis City ballot in time for Veterans Day 2014.

Big business: Vets should start transition process early  (Military Times)  Bigwigs at some of America’s largest corporations agree: Troops need to start planning much earlier to have a smooth and successful transition from the military to the private sector.

Job fair aims to get more military into workforce  (WISTV.com)  Military leaders in the Midlands are putting the finishing touches on a huge event Tuesday aimed at reducing the unemployment rate when it comes to our nation’s veterans and their spouses.

Veterans

Fake ‘My Army Benefits’ Site Scams Service Members  (Mashable)  Military investigators are alerting members of the Army about an unofficial benefits site that purports to offer users unclaimed benefits and then bags their credentials.

MI Social Workers Bridging the Gap Between Veterans and Civilians  (PublicNewsService.org)  While it’s good to come home to family and friends after military deployment, getting back into the swing of daily life can be difficult for armed services members, and social workers in Michigan are helping to ease the transition for many veterans.

After War, a Failure of the Imagination  (The New York Times)  “I COULD never imagine what you’ve been through,” she said.

SFC pitches idea for ‘Army Retirement Medal’  (Army Times)  When Sgt. 1st Class Steven Janotta first floated his idea for a retirement medal, some of his peers thought he was joking and wasting their time.

Veterans Affairs

VA national cemeteries continue to lead country in satisfaction survey  (Army.mil)  For the fifth consecutive time, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration has bested the nation’s top corporations and other federal agencies in a prestigious, independent survey of customer satisfaction.

Progress stalls on cutting VA claims backlog  (Army Times)  Veterans Affairs Department officials expected to see significant progress in
the effort to reduce their disability claims backlog again this month.

Congress Is Getting Tougher on the VA  (The Wall Street Journal)  Congress is poised to tighten its leash on the Department of Veterans Affairs over its response to what lawmakers say are management and medical errors, just as VA facilities are flooded with a new generation of injured troops.

Surgical problems at VA hospital in South Carolina leave veterans at risk  (The Washington Times)  Care at one Veterans Affairs hospital was so disorganized that officials didn’t  inform some patients they were scheduled for surgery, while doctors planned for  surgeries they knew would never take place.

Helping the VA help L.A.’s homeless vets  (Los Angeles Times)  For years, the effort to establish housing for chronically homeless veterans on  the VA’s sprawling West Los Angeles campus has been painfully, shamefully slow,  as mistrust and inertia have impeded progress at the same time that two wars  have dramatically increased the need for action.

Benefits

Congress moves to reverse budget cuts to veterans’ benefits  (Los Angeles Times)   The House could vote as early as Wednesday on a bill that would raise the  nation’s debt  ceiling and reverse a cut made to some veterans’ benefits as part of the  recent budget deal.

Last-Minute Flip Opens Window for Veterans’ Benefits Bill  (National Journal)  Just hours before a sure-to-fail vote to restore more than $6 billion in funding for military benefits, Senate Democrats and Republicans now appear ready to move the measure forward.

Downstate assemblyman says state should reimburse school district taxes lost to new veterans exemption  (Syracuse.com)  Update: Legislators did not look at the impact a law expanding property tax breaks to veterans would have on school districts before passing the legislation last year, a Downstate assemblyman said Monday afternoon.

House GOP homes in on debt-ceiling plan tied to military pension benefits  (The Washington Post)  House Republican leaders spent Monday trying to finalize a plan to increase the Treasury’s borrowing authority and avoid a federal default by urging GOP lawmakers to rally behind a proposal that ties a debt-ceiling increase to a plan to restore full pension benefits for some military veterans.

Hill report puts dollar figures on military retiree COLA limit  (The Washington Post)  The average military enlisted person retiring in the future would lose $69,000 in lifetime benefits and the average future retired officer would lose $87,000 if a recently enacted limit on military retiree payments is left in place, according to a new analysis done for Congress.

House Republicans Seek to Trade Debt Deal for Repeal on Military Pensions  (The New York Times)  The House is likely to vote Wednesday on a plan to extend the government’s borrowing authority into 2015 in exchange for reversing a cut to the pensions of working-age military veterans that Congress approved just two months ago to try to trim the budget deficit.

GOP Leaders in New Push to Reach Debt Deal  (The Wall Street Journal)  House Republican leaders tried Monday to build support for raising the federal debt limit by linking it to a reversal of planned cuts in some military pensions, working to overcome vocal opposition from conservatives in hopes of bringing it to a vote Wednesday.

Budget deal needs real Pentagon reforms: Column  (USA Today)  magine a combat infantryman with 25 years of military service, through times of war and peace. Now retired, this veteran struggles with back pain and arthritis, warranting a disability rating and modest compensation for decades of grueling service.

House GOP looks at longer sequester  (The Hill)  House Republican leaders are thinking about extending the sequester to pay the $6 billion cost of reversing a cut to military pensions.

House Republicans Seek to Trade Debt Deal for Repeal on Military Pensions  (The New York Times)  The House is likely to vote Wednesday on a plan to extend the government’s borrowing authority into 2015 in exchange for reversing a cut to the pensions of working-age military veterans that Congress approved just two months ago to try to trim the budget deficit.

Bill to restore COLA for military retirees clears Senate hurdle  (Military Times)  The Senate cleared a key procedural hurdle Monday on a bill that would undo the cuts to military retirement pay introduced by the Bipartisan Budget Act.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/10/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/10/14

Good news story of the day

Fallen soldier’s stepmom mounts Veterans Home drive again  (WCFCourier.com)  The stepmother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2007 is once again raising donations of supplies for residents of the Iowa Veterans Home.

Military transition

Lost in the crowd: Transition to university life poses challenges for student veterans  (Daily Orange) Drew Shapiro slept on a mattress on the floor of a Columbus Avenue “slum house” for half of his first semester at Syracuse University.

Air Force cuts to hit Scott Air Force Base  (St. Louis Business Journal)  Nearly 40 percent of the active duty military at Scott Air Force Base could face separation — either voluntary or involuntary — as the Air Force plans to cut 22,500 airmen this year.

Conference supports vets  (The Battalion Online)  Stepping out of the line of duty and into civilian life is a transition that Operation Veteran Success hoped to make a little easier Friday and Saturday.

Veterans job fair set for March 1 at VA hospital   (The Buffalo News)  The third annual “Hire a Hero” job and education fair for veterans will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 1 in Freedom Hall in the Buffalo Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3495 Bailey Ave.

St. Louis aldermen pass veterans jobs bill  (KLPR11.com)  A veteran’s jobs bill is one step closer to reaching the St. Louis City ballot in time for Veterans Day 2014.

Construction Companies Step Up to Hire Veterans  (The Wall Street Journal)  On Monday, more than 100 construction companies—many of whom are direct competitors—are coming together to announce that they plan to hire more than 100,000 veterans within the next five years.

Veterans

Simi Valley gala honors Korean War veterans  (Ventura County Star)  Simi Valley resident Sal Ayala was in his early 20s when he joined the Army as a demolition specialist during the Korean War.

Malloy’s ‘no homeless vets’ pledge mirrors Jewett City home’s mission  (The Bulletin)  Sandwiched between the much-discussed minimum wage and universal kindergarten sections of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s State of the State address last week was a pledge to end homelessness for veterans by the end of 2015.

Doctor to release findings on toxic dust from Iraq  (CBS News)  There are new developments coming this week in a story CBS News has been reporting on since last spring.

A General in a Classroom Takes On the Ethics of War  (The New York Times)  Three years after Robert H. Latiff received his star as a brigadier general in the Air Force, the United States prepared to invade Iraq.

Equine-assisted therapy helps soldiers deal with PTSD  (FayObserver.com)  It’s not your typical therapist’s office.

Valentines for military veterans  (KRMG.com)  More than 2,500 handmade valentine cards will be distributed to military veterans in Northeastern Oklahoma starting on Monday, February 10th.

Tax break for veterans poses dilemma for schools  (lohud.com) School districts in the Lower Hudson Valley are mulling a new law that allows them to grant property-tax exemptions to eligible veterans, who until now have only been able to get breaks on municipal tax bills

WWII Vet cashes in on benefit thanks to Team 5 Investigates  (KMBC.com)  Team 5 Investigates first reported the story of a 91-year-old WWII veteran who was supposed to get a new car courtesy of the federal government, but ended up with a massive car payment instead.

Veterans Affairs

Week for salute begins at the VA  (The Abington Journal)  Standing at a podium in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, U.S. Navy Cmdr. John Lynott commended the family and community surrounding U.S. military veterans, calling them the “backbone of the country.”

Blount Veterans office commended  (The Daily Times)  The Retiree Activities Office (RAO), a part of the 134th Air Refueling Wing at McGhee Tyson ANG Base, is a volunteer group endeavoring to help survivors of deceased military veterans, military retirees, and civil service retirees during difficult times.

SBA working to get business tools and capital to veterans  (Cumberland Times-News)  Our nation’s veterans have served our country proudly and bravely.

Congress Is Getting Tougher on the VA  (The Wall Street Journal)  Congress is poised to tighten its leash on the Department of Veterans Affairs over its response to what lawmakers say are management and medical errors, just as VA facilities are flooded with a new generation of injured troops.

Cicilline to deliver Valentine’s cards to RI vets  (The Washington Times)  Cicilline is set to travel Monday to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Providence and the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol to deliver Valentine’s Day cards prepared by elementary school students for local veterans.

Area vets seek behavioral hospital  (The Citizen)  The Coweta Commission of Veterans Affairs (CCVA) hosted a meeting Wednesday that brought representatives from Coweta and Fayette counties and a number of interested parties together to address the recent state denial of the proposed Newnan Behavioral Hospital. Veterans were adamant that such a facility is needed locally.

Model can aid homeless veterans across U.S.  (AZCentral.com)  Few things are more important than properly caring for those Americans who have put themselves in harm’s way to protect our way of life and defend our nation from enemies.

Legislation would put VA in baby business  (The Washington Times)

The number of veterans who have their reproductive organs damaged in combat is growing, leading a top senator to propose legislation that would make fertility care a bigger part of Veterans Affairs hospitals’ missions — including paying for surrogate pregnancies.

Benefits

New legislation will help veterans  (KCPNews.com)  As Hoosiers, we understand how important it is to support our veterans. It’s no secret that returning to civilian life brings about challenges for many veterans. That’s why the General Assembly makes it a priority to remove roadblocks veterans face.

Senate to vote Monday on repeal of COLA caps for retirees  (Military Times)  Legislation that would repeal caps on annual cost-of-living adjustments for military retirees under age 62 will be considered next week by the Senate.

Veteran groups: ‘Billions of dollars are needed to address veteran issues’  (Examiner.com)  Spending to meet veteran needs in healthcare and benefits will fall short by billions of dollars in the coming years if Congress does nothing to resolve the issue, Matthew M. Burke of the Stars and Stripes reported on Friday.

Parallels to ObamaCare site woes seen as vets try to get benefits online  (Fox News)  The glitches and other problems with the ObamaCare website that sparked a national firestorm are similar to those military veterans using the federal government’s online benefits system have routinely faced for about the past 18 months.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/7/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/7/14

Good news story of the day

Veterans attend school museum opening in Korea  (Army.mil)  Veterans from the California National Guard’s 40th Infantry Division returned to the school they helped to build here for the opening of a museum that chronicles the 62-year relationship between the school and the division.

Military transition

Alleged scheme targets military students’ free tuition assistance  (CBS News)  For those serving in the U.S. military, one benefit is free tuition assistance for college courses, but that money may have made them the target of scam artists.

Military Vets Bring Talent, Leadership To The Workforce  (Forbes)  More and more military veterans are re-entering the civilian workforce each year.

Helping Transitioning Servicemembers Find Jobs Before Becoming Veterans  (Huffington Post)  You’ve heard it said countless times: “It’s easier to get a job if you already have one.”

Military to College Transition Tips  (US News)  Attending college after being in the military can prove difficult. After engaging in hands-on work and combat, switching to completing homework assignments and taking tests is a hard change for many.

Spouse Career Services Expand as More Troops Exit  (Military.com)  After years of using the Defense Department’s military spouse employment program primarily as a troop retention tool, the Pentagon is now using it as an aid to help troops and their families transition out of the military.

MoH recipient Petry ponders future after retirement  (Army Times)  On May 26, 2008, Petry and his fellow Rangers from 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, flew by helicopter to capture a high-profile, high-value target in Paktia, Afghanistan.

Veterans

$9 million veterans’ housing development proposed for former site of World War II bomber plant village  (mLive.com)  At the peak of the Willow Run Bomber Plant’s production during World War II, the Willow Run Village temporarily housed a large portion of the 22,000 workers that assembled B-24 Liberators in the “Arsenal of Democracy.”

4 veterans to share affordable city home  (Poughkeepsie Journal)  Four female veterans facing homelessness will soon share a newly renovated home in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Veterans Conservation Corps members work to restore Dick Young Forest Preserve near Batavia  (Kane County Chronicle)  To U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ben Haberthur, a country worth protecting is a country worth preserving.

Soldiers visit veterans in Tuskegee  (Army.mil)  From sergeants major to young NCOs, a group of Fort Rucker Soldiers went the extra mile Jan. 31 to make sure a group of veterans had a little extra to get them through the weekend — by lending a helping hand and providing a listening ear.

VFW offers help for Veterans  (Fox43.com)  Last year Service Officers from the Department of Pennsylvania VFW helped file claims for 4,400 veterans.

Former Marine remembered by family  (The Daily News)  April Bay-McManus is still coming to terms with the death of her husband, a Marine battling cancer, PTSD and TBI who died unexpectedly in what she called “a tragic accident.”

Veterans affairs

Technology Helps VA Disability Claim Decisions, Official Says  (American Forces Press Service)  A new initiative between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments has produced technology to help VA expedite disability claim decisions, a Defense Health Agency senior official told a House panel yesterday.

VA launches online tool to calculate post-9/11 GI Bill benefits  (DCMilitary.com)  The Veterans Affairs Department today launched a new online tool to make it easier for veterans, service members and family members to calculate their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and learn more about VA’s approved colleges, universities and other education and training programs across the country.

eBenefits PII glitch potentially affected about 1,300 says VA  (Fierce Government)  A software defect that caused a joint Veterans Affairs and Defense Department self-service benefits portal to display personally identifiable information to other users accessing the system affected no more than 1,362 individuals, a VA officials told a House panel.

VA official: Half of Nevada’s disability claims sent out of state  (Las Vegas Review-Journal)  The Veterans Affairs regional benefits office in Reno was so overwhelmed with disability claims last year that it sent half of them to out-of-state VA offices for decisions, according to a letter Rep. Dina Titus released Thursday from a top VA official.

Committee Advances 9th District Bill to Benefit Veterans’ Spouses  (TheSandpiper.net)  Legislation sponsored by Sen. Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove to require the $750 annual compensation to surviving spouses of certain blind or disabled veterans to be payable from the date of the veteran’s death was advanced today from the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Ahead of Higher Ed: Veteran benefits just got easier to reap  (The Daily Cougar)  Veterans were given a new federal tool this week to reap their post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and find appropriate educational and training institutions.

Hot Springs woman named to SD veterans commission  (The Washington Times)  A southwest South Dakota woman and retired lieutenant colonel has been appointed to the state’s Veterans Commission.

After 19-year pursuit, World War II Marine gets disability benefits  (Army Times)  Millard Sells saw some of the fiercest combat of his life in 1945 on Iwo Jima, but for most of the past two decades he has been engaged in a different, more bureaucratic battle.

Old VA site named to historic registry  (The Washington Times)  The old Veteran Affairs property on U.S. Highway 90, now known as Centennial Plaza, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Groups call for increased VA spending in advance of Obama’s 2015 budget  (The Washington Post)  Four of the nation’s leading veterans organizations this week proposed a budget plan that calls for increased spending on veterans programs in 2015 and beyond.

Vancouver Veterans Affairs shooting: $1 million bail set for woman suspected of shooting ex-boss  (The Oregonian)  A judge has set bail at $1 million for a woman suspected of shooting her former supervisor at the Veteran Affairs campus in Vancouver.

Report notes more problems at Dorn VA Medical Center  (The State)  The management of the Dorn VA Medical Center did a lousy job of keeping its operating rooms staffed and reacting to infection problems, according to a report from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.

Benefits

Military phases out its service centers for Tri-Care clients  (Florida Today)  Military retirees and others with questions about Tri-Care enrollment or benefits will soon lose the option of meeting face-to-face with a service representative.

Boehner urges allies to consider linking military benefits to debt limit  (The Washington Post)  A new break in the GOP’s debt-ceiling strategy emerged at a private lunch on Wednesday, where House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) encouraged his allies to consider linking a restoration of recently cut military benefits with a one-year extension of the federal government’s borrowing authority.

Lawmaker seeks funds to expand Arizona’s veterans supportive campuses  (Cronkite News)  As soon as Ammon Rowley separated from the Navy, he wanted to start his education.

Senate Bill Seeks Honorable Discharges for Gay Veterans  (Business Week)   Since World War II, more than 100,000 gay members of the U.S. military were expelled with dishonorable or other less-than-honorable discharges, says Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii.

Benefits for Veterans Falling Behind Food Stamps, Welfare  (Fox Nation)   Fox News legal analyst Peter Johnson Jr. was on Fox and Friends this morning to take on President Obama’s comments about government assistance.

Adam Smith’s lonely military pension fight  (The Hill) The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee is in an increasingly lonely position in Congress fighting against repealing the $6 billion cut to military pensions.

Defense Spending After 2015: It’s Anyone’s Guess  (National Defense Magazine)  The powers-that-be must soon make a decision on how to cut military spending before sequestration returns in 2016.

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