Tag Archives: Budget Deal

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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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/6/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/6/14

Good news story of the day

Nashua firm helps get veterans back in the workforce  (New Hampshire Union Leader)  Ed O’Neill was having breakfast at Nancy’s Diner Monday morning with two guys in the crew of Veterans Mowing and Plowing when a light snow started blowing.

Military transition

Medical Technology Veterans Program is renamed the MedTech and BioTech Veterans Program (MVP) and Expands Nationwide  (The Wall Street Journal)  The Medical Technology Veterans Program, renamed the MedTech and BioTech Veterans Program (MVP), has expanded nationwide and to industries across the life sciences.

‘Hiring Our Heroes’ job fair coming to Kauai for Hawaii veterans and spouses  (Pacific Business News)  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has partnered with several national and local partners to bring its national Hiring Our Heroes job fair to the Garden Isle on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Kauai Veterans Center.

Free conference to help vets find lasting employment  (The Eagle)  Student veterans from around the nation will travel to College Station this week to take part in an innovative networking and career fair for servicemen and servicewomen.

Veterans learn organic farming at Pa. program  (The Altoona Mirror)  With his burly physique and woolly beard, Brandon Barnhart looks every inch the laid-back country kid from tiny West College Corner, Ind.

Still Serving Veterans Seeks Businesses To Join Job Fair Feb. 19-21  (WHNT.com)  Our veterans stepped forward to preserve our American way of life by putting their lives on the line with their military service.

Veterans

Veterans advocate Michael Charter dies at 69  (UT San Diego)  Instead of maintaining a comfortable distance from the homeless people he encountered, Michael Charter chatted them up and recruited them for beach cleanups and other community events he supported while on the Ocean Beach Town Council board.

Veterans art therapy featured in exhibition at Tri-C gallery  (Cleveland.com) You or a loved one went through the wringer of war and got hung out to dry.

Veterans group seeks new members  (The News Herald)  Although Burke County is home to a large number of military veterans, the population of those who served in World War II, the Korean conflict and Vietnam dwindles every day.

Masco Gives More Than $1 Million In Support of Military Veterans; 11 Michigan Organizations Among Recipients  (The Wall Street Journal)  Masco Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of home improvement and building products, and its Foundation have partnered — through a combination of products and cash grants — to award over $1 million in support of its veteran initiative: “America’s Heroes: A Million Thanks”.

Kendall veterans group gets new vehicle  (The Beacon-News)  The Kendall County Veterans Assistance Commission will get a sorely needed new vehicle.

Wounded Warrior Project Actively Transitioning Returning Veterans Foremost Into All Areas of Transport & Logistics Sector  (Yahoo Finance)  Last month marked a milestone for Wounded Warrior Project and the cold chain logistics industry.

Veterans affairs

WIP veteran benefits late, backlogged  (Times-Georgian)  I put this paragraph into the column I wrote on Aug. 8, 2013, using information directly from one of the VA websites, but how has it actually worked out for us?

House passes bill to give veterans in-state tuition, halt VA executive bonuses  (The Washington Post)  The House this week unanimously passed a bill that would expand veterans’ educational benefits and end bonuses for the senior executives at the Department of Veterans Affairs for five years.

House hearing to review veterans claims processing  (Stars and Stripes)  A hearing to review new technologies aimed at updating federal claims processing and erasing the massive Veterans Affairs disability claim backlog has been scheduled for Wednesday by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, according to a statement from chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla.

WWII vet granted benefits after long battle with VA  (USA Today)  Millard Sells saw fierce combat in 1945 on Iwo Jima, but for most of the past two decades he has been engaged in a different, more bureaucratic battle.

Veterans Affairs employee indicted for gambling, buying gun, drinking on the  clock  (KOCO.com)  Judge Ray Elliott unsealed a grand jury indictment Wednesday against Johnny  Lloyd Surles for two criminal counts: false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim  against the state and obtaining property by false pretense.

Not enough parking is provided for patients and employees at Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center  (TheDenverChannel.com)  “The worst is, there are no spots, first off,” said 15-year Army veteran Lynn Stuart, who recently had knee replacement surgery at the VA Medical Center.

Police investigate shooting at Veterans Affairs campus in Vancouver  (Oregon Live)  Sheriff’s officials in southwest Washington were saying little as they try to determine why a Veterans Affairs  worker was gunned down and wounded inside a public health building in  the second workplace shooting in Vancouver in as many days.

VA still fighting paper war  (Politico)  On the battlefield, Washington is racing to equip its soldiers on the front  lines with the most high-tech weapons and warplanes.

Benefits

Commissaries won’t close, but prices may increase  (Military Times)  Pentagon proposals to reportedly slice $1 billion from the annual commissary budget may not hinge on closing stores, but on raising prices for patrons, sources said.

CBO: Military pension growth to fall 5 percent by 2023 with cut  (The Washington Post)  A controversial new pension cut for younger military retirees will help reduce projected growth for the retirement payments by about 5 percent by 2023, according to congressional number crunchers.

MacDill glitch exposes transfer woes for gay military couples  (The Tampa Tribune)  Monday afternoon, Air Force Staff Sgt. Ashley Carney had just wrapped up a meeting at MacDill Air Force Base to go over the final details of her move to Turkey, where she and her wife would become one of the first gay married military couples transferred to a Muslim country.

Boehner proposes linking debt-limit hike to a restoration of recent cuts to military benefits  (The Washington Post)  House Speaker John A. Boehner scrambled to sell a new debt-ceiling solution to his Republican colleagues on Wednesday, encouraging them to demand a restoration of recently cut military benefits in exchange for a one-year extension of the federal government’s borrowing authority.

Castricone Proposes a NY Veterans Payroll Tax Exemption to Promote Veteran Employment  (Rockland County Times)  NY Assembly Candidate Dan Castricone this week released his plan to encourage employers to hire military veterans.

Bill would require Tricare to cover breast-feeding expenses  (Military Times)  Tricare would cover the cost of breast-feeding equipment, support and counseling for new moms who want to nurse their babies under a bill introduced by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.

Defense Cuts Remain Off Table in Debt-Ceiling Talks – For Now  (Defense News)  House Republicans have yet to settle on a plan to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, but it appears using defense cuts as a bargaining chip is not an option.

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Military/Veteran Transitionnews for 2/5/14

Posted by Mike Grice on

Military transition and veterans affairs news of the day for 2/5/14

Good news story of the day

Helping wounded vets move from ‘surviving’ to ‘thriving’  (Stars and Stripes)  Back when Michael Baker was a nuclear submarine technician in the Navy, he was a triathlete who spent as much time as he could exploring the Hawaiian outdoors near his naval base.

Military transition

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

New website launches to help Montana veterans  (KXLF.com)  Lieutenant Governor John Walsh announced the launch of a new website to help military personnel transition to civilian life.

The 10 Best Jobs For Veterans  (Forbes)  Many veterans returning to the U.S. from stints overseas have years of job experience under their belts, yet they feel daunted by the challenge of making the transition into the civilian workforce.

Military veterans graduate from Boston Fire Academy  (The Daily Free Press)  After 20 weeks of grueling training, 51 military veterans were inducted into the Boston Fire Department on Tuesday with Boston Mayor Martin Walsh in attendance.

Texas A&M Students Launch New Program To Help Aggie Veterans  (TAMU Times)  A new branch of the Student Government Association (SGA) at Texas A&M University, with the specific purpose of helping Aggie veterans, plans the first national military veteran conference in higher education  Friday and Saturday (Feb. 7-8) at the university.

Veteran students meet with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs John Scocos  (University of Wisconsin Superior)  Fifteen UW-Superior students with military experience were able to connect one-on-one with the Wisconsin Secretary of Veterans Affairs John Scocos on Monday.

Veterans

Veteran Groups Launch Pre-Emptive Strike on Federal Budget  (The Wall Street Journal)  Four major veterans advocacy groups called for more veteran health-care spending in the next federal budget and changes to a number of Department of Veterans Affairs policies, in their annual outline of legislative goals released Tuesday morning.

New UC panel to aid military veterans  (Fox 5 San Diego)  The University of California on Monday announced the formation of an advisory  group to help military veterans address specific issues and succeed in earning  degrees.

Villa Park VFW Bringing Veterans Welcome Home Back Home  (Chicago Tribune)  The popular and effective Veterans Welcome Home and Benefits event is coming back to the VFW Post in Villa Park.

Despite progress, VA still has 400,000 backlogged claims  (UPI)  The Department of Veterans Affairs cut its backlog of hundreds of thousands of  disability claims by nearly one-third last year but is still struggling to  modernize an outdated processing system, a report released Monday by the Iraq  and Afghanistan Veterans of America found.

Veteran Hopefuls Use Bravery, Heroics in Bids for Congress  (Roll Call)  Veterans regularly run for Congress, but this cycle features candidates armed with particularly impressive biographies involving escapes, captures and military adventures that Tom Clancy would have struggled to dream up.

Veterans affairs

VA Launches Online Tool to Calculate Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits  (Department of Veterans Affairs)  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.

Feinstein bill pushes housing for homeless vets at West L.A. VA campus (Los Angeles Times)  Sen. Dianne  Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced a bill Tuesday to smooth the way for the U.S.  Department of Veterans Affairs to partner with private agencies to develop  housing for homeless veterans on its West Los Angeles campus.

VA Offers New Tools to Ensure Post-9/11 GI Bill Beneficiaries Are Informed Consumers  (The White House)  What’s the first thing you do when shopping for a big-ticket item?

Report: Rocky Hill veterans’ housing goes unused  (The Washington Times)   Five houses in Rocky Hill that state officials set aside and renovated for  Connecticut military veterans have sat mostly empty for several years, while  statistics show one in 10 homeless people in the state is a veteran, according  to a published report.

Report: No ‘evidence of planning’ from Obama administration to help veterans  receive benefits  (The Daily Caller)  The Obama administration’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has no long-term  plan to correct the errors that have left hundreds of thousands of veterans  waiting months to receive benefits, despite President Obama’s State of the Union  vow to fix the problem.

Government concedes negligence in Legionnaires’ lawsuit  (TribLive.com)  House legislation that would make it illegal for veterans hospitals nationwide to conceal disease outbreaks won passage on Monday evening with bipartisan approval.

Senators want answers on veterans records breach  (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)  Both U.S. senators from Missouri are seeking answers about the potential fallout for veterans and their families after a former clerk admitted misfiling hundreds of military records at a St. Louis warehouse.

Former fighter pilot named new director of Punchbowl  (Star Advertiser)  A former Air Force fighter pilot and onetime inspector general for Pacific Air Forces will become the new director of Punchbowl Cemetery March 9, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced.

Benefits

Tax break for young military retirees stirs debate, clears House committee  (The Spokesman Review)  Idaho doesn’t charge its state income tax on military retirement pay for those age 65 or older, but it does tax pension benefits for military retirees who are younger than 65.

In new pitch to pass jobless pay, Harry Reid sweetens deal with measure to restore military pension cuts  (Washington Examiner)  The Senate this week will make another attempt to pass an extension of federal unemployment insurance by tying the effort to a plan to restore military pension benefits.

Senate to take up comprehensive veterans reform bill Thursday (The Washington Times)  Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont  independent, said Tuesday a comprehensive veteran’s reform bill could be brought  up on the Senate floor as early as Thursday.

Florida Legislators aim to increase veterans benefits  (First Coast News)  Lawmakers are debating new programs that will impact the more than 1.6 million veterans who live in the state of Florida.

Veterans Service Organizations Urge $72.9 Billion Investment in Veterans’ Health Care and Benefits  (Boston.com)  Four of the nation’s leading veterans service organizations—AMVETS, DAV, Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)—are urging the Administration and Congress to provide $72.9 billion to sufficiently meet veterans’ health care and benefits needs.

Senate panel to mark up bill repealing military pension cuts  (The Hill)

The Senate Armed Services Committee will mark up a bill next week to repeal the $6 billion military pension cuts included in last month’s budget deal.

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