Tag Archives: Retirement

Transitionnews 12/11/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Wednesday, December 11th 2013:

Good news story of the day

‘Roof-raising party’ benefits veterans store in Ansonia  (New Haven Register)  An organization that helps veterans got some much-needed help of its own Saturday when volunteers replaced a roof on its thrift store.

Transition

Career transition program expands to cover spouses  (Stars and Stripes)  Spouses of troops and veterans are now eligible for courses through the Veterans Career Transition Program, a host of online courses designed to boost job seekers’ resumes.

US representative meets with student-veterans about easing transition from military  (The Daily Californian)  Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California’s 14th district, discussed ways to ease the transition for former service members into civilian life during a meeting with UC Berkeley student-veterans Monday.

Businesses Step Up Efforts to Hire Veterans  (Military.com)  It took Francisco “Frank” Miranda, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, about three years to find a job in the civilian world that was a good fit. Since August, Miranda has been working at Home Depot in Totowa, N.J., where he and two fellow vet employees refer to each other by their former military ranks.

Veterans

Could Community Service Be the Answer for Veterans Looking to Treat PTSD?  (The Pacific Standard)  Thousands of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder rely on the Department of Veterans Affairs for relief. They might be better served, however, if they tapped the hard-won wisdom of incarcerated Vietnam veteran Michael “Doc” Piper.

Reinventing Michael Banks: A Lesson in Empathy – recruitDC Guest Post  (RecruitDC.org)  Many veterans on the job hunt get frustrated because they feel like potential employers don’t understand or appreciate their experiences.

NM orders halt to investment scheme involving vet benefits  (Albuquerque Journal) The state Regulation and Licensing Department’s Securities Division said Tuesday it has ordered two investment companies involved in the illegal purchase of monthly pensions and disability payments from veterans and resale of them as investments to halt the scheme immediately.

Veterans, soldiers learn show biz with ABC  (Army Times)  Five Army veterans and current soldiers got the chance to write, direct and produce their own films for ABC television during the network’s November and December “Home for the Holidays” campaign — an initiative that encourages supporting and hiring veterans.

Veterans’ Law Attorney with Hook Law Center Explains Rules For Early And Delayed Social Security Benefits Claims  (Law Firm Newswire)  A recent survey indicates many U.S. veterans are uninformed about the advantages and disadvantages of delaying or hastening the start of their Social Security benefits.

Veterans Affairs

Hagan repeats call for action on VA backlog  (Winston-Salem Journal)  Sen. Kay Hagan on Tuesday again asked Eric Shinseki, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to reduce an enormous backlog of appeals made by veterans in North Carolina and the U.S. on claims for disability compensation.

Legionnaires’ bacteria found at Texas VA hospital  (Stars and Stripes)  Officials say water sources at more than three buildings at a Central Texas veterans hospital have tested positive for legionella, a

Benefits

Retirees pushed off Tricare Prime may be allowed back in  (Army Times)  More than 171,000 military retirees and family members booted from Tricare Prime on Oct. 1 when the Defense Department cut coverage areas for its managed health program could get their old health plans back under the compromise 2014 defense bill under consideration in the House and Senate.

Path To Reclaiming Identity Steep For Vets With ‘Bad Paper’  (NPR)  When Michael Hartnett was getting kicked out of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was too deep into post-traumatic stress disorder, drugs and alcohol to care as his battalion commander explained to the young man that his career was ending, and ending badly.

Gay Dallas couple faces veterans home loan problems  (Military Times)  Just days away from closing on a new house, a Dallas couple has discovered the Veterans Affairs Department won’t guarantee their new home loan because it doesn’t count the income of a non-veteran spouse for same-sex married couples in states that don’t recognize such marriages.

Budget deal would reduce COLAs for some military retirees  (Military Times)  A bipartisan budget deal to avoid another government shutdown and reduce the impact of sequestration over the next two years includes thorns for working-age retirees.

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Transitionnews 12/10/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Tuesday, December 10th 2013:

Good news of the day

Students bring holiday show to veterans  (Orange County Register)  Students from Corona del Mar Middle School took their show on the road Thursday, putting on a holiday performance for veterans at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Long Beach.

Transition

Group helps Volusia veterans readjust to civilian life  (The Daytona Beach News-Journal)  After returning from his second “brutal” deployment to Iraq, Bobby Colella found himself teaching ROTC cadets at the University of Central Florida in Orlando who were just starting their military careers as he was preparing for retirement after 21 years in the Army infantry.

Florida Tech to Host Informational Webinar on Military Benefits  (The Business Journals)  U.S. News & World Report-ranked Florida Tech recently announced it will be hosting a webinar for military personnel and veterans on December 11, 2013.

Nonprofit Helps Veterans Learn Farming  (AARP.com)  American farmers are getting older, with an average age of 57 — and climbing. Farmers 65 and older are the fastest-growing group. At the same time, military veterans returning home face a 7.7 percent unemployment rate and a host of challenges as they negotiate the often-difficult transition to working and living outside of the armed forces.

Marcademys New Scholarship Program Helps U.S. Veterans, National Guard and Reserves Learn Internet Marketing and Land Jobs  (ITBusinessnet.com)  Marcademy, Inc. announced that it is accepting applications for its 2014 class of Marcademy Fellows.

Veterans

Military Invasion! Veterans As a Part of Your Multicultural Advertising Mix?  (The Huffington Post)  25 million Americans have served in the U.S. armed forces, and you just need to look online or watch TV to see how advertisers are increasingly pursuing them.

Paralyzed Veterans of America Launches National Vehicle Donation Program  (Business Wire)  Paralyzed Veterans of America, a non-profit organization working to serve the needs and challenges faced by American veterans with disabilities and their families, today announced the national launch of its vehicle donation program, Wheels Helping Warriors.

Yeshiva students honor local veterans  (Jewish Journal)  Marv Levine, 77, is the chairman of the Men’s Club at the Forest Trace Luxury Resort Senior Community in Lauderhill, where he is a resident. He also is a veteran of the Korean War.

One Thousand Job Seekers Attend Congressman Garamendi’s Job Fair, Veterans Hiring Program Unveiled  (InsuranceNewsnet.com)  Reflecting the continued struggles of far too many Americans in search of work, the Solano County Job Fair and Jobs Boot Camp hosted today by Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA) was exceedingly well-attended. 971 jobseekers, including 146 veterans, talked with more than 50 employers, labor unions, and job skills organizations and two dozen resume counselors.

Cintas Awarded Outstanding Veteran Employer Award  (BusinessWire)  Cintas Corporation today announced its Maumelle, Little Rock and Searcy, Ark. facilities have received the Outstanding Veteran Employer Award from ARVets, an organization that provides support and resources for military personnel, veterans and their families.

Veterans Affairs

VA Offers New Dental Insurance Program  (ABC10up.com)  The Department of Veterans Affairs is now offering dental insurance at reduced premiums for Veterans enrolled in VA health care as well as beneficiaries of VA’s Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA).

Veterans bonus deadline approaching  (TheVWIndependent.com)  Just a reminder that Ohio veterans who served during the time of the Persian Gulf War have until December 31 to apply for the Ohio Veterans Bonus and receive a “thank you” for their service awarded by Ohio’s citizens.

Effort to clear national backlog of veterans benefits claims makes things worse in Minnesota  (StarTribune)  An effort to clear a national backlog of veterans benefits claims is making things worse in Minnesota.

PTSD rates similar among defense contractors and veterans, report says  (The Washington Post)  Federal contractors who worked in war zones reported post-traumatic stress disorder and depression at rates similar to military personnel in a recent survey by the RAND Corporation.

Benefits

Feds: Woman pocketed dead brother’s VA benefits  (WFTV.com)  While thousands of veterans wait for their backlogged benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, one Orange County woman who has never served watched her bank account grow for years.

VA Loan Benefits Explained In A New Loan Love Guide   (StreetInsider.com)  LoanLove.com is a home loan borrower advice website that provides in-depth information in and easy to understand, concise and even entertaining way that both new borrowers and experienced home owners can benefit from.

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Transitionnews 12/9/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Monday, December 9th 2013:

Good news of the day

Veterans honored, remembered in wreath-laying ceremony  (Asbury Park Press)  A military aircraft streaked over west Cumberland County Saturday morning just in time for its pilot to witness an extraordinary sight.

Transition

Institute for Veterans and Military Families and JPMorgan Chase Expand Veterans Career Transition Program to Include Military Spouses  (Globe Newswire)  The Institute for Veterans and Military Families has expanded eligibility to enroll in its Veterans Career Transition Program to spouses of eligible veterans and active duty servicemembers.

Special hunt helps veterans transition  (JournalGazette.net)  Cecil Stroud grew up hunting deer. But for the last 10 years, he couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it. War will do that to you, he’d say.

Discharge upheld for airman who reported sexual assault  (Air Force Times)  A medical board has upheld the discharge of a security forces airman who claims he was improperly diagnosed with a personality disorder after he reported being sexually assaulted by a superior.

Veterans

Veterans First works to house homeless female vets  (SFGate.com)  Two decades ago, Dana Oviatt started her career in the Army as a combat photographer.

Unclaimed S.C. veterans to be buried in Beaufort National Cemetery Friday  (The State)  The remains of 10 military veterans from South Carolina will be interred Friday at a ceremony in Beaufort National Cemetery by an organization that aims to give military funerals to unclaimed veterans, an organization spokesman said.

Veterans Writing Project comes to William & Mary  (Los Angeles Times)  After Ron Capps saw five wars in 10 years, the horrific images began to collide.

Map: Where the World War II veterans are  (The Washington Post)  More than 2,300 Americans died in the attack at Pearl Harbor exactly 72 years ago on Saturday.

VETERANS’ AFFAIRS: American Legion donates $4,000 to cognitive impairment program at Walled Lake Schools  (The Oakland Press)  Sons of the American Legion Post 224 recently donated $4,000 to the Moderate Cognitive Impairment Transitions Program at Walled Lake Schools.

Veterans Affairs

VA pushes online health info for vets, servicemembers  (WeatherfordDemocrat.com)  The Department of Veterans Affairs is urging all veterans and service members to join the millions already accessing VA health care information and service online.

Backlog of claims to VA shrinking  (FloridaToday.com)  David Scheimreif waited for more than a year while his disability claim sat in limbo, along with hundreds of thousands of others, at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

VA Home Loan Benefits Now Available Through Blue Loan Services  (PR Newswire) Blue Loan Services is a full service mortgage company that has been helping residents of California to find the best loan products and home loan rates for many years.

Roy Exum: Woeful Care Of Veterans  (Chattanoogan.com)   The United States spends $150 billion each year to fund the badly-maligned Department of Veterans Affairs.

Benefits

TRICARE Tools: Worldwide Online Access to Worldwide Coverage  (Tricare.mil)  TRICARE is the worldwide health care program serving active duty service members, Guard and Reserve members, retirees, family members, survivors, certain former spouses and others entitled to TRICARE benefits.

Hawke: Share cost for vets’ benefits  (Sentinel & Enterprise)  Massachusetts has some of the most generous veterans benefits in the country, but Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke said the cost of supplying many of those benefits is falling disproportionately on communities like his.

Help Is Hard To Get For Veterans After A Bad Discharge  (NPR)  More than 100,000 troops left the service with other-than-honorable discharges in the last 10 years.

Military Benefits For Same-Sex Couples Blocked At State Level  (USC Annenberg)  The Supreme Court’s recent ruling to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has paved the way for military members and their same-sex spouses to receive the same military benefits as married heterosexual couples.

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Transitionnews 12/6/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Friday, December 6th 2013:

Good news of the day

Veterans kayak program: ‘4 Star Award’ winner   (Examiner.com)  On December 2, 2013, the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association awarded the Chattanooga Department of Youth & Family Development the prestigious “4Star Award,” which recognizes the best overall programs, facilities and marketing in the state of Tennessee. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the “4 Star Aquatics Program Award” or “Veterans Kayak Program,” which the Department of Youth and Family’s Therapeutic Recreation division created in January 2013.

Transition

Fort Drum expected to lose 2,800 soldiers and civilian workers from 2012 to 2017  (Watertown Daily Times)  Fort Drum is projected to lose about 2,800 soldiers and civilian workers over the next few years, according to an Army analysis outlined Thursday.

Focus on Agriculture: Program helps vets transition from military to farming   (Richmond News)  When Dustin Ladenburger climbs up into his tractor seat these days he finds he cannot reach the pedals.

Veterans

Disabled Veterans National Foundation Reminds Veterans of VA’s 2014 COLA Increase  (PR Newswire)   The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (www.dvnf.org), a nonprofit veterans service organization that focuses on helping men and women who serve and return home wounded or sick after defending our safety and our freedom, is reminding veterans of the VA’s recently announced cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2014.

Ex-congressional staffer lied about war injuries to get VA benefits, prosecutors say  (Deseret News)  A man who worked for a Utah congressman through the Wounded Warrior Project faces criminal fraud charges for allegedly lying about being injured in the Iraq war to collect disability benefits.

Budget cuts might slow improvements in veterans’ homelessness  (CharlotteObserver.com)  The country has made progress toward its goal of ending veterans’ homelessness by 2015, but budget cuts might stand to threaten the momentum, according to federal officials.

Legion Challenges VA Claims Accuracy  (Military.com)  The American Legion testified at a Dec. 4 hearing on Capitol Hill that examined VA’s track record in processing complex disability claims that deal with conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and military sexual trauma (MST).

Rocky named a top college for veterans; MSUB opens veterans lounge  (Billings Gazette)  With the number of veterans pursuing higher education continuing to rise, Billings colleges are working to expand the services they provide and recently earned national rankings for their efforts.

Veterans Affairs

VA Medical Center’s Ladies’ Night 2013 honors women veterans  (DC Military.com)On Nov. 22, the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s Atrium was transformed into a festive ballroom and mini concert hall.

VA regional offices improperly paying out disability claims, IG tells House panel  (Fierce Government)    Veterans Affairs Department disability claims processing problems at the regional level resulted in improper payments that the VA will likely never recover, Deputy Assistant Inspector General Sondra McCauley told a House panel Wednesday.

Veterans Affairs medical centers failed to properly review patient incidents, GAO says  (Fierce Government)  Veterans Affairs medical centers didn’t properly review incidents where patients were injured due to a doctor’s intervention, a Dec. 3 Government Accountability Office report says.

Benefits

Big battle is brewing over move to rein in military pay, benefits  (Omaha.com)  The Pentagon is pulling out its big guns in a fight over the growing cost of compensating the men and women who fight our wars.

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Transitionnews 12/5/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Thursday, December 5 2013:

Good news story of the day

WINE COUNTRY: New home gives Army veteran, a double amputee, chance at freedom  (The Press Enterprise)  It’s more than wood, steel, plaster and granite.  The home that was built for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Wallace “Ha’a” Fanene, a double amputee wounded during his service in Iraq, is a chance for a more normal life. It’s freedom. Mobility.

Military Transition

Latest Transition Guide from Stars and Stripes Prepares Service Members for Post-military Civilian Life  (PR Web)  The Stars and Stripes Transition Guide provides military men and women the opportunity to jump-start their transition into civilian life.

Tailored Career Guidance Resource is Free for Sailors’ Lifetime  (Navy.mil)  Sailors planning ahead for an eventual transition from naval service, are encouraged to take advantage of the Kuder Journey career guidance system; a pilot program available through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) that ends enrollments Dec. 31.

Veterans

The Government’s Best-Kept Secret  (Fox Business)   If you ask an elderly Veteran if they qualify for an additional pension from the VA to help pay for their long-term care costs, they will probably tell you, “I’m not eligible because I wasn’t injured in the war.” This is a common misconception, which keeps many Veterans from tapping into a benefit they deserve.

Michael Roof: Veterans Evaluations Services not a scam  (The Daily Journal)  If there is one thing that all veterans can agree upon, it’s that when the Department of Veterans Affairs sends out paperwork, it takes a Ph.D. to decipher it. To add to the complexity, veterans waiting for compensation and pension exams are getting phone calls and letters from a company called Veterans Evaluations Services.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Phoenix VA program gives ASU nursing students career experience  (Downtown Devil)  Students at ASU’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation say the Phoenix Veterans Affairs program at the school has provided them with valuable practical skills.

VA benefits set to slightly increase in 2014  (Federal News Radio)  When veterans and their families, who receive disability compensation and retirement benefits from the Veterans Affairs Department, receive their annual cost-of-living increase next month, for the first time ever, it won’t be rounded down to the nearest dollar.

Slow and sloppy review procedures endanger patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals, GAO finds  (Washington Examiner)  Patients at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals are not being adequately protected from doctors who have histories of providing substandard treatment, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

House lawmakers to examine VA’s handling of disability appeals  (The Washington Post)  House lawmakers plan to examine how the Department of Veterans Affairs is dealing with a growing backlog of appeals for denied disability benefits.

Benefits

Big battle is brewing over move to rein in military pay, benefits  (Omaha.com)  The Pentagon is pulling out its big guns in a fight over the growing cost of compensating the men and women who fight our wars.

Louisiana to process military benefits for same-sex spouses despite state ban  (The Washington Post)  The Louisiana National Guard has reached a deal with the Pentagon to process military benefits for same-sex spouses despite the state’s constitutional ban on recognizing gay marriage.

More veterans eligible for benefits as agent orange perimeter expands  (Oelwein Daily Register)  More veterans of the Vietnam War were recently included to benefit coverage due to Agent Orange Exposure.

Schumer wants to ensure veterans get their benefits  (The Telegram)  Steve Sadlon, a 92-year-old World War II veteran, recently started receiving his property tax benefit for his years of service decades ago.

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Transitionnews 12/4/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Wednesday, December 4 2013:

Good news story of the day

Six Ohio WWII veterans to be honored  (Examiner.com)  Six Ohio veterans who helped liberate France during World War II will be awarded that country’s Medal of Knight of the Legion of Honor in a ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday in Veterans Hall of the Ohio Veterans Home – Sandusky.

Transition

Program aids shift to civilian jobs  (The Tampa Tribune)  Troy Johnson stands in the front of the big conference room in the Airman and Family Readiness Center and asks the 50 or so men and women seated in front of laptops who among them is interested in pursuing a career with the federal government.

ROTC cadets, recent graduates offered release from service commitments  (Air Force Times)  The Air Force is offering future officers preparing to graduate from the ROTC program in 2014 the opportunity to walk away from their service commitments without having to repay their scholarships or monthly stipends, the service announced Tuesday.

Veterans

Edward Heffron, of WWII’s ‘Band of Brothers,’ dies  (Army Times)  Edward J. “Babe” Heffron, whose World War II service as a member of the Army’s famed Easy Company was recounted in the book and TV miniseries “Band of Brothers,” has died. He was 90.

Veterans lose battle to spare Vets Memorial from demolition  (The Columbus Dispatch)  A handful of Franklin County veterans stood before the county commissioners yesterday and begged them to wait — to give the vets time to raise the money needed for a plan to save Veterans Memorial from demolition.

Veterans Need Assistance More than Ever After Nov. 1 Budget Cuts, Says Feed Our Vets  (PR Newswire)  Veterans Day was an opportunity for all Americans to thank and honor the country’s selfless soldiers. It also was a day of increased hunger and requests for help from charities like Feed Our Vets after nearly 1 million low-income veterans had their food stamps cut by Congress.

Veterans Administration

VA AND DEFENSE CHIEFS CONFRONT REALITY OF 700,000 INCARCERATED VETERANS  (NextGov.com)  The 700,000 veterans consigned to the dustbins of society — prisons and jails — won some top level attention this week at the first national Vet Court Conference in Washington, which brings together 1,000 judges, mental health and substance abuse professionals and the leadership of the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments.

UF’s New Partnership with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs  (WCBJ.com)  The University of Florida didn’t make the list when two recent surveys ranked the best schools in the nation for services offered to veterans…but a new partership could change that.

House lawmakers to examine VA’s handling of disability appeals  (The Washington Post)  House lawmakers plan to examine how the Department of Veterans Affairs is dealing with a growing backlog of appeals for denied disability benefits.

Benefits

Beefing up the GI Bill  (Marine Corps Times)  At least seven legislative proposals are pending in Congress to improve the new GI Bill for large swaths of beneficiaries, including active-duty and reserve troops, wounded warriors and families.

Widow wages 23-year battle with VA for survivor benefits  (Marine Corps Times)  A 68-year-old widow who has spent 23 years seeking veterans’ survivor benefits will be a key witness Wednesday at a House hearing focusing on the Veterans Affairs Department’s problems in handling complicated claims.

Employment

U.S. Security Associates Invites Veterans and Military Spouses to Explore Employment Options on December 5th  (Long Island Newsday)  On December 5th, U.S. Security Associates (USA) joins dozens of employers exhibiting at the annual RecruitMilitary career fair at Houston, Texas’ Minute Maid Park.

VETERANS JOBS: Home Base Iowa Details  (WHOTV.com)  Tuesday Gov. Terry Branstad announced some new components of an effort to get veterans back to work in Iowa.

Stats Show Post-9/11 Vets Finding, Keeping Jobs  (Military.com)  Post-9/11 military veterans are finding and keeping jobs in larger numbers, according to 2012 veteran employment data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Hiring Our Heroes: Veterans get help finding jobs  (Lebanon Daily News)  Shannon “Will” Williams, of Lancaster, stopped at the RAM Industrial Services Inc. booth to inquire about positions available at the company’s Camp Hill location.

Veteran Beer Co. mission launches in region  (NWI.com)  The mission of the Veteran Beer Co. has come to Northwest Indiana. The Chicago-based microbrewer was created by disabled veterans to provide meaningful employment opportunities to service members who face challenges in the job market.

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Transitionnews 12/3/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Tuesday, December 3 2013:

Good news story of the day

Bill Zell dedicates 92nd birthday to veterans  (NWFDailyNews.com)  In an act that surprised no one who knows him, WWII Veteran Bill Zell dedicated his 92nd birthday party to veterans past, present and future.

Transition

Paths from military to workplace expand, but challenges remain  (Providence Journal)  Jerry Jones spent 16 years maintaining multimillion-dollar equipment at U.S. Air Force bases around the world.

Transitioning? Create Your Plan    (Military.com)  The Transition Center now features a personalized Transition Action Plan for those leaving the military, those retiring from a career in the military and National Guard and Reserve personnel.

Veterans

Veterans Inc. working for a more secure future  (Worcester Telegram & Gazette)  At 9 a.m. Monday, about 35 of the 85 men living at Veterans Inc. on Grove Street reported for roll call.

Effort to place wreaths on veterans’ graves reaches $20K mark  (WBIR.com)  A major push by Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett has now helped raise enough money for 2,000 wreaths to be added to the graves of veterans.

Veterans court program helps warriors battle addiction, mental health crises  (The Washington Post)  Former Marine Cpl. Eric Gonzales doesn’t remember much about the night last year he led police in Orange County, Calif., on a high-speed, 26-minute chase that ended when he threw his truck into reverse and crashed into the patrol car behind him.

U.S. Sen. Scott hears from veterans during Rock Hill visit  (HeraldOnline.com)  U.S. Sen. Tim Scott got an earful from frustrated veterans and others on Monday afternoon during a campaign trail stop in Rock Hill.

Tidewell Hospice works to give veterans a voice  (Bradenton Herald)  Military culture reinforces stoicism and decades after they leave the service, former soldiers still can feel that stories of their wartime experiences are best left unsaid.

Veterans Administration

Affordable Care Act Q&A: Most veterans don’t need exchange  (The Tampa Tribune)  There’s a reason the national health insurance debate doesn’t include much about the men and women who served in the military. The new exchange doesn’t apply to them.

Shinseki Calls ‘Vet Courts’ a Success  (Military.com)  Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Monday praised judges, prosecutors, defenders, veterans, and an army of counselors and mentors across the country for their efforts on behalf of veterans who end up in the criminal justice system.

US Department of Veterans Affairs selects MetLife as provider for VADIP  (TMC.net)  US Department of Veterans Affairs has selected MetLife Inc., a provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, as an official provider for the US Department of Veterans Affairs Dental Insurance Program, or VADIP.

Battelle to Assist VA in Surveys on Traumatic Brain Injuries  (Boston.com)  Battelle recently won a five-year contract to assist the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to survey veterans from recent wars who have been evaluated for traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Benefits

Army extends benefits, but La. Guard among holdouts refusing to process benefits to same-sex spouses  (TheAdvertiser,com)  Army Secretary John McHugh has approved several policy changes that support extending military benefits to the same-sex spouses of soldiers. But the Louisiana National Guard, which is part of the Army Reserve, still is refusing to process applications for benefits for same-sex spouses.

Leaders warn troops may leave military if benefits cut  (WVEC.com)  Local military leaders are warning about potentially dire consequences if cuts are made to Military retirement benefits.

Udall Wants More Vet Benefits In DOD Legislation  (Public News Service)  Helping veterans avoid homelessness and have better access to education is the focus of amendments that U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico is pursuing in a massive Defense bill moving through Congress.

Employment

Minneapolis Ranked High for Veteran Employment  (KTSP.com)  “USAA Magazine” ranks Minneapolis third in its top ten best cities where veterans can find jobs. The magazine sites the city’s low unemployment rate, low crime rate, and high quality of life as factors in its rankings.

DRS Technologies Wins Additional Military/Veteran Friendly Employment Honors  (PR Newswire)  DRS Technologies, a Finmeccanica Company, announced today that it has earned a 2014 Military Friendly Employer title by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs and Military Spouse, and is recognized as one of 185 companies favored among military veterans, according to survey results.

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Transitionnews 12/2/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Monday, December 2 2013:

Good news story of the day

Military Veterans Are Leading The Way In Delivering Aid To The Philippines  (Business Insider)  The plastic crate sitting outside a sweltering makeshift military terminal serves as both a seat for Peter Meijer and a container for 150-plus pounds of nails, hammers, and military-style quick-prep meals.

Transition

Anne Arundel readies for job hunting veterans  (SFGate.com)  Marine veteran Bernard Jenifer was one of hundreds of vets at Fort George G. Meade last month for a job fair. He trained in engineering, but has been unemployed for months.

Connect-a-Vet program helps veterans get work skills, jobs  (WacoTrib.com)  A new program aims to help local veterans learn new work skills through community service projects to increase their chances of finding jobs.

Veterans

Veterans Running For Congress Campaign As Can-Do Candidates  (Huffington Post)  When he meets voters in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, former Army Ranger Kevin Strouse recounts how he helped clear a city block in Iraq during the rescue of prisoner of war Jessica Lynch in 2003.

Female veterans do battle for benefits at home   (Chicago Tribune)  When Xatavia Hughes, the granddaughter of a military man, went to serve in Iraq, she was prepared to prove herself to the male soldiers.

Veterans’ Corner: New license plate design benefits vets’ fund   (Indiana Gazette)    Gov. Tom Corbett recently announced a number of new initiatives to help and support Pennsylvania’s more than 950,000 veterans.

Affordable Care Act Q&A: Most veterans don’t need exchange  (The Tampa Tribune)  There’s a reason the national health insurance debate doesn’t include much about the men and women who served in the military. The new exchange doesn’t apply to them.

Veterans Affairs

Report: VA prescribes opiates to patients not seen  (SFGate.com)  Doctors at the San Francisco VA Medical Center regularly renewed prescriptions for highly addictive narcotic painkillers for veterans they had never seen, according to a new report by the Department of Veterans Affairs‘ inspector general.

Tom Hayden: Merchant Marine vets deserve benefits for service  (News-press.com)  Recently, I was privileged to speak before a group of people, who struggle to hear, struggle to see and struggle to take their next steps. For me, none of that mattered.

Georgia veterans face disability claim delay  (The Augusta Chronicle)  Georgia veterans filing disability claims often face longer delays than their counterparts in other states.

Benefits

GI sex-assault victims face battle for disability benefits  (San Antonio Express News)  Months have passed since sexual-assault victim Virginia Messick left the Air Force and sought disability compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Army extends new benefits to soldiers’ same-sex spouses  (Army Times)  Army Secretary John McHugh has approved several policy changes that support extending military benefits to the same-sex spouses of soldiers.

CNO: You may have to pay for tuition benefit  (Navy Times)  The Navy plans to fully fund its tuition assistance coffers in fiscal 2014 at the same $84 million level it paid out in 2013. But after that, all bets are off.

Putting Military Pay on the Table  (The New York Times)  Big-ticket weapons like aircraft carriers and the F-35 fighter jet have to be part of any conversation about cutting Pentagon spending to satisfy the mandatory budget reductions known as the sequester. But compensation for military personnel has to be on the table, too — even though no other defense issue is more politically volatile or emotionally fraught.

Employment

Defense Executives: Shortage of Engineers Is Not a Myth  (National Defense)  U.S. defense executives are pushing back on suggestions that a shortage of science, math and engineering graduates is a fake crisis.

Hiring underway as expansion of VA Clinic nears completion  (Billings Gazette)  Contractors anticipate finishing the newly expanded 70,000-square-foot Veterans Affairs Clinic in Billings by Feb. 1.

Have a great day!

Great information about military health care benefits at transition

Posted by Mike Grice on

This is a repost from Jim Carman’s great synopsis of military health care availability for those going through transition (originally posted on the MOAA Linkedin group page):

 Career and Talent Management Team Leader: 703-968-6383

This week’s LinkedIn career building essay comes from Katherine Tracy, MOAA’s Deputy Director for Healthcare Programs. You’ve made the decision to transition from the military and may be wondering how this impacts your healthcare benefits. Let’s take a quick look through two lenses: military retirement eligible or not.
If you’ve not fulfilled the 20 year requirement for a military retirement, your healthcare ends on your last day of regular active duty service or in the case of an activated National Guard or reserve member and serving a period of more than 30 consecutive days of active duty in support of a contingency operation, on the last day of your transition period known as Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP) which is 180-days following your separation date. The TAMP benefit also applies to active duty service members serving in support of a contingency operation separating due to:
• stop-loss,
• sole survivorship discharge, or
• agreement to become a member of the Selected Reserve of a Reserve Component the day immediately following release from regular active duty service.
Military retiree’s under age 65 can choose between a managed care option (HMO), known as Tricare Prime, or a fee for service option called Tricare Standard. The main difference between the two is cost verses choice. Tricare Prime is least costly; whereas, Tricare Standard offers the greatest choice in selecting providers. Furthermore, the Tricare Prime option is limited to those who reside within the catchment area of a Military Treatment Facility (MTF).
Tricare also comes with a pharmacy benefit delivered through three points of service listed below in the order of least to greatest out-of-pocket cost to you.
• Military Treatment Facility,
• Tricare Home Delivery Pharmacy, or
• Tricare Retail Pharmacy.
Next, the Tricare Retiree Dental Plan (TRDP) provides a dental option for retiree’s as well as gray-area National Guard or reserve members and their dependents. Timely enrollment, within 120-days of eligibility, ensures the full range of benefits is available immediately. Otherwise, there’s a 12-month wait-period for crowns, bridges, orthodontics and dentures.
Lastly, once retired, your Tricare catastrophic cap rises to $3,000.00/family per fiscal year. The catastrophic cap is your maximum out-of-pocket expense for Tricare covered benefits. Here, the key is Tricare covered benefits. If in doubt – ask!
This has been a whirl-wind through the healthcare benefit structure. If you need further guidance or would like to schedule a one-on-one consultation to discuss your particular situation in more detail, call a MOAA Benefits Counselor at 1.800.234.6622.
Finally, for those readers in career transition who have served as officers in any branch of the armed forces and are located in the greater Washington, D.C. area, The West Point Society of DC’s annual Military Officer Job Fair will be held on December 6 from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Waterford Reception Center in Springfield, Virginia. For the second consecutive year, MOAA is assisting in the promotion of this job fair, which will be open to all military officers regardless of commissioning source or branch of service. There is no charge to attend and no pre-registration is required. For more details, please see http://www.wpsdc.org and follow the links to career networking night. Thanks for reading and happy holidays, Jim Carman, MOAA Transition Center Director.

Transitionnews 11/29/13

Posted by Mike Grice on

Transitionnews for Friday, November 29 2013:

Good news story of the day

Navy Wounded Warrior Anchor Program Supports a Grateful Family  (Navy.mil)  A retired Navy command master chief who serves as a Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) – Safe Harbor Anchor Program mentor – spent valuable time with a Coast Guard wounded warrior and his family in Carlisle, Pa., during November.

Transition

Workshop advises service members in transition  (The Redstone Rocket)  Whether a service member retires after 20 years or gets out after just one tour, the Army’s Transition Assistance Program helps service members and their families transition into civilian life by offering job-search assistance, financial readiness planning and related services.

Veterans in Private Sector: Making the Transition  (Federal News Radio) Why should you hire a veteran?  Here are a few reasons: They possess great leadership skills. They take initiative. They assume responsibility. They’re creative.

New IT career training program helps veterans find jobs  (Observer & Eccentric)  A new public-private partnership has been formed to provide information and technology training and certification to Michigan veterans.

‘Warriors 4 Wireless’ Program Helps Vets Find Tech Industry Jobs  (LiveScience)   A new nonprofit program aims to help veterans and returning service members find jobs in wireless telecommunications, as part of a broader goal to have 5,000 vets employed in the expanding industry by the year 2015, according to officials from the Department of Defense.

Veterans

Wounded Warrior Group suing Indiana veteran it says defamed it  (UPI)  A national veterans assistance group is suing an Indiana veteran it says defamed it, court documents show.

Veterans Pitch In to Help Serve, Overseas and at Home  (ABC News)  To celebrate Thanksgiving, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama – along with daughters Sasha and Malia – went to the Capital Area Food Bank to serve nutritious meals for hungry families alongside post-9/11 veterans who were reporting for duty in their community.

Veterans see glitches in getting new licenses  (Channel 3000)  Some Wisconsin veterans trying to get their hands on special new driver’s licenses have been confused by a state website but unable to get through to a toll-free hotline for assistance.

Orlando gives veterans a boost in competing for contracts  (Orlando Sentinal)   Every year, Orlando issues millions of dollars worth of contracts and purchase orders for everything from staples to giant construction projects.

Veterans form organization to help peers  (Newburyport News)  Two local veterans are extending a helping hand to keep the hands of their struggling peers warm.

Easter Seals groups ramp up help to veterans  (Philly.com)  Like many people, Gary Staten typically thought of the nonprofit group Easter Seals as mainly helping children and adults with disabilities and special needs.

Veterans Affairs

Plans progressing on state vets home  (The Rapid City Journal)  The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that contractors began mobilizing equipment and resources to the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home campus last week.

Veterans’ homelessness drops by 24 percent  (DCMilitary.com)  The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development announced Nov. 21 that a new national report shows a 24 percent drop in homelessness among veterans since 2010.

Ga. veterans face backlog of claims  (Atlanta Journal Constitution)  Georgia veterans filing disability claims often face longer delays than their counterparts in other states.

Benefits

DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable: Resources and Benefits for Veterans  (DOD Live) The Real Warriors Campaign is a multimedia public awareness initiative sponsored by the Department of Defense.

Air Force cancels retraining in 35 career fields  (Marine Corps Times)  The Air Force announced Tuesday that it has dropped at least 35 career fields from the list of jobs that airmen can retrain into, affecting as many as 1,000 airmen.

Army begins correcting medical records for some former Madigan patients  (The Bellingham Herald)  The Army has begun correcting medical records for former Madigan Army Medical Center patients who left the military with conflicting diagnoses for behavioral health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Media

Stars and Stripes faces closure if it loses the Battle of Budget Cuts (The Washington Times) Stars and Stripes — long may it wave? Maybe not. The venerable newspaper that has reported independent news about the American military since the Civil War finds itself on the budget-cutting front lines.

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Have a great day!

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