Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News

From The VA
Did you know “old is the new green”? Re-using historic buildings is a sustainable practice – in fact, it’s the ultimate in recycling. As good stewards of its resources, both man-made and natural, the Office of Asset Enterprise Management has successfully “recycled” a number of historic buildings the VA no longer needs. Through Enhanced Use Leases (EUL), VA transfers underutilized space and maintenance responsibilities to public or private-sector entities, saving both money and energy. EULs offer a sustainable management practice that reduces demolition waste and energy consumption while also providing VA with financial benefits. Twelve VA facilities have leased 15 historic buildings, resulting in more than 450 transitional and affordable housing units, as well as renovated places for childcare facilities, schools, offices and community centers. Since 2006, the leases have provided VA a cumulative benefit of almost $60 million. Now that’s some new green! For more information about the 2010 National Preservation Month, click Here.

Top Veterans Stories in Today’s News

1. LZ Lambeau starts in Green Bay with dedication of Wall replica An emotional and patriotic ceremony on Thursday brought a traveling Vietnam War memorial to Wisconsin and kicked off a three-day tribute to Vietnam veterans. The scaled-down version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., the wall will stand just west of Lambeau Field throughout the LZ Lambeau event this weekend.
2. US Veterans chief to give graduation speech at UVM Burlington, Vermont – The U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs is going to give the graduation address at the University of Vermont. The Department of Veterans Affairs says Secretary Eric Shinseki will also receive an honorary degree during Sunday’s graduation exercises in Burlington.
3. Board wants legislation cautioning veterans The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors would like to see legislation that would require a disclaimer for companies advertising to help veterans appeal benefits requests. The board voted unanimously Wednesday to approach Iowa legislators with legislation to add the disclaimer that filing an appeal through county Veteran Affairs offices can be done at no cost.
4. NM VA hospital going solar ALbuquerque, New Mexico – The Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded a contract for about $15 million for a solar photovoltaic system at Albuquerque’s VA hospital. VA officials say $5 million more will be added soon to the contract at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, for a total of $20.3 million.
   The medical center will install a 3,206-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system.
5. VA to secure 50,000 networked medical devices The Veterans Affairs Department has launched an initiative to isolate all 50,000 networked medical devices by December, after experiencing computer virus and malware infections of 122 networked medical devices in the last 14 months that had the potential to harm patients, according to VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker.
6. Senators aim to help troubled, jobless vets As the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee reviewd various legislative proposals to help veterans Wednesday, they focused on two issues: • Why can’t veterans get jobs? • Why can’t they access the benefits they need to make them healthy, educate them for the future, and, ultimately, keep them off the streets?
7. Recession spurs sharp increase in veterans going to college Olympia, Washington – With many veterans finding civilian jobs hard to find in the current economy, a growing number are enrolling in college to enhance their career prospects, statistics compiled by the Higher Education Coordinating Board show.
8. VA hospitals may be OK’d for kidney transplant chains Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Sometime in the next month, more than 600 veterans waiting for kidney transplants at VA hospital transplant centers in Pittsburgh and three other locations across the country could have a new option for finding an organ match.
9. DoD, VA ‘Are Lagging’ in Efforts to Address Military Sexual Trauma Washington, DC – In written testimony submitted to Congress today, Denise Williams of The American Legion informed a joint session of two House subcommittees that DoD and VA “are lagging” in their efforts to address the worsening problem of military sexual trauma among servicemembers and veterans.
10. Senator Tim Johnson: Number Of Homeless Veterans ‘A Tragedy’ Sen. Tim Johnson says the nation must do more to eliminate homelessness among military veterans. The South Dakota Democrat co-chaired a hearing today in Washington to discuss an effort to end homelessness among veterans within five years.