Veterans! Here’s your Top 10 News stories of the day compiled from the latest sources

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1.   Obama ‘not bluffing’ on Iran, Biden says.  President Barack Obama is “not bluffing” when he vows that he will not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon, Vice President Joe Biden said Monday in a speech that put a heavy emphasis on winning consensus on that view from the rest of the world.
 
2.   Spending cuts require seniors to join digital age.  For many senior citizens, waiting for the mailman to bring their Social Security checks and other federal benefits will soon be a thing of the past. The U.S. Treasury has required recipients to switch to electronic payments.

3.   Given disposal options 50 years ago, Army decided to dump munitions-filled barrels in Lake Superior.  The 25 barrels recovered last summer from the depths of Lake Superior were dumped there 50 years ago under orders from the U.S. Army. Inside were scrapped cluster bombs — a new weapon considered top-secret by U.S. officials who didn’t want the design to fall into enemy hands at the height of the Cold War.

4.   WWII Navy veteran, wife celebrate 80 years of marriage.  Just a few days shy of their 80th wedding anniversary, Bill and Fay Mccoy didn’t have much to say after all their time spent together. “It just comes naturally,” Fay said. “Nothing exciting.”
 
5.   Group honors military service dogs.  Vietnam veteran Alan Driscoll formed the nonprofit organization K9s of the War on Terror (K9WT) to recognize the contributions of military, law enforcement and Department of Homeland Security dogs since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
 
6.   Reduced commissary days, some DOD school furloughs begin mid-April.  All commissaries around the world will likely be closed an additional day each week and DOD school employees will see furloughs as part of the Pentagon’s effort to impose automatic spending cuts known as sequestration, an official said Monday.

7.   Army’s top chaplain-school officer questions training simulations for chaplains.  The chief of the U.S. Army’s chaplain school has raised a caution flag about a new high-tech system under development in Orlando that uses computer-game simulations to train chaplains for ministering to soldiers on the battlefield.

8.   Sequester likely to hurt most vulnerable, despite protections.  Washington Post:   The mood was grim, and it soon grew worse. As they went over the numbers, they realized that if sequester cuts stay in effect, they will eventually have to get rid of half their staff of 40.  Around the country, nonprofits organizations and others who work with the disadvantaged have been scrambling in recent days to prepare worst-case budget scenarios for the expected 5 to 8 percent cuts in domestic spending called for by the sequester.  Because certain entitlement programs, such as food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, were exempted from the …

9.   The life and death of Clay Hunt. CBS News, 60 Minutes: One of the leading causes of death for American military forces right now is suicide. In 2012, 349 active members of the Armed Forces took their own lives, more than who died in combat. When you add the suicides among veterans, the numbers are staggering. The VA estimates that as many as 22 veterans a day die by their own hands. Twenty-two each day.   This is the story of…

10.  VA blasted for dragging feet on aiding Camp Lejeune families.  Tampa Bay Times: The ranking Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said he may move to freeze bonuses for Department of Veterans Affairs leaders because of delays in implementing a law that would provide health care to families of Marines exposed to water pollution at Camp Lejeune.  The threat by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina comes after the VA recently told his office that implementation of the Janey Ensminger Act may…

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March is Women’s History Month. Throughout the month, the Department of Veterans Affairs salutes women Veterans for leaving their mark on history and doing their part to secure the liberties of this great nation. Women have always voluntarily served – in peacetime and in times of conflict – and persistently proven their dedication and strength in the military roles they assume. Each generation of women Veterans has produced trailblazers that transcended barriers and set a standard of excellence for all Servicemembers who followed.  Today, women are represented throughout the military and consistently prove they are capable of fulfilling complicated, dangerous tasks. They fly combat sorties, serve on submarines, fight on the front lines, and perform various duties to ensure military readiness. During Women’s History Month, please thank the women Veterans around you – patients, fellow employees, and those in your community – for their contributions to history. Save the Date for a special Salute to Women Veterans on March 21.