Tag: Veterans’ News

The Office of Security and Law Enforcement passes on the following from the National White Collar crime Center in regards to a new mortgage...

Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced that the Department’s Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Task Force has completed the final draft of a comprehensive report that will redefine how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) addresses the concerns of Veterans who deployed during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991.

The VA Regional Office in Boise, Idaho, was recently recognized by an independent group for reducing its environmental impact. The U.S. Green Building Council recently awarded its “gold” rating for the construction design of the 25,000 square-foot facility. Three other VA facilities have been cited by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for their programs. The Reno Regional Office in Nevada received a LEED “silver” rating. The Fort Harrison Regional Office in Montana and the Oakland Mental Health Clinic in California each received a LEED-certified rating. LEED is a leading, independent rating system based on environmental assessments of buildings

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Gaylord, Michigan, Austin, Texas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Williston, North Dakota, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Hartford, Connecticut, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Cleburne, Texas, and Mecklenburg, North Carolina.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Mountain Home, Arkansas, Wichita, Kansas, New London, Connecticut, Centralia, Washington, Contra Costa, California, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Tacoma, Washington, Snowmass, Colorado, and Rochester, Minnesota.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from South Bend, Indiana, Jacksonville, North Carolina, Lynn, Massachusetts, Billings, Montana, Norwich, Connecticut, Dartmouth, Massachusetts, Murphysboro, Illinois, Rapid City, South Dakota, Buffalo, New York, and Hilo, Hawaii.

Chris Thornton fought in the first war in Iraq, Operation Desert Storm. A lot of guys who fought then came back and found their jobs had been given away. In response, Congress passed a law that says employers have to rehire returning vets who give up their jobs to serve and can’t lay them off for at least a year, except for cause.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from North Platte, Nebraska, Lafayette, Louisiana, Chicago, Illinois, Corpus Christie, Texas, Port Angeles, Washington, Boston, Massachusetts, Savannah, Georgia, Kirtland, New Mexico, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Berlin, Pennsylvania.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Hayward, Wisconsin, Fremont, Nebraska, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Lexington, Missouri, Canandaigua, New York, New Britain, Connecticut, Edmond, Oklahoma, St. Petersburg, Florida, Pendleton, South Carolina, and Portage, Wisconsin.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Bullhead City, Arizona, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Ft. Hood, Texas, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sandusky, Ohio, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Cleveland, Ohio, and Hilo, Hawaii.

OPERATION: ENDURING GRATITUDE was created to develop innovative ways to recognize and thank ALL U.S. Military Veterans on a daily basis before they perish. Awareness is the key and vital to accomplish a variety of missions that we have identified as beneficial to ALL U.S Military Veterans Nationwide. Although we have numerous causes we have earmarked for another time such as the purchase of fishing and hunting licenses as well as camping permits on State and Federal land, we have to prioritize and feel we should accomplish the following three missions first. R.A.V.E. Motorcycle Series

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Farmington, New Mexico, LaSalle, Illinois, Sioux City, Iowa, Snowmass, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Utah, Kennewick, Washington, Canyonville, Oregon, Batavia, Ohio, and Augusta, Georgia.

VA Pittsburgh’s University Drive Division hosted a Post Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) for more than 335 members of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Pennsylvania Army National Guard earlier this year. Members of the National Guard, who returned from Iraq this past fall, received information about VA health care services and resources available to them through VA Pittsburgh and local veteran service organizations.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Snowmass Village, Colorado, Whittier, California, Pullman, Washington, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Haverhill, Massachusetts, Mankato, Minnesota, Frankfort, Kentucky, La Grange, Illinois, and Rockwood, Tennessee.

The last item in the Washington Times (3/24, Fales, 77K) "Sgt. Shaft" column offers thanks "to Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki for directing VA attention to Persian Gulf War veterans." After noting that a "special task force has nearly completed a comprehensive report that will redefine how VA addresses the pain and suffering of ill veterans who deployed during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991," the Times quotes Gulf War vet John R. Gingrich, the task force's chairman, who said, "Reaching out to Gulf War veterans is not only essential to our transformation of VA; for many of us it is also personal."

Shortly after the December 7th attack on Pearl Harbor, male pilots became a vital resource in the war effort. When they proved scarce to...

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Regional stories today from: Tonawanda, New York, Hartford, Connecticut, Orangeburg, South Carolina, Temecula California, Palm Springs, California, Jensen Beach, Florida, Tampa, Florida, and Lansing, Michigan.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Greenwood, South Carolina, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Seattle, Washington, Chicago, Illinois, Atlantic Maryland, Portland, Maine, Tampa, Florida, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Redwood City, California.

VA Attempting To Make It Easier For Iraq, Afghan Vets To Obtain Disability Benefits. In a story published by at least 74 news sources, the AP (3/19, Hefling) reports, ―The Veterans Affairs Department took steps Thursday to make it easier‖ for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans ―to get disability benefits.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from

In a story published by at least 113 news sources, the AP (3/18) reports the Office of Inspector General, the "internal watchdog" for the Veterans Affairs Department, "says VA medical centers need to give compensation and pension medical exams to veterans sooner in order to expedite disability claims."

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Lakeport, California, Hampton Roads, Virginia, Lafayette, Louisiana, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, La Porte, Indiana, Wareham, Massachusetts, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Monroe, Louisiana, Omaha, Nebraska, and Branson, Missouri.

Find out What's Inside Today's Local News for Veterans VA NWIHCS To Host Women Veterans Focus Group. VA Sued For Violating Veteran's Free-Speech Right. ...

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from New Concord, Ohio, Los Angeles, California Farmington, New Mexico, Hartford, Connecticut, Burlington, Massachusetts, Walnut Creek, California, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Elmira, New York.

Massachusetts offers a $2000 annual payment to permanently blind veterans, but the VA currently subtracts that annuity from their federal pension checks, denying blinded veterans their full and rightful benefits. Senator Kerry’s Veteran's Pensions Protection Act will end that practice, providing veterans the full benefits they’ve earned.

The New York Times (3/16, A14, Schwartz, 1.09M) reports, "Many veterans...have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq burdened by post-traumatic stress, drug dependency and other problems.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Jacksonville, North Carolina, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Kirtland, New Mexico, Sioux City, Iowa, Riverside, California, Gainesville, Florida, Bristol, Rhode Island, and Melrose, Massachusetts.

Many veterans like Mr. Oldani have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq burdened by post-traumatic stress, drug dependency and other problems. As veterans find themselves skirmishing with the law, judges are increasingly finding ways to provide them with a measure of leniency.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Silver City, New Mexico, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Vacaville, California, Memphis, Tennessee, Amarillo, Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, Columbus, Ohio, Whistler, British Columbia, Anderson, South Carolina, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

VA-purchased equipment is flying down the slopes and gliding across the ice at the 2010 Winter Paralympics Games in Vancouver this week. Five Veterans are competing in Vancouver and the adaptive sports equipment they will use to compete and for day-to-day mobility (wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs) were provided by VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS). This is the first Paralympics Winter Games in which athletes will be competing with equipment provided by VA.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Mount Clemens, Michigan, Frazier Park, California, Selma, Alabama, Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, Augusta, Georgia, Farmington, New Mexico, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Knoxville, Tennessee, Chicago, Illinois, and Cedar City, Utah.

Veteran Homelessness Fell 18% Last Year. The online version of the Gloucester County (NJ) Times (3/13) hails "Good news out of the national Department of Veterans Affairs this week as the VA announced that the number of veterans out on the streets on a typical night dropped 18 percent. The VA is entering the second year of its initiative to eliminate homelessness among those who have served within the next five years.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Andalusia, Alabama, Orangeburg, South Carolina, Clute, Texas, Montpelier, Vermont, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jewett City, Connecticut, Atlanta, Georgia, Phoenix, Arizona, and Dallas, Texas.

According to recent VA statistics, PTSD and depression are the top disability claims among America's female veterans — many of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan. But many of them have trouble proving that they saw combat — a key to getting treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Waukegan, Illinois, Nashville, Tennessee, Sarasota, Florida, Midlothian, Illinois, Bath, New York, Minneapolis, Minnesota, St George, Utah, and Fridley, Minnesota.

VA Planning To Expedite Agent Orange Claims Process. In continuing coverage, Government Technology (3/12, Wilkinson) reports, "In what's being touted as a major step to better serve Vietnam veterans," the US Department of Veterans Affairs "is planning to expedite the claims process for those with illnesses due to Agent Orange exposure."

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Passaic, New Jersey, Alexandria,Louisiana, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oakland, Michigan, Shenandoah, Iowa, Los Angeles, California, Madison, Wisconsin, Humboldt, California, Cincinnati, Ohio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In continuing coverage, NextGov (3/11, Brewin) reports, "Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki told a House panel on Wednesday that he could cut $2 billion from the department's $15 billion annual procurement budget through management reforms, including the development of a centralized acquisition infrastructure.

The Veterans Affairs Department's inspector general has launched a criminal investigation into a physician assistant's alleged downloading of veterans' clinical data at its Atlanta medical center, sources have told Nextgov.

Regional stories on veterans' health, education and other benefits and issues today from Shawnee, Kansas, Denver, Colorado, West Palm Beach, Florida, Rochester, Minnesota, Madison, Wisconsin, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Annapolis, Maryland, Phoenix, Arizona, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Mesa, Arizona.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today an aggressive new initiative to solicit private-sector input on a proposed “fast track” Veterans’ claims process for service-connected presumptive illnesses due to Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.

A small Kansas church that has gained nationwide attention for protesting loudly at funerals of U.S. service members will receive a Supreme Court hearing over free speech rights.