Veterans Report - Week of January 21, 2013

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Veterans Report - Week of January 21, 2013

VA Determining Graduation Rates
The Department of Veterans Affairs has teamed up with Student Veterans of America and the National Student Clearinghouse to better track how student veterans are performing. (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... rad-rates/) Learn more at the Military Advantage blog.


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Fiscal Crisis Threatens Vet Compensation
The latest "fiscal crisis" has once again triggered fear that veterans won't get there compensation checks from the VA. This week the President renewed those fears when he stated that "If congressional Republicans refuse to pay Americans bills on time, Social Security benefits, and veterans' checks will be delayed." He added, "We might not be able to pay our troops or honor our contract for small business owners." Once more it appears that our elected officials are willing to hold military servicemembers, veterans, and the elderly hostage to ensure they get their way. As to be expected, fear and anger spread quickly through the military and veteran communities. (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... pay-again/) Read the full article on the Military Advantage.


VA Plans Burn Pit Registry
Exposed to burn pits in Iraq or Afghanistan? A planned burn pits registry will help VA to monitor effects of exposure and keep Veterans informed about studies and treatments. For more information, visit VA's Public Health Burn Pits webpage at (http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposure ... /index.asp) http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposure ... /index.asp . To learn more about other public health topics and VA services, visit VA's Public Health webpage at (http://www.publichealth.va.gov) www.publichealth.va.gov.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


VA Offers Burial Records
The Department of Veterans Affairs has partnered with the Internet-based genealogy research firm Ancestry.com to bring burial records from historic national cemetery ledgers into the digital age. From the 1860s until the mid-20th century, U.S. Army personnel tracked national cemetery burials in hand-written burial ledgers or "registers." VA's National Cemetery Administration (NCA) duplicated about 60 hand-written ledgers representing 36 cemeteries using a high-resolution scanning process. This partnership between Ancestry.com and NCA supports NCA's ongoing Civil War 150th anniversary commemoration (2011-2015). For more information on this project, contact Sara Amy Leach ( (mailto:sara.leach@va.gov) sara.leach@va.gov), NCA senior historian.
For more updates on veterans benefits, including burial benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Recent events with tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and even tsunamis demonstrate a continuing need to recruit talented individuals for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Planning and Response Teams (USACE PRT), which provide assistance in time of disaster to help people recover and set a path to return to normalcy. People with almost any skill set, background, training or specialty may be used. Skill sets most desired for the teams and particular questions may be directed to your emergency management office or supervisor. Typical emergency assistance needed includes needs assessments, temporary power, ice and water, debris management, emergency infrastructure assessments, critical public facility restorations, demolition/structural stabilization, and technical assistance. Contact your emergency management office for the procedures to apply to be a member of a USACE PRT.
For more Army news, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


VA Funeral Director Resources Now Online
The Department of Veterans Affairs VA has announced the availability of the new online funeral directors resource kit at (http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/funeraldirector.asp) www.cem.va.gov/cem/funeraldirector.asp. Funeral directors nationwide may use the kit when helping veterans and their families make burial arrangements in VA national cemeteries. The website was created to enable funeral directors to find the most pertinent information to help families plan burials and apply for VA memorial benefits quickly. The website's videos are available in English and Spanish. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the National Cemetery Administration website at (http://www.cem.va.gov/) www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000. To make burial arrangements at the time of need at a VA national cemetery, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Fix Bad VA Loan Credit in the New Year
Many Americans have New Year's Resolutions to leave bad credit habits behind them. Borrowers with damaged credit, or who have been turned down for a VA loan due to a low credit score, can use these tips to improve their scores for a VA loan in 2013, based on some recommendations from the Federal Reserve. (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans/ ... RC=mrvr.nl) See these tips.


33 States Waive CDL Test
Maryland has joined 33 other states in agreeing to waive the skills test for veterans and servicemembers who have military training that would entitle them to a commercial driver's license. A provision of the commercial learner's permit rule gives state driver licensing agencies the authority to substitute two years of commercial motor vehicle safe-driving experience in the military equivalents of commercial motor vehicles for the skills-test portion of the commercial driver license. The rule applies to active duty, Reserve, Guard and Coast Guard members, and veterans within 90 days of separation. More states are considering such a waiver. For more information, contact your state's motor vehicle administration or department of transportation.
For more veteran job news, as well as job listings and tips for starting your civilian career, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Wal-Mart to Hire Veterans
The nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, has announced a plan to hire every veteran who wants a job, provided that the veterans have left the military in the previous year and did not receive a dishonorable discharge. The program will officially begin on Memorial Day and will eventually lead to the hiring of more than 100,000 people in the next five years. The new program represents one of the largest hiring commitments for veterans in history.
(http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/ca ... erans.html) Read the full article on Military.com.


Get a List of 2013 Military Benefits
The Military.com Benefit Calculator is designed to quickly and easily connect you with your benefit information based on your military service and status. Get a list of Federal Benefits, State Benefits, National Guard State Benefits, Special Military Discounts and more. (http://benefits.military.com/reg/Vetera ... RC=mrvr.nl) Find Your Benefits Now.


No More Paper Checks
In an effort to save money, Federal officials began retiring paper checks in favor of direct deposits and prepaid 'Direct Express' debit cards in May, 2011. Since then, the Treasury Department has required all new recipients of payments from federal benefits programs - including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income disability, Veterans Affairs and government pension plans - to sign up for electronic payments. Now, the U.S. Treasury Department will stop issuing paper checks for Social Security and other federal benefit payments and disburse payments instead only in the form of direct deposits to bank or credit union accounts or debit cards. For more information, visit the GoDirect.gov website at (http://www.godirect.org/) www.godirect.org.
For more guides to keeping good credit and savings, visit the (http://www.military.com/money) Military.com Money Center.


VA Deploys Paperless Claims System
The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun the nationwide transition to paperless processing of veterans' disability claims at its regional benefits processing offices. The transition is part of building the foundation for VA's new electronic claims processing system, called Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS), which will hopefully help VA eliminate the backlog of disability claims in 2015. As of December 2012, 18 VA regional offices have implemented the new system and are beginning to process newly received compensation claims in an entirely digital format. The VA is on track for full deployment of the system to the remaining 38 regional offices in 2013. Or more information on VA's transformation, visit VA's (http://benefits.va.gov/transformation/) A Claims Transformation Plan webpage.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Disabled Veterans and Sports
Disabled U.S. Navy veteran and U.S. Paralympian Michael Johnston encourages fellow veterans to use adaptive sports to get back in the game with a new (http://bit.ly/WA2DD7) PSA from VA and U.S. Paralympics. For more information, visit the (http://www.va.gov/adaptivesports/va_abo ... ements.asp) VA Adaptive Sports webpage.
For more sports and fitness-related military news, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty) Military.com Off-duty Center.


HIV Exposure at Buffalo VA Hospital
More than 700 patients at the Buffalo Veterans Administration Center may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C because of accidental reuse of insulin pens. The diabetic patients may have been exposed to the reused insulin pens between Oct. 19, 2010 and November 2012. A Department of Veterans Affairs memo says the problem was discovered by a routine pharmacy inspection last Nov. 1. VA has notified western New York members of Congress of the possible exposure. VA said it is offering free blood tests to rule out any infections.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


3 VA Loan Tips
Tip: Get Pre-Approved. Before you start the hunt for a house, the best thing you can do is to get pre-approved for your (http://www.military.com/Resources/Resou ... -1,00.html) VA loan amount. Hint: Check Your Credit. Did you know that over 70 percent of all credit reports in the United States contain errors? Hint: Consider the Advantages of Having a VA Guaranteed Loan. A VA mortgage loan can be guaranteed with no money down, in some cases up to $417,000. There is also no private mortgage insurance requirement. (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans/ ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read the full story on Military.com.
(https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... RC=mrvr.nl) Next Step: Search for lenders ready to help you buy or refinance with a VA Loan.


Allstate Searching for Veteran Talent
Our Shared Vision: At Allstate, we celebrate creative problem solving, full engagement and working together to keep all people in Good Hands, and we recognize our military veterans as men and women who share this vision. The sacrifices you've made for our country demonstrate your level of commitment, resourcefulness and integrity -- (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... RC=mrvr.nl) invaluable characteristics that we seek in new talent.


GI Bill Transferability Update
When initially implemented, the (http://www.military.com/education/gi-bi ... rview.html) Post-9/11 GI Bill education transfer program was phased in to enable servicemembers nearing retirement to accept a 1-, 2-, or 3-year active-duty service commitment. That phase-in period expired July 31, 2012 and all active-duty now incur a 4-year ADSC. Servicemembers interested in transferring a portion or all of their GI Bill education benefits to family members can contact the education services team at (mailto:afpc.dpsitedu@us.af.mil) afpc.dpsitedu@us.af.mil. Eligible members can apply to transfer benefits through the MilConnect website at (http://www.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect) www.dmdc.osd.mil/milconnect. Air Force personnel may also apply through the Virtual Military Personnel Flight self-service actions section, accessible via the (https://mypers.af.mil/) myPers website or the Air Force Portal. For more information about the Post 9/11 GI Bill and transferring education benefits, visit (https://mypers.af.mil) myPers, and enter "Post 9/11 GI Bill" or "9083" in the search window.
For more guides on the GI Bill, visit the (http://www.military.com/education) Military.com Education Center.


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