Veterans Report - Week of February 23, 2015

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Veterans Report - Week of February 23, 2015

Vets4Warriors
A veterans resource called "Vets4Warriors" is a national call center that provides a confidential peer-to-peer support for active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and their families. Spouses, parents, siblings or other family members can contact Vets4Warriors if they are concerned about their service member or if they are facing problems of their own. Vets4Warriors is staffed with veterans and military family members. Call Vets4Warriors, toll free, at 1-855-838-8255. Reach a Vets4Warriors counselor at (mailto:Info@Vets4Warriors.com) Info@Vets4Warriors.com or in an online chat on the Vets4Warriors website at (http://www.vets4warriors.com/Contact.htm) www.vets4warriors.com/Contact.htm. Information is always kept confidential.
For more veteran and family support resources, see (http://www.military.com/spouse/military ... vices.html) this Military.com Spouse Channel article.


Hot Video: 5 Things You Don't Know About AK-47s
As part of our continuing video series, we look at five entertaining, lesser-known facts about the (http://www.military.com/video/guns/rifl ... 222264001/) AK-47 rifle, the most widely-used assault rifle in the world.


Coalition Hires Veterans
The 100,000 Jobs Mission has announced that its coalition of private companies has collectively hired more than 217,000 U.S. veterans through 2014 and is now committed to hire another 100,000 veterans for a total of 300,000. The 100,000 Jobs Mission was founded in 2011 by 11 companies that pledged to hire at least 100,000 veterans by 2020. The coalition reports its hiring results quarterly and shares best practices for hiring and retaining veterans in their organizations. Many of these can be found on its 100,000 Jobs Mission website at (http://www.jobsmission.com) jobsmission.com. Since the coalition's establishment, membership has grown to 184 companies that represent nearly every industry in the U.S. economy. For more information, visit the (https://www.veteranjobsmission.com/?jp_ ... a/multiple) 100,000 Jobs Mission website.
For more veteran job tips, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


MVP Helps Vet Find Housing
The Military Veteran Project provides transitional housing for veterans and their families and comprehensive support services. The vision of MVP is to empower veterans with lasting results and reintegrate them into the community. The organization offers comprehensive support services including outreach and assessment, emergency services and case management. Over 2,000 active duty service members, veterans, wounded warriors and families have received assistance from MVP. For more information, visit the Military Veteran Project website at (http://www.militaryveteranproject.org/) www.militaryveteranproject.org.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Overpayment on Roth TSP
If you contribute to a Roth TSP, and diligently made () the changes required by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in January, you got overpaid on February 13, 2015 because DFAS failed to take those new TSP contributions out of the mid-month pay. Your end-of-month pay will have the entire Roth TSP contribution deducted, and the two paychecks together should come out to the right amount. For more details and guidance, see (http://paycheck-chronicles.military.com ... yesterday/) this Paycheck Chronicles post.


Therapeutic Gardens for Vets
A nonprofit group in Caldwell, Idaho is in the process of building a therapeutic garden for veterans. A portion of the garden will be ready just in time for planting season this spring. A community garden will also be set aside. People can dedicate one of the bricks for the walkway to a loved one by making a $50 donation. For more information on how to buy a brick or donate your time or supplies, follow the group on (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veterans ... 5238697361) Facebook. Veterans in the area wishing to plant a garden do have to submit an application, which can be found on the group's website at (http://www.veteranstherapeuticgardens.org/) www.veteranstherapeuticgardens.org.
For more veteran mental health and wellness guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... d-wellness) Military.com Mental Health and Wellness section.


Traumatic Brain Injury Resources
The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) tracks the total number of service members throughout the Department of Defense who have been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Since the year 2000, over 313,000 service members have been diagnosed with a TBI. Following a mild TBI, it is common for individuals to experience headache, sleep disturbance, difficulty with balance, reduced attention/concentration, reduced memory ability, irritability, and/or mood swings. For more information, visit the CDC's Traumatic Brain Injury webpage at (http://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/index.html) www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/index.html, the (http://dvbic.dcoe.mil/resources) DVBIC website, and the Defense Centers of Excellence website at (http://www.dcoe.mil/TraumaticBrainInjury.aspx) www.dcoe.mil/TraumaticBrainInjury.aspx.
For more on TBI and disability compensation, see this (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com TBI page.


Vet2Tech Helping Vets Get Tech Jobs
Vet2Tech is a non-profit organization helping military veterans find employment in manufacturing and technical service careers. With the help of Military.com, Vet2Tech was able to train and employ numerous veterans this past year. For more info about how Vet2Tech helps veterans, visit the Vet2Tech website at (http://www.vet2tech.org/) www.Vet2Tech.org. Veterans interested in employment opportunities in either the manufacturing or technical service industries, please send your resume and cover letter to (mailto:resumes@vet2tech.org) resumes@vet2tech.org. Employers in the manufacturing and technical service industries interested in hiring veteran candidates, please send job descriptions and employment criteria to (mailto:jobs@vet2tech.org) jobs@vet2tech.org.
For more veteran job news, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Health Service Conference in NC
A free, half-day conference, "Access to Culturally Competent Health Services: Serving Military Veterans from a Holistic Perspective" will be held Feb. 24, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the University of North Carolina--Charlotte's (http://cone.uncc.edu/) Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. Register online at (http://health.uncc.edu/webform/veteran-health-rsvp) health.uncc.edu/webform/veteran-health-RSVP. Representatives of federal, state and local organizations will attend. Keynote speaker Marianne Mathewson Chapman -- an advanced registered nurse practitioner, retired major general for the Army National Guard and a former deputy surgeon general in the Army National Guard -- will address military culture, health needs and holistic services. For more information, visit the (https://campusevents.uncc.edu/access-cu ... erspective) UNC-Charlotte website.
For more on veteran health care, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care) Military.com Veteran Health Care page.


Vet Job Tips: Salary Negotiation
Negotiating a salary is every job hunter's final hurdle. To develop a negotiation strategy, analyze your financial needs and wants. Determine what compensation you will require by preparing a brief balance sheet of your assets and liabilities. Also, research current compensation packages within your specific career field. You can find salary information in the Jobs Rated Almanac, the American Almanac of Job Salaries and the Occupational Outlook Handbook at (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/a-z-index.htm) www.bls.gov/ooh/a-z-index.htm. Never be the first to mention money. You want the employer to reveal their money position first -- this gives you the upper hand in negotiation. If you find yourself at an impasse with a potential employer, try to negotiate something other than salary such as benefits.
For more veteran job tips, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Non-Profit Groups Access to Installations
Non-profit groups with a track record of helping Soldiers and their families will soon experience a more streamlined process to get them access to military installations. The defense secretary recently issued two memos directing the military services to implement additional procedures to improve access to installations for service and support organizations. Installations are legally bound to provide installation access to Department of Veteran Affairs-recognized VSO/MSO entities to assist Soldiers with their Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, claims, if the senior installation commander receives and approves a written request. VSO/MSO organizations include the Military Officers Association of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, American Red Cross, and the Wounded Warrior Project. Nonprofit organizations supporting Soldiers and families, including VSO/MSOs not processing VA claims, may be required to provide an IRS Form 990 to establish their credentials.
For more veteran and family support resources, see (http://www.military.com/spouse/military ... vices.html) this Military.com Spouse Channel article. For a complete guide to military bases around the country, visit the (http://www.military.com/base-guide/) Military.com Base Guide.


SCIS Hiring Veterans
Your military experience deserves more -- you deserve a chance to continue to serve and grow in the field of safety and security. A security career at SCIS will allow you to extend skills, certifications and talent to some of the top employers in the security industry. (http://www.military.com/veteran-employers/scis) View more information and apply.


DoD Plan Would 'Destroy' Commissaries, Say Industry Reps
The Defense Department's fiscal 2016 budget request would slash taxpayer support of base grocery stores by $322 million in 2016 and by $1 billion next year, enough to "destroy" the shopping benefit, warns the American Logistics Association. ALA, which represents manufacturers, distributors and brokers of products sold in commissaries and base exchanges, released a position paper that contrasts DoD's plan to "wreck" commissaries with less onerous recommendations of a blue-ribbon panel to consolidate all base store operations to gain efficiencies. That would seem to leave Congress with an easy choice. But the Army and Air Force Exchange Service warns in its own position paper that the store consolidation path laid down by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission won't produce the savings it touts. For more details, see this (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... stry-reps/) Military Update article.


Family Protection for Less: Get $100k Protection from Just $7 a Month
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TriWest and Potential Phishing Scam
There have been reports of a potential phishing scam in which someone is allegedly using TriWest letterhead to attempt to obtain Personal Health Information (PHI) or Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from veterans. It is important to know that TriWest will only send a letter to veterans to: confirm appointments; notify veterans of VA decisions important to their eligibility for care in the community; or to provide the new Choice Card. None of TriWest's letters will request PHI/PII or credit card information. You can verify the validity of any letter you receive from TriWest by calling TriWest directly at 1-855-PCCCVET (722-2838).
For more on veteran health care, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care) Military.com Veteran Health Care page.