Veterans Report - Week of March 16, 2015

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Veterans Report - Week of March 16, 2015

VA Revamps VAntage Point Blog
The Department of Veterans Affairs VA has redesigned its VAntage Point Blog to give it a new look and easier access. Visit the new VAntage Point Blog at (http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/) www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Rule Changes Will Tighten Restrictions on VA Aid
The Veterans Affairs Department is proposing changes to a pension program for low-income veterans age 65 and older that officials say will protect the fund from those who have sought to manipulate their net worth to receive payments. One change in particular -- basing program eligibility on an claimant's annual net worth during the three years prior to filing for the benefit -- will ensure "that VA only pays the benefit to those with genuine need," the rules proposal published Jan. 23 in the Federal Register states. However, an attorney who specializes in elder law says the VA is rigging the system to disqualify those in need, or force them to bleed through whatever incomes or savings they have to retain the benefit. For more details, see (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015 ... tance.html) this Military.com article.


Find a Career at Aerojet Rocketdyne
Aerojet Rocketdyne is a world leader in aerospace and defense. Learn how your military skills can land you a job with us. (http://www.military.com/veteran-employe ... ESRC=mr.nl) Give your career rocket power -- learn more and apply.


Veteran Small Business Owners Wanted
StreetShares, an innovative online platform that facilitates loans to small businesses through a marketplace of investors, has launched a Veteran Business Campaign specifically targeting veteran-owned small businesses. StreetShares allows small business owners to pitch their business plans to a cadre of investors, who compete to fund a portion of the loan to the small business through an auction-style lending platform. The investors offering the lowest interest rates for the loan "win" the auction and their bids are consolidated into a single loan for the small business. Also, StreetShares' team of experts is available to provide consultation to veteran small business owners at (800) 560-1435. For more information, visit the (https://streetshares.com/) StreetShares website.
For more veteran job news, listings and resources, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Operation: Military Kids Ending
Operation: Military Kids (OMK), a U.S. Army initiative that supports children and youth affected by a parent's deployment, recently announced that its program will be ending March 31. For more information and to find other resources to support children, visit the Operation: Military Kids website at (http://www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/home.aspx) www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/home.aspx
For more veteran and family support resources, see (http://www.military.com/spouse/military ... vices.html) this Military.com Spouse Channel article.


Apply for 2015 Vets Summer Sports Clinic
The Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications from veterans interested in participating in the 2015 National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic. The clinic will be held Sept.13-18 at the VA San Diego Healthcare System in San Diego, California. The annual event is expected to attract veterans from all over the country who have sustained a variety of injuries ranging from traumatic brain injury and polytrauma, to spinal cord injury or loss of limb. The deadline to apply for the clinic is May 1. For more information or for an application, visit the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic webpage at (http://www.summersportsclinic.va.gov) www.summersportsclinic.va.gov.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Leaders Demand Answers from VA
Leaders of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs this week called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to address the ongoing problems that have plagued the replacement Denver VA Medical Center hospital, including mismanagement that has led to hundreds of millions in cost overruns and repeated delays. In a letter to VA Secretary Robert McDonald, several U.S. Senators and representatives requested a detailed analysis of the project's construction costs and updates on efforts to hold those responsible for the cost overruns and delays accountable. The letter is available on the (http://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom ... a-hospital) U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs website and also on the (http://veterans.house.gov/sites/republi ... .15_Letter from 4 corners to McDonald concerning Denver VA construction.pdf) House Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Vets Get In Free at Mobile's AeroFest
The inaugural (http://topics.al.com/tag/aerofest/index.html) Mobile AeroFest in Mobile, Alabama is opening its gates free to 2,500 disabled veterans and their caregivers. AeroFest takes place March 20-21 at the Mobile Aeroplex, with a slate of attractions that includes a two-day music festival, a nationally televised Titan FC mixed martial arts championship event, a group bicycle ride, arts events and a career and education expo. Veterans interested in the offer must register through the Independence Fund Website at (http://www.independencefund.org/page/aerofestpromotion) www.independencefund.org/page/aerofestpromotion. The veteran must have a 30% service connected disability, and the passes are not transferrable. For more information about the Aerofest, visit the Mobile Aerofest website at (http://www.mobileaerofest.com/) www.mobileaerofest.com and follow the Aerofest on (https://www.facebook.com/MobileAeroFest) Facebook.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Deal of the Week: 15% Off at LifeLock
LifeLock is offering service members, guard, retirees, veterans and their families 15% off Standard Membership with 3 Layers of Protection. Live freely knowing every day LifeLock is searching for potential threats. (https://secure.lifelock.com/enrollment? ... ilitarycom) Learn more and save 15%.


VA Loan Closing Costs: An Added Benefit
Besides the advantage of requiring no down payment for qualified VA borrowers, there's also a distinct advantage for the borrower regarding closing costs. VA Loans are limited to the types of closing costs that may be paid, helping the veteran save money at the closing table. But if there are costs associated with a VA mortgage and the veteran isn't allowed to pay for them, who does? (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans/ ... RC=mrvr.nl) Find out more information.
Did you know you can buy or refinance a home without a full 20% down? (http://secure.military.com/leads/VALoan ... rvr0316.nl) Find VA Loan Lenders While Rates are Low.


Brain Injury Awareness Month
March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to recognize and support the more than 5.3 million Americans who are living with traumatic brain injury-related (TBI) disabilities. Those suffering from traumatic brain injury can display a wide variety of symptoms based on the severity of the injury. Common signs and symptoms include headache or neck pain; memory loss; slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, or reading; getting lost or easily confused; fatigue and mood changes; blurred vision; and ear ringing. Signs and symptoms of TBI may be subtle and might not appear until days or weeks following the injury, while some symptoms can be missed altogether. For more information, visit the U.S. Army TBI webpage at (http://www.army.mil/tbi/) www.army.mil/tbi/, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center website at (http://dvbic.dcoe.mil/) dvbic.dcoe.mil/, the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury website at (http://www.dcoe.mil) www.dcoe.mil, the Deployment Health Clinical Center website at (http://www.pdhealth.mil/TBI.asp) www.pdhealth.mil/TBI.asp, and the Health.mil website at (http://www.health.mil/Military-Health-T ... ury?page=2) www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/C ... ury?page=2.
For more on TBI and disability compensation, see this (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com TBI page.


A Look at the Wounded Warrior Project
Despite the increase in VA and DoD funding to support wounded warriors, the non-profit organization Wounded Warrior Project continues to grow. According WWP CEO Steven Nardizzi, the organization is busier than ever filling gaps in education, counseling, and other activities needed to "honor and empower" warriors of recent wars.
Read (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... ng-bigger/) Tom Philpott's Military Update to learn why the organization continues to grow even as the number of wounded combat vets appears to have plateaued.


Researchers Identify PTSD Biomarkers
Researchers have located genetic biomarkers linked with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The PTSD markers are also associated with gene networks that govern innate immune function and interferon signaling. Researchers at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System and University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say an improved understanding of the gene networks connected with PTSD may help improve diagnosis and treatment of patients. The same knowledge may also help physicians identify patients who are genetically prone to the development of PTSD. The study was published recently in the (http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/n ... 0159a.html) Journal of Molecular Psychiatry.
For more on PTSD, and tips on mental health and wellness, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... d-wellness) Military.com Mental Health and Wellness section.


New Association Seeks to Help VSOs
The (https://navso.ngpvanhost.com/about) National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO) was formally launched recently. The membership organization is designed to improve veteran services delivery by promoting information-sharing and coordination among the nation's more than 40,000 veterans-focused groups. The association will also host webinars and conferences. The first webinar is scheduled for April 7, 2015. An annual membership is $399 for nonprofits and $599 for government agencies and companies, and includes 400 user accounts. For more information, visit the (https://navso.ngpvanhost.com/) NAVSO website.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


New H.O.M.E. Hotline in Indy
Any veteran in Indianapolis who is either homeless or risking going without a shelter can call a new hotline, 317-327-4VET (4838), to access any of the services of the H.O.M.E. Program, which is sponsored by the City of Indianapolis. The H.O.M.E. Program partners with more than 30 service providers to end veteran homelessness in Indianapolis. Providers include Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Easter Seals Crossroads, HVAF and Operation Job Ready Vets. For more information, visit the (http://www.indy.gov/eGov/Mayor/Document ... elease.pdf) press release from the City of Indianapolis.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


New VA Tool to Avoid Opioid Risks
The Department of Veterans Affairs is accelerating the deployment of a state-of-the-art tool to help protect veteran patients using high doses of opioids or with medical risk factors that put them at an increased risk of complications from opioid medications. The tool, referred to as the Opioid Therapy Risk Report, is being made available now to all staff in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). VHA is actively deploying training aids to providers and facilities now and over the next several weeks to familiarize them with how to utilize this tool in their daily practice. A summary of the Clinical Review Findings of the team is available at (http://www.va.gov/opa/docs/MEMO_Summary ... mah_WI.pdf) www.va.gov/opa/docs/MEMO_Summary_of_Pha ... mah_WI.pdf.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


$100k Family Protection from Only $7 a Month
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Feathered Friends Helping Veterans
The Feathered Friends Program at the West L.A. Campus of the Department of Veterans Affairs gives veterans a chance to work through their issues by caring for orphaned exotic birds. The campus has an exotic-bird rescue facility on its sprawling 387-acre campus. It houses 21 aviaries with nearly 40 parrots that are part of a unique animal-assisted therapy program for veterans coping with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, alcoholism and other ailments. The program's back-to-nature approach is credited with its success with veterans coping with many psychological issues.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


MyVA Advisory Committee
The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the establishment of the MyVA Advisory Committee. The Committee brings together skilled experts from the private, non-profit and government sectors to assist in reorienting the Department to better meet the needs of veterans. This Committee is charged with advising the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with a focus on improving customer service, Veteran outcomes and setting the course for long-term reform and excellence. For more information, see (http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2683) this article.
For more on veteran programs, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.