Veterans Report - Week of July 15, 2013

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Veterans Report - Week of July 15, 2013

Hero's Welcome Program for Vet Franchises
Edible Arrangements has launched Hero's Welcome, a nationwide program with the goal of providing job opportunities and a career path for a at least 1,000 veterans over the next year. In addition, for those veterans who would like to get into business for themselves, the company is offering a discount on the franchise fee and mentoring from existing system franchisees who are also veterans. To launch the program, Edible Arrangements donated $125,000 to the International Franchise Association's VetFran program. According to the International Franchise Association, one in seven franchise owners are military veterans. For more details, see this (http://jobsforveterans.military.com/207 ... e-program/) Veteran Job blog article.


Career Training for Female Vets and Spouses
Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) is a training program providing women veterans with the tools to become successful business owners. The next V-WISE conference is scheduled for Seattle on August 16-18, 2013, and is open to female veterans as well as active duty and female spouses/partners of military personnel interested in learning about entrepreneurship and starting, running or growing a business. Deadline for registration is July 15, 2013. For more information and to apply, visit (http://www.whitman.syr.edu/vwise/) www.whitman.syr.edu/vwise/.


Job Fair Coming to Houston
A Hiring Our Heroes Transition & Benefits Job Fair will be held Aug. 27, 2013 during The American Legion's 95th Annual National Convention in Houston, Texas. This hiring fair will be for veteran job seekers, active-duty military members, Guard and Reserve members, and eligible spouses. It will be in Room 342, 3rd Floor, of the George Brown Convention Center, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event will be a one-of-a-kind FREE hiring fair for employers and job seekers alike. Register online on the American Legion website at (http://www.legion.org/convention/economic) www.legion.org/convention/economic.
For a schedule of veteran job fairs nationwide, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/ca ... fairs.html) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Your Family Needs Protection: $200k from $14 a Month
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Volunteers Needed to Help Vets in South Dakota
Volunteers are needed to help renovate the Sturgis, S.D., Veterans Club in late July during the annual (http://www.sturgis.com/) Sturgis Rally. The club has served Sturgis veterans and the community since 1946 and is in desperate need of repairs. The facility has been operating with outdated electrical and plumbing, worn-out flooring, faded walls, limited storage space and more. Skilled and semi-skilled volunteers are needed July 29-31. Registration and breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. each day, with work starting by 9 a.m. Work concludes by 4 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and an event t-shirt will be provided, as will all materials and supplies needed to complete the work. For more information, email Mirando Do at (mailto:mdo@rebuildingtogether.org) mdo@rebuildingtogether.org. To register, visit (http://shc.volunteermatch.org/search/opp1400758.jsp) the Sears Holding Corporation website. When registering, please state which day(s) you are available and select all the skills you can provide to the project.


State Veteran's Benefits
Many states offer veterans benefits. These benefits may include educational grants and scholarships, special exemptions or discounts on fees and taxes, home loans, veteran's homes, free hunting and fishing privileges, and more. Each state manages its own benefit programs. Visit (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... RC=mrvr.nl) Military.com to see a list of links to the websites for each of the individual states that offer veterans benefits.
Your VA Loan Benefit is worth $417,000 and can be used to buy a home with $0 down or to streamline refinance. (https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... rvr0715.nl) Search for lenders who can help you use your benefit.
Visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits?ESRC=mrvr.nl) Military.com Benefits Channel to get straight forward info on Military Pay, TRICARE, GI Bill, VA Loans, BAH, Survivor Benefits, Veteran Health Care and More.


Company Offers Free Training
The Nexstar Legacy Foundation, a non-profit in St. Paul, Minn. offers free resources and training scholarships to persons wishing to enter the plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical fields. Nexstar Legacy Foundation recently launched its training and job placement initiative targeted specifically toward veterans called "Troops to Trades: Military Veterans' Professional Training Program." Nexstar plans to train 40 veterans and is offering scholarships. For more information, including online application links, visit the (http://nexstarfoundation.org/programs/s ... e-program/) Troops to Trades webpage.
For more veteran job news, tips, and job postings, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Land a Transportation or Logistics Job
Learn about the troops to transportation and logistics program and how you can get directly placed into an industry that has no limit to training and job placement locally, regionally or globally. (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/se ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read More.


VA Loan Tips for Disabled Veterans
Did you know that as a disabled veteran, you may be eligible for special considerations when getting a VA loan? It's true. Find out about the additional benefits available based on your disability status that could help you save quite a bit. (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans/ ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read More.


Life Insurance Goes Paperless
If you have Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI), Paperless Billing is now available. Once enrolled in VGLI Paperless Billing you will stop receiving paper bills and start receiving email notifications the day your bill is ready. Simply log in to your VGLI Online Account and pay your premium with a credit card or a one-time deduction from your checking account. For more information, read VA's (http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/9668/ve ... paperless/) VAntage Point Blog.
For more life insurance guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/money/insurance) Military.com Insurance section.


New VA Cemetery Site in Puerto Rico
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently acquired 247.4 acres of land in Morovis, Puerto Rico, to prevent the loss of burial benefits to Puerto Rico's Veterans when the Puerto Rico National Cemetery, located in Bayam?n, closes to new casketed interments sometime in 2022. The replacement site is located about 28 miles from the existing cemetery. Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Other burial benefits are available for all eligible Veterans. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from VA's 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. For more information on Puerto Rico National Cemetery, call the cemetery office at 787-798-8400.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Chevron Committed to Hiring Veterans
Start your civilian career with a company that can provide endless opportunity and a career path that lets you choose where you want to be. (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read More.


Company Invites Veterans to Enter Tech Field
Veterans who are looking to enter the technology field are invited to apply for a position in SharpDecisions' (http://www.sharpdecisions.com/vetsprogram/) VETS program, an initiative started by the New York technology firm to help veterans enter the quality assurance testing and data mining fields. Funded by a $250,000 pledge from SharpDecisions, the program will bring about 200 veterans into the company, where they will receive a salary, benefits and valuable technical skills. For more details, see (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/ca ... ogram.html) this Military.com article.


General Electric Offers Employment Program
General Electric has created the Get Skills to Work (GSTW) "military to manufacturing" veteran education and employment matching program, which focuses on helping veterans and employers translate military skills to advanced manufacturing jobs; and empowering employers with tools to recruit, onboard and mentor veterans. The veterans' portal to the Get Skills to Work Program website is at (http://www.getskillstowork.org/) www.getskillstowork.org. The website contains program registration and candidate assessment pages, as well as information about translating already mastered military education and skills under specific Military Occupational Codes into industry-recognized "digital badges." A schedule of GSTW-affiliated veterans job fairs is also posted on the site, as is information about manufacturing industry educational opportunities.
For more veteran job news, tips, and job postings, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


VA Updates Ship List for Vietnam
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has updated the list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships that operated in Vietnam, adding more ships and expanding information for others. There are now 285 ships on the list. The list can help Vietnam-era Veterans find out if they qualify for presumption of Agent Orange exposure when seeking disability compensation for related diseases. The ship list is available on the (http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposure ... t/list.asp) VA website.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


American Legion Supports Vet Health Bill
The American Legion testified in favor of a House bill that makes permanent the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to transport individuals to and from VA facilities "in connection with rehabilitation, counseling, examination, treatment and care." The Veterans Transportation Service Act (H.R. 1702) was one of several bills The American Legion supported at a July 9 hearing by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health. Jacob Gadd, the Legion's deputy director for health, testified before the subcommittee and also submitted (http://www.legion.org/legislative/testi ... egislation) written testimony. Statements and a webcast of the hearing are available on the (http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/%E2%8 ... hr-1443-hr) House Committee on Veterans Affairs website.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Study on PTSD and Sleep Apnea
A new study shows that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) see a reduction in nightmares and sleep disturbances. Results show that the mean number of nightmares per week fell significantly with CPAP use. (http://www.ptsd.va.gov/) The National Center for PTSD of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs states that PTSD symptoms such as nightmares or flashbacks usually begin soon after a traumatic event, but may not appear in full force for months or years later. The National Center for PTSD states that PTSD symptoms such as nightmares or flashbacks usually begin soon after a traumatic event, but may not appear in full force for months or years later. If you think you have PTSD or know someone that does, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255. More findings for the study can be found online in the journal (http://www.journalsleep.org/) SLEEP.
For more PTSD news and resources, visit (http://www.military.com/topics/ptsd) Military.com's PTSD page.