Veterans Report - Week of February 24, 2014

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Veterans Report - Week of February 24, 2014

Two New Cemeteries for Florida
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the names of two new VA national cemeteries planned in Florida -- the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Scottsmoor and the Tallahassee National Cemetery in Tallahassee. Veterans with a qualifying discharge, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Also eligible are military personnel who die on active duty. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from VA's National Cemetery Administration webpage 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 any VA national cemetery at the time of need, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
For more on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


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Military Retiree COLA Cap Repealed
On February 15,President Obama signed the law which excludes current retirees and servicemembers from the 1 percent Retirement COLA reduction. The law does not exclude servicemembers who joined on or after January 1, 2014. (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014 ... efits.html) Read the full article on Military.com.


Why Was the Fight for COLA So Important?
Getting Congress to repeal the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) cuts to military pensioners was important because it goes beyond a the righting of a single wrong. It is part of a battle to ensure servicemembers and veterans who have served our nation can count on the government to keep the promises made to them in return for their commitment to defend America. (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... la-battle/) Read the full article on the Military Advantage blog.


Join the Air Force Reserve
Force management programs will push thousands of active-duty Airmen out of their jobs, but opportunities exist in the Air Force Reserve for Airmen. One key difference between active and Reserve service is that Citizen Airmen will not have to relocate to suit the needs of the Air Force. Many reservists spend the majority of their career with one unit and only agree to a permanent change of station when the timing is right for them. Airmen who are ready to separate do not have to wait until their original enlistment or commission obligation is complete. The Palace Chase program enables Airmen to separate from their active enlistment or commission as long as they continue their service with the Reserve Component. For more information, visit the Air Force Reserve website at (http://www.afreserve.com/) www.afreserve.com or Facebook page at (http://www.facebook.com/airforcereserve) www.facebook.com/airforcereserve.
For more resources and tips on joining the military, visit the (http://www.military.com/join-armed-forces) Military.com Join the Military section.


Traumatic Brain Injury Report
As of Feb. 20, more than 2,500 veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have participated in The American Legion's online survey that seeks to determine the effectiveness of treatments for these two conditions. During the Legion's month-long survey, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report on Feb. 13, "Gulf War and Health: Long-Term Effects of Blast Injuries," that examines how blast exposure increases the likelihood of developing TBI, PTSD and other long-term health ailments among veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. For more on the survey and the Legion's recommendations to VA, see (http://www.military.com/benefits/2014/0 ... urvey.html) this Military.com article.


Insights for Caregivers
As a caregiver for a spouse with traumatic brain injury (TBI), Rosemary Rawlins shares insights garnered from her own experiences along with insights from other caregivers and family members in her blog, "Learning by Accident," on BrainLine. In this blog post, Rosemary reminds us that sometimes the most helpful thing we can do for our loved ones is to just listen to them. To learn more, read the (http://www.dcoe.mil/blog/14-02-18/Are_Y ... ening.aspx) Defense Centers of Excellence Blog.
For more on TBI, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com TBI overview.


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Vets' Personal Data at Risk - Again
According to a report (http://www.cnbc.com/id/101399905) by CNBC , a draft internal memo by the VA's Office of Information & Technology Risk Management Team warns that veterans and VA employees are at risk of a personal data breach within 12 to 18 months. The report says that a breach of financial, medical, and personal data is "practically unavoidable." The breach could affect approximately 20 million American veterans, dependents, and VA employees.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Have You Experienced Stigma?
Have you experienced mental health-related stigma? Some describe it as the crushing feeling of shame, fear of ridicule or embarrassment felt at the very thought of seeking mental health care. As you can imagine, this stigma is a major barrier to care and treatment for servicemembers and veterans who experience psychological health concerns, such as posttraumatic stress, depression or substance abuse. Regain control by seeking help for your mental health. Learn more on the (http://www.dcoe.mil/blog/14-02-12/Does_ ... ealth.aspx) Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury website.
For more on PTSD and support services, see the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com PTSD section.


Video Library: VA Loan FAQ's Answered
Thinking of using your VA loan? Are you eligible and will there be fees applied by using the loan? Find the answers you're looking for to the questions you have today: (http://www.military.com/homebuying/ifre ... rvr0224.nl) View the VA Loan FAQ Video Library.


Don't Waste Your VA Loan Benefit
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Want to learn more about homeownership and your VA Loan benefit? (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans?ESRC=mrvr0224.nl) Explore the VA Loan Center to get more information.


New USAF Civilian Development Website
The Air Force recently made available a new tool to assist civilians with their professional development. The Civilian Development Resource Center (CDRC) is an online clearinghouse providing access to development roadmaps, learning programs and thousands of no-cost courses, books, videos, job aids, simulations, articles and more. Formerly known as the Supervisor Resource Center, the site offers easier navigation and a broader array of resources that support professional development for non-supervisory and supervisory career tracks. To help users focus on the most beneficial areas for development, an assessment tool is available on the site that provides feedback and identifies the skills development needed to improve performance. The CDRC is accessible via the (https://www.my.af.mil/) Air Force Portal main page under the Career and Training tab.
To create a customized transition plan and get more transition guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/military-transition) Military.com Transition Center.


Dogs Helping Veterans
For the last five years, therapists at the Palo Alto VA's Menlo Park campus have been using dogs to help Veterans overcome symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The concept is a simple one: a Veteran with PTSD is given a Labrador or Golden Retriever to pal around with for a couple of months. The Veteran's job is to teach his new companion a number of commands -- commands he'll need to know when he eventually becomes a service dog for another Veteran. The training process benefits not only the dog, but the Veteran who is doing the training. For more information, visit the (http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/2 ... h-PTSD.asp) Veterans Health Administration website.
For more on pets and the military, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty/pet-corner) Military.com Pet Corner.


VA Warned About Apnea Claims Surge
In this week's Military Update, Tom Philpott reports that last June the VA Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation privately recommended to Allison A. Hickey, under secretary for benefits, that the VA should consider taking steps to address a "recent surge" in VA compensation awards for sleep apnea. The proposals to deal with the jump in sleep apnea include having VA Doctors do the exams and final determinations and conducting studies to ensure apnea is a true disability. (http://www.military.com/benefits/2014/0 ... surge.html) Read the Military Update to get the whole story.


New Gulf War Illness Study
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently released a new study, (http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2014/Gulf-Wa ... sures.aspx) Gulf War and Health: Long-Term Effects of Blast Exposures. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had asked IOM to review the medical and scientific evidence regarding exposure to blast and health effects. VA is assessing the report to determine whether there will be any changes to its policies. The report is available from the (http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2014/Gulf-Wa ... sures.aspx) Institute of Medicine website. To learn about Gulf War Veterans' illnesses and VA services visit VA's Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses webpage at (http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar) www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/gulfwar.
For more on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


China Spying on U.S. Veterans
China is spying on U.S. veterans and military servicemembers through a breach of the largest veterans' organization. The attack was uncovered by security researchers at FireEye, who have dubbed it "Operation SnowMan." The attack attempted to target anyone who visited the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) website. The attack allowed Chinese hackers to monitor and gain control over users' computers by quietly installing a Remote Access Trojan (RAT). Randi Law, the VFW public affairs manager, said in an email that the VFW National Headquarters was notified of the attack on Feb. 12, after which VFW immediately identified the threat and rectified the code. For technical information, read the (http://www.fireeye.com/blog/uncategoriz ... bsite.html) FireEye Blog.
For more military news updates, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


Drug Store Chains to Adopt Standards
The White House has announced in a blog post that five major national pharmacy chains with a total of more than 20,000 stores throughout the country have signed on to the (http://www.healthit.gov/patients-famili ... lue-button) Blue Button health information sharing initiative (http://www.govexec.com/magazine/nextgov ... try/70994/) pioneered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The five drug chains are CVS, Caremark, Kroger, Rite Aid, Safeway and Walgreens. Blue Button adoption by the pharmacy chains eventually will eliminate long waits for medication when clinicians who also use Blue Button electronically transmit a prescription. It will also give patients easy and secure access to their own personal pharmacy prescription history and allow them to check their medication history for accuracy. For more information the Blue Button initiative, visit the (http://www.healthit.gov/patients-famili ... lue-button) HealthIT.gov website.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


USAA Holding Photo Contest
USAA is asking Facebook, Twitter and Instagram users to upload a photo of what they want their life to be when they have earned enough to live it -- for a chance to win $5,000 toward pursuing that passion. To enter to win, participants must upload a photo to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #YourFutureYou and @USAA, or upload a photo to the contest tab found on the (http://bit.ly/1cpFvAw) USAA Facebook page. After collecting entries, USAA will select up to 5 finalists. For more information, visit the USAA Facebook page.


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Navy Evaluating New Boots
New footwear could soon be making its way to the fleet. A new lightweight boot with a composite replacement toe will begin evaluations from Sailors and naval aviators in the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and Pacific fleets, starting this month. The six-month user evaluation is slated to conclude in August. If the new boots get favorable reviews by Sailors, a proposal would be made to Navy leadership to consider using the composite toe caps versus steel toe caps in future footwear production. For more information, visit the Navy (http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/s ... ault2.aspx) Uniform Matters webpage.
For more Navy news updates, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


Is It Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Sometimes, the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are obvious. Sometimes, they are not so easy to see. Hear Veterans talk about (http://www.ptsd.va.gov/apps/AboutFace/q ... -ptsd.html) "How I knew I had PTSD" in the (http://www.ptsd.va.gov/apps/AboutFace/q ... -ptsd.html) AboutFace videos that show how treatment turned their lives around.
For more on PTSD and support services, see the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com PTSD section.


Expedited Social Security Process for Vets
The Social Security Administration has unveiled a new initiative to expedite disability claims by veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation rating of 100% Permanent & Total (P&T). Under the new process, Social Security will treat these veterans' applications as high priority and issue expedited decisions, similar to the way the agency currently handles disability claims from Wounded Warriors. In order to receive the expedited service, veterans must tell Social Security they have a VA disability compensation rating of 100% P&T and show proof of their disability rating with their VA Notification Letter. Social Security plans to launch the expedited process in mid-March. For more information, visit the Social Security website at (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/disability-pt.htm) www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/disability-pt.htm. For more about Social Security's handling of Wounded Warrior's disability claims, visit the Social Security Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors webpage at (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors) www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


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Co-Ed Softball Tournament to Benefit Vets
The Combat Vet Riders Club and the City of Pineville in Louisiana is organizing a co-ed softball tournament in Central Louisiana to raise money that will go directly to helping Wounded Warriors at the local VA Hospital Community Living Center. The tournament will take place on March 22 and entry fee is $150 for each team. For more information and to register, contact the tournament organizer Amanda Trantham at 318-787-9912 or (mailto:amandatrantham1@gmail.com) amandatrantham1@gmail.com, or Jerry Harvey from the Combat Vet Riders Club at 318-416-7611 or (mailto:csmharvey@yahoo.com) csmharvey@yahoo.com.