Veterans Report - Week of June 02, 2014

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Veterans Report - Week of June 02, 2014

Fast, Low-Cost SGLI/VGLI Alternative From $7 a Month
Protection for less. Get $100,000 Coverage from only $7 a month. (http://www.military.com/insurance/?lpid ... rvr0602.nl) Can your family afford their lifestyle if something happened to you?


VA's Actions "Nothing Short of Criminal"
Following the May 28 late night hearing on the systemic failures at the VA's veteran health administration, Air Force veteran Congressman Jeff Denham (R-CA), stated that veterans deserve transparency and quality care. In an Op-Ed posted on the Military Advantage blog, Denham wrote that based on the evidence presented at the hearing the VA's actions at the Phoenix Medical Center was "nothing short of criminal" and that "drastic changes must take place to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve." (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... -criminal/) Read Rep. Denham's full editorial on The Military Advantage blog.


Preliminary Report on Phoenix VA
Department of Veterans Affairs inspectors say they found an unofficial list of some 1,700 veterans who were waiting to get appointments with doctors at the VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, where whistleblowers allege up to 40 vets died awaiting treatment. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki put three Phoenix officials on administrative leave over the allegations, but will take no further personnel actions there until the review is complete. (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014 ... -list.html) Read the full story on Military.com.


Panel to Study Agent Orange Exposure
This summer, a panel of independent scientists from the Institute of Medicine will try to determine whether those veterans could have been exposed to the toxins in defoliants, including Agent Orange, at a level that would be dangerous to their health. If the panel, which hosts the first of a series of closed meetings and public hearings on May 15, finds a link, the service members could be eligible for tax-free disability compensation of up to several thousand dollars a month. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not require Vietnam veterans to prove they were exposed to the herbicides. Instead, it presumes that they were if they develop certain diseases and disorders linked to those chemicals, and grants them disability compensation benefits. The institute, which has conducted congressionally mandated reviews to evaluate research on herbicides used in Vietnam, is scheduled to publish its conclusions in the fall.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Find Lenders Now to Use Your VA Loan
Now is the time to use your VA Loan. You don't have to pay PMI or have a large down payment. Plus you can get financing up to $417,000. (https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... rvr0602.nl) Use your VA Loan Benefit today.
(http://www.military.com/money/va-loans?ESRC=mrvr0602.nl) Interested in finding out more about the VA Loan?


House Passes VA Accountability Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed (http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-con ... -bill/4031) H.R. 4031, the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act. The bill was developed in response to evidence supporting a widespread lack of accountability in the wake of the Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits backlog and a mounting toll of preventable veteran deaths at VA medical centers across the country. More than a dozen instances of this trend are documented on the (http://veterans.house.gov/accountability) VA Accountability Watch portion of the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) website at (http://veterans.house.gov/accountability) veterans.house.gov/accountability. A summary and the text of the bill is available on the Congress.gov website at (http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-con ... -bill/4031) beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4031.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Battleship North Carolina Legacy Series
The Battleship North Carolina kicks off its June programming schedule on Flag Day, June 14, 2014 with special events from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. The Battleship will celebrate its first Flag Day Program and Battleship 101 program. Visitors will have the opportunity to raise their own American flags up the halyards on the ship's foremast and learn more about daily shipboard life. The Battleship also kicks off its legacy series June 14 with the presentation "Armored Cruiser North Carolina and the Great War." For more information, visit the Battleship North Carolina website at (http://www.battleshipnc.com/) www.battleshipnc.com or follow the battleship on Facebook at (http://www.facebook.com/ncbb55) Facebook.com/ncbb55 and (http://twitter.com/battleshipnc) Twitter.com/battleshipnc. Relive with the crew on the Battleship Blog at (http://seastories.battleshipnc.com) seastories.battleshipnc.com. The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is an historic site within the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources ( (http://www.ncculture.com) www.NCCulture.com).


New York WWII Casualty Data
The names of more than 37,000 New Yorkers who gave their lives during World War II can now be searched online at the New York State Museum and Veterans Research Center website at (http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/wwi ... i_dead.htm) dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/wwii/wwii_HonorList/wwii_dead.htm. The information can also be downloaded into a searchable Excel spreadsheet. A typical entry includes the service members name, service number, branch of service, how they died, the date they died, where they are buried and in some instances next-of-kin information. There are no service numbers available for Navy and Marine Corps deaths. The New York State Military Museum, located in Saratoga Springs, is administered by the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. The museum holds New York military artifacts dating back to the Civil War as well as books , photographs and historic weapons.


Top Five First-time Homebuyer Questions
You're finally ready to buy your first home, and you're considering a VA home loan. Don't let unanswered questions stop you from moving forward. (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans/ ... rvr0602.nl) See the answers to the top five first-time homebuyer questions.


Commissaries Safe; Pay, TRICARE Maybe Not
In shaping a 2015 defense authorization bill, Congress has decided to protect the prized commissary benefit. But, military personnel are not likely to escape other key compensation curbs to include a pay raise cap in January of one percent. And, pharmacy co-pay increases, to be phased in over 10 years, would mean higher out-of-pocket costs mostly for older retirees, spouses and survivors. (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... ys-likely/) Read Tom Philpott's Military Update to get the rest of the story.


Prevent Rx Fee Hike
The Senate defense authorization bill includes an administration proposal to dramatically increase pharmacy copays over the next decade. Act now and ask Congress to resist cutting the TRICARE pharmacy benefit. Both the House and Senate defense bill reject administration proposals to consolidate TRICARE health care options and implement enrollment fees for TRICARE For Life (TFL). Read the rest of the article at (http://www.moaa.org/MRRXFeeHike/) Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).


Pinkerton Is Hiring Veterans
Your military experience deserves more -- it deserves a chance continue a service to safety and security. (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... rvr0602.nl) A security career at PGS will allow you to extend skills, certifications and talent to some of the top employers in the security industry.


Study Looks at Dioxin Exposure
C-123 aircraft were used during the Vietnam War to spray millions of gallons of defoliants to destroy crops and eliminate jungle cover used by the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong. The military stopped the spraying by early 1971 over concerns that some defoliants contained compounds harmful to humans. But, Air Force Reserve units continued to fly them on cargo and medevac missions until the early 1980s. Now, Fred Berman, director of the Toxicology Information Center at Oregon Health and Science University, says VA "established new laws of chemistry" in denying the C-123 veterans' exposure claims. He and others co-authored a study in the April issue of the journal Environmental Research concluding that dioxin levels in the aircraft after the war were "likely to have exceeded several available exposure guidelines." The article is available for purchase on the Environmental Research website at (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 5114000681) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 5114000681.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


ASI Can Save You Up to 60% in TRICARE Costs
The AMRA TRICARE Supplement saves money and time. The TRICARE Supplement Plan for individuals and families protects you when out-of- pocket health care expenses rise. (http://offers.military.com/i/tricare/in ... rvr0602.nl) Find out more.


Start Your Own Business
The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently hosted a 'Veterans Entrepreneurship Panel' during National Small Business Week featuring leading experts. Here are three key tips from the experts when starting a new business: (1) Have a plan. While many skills gleaned through service -- resilience, teamwork, dauntlessness -- are directly applicable to business, these attributes must be purposefully channeled; (2) Find a mentor; and (3) Hire employees as soon as possible. Banks tend to appraise companies as a whole when choosing whether to offer a loan, he explained, regardless of a principle's achievements or abilities. Banks will look at you differently if you have even just one employee.
For more veteran job news, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


VA Secretary Responds to Allegations
Retired U.S. Army General Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, recently released a message regarding allegations of VA employees' misconduct that have surfaced over the last several weeks, beginning with scheduling delays at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. The message is available on the (http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2543) VA website.


New Veteran Cemetery in Montana
The Department of Veterans Affairs has received a donation of property in Yellowstone County for the new Yellowstone National Cemetery, Montana. VA's National Cemetery Administration began burial operations at Yellowstone National Cemetery on May 26, 2014. Effective May 26, Veterans and family members who wish to schedule an interment or inurnment at the cemetery should call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800 535-1117. VA will manage committal services for burials that were previously scheduled by the City of Laurel, Mont. 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. 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 veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Academic Credit for Military Training
Veterans and service members have a variety of ways to earn credit for their military experience, but it is up to the college or university to decide what to accept. Here are several ways veterans and service members can get academic credit for military training: (1) a joint services transcript: When veterans leave the military, they can obtain a record of their training known as the joint services transcript; (2) credit by examination: Veterans also have the option to earn college (http://www.usnews.com/education/online- ... it-by-exam) credit through taking exams that test their knowledge of content taught in college courses; and (3) portfolio assessment: Some schools give students the option of petitioning for credit through submitting a portfolio of their work. For more information, visit the (http://www.military.com/education/times ... ience.html) Military.com Education section.


South Dakota Veterans Bonus
South Dakota offers a bonus to members of the Armed Forces who were legal residents of the state for no less than six months immediately preceding their period of active duty and who served on active duty during one or more of the following periods: (1) Aug. 2, 1990 to March 3, 1991; (2) March 4, 1991 to Dec. 31, 1992, with exceptions; (3) Jan. 1, 1993 to Sept. 10, 2001, with exceptions; (4) Sept. 11, 2001 to a date yet to be determined. Also, Veterans with qualifying service before Dec 31, 1992 [Desert Storm] and after Jan 1, 1993 [Operation Iraqi Freedom] may receive two separate bonuses of up to $500.00 each. South Dakota veterans may apply through the nearest County or Tribal Veterans Service Officer. Those living outside of South Dakota may apply by e-mail at (mailto:john.fette@state.sd.us) john.fette@state.sd.us. Please include your branch of the military and dates of service. If you do not have email you may request an application and instructions by writing SD Veterans Bonus, 425 E. Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501-5070 or by calling 605-773-7251.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


VA Seeing More Sleep Apnea Cases
The number of veterans receiving disability benefits for a sleeping disorder has increased 61 percent in the past two years and now costs taxpayers more than $500 million per year, according to Department of Veterans Affairs data recently released to USA TODAY. More than 63,000 veterans receive benefits for sleep apnea, a disorder that causes a sleeping person to gasp for breath and awaken frequently. The top risk factor for contracting the disorder appears to be obesity, though troops' exposure to dust and smoke in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq can be a contributing factor. The minimum VA payment to a sleep apnea patient with a disability rating of 50 is $9,240 a year, but increases if a veteran is married and has children. The Social Security Administration also recognizes sleep apnea as a disability. (http://www.legion.org/fodpal/222494/va- ... pnea-cases) Read more about the rise in sleep apnea cases on the American Legion website.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Museum Features Rare Renault FT17 Tank
Stars and Stripes reports that the National World War I Museum features one of the few tanks left from the Great War. The Renault FT17 is what most consider to be the first modern tank, primarily for its first 360-degree-rotating gun turret. The Renault brothers churned out more than 3,500 FTs, many of which would be used by the Americans and even the British. They had fewer breakdowns, because the company dropped in truck engines with four speeds. So the tanks came complete with speedometers that went up to 10 mph and the gas tank took them 30 miles. Some were equipped with machine guns, others the 37 mm gun. For more information about the museum, visit the National World War I Museum website at (http://theworldwar.org) theworldwar.org.


Broken VA System Is Nothing New
A VA memo, dated February, 2002, discussed the potential scandal regarding the waiting list and scheduling problems. The memo, which was written by the then VA Deputy Under Secretary of Health, was ignored more than 12 years ago. The memo shows that systemic issues were identified and have gone unaddressed for more than a decade. (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... a-glacier/) Read Benjamin Krause's post in the Military Advantage Blog to learn more about this 2002 memo.


Business Start-Up Challenge in Portland
The (http://www.pdc.us/startuppdxchallenge.aspx) Startup PDX Challenge in Portland, Oregon is encouraging entrepreneurs to complete for a top prize of $15,000, free office space for 12 months and a handful of free startup services. Run by the (http://www.pdc.us/welcome.aspx) Portland Development Commission (PDC), the Challenge is designed to support early-stage startups for one year. A group of investors, founders and accelerator managers will review applicants and ultimately pick the winners. The PDC puts an emphasis on veterans, women and minorities. The PDC is looking for startups with 2-to-10 employees in the tech, consumer, B2B or value-added food products/services areas that have ambitions to scale nationally or internationally with 50 percent of sales outside of Oregon. Apply on the (http://www.pdc.us/startuppdxchallenge/s ... -tips.aspx) PDC website before June 25 for a $23 fee. FAQs are available (http://www.pdc.us/startuppdxchallenge/s ... e-faq.aspx) online.
For more veteran job news, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.