Veterans Report - Week of September 09, 2013

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Veterans Report - Week of September 09, 2013

2014 D-Day Commemoration Announced
The tourist office of Saint Mere-Eglise in France just released the initial plans for the 2014 memorials and ceremonies honoring the 70th year after the D-Day arrival of Allied forces, liberating France and re-establishing peace in Europe. For more information, visit the (http://www.sainte-mere-eglise.info/en/7 ... 0dday.html) Saint Mere-Eglise Office of Tourism website. The website will be updated as more plans are confirmed.


Staying Current With Vaccinations
People of all ages can protect their health by getting recommended vaccinations. Take a look at immunization schedules by age from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: (1) (http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type ... child.html) Children (birth through age 6), (2) (http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type ... -teen.html) Preteens and Teens (ages 7-18), and (3) (http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type ... adult.html) Adults (ages 19 and older). Under the Affordable Care Act, (http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type ... -benefits/) immunizations are a preventive service that will be covered by all plans within the (http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type ... rketplace/) Health Insurance Marketplace and by many other health insurance plans.
For more on health benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


TFL Retirees to Pay 80% of VA Health Care Costs
TRICARE for Life beneficiaries are being notified that as of October 1st, military retirees (over age 65) who receive care at a Department of Veterans Affairs facility for non-service connected ailments will be required to pay the VA 80% of the TRICARE allowable charges. By law TRICARE, will only pay up to 20 percent. The remaining 80 percent is equal to the amount that Medicare would have paid if the beneficiary had used a Medicare certified provider. For more details, read this (http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... ealth-care) Military Advantage blog post.


Report Looks at VA Pensions
Leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Special Committee on Aging said recently that they are "deeply troubled" by the Department of Veterans Affairs' lax oversight of private advisers to veterans applying for pensions and other benefits. The senators cited a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that faulted the VA for loosely enforcing its own vague rules on accrediting private financial planners, attorneys, insurance agents and others. The nonpartisan congressional agency that audits federal programs also criticized the VA for leaving itself vulnerable to abuses and for keeping veterans in the dark about their rights. The report is available on the (http://www.sanders.senate.gov/imo/media ... 13-643.pdf) GAO website.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


State Farm 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.


National Preparedness Month
September is National Preparedness Month. The Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) is reminding veterans receiving health care that they need to be prepared. For more information including preparedness checklist, visit VA's (http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/2 ... -Smart.asp) Being Prepared Is Smart webpage.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Tips for Starting Right on a New Job
You got the job. Congratulations. Now what's your plan for the first 90 days at the new company? Making a positive first impression is especially important in this situation. Here are a few things to consider when starting a new job outside the military, courtesy of the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/ca ... w-job.html) Military Officers Association of America.
For veteran job postings, tips and guides, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


IRS Ruling Could Cause Problems
Stars and Stripes reports that an Internal Revenue Service policy mandating nonprofit veterans' organizations keep documents proving members served in the military could cause some veterans to lose their memberships in those organizations. The guidelines require the organizations keep proof of each member's eligibility. Without it, the groups could face a $1,000 fine each day they are not in compliance, and they could lose their nonprofit status. Currently, in order to become a member of the American Legion, veterans must prove they were in military service during wartime by showing a copy of their discharge papers, DD Form 214. However, the DD-214 reveals private information including Social Security numbers, dates of birth and, in some cases, places of birth and medical information. The IRS policy and IRS rules on auditing veterans' organizations are available on the IRS website at (http://www.irs.gov/irm/part4/irm_04-076-026.html) http://www.irs.gov/irm/part4/irm_04-076-026.html.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Military.com strives to share important information to our active duty, veteran and family audience that can help save lives. (http://www.military.com/topics/military ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read More.


$300k Protection as low as $22 a Month
Don't wait any longer to protect your family's future. (http://www.military.com/insurance/asmba/?ESRC=vr0909.nl) Get $300k life insurance coverage starting at $22 a month.


How the Cloud Helps Veterans
Stephen Warren, VA's acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Information and Technology (OIT), recently appeared on NBC4 Washington's GovInnovate to discuss how OIT's progressive use of cloud technology allows VA's IT infrastructure to remain agile and secure. He specifically highlighted the role cloud-based solutions play in VA's commitment to eliminate the benefits backlog by 2015. Mr. Warren further explained that while VA uses a private cloud to keep Veteran data protected, there are other mission areas where VA is exploring the potential use of public cloud services, which could result in cost savings. (http://www.nbcwashington.com/video/#!/n ... /220827621) Watch the full interview with Mr. Warren at NBC4 Washington.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


New App For Veterans
Combat veteran Jacob Wood has developed Position Report (POS REP), a smartphone application (app) that connects veterans via GPS to an interactive social network. The new app allows veterans to communicate with one another, set up events through location-based "flares" and even list their service record and awards. Wood hopes his app, in a test phase now with more than 4,000 users, can prevent veteran suicides. For more information and to download the app, visit the POS REP website at (http://pos-rep.com/) http://pos-rep.com/ and visit POS REP on Facebook at (https://www.facebook.com/posrep) https://www.facebook.com/posrep.
For more on military-related apps and apps news, visit the (http://www.military.com/topics/best-apps) Military.com Apps page.


New Website Tracks VA
House Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller recently launched ' (http://veterans.house.gov/accountability) VA Accountability Watch,' a new web component of the (http://veterans.house.gov/) House Committee on Veterans Affairs website that is designed to highlight the Department of Veterans Affairs' growing pattern of rewarding failure. The page documents more than a dozen instances in which the department has rewarded VA executives who have presided over a host of heartbreaking management failures, including preventable (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-5 ... g-bonuses/) veteran deaths, (http://www.wivb.com/dpp/health/anger-ov ... -officials) infectious disease outbreaks, and (http://cironline.org/node/4434) benefit and (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07 ... -projects/) construction delays. For more information, visit the (http://veterans.house.gov/accountability) VA Accountability Watch website.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Air Force Changes Tuition Assistance
Airmen applying for tuition assistance (TA) in fiscal 2014 will see several changes in both eligibility for and administration of the program. The application window for classes beginning on or after Oct. 1 will not open until Sept. 9 to allow for system updates. This program is applicable to Guard and Reserve only when they are activated. Airmen who apply for TA will be required to obtain supervisor approval for all requests. Requests for TA for foreign language courses will only be approved if they are part of a degree or are on the approved language shortage list. TA requests from Airmen who have unfavorable information files, failed/overdue physical fitness testing, received referral performance reports or are on a control roster will automatically be denied. The fundamental financial benefits of TA are unchanged. Airmen should contact their base education office for more details or for assistance in applying.
For more updates on tuition assistance and other military benefits, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage Blog.


Video Library: VA Home Loan FAQ's Answered
Do you have questions about the VA Home Loan process? Find answers to common VA loan questions (http://www.military.com/homebuying/ifre ... RC=mrvr.nl) here!


Three Vehicle Safety Tips
The four most common causes of fatal vehicle accidents are driving without a seat belt, falling asleep at the wheel, driving too fast for conditions, and drinking and driving. More than 100,000 people are killed or injured each year in crashes attributed to a driver asleep at the wheel or driving while severely drowsy. Some ways to prevent drowsy driving include: (1) getting plenty of good, quality sleep; (2) avoid driving between midnight and 6 a.m.; take a break every two hours; and, if possible, drive with someone else who is awake in the passenger seat; and (3) if signs of fatigue begin to show, drive to a well-lit area to take a short nap. For more tips, visit the Safercar.gov website at (http://www.safercar.gov/SummerDrivingTips) http://www.safercar.gov/SummerDrivingTips.
For more auto tips and DIY guides, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty/autos) Military.com Auto Center.


VA Pilots MyHome
At VA's MyHome, a simulation home near Pittsburgh, seriously injured veterans re-learn independent living skills prior to being discharged from the hospital. The idea is to reduce hospital re-admissions. MyHome, located within the Pittsburgh VA's H.J. Heinz Campus in O'Hara, Pa., contains a living room, dining room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, staircase, a laundry area and a pantry stocked with food. At MyHome, veterans learn how to do laundry, prepare a meal, make a bed, take a shower or even answer the front door -- safely. Other VA medical centers may adopt the MyHome concept. For more information, visit the VA (http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/2 ... MyHome.asp) website.
For more updates on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


MOAA: Don't Cut Military Pay
Military Officers Association of America President VADM Norb Ryan (USN-Ret) created this video to explain why you should care about the .8% cut in the military pay raise. We hope you will watch, use the link to take action by telling your legislators (especially Senators) what you think, and share! After all, tying military pay raises to private sector growth cannot work to sustain the all-volunteer force unless it's sustained through good and bad budget times. For more, see (http://www.youtube.com/embed/I_YM2SK23_U?rel=0) this video from MOAA.
For more updates on military benefits, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage Blog.


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PTSD and What You Need to Know
U.S. Public Health Service Capt. Janet Hawkins recently spoke at the 2013 Family Advocacy Training Course in Quantico, Va., on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and interpersonal violence. In her remarks, she shared findings from the July 2012 Institute of Medicine report, " (http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Treatme ... sment.aspx) Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military and Veteran Populations: Initial Assessment," which examined PTSD treatment programs and services at the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs, and served as a basis for discussing the relationship between the clinical disorder and interpersonal violence. Capt. Hawkins has posted related information on the (http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Treatme ... sment.aspx) Defense Centers of Excellence website.
For more on PTSD and related resources, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rview.html) Military.com PTSD section.


VetSuccess Program Expands
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that it is expanding the availability of services through the VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) program to an additional 62 new locations this fall. On-campus VA vocational rehabilitation counselors help ease veterans' transition to student life and assist them with using VA's (http://www.gibill.va.gov/) Post-9/11 GI Bill and other education benefit programs. The counselors also maintain close relationships with local (http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/) VA Vet Centers and (http://www.va.gov/directory/guide/divis ... asp?dnum=1) VA medical facilities, referring veterans as needed for counseling or medical services. A list of colleges and universities that have signed agreements with VA as part of the FY13 expansion is listed (http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2475) online. For more information on the VetSuccess program, visit the VetSuccess website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/vsoc.asp
For more on veterans benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center. For more on military education benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/education) Military.com Education Center.