Vets With PTSD, Government Reach Settlement

WASHINGTON — More than a thousand Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder would be given lifetime disability retirement benefits such as military health insurance under the terms of a settlement reached between the government and the veterans.

Attorneys for the veterans, the Justice Department and the military jointly filed a motion on Thursday that spelled out the terms. The settlement must be approved by a judge to be final.

It also affects another thousand veterans who already had lifetime retirement benefits, but would READ MORE »

House Panel Votes to Fix GI Bill Payment Rules

A House panel has passed a plan to improve the accuracy of Post-9/11 GI Bill payments to schools, after modifying the bill in response to concerns from veterans groups about unintended consequences — including the possibility that a student could be barred from attending school while payments are being calculated.

The bill, HR 2301, is an attempt to cut down on situations in which a student ends up owing money to the Veterans Affairs Department because of an overpayment.

As passed Thursday by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee’s economic opportunity panel, the bill READ MORE »

VA Announces Blue Button Prize Competition

Washington - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today it is offering a $50,000 prize to the first team that builds a personal health record (PHR) using the Blue Button? download format, and arranges to install the PHR on the websites of 25,000 physicians across America.  Sponsored by the VA Innovation Initiative (VAi2), the Blue Button Prize Competition is open to all U.S. organizations and individuals.  The contest started July 18.

“Over six million Veterans who receive health care from VA can already download their personal health data using the Blue Button,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “We want to be sure the 17 million Veterans who receive care from non-VA doctors and READ MORE »

VA Launches Childcare Pilot

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the launch of free, drop-in childcare service centers at three VA medical centers to an audience of more than 700 participants attending the Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans’ Issues July 15-17 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.

“We know that many Veterans, particularly women Veterans, are the primary care takers of young children,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We want these Veterans to have the opportunity to access the high-quality health care that VA offers, and we believe that these childcare centers will make it easier for Veteran caregivers to visit VA.” READ MORE »

Veteran Access to Housing Summit

Historic event on July 27 in San Antonio

The Home Depot Foundation and National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, in coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, are conducting a historic “Veteran Access to Housing Summit” in San Antonio on July 27. This intense full-day strategic work session is designed to explore and identify opportunities, and challenges, to increase permanent housing opportunities for low-income and formerly homeless veterans graduating from assistance programs.

As part of its Plan to End Veteran Homelessness by 2015, the VA has estimated there is a critical need READ MORE »

Warrior Gateway Blog On Craigconnects

In today’s world, we use high tech solutions and the power of other people’s opinions, insights and experiences to make decisions. The same way we look to Yelp to help us find where to go to dinner, Rotten Tomatoes to help us decide what movie to see or Trip Advisor on where to vacation and what hotel to stay in. And yet our veterans don’t have access to those same tools when deciding on where to go for healthcare, job opportunities, family assistance or education and training?

After returning home from active duty, our servicemen and women often face a new battle at home. And while the treatments for their injuries are sometimes READ MORE »

OPPORTUNITIES GROW FOR VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES

By Lorraine Mirabella, The Baltimore SunJuly 3, 2011

Wading through swamps and running up mountains taught Patrick McCormack more than how to survive punishing conditions without much food or sleep. His grueling Army Ranger training, along with several deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, taught the Ellicott City native important business lessons as well.

“It takes a lot of discipline to run your own company,” said McCormack, 29, who owns custom drum maker MapleWorks Drum Co. in Millersville. “You don’t make it through [Ranger] school unless you have the drive and READ MORE »

OPERATION HOMEFRONT LAUNCHES THE “ARMY HOMEFRONT FUND” TO FOCUS ON CARE AND TRANSITION OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2011 –

Also announced formalized linkages with 10 other nonprofits “joining forces” to support the military.

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Operation Homefront (OH) and the U.S. Army Warrior Transition Command (WTC) today announced the creation of the Army Homefront Fund. A Memorandum of Understanding between OH and the WTC recognizes the new READ MORE »