20,000 MILITARY MEMBERS, VETS FACED FORECLOSURE IN 2010
More than 20,000 veterans, active-duty troops and reservists who took out special government-backed mortgages lost their homes last year — the highest number since 2003.
The rate of foreclosure filings in 2010 among 163 Zip codes located near military bases rose 32% over 2008, according to RealtyTrac, a foreclosure research firm. This compares with a 2010 increase in foreclosures filings nationally of 23% over 2008.
The housing crisis has hit military families particularly hard in part because of READ MORE »
STUDENTS WANT TO HONOR VETERANS WITH IN-STATE TUITION
Here’s a press release from the Arizona Students’ Association:
Student veterans from Arizona universities will hit the State Capitol Wednesday to show their support for HB2410, a bill that grants in-state tuition status to honorably discharged veterans at Arizona universities.
The Honorably Discharged Veterans; In-State Tuition bill, which has bipartisan support, will be heard and voted on at the Military Affairs and Public Safety committee Wednesday. READ MORE »
OBAMA ANNOUNCES ‘UNPRECEDENTED COMMITMENT’ TO MILITARY FAMILIES
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2011 – President Barack Obama today unveiled a governmentwide plan to strengthen military family support, offering a glimpse at a few of the new programs and cooperative efforts being launched in the coming months to improve quality of life and well-being for military families.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that for the first time ever, supporting the well-being of our military families will be a priority not just for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but all across the federal government,” Obama said.
Speaking from the White House’s East Room, Obama unveiled this “unprecedented commitment” to military families READ MORE »
VA ADDS CHAT FEATURE TO ONLINE APPLICATION FOR HEALTH BENEFITS
VA Adds Chat Feature to Online Application for Health Benefits
WASHINGTON – Veterans will find it easier and faster to apply for their health care benefits now that the Department of Veterans Affairs has enhanced and streamlined its online Form 10-10EZ, “Application for Health Benefits.”
“VA is committed to tapping into the best that technology has to offer to ensure Veterans receive the benefits they have earned,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We continue to look for new ways to improve access to care and benefits and engage Veterans.” READ MORE »
ENHANCED VA HEALTH CARE ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITY CLOSING FOR CERTAIN COMBAT VETERANS
WASHINGTON – Certain combat Veterans who were discharged from active duty service before Jan. 28, 2003 have until Jan. 27, 2011 to take advantage of their enhanced health care enrollment opportunity through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“While there is no time limit for Veterans to apply for the VA health care they earned with their service, I highly encourage this group of combat Veterans to take advantage of the enhanced enrollment window to use their health READ MORE »
STUDY: MILITARY TEENS HAVE MORE STRESS
Jordan Pittard, 14, remembers feeling anxious about his father being deployed with the U.S. Army in Iraq from 2006 to 2007. His mother, Lucille, a teacher, admits struggling to have enough time to work, take care of the house and talk enough to her kids.
“There was nobody big to look up to,” Jordan said. “Sometimes when my mom was away, there wasn’t anybody else to help me with my homework, something personal like that, or throw a football with me.”
The mother and son participated in a new study that suggests youth from military families may have higher stress levels and emotional problems than other adolescents and teens. READ MORE »
THE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY COUNSELING COLLABORATIVE
The Marriage and Family Counseling Collaborative (MFCC) is a partnership group designed to inform, educate, and support providers who work with military Service members and their families.
The following resource guides were developed by the MFCC. The Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of these resource guides.
DEALING WITH THE UNSEEN SCARS OF WAR
New York (CNN) — His vivid memories from the battlefield won’t go away: a Taliban surface-to-air missile striking a Chinook helicopter, killing everyone on board. The ensuing firefight that nearly killed him.
Shooting down an enemy combatant and watching his body fall, lifeless, in his tracks.
The flashbacks led to post-traumatic stress disorder for the soldier, who shared his story but did not want his name used.
“The helicopter shoot-down stands out as the number one ‘Holy s–t, I might die’ experience,” he said. “But the personal nature of killing [the enemy combatant] bothered me the most.” READ MORE »
OBAMA EASES BENEFITS PROCESS FOR VETS WITH PTSD
President Obama said Saturday that veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder will now have easier access to benefits.
Previously, veterans “have been required to produce evidence proving that a specific event caused their PTSD,” Obama said during his Saturday radio address. “And that practice has kept the vast majority of those with PTSD who served in non-combat roles, but who still waged war, from getting the care they need.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs will begin streamlining the benefits process next week, Obama said. READ MORE »
HOPE FROM THE HOMEFRONT
Hope from the Homefront
BY JULIE SWEARINGEN, PhD
Unbelievable! It’s July already, and as I face the long, hot south Texas summer, I think it’s appropriate that I talk a little about endurance.
Meet Harriet Anderson – a remarkable woman for many reasons. She is 75 years old and is the Women’s 70-74 y.o. Ironman World Champion. She has raced in 18 Ironman Triathlons. For those of you unfamiliar with the Ironman, it is a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. The race begins at 7 a.m. and you must complete all events by midnight to be classified as a “finisher.” Not only has she completed 18 of these grueling events, but she did not run her first triathlon until she was 53 years old. READ MORE »
