Veterans News – February 5, 2016 For Today: Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. - Carl Sandburg
Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present. - Bill Keane ----------------------------------------------------------------
Veterans News ----------------------------------------------------------------Code of Support Foundation Presents Toast to Our Troops! Wednesday, February 10, 2016, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Women in Military Service for America Memorial - 1 Memorial Ave., Arlington National Cemetery, VA. Come share in the camaraderie, and if you can, please consider sponsoring. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/toast-to-our-troops-tickets-19551817011?ref=ebtnebtckt See you there!
------------------------------DOD Contracts Awarded for Friday, February 5, 2016. http://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/651394/source/GovDelivery
-------------------------------DOD Contracts Awarded for Thursday, February 4, 2016. http://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/650399/source/GovDelivery
--------------------------------Defense News Early Bird Brief for Friday, February 5, 2016.
http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe641270766507797112&m=ff011577756600&ls=fdcc157474670 2797514777266&l=fe8b13707d6c007d7c&s=fe1f13787563037a761273&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe281173 7165027e701d73&r=0
-----------------------------Defense News Early Bird Brief for Thursday, February 4, 2016. http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe581270776c0d7c7212&m=ff011577756600&ls=fdcc157474670 2797514777266&l=fe8b13707d6c007d7c&s=fe1f13787563037a761273&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe1d1173 766c0d7d7c1d74&r=0
----------------------------This Week At VA for February 4, 2016. http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVA/bulletins/1346f63
---------------------------Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) WEB Weekly for Friday, February 5, 2016. http://us5.campaignarchive1.com/?u=fc1957b75b642e06570817b9d&id=be91f6aedf&e=b4237e9c56
---------------------------This Medal of Honor recipient just turned 82. You’ll be stunned by what he did in Vietnam. http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/25605/its-this-medal-of-honor-recipients-82nd-birthday-youllbe-stunned-by-what-he-did-in-vietnam/
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National Association for Uniformed Services (NAUS) Weekly Update for February 5, 2016. http://naus.informz.net/informzdataservice/onlineversion/ind/bWFpbGluZ2luc3RhbmNlaWQ9NT MzNTgwNSZzdWJzY3JpYmVyaWQ9MTAwODM4ODY4MA==
--------------------------Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs News & Announcements for February 5, 2016. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=50d9a782-583a-45e7-a17bc5e206aa5639&c=8dbaae20-aaae-11e3-9e26-d4ae52844390&ch=8e909bc0-aaae-11e3-9e79d4ae52844390
----------------------------American Legion On-Line Update for Thursday, February 4, 2016. http://editor.legionemail.com/vo/?FileID=4e2add2e-6f31-44f8-b0c3b22a1976a651&m=f60ba55a-761b-463f-8a2b-c1a65794d1dd&MailID=31386418&listid=84772
-----------------------------VA Media Summary and News Clips for Friday, February 5, 2016. Please see attached pdf.
----------------------------Reserve Officers Association (ROA) SmartBrief for Friday, February 5, 2016. http://www2.smartbrief.com/servlet/encodeServlet?issueid=A65A604B-5E72-4DA8-9014977CBC7528B7&sid=22cbe9eb-3ef0-4eca-8105-ef9f466dc32d
---------------------------POLITICO Morning Defense for Friday, February 5, 2016. A Daily Briefing from Inside Washington’s National Security Apparatus. http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-defense/2016/02/saudi-arabia-offers-path-for-groundtroops-in-syria-clinton-hits-sanders-on-foreign-policy-congress-pentagon-feud-over-russianrocket-engine-replacement-212551
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POLITICO Morning Defense for Thursday, February 4, 2016. A Daily Briefing from Inside Washington’s National Security Apparatus. http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-defense/2016/02/carter-wants-to-boost-navy-fightershunter-bill-would-require-women-to-register-for-draft-syrian-peace-talks-hit-pause-button212525
-----------------------------Vet Jobs Veterans Employment Report for February 5, 2016. Please see attached pdf.
----------------------------U.S. Department of Labor News & Events Newsletter for February 4, 2016. http://www.dol.gov/newsroom/newsletter
-----------------------------Disabled Veteran Business Alliance (DVBA) Newsletter for Thursday, February 4, 2016. https://www.trailblz.info/disabledvetba/eviewer.aspx?vid=5588B50F89431B4AE8FFF0CC0723E 3A158EBB6F96E15A87C048C6328BC23D9D3
----------------------------Central Florida List of Veterans, Military, and Patriotic Events for February 2016. Please see attached pdf. Prepared and disseminated by Cathy Haynes, a Patriot! Thanks Cathy for all you do in support of our Veterans and Troops located throughout Central Florida.
----------------------------TRICARE Publications Update. https://www.tricare.mil/SMART
-----------------------------TRICARE Beneficiary Bulletin #338 of February 5, 2016. http://www.tricare.mil/podcast
-----------------------------Your 5:00 pm Daily ExecutiveBiz Headlines. http://us4.campaignarchive1.com/?u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=f9b6f49712&e=a823c4dfb6
-------------------------------Your 12:00 pm Daily ExecutiveBiz Headlines. http://us4.campaignarchive1.com/?u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=0a5b5200cd&e=a823c4dfb6
--------------------------------Your 6:00 am GovConWire - Top News from Executive Mosaic. http://us4.campaignarchive2.com/?u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=be95a6daad&e=a823c4dfb6
---------------------------------GovCon Wire – The Week’s Top GovCon News Stories – for February 5, 2016 http://us4.campaignarchive2.com/?u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=9e2ed0cc43&e=a823c4dfb6
---------------------------------For my Fellow Marines – Amazing Photo Collection from USMC Archives. https://www.flickr.com/photos/usmcarchives/albums/ Thanks to Gerald Pothier, USMC (Ret) for getting this to us. Gerald served in the Corps from 1951 to 1988....Whew!!!
------------------------------------A Variety of Veterans Related News from a Variety of Sources.
The Washington Post (Fact Checker): Fact-checking the fifth Democratic debate. Sanders touts his record as chairman of Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, leading the charge to pass the comprehensive reform bill to address wait time problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ health system. But he has faced criticism from veterans groups for not paying attention to the issue as soon as the scandal erupted in April 2014. In April 2014, whistle blowers revealed delays in accessing health care and manipulation of wait time data…
Military Times: Clinton, Sanders debate plans for ISIS, Afghanistan and Veterans care. The final two Democratic presidential candidates both vowed Thursday not to send combat troops into Iraq and Syria if they become commander-in-chief, but they also hinted that the U.S. deployments in Afghanistan could continue well into the future. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also both promised to stand up against Republican plans to “privatize” the Department of Veterans Affairs…
The Hill Pentagon chief expects Congress to consider draft for women. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday that he expects Congress to take up the question of whether women should begin registering for the draft.
Stars and Stripes House bill would require women to sign up for draft. Two House Republicans introduced a bill Thursday requiring eligible women in the United States to sign up for the military draft, just days after it was recommended by the Marine Corps and Army.
Military Times Military child care website to reach more locations. D.C. region is next. By the time moving season starts, parents will be able to research child care options and get their children on waiting lists at 36 more military installations. Since MilitaryChildCare.com launched a year ago, 84 installations - about a third - have come online, and by the end of March, the number is expected to grow to 120.
Military.com Army to Let Women Apply for Infantry and Armor Jobs by This Spring. The U.S. Army's chief of staff told Congress on Tuesday that female soldiers could begin their training to serve in direct combat arms jobs such as infantry and armor by this spring, but it could take up to three years to form gender-integrated units.
Military.com Commandant Concedes Female Marines Lacked Infantry Experience in Study. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller acknowledged to lawmakers on Tuesday that female Marines who fared poorly in recent gender-integration study did not have the infantry experience of the male Marines they competed against in the effort.
VICE News US Defense Secretary Announces Navy Can Blow Up Anything It Wants, Any Time It Wants. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter is continuing his campaign to redirect the entirety of the US military-industrial complex before Obama leaves office.
Air Force Times Air Force seizure of phones linked to Miley Cyrus lyrics didn't violate pilots' rights, IG says . The Air Force didn't violate the rights of Laughlin pilots when it seized their phones as part of an investigation into inappropriate conduct, a top Pentagon watchdog said, noting however that some parts of the law are "unsettled."
Stars and Stripes Pentagon issues scathing report on the F-35. The Pentagon's top weapons tester has condemned aspects of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in a new report, raising questions about the $1.5-trillion effort's ability to meet its already slipped production schedule, synthesize information on the battlefield and keep aircraft available to fly.
The New York Times (AP): VA Wait Times Recorded Incorrectly at Colorado Clinic. Workers at a Colorado Springs VA clinic incorrectly reported that some veterans got appointments sooner than they actually did, while at least 288 veterans had to wait longer than the government's 30-day target, federal investigators said Thursday. The investigators didn't say whether the records were deliberately falsified to make the clinic's performance look better than it was.
Military.com: VA Reviewing Rights to ‘Miracle’ – and Profitable – Hepatitis Drug. The Veterans Affairs Department is attempting to learn if it has a financial right to a Hepatitis C drug it says was developed under the leadership of a former agency senior scientist. Pressed by lawmakers in Congress, department officials are also trying to find out if the former scientist with the VA Medical Center in Atlanta unfairly benefited from his work there by developing the drug with agency resources…
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Congress angry VA can’t afford medicine created by Emory VA doctor. Congress, one of the most universally reviled groups of people in the U.S., is questioning why a drug created by a Veterans Administration doctor is so expensive the VA can’t afford to pay for it, reports CBS News. Dr. Raymond Schinazi has worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs since 1983, and was allowed to spend an eighth of his time working with private companies to create treatments that would help veterans.
WJMN-TV (CBS-3): Helping Veterans find alternatives to prescription drugs. V.A. Hospitals are in a state of transition to more progressive methods of treating pain. Many articles have been written and stories have been told of veterans struggling with this transition. Doctor Steven Coenen, Associate Chief of Staff with Primary Care Division said, "By no means does
one pattern fit every patient. Some of them will withdraw because of the pain. We're very sincere and genuine about controlling that pain, but in a practical way "
Military Times: VA Veterans suicide must be a top priority. The Veterans Affairs Department is ratcheting up efforts to address the high rate of suicide among veterans, bringing in mental health experts, advocates and affected families to formulate an “action plan” in the coming months to reduce these preventable deaths. VA Under Secretary for Health Dr. David Shulkin said Tuesday that suicide reduction is one of his top priorities, and he called on experts to help the department establish prevention initiatives aimed at getting veterans into treatment.
Washington Free Beacon: Seven VA Hospitals Flagged on Veteran Suicide, San Diego, Philadelphia, other facilities falling short on best practices. Multiple Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities across the country have been flagged in recent months for insufficiencies in their programs to prevent veteran suicides. In the last five months, seven VA hospitals have been the subject of reports produced by the agency’s inspector general that highlighted insufficient employee training, patient monitoring, and safety planning in their respective suicide prevention programs.
The Plain Dealer: Alarming rate of female Veteran suicides addressed in Brown bill. A bill aimed at stemming a disproportionate rate of suicides among female veterans has been introduced by Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. The "Female Veterans Suicide Prevention Act" would expand the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) annual evaluation of mental health and suicide-prevention programs to include data regarding female veterans.
The Washington Times (AP): Lawsuit by soldier’s widow tests Tennessee’s malpractice law. A recent federal appeals court opinion could aid a military widow’s efforts to hold the federal government responsible for her husband’s suicide. The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has sent a case involving Scott Walter Eiswert back to a lower court, saying there is legal precedent that could be used to favor Tracy Eiswert’s contention that the government is at fault, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported Thursday.
Knoxville News Sentinel: Federal appeals court grants new chance for military widow in VA lawsuit. The case of a military widow whose husband committed suicide after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs misdiagnosed his post-traumatic stress disorder is testing Tennessee's stringent medical malpractice laws and highlighting what a federal judge called the laws' "seemingly unfair" results. The VA and the James H. Quillen Veterans Administration Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tenn., have conceded Greeneville veteran Scott Walter Eiswert was misdiagnosed and in 2008 committed suicide.
FOX Business: 4 VA Loan Myths That Hamper Veteran Home Buyers. VA loans aren’t just grabbing market share — they’re snagging headlines, too, from talk of their industry-low interest rates to their surprising safety. But countless veterans and military families are still missing out, in part because of longstanding myths and misconceptions. A perception of red tape and bureaucracy is something Department of Veterans Affairs officials continue to combat. Mike Frueh, the head of the loan program, calls it the “myth of my father’s VA.”
The Washington Post (AP): Delaware’s largest homeless Veterans facility planned. A nonprofit group is targeting a long-vacant nursing home in Wilmington to be the state’s largest facility dedicated to housing homeless veterans. David Mosley, founder of the Delaware Center for Homeless Veterans, says the group now has an agreement to purchase the former Layton Home in Wilmington for $1.8 million. The 48,000-square-foot building will be the first facility in Delaware contracted by the government to provide subsidized, permanent housing for veterans.
CNN (Video): 6 takeaways from CNN’s Democratic town hall. Sanders often touts his tenure as the Senate's veterans committee chairman -- but along with that comes some baggage, such as the scandal-plagued Department of Veterans Affairs. When CNN's Anderson Cooper asked about the 18 inspector general reports detailing? problems there, Sanders had to explain why those shortcomings weren't addressed on his watch.
CNN (Video): Democratic town hall: Transcript. Have you ceded the support of veterans to the Republicans? And if your answer is no, what is your evidence? SANDERS: What is my evidence? My evidence is that I am the former chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. That I introduced, along with the support of the American Legion, the VFW, the DAV, the Vietnam vets of virtually every major veterans organization, the most comprehensive veterans health care legislation in the modern history of the United States of America.
Reuters House passes bill again to restrict Obama lifting Iran sanctions. The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly approved legislation on Tuesday that would restrict President Barack Obama's ability to lift sanctions under the international nuclear deal with Iran, nearly three weeks after a similar vote was canceled.
Seattle Times State Rep. Graham Hunt quits over military-service exaggerations. State Rep. Graham Hunt of Orting said in a statement Tuesday he was resigning immediately from the House "with a heavy heart."
Defense News Carter Unveils Budget Details; Pentagon Requests $582.7 Billion. President Obama's fiscal year 2017 budget will request $582.7 billion in funding for the Pentagon, including $71.4 billion for research and development, $7.5 billion to fight the Islamic State group, $8.1 billion for submarines, and $1.8 billion on munitions, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced Tuesday morning.
Military Times More U.S. troops deploying to Europe in 2017. The Pentagon plans to send several thousand additional troops to Europe next year to boost the region's defense against Russia, a new recognition that the former Cold War foe is once again a major global rival, defense officials said.
McClatchy
Army: No active investigation into Paula Broadwell
. The Army says that Charlotte resident Paula Broadwell is not under investigation in connection with her affair with Gen. David Petraeus and her acceptance of highly classified material from the military hero who commanded U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Christian Science Monitor Exclusive: Report shows Marines' shifting approach to women in combat. A yet-to-be-released Pentagon document obtained by the Monitor suggests that the Marines - long resistant to including women in combat units - are convinced that their concerns can be overcome.
Associated Press Residents Invited To Design Crest For USS South Dakota Sub. Lt. Gov. Matt Michels says that when the SSN-790 submarine sets sail, it should carry a crest designed by someone who calls South Dakota home.
Air Force Times Air Force massively expands re-up bonus list; some could get $90,000 to stay in. The Air Force is nearly tripling the number of jobs eligible for selective re-enlistment bonuses in fiscal 2016.
Stars and Stripes Commander of Army Recruiting calls on soldiers to invest in communities. Maj. Gen. Jeffrey J. Snow, the commander of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, wants investors: soldiers willing to improve their communities regardless of whether the youth they work with eventually put on Army camouflage.
The Clarion-Ledger: VA Secretary meeting Jackson VA leaders, employees. VA Secretary Robert McDonald is coming to Jackson Friday. He is expected to tour the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center and meet with leaders of the South Central VA Health Care Network. That includes its new leader Skye McDougall, who started Jan. 10. McDonald also plans to meet with VA leaders, employees, veterans, stakeholders and congressional representatives, according to a VA press release.
WFED-AM (AM-1500): VA leader launches investigation to reconsider disciplinary actions against 4 senior execs. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ second-highest official is
launching an investigation to determine whether four senior executives at the agency should be disciplined for what a watchdog report claimed was taking advantage of a relocation program. In a call with reporters on Feb. 2, VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson said he had already issued orders for an investigation to review the actions of Diana Rubens and Kimberley Graves…
CBS News (CBS Evening News, Video): Congress outraged over hepatitis C treatment VA can’t afford. Congress is looking into why veterans are being denied a cure for a deadly form of hepatitis. In a CBS News investigation, we told you the cure was developed by a doctor working for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The doctor got rich, but at $1,000 a pill, the VA can't afford it. Much of the anger at Wednesday's hearing was directed at someone who wasn't even in the room.
Stars and Stripes: Veterans groups oppose asbestos bill in Senate. A bill opposed by veterans groups that affects people poisoned by asbestos triggered strong debate Wednesday during a first hearing in the Senate. Republican senators, including sponsor Jeff Flake of Arizona, argued the bill will ferret out fraudulent compensation claims by veterans with asbestos illnesses. But Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and other Democrats said it was a giveaway to companies fighting lawsuits over the dangerous building material, which causes lung damage and cancer.
MedicalXpress: Two studies of Veterans link PTSD to accelerated ageing. Now, two studies from researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine (MED), jointly funded by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Institute of Mental Health, report significant links between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans and accelerated aging. Many vets with PTSD are aging too fast, at a surprisingly young age.
MassDevice: VA to launch trial of ReWalk’s exoskeleton system. ReWalk Robotics (NSDQ:RWLK) said today that the Department of Veterans Affairs released details of a planned 4-year, national, multi-center study of ReWalk’s Personal 6.0 exoskeleton systems. The aptly named Exoskeleton Assisted-Walking in Persons with SCI: Impact on Quality of Life study is slated to enroll 160 patients at 6 participating VA Medical Centers across California, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas and Virginia.
Worcester Business Journal: ReWalk exoskeleton to be tested in 160-person VA study. The ReWalk exoskeleton system is set to be tested in a 160-person, four-year long, multi-center study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate the impact of exoskeleton use in a home or daily life setting. "This VA clinical trial is groundbreaking in both its purpose and scope, and will undoubtedly provide a wealth of quality research data to the department's already impressive research," ReWalk CEO Larry Jasinski said in a statement.
Post Independent: VA Choice Program frustrates Vets needing care. As a former Marine who was disabled in 2012 when he inhaled benzene while working on a drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, he’s eligible for care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Because the nearest VA hospital in Grand Junction is more than 40 miles from his home, he qualifies for a program approved by Congress in 2014 that was meant to dramatically reduce waiting time that veterans faced for care. The VA’s long waiting lists were exposed most pointedly by delays for care in Phoenix…
Journal-Express: Bill introduced to support female Vets’ suicide prevention. U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today introduced the Female Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, in response to the alarming increases in suicide among female veterans detailed in a recent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study. The bill requires the VA to include specific metrics on female veterans in its annual evaluation of mental health and suicide prevention programs…
Variety (Video): ‘Full Frontal with Samantha Bee’ to Spotlight Women Veterans. In the premiere episode of TBS’ new late night talk show, “Full Frontal,” Samantha Bee investigates how the Veterans Administration will be prepared for the needs of women, given that combat jobs will now be open to them. Guest columnist Dr. Jackie Maffucci offers her perspective on the needs of women in the service, and how they’re treated once they leave active duty.
WKYC-TV (NBC-3, Video): Cleveland VA will ‘Go Red for Women’ Friday. The Cleveland VA Medical Center is joining the nation in celebrating National Go Red Day to educate women Veterans about the risks of heart disease – the leading cause of death in American women and women Veterans, according to the American Heart Association. In a release, the VA stated that the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center is hosting an information fair 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday for patients, staff and visitors…
Stars and Stripes Veterans' families seek ban as dogs walk among gravestones. Families of those buried in Rhode Island's veterans' cemetery say that using the grounds as a dog park is disrespectful to the fallen, and they're battling pet owners over access to the property.
Washington Post A broken trumpet from a sunken warship holds its secrets from WWII. The old, bent trumpet is dripping with water as Shanna Daniel lifts it from its basin in the conservation lab at the Washington Navy Yard.
------------------------------------From: Ann Markel, VFW Sent: Friday, February 05, 2016 3:02 PM
Subj: VFW Action Corps Weekly, February 5, 2016
1. House Hearing on Choice Eligibility: On Tuesday, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing to discuss VA’s proposal to consolidate its community care programs. Specifically, the committee heard testimony from VA and veterans organizations on how the private sector should be integrated into the VA health care system and when veterans are eligible to access care through private sector providers. VFW Senior Legislative Associate Carlos Fuentes submitted testimony urging the committee to eliminate arbitrary wait time and driving distance requirements and allow the veterans and their doctors decide how long veterans are able to wait or travel for their care. To read the VFW’s testimony, click here: http://docs.house.gov/meetings/VR/VR03/20160202/104342/HHRG-114-VR0320160202-SD003.pdf. To view a video of the hearing, visit: http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/choice-consolidation-evaluating-eligibility-requirementsfor-care-in-the-community.
2. House Hearing on VA Research: On Wednesday, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing to discuss how VA protects and uses products invented by VA medical researchers. The committee members were concerned that VA was unable to profit from a cure for Hepatitis C that was invented by a VA doctor. Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson informed the committee that VA would conduct a thorough review of its medical research to ensure VA is properly protecting and profiting from its intellectual property. To view a video of the hearing, visit: http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/lost-opportunities-for-veterans-an-examination-of-va-stechnology-transfer-program.
3. Is Pentagon Budget Request Enough? Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed portions of a $582.7 billion defense budget earlier this week that is expected to be a main part of the president’s upcoming federal budget submission for Fiscal Year 2017. The main question for Congress to debate is if the amount is enough, given that it’s more than $20 billion less than FY 2016, yet U.S. forces are staying in Afghanistan, reinforcing Iraq and Europe, fighting Islamic terrorism, while trying to reconstitute and modernize our conventional and strategic forces and equipment at home. On the personnel side will be a recommendation to raise military pay by 1.6 percent, which will mark four consecutive years the Pentagon failed to at least match the Employment Cost Index, which could lead to another double digit military-civilian pay gap that hurt recruiting and retention efforts in the recent past. The military received a 1.3-percent increase this year. Read more at: http://www.defense.gov/News-ArticleView/Article/648373/carter-previews-fy2017-defense-budget-request.
4. SEAL to Receive Medal of Honor: The White House has announced that President Obama will award the Medal of Honor to a Navy special warfare operator on Feb. 29. Senior Chief Petty Officer Edward Byers, 37, of Ohio, will receive the nation’s highest valor award for his actions while serving as part of a team that rescued an American civilian being held hostage in Afghanistan in December 2012. The 17-year Navy veteran, who has seven combat tours, is a graduate of the Hospital Corpsman School, Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Course, and Special Operations Combat Medic Course. A Defense Department press release surprisingly
contained no details of the action; not so with this USA Today article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/02/02/navy-seal-edward-byers-medalof-honor-taliban-hostage-rescue-afghanistan/76977748/.
5. VFW Supports KW Wall of Remembrance: The VFW this week added its support to H.R.1475, the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Act of 2015, which would authorize a Wall of Remembrance to be added to the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. The new addition would memorialize the names of more than 33,700 American battle deaths, and at the VFW’s recommendation, include the names of the 2,835 non-battle but still in-theater deaths. The bill, which has more than 280 cosponsors, was introduced by Korean War veterans Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas), Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), and Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.).
6. Vietnam Memorial Wall of Faces Update: Hawaii this month became the eighth state to find photos of all their Vietnam fallen. The addition of Army Sgt. 1st Class Felicisimo Hugo of Wahiawa now means all 277 fallen service members from Hawaii have a photo on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Foundation’s Virtual Wall of Faces. The other states who have submitted photos for all their Vietnam fallen are Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. More than 45,000 photos have been received, but another 13,000 still need to be collected to ensure there’s a picture for every name inscribed on The Wall. Learn more about the initiative and how you can help at: http://www.vvmf.org/news/article=Hawaii-Becomes-Eighth-State-To-Find-Photos-For-TheirFallen.
7. Korean War MIA Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains belonging to Army Cpl. Dudley L. Evans, 24, of Greenville, Miss., who died in captivity after being taken prisoner in South Korea on Feb. 15, 1951. He was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
-------------------------------------From: JS Pentagon OCJCS Mailbox Warrior and Family Support Sent: Friday, February 05, 2016 4:18 PM Subj: Chairman’s Office of Reintegration News
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
The appearance of hyperlinks and the inclusion of specific examples of veteran service organizations, veteran support networks, or veteran support portals does not constitute endorsement by the Chairman's Office of Reintegration, the Joint Staff, or the Department of
Defense of the non-Federal entity, the external web site, or the information, products, or services contained therein. The Joint Staff does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these websites
COMMUNITIES IN ACTION
‘Shark Tank’ spotlights ex-JBLM Rangers behind Combat Flip Flops The News Tribune Matthew Griffin and Donald Lee launched Combat Flip Flops in 2011. Company steers part of revenue to literacy and mine-clearing charities in former war zones. On Friday, men featured on veteran-themed episode of TV show…
Veterans Finally Get the Support They Deserve MomZette Leaving your home, your family and your country to serve as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces takes guts, strength and dedication. So it’s a tragedy that many of our veterans must begin a completely new struggle once they’re back home on American soil.
Above & Beyond: Veteran volunteers renovating basement for homeless vets WRIC Liberation Family Services, a local organization that houses and helps homeless veterans, was looking for a way to expand. One Sunday, Executive Director Jay Patrick visited Sandston Presbyterian Church and talked to their ...
WELLNESS
Veterans are fighting the war on sleep Motherboard Three or four nights a week, after tucking himself in bed, Petrulis slides a prototype 17-pound weighted blanket over his sheets. The blanket is roughly 3 feet wide by 6 feet long, covered in penguin print, and looks a bit like 60 or so 4 x 4 inch bean bags handstitched together…
Veteran blood bank may play key role in cancer 'Moon Shot'
Military.com Fittingly, the veterans' role in the cancer Moon shot, as well as in scores of other research projects into illnesses that impact vets and non-vets alike, will be doing something they were prepared to do back in their active duty days: shed some blood ‌ Alarming rate of female veteran suicides addressed in Brown bill cleveland.com Last February President Barack Obama signed the "Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act," which calls for evaluation of existing Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health and suicide prevention programs. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown has just ...
EMPLOYMENT Strong veteran employment rates continue into 2016 Military Times The strong veteran employment numbers charted throughout 2015 continued in the first month of the new year, government data indicate. The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans was 5.7 percent in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics...
3 great entrepreneurial resources for military vets L.A. Biz A critical resource for veterans is the SBA's Boots to Business training program which provides entrepreneurial training for U.S. veterans. The program is available free to service members and their dependents transitioning or retiring from the U.S...
Petroleum industry wants veterans in oil & gas jobs Military Times He said a significant element of national security is veteran employment. “What better way to promote a sound oil and natural gas energy industry than to incorporate these skills and experiences into that environment,� Loren said. With the United...
EDUCATION
For-Profit Colleges Seeking Veterans' GI Bill Dollars Aren't Always The Best Fit NPR Recent government sanctions against predatory for-profit colleges that preyed on veterans by using inflated job promises have opened the window on the wider challenges of helping veterans transition from service to higher education. This week, the...
Florida veterans can apply for free entrepreneurship training Crestview News Bulletin
The Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program, a new statewide initiative that offers qualified veterans the opportunity to receive an accelerated entrepreneurship education at no cost, is now accepting applications. The pilot program's ...
Very Respectfully,
JASON A. SCHMIDT, Lt Col, USAF Deputy Director, Chairman’s Office of Reintegration. The Joint Staff The Pentagon, Washington DC 20318-9999
------------------------------------------------------------------------VETERANS EVENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------Jennifer Schaus & Associates – Schedule of Upcoming Events (Procurement related and Veterans Small Business Events) in and around the Washington, DC area. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=81fa7f67-09e6-45c7-81464e9804d905a9&c=c88ed930-bfa9-11e3-b2df-d4ae526edc76&ch=c945cd20-bfa9-11e3-b395d4ae526edc76
------------------------------------Virginia Values Veterans V3 – Virginia Department of Veterans Services - Training Schedule for the period February 2 – 19, 2016. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=88a83855-2234-46c4-ad92b340dcb077a7&c=f0bce490-c33d-11e4-887e-d4ae5292b9a6&ch=f0f7a3a0-c33d-11e4-887ed4ae5292b9a6
------------------------------------Federal Business Council (FBC) 2016 List of Conferences and Events: Lot of events going on and set-up and managed by FBC. Here is the list that takes us through to October 2016.
https://www.fbcconferences.com/search.aspx
------------------------------------Job ZONE Listing of Job Fairs for 2015 through 2016. http://us1.campaignarchive2.com/?u=0990c1fbb840ccb617b5992e6&id=383110f983&e=4c98ba860d
-------------------------------Code of Support Foundation Presents Toast to Our Troops! Wednesday, February 10, 2016, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Women in Military Service for America Memorial - 1 Memorial Ave., Arlington National Cemetery, VA. Come share in the camaraderie, and if you can, consider sponsoring. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/toast-to-our-troops-tickets-19551817011?ref=ebtnebtckt
------------------------------Northern California – Bay Area, Disabled Veteran Business Alliance (DVBA) Bay Area Chapter Meeting. February 10, 2016, Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. Go here to find additional details and to register. https://www.trailblz.info/disabledvetba/eviewer.aspx?vid=3EA78F45A74528E5FE6F485BC5096 9BE1D73ED620845C13FF4AC644B83757F28
-------------------------------National Veteran Small Business Coalition - DC Metro Dinner Meeting. Wednesday, February 10, 2016 from 3:30 PM to 8:30 PM (EST), Arlington, VA. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-veteran-small-business-coalition-10-february-2016-dcmetro-dinner-meeting-tickets20954599772?ref=enivtefor001&invite=OTA2MTY5MS93Z2F0ZXdvb2RAcXVhbGl0eXN1cHBvc nQuY29tLzA%3D&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=inviteformalv2& ref=enivtefor001&utm_term=attend
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SBA Workshop – Pricing for Government Contractors. Thursday, February 11, 2016 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), 4224 Cox Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060. This event is at NO Cost. Go here to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pricing-for-government-contractors-tickets20481441543?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_event_email& utm_term=viewmyevent_button
--------------------------------Disabled Veteran Business Alliance (DVBA) – Invitation to DVBA Inland Empire Chapter Meeting. February 17, 2016, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Riverside, CA. For details and to register: https://www.trailblz.info/disabledvetba/eviewer.aspx?vid=CC24404B54CD9570816C6EDA8A96 DC05549507255E208548780905DEFE0F7F77
-------------------------------NABVETS Buffalo Soldier Banquet 2016 – February 20, 2016, Morgan State University. Please see attached flyer for details. This is a gentle reminder of the Buffalo Soldier Banquet event. Attached is additional information concerning this outstanding event. If you need additional information, please contact fellow Veteran Wilbert Forbes by e-mail at wbforbes56@aol.com or call 301-938-6520 (c) or 301-839-4254. You are encouraged to share this announcement with your contacts.
-------------------------------Disabled Veteran Business Alliance (DVBA), Orange County Chapter Meeting. February 23, 2016, Newport Beach, CA. No cost. Go here for details and to register: https://www.trailblz.info/disabledvetba/eventcomplete.aspx?eventid=10
-------------------------------February 23, 2016 -Corporate Gray "Military Friendly" Job Fair, Virginia Beach, VA. You are invited to meet face-to-face with over 40 "military friendly" companies and schools at the Tuesday, February 23rd Corporate Gray "Military Friendly" Job Fair in the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Job fair hours are 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM with a cost-free career transition seminar starting at 8 AM. Participating companies include Lockheed Martin, Eaton, HP, Hewlett-Packard, AECOM, L-3 Unidyne, Navy Exchange, Newport News Shipbuilding, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Postal Service, Defense Contract Management Agency, CIA, and many more. To see the list of companies registered-to-date and for additional information, visit www.corporategray.com/jobfairs/365. By pre-
registering for this job fair, you will receive the employer directory the weekend before the event. And if you upload your resume, you'll make your credential accessible to the participating companies in advance. To do so, visit www.CorporateGray.com/applicants/new and create a free account. Then click the "Job Fairs" link and then the "register" link for the February 23 job fair in Virginia Beach. Good luck!
------------------------------American Legion 2016 Small Business Workshop, Small Business Roadmap to Success -Tuesday, February 23, 2016, Washington, DC. No Cost. For details and to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/small-business-roadmap-to-success-tickets-20743439185
-------------------------------Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce – National Center for Veteran Institute for Procurement once again announces VIP. March 1 – 3, 2016, and June 21 – 23, 2016. VIP Grow is a 3-day, 27-hour comprehensive certification program designed for veteran businesses to increase their ability to win government contracts by establishing best business practices. Classes are instructed by industry experts, government officials, and agency representatives. To date, 546 Veteran-owned businesses nationwide have graduated from the program. VIP is offered at no cost to participants. Enrollment is open to Veteran-owned businesses nationwide and limited to one executive from each business. Class size is limited to 50 individuals per session. As I understand from a number of Veterans that have attended VIP, this is an OUTSTANDING program. Two sessions are now available but better sign up quick! Go here for more detailed information. http://myemail.constantcontact.com/VIP-Grow--Spread-the-Word-to-Arm-Vets-to-Win.html?soid=1101128334983&aid=D95rd9q3xcc
------------------------------Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce – Government Contracting Forum – The Changing Landscape in the Government Services Market. New date is February 25, 2016. There is a $60.00 fee to attend. Go here for detailed information and to register: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=2b35aebe-a8cf-4a0f-955b860398f4ad3d&c=654b34e0-c049-11e3-b39b-d4ae529cddd3&ch=665b4550-c049-11e3-b39dd4ae529cddd3
------------------------------VA OSDBU Announces the NASA/JPL and the City of Pasadena Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Industry Day. Tuesday, March 1, 2016 7:00 AM, Pasadena
Convention Center, 300 East Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101. Registration is Free. Go here for details and to register: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAOSDBU/bulletins/12b94ae
------------------------------6th Annual Veteran Women Owned Small Business Seminar. March 17, 2016, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM. Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. Go here for details and to register: https://wave2016.busyconf.com/bookings/new
-----------------------------Disabled Veteran Business Alliance (DVBA) SoCal Construction Expo. March 29, 2016, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM, Camp Pendleton, CA. Please go here for details and to register: https://www.trailblz.info/disabledvetba/eviewer.aspx?vid=982A79B20E20692635F0F410A2DC6 265F587A8AE974E99817240CC2E96B75F42
-----------------------------Early Bird Registration - Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) GovConNet Procurement Conference. Thursday, May 12, 2016, 7:30am - 3:00pm, The Universities at Shady Grove, 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. For more information and to register: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=08c96955-1f83-4caf-b177027760fb00db&c=654b34e0-c049-11e3-b39b-d4ae529cddd3&ch=665b4550-c049-11e3-b39dd4ae529cddd3
--------------------------------Save the Date: VA OSDBU Announces the 2016 National Veterans Small Business Engagement. November 1 – 3, 2016, Minneapolis, MN. http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAOSDBU/bulletins/12dadbb
-------------------------------Folks! If you want to be REMOVED from the Vets News Distribution List, just send me an e-mail with the subject line "REMOVE!"
Prayers and blessings for you and your loved ones and for our amazing Troops and their loved ones everywhere.
Godspeed all....Wayne
Wayne M. Gatewood, Jr., USMC (Ret) Founder, President, CEO
Quality Support, Inc. Established 1989, VA CVE-Verified SDVOSB AIMS Consolidated Schedule GS-00F-0068M MOBIS - Schedule 874 8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 220 Landover, MD 20785 301-459-3777 - Fax 301-459-6961 http://www.qualitysupport.com/
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation." - George Washington
4 attachments — Download all attachments Buffalo Soldier Banquet 2016.pdf 588K View as HTML Download VA Media Summary and News Clips for Feb 5, 2016.pdf 635K View as HTML Download Vet Jobs Employment Report of February 5, 2016.pdf 39K View as HTML Download
Central FL Feb 2016 List of Vets, Military and Patriotic Events.pdf 29K View as HTML Download