Some Educational Benefits Issues

According to an article by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America:

"Today, 1.5 million troops are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to a very different future than the one FDR made possible for the Greatest Generation. The current educational benefits offered to veterans are far lower than the original GI Bill. Today, after paying a nonrefundable contribution from their first military paychecks, troops can receive a total of up to $39,600 towards their education. Unfortunately, this covers only 60-70% of the average cost of four years at a public college or university, or less than two years at a typical private college.

In addition, structural problems and bureaucratic delays discourage veterans from using their GI Bill benefits. National Guardsmen and Reservists, including those who have served multiple combat tours, typically receive only a fraction of their GI Bill benefits.

Moreover, 30% of troops who pay the nonrefundable $1,200 contribution do not end up using the GI Bill at all. These veterans have paid the government $230 million, but received nothing in return."

Read the entire article: http://www.iava.org/component/option,com_/Itemid,66/option,content/task,view/id,2492/

Veterans For Common Sense et al. v. Mansfield

You'll want to keep an eye on a class-action case "Veterans For Common Sense et al. v. Mansfield, Case No. C 07 3758, U.S.D.C. (N.D. Cal. 2007)"

This is a federal lawsuit on behalf of veterans with pending VA claims based upon PTSD.
You are invited to learn more:
http://www.veteransptsdclassaction.org/

New! Here's a page linking to case filings (very useful stuff): http://www.veteransptsdclassaction.org/cfd.html

Protect Your Right To Vote ....

...military personnel stationed overseas, or recently discharged, are especially vulnerable having their voter registration "caged" ... that is to say, canceled without notice.

It's easy to preserve your right to vote. Simply check online to confirm that your registration is current!

Political parties already have voter registration information; it's public data. But it's expensive to get, so ironically online voter access has had to wait until recently, when a non-profit teamed with a database company to put voter registrations online here: http://votepoke.org

If your registration is not on the database, IMMEDIATELY re-register to vote! ALL Americans should have their voter registration respected.

Ethics

• "Lawyers for Warriors" by Charles Myers, U.S. Air Force Academy (1997): "Military lawyers face special concerns just because their clients are soldiers, sailors, or other military personnel responsible for preparing for, waging, and win ning the country's wars lawfully and morally. ...."http://ethics.iit.edu/perspective/pers16_2spr97_3.html
  
  

Jobs - Protection and Opportunities: USERRA and ETC.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) prohibits discrimination against persons because of their service in the Armed Forces Reserve, the National Guard, or other uniformed services.

USERRA prohibits an employer from denying any benefit of employment on the basis of an individual’s membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation for service in the uniformed services. USERRA also protects the right of veterans, reservists, National Guard members, and certain other members of the uniformed services to reclaim their civilian employment after being absent due to military service or training.

• USERRA Advisor: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/userra.htm at the Department of Labor
• Text of USERRA Chapter 43 USC : http://www.dol.gov/vets/usc/vpl/usc38.htm (also available at http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode38/usc_sup_01_38_10_III_20_43.html )
• USERRA Links http://esgr.org/userrathelaw.asp hosted by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves: http://www.esgr.org/
• USERRA 101 online course: http://www.nvti.cudenver.edu/userra101
  
• Office Of Special Counsel on USERRA: http://www.osc.gov/userra.htm
• USERRA overview at military.com: http://www.military.com/benefits/legal-matters/userra/overview
  

See Also:
Veterans' Employment & Training Service (VETS):
http://www.dol.gov/vets/welcome.html

SCRA: Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is a federal statute passed by Congress to allow military members to suspend or postpone some civil obligations so that the military member can devote his or her full attention to military duties.

There are a variety of important protections, with a lot of details:

• Stay of Proceedings
• Default Judgments
• Eviction
• Home and Auto Leases
  
• Mortgages
• Interest Rate Cap
  

Follow the links to learn more:

• About the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (Coast Guard)
• Guide to SCRA
  
• SCRA Pocket Guide (2-page Word Document)
  
• SCRA Text (32-page PDF)

Organizations in Service to Veterans

Links to organizations of, by or for veterans. Please add any you think helpful:

Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America: http://www.iava.org/

National Gulf War Resource Center: http://www.ngwrc.org

Veterans of Modern Wars: http://modernveterans.com/

Blind Veterans Association: http://www.bva.org

Disabled American Veterans: http://www.dav.org/

Employers in Support of the Guard and Reserves: http://www.esgr.org/

Fisher House (helps families of wounded veterans be near them during treatment): http://www.fisherhouse.org/ Please note "Hero Miles", its Frequent Flyer Donation program: http://www.fisherhouse.org/programs/heroMiles.shtml

Operation Unmet Needs: http://www.unmetneeds.com/

Veterans Eye Care: http://www.veteranseyecare.com/