Vietnow, a family oriented veterans organization, hosts a veteran locator (a moderated forum for veterans looking for old buddies): http://www.voy.com/14001/
...as well as other resources. See: http://www.vietnow.com/
Friday, April 18, 2008
Vietnow Veteran Locator
Vietnow, a family oriented veterans organization, hosts a veteran locator (a moderated forum for veterans looking for old buddies): http://www.voy.com/14001/
...as well as other resources. See: http://www.vietnow.com/
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Invisible Wounds of War Study - Rand Corporation
Per IAVA.org:
The nonprofit research organization RAND released a study of the mental health of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, showing thousands of new veterans aren't getting care for traumatic brain injuries and mental health problems. PTSD and depression among returning troops will cost the nation as much as $6.2 billion in the two years following deployment. Investing in higher quality treatment could save close to $2 billion within two years.
The RAND study
Details are in Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. See http://www.rand.org/multi/military/veterans/
for this and numerous other studies.
Kudos to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America for publicizing this here.
The nonprofit research organization RAND released a study of the mental health of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, showing thousands of new veterans aren't getting care for traumatic brain injuries and mental health problems. PTSD and depression among returning troops will cost the nation as much as $6.2 billion in the two years following deployment. Investing in higher quality treatment could save close to $2 billion within two years.
The RAND study
- Looked at post-deployment needs from post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury
- Examined the treatment capacity of the current health care system, and
- estimated the costs of providing quality health care to all military members who need it.
Details are in Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. See http://www.rand.org/multi/military/veterans/
for this and numerous other studies.
Kudos to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America for publicizing this here.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Kansas Bar ISO Lawyers to Help Reservists
From the Kansas State Bar website:
"Members Needed to Help Military Personnel
The KBA is seeking members to draft basic wills as well as durable powers of attorney on a pro bono basis for families of reservists who are on alert or called to active duty.
This important community service program aptly named “Project Call Up” was originally initiated during the Desert Storm conflict and was reactivated in 2001 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
To participate or for more information, please contact Meg Wickham at (785) 234-5696 or via e-mail at mwickham@ksbar.org. You will be glad that you did!"
See http://www.ksbar.org/public/legal_resources/callup.shtml
"Members Needed to Help Military Personnel
The KBA is seeking members to draft basic wills as well as durable powers of attorney on a pro bono basis for families of reservists who are on alert or called to active duty.
This important community service program aptly named “Project Call Up” was originally initiated during the Desert Storm conflict and was reactivated in 2001 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.
To participate or for more information, please contact Meg Wickham at (785) 234-5696 or via e-mail at mwickham@ksbar.org. You will be glad that you did!"
See http://www.ksbar.org/public/legal_resources/callup.shtml
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
GI Bill 2008
On the legislative front, efforts to modernize the GI Bill press forward against heavy White House opposition.
Per http://www.gibill2008.org/:
"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.
"Today’s veterans deserve a real reintegration program to help adjust to the civilian world. At the same time, a renewed GI Bill is a practical answer to the military’s troop shortage. Despite investing $4 billion in recruiting annually, the military has had serious problems recruiting high-caliber personnel. The Pentagon has responded by lowering age, education, and aptitude standards for new recruits, as well as upping the number of recruiters and increasing enlistment bonuses. These stopgap measures will not address long-term problems with recruiting, especially as the overall size of the armed forces is expanded.
"Rather than continuing to spend billions in bonuses for lower-standard enlistees, increasing GI Bill benefits would encourage high-aptitude young people to join the military. The GI Bill is the military’s single most effective recruitment tool: the number-one reason civilians join the military is to get money for college. As our military recovers and resets in the coming years, an expanded GI Bill will play a crucial role in ensuring that our military remains the strongest and most advanced in the world."
If you a World War II veteran and a beneficiary of the original GI Bill, or an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran who has had trouble paying for school, you can tell your story here.
Learn More: http://www.gibill2008.org/
Per http://www.gibill2008.org/:
"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.
"Today’s veterans deserve a real reintegration program to help adjust to the civilian world. At the same time, a renewed GI Bill is a practical answer to the military’s troop shortage. Despite investing $4 billion in recruiting annually, the military has had serious problems recruiting high-caliber personnel. The Pentagon has responded by lowering age, education, and aptitude standards for new recruits, as well as upping the number of recruiters and increasing enlistment bonuses. These stopgap measures will not address long-term problems with recruiting, especially as the overall size of the armed forces is expanded.
"Rather than continuing to spend billions in bonuses for lower-standard enlistees, increasing GI Bill benefits would encourage high-aptitude young people to join the military. The GI Bill is the military’s single most effective recruitment tool: the number-one reason civilians join the military is to get money for college. As our military recovers and resets in the coming years, an expanded GI Bill will play a crucial role in ensuring that our military remains the strongest and most advanced in the world."
If you a World War II veteran and a beneficiary of the original GI Bill, or an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran who has had trouble paying for school, you can tell your story here.
Learn More: http://www.gibill2008.org/
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Henderson v. Peake in Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Per Paralyzed Veterans of America:
"The [Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims] recently heard oral argument in the case of Henderson v. Peake. The question before the Court was whether it can have jurisdiction over cases where a veteran files his or her Notice of Appeal (NOA) late because of mental or physical disabilities.
"Some courts have permitted late filing in these circumstances under a theory of equitable tolling, but a recent Supreme Court decision, Bowles v. Russell, has made courts question whether such late filings may still be permitted.
"In Bowles, the petitioner was attempting to appeal the denial of a writ of habeas corpus to the Sixth Circuit, through the benefit of 28 U.S.C.A. § 2107(c) (West 2002), which has a specific, limited time period for filing. A judge gave him a deadline that was longer than the statute’s time period, and he filed his petition within the period allowed by the judge but two days later that the period stated in the statute. Finding that the statute’s filing deadlines were mandatory, the Supreme Court held that the Sixth Circuit could not equitably toll the deadline and the filing was therefore late. The Supreme Court also expressly overruled an earlier case that allowed a late filing.
"Paralyzed Veterans submitted a brief as amicus curiae on behalf of Mr. Henderson, arguing that the Supreme Court’s decision has no application to the CAVC’s equitable tolling case law, which is premised on the Supreme Court’s decision in Irwin v. Department of Veterans Affairs, a case which was not mentioned or overruled in the Bowles decision.
"Click here to read Paralyzed Veteran’s amicus curiae brief."
"The [Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims] recently heard oral argument in the case of Henderson v. Peake. The question before the Court was whether it can have jurisdiction over cases where a veteran files his or her Notice of Appeal (NOA) late because of mental or physical disabilities.
"Some courts have permitted late filing in these circumstances under a theory of equitable tolling, but a recent Supreme Court decision, Bowles v. Russell, has made courts question whether such late filings may still be permitted.
"In Bowles, the petitioner was attempting to appeal the denial of a writ of habeas corpus to the Sixth Circuit, through the benefit of 28 U.S.C.A. § 2107(c) (West 2002), which has a specific, limited time period for filing. A judge gave him a deadline that was longer than the statute’s time period, and he filed his petition within the period allowed by the judge but two days later that the period stated in the statute. Finding that the statute’s filing deadlines were mandatory, the Supreme Court held that the Sixth Circuit could not equitably toll the deadline and the filing was therefore late. The Supreme Court also expressly overruled an earlier case that allowed a late filing.
"Paralyzed Veterans submitted a brief as amicus curiae on behalf of Mr. Henderson, arguing that the Supreme Court’s decision has no application to the CAVC’s equitable tolling case law, which is premised on the Supreme Court’s decision in Irwin v. Department of Veterans Affairs, a case which was not mentioned or overruled in the Bowles decision.
"Click here to read Paralyzed Veteran’s amicus curiae brief."
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Survey of Issues Facing Female Veterans
Swords to Plowshares, a veteran non-profit founded by veterans in 1974, is hosting a survey is part of an effort to improve services for female veterans.
Per its website:
"Issues facing female veterans need to be documented. The anonymous answers here will help Swords to Plowshares advocate for policy changes for you and future returning soldiers. Documentation and policy advocacy will lead to more services for our community. ..."
"In response to the increasing number of veterans from the Global War on Terror, we have expanded our services for those returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom through the Iraq Veteran Project."
Consider contributing to the survey at: http://swords-to-plowshares.org/vets4vets-womens-workshop-interview-questions/
Per its website:
"Issues facing female veterans need to be documented. The anonymous answers here will help Swords to Plowshares advocate for policy changes for you and future returning soldiers. Documentation and policy advocacy will lead to more services for our community. ..."
"In response to the increasing number of veterans from the Global War on Terror, we have expanded our services for those returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom through the Iraq Veteran Project."
Consider contributing to the survey at: http://swords-to-plowshares.org/vets4vets-womens-workshop-interview-questions/
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Economic Stimulus Payments for Low-Income Veterans
Per Paralyzed Veterans of America:
"The recently approved economic stimulus package contains a special provision allowing Social Security and veterans benefits to count toward the qualifying income requirement of $3,000 needed to receive the stimulus payment.
Even if a veteran paid no federal income taxes in 2007, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provides for payments of $300 ($600 if married filing jointly) as well as an additional payment of $300 for each qualifying child for those who qualify..."
More Information: http://www.pva.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8465
"The recently approved economic stimulus package contains a special provision allowing Social Security and veterans benefits to count toward the qualifying income requirement of $3,000 needed to receive the stimulus payment.
Even if a veteran paid no federal income taxes in 2007, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provides for payments of $300 ($600 if married filing jointly) as well as an additional payment of $300 for each qualifying child for those who qualify..."
More Information: http://www.pva.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8465
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