By Debbie Gregory. Military members coming home, preparing to transition back to civilian status, are certainly familiar with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but more research is still needed to understand how it affects individuals, and how to better treat it. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has recently […]
By Debbie Gregory. It was an unbelievable sight: 90-year-old World War II veteran Johnnie Hodges Sr being evicted from his home of 60 years, carried out strapped to a stretcher. Refusing to leave his home in Buffalo, New York, despite missing more than $100,000 in loan repayments and utility bills, Hodges made it clear that […]
By Debbie Gregory. It may be hard for some to understand why, after serving their country so bravely, a good number of veterans come back, only to struggle with basic housing. The homeless veteran population appears to occur after every conflict, from World War II and Vietnam to Afghanistan and Iraq. One contributing factor is […]
By Debbie Gregory. In two unrelated stories with a related theme, two members of the military have been court martialed for crimes against children. Spc. Nicholas Marcum, a 28-year-old soldier who was stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska was sentenced to 20 years for raping a 15-year-old girl, according to a U.S. Army spokesperson. Marcum was […]
By Debbie Gregory. Now in its 2nd year, the VA Nursing Academic Partnerships (VANAP) is a collaboration between VA facilities and nursing schools. Currently up and running in 25 locations nationwide, the program offers students a comprehensive clinical experience that focuses on Veteran care. The win-win partnership gives the student nurses intensive clinical training, while […]
By Debbie Gregory. Basic Training – often called boot camp – prepares recruits for all elements of service: physical, mental and emotional. It gives service members the basic tools necessary to perform the roles that will be asked of them for the duration of their tour. Each of the Services has its own training program, […]
By Debbie Gregory. The acting director of the Veterans Affairs Department’s investigative arm said that he will step down after facing criticism from both whistleblowers and members of Congress that he has interfered in the agency’s investigations to protect VA leadership. Richard Griffin, appointed deputy inspector general in 2008, has served as the office’s acting […]
By Debbie Gregory. If you had millions of dollars in an account, would you need an auditor to remind you that you had it? It seems that the Veterans Health Administration “parked,” (and then seemed to forget about) more than $43 million at the Government Printing Office over three years ago. “Parking” refers to the transfer […]
By Debbie Gregory. Ever since 2013’s sequestration threat, many Air Force airmen questioned whether they wanted to commit to long-term careers in active duty. Still desiring to serve in uniform and have the benefits of a military service, the Air Force Reserve offered the best of both worlds. And now, the Air Force Reserve is […]
By Debbie Gregory. An anonymous donor from New York gave 3,000 flowers to the city of Chattanooga to be used for memorial and funeral services for the five service members slain in the attacks on the Navy/Marine operations center. The flowers, echoing the colors of the American flag, were donated on behalf of the staff […]
