By Debbie Gregory Compared to other professional sports in the U.S., such as football or basketball, hockey may not be as popular or as watched. But those who do follow the sport know that hockey is not just a game, but a way of life – full of traditions. And hockey fans are some of […]
By Debbie Gregory At approximately 3:10 P.M. local time on Tuesday, January 6, 2015, a gunman opened fire at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center- El Paso. The center is located adjacent to the William Beaumont Army Medical Center on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Statements made at a press conference by Major […]
By Debbie Gregory The Pentagon is currently strategizing for it’s next imminent conflict. But this will not be a war fought in a foreign land; it will be a political skirmish on Capitol Hill, as a congressionally appointed commission is poised to deliver the results of its two-year study on military compensation and retirement. The […]
By Debbie Gregory. On December 28, 2014, a trilateral information sharing arrangement was signed between the U.S., the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Japan. The agreement pools information regarding the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (North Korea) nuclear and missile threats. The U.S. has already separately maintained agreements with South Korea and Japan. In 2012, […]
By Debbie Gregory. As of January 1, 2015, the new rates for Department of Defense (DOD) basic pay, basic allowance for housing, basic allowance for subsistence, and cost of living allowance for the contiguous United States have taken effect. Service members will see an increase of 1% to their basic pay in 2015. For enlisted […]
By Debbie Gregory. Every year, thousands of service members separate from their military branch, for a multitude of reasons. Some of these men and women want to enroll in school, start a family, or reconnect with their families after multiple deployments and years spent away from home. Whatever the reason for leaving, military officials believe […]
By Debbie Gregory. Over the last few years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has implemented several measures in an effort to end the backlog of benefit claims by the end of 2015. In 2014, the VA made up a lot of ground, but can they really eliminate the backlog by the end of […]
Last Sunday’s ceremony in Kabul marked the end of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan, and subsequently, the war itself for the U.S. military. But there are no parades to celebrate the end of the war or the American service members who fought in it. Instead, military personnel are facing more draw downs and force reductions, […]
As we head into a new year, some Veterans may find themselves experiencing higher levels of sadness, loneliness, and fatigue. Often, the holiday season can trigger additional stressors, which often include family tensions, financial difficulties, and being separated from loved ones during the holidays. All of these stressors, individually, can add to the burden that […]
From the 1950’s through the 1980’s, civilian contractors, service members and their families living or working on the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, were potentially exposed to contaminated drinking water. For decades, complaints blamed on the water at Lejeune, including serious ailments such as cancers, infertility, neurobehavioral effects, and deaths, have […]
