Tag Archive for: Military Connection

You are here: / Military Connection

Posts

Army Considering Hollow Point Ammo : Military Connection

/in , ,

Military Connection: ammo

By Debbie Gregory.

In a dramatic shift for the US military, the Army is considering the use of bullets that can expand and break up when striking a target, making new pistols more lethal.

After a recent legal review within the Pentagon, the Army can consider expanding the use of fragmenting ammunition, such as hollow point bullets, to increase its next-generation handgun’s ability to stop an enemy.

A hollow-point bullet is an expanding bullet that has a pit or hollowed out shape in its tip, often intended to cause the bullet to expand upon entering a target in order to decrease penetration and disrupt more tissue as it travels through the target. It is also used for controlled penetration, where over-penetration could cause collateral damage.

This marks a departure from battlefield practices over a century old, and raises concerns about violating international law.

While this isn’t the first approved use of such bullets in the military, the stance represented a re-interpretation of the legal standard for ammunition. Currently, only ball ammunition is used. These rounds are designed to hold together, increasing penetration and narrowing the tunnel of damaged tissue.

More than 20 manufacturers are vying to make the XM-17, the Army’s next handgun. Most of the Army uses full metal jacket, or ball ammunition, in both handguns and rifles.

Expanding and fragmenting bullets can flatten or break apart, and are more likely to remain in the body of a target and transfer all of their energy to it. A wider swath of tissue is typically destroyed.

The United States has generally observed the 1899 Hague Convention battlefield rule barring expanding and fragmenting rounds. The declaration was ratified by all major powers, except the U.S. , but the Pentagon has used it as the legal standard to rule out any ammunition other than ball for use in sidearms.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Army Considering Hollow Point Ammo : Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Why You Need R&R: Military Connection

/in ,

Military Connection: AFVC

By Shelly Howard

Veteran of the U.S. Navy

“You don’t know how to relax,” was one of my wife’s criticisms. “You don’t know how to rest your body and mind.

She was right. Like the proverbial chicken, I have always been a busy person. Some might even say “taskmaster.” But there comes a point when you realize that life is not a dress rehearsal. We are given a finite amount of time to enjoy our lives.

Relaxing your mind and body, turning off the switch so that you forget about everything related to work and life stressors is what R&R is all about. Scientific studies have shown that people who take regular vacations are better at their jobs. Vacation time is important for physical health, emotional health, interpersonal clarity and personal comfort, as well as increased efficiency and decreased irritability.

With that said, the last thing you want to stress out about is paying for your vacation, or being cramped into a small room with your spouse and kids. And that’s why the vacation lodgings available through Armed Forces Vacation Club (AFVC) are such a great value to those of us who serve, past and present.

AFVC has lodging available virtually everywhere, including most states in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico…well, you get the idea. And whether you decide to spend your vacation time sunning on the beach, sightseeing, reading a book, shopping, or just reconnecting with loved ones, AFVC can help you book affordable lodging.

So if you’re ready to give your mind a break from work and from the stresses of everyday “headless chicken” life, sign up for free membership on AFVC’s website.

While you’re there, you can take advantage of their sale, which features a free‡ 7 night select space-a stay when you buy any 7 night stay. Free‡* 7 Night Select Space-A Stay When You Buy Any 7 Night Stay. Don’t wait too long though – this offer ends on August 18, 2015. Learn more about the sale here.

Disclaimer:

‡For a limited time only, when you purchase any 7 Night Stay you will receive a free 7 Night select Space-A stay. Must enter promo code AUGUST when making the initial booking. Initial stay must be booked 8/4/15 through 8/18/15 at 11:59 PM ET for check-in through July 2016. Free 7 Night select Space-A stay must be booked by 8/26/15 at 11:59 PM ET for check-in 8/7/15 through 12/20/15; all travel must be completed by 12/27/15. Bookings made through this offer are non-refundable. Reward Coupon(s) cannot be used towards this promotion.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Why You Need R&R: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Is the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act Working? Military Connection

/in ,

Military Connection: civil

By Debbie Gregory.

Federal law may guarantee military student loan deferments, but more reports to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) are indicating that many loans are either being denied or mishandled by financial institutions.

Protections should be in place for borrowers under the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act. The bill states that lenders cannot charge more than six percent interest on any pre-service debt to anyone on active duty. Additionally, it states that additional charges cannot be added when the service person is no longer on active duty.

The bill also protects borrowers from eviction during their deployment. Considering the number of reports filed with the CFPB, it would seem that these provisions have been bypassed, evaded, or simply ignored by a number of lenders, despite a recent non-compliance group settlement.

Holly Petraeus, assistant director to the CFPB, has stated that some non-compliant lenders are not identifying their reasoning for either denying or refusing deferments. When one borrower deployed to Afghanistan reported a denied request for deferment, the lender offered little basis for their decision.

“Instead of clearly explaining the reason for the denial,” explained Petraeus, “the borrower’s servicer merely listed the various criteria used to determine eligibility, without indicating which of the criteria he failed to satisfy.”

Eventually, with the efforts of the CFPB, the lender in this case reversed their decision. The fact that it took pressure from the bureau to correct their determination is what remains most frustrating.

What does a borrower in the military with a student loan do if they are faced with a less-than compliant lender? Review the resources at regulations.gov for more information pertaining to your situation. Contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for support. Be aware that defaulting on a loan affects your credit, which could affect your ability to obtain or maintain your security clearance. Know your rights and seek the support you need to assure your loans are handled within the provisions of the SCRA, and in your best interest.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Is the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act Working? Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Making Proof of Service Easier: Military Connection

/in

idcard

By Debbie Gregory.

Congress has approved a measure sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla that offers veteran ID cards to honorably discharged service members. The cards would be an easier way to prove military service.

The Veterans ID Card Act (H.R. 91), passed through the Senate and House without objection, but took several years to get through Congress. The Obama administration has expressed reservations about the need for the new IDs, but has not threatened to veto the legislation.

While the cards won’t replace medical IDs or official defense retiree IDs for veterans, and can’t be used as proof of service for employment purposes, or for eligibility to obtain federal benefits, they will make it easier to reap some of the benefits afforded to those who have served.

It is a simple move to honor the sacrifice and service of veterans, and saves them from having to carry around discharge paperwork. Besides being cumbersome, it can be unsafe, given the personal information included on those official documents.

“This legislation will assist veterans in proving that they are indeed veterans,” said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif. “The majority of service members leave before retirement … and are sometimes challenged to provide proof of their honorable service. This is a simple way to resolve this issue.”

Veterans requesting the IDs would have to pay a small fee, to be determined by Veterans Affairs officials. That fee would cover the cost of the program.

The measure heads to the White House to be signed into law. No time frame has been established for when the first ID cards might be issued.

It will be interesting to see just how many veterans actually request the card. Perhaps the ease of verification might make more businesses want to offer a discount as a way of saying, “Thank you for your service.”

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Making Proof of Service Easier: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Running to Honor The Memory of Fallen Comrades: Military Connection

/in

Military Connection: marathons

By Debbie Gregory.

In 2012, running a marathon was the last thing on U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Lewis’ mind. Recently divorced, Lewis wasn’t in a good place or a positive frame of mind.

As a boy, the one person Lewis looked to as his hero was his grandfather. Whatever his grandfather told him to do, Lewis knew it was the right thing to do. He credits joining the service, then reenlisting to his grandfather’s sage advice. Anything Lewis accomplished in the military was an ode to his childhood hero.

As a release from the stress of each day and his emotional state, Lewis began to run a few extra laps during his exercise sessions. Running became easier, and actually more enjoyable. Within a year, Lewis was running 20 miles with greater ease than he ever thought possible.

Lewis began to seriously think about running a marathon. Unfortunately, at the same time, the man Lewis looked up to all his life passed away. Trying to endure this pain, Lewis decided to ramp up his running and dedicate his first marathon to his grandfather.

Running was the challenge he needed, and Lewis began to look for more purpose in his subsequent marathons. A OH-58 Kiowa helicopter crew chief and platoon sergeant, Lewis knew a number of fellow Kiowa pilots who died during his deployment. Honoring them became his mission. He joined the group Wear Blue Run to Remember, dedicated to bringing awareness to fallen military personnel.

During his first run with the group, a fellow runner had just finished his 50th state run. Lewis suddenly found his inspiration. He visited a website with fallen Kiowa pilots and discovered 49 names for which he could dedicate his efforts.

“I just always try to think about them the whole time because that’s what propels me to push,” said Lewis. “I don’t see it as something that I’m doing for myself, or that I’m gaining anything from it. I am just doing it for them because I would do the same thing if I was put in their situation–I would have followed the call.”

You can follow Lewis on his quest to fulfill his honor marathons here.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Running to Honor The Memory of Fallen Comrades: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

VA Leads PTSD Brain Bank Research Consortium: Military Connection

/in

Military ConnectionL PTSD brain

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 published their plans to establish a program to follow participants diagnosed with PTSD throughout their life. With permission, health records will be kept, and then upon the participants’ death, brain and other body tissue will be donated to the program for further analysis.

“Although we have learned a great deal about abnormalities in brain structure and function from brain imaging research, there is no substitute for looking at the neurons themselves,” said consortium director Dr. Matthew Friedman. He added, “Understanding the cellular and circuit contributions to abnormal brain activity in PTSD is critical in the search for potential biomarkers of susceptibility, illness and treatment response and for developing new treatments targeting the conditions at the cellular level.”

VA medical centers treated 533,720 patients diagnosed with PTSD in 2013 alone. This ranks third as the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis among veterans utilizing VA hospitals. Additionally, it is estimated that 50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment.

A considerable amount of research has found that trauma has negative effects on physical health. While there may not be specific evidence in every patient, veterans diagnosed with PTSD have been known to have greater risks to develop other health issues, including alcoholism, depression, suicide, and even hypertension.

What is evident, though, is that there is a correlation between biological and psychological mechanisms. This is where Dr. Friedman’s consortium may lend more evidence, and therefore, more effective treatments and therapies.

Facilities participating in the consortium are located at VA medical centers in Boston, MA, San Antonio, TX, West Haven, CT, and White River Junction, VT, along with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences at Bethesda, MD (USUHS). Veterans interested in learning more about enrolling in the brain bank are encouraged to call, toll-free, 800-762-6609 or visit the website.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

VA Leads PTSD Brain Bank Research Consortium: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

WWII Veteran Evicted From His Home : Military Connection

/in ,

johnnie

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 the police would have to carry him out in handcuffs.

The events followed a four-year dispute with local authorities, and he was served with an eviction notice on July 9th.

Hodges, who served in the Navy, became deep in debt after his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and his health failed, causing him to lose his job . The veteran secured a second mortgage to make home repairs, but medical bills for his wife made it difficult to meet his monthly repayments.

‘I fell behind on the mortgage when my wife was sick. She had Alzheimer’s disease.’

By 2011, he owed $100,000 to M&T Bank plus tens of thousands in liens on the property.

“I worked a lifetime for this house, and I’d like to be here until I leave this world,” he said in a June interview.

Proudly wearing his Navy cap, Hodges looked defiant as he was carried out last week to be taken to a veterans home for a mental health assessment.
Meanwhile, the home where he raised his two children and nursed his wife of more than 65 years in her final days was emptied of his possessions. Movers took everything from the house, packed them into boxes and loaded them into two moving vans.

“There was nothing wrong with him emotionally or physically. His faculties are really good,” said his daughter, Robin,who watched the situation unfold that day. “That’s the only home that I know about,” she said. “That’s where I grew up.”

Hodges is currently living in a senior apartment in the neighboring town of Cheektowaga, N.Y., and he is determined to make the best of the situation. According to his daughter, he isn’t saying much about the eviction. “He just still believes that things are going to work out,” she said.
“It’s a sad day for everyone involved because this outcome could have been avoided. “We’ve worked on this case for more than four years, involved local not-for-profit agencies and even worked with private citizens who were willing to arrange for him stay in the house for free, however all offers of assistance were refused,” C. Michael Zabel, vice president of corporate communications for M&T Bank, said in a statement. “Under the rules that govern FHA mortgages such as this one, we went far above and beyond what was required, but there was nothing else we could do.”

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

WWII Veteran Evicted From His Home : Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Promising Statistics on Veteran Homelessness: Military Connection

/in , , , ,

Military Connection: homeless vets

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 an extreme shortage of affordable housing compounded by many military occupations not translating to the civilian workforce. This increases the struggle for those needing specialized healthcare for PTSD, TBI, or mental health counseling.

With that said, statistics are changing. There are indications that there was a decline in the number of homeless veterans in January 2014 (49,933); 33 percent less than the statistics from 2010. The majority of homeless veterans still remain to be male, however, approximately eight percent are female.

It appears that 50 percent of homeless vets are between the ages of 18 and 50, with only 10 percent being younger vets under 31. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 40 percent are African American or Hispanic. This is significant in that ten percent of the entire veteran population is African American and four percent of all veterans are Hispanic.

Type of service also seems to factor in these statistics; approximately 33 percent of homeless veterans were stationed in a war zone. Twice that percentage served for at least three years. Compared to the American public, veterans are twice as likely to succumb to homelessness, and women veterans’ risk is four times greater than their male counterparts.

While strides are being made to reduce these statistics, poverty, difficulty obtaining support specific to their needs, and substandard housing remain the primary reasons that veteran homelessness still occurs. Among this population, some 40,000 individuals receive monthly compensation of some sort, but it’s simply not enough to cover U.S. basic living standards. Even more challenging is housing for those who have special needs, modifications that come at a higher cost. Without adequate support, upwards of two-thirds of homeless veterans have unaddressed substance abuse issues.

It is likely that homeless veterans need approximately six years to improve their situation, where as those who have never served appear to see improved opportunities in about four years.

Many who ask “why” might ask “how” – how can these statistics change? Rather than looking at the situation on a national level, the answer most likely rests with local support. Communities can assess what the needs are in their area, and build local support or coalitions. Perhaps there are already veteran service providers that need more funding or volunteers. It’s important to contact local officials who have a stronger voice in paving the way for improvements, support, and most importantly, hope.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Promising Statistics on Veteran Homelessness: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Bringing Shame on the Military: Military Connection

/in ,

predator

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 convicted on one specification of “forcible rape of a child,” according to the Army. He will be confined at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the military’s only maximum-security correctional facility.

The rape occurred on Fort Wainwright in 2014. Marcum was a friend of the girl’s family, and was also accused of giving alcohol to the girl.

Naval officer and Top Gun graduate Lt. Daniel Chase Harris was sentenced to 50 years in prison on charges he coerced nine underage girls into sending him explicit photos and videos of themselves. A federal jury convicted Harris on 31 felonies, including 13 counts of production of child pornography and two counts of obstruction of justice.

Harris threatened a 14-year-old girl who sent him a topless selfie with public humiliation if she refused more explicit instructions. He was accused of similar threats to eight other girls in the U.S. and in Japan.

While awaiting trial, Harris used a false name to draft a letter claiming that he had been framed. While awaiting sentencing, he wrote to the Chinese Embassy offering to trade his military expertise for help in breaking out of jail.

According to court testimony and documents, Harris’ victims did not know him by name. He used aliases to pose as teenage boys and to flirt with the girls. Prosecutors argued he used aliases to contact the girls between 2011 and 2013 while he was stationed in Virginia Beach, Florida, South Carolina, Japan, Guam, and Fallon, Nev., which is home to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center and Top Gun.

The youngest victim was 12 when she met Harris online in 2013.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Bringing Shame on the Military: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Calling All Nurses: Military Connection

/in ,

Military Connection: nurse showing care to patient

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 at the same time providing top-notch nurses to serve veterans.

RNs working alongside students relish in their temporary teaching roles, turning out nurses shaped specifically to address the unique needs of veterans. By the end of the 4-year program, graduates are fully accustomed to the culture and mission at VA.

Students nurses receive specialized training in mental health, traumatic brain injury care, home-based health care, palliative care, women’s health and homeless care.

Students selected to participate in VANAP will experience the honor and prestige of the VANAP affiliation and participation in a select student cohort. They will receive unique clinical experiences with significant time in residence in VA settings throughout the program.

The deep immersion in veteran‐centric topics will provide a unique focus on the specialized health care needs of veterans

VANAP scholars are eligible to compete for the VALOR program and the VA Post Baccalaureate Nurse Residency program.  Additionally, graduates from the VANAP program are highly valued for employment within the VA Health System.

Veteran-centric concepts are introduced throughout the curriculum. Conditions and issues unique to veterans are presented. All VANAP Nurse Scholars will have expanded opportunities that will enhance their clinical education.

The Veterans Health Administration is the largest employer of nurses. The VHA works diligently to ensure their nursing students have all the training and educational support necessary to maximize their potential for providing top quality care to veterans.

Student nurses are not required to have a military background to participate in the VANAP program.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their families. We are the go-to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go-to site.

Calling All Nurses: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

 


© 2006-2020 Military Connection, Owned by BL, LLC. All rights reserved

Military Connection