Military Connection Archives

Army Plans Personnel Cuts: Military Connection

July 9, 2015/in Military, Military News

In a move that will affect virtually every Army post, domestically and abroad, the Army plans to cut 40,000 soldiers from its ranks over the next two years. Under the cost-cutting plan, the Army will be down to 450,000 soldiers at the end of the 2017 budget year. Additionally, 17,000 Army civilian employees would also be laid off.

The potential cut comes as the Obama administration is pondering its next moves against the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and Syria. More than a year after IS fighters overran much of Iraq and Syria, the United States and its allies are struggling to turn the tide against the extremists in an air campaign known as Operation Inherent Resolve. There are about 3,500 troops in Iraq.

The Army declined to comment on the proposed reductions in its forces.

The proposed changes to reach the end-strength of 450,000 include cutting the number of BCTs, the Army’s primary fighting formations, from a wartime high of 45 down to 30. Brigades at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska will be downsized from units of about 4,000 soldiers to battalion task forces of 1,050 soldiers. The brigades affected are 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Benning and 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division in Alaska.

“I was extremely disturbed to hear the Army even consider – let alone reach a final decision on – plans to reduce troop levels in Alaska,” said Rep Don Young, R-Alaska. “In these times of growing global threats, especially in the Asia-Pacific and Arctic regions, the Army should be increasing its presence in Alaska – not cutting it by more than 2,600 soldiers.”

Some of the cuts were expected. The Army built up to a strength of about 570,000 during the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but came down to the current troop strength of about 490,00 as troops were withdrawn. After most troops of the troops came home from those wars, the Army had always planned to downsize.

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 Plans Personnel Cuts: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

When You Need to Talk to Someone Who Gets It: Military Connection

By Debbie Gregory.

The DoD is offering a peer-to-peer counseling service to help military service members, transitioning troops and family members deal with issues before they become crises.

Available through Military OneSource, the new service offers assistance from counselors who have at least a master’s degree in the social or psychology field, as well as military experience to help with a host of issues.

With that level of education and experience, peer support counselors can chat confidentially with clients and assist with any underlying issues that might be associated with someone’s need to chat, online or by phone.

Because Military OneSource is the central one-stop service that offers military families a host of direct services as well as information on a vast array of resources, it made efficient and effective sense to add peer-to-peer support to its list of services.

Talking with someone who understands the stress you are experiencing, because they’ve personally been there too, can relieve some of that stress. The peer consultants have firsthand life experience as service members or military spouses in addition to their training. If the situation necessitates, clients can receive a warm handoff to obtain up to 12 sessions with a clinical counselor, per issue.

Active duty, National Guard and Reserve service members, their families and veterans are eligible to receive Military OneSource confidential peer-to-peer specialty consultation up to 180 days after separation from the military. It’s important to note that using the confidential services will not negatively affect your career or the career of your spouse.

For transitioning service members who will soon re-enter the civilian sector, peer-to-peer counselors will offer their expertise during what might be a turbulent and life-changing time.

A confidential peer-to-peer specialty consultation is a relaxed conversation that can be about the challenges of military life, such as deployments or frequent relocation. You can schedule your confidential peer-to-peer specialty consultation by calling Military OneSource 24/7 at 800-342-9647.

Military life is full of exciting and challenging times. Now you can talk to someone who gets it.

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.

When You Need to Talk to Someone Who Gets It: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Game-changing Device May Save Lives: Military Connection

July 8, 2015/in Healthcare, Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

Battlefield medics and emergency responders have seen it before: a patient with no visible wounds suddenly goes into shock from internal bleeding. Getting rapid treatment for wounds or injuries suffered on the battlefield can mean the difference between life and death.

Army medical researchers recently developed “a device that will revolutionize triage,” according to Lt. Col. Robert Carter, a task area manager for Tactical Combat Casualty Care Research at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.

The device, called the Compensatory Reserve Index, or CRI, is about the size of a small matchbox with a computer display. A wire connects it to a plastic clip that’s placed on an injured Soldier’s finger. The device displays vital signs: body temperature, heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure.

Internal injuries caused by a blast that resulted in severe, life-threatening injuries would likely go unnoticed until the vital signs were taken. With the CRI, a medic can quickly snap the device on to everyone who is down and the vital signs are almost immediately displayed, Carter said.

Lt. Col. Will Smith, an emergency medicine physician in the Army Reserve, said “It could revolutionize how we take care of patients in both the pre-hospital as well as the hospital setting. If this device can be validated and receive clinical approval, then it has an amazing potential to save lives.”

Currently, CRI is being tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for certification. Then the Army will determine whether or not to field it, Carter said. Meanwhile, multiple civilian trauma care centers and clinics around the country are testing and using the device, as the Army has decided to share its technology.

“Right now, the Israeli Defense Force is using it and saving lives,” he added, predicting that in the future, CRI “will save a lot of time and a lot of lives” when it gets in the hands of U.S. Army medics.

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.

Game-changing Device May Save Lives: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Removing Education Roadblocks for Veterans: Military Connection

July 7, 2015/in Education, GI Bill, Military Veteran, Veteran News, Veteran Schools, Veterans Benefits

By Debbie Gregory.

As of July 1, 2015, 34 states and three territories have agreed to comply with Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act. This means that covered individuals using the Post-9/11 GI Bill or MGIB – AD at public institutions of higher learning (IHL) will be charged the resident rate for tuition and fees . Currently in compliance are:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Guam, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Pennsylvania, American Samoa, and Washington intend to comply.

Section 702 will assist veterans with more effectively utilizing their hard-earned education benefits. The cost for out of state tuition is often at least double, and sometimes triple, that of in-state tuition. Section 702 allows our nation’s veterans the freedom to return to civilian life as a student, without being penalized for where they choose to reside.

Those covered under the Choice Act are Veterans, their spouses or children who are living in the state where the IHL is located, and enroll in the school within three years of the service member’s discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

Also covered are spouses or children using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship who qualify as above.

The above compliant states and territories meet the statutory requirements as determined by VA. The states and schools not already in compliance will be extended additional time to make sure that GI Bill students may continue their education and training at their chosen institutions

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.

Removing Education Roadblocks for Veterans: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Paying the Debt We Owe Our Veterans: Military Connection

July 7, 2015/in Military Veteran, Veteran Employment

By Debbie Gregory.

VA Launches Community-Based Employment Service for Homeless Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is dedicated to giving Veterans the opportunity to return to healthy, productive lifestyles within their own communities. The VA has announced a new program aimed at helping at-risk Veterans secure stable, long-term employment and housing.

The new program, Homeless Veteran Community Employment Services (HVCES), relies on those who know their communities, and can work with local employers to identify suitable jobs based on a Veteran’s skills and abilities. These Community Employment Coordinators (CECs) will be responsible for connecting homeless and at-risk Veterans to appropriate VA and community-based employment services.

“Securing long-term, stable and fulfilling employment is important for Veterans who are exiting homelessness or are at-risk of becoming homeless,” said VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. “We know that finding gainful employment can change the life of a Veteran. This new program is a key component of the overall strategy to prevent and end Veteran homelessness.”

The VA offers a variety of additional services, including health care, to increase the likelihood of on-the-job success.

An important function of what CECs do is the development of relationships with employers who may be able to hire Veterans. They are assisted by the VA, which provides the necessary support services to ensure each Veteran’s transition back into the workforce is successful.

Veterans have a proven track record of dependability, teamwork, and individual problem solving from their military experience.

If you are or know of a Veteran who is homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless, homeless coordinators are ready to help. Veterans and their families can also call 1-877-4AID-VET to get connected to VA services.

For a list of the CECs in your local area, visit www.va.gov/homeless/cec-contacts.asp.

More information about VA’s homeless programs is available at www.va.gov/homeless.

Veterans have served our country well. Employing them and securing homes for them and their families honors their many sacrifices.

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.

Paying the Debt We Owe Our Veterans: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Paving the Way for All Who Wish to Serve: Military Connection

July 6, 2015/in Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

In March, the Army issued a directive that protects transgender soldiers from being dismissed by mid-level officers. The decision for discharge must now be made by the service’s top civilian for personnel matters.

Then, last month, the Air Force announced a similar policy. This puts the U.S. Military one step closer to allow transgender people to serve openly.

“Though the Air Force policy regarding involuntary separation of gender dysphoric Airmen has not changed, the elevation of decision authority to the Director, Air Force Review Boards Agency, ensures the ability to consistently apply the existing policy,” Daniel Sitterly, a top Air Force personnel official, said in a statement.

An estimated 15,500 transgender people serve in the military, according to the Williams Institute, a legal think tank that studies sexual-orientation and gender-identity issues.

The new Air Force policy requires discharge decisions based on gender dysphoria transgender identification to be reviewed by high-level officials at Air Force headquarters.

Transgender troops have always been treated differently from their gay counterparts. Openly gay soldiers were blocked from service — or dismissed from the ranks — on the grounds they would undermine unit cohesion. Being transgender is classified as a mental disorder that makes someone unfit to serve.

Air Force Secretary Deborah James expressed openness to allowing transgender troops to serve.

During a February question-and-answer session with troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter suggested that being transgender alone should not disqualify someone from the military. Carter’s remarks were in response to a question by Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, a Navy lieutenant commander and physician based in Kandahar, about transgender service. Ehrenfeld asked the question because he has treated a transgender service member and interacted with others.

“I am continually struck by how these individuals, who risk their lives every day to support our mission, live not in fear of the enemy, but rather in fear of being discovered for who they are,” said Ehrenfeld.

Several close allies of the U.S. military, including Great Britain and Israel, allow transgender troops to serve openly.

The Pentagon, as part of a review of medical eligibility rules, is examining the transgender issue. A decision on that is not likely for months.

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.

Paving the Way for All Who Wish to Serve: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

The Cost of Fighting ISIS: Military Connection

July 5, 2015/in Government, Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

In 2003, President George W. Bush fired economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey after Lindsey suggested that the Iraq War might cost as much as $200 billion – a number others in the administration thought to be greatly exaggerated. But ultimately, that number ended up being an underestimation.

According to the Pentagon, the U.S. has spent more than $2.74 billion — or roughly $9.1 million per day — just in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS.)

More than half of the budget has been spent on airstrikes, according to the Department of Defense. Just under a quarter has been spent on weapons, and the rest has been spent on missions involving military carriers and other operations.

Until U.S. airstrikes expanded to Syria in mid-September, the average daily cost totaled $5.6 million. From mid-September through late May, the average daily cost increased to $9.7 million. By April, the U.S. had surpassed the $2 billion mark in its campaign against ISIS and passed the $1 billion mark in December.

The report comes days after the White House announced the administration is planning to deploy 450 additional U.S. troops to Iraq. About 3,050 U.S. service members currently serve in advisory or security roles in the country. About 3,050 U.S. troops are currently deployed in the country. The deployment of the additional U.S. troops is part of a plan to open a new training base in Iraq, which is expected to help local forces expand their footprint in Anbar province.

“It’s an adjustment that is significant, in that it gives us access to another Iraqi division and extends their reach into al Anbar province and gives us access to more tribes,” Army General Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement.

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.

The Cost of Fighting ISIS: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Stolen Valor & False Accusations: Military Connection

July 4, 2015/in Military Veteran

By Debbie Gregory.

On Memorial Day, Robert D. Ford took part in a wreath-laying ceremony in Pennsylvania. The 75-year-old wore his Marine dress uniform and played a bugle. Afterwards, Ford attended Artsfest, a local arts festival. An Army soldier also in attendance thought something was not quite right about Ford’s uniform.

The soldier enlisted the help of a Harrisburg police officer working at the event, who is a former Marine, and together, they accused Ford, 75, of being a fraud.

“He’s not a real Marine!” the officer shouted to the crowd. “Stolen valor!”

The only problem is Ford did serve in the Marines from 1958 to 1964. He earned the rank of lance corporal. There was no stolen valor — just a false accusation that left Ford humiliated.

“He’s as legit as you can get,” said Doug Sterner, a Vietnam veteran and archivist from Pueblo, Colo., who is nationally recognized for detecting military fraud. Sterner has worked to build a database of military awards and has also become pretty great at spotting frauds. He confirmed Ford’s military service this week through Headquarters Marine Corps, and said that this is trend of veterans becoming vigilantes is troubling.

The federal “stolen valor,” law was struck down in 2012, and a meeker version passed in its place. Under the new law, few cases are being investigated or prosecuted against people who falsely claim military awards or service, Sterner said.

“The veteran community, frustrated and upset, is saying, ‘OK. We’ll do it ourselves,’ ” Sterner said. “But what it’s leading to is a bunch of hot heads. … There’s a lot of bullying going on in the community now. It’s almost like hunting game, going out looking for phonies.”

A witness said that the ordeal lasted about 10 to 15 minutes.

But, to Ford, it probably felt like an eternity.

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.

Stolen Valor & False Accusations: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

American Fighting Alongside YPG Killed: Military Connection

July 3, 2015/in Military

By Debbie Gregory.

A former production manager who joined a Kurdish foreign brigade is believed to be the first American volunteer to die fighting Islamic State (ISIS).

Keith Broomfield was killed while fighting Islamic State militants in Syria. But Broomfield didn’t die in the ranks of the nation’s troops. He was killed while fighting members of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, alongside the Kurdish People’s Protection Union, also known by the initials YPG. Broomfield felt it was his destiny to go to Syria, believing that it was God’s will. His mother, Donna, said. “I didn’t want him to go but I didn’t have a choice in the matter.”

After a motorcycle accident left Broomfield with chronic pain, he rediscovered his faith and the pain went away, his father said. Later, he told his father he was called to fight in Syria.

“Keith got his heart straight and it was after that he said, ‘Dad I’m gonna go do this. I’ve seen what’s going on and it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I have to go do this,’” his father said.

“He turned his life over to the Lord and he decided this was God’s will and God wanted him to do it,” his mother added.

Friends described Broomfield, 36, as a car and motorcycle enthusiast who embraced his passions headlong.

A group of American Kurds attended the June 17^th funeral to show their support.

“He passed away in our land for us,” said Abdul Tammo, of Hartford, Connecticut. “He supported us, so we’re here to support him.”

Broomfield’s sister, Jennifer shared her thoughts on her FaceBook page. “My brother died to defend my sisters who are being sold, enslaved, raped and murdered. To defend my brothers who are shot beheaded and dumped into piles off trucks.”

Numerous Americans are believed to have traveled overseas to join the YPG, in their fight against ISIS. However, Broomfield is believed to be the first U.S. citizen to die fighting alongside the YPG.

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.

American Fighting Alongside YPG Killed: Military Connection: by Debbie Gregory

Last Three Female Ranger Candidates Try Again: Military Connection

July 2, 2015/in Military, Military News

By Debbie Gregory.

Three female soldiers who refuse to give up their dream of earning the coveted Army Ranger Tab have passed the grueling physical fitness test that kicks off every cycle of the course.

The one female major and two female first lieutenants who were offered Day One Recycles, passed the Ranger Physical Assessment, said Col. William Butler, deputy commandant of the U.S. Army Infantry School. The original group consisted of 19 women.

The famously punishing first four days of Ranger School are known as the Ranger Assessment Phase, or RAP week.

It includes a physical fitness test consisting of 49 pushups, 59 sit-ups, a 5-mile run in under 40 minutes, and 6 chin-ups; a swim test; a land navigation test; and a 12-mile foot march in under 3 hours.

“Anybody that takes a day-one recycle — be it a male or female soldier — it displays an incredible amount of grit and determination; they want to earn the Ranger Tab,” said Col. David G. Fivecoat, commander of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade. The three female soldiers are on their third attempt to make it through the two-month course.

The women were given the opportunity to start Ranger School all over after twice failing to pass the first phase of the school, also known as the Darby Phase. They did not have to repeat RAP week the first time they were recycled.

“They earned it,” Fivecoat said last week. “The overall performance of the three … was very high. All three were close to making it through the Darby Phase. Let’s not forget, they were given a Day One Recycle, which means they get a chance to start all over again, and that includes RAP week. That is a daunting task for anyone, male or female.”

The women are part of a one-time, integrated assessment of the storied school. The assessment is part of a wider effort to determine whether and how to open combat arms jobs to women, and it is a first for Ranger School, which until now has been open only to men.

Ranger School students who make it through RAP week move on to the Darby Phase, which is fifteen days of intensive squad training and operations in a field environment at Fort Benning.

Whatever happens, the three females that remain have developed a reputation for themselves in the eyes the Ranger instructors.

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.