Military Connection Archives

Military Connection: First Choice Cards Mailed: By Debbie Gregory

November 24, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Phase one in the issuance of “Choice Cards” is complete.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has mailed the first batch of Choice Cards, along with letters explaining how they work, to approximately 320,000 Veterans. This group was selected to be the first to receive the Choice Cards due to the proximity of their residence to the nearest VA facility being greater than forty miles.

The second phase of Choice card issuance will begin on or about Thanksgiving Day. The second group will consist of approximately 370,000 Veterans who are facing wait times for VA medical appointments that exceed thirty days.

The third phase is expected to continue through the end of January. By that time, the remaining 8 million Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare will be issued their Choice Cards.

The Choice Card gets its name from the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, which is commonly referred to as the “Choice Act.” The card itself helps Veterans to receive healthcare outside of the VA system. Veterans should know that the card does not permit them to seek appointments at any physician at their own discretion. Before a Choice Card can be used, eligibility must be verified and advance authorization must be obtained from a VA program manager. The card simply expedites the Veteran’s ability to show proof of medical coverage to non-VA medical providers once that approval is granted. Veterans should also know that the Choice Card does not replace their VA identification card. They will still need that card as well.

In order to be issued a Choice Card, Veterans must have been enrolled in the VA healthcare system by August 1, 2014. Veterans who enrolled after that date are still eligible for the temporary benefit, but only if they served on active duty in a theater of combat operations within the last five years.

The Choice Card benefit is set to end in three years, or whenever the VA spends all of the $10 billion set aside to fund the 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.

Military Connection: First Choice Cards Mailed: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: New Veteran : By Debbie Gregory

November 23, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Americans know that such conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) have plagued the generation of Veterans who fought in the Global War on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. But there are other conditions that seem to be unique to this generation of war Veterans, greatly affecting their ability to sleep.

One of these conditions is sleep apnea. As of July, 2014, more than 114,000 Veterans were receiving disability benefits for the condition. The claims of sleep apnea among Veterans are so rampant that several politicians have cried foul. Within the next year or two, the VA will have to begin implementing tougher examinations to determine the credibility of these claims.

But there is another sleep-related condition plaguing Veterans. Doctors at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Washington are calling it trauma-associated Sleep Disorder.Military doctors began seeing these unique “nocturnal disruptive behaviors” as early as 2006. They describe them as nightmares or night terrors that they are able to act out, to the point where they have assaulted their significant others without waking.

Trauma-associated Sleep Disorder is similar to nightmares and night terrors that other Veterans have experienced after combat deployments and traumatic events. They, too, occur during rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep. But unlike these known sleep conditions, Trauma-associated Sleep Disorder is not accompanied by the body paralysis that is common with everyday REM sleep. This causes affected Veterans to thrash, punch, cry, shout and make other harmful gestures to themselves and anyone that might be sharing their bed.

The symptoms don’t exactly match the most common diagnoses for combat-related sleep issues, nightmare disorder or REM behavior disorder. Researches at Lewis-McChord are accumulating data and building a case for Trauma-associated Sleep Disorder to be included as its own diagnosis.

If you have experienced similar night time disorders, you should know that you are not alone. Please seek treatment and know that coming forward may help lead to a diagnosis and effective care for your disorder.

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.

Military Connection: New Veteran : By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: VA Memo to Employees: By Debbie Gregory

November 22, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Earlier this month, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald sent a memorandum out to all VA employees, concerning the future of the VA and how he intends to implement reform within the troubled system.

Sec. McDonald’s message began by explaining how he has gone about his intelligence gathering. He explained that by hearing from Veterans and family members who receive the care that the department provides, he was better able to understand what and where efforts within the VA need to be ramped up. The VA head said that feedback from more than 2,000 VA employees from 20 facilities that provide healthcare service to more than 1.4 million Veterans has helped to shape the manner in which the VA system can retool its organizational functional practices to better serve Veterans.

The secretary asked for the cooperation of all VA employees to help with their shared mission to make the VA system easier to navigate for Veterans. McDonald said that he and all VA employees should purse a shared goal of ensuring that Veterans have a “clear understanding of VA and where to go for what they need within any of our facilities…”

In order to accomplish this goal and other reforms within the VA, Sec. McDonald laid out the following plan:

1) Establish a new VA-wide customer service organization to provide top-rated customer service to Veterans. McDonald plans to implement a new office for a Chief Customer Service Officer who will report directly to the VA Secretary. The duties of this new position will be to drive VA culture and practices to understand and respond to the expectations of Veteran customers.

2) Establish a single regional framework that will simplify internal coordination, enhance customer service and facilitate partnering. This collaborative effort within the VA will allow Veterans to more easily navigate the VA system without having to understand the bureaucratic structure of the department.

3) Establish a national network of Community Veteran Advisory Councils to coordinate better service delivery with state and local community partners.

4) Realign the VA’s internal business processes into a shared services model in which organizations across the department leverage the same support services, to improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase productivity.

McDonald also mentioned the activation of the Idea House website on Veterans Day. The website is intended to function as an electronic suggestion box where VA employees can submit their ideas and proposed solutions based on the challenges they see within their work environment.

This is a wonderful opportunity to greatly improve the VA system for the betterment of current Veterans, as well as for future generations of Veterans to come. Everyone in the Veteran community, as well as those who care about the Veteran community will be watching the VA secretary’s actions with apprehension and anticipation. As a people united, we all hope to see Veterans receive the best care available.

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.

Military Connection: VA Memo to Employees: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Military Med Students Drill: By Debbie Gregory

November 21, 2014/in Archived Blogs

A group of fourth-year medical students participated in a field training exercise for military medical professionals, known as “Operation Bushmaster.”

Around 170 medical students from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences recently experienced the rigors of caring for patients in a simulated combat environment at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. The training exercise came complete with mock explosions, operational failures, realistic missions and numerous casualties.

The future military doctors were joined by Graduate School of Nursing students, along with international military medical officers from Mexico, Israel, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

The goal of the exercise was to prepare students for their first operational assignment when they graduate from medical school.

Before they were allowed to participate in “Operation Bushmaster,” students had to pass a two-week military contingency medicine course, which was considered the classroom phase of training before the field exercise.

During this training, students received lectures and participated in exercises focused on team building. The students learned to become a cohesive unit as they prepared to deploy to a fictional country facing challenges from rebel forces. This whole phase of the training was meant to feel like pre-deployment training, similar to what they would experience later in their careers.

For “Operation Bushmaster,” the students were divided into two groups and assigned to platoons. Each platoon experienced identical scenarios of planning and executing missions while treating a multitude of casualties such as those they might experience in the real world. These scenarios included gunshot wounds, fatigue, dehydration, and shock. The exercise featured nearly 1,000 encounters with simulated patients.

Students were assigned to different roles during different parts of the exercise. Students frequently rotated positions, allowing every student to practice multiple roles, such as patient administrator, triage officer, medical logistics, or litter bearers transporting patients.

Students were graded on a number of factors, such as communication and leadership skills, as they were observed by more than 60 faculty members from USU, as well as from across the country. They were also graded on how well they performed in key positions, including platoon leader, ambulance team leader, surgeon, and combat stress control officer.

On the final day of the exercise, each platoon responded to a simulated mass casualty. As the scenario progressed, students heard loud, rapid gunfire, screaming, and explosions booming from a speaker. Smoke billowed from the woods, where casualties were coming from all angles.

The training gave students a taste of what they might see in their futures as doctors and nurses caring for service members in the battlefield. With such intense and holistic training, our men and women in uniform should be in good hands.

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.

Military Connection: Military Med Students Drill: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: VA Secretary’s Letter to Vets: By Debbie Gregory

November 21, 2014/in Archived Blogs

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been undergoing a tremendous transformation. It is the hope of every Veteran and every American who cares for Veterans that the changes currently being made within the department will improve the efficiency and quality of service for the men and women who served their country in uniform.

Back in August, the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (commonly referred to as the “Choice Act”) was signed into law. The implementing of the Choice Act and other Veteran-centric legislation is paving the way for rapid long-term improvements to the VA and its healthcare system (VHA) and benefits department (VBA).

The VA’s Secretary, Robert McDonald, has been given the task of ensuring that all of the appropriate reforms are put into place. McDonald recently issued an open letter to America’s Veterans that maps out his plans to implement VA reform under the Veterans Choice Program.

The letter talks about how the VA has signed contracts with two private health care companies to assist with administering the Veterans Choice Program. As required by law, the Veterans Choice Program is in effect as of November 5, 2014, and allows some Veterans to receive healthcare in their local communities, rather than traveling to a VA facility, or waiting for a VA appointment. The VA has created a call center that is now operational, in order to answer any questions and verify eligibility for this program. The call center can be reached by dialing 1-877-222-VETS (8387). Additional information can be found on the VA’s web portal on the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act.

Sec. McDonald’s letter addresses the issuing of Veterans Choice Cards to all Veterans who are eligible for the benefit. The Choice Card will allow Veterans to elect to receive care outside of VA facilities when they qualify for the program. Qualification is either based on the distance of their residence from a VA care facility, or when the wait times for care at a VA facility exceed the standards established by law. The Choice Card does not replace the VA identification card already in use to access other VA benefits.

The letter explains that the Choice Card will be issued to eligible Veterans in three phases. The first group of Choice Cards, along with a letter explaining eligibility for the program were already sent to Veterans who may live more than 40 miles from the nearest VA facility. The next group of Choice Cards and letters will be sent shortly thereafter to Veterans who have been waiting for an appointment for more than 30days from their preferred date, or the date determined to be medically necessary by their physician. The third group of Choice Cards and letters will be sent between December 2014 and January 2015 to the remainder of all Veterans enrolled for VA health care who may be eligible for the Choice Program in the future.

It appears that Sec. McDonald is taking his responsibilities seriously, and not just offering lip service. Let us hope that reform continues to sweep across the VA and improve the delivery of healthcare and other benefits to Veterans.

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.

Military Connection: VA Secretary’s Letter to Vets: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: VA Tops 21 Million Home Loans: By Debbie Gregory

November 20, 2014/in Archived Blogs

As of October, 2014, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has guaranteed 21 million home loans for Veterans since the Home Loan Guaranty program was established in 1944. The program was one of the original benefits of the original Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the “GI Bill.”

This colossal milestone for the VA comes during its year-long commemoration, celebrating 70 years of the “GI Bill.” The bill established a wide range of benefits for Veterans returning from World War II. The original GI Bill provided zero-down, low-interest home loans, as well as education and vocational training benefits.

The VA Home Loan Program provides housing and home loan related benefits and services for eligible Veterans, service members and surviving spouses, in order to make home ownership possible and affordable. The majority of all VA loans are made with zero down payments.

In fiscal year 2014, the VA Home Loan Program guaranteed around 35,000 loans per month, resulting in a total of 438,398 VA home loans guaranteed for the year. The total value of all outstanding VA loans is over $380 billion. The program also approved 1,253 grants to disabled Veterans for the purchase, modification, *or* construction of a home adapted to meet their individual housing needs.

Despite what many people believe, the VA does not give loans directly to Veterans. The VA partners with approved lenders who provide the loans to eligible Veterans, and essentially vouches for the Veteran. Data from the Mortgage Bankers Association shows that mortgages guaranteed by the VA Home Loan Program had the lowest foreclosure rate for more than the last five years, when compared to all other types of home loans in the nation, including prime loans. But the VA will assume part of the responsibility on the rare occasion when a Veteran is unable to pay off a VA loan.

Through GI Bill home loans and other loan serving efforts, the VA has helped 21 million Veterans fulfill their dream of becoming homeowners, and for many more, keep that dream alive. In Fiscal 2014, through loan servicing efforts, the VA Home Loan Program also helped nearly 80,000 Veteran borrowers to avoid foreclosure. These actions saved taxpayers close to $2.8 billion in avoided claim payments.

Veterans can obtain a certificate of eligibility for a VA-guaranteed home loan through the VA Home Loan Program at: www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans.

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.

Military Connection: VA Tops 21 Million Home Loans: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: US Troops to Return to Anbar? By Debbie Gregory

November 20, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Department of Defense officials are devising a plan to send U.S. personnel to Iraq’s Anbar Province. The mission of American service members has not changed. If sent into the region, they would act as advisors for Iraq’s forces against the Islamic State.

Advisors from the U.S. military are currently operating in areas near Baghdad and Irbil in the northern part of Iraq. This new plan would put U.S. troops in the middle of some of the heaviest fighting in the country.

The majority of Iraq’s Anbar Province is currently under the control of the Islamic State. Officials, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, believe that providing training and support for Iraq’s Sunni tribes to go on the offensive against the Islamic State is crucial to defeating the terrorist group.

In a news conference last week, Gen. Dempsey hinted at the possibility of the new role after discussing a report on a Sunni tribe that has suffered mass executions at the hands of the Islamic State.

“That”s why we need to expand the train-advise-and-assist mission into the Al- Anbar Province,” Dempsey told reporters. “But the precondition for that is that the government of Iraq is willing to arm the tribes.”

Dempsey reported that the United States had “positive indications” from the Iraqi government that they were prepared to do that, but had not yet done so.

Pentagon officials believe that such a mission could open the door to the formation of an Iraqi National Guard, while at the same time aid Iraq in regaining control of the province from the Islamic State.

As of yet, there is no timeline when U.S. troops would be staged as advisors in the Anbar Province.

During the U.S.-led war in Iraq, Anbar was the setting of a violent insurgency. It was only with the help of Sunni tribes that al Qaeda was driven from the region. During this conflict against the Islamic State, thousands of Sunni have died, including 400 members of the Abu Nimer, who were recently killed after standing up to the Islamic State.

Many believe that without aid and training from the U.S., any Iraqis who want to remove the Islamic State from their land will be hard-pressed to do so.

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.

Military Connection: US Troops to Return to Anbar? By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Military Suicide Spike: By Debbie Gregory

November 19, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Suicide now tops the list of the leading causes of death among military service members.

American civilians have seen the public service announcements on military suicides. Veterans remember the briefings and the countless number of AFN commercials on the subject. And today’s service members are constantly trained on recognizing the signs of suicide among their comrades, and the resources that are available to them if they or someone they know should need help. But for all the awareness, for all of the effort, our service members are losing the war against suicide.

An October, 2014 article in the Pentagon’s Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR) provides eye-opening data on just how unsuccessful the results of the battle against military suicide are.

Before the current period of war, suicide was already the third-highest cause of death in the U.S. military. From 1998-2003, suicide was listed behind accidents and illnesses.

Not surprisingly, from 2004-2011, war was the leading cause of death. This span covers the height of fighting wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Suicide remained the third leading cause of death through this time period, behind illness.

But in recent years, the number of military deaths by suicide has exceeded those by war, accidents and illnesses, to become the leading cause of service member deaths. Approximately three out of every ten service member deaths are due to suicide.

The report cites data from Department of Defense Suicide Event Reports (DODSER). These reports revealed that between 2010 and 2012, there were 2,553 suicide attempts and 812 suicides within the military. The DODSER data also reflects that there were 53.6 suicide attempts and 17.1 suicides per every 100,000 service members.

The vast majority of suicide activity occurred away from combat zones. According to the report, 85% of the suicide attempts and 83% of the suicide deaths took place on U.S. soil.

Every suicide is a preventable death, especially when the bulk of those deaths are happening on our installations and in our communities. Please remain vigilant for the sake of the men and women in uniform, especially those of you in and near the military community.

If you observe someone who is in trouble, please refer them to the Crisis Hotline at www.veteranscrisisline.net or 1(800) 273-8255 (then 1). Those in need can even text to 838255 or utilize the Confidential Veterans Chat option.

The Crisis Line is for current military, Veterans and their families, but anyone can call for help for themselves or others contemplating suicide. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential.

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.

Military Connection: Military Suicide Spike: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Medal of Honor to Civil War LT: By Debbie Gregory

November 19, 2014/in Archived Blogs

It’s never too late to recognize and reward members of the military. And it’s never too late to be remembered. This was apparent at the White House when Army First Lieutenant Alonzo Hersford Cushing, a hero of the Battle of Gettysburg, was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Lt. Cushing was a graduate of West Point, Class of 1861. He commanded the 100 men and six cannons that comprised Battery A of the 4th US Artillery at the Battle of Gettysburg. According to accounts of the battle, Cushing’s heroism and dedication to duty helped stabilize his battery, and helped repel Confederate advances from the infamous Pickett’s Charge of July 3, 1863.

Cushing was hit three times by enemy fire. A shell fragment ripped through his shoulder, but the lieutenant remained at his post. A second fragment tore into his groin and abdomen, apparently to the point where the 22-year old needed to use his hand over the wound to survive. The final shot was fatal, a gunshot to his head.

At one point in the battle, Lt. Cushing was ordered to the rear due to his injuries. But knowing that there were no other officers to relieve him and lead the battery, Cushing stayed to lead his men. Eventually, due to the severity of his wounds, Cushing could no longer give his orders loud enough for his men to hear, so he relayed them through Sgt. Frederick Fuger. Sgt. Fuger would carry on his commanding officer’s orders after Cushing’s death, leading the remaining men of Battery A in hand-to-hand combat, a successful, but costly defense, earning Fuger the Medal of Honor and an officer’s commission.

The Battle of Gettysburg is commonly referred to as the turning point of the Civil War. If Battery A had fallen, the battle could have ended much differently.

For his gallantry during the Battle of Gettysburg, Lt. Cushing was posthumously recognized with a brevet promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. He was laid to rest at West Point Cemetery with a tombstone that reads, “FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.”

Alonzo Cushing was one of four siblings to fight for the Union Army during the Civil War. The other fighting Cushing siblings included Alonzo’s younger brother William, who went on to become a Navy legend; eldest brother Milton, a Navy paymaster; and Howard, who would later die in the line of duty after becoming a legend in the Indian Wars of the American west. A monument to Alonzo, Howard and William Cushing was erected at Cushing Memorial Park in their home town of Delafield, Wisconsin.

The family of Alonzo Cushing has long pushed for the Medal of Honor for the fallen officer. It took more than 150 years, but Lt. Cushing was finally recognized. Members of Cushing’s family joined President Obama at the White House for the ceremony. Helen Ensign, Cushing’s cousin, twice removed, accepted the Medal on behalf of the family.

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.

Military Connection: Medal of Honor to Civil War LT: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Federal Jobs for Veterans: By Debbie Gregory

November 18, 2014/in Archived Blogs

A government initiative designed to promote the hiring of military Veterans in federal government careers is launching a new program to focus on jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) career fields.

The Vets to Feds (V2F) program, launching in February, 2015, is a career development initiative for contracting specialists, sponsored by the Interagency Council on Veterans Employment. The V2F program has been designed to help recruit and support the development of our Nation’s Veterans for careers with the federal government.

V2F is just one of the federal programs prompted by President Obama’s 2009 executive order, which called for the employment of Veterans in the federal government. V2F was started in 2011, when the Office of Personnel Management teamed up with the Council on Veterans Employment. The program was designed to support the president’s Veteran hiring initiative. Participating agencies identified key occupations, targeting Veteran candidates and providing them with the necessary counseling and training to become successful employees. The initiative targets Veterans who are students, recent graduates or eligible for special hiring authorities. Since its inception, other V2F career development tracks have been implemented. Since 2011, 16 agencies have participated in one or more programs, 138 Vets have been hired through the initiative, and over 100 of those hires are still employed.

The STEM initiative is the fourth V2F program to date. It’s expected that there will be between 50 and 100 federal positions across the nation made available as part of V2F STEM.

For more information or updates on V2F STEM, be sure to visit www.fedshirevets.gov. Also, be sure to visit MilitaryConnection.com’s Job Page.

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.