Military Connection Archives

Military Connection: Retired Gen. to Return to Iraq: By Debbie Gregory

September 22, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Retired Marine Gen. John Allen has accepted his next mission. On September 13, 2014, Gen. Allen was appointed as Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State (also called the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS or the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, ISIL). Gen. Allen brings with him a substantial résumé, chalked full of experience in the Middle East.

From 2006- 2008, Allen served as the deputy commander in Iraq’s Anbar province, where his assignments included organizing the Sunnis to fight against al-Qaida. From 2008 to 2011, Allen served as deputy commander of U.S. Central Command. And in 2011, Allen was promoted to four-star general (O-10) and served as the U.S. commander in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013.

Allen also has experience working with the current head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Lloyd Austin, who will oversee America”s military campaign.

Because of his vast experience, especially dealing with leaders of Middle East nations, Allen has been tasked with coordinating the joint efforts by the U.S. and nearly 40 other countries that have agreed to fight the Islamic State. All of the embattled general’s experience and relations could be tested as the campaign against the extremist group intensifies, and the other nations begin to play active roles in the fight against the I.S.

Since his retirement in April, 2013, Allen has been serving as a security adviser to Secretary of State John Kerry.

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: Retired Gen. to Return to Iraq: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Newest Push to End VA Backlog: By Debbie Gregory

September 21, 2014/in Archived Blogs

In an effort to improve care for all Veterans, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has set a goal to eliminate the appointment backlog by the end of 2015. In the latest efforts to accomplish this goal, VA secretary Robert McDonald announced that the department plans to increase the range of pay for its health care professionals.

Secretary McDonald told the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs Convention that more facilities, more employees and better pay for providers are the keys to solving the appointment wait-time problems that have plagued the VA for years.

The VA is hoping that a more competitive pay scale could sway top-of-their-field doctors to work for the VA instead of private hospitals around the country. Hiring the best would mean better and more efficient care for our nation’s Veterans.

The VA has also been reaching out to Veterans who are already on the waiting list, and attempting to set up appointments for them within the VA healthcare system or private healthcare facilities. As of the beginning of this month, the Veterans Health Administration has reached out to more than 240,000 Veterans in order to get them appointments, reducing the electronic waiting lists by 57%.

While the VA is making efforts to improve the situation, expansions take time, and the Veteran population is growing. The down-sizing of the entire U.S. Military is rapidly separating approximately 250,000 VA healthcare-eligible Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan each year.

Only time will tell if all of these new initiatives and expansion efforts will turn the VA around completely. But at least for now, the VA has halted on its course to total ruin and is coming about onto a new heading. With any luck, it will be full-speed ahead for eliminating the appointment backlog in 2015.

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: Newest Push to End VA Backlog: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Accelerated Learning for Vets: By Debbie Gregory

September 20, 2014/in Archived Blogs

On September 10, 2014, the White House and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hosted a roundtable discussion, bringing together government, American industry, and education leaders. The topic of discussion was regarding how utilizing accelerated learning programs could help our nation’s military Veterans. The symposium was part of the White House’s Skills and Supplement Demand-Driven Training Initiative.

Accelerated learning is a non-traditional form of education that utilizes multiple learning styles in order to maximize learning effectiveness, and generate considerable advancements in skills and knowledge. Individuals, such as Veterans, who have had long gaps in their academic endeavors can pursue accelerated learning programs with a career or industry skills development focus in mind. Many accelerated learning programs that are currently available include accelerated certificate programs, apprenticeships, online courses and boot camps.

The VA is looking into using accelerated learning programs to enhance or replace traditional education programs for Veterans. During the initial period of exploration, the VA will focus on information technology programs due to the high demand for IT’s, optimizing Veterans’ chances for transitioning into successful careers.

The VA is attempting to develop a strategy that utilizes accelerated learning and tests its effectiveness for Veterans in projects over the next two years. In order to assist with formulating the program, collecting student data and evaluating its success, the VA will need to work in collaboration with educators and employers.

The White House and the VA plan to use the feedback provided at the roundtable discussion to maximize the effectiveness of the program.

Many Veterans and Veteran advocates have, for some time, been against the need for Veterans to go to college in order to use their benefits. Accelerated learning programs won’t likely get Veterans a degree, but they will eliminate the need for Veterans to spend several semesters taking classes simply for degree requirements in subjects that they will never need for their desired career. With a certification from an accelerated learning program, the VA hopes that Veterans will have a more direct route from the military to civilian employment.

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: Accelerated Learning for Vets: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Winning the GI Bill Invasion: By Joe Silva

September 19, 2014/in Education, GI Bill, Military Veteran, Veteran Schools, Veterans Benefits

Colleges and universities: be on the lookout…more than a million Veterans are flooding campuses nationwide. And even more Veterans are on the way. How can you prepare?

According to the Student Veterans of America (SVA), more than 1.2 million Veterans have gone back to school using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The SVA also claims that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued $43.1 billion in Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to Veterans. Those numbers are set to continue to climb as more Iraq and Afghanistan-era service members separate from the military at a rate of around 250,000 each year.

I, myself, am a college graduate by way of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and can speak firsthand of the increasing presence of Veterans on campuses throughout the U.S. This should drive home the point that schools wanting the VA’s tuition money need to step up their efforts to accommodate the needs of military Veterans.

Most colleges have made major progress in providing for Veteran students since 2008. Now, almost three-quarters of them have at least one member of their staff specifically dedicated to assisting Veterans. But there is always more that can be done to provide for military Veteran students.

Many schools have created a common gathering space for their Veteran students. Veteran Resource Centers, Veterans Affairs offices, lounges and study areas are becoming more and more common. Make sure that your school’s space is known to your Veterans, while still encouraging them to mingle with the rest of the student population. Interacting with other students contributes to a well-rounded education through the exchange of knowledge.

Along the same line, many schools with large Veteran populations have introduced events, forums and even courses that focus on inclusion, and allow these students to field questions about the military from their classmates. Many Veterans won’t openly share with strangers what they have experienced, but if asked, they are happy to answer.

One final thing that schools can do for Veteran students is hire Veterans. With more than one million Veterans who have returned to college, there is a growing number of Veterans with degrees. The nation’s academic institutions can assist all students, especially Veteran students, by tapping in to this talent pool. From staffing administration offices and Veteran Resource offices, to tutoring centers and even classroom instructors, hiring qualified Veterans should be a top priority.

By showing Veterans that your school is dedicated to helping them succeed in their mission to earn a college degree, administrators can guarantee the continued enrollment of GI Bill students.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard &amp,amp, 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: Winning the GI Bill Invasion: By Joe Silva

Military Connection: National POW/MIA Recognition Day: By Joe Silva

September 19, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day in the United States.

In 1979, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution that authorized a national day devoted to the American Prisoners of War (POW) and personnel who went Missing in Action (MIA).

National POW/MIA Recognition Day is not a federal holiday, but is intended to be a national day of observance and recognition for the service members who were held captive, and the ones who never made it home. Since 1986, National POW/MIA Recognition Day has been held on the third Friday of September.

It is no secret that current and former members of the U.S. Military hold their traditions and oaths to be sacred. Anyone who has ever donned amilitary uniform has put themselves at risk of injury and death for the oaths they swore to uphold. One of the promises that service members hold most sacred is the one they make to their brothers and sisters in arms, to never leave their comrades behind.

On this day, we are asked to observe and recognize the sacrifices made by 83,193 Americans who remain unaccounted for, and the thousands who were captured by enemy forces.

In World War II, more than 130,000 Americans (military &amp, civilian) were taken as prisoners of war, and there are still 73,539 Americans listed as MIA from that war.

More than 7,100 Americans were taken as POWs during the Korean War, and 7,881 are still listed as MIA.

Approximately 800 Americans were captured during the Vietnam War, and 1,641 are still listed as MIA.

There are also 126 Americans who are listed as MIA from military operations during the Cold War, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

All of these brave souls are remembered and honored for their sacrifices in service to their country, and for the promise that couldn’t be kept to bring them home.
Please take a moment in observance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

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: National POW/MIA Recognition Day: By Joe Silva

Military Connection: Gold Star Fathers Act: By Debbie Gregory

September 19, 2014/in Archived Blogs

On September 10, 2014, the U.S. Senate passed legislation which gives the fathers of service members who were killed in action or permanently and totally disabled the same hiring preferences for federal employment that has already been granted to mothers of the fallen and widowed spouses who remain unmarried.

Mothers of service members killed in action have historically been called “Gold Star Mothers.” During World War I, women began wearing blue stars around their left arm to display their pride for their deployed family member. Most women wore their blue stars for husbands and sons. Over the course of the war, the women petitioned to be able to sew a gold star over their blue star after their loved one was killed in action.

A non-profit organization was eventually founded by these women. “Gold Star Mothers” have rightfully earned the sympathy, respect and consideration of the nation. There’s a Gold Star Mother’s Day, celebrated on September 28^th.

The Gold Star Fathers Act of 2014 was introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is a senior member of the Senate’s Committee on Veterans Affairs.Sen. Brown got the idea for the legislation after meeting Scott N. Warner, whose son Heath, a U.S. Marine, was killed in Iraq. Warner wrote “Gold Star Father” as a way to deal with the struggle of coming to terms with his loss, and how he and his family coped with and overcame this tragedy.

The legislation is heading to the House, where a similar proposal was introduced last year, and has since won the support of the American Gold Star Mothers Inc.

The total number of American deaths from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is close to 7,000. The significance of this gesture should show resounding support for both gold star parents.

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: Gold Star Fathers Act: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Obama Says No to 3rd Iraq War: By Debbie Gregory

September 18, 2014/in Archived Blogs, Military, Military Veteran

On Wednesday, September 10, 2014, President Obama addressed the nation regarding his intent on how to handle the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

ISIS has declared a separate Islamic state in lands that the terrorist organization has seized from the sovereignty of Iraq and Syria. In 2014 alone, ISIS has already taken over nearly one-third of Iraq’s territory.

As of August 7^th of this year, the president has authorized airstrikes against ISIS forces that have been carried out by U.S. military manned and unmanned aircraft. The airstrikes have offered much needed support for Iraqi defense and Kurdish forces fighting ISIS on the ground. The support has even helped them take back the captured Mosul Dam from ISIS control.

Members of Congress and the American public have asked what the long-term goals and strategy are, and the president has responded.In a recent press conference, President Obama stated his intention to “degrade and ultimately destroy” ISIS. The president said that the U.S. will lead a coalition committed to eliminating ISIS by expanding airstrikes into Iraq and Syria.

The speech came one day after the White House asked Congress to approve $500 million to train and equip Syrian rebels in order for them to fight ISIS on the ground. Many lawmakers and many more Veterans are concerned with arming and equipping another group in the region. The U.S. has an unfortunate history of our own weapons being used against us when either the arms are confiscated by our enemies, or by having a fighting force that we equipped turn against us.

Many voices in Washington have expressed that they don’t see airstrikes as being enough to completely stop or eliminate ISIS. This has many Americans, including legislators, divided as to whether our military should get more involved, or stay out of the fight all together.

Americans, in the capital and around the country, were hoping for a more definitive answer in terms of a strategy for dealing with ISIS. But at least the biggest question has been answered, for now. The president has ruled out sending American ground forces to their third war in Iraq in 25 years.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard &amp,amp,amp, 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: Obama Says No to 3^rd Iraq War: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: Army Vet’s Movie Deal: By Debbie Gregory

September 18, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Former Army Sgt. Daniel Rodriguez story is being made into a major motion picture, and what a story it is!

Sgt. Rodriguez earned a Bronze Star with a “V” for valor, and a Purple Heart for his actions during the Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan. If his gallantry and survival through war weren’t noteworthy enough, Rodriguez is currently a player on the Clemson University Football team.

Like many Veterans, Sgt. Rodriguez’s pathway to success was not a straight, paved road. Rodriquez had to battle depression during his first few years as a Veteran before he found his way.

Rodriguez wrote a book about overcoming his post-military obstacles, and his journey from an Army uniform to a Clemson Tigers’ uniform. The book is titled “Rise: A Soldier, a Dream and a Promise Kept” and it will be available starting October 7, 2014.

TriStar Productions won the bidding war to make Rodriguez’s story into a movie.

Both in printed form and on the big screen, Rodriguez hopes that his story will inspire and motivate other Veterans to find their way to success after leaving the military.

Rodriguez is scheduled to graduate in December, and hopefully he and his college teammates will play in a late December or early January bowl game. After that, the Army Veteran is headed to Hollywood to assist on the production of the movie.

Veterans are used to taking cues and pointers from those who came before them. Any Veteran or service member struggling to find their way in life after they take off their Military uniform are encouraged to read Rodriguez’s book, or see the upcoming movie.

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: Army Vet’s Movie Deal: By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: NAVY and USMC Need more Women! By Debbie Gregory

September 17, 2014/in Archived Blogs

Unhappy with the amount of women serving in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus plans to take action to increase female recruitment.

According to the SECNAV, women currently make up approximately 18% of Navy personnel and only 8% of Marine Corps personnel. Mabus said that he didn’t have a specific number in mind, but that these percentages were too low.

There are approximately 200,000 women currently serving in the entire active duty military. At that number, women make up about 15% of the total force. Since 2001, more than 280,000 women have deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mabus spoke of the importance of having a diverse force as the reason for bringing more women to the service when he said, “The more diverse input you have into something, the better the organization is.”

The SECNAV said that the Department of the Navy is developing a series of measures, some that it can adopt on its own, and some that would require congressional approval.

Mabus indirectly cited his desire to increase female recruitment for the implementation of unisex enlisted uniforms. For years, female sailors wore a separate dress uniform from the male sailors’ iconic dress blue uniform, commonly referred to as “cracker jacks.” Females used to wear a blouse and blazer instead of cracker jacks. Female sailors were also required to wear separate headgear than males, for both their dress white and dress blue uniforms. Women had to buy and maintain a more expensive, heavier and less comfortable combination cover, instead of the men’s traditional white cap.

Many traditionalists have criticized the uniform change, saying that the Navy was putting women in men’s uniforms. But the SECNAV defended the move when he said:

“We”re not moving to put women in men”s uniforms. We”re moving to the term ‘uniform’,” Mabus said. “We don”t want to segregate women or anybody else in any way in the military.”

Based on a January, 2013 decision by then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, each branch of the U.S. Military has until January 2016 to assess which jobs are open to women to allow them to serve in combat.

So far, around 80,000 of an estimated 250,000 additional jobs have already been opened to women as result of Panetta’s order.

Women interested in careers in the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps should follow the respective links from the MilitaryConnection.com homepage.

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: NAVY and USMC Need more Women! By Debbie Gregory

Military Connection: VA to Integrate Web Systems: By Debbie Gregory

September 17, 2014/in Archived Blogs

This week, the U.S. Department of Veterans (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald unveiled plans to launch a digital services team within the VA.

The VA secretary claims that the VA holds too many separate websites, which all require separate ID’s and passwords. Mr. McDonald’s sentiments are that this is confusing for Veterans, and counter-productive to providing timely information and benefits to the Veteran community. At a press conference on September 8, 2014, Secretary McDonald criticized the flaws in the current set of VA systems, and announced his plan to create a new, one-login system.

“Right now, if you go to any Veterans Affairs website, you”ll find that there are 14 different websites that require a different username and a different password for veterans to access the VA,” Secretary McDonald said. “That”s just flat wrong. We”ve got to make it easier for the veteran to access the VA through one website, one username, one password.”

Currently, the VA has entirely separate websites and logins for its different administrations and separate benefits offerings. The programs are run independently from one another, and their websites reflect the divergence. Many Veterans have complained about getting tangled in the web (www) while searching and applying for VA benefits.

To improve the process, the VA intends to recruit and hire “the nation”s top technologists to partner with us in building and delivering world-class, cost-effective digital services to our Veterans.”

Along with the digital services team, McDonald also said that the VA needs to create a centralized information technology system.

“I think we all agree it”s better to have one IT system across the department than to have Balkanized IT systems,” McDonald said.

Additionally, the VA secretary also called for a geographic reorganization of the department’s benefits and burial operations.

“If you looked at the structure of VA, you would find that we have nine different geographic maps for how we”re organized geographically,” McDonald said. “Every part of the VA has a different geographic map, a different hierarchical structure. We”re going to be looking at: How do we reorganize the VA so that when the veteran looks at the VA, the veteran knows how to connect and how to get things done. We are too complicated from the veteran”s standpoint.”

The move away from a paper and snail mail system in favor of online applications and programs has improved the expediency of claims by leaps and bounds. Now that the systems are fully in place, it makes sense for Secretary McDonald to update those systems in order to create the most comprehensive and efficient system for our nation’s 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.