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VFW UnMet Needs Program Assists Servicemembers and Recent Vets

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By Debbie Gregory.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) traces its roots back to 1899, when veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.

Veterans from these wars banded together and formed the VFW. As the nation’s largest organization of combat veterans, the VFW understands the challenges veterans, service members and military families can face and believe that experiencing financial difficulties should not be one of them. That’s the premise behind the VFW’s Unmet Needs program.

Unmet Needs is there to help America’s service members who have been deployed in the last six years and have run into unexpected financial difficulties as a result of deployment or other military-related activity.

The program provides financial aid, up to $5,000, to assist with basic life needs. The funds are disbursed in the form of a grant paid directly to the creditor, so there is no repayment required.

To date, Unmet Needs has distributed over $5.4 million in assistance to qualified military families, with almost half of those funds going directly toward basic housing needs.

The needs of our nation’s veterans, service members and their families should never go unmet. The VFW’s Unmet Needs program offers a hand up, at a time when finances are at a low.

Through the VFW advocacy, the organization’s voice had been instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI Bill for the 20th century, the development of the national cemetery system and the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome.

Please review the Unmet Needs eligibility criteria to see if you or someone you know qualifies for a grant through the Unmet Needs program.

If you’re eligible, APPLY TODAY.

Contact Unmet Needs at 1-866-789-6333 or by email at unmetneeds@vfw.org with any questions.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

White House Sets New Rules of Engagement for Troops in Afghanistan

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By Debbie Gregory.

President Obama has approved new authorities for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in an effort to better use the troops. The new rules give U.S. forces a greater ability to accompany conventional Afghan forces that are fighting the Taliban.

“This makes good sense. It’s a good use of the combat power that we have there,”  he said.

The changes allow an increase of close air support, which could lead to additional airstrikes, and come on the heels of Gen. John Nicholson’s 90-day review.

Since the combat mission officially ended in 2014, U.S. forces in Afghanistan have largely avoided targeting the Taliban.

Since then, the rules of engagement have limited strikes in Afghanistan to protecting U.S. ground troops, targeting al Qaeda or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or protecting Afghan forces when they are in imminent danger of being overrun by the Taliban.

But in the face of a resurgent Taliban and a struggling Afghan military, there has been a push for expanded criteria in the rules of engagement.

Carter pushed back on any notion that expanded authorities mean a change in mission.

“Obviously, our mission is the same, which is to help the Afghans maintain control of the country and to avoid having a counter-terrorism challenge once again from Afghanistan,” he said.

Nicholson’s review also assessed troop levels in Afghanistan. Currently, there are approximately 9,800 U.S. troops there, with plans to drop that force to 5,500 by the end of the year.

Nicholson was largely expected to recommend keeping more troops in the country, but no decision has been made as to whether troop levels will change.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Senate Advances Proposal to Help Veterans with Mental Trauma

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By Debbie Gregory.

The U.S. Senate recently passed, on a voice vote, a proposal by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., to help make sure traumatized veterans retain their G.I. benefits.

Peters, along with Steve Daines, R-Mont., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C, had requested the measure as an addition to the annual National Defense Authorization Act. The proposal is aimed at helping veterans who may have been erroneously given a less than honorable discharge from the military due to negative behavior resulting from mental traumas such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

If the proposal becomes part of the final law, it would require Discharge Review Boards to consider petitions to change the discharge status of service members if they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental trauma linked to their military service.

Being dishonorably discharged can cost service members benefits such as being eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs home loans.

“I am pleased that the Senate passed this amendment to support brave men and women who are suffering from mental health trauma experienced during their military service,” said Senator Peters, a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. “This amendment will help ensure veterans are treated fairly when petitioning their discharge status, and in turn, upholds America’s commitment to our men and women in uniform, who answered the call of duty in defense of our nation.”

“By continuing to overlook these cases, the Department of Defense is only amplifying the invisible wounds of war afflicting many veterans,” Senator Daines stated.  “I’m proud that this bill allows veterans to have their discharges reviewed, taking their PTSD, Military Sexual Assault or Traumatic Brain Injury into account. We’ve known there were many of our veterans who had been discharged without proper consideration. It’s a wrong we need to right.”

“So many of our servicemembers have developed PTSD and brain injuries while on active duty, many of whom were undiagnosed until long after their service was completed,” said Senator Tillis. “I am happy the Senate passed this amendment to provide a fair opportunity for these brave men and women to regain the benefits they lost as a result of conditions we now know were caused by the effects of the trauma they sustained during their service to our nation.”

“Our selfless and brave veterans should never lose out on the benefits they earned because of a health condition like PTSD or MST,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “I’m pleased the Senate has passed our bipartisan amendment to help ensure that the VA is taking care of all of our veterans, no matter what their condition is when they leave the military.”

In 2014, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel issued a memo to military records boards to provide for a consistent manner of dealing with veterans’ discharge upgrade requests related to post-traumatic stress disorder. This change from Peters and the others would effectively codify that memo.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Eclectic Anti-ISIS Fighters Being Trained By U.S. Military

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By Debbie Gregory.

The Kurdish People’s Protection Union, also known by the initials YPG, is a predominantly Kurdish militia taking up arms against ISIS. The YPJ, also known as the Women’s Defense Units, is the YPG’s female brigade, which was set up in 2012.

The Anti-ISIS fighters know firsthand the darkness that is ISIS. Most of the young fighters have lost family members and friends to the terrorist group.

But they are also aware of ethnic and other complexities facing the U.S. military as it seeks to develop a coherent and competent network of local Syria forces to defeat ISIS.

A small group of American military advisers works here with the YPG and other Syrian volunteers — mostly Arab men — who have taken up arms against this threat to both their country and their families.

The Americans said the number of Arab volunteers has surged this spring, following a series of battlefield gains against ISIS.

Rather than committing American forces, the U.S. strategy relies on training, organizing and advising local fighters for combat. Members of the YPG have said that by training to fight against ISIS, they have lost their fear of combat.

The U.S. has organized the fighters into a group it calls the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. The SDF is comprised mostly of Syrian Kurds, numbering at least 25,000 fighters, with a smaller element of Syrian Arabs numbering perhaps 5,000 to 6,000.

Compared to other factions engaged in the Syrian Civil war, the YPG has not received significant foreign assistance in the form of weapons and military equipment.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Carter Proposes Changes to “Up or Out” Promotion System

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By Debbie Gregory.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, in his bid to modernize the military’s antiquated bureaucracy, has proposed a sidestep to the 100-year-old “up or out” promotion system via sweeping new proposals.

Up or out  mandates that officers passed over twice for promotion are required to be discharged from the military.  It has been criticized as “arbitrary and bad management” that forces out “many fit, experienced officers…because there were only so many slots into which they could be promoted”.

Carter’s proposals are largely aimed at making it easier for the military services to attract and retain good quality people and keep them in jobs where they excel.

“‘Up-or-out’ isn’t broken – in fact, it’s an essential and highly successful system – but it’s also not perfect,” Carter said. “The problem, however, is that DoD can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach.”

While Carter’s plan, part of his “Force of the Future” reforms won’t abolish the traditional up or out, it will allow the services to bypass those rules for people when they feel it’s needed.

Many of the proposals will require congressional approval, but there is some general support for giving the military greater flexibility, as long as the historical systems aren’t eliminated.

Changing the 1980 law known as the Defense Officer Personal Management Act could fundamentally redefine the officer corps’ career tracks, where promotions are mainly based on seniority rather than demonstrated talents and skills. The initiative could apply to the military’s enlisted force as well, but that would not require congressional action to change federal law.

The current promotions system does not give credit for experience and training that occurred along slightly different timelines, even if it benefited the military.

Military leaders have expressed varying degrees of support for the promotion changes, noting that in some fields — such as fighter pilots or certain combat command positions — the strict advancement system may make more sense.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Soldier Rebuilds Life After Iron Triangle Murders

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By Debbie Gregory.

On May 9, 2006, Corey Clagett and his squad participated in Operation Iron Triangle in Thar Thar, Iraq. It was there and then that the 21-year-old U.S. Army private in the 101st Airborne Division said that he followed an order that would change his life forever.

Clagett’s squad had been dropped by a Blackhawk helicopter on to a tiny lake island that was an al Qaeda controlled terrorist training camp. The rules of engagement were to kill all military-aged males in the area. When they caught three such men hiding in a house, using two women as human shields, Staff Sergeant Raymond Girouard, the squad’s leader, ordered Clagett and another low-ranking member of the squad to let them go – and shoot them as they fled.

Clagett, who was released earlier this year after serving 10 years of an 18 year sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. recognized that that he had been given an unlawful order. But fearful of disobeying an order and the consequences if the detainees were released and able to provide information to al Qaeda, Clagett obeyed.

A criminal investigation into the deaths of the detainees eventually uncovered the events of that day, and Clagett was charged with the deaths of the detainees. He pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder, conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Supporters of Clagett and others in the “Leavenworth 10,” the name given to a fluctuating group of men imprisoned at Leavenworth for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, say the men were scapegoats for their superiors.

Their cases have garnered online petitions and brought together military veterans and legal students who believe justice is not always served in military courtrooms far removed from the heat of battle.

Clagett was paroled on March 31st.  His case drew the attention of the University of Chicago Law School’s Combat Clemency Project, which is petitioning the Army for a full pardon of his conviction.

While a pardon would not condone the shooting, it could help Clagett rebuild his life.

Clagett is now a community and veterans liaison with United American Patriots, a North Carolina nonprofit that helps service members who face injustice. The group helped Clagett win an early release from an 18-year sentence after learning the details of his case.

Do you think any part of this was fair?

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Army Rangers “Interstate 10” Release New Song

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By Debbie Gregory.

When you are fighting for your country, it is inevitable to form a bond with your fellow soldiers. For Army Rangers 1st Lt. Andrew Yacovone and 1st Lt. Justin Wright, collectively known as “Interstate 10,” that bond goes even deeper.

The two share a love of music, and as a duo, have released a new song called “I’m Gonna Miss You” a Memorial Day tribute.

The contemporary country pop band members, currently deployed in Afghanistan, met on their first day of infantry basic training for officers in 2014.

“I called out to the crowd and asked if anyone played guitar,” Andrew said. “Lo and behold, Justin was standing right next to me and he was like, ‘Heck yeah, I play guitar!'”

They have a video on You Tube of their first collaboration entitled “Hometown Hero” as well as an EP.

The power of music should never be underestimated. Music can be magical, a salve for all of life’s emotional wounds. It can be a time machine, transporting the listener to another place and time, stirring up old memories.

Studies have been conducted on the healing power of calm music, its ability to sooth in a way unlike pretty much anything else imaginable. It’s transformative. It can change your mood, it can slow your heart rate, it can soothe invasive thoughts. There’s something about it that takes you out of a situation and gives you respite.

“Most of our music is written on deployment,” Justin said. “You think of the restaurant where you want to eat at, and you think of where you’ll take a girlfriend on a date — what beaches you will go to, which mountain you are going to climb. You think of all these clear pictures of a dream life that most people don’t live, but you know you’re going to because you can do anything after you’ve been to Afghanistan for nine months.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

VA Home Loans Can Go as High as $625,000 in Some Counties

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By Debbie Gregory.

The Veterans Administration (VA) helps Servicemembers, Veterans, and eligible surviving spouses become homeowners. As part of their mission, the VA provides a home loan guaranty benefit and other housing-related programs to help you buy, build, repair, retain, or adapt a home for your own personal occupancy.

VA Home Loans are provided by private lenders, such as banks and mortgage companies. The VA guarantees a portion of the loan, enabling the lender to provide you with more favorable terms.

The 2016 VA loan limits remained static at $417,000, except in 235 high cost counties where they are as high as $625,000. This applies to all loans closed January 1, 2016 and afterwards.

To find out what the maximum VA housing benefit in your county is, visit https://militaryconnection.com/va-loan-guaranty. The link also displays the Regional Loan Center that services each county, which are:

Cleveland
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
1240 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44199
http://benefits.va.gov/cleveland/regional-loan-center.asp

Denver
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
155 Van Gordon Street
Lakewood, CO 80228
(Mail: Box 25126, Denver, CO 80225)
http://www.benefits.va.gov/denver/regional-loan-center.asp

Honolulu
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Office
Loan Guaranty Division (26)
459 Patterson Rd.
Honolulu, HI 96819
*Although not an RLC, this office is a fully functioning Loan Guaranty operation for Hawaii.
http://www.benefits.va.gov/honolulu/regional-loan-center.asp

Phoenix
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
3333 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2402
http://www.benefits.va.gov/phoenix/regional-loan-center.asp

Roanoke
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
210 First Street
Roanoke, VA 24011

Mailing Address:
116 N. Jefferson Street
Roanoke, VA 24016
http://www.benefits.va.gov/roanoke/regional-loan-center.asp

St. Petersburg
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
9500 Bay Pines Blvd.
St. Petersburg, FL 33708
(Mail: P.O. Box 1437, St. Petersburg, FL 33731)
http://www.benefits.va.gov/stpetersburg/regional-loan-center.asp

Serving in the U.S. military offers some great benefits, including VA home loans. You’ve earned them, you should use them.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Hippocampus Size May Determine PTSD Treatment

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By Debbie Gregory.

Thanks to advances in medical technology, researchers have begun to study the effect of PTSD on the brain, with researchers focusing specific attention on the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the region of the brain key to distinguishing between safety and threat, and also the ability to store and retrieve memories.

A recent study from researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) has found that PTSD patients with a larger hippocampus are more likely to respond to exposure-based therapy for PTSD.

First author Mikael Rubin, MA, a former project coordinator at NYSPI and currently a PhD student at University of Texas at Austin said that future research may help to determine if PTSD patients with a smaller hippocampus would respond better to other treatments, such as medication, either alone or in combination with psychotherapy.

The study was published online in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging on May 4, 2016.

Previous research has shown that having a smaller hippocampus is associated with increased risk of PTSD. In this study, the researchers examined the relationship between hippocampus volume, measured with MRI, and response to treatment in 50 participants with PTSD and 36 trauma-exposed healthy controls. The participants were evaluated at baseline and after 10 weeks, during which time the PTSD group had prolonged exposure therapy, a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that has been shown to help patients with PTSD discriminate between real and imagined trauma.

The study found that patients with PTSD who responded to treatment had greater hippocampal volume at the beginning of the study than non-responders to treatment.

The findings add to growing evidence that the hippocampus is key to distinguishing between cues that signal safety and those that signal threat.

“If replicated, these findings have important implications for screening and treating patients who have been exposed to trauma,” noted Yuval Neria, PhD, professor of medical psychology at CUMC, director of the PTSD Program at NYSPI, and senior author of the paper. “For example, new recruits for military service may be scanned before an assignment to determine whether they are capable of dealing with the expected stress and trauma. Having a smaller hippocampus may be a contraindication for prolonged exposure to trauma.”

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

Walter Reed Scientists Working on Zika Vaccine

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By Debbie Gregory.

Just a few short months ago, most people had never heard of the Zika virus. But as the virus has been found to cause severe birth defects to infected expectant mothers, cause for alarm has greatly increased.

While there is no current vaccine against Zika, scientists at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR ) are moving quickly, conducting preclinical research on a Zika vaccine candidate with collaborators at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. They plan to start human testing before the end of the year.

Zika is a flavivirus, a mosquito-borne virus that causes yellow fever, dengue, Japanese encephalitis.

Army Col. (Dr.) Stephen Thomas, an infectious disease physician and a vaccinologist specializing in flaviviruses, is the Zika program lead.

“Zika is a flavivirus, and we have been working on flaviviruses our entire history — since 1893 [on yellow fever],” he said. “So it’s in our DNA to work on flaviviruses, and we’ve been doing vaccine development for flaviviruses since World War II.” He noted that before Albert Sabin developed a polio vaccine, he was in the Army and helped to develop vaccines for dengue and Japanese encephalitis.

The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected. However, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly, as well as other severe fetal brain defects.

“There’s a race to get this done as quickly as possible,” Thomas said, “because there’s a public health emergency going on,” and because WRAIR is focused on supporting U.S. force readiness for service members deployed worldwide.

Thomas and his colleagues considered many factors when planning the Zika virus vaccine development effort, he said, including a charge by DoD to get something in the field as quickly as possible while mitigating regulatory agency risk and speeding up the process where possible, he said.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve,  and their families.

 


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