Military Blog
You are here: / Header test

TAPS Sings a Happy Tune as President/Founder is Recognized with Prestigious Award

/in

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) had a big reason to smile on May 12th as its president and founder, Bonnie Carroll, was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Award by Admiral Mike Mullen. Mullen, who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, happily provided Carroll the award for the terrific effort she and the program have put forth to ease the pain of the survivors of lost military members.

TAPS is the front line resource for those grieving the loss of a loved one who was serving in the Armed Forces. Carroll started the program in 1994 out of her own tragedy and it has since grown to assist over 30,000 surviving family members, casualty officers and caregivers. The TAPS toll-free hotline is available 24/7 and it also conducts Survivor Seminars and Good Grief Camps across the country.

Carroll is a close friend of Military Connection and we applaud her continuous efforts to help others through the most difficult times of their lives. For more information on TAPS, visit www.taps.org/. If you are suffering the loss of a loved military member or know someone who is, please call the hotline: 1-800-959-TAPS (8277).

A Great Day for the California Guard and Reserves and All State Veterans

/in

Peter James Gravett Appointed CalVet Secretary

Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. today appointed Peter James Gravett as Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Gravett, of Rolling Hills Estates, is a retired major general with more than 35 years of commissioned service in the California National Guard with service in ten countries. He has been the state chair for the Southern California Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee since 2007. He is currently a principal business associate at Traiden Global Solutions, where he has worked since 2008.

Previously, Gravett served as president and chief executive officer of Gravett and Associates from 2002 to 2008. Before retiring from the Guard, he served as commander of the 40th Infantry Division from 1999, when he was promoted to major general, to 2002, becoming the first African-American division commander in the 225-year history of the United States National Guard. In this role, Gravett served a dual assignment in Kiev, Ukraine with the Partnership for Peace program.

Previously, Gravett served as assistant division commander-support from 1996, when he was promoted to brigadier general, to 1999. In 1990, Gravett was promoted to colonel, and he served as commander of an armor brigade from 1993 to 1996, and division chief of staff from 1990 to 1993. He served as division provost marshal, military police battalion commander, armor battalion commander, division civil-military operations officer and armor brigade executive officer after he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1981.

As a major, from 1976 to 1980 Gravett served as an assistant division logistics officer and a division transportation officer. From 1974 to 1975 he served as a logistics officer, intelligence officer and acting operations officer. Gravett also served as an armored cavalry troop commander from 1971 to 1974. He began his commissioned service as a military police platoon leader and an armored cavalry troop platoon leader in 1968.

http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17012

You may unsubscribe from this list at any time by sending a “SIGNOFF VETNEWS” or “SIGNOFF NEWS FOR VETERANS” command to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.STATE.CA.GOV

Note to editors: This News for Veterans and previous CDVA news releases, advisories and newsletters are available on our website at www.calvet.ca.gov and via email from Jaime.Arteaga@cdva.ca.gov.

Activision’s Call of Duty Endowment Awards $100,000 Grant to Student Veterans of America

/in

Organization will use funding to help America’s service members obtain 21st century careers

The Call of Duty Endowment awards $500,000 in grants to five organizations working to train, educate and place returning service members and wounded warriors back in the workforce. Student Veterans of America was named among the organizations that will receive a grant of $100,000. SVA’s grant will go specifically towards linking their population of college veterans with career opportunities nationwide. They will partner with organizations to match student veterans with internships, mentorships, and job opportunities along with hosting their own internship and career fairs. Born from the difficulties veterans face adjusting to campus life, Student Veterans of America is the only organization solely dedicated to helping veterans succeed on college campuses. The group’s vision is to provide all student veterans with transition services, peer support, and job opportunities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics there are currently more than one million veterans who are out of work in the U.S.   Male veterans in the 18-24 age range experience an unemployment rate of 21.9 percent, and women in the same age range experience an unemployment rate of 15.3 percent.

Activision Blizzard, Inc., the worldwide online and console video game publisher and producer of the Call of Duty video game, established the Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit, public benefit corporation. The organization seeks to help soldiers transitioning to civilian life find work and establish careers and to assist organizations that provide job placement and training. For more information about It has delivered more than $500,000 in grants and scholarships to assist veterans gain new careers in the civilian workforce. This past November, Activision committed another $1 million to the Endowment and pledged to find 1,000 jobs for veterans. The Call of Duty Endowment, please visit www.callofdutyendowment.org.

Post Formats is a theme feature introduced with Version 3.1. Post Formats can be used by a theme to customize its presentation of a post.
/in

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus – more on WordPress.org: Post Formats

Get help for PTSD

/in ,

GENERAL LEADS BY EXAMPLE

Army General Carter Ham, Commander of Libya Operations Sought Help for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Army Gen. Carter Ham is the highest-ranking U.S. officer to admit seeking help for post traumatic stress syndrome.

Army General Carter Ham, is the commander of the allied operations in Libya has had his own challenges before taking on this job.

General Ham admitted to obtaining help for PTSD and sets an example for others to follow.   We need all of our troops who are experiencing symptoms to obtain professional help. The mentality has changed and getting help from a mental health pro or from your chaplain will not end your military career.  Instead, it may enable you to reach new heights as it has for General Ham.  General Ham went through this back in 2005 as a one star General and his career has prospered since obtaining treatment.

General Ham began in the Army as an enlisted infantryman in the 82nd Airborne while he was attending college.  Ham has served state side and in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Macedonia and Iraq.  He headed the U.S. African Command and now heads the U.S. military operations in Libya and the rest of the continent.

He also was involved in the survey of troops on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

MilitaryConnection.com encourages any member of the military or their family member to seek help and heal.  It takes a more courage to admit you have a problem then to ignore it.   If you have a buddy who is doing through a difficult time and won’t get help, you need to get it for your buddy.

If you cannot find the help you need, we recommend our friends at Give An Hour – They have a network of over 5,300 mental health professionals that each donate one hour a week of free and private counseling to military, veterans, family, significant others and friends.  This impacts everyone.   You can reach Give An Hour – www.giveanhour.org.

VA Launches New PSA on Suicide Prevention for Veterans

/in

Confidential Crisis Line Provides 24/7 Access to Help

They go through the training. They put on the uniform. They leave their loved ones behind and go off to defend our freedoms. The very least we can do, as a grateful nation, is to help them find their way home. As more and more of our men and women in uniform return from Iraq and Afghanistan, there is an increasing need for mental health care. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reaching out to Veterans in crisis and their families in a new public service announcement to raise awareness about suicide prevention resources, such as the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The PSA encourages Veterans in crisis to call the crisis hotline number at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a trained VA mental health professional, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The PSA can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/VeteransHealthAdmin#p/u/1/PPL7CAHixQE.

The hotline, which is part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, was started in 2007 as a partnership between VA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  So far, the hotline has led to more than 13,000 rescues of actively suicidal Veterans. The hotline also operates an online Veterans Chat program, which provides Veterans, their families and friends with the ability to communicate anonymously online in real-time with a trained VA mental health professional.  Veterans Chat can be accessed through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s web page at http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/Veterans/Default.aspx. Through the hotline and Veterans Chat, VA can connect Veterans and their families with important services, including suicide prevention coordinators, as well as general inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services at VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics. Suicide is 100% preventable, and it is everyone’s responsibility.

Final Deadline for Retroactive Stop Loss Pay Claims March 18th

/in ,

Active Duty Military, Veterans and beneficiaries of Active Duty Military who were involuntarily extended under the stop loss program between September 11th, 2001 and September 30th, 2009 have until this Friday, March 18th, to file claims for their retroactive stop loss pay. Although this deadline has been extended a number of times, this is the now the final deadline.

The retroactive bonus pay covers 145,000 military personnel who were forced to remain on duty beyond their original discharge date, following the September 11th attacks. Congress approved back pay of $500 for each month of involuntary service; the average lump-sum due is between $3,500 and $3,800. Applications must be submitted by March 18th, 2011. Submit your application online at www.defense.gov/stoploss.

Give A Thousand Thanks Project

/in

GIVE A THOUSAND THANKS PROJECT AIMS TO SHOW FAMILIES OF OUR FALLEN THAT AMERICA CARES
TAPS Organizers Hope Thousands Will Post Thank You Notes, Photos & Videos Before Memorial Day

There is a new project that allows a grateful nation to express gratitude and support for the families of our fallen military. Organized by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the Give a Thousand Thanks project aims to collect thousands of messages, photos and videos to remind those left behind that America remembers and appreciates the service and sacrifices their families have made.

“People often ask us what they can do to help military families who have experienced the death of a service member. Expressing your gratitude is a great first step” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS founder and chairman. The “Thanks in Action” page lists other ways to get involved in helping the families of our fallen military. Users can learn about how to volunteer, donate to support TAPS services for surviving families, join the TAPS Run & Remember Team or purchase a Baghdad bracelet to wear.

“Community support plays a role in helping surviving families” said Carroll. “The Give a Thousand Thanks project gives America a way to show its care and support for these families who have sacrificed so much for their country.”

The messages, photos and videos posted on the site will be displayed at the TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar & Good Grief Camp being held near Washington, DC over Memorial Day Weekend, where they will be seen by hundreds of surviving families of our fallen military. Postcards can also be mailed in and will be displayed at the event.

For more information about the Give a Thousand Thanks project, go to www.GiveAThousandThanks.org. For more information about TAPS, go to www.taps.org or call toll-free 800.959.TAPS.

SCRA Interest Cap

/in

Did you know that under the Service Members Civil Relief Act (SCRA), any active duty servicemember who has credit card debt, auto loans, education loans and/or a mortgage, taken out prior to active duty, can have the interest capped at 6% under this federal law?

 

Marine Capt. Jonathon Rowles has brought to light serious violations of the Service Members Civil Relief Act. The purpose of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is to provide for, strengthen, and expedite the national defense by allowing servicemembers to devote their energies to the defense of the Nation, instead of worrying about their finances. 

New York investment bank Morgan Stanley is facing questions in an ever-widening probe concerning wrongful foreclosures of borrowers on military deployment and overcharging thousands for mortgages. Also under scrutiny is J.P. Morgan Chase Co., who admitted to overcharging 4,500 active-duty military members, and wrongly foreclosing on 18 mortgages. These two companies are among other financial institutions that may have violated the Service Members Civil Relief Act. Any active duty servicemember that has credit card debt, auto loans, education loans and/or a mortgage, taken out prior to active duty, can have the interest capped at 6% under this federal law. 

Senator Jack Reed, (D-RI) and Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) are pushing for federal investigations of improper banking practices regarding mortgage protections. Quoted in USA Today, Senator Reed stated, “Soldiers fighting on the frontlines to protect our country shouldn”t have to needlessly fight with banks to protect their homes. JP Morgan Chase was violating the law, and I am concerned other banks may also be wrongly overcharging our troops or taking unfair advantage of their situation”. 

Senator Kerry has written a letter to Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman, asking for an investigation. Kerry authored legislation enacted in December that extended SCRA provisions, freezing home forclosures for nine months after a service member is released from active duty. The legislation also prohibits mortgage interest rates from being raised above 6% for one year after release from active duty. 

Legal Loan Protection For Active Duty Military

Active Duty Military and their families often fall victim to predatory lending practices. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) is there to protect your rights. Many credit card loans, auto loans, education loans and mortgages taken out before active duty can be capped at 6% under Federal Law. If you are paying MORE than 6% interest on a loan or credit card taken out before active duty and after notifying your lender about active duty, you should schedule a free consultation with an Attorney. Girard Gibbs is one of the leading law firms representing consumers across the country in class action lawsuits against some of the country’s largest corporations. Call 866.981.4800 or click here for more information. Advertisement.

Letters from Hollywood – Gary Sinise

/in

One of America’s finest actors, Gary Sinise was nominated for an Oscar for FORREST GUMP.  His other films include APOLLO 13, GEORGE WALLACE and OF MICE AND MEN.  He currently stars on CSI NY and is a tireless supporter of our Troops.

To all who serve our great country,

As the current conflict rages on, and you continue to answer our nation’s call, I want you to know how very grateful I am for all you do.  This is our country, and throughout our history the freedom that we all share as Americans has been earned, and paid for, and sacrificed for by a courageous few.  You are the defenders of freedom throughout the world. The majority of us sleep soundly in the comfort of our homes at night, while a very, very small percentage stand watch around the globe, making sure that all Americans can continue to enjoy the liberty and freedom we have grown so accustomed to.  Whether you are on the front pages of our newspapers or not, you still continue to do difficult and dangerous work in dangerous environments and you do so voluntarily.

As I have traveled to visit our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, The United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Guantanamo Bay, and all around the US, over and over again I have been awed by the men and women serving our country.  And while we can never do enough for our veterans and active duty service members, we can always try to do a little bit more to show our gratitude.  It is you, after all, who make it possible for us to go about our daily lives in peace and security here at home.  From our Vietnam days of turning our backs on our veterans, we learned that no matter whether we as a nation believe in the mission the government has set upon our military or not, our country’s service members are to be supported and cared for and thanked for all they do to serve our country.  And we, as citizens of the country you defend, can pick up the slack where the government leaves off.  We can serve those who serve for us.  And, there are many who are trying their best to give back to you.  I have lent a hand to dozens of grassroots organizations started by people who just simply want to help our troops and want to make sure you know that you are appreciated.  One such organization is Operation International Children.  www.operationinternationalchildren.org It is a program that I started with author Laura Hillenbrand after my second trip to Iraq back in November of 2003 in order to support the troops from home by sending school supplies and other items for them to pass out to the children.  We now also ship to our troops in Afghanistan, the Philippines and Djibouti, our mission being to Help Soldiers Help Children.

For many years, I have also had the amazing opportunity to support and entertain our troops overseas and here in the states with my band, The LT Dan Band.  In 2003 I began what has been a remarkable and rewarding association with the United Service Organization, the USO, in service to our active duty service members.  It’s a way to say Thank You and to help keep spirits high.  To serve those who serve us, and to give back something to our military families, has been among the most rewarding and fulfilling things that I have done in my life.

It just simply feels that we, as Americans, are all in this together.  This is our country.  Someone has to do the difficult and dangerous work of fighting for it.  Like many, I was hit with a dose of reality when I watched those planes crash into those buildings, piloted by fanatics armed only with box cutters.  God help us if this fanatical enemy were to ever get hold of more dangerous weapons.

And it is you, our war fighters, who are doing all you can to make sure it does not happen again. We are so fortunate to have people whose calling it is to dedicate themselves to military service.  Imagine a war, when only the other side showed up.  What would we, as a nation, do without men and women willing to stand on the fronts lines and defend our freedom and our way of life? Would we even have that way of life?  Or would we have someone else’s, imposed upon us?  So, thank you, to all of you who give so much. We all are in your debt.

President Calvin Coolidge said, “A nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.”  I hope these “Letters from Hollywood” will help to let you know that your nation has not forgotten.

God bless you all, for all you do to keep this country, and all its citizens, free.
Sincerely,

Your very grateful American friend,

Gary Sinise


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

Military Connection