THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS WRITTEN ON THE WALL....
You'll find the link here: http://gypsypashn.com/
Loads of interesting articles, legislative information and up to
the minute news for vets!
Have a great weekend all~
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/01/26/lawmakers-require-va-to-track-effects-of-burn-pits.html?ESRC=eb.nl
Lawmakers Require VA to Track Effects of Burn Pits
FEB 2, 2013
Associated Press| by Kevin Freking
WASHINGTON - J.D. Williams didn't think much about the smoke cloud that often shrouded his air base in Iraq. Not when it covered everything he owned with black soot or when his wheezing and coughing made it difficult to sleep at night.
"We just went about our business because there was a war going on," said Williams, a retired chief warrant officer who was responsible for maintaining some 250 aircraft for the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division.
He returned home from that second stint in Iraq in 2006 and subsequently was diagnosed with an irreversible lung disease that his doctor suspects could be related to smoke from one of the hundreds of burn pits that dotted Iraq and Afghanistan during the course of the two wars. The pits were used to burn off the garbage that accumulates at military bases, everything from Styrofoam and metal to paints, solvents, human waste and medical waste.
A new Department of Veterans Affairs registry, mandated by Congress, will be used to try to determine if there is a link between the burn pits and long-term health problems.
Military personnel who were stationed near an open burn pit can sign up. Researchers will use the database to monitor health trends in participants, and the VA will alert them to major problems detected.
Over the long term, the findings could make it easier for veterans who served near burn pits to obtain disability payments.
Williams, 56, of Huntsville, Ala., was initially told that he would have to prove that his illness, diagnosed as constrictive bronchiolitis, was service-related. He walked out of the room. Eventually, after he traveled to Washington and met with members of Congress, the VA increased his disability rating 10 percent.
He said he's hoping the registry will pave the way for other soldiers to avoid a similarly exasperating process. If researchers find certain illnesses are linked to exposure to burn pits, then the VA would be more likely to declare those illnesses a presumptive condition, eliminating the need for a veteran to prove that his or her illness is service-related.
Sixty-three burn pits were still being used in Afghanistan as of Dec. 26; those in Iraq were closed by December 2010. Camps with fewer than 100 people are not required to report the use of a burn pit, so there could be more, but generally much smaller ones. Proponents say the burn pits were so widespread that the large majority of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan could participate in the registry.
In 2009, the military updated its policies on burn pits to prohibit the burning of hazardous materials such as certain medical waste, batteries and tires, and whenever possible, to situate them where the smoke would not blow over work and living quarters.
"When our service members voice concerns about burn pit exposures as well as other health issues, we take our responsibility seriously to investigate these exposures and possible health risks, and to implement any protective measure that are indicated and feasible," said Defense Department spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith.
The creation of the burn pit registry has been several years in the making.
Air Force Lt. Col Darrin Curtis said in a memo disclosed by the Army Times in 2008 that he believed a particularly large burn pit at Joint Base Balad, one of the largest air bases in Iraq, was an acute health hazard, and he was amazed that it was allowed to operate without restrictions.
Congressional hearings followed that featured sick veterans, contractors and family members who had lost a loved one from illnesses they attributed to burn pits. The Pentagon said that none of the monitoring conducted at Balad identified an increased risk for long-term health problems. It has maintained that position over the years but also acknowledges that some personnel have persistent symptoms, possibly as a result of elevated exposures to the smoke, existing health conditions or other unknown factors.
An Institute of Medicine study requested by the VA and made public in 2011 concluded there was insufficient data to determine whether burn pit emissions had long-term health consequences. The study found the pollutants measured at Balad were generally present at a concentration so low that it would not be expected to cause any harm, even if a person was exposed to that concentration for a lifetime. The two exceptions were particulate matter and acrolein.
Particulate matter is a mixture of small particles and liquid droplets that can lead to acute respiratory problems. But the high concentrations at Joint Base Balad came primarily from local sources such as traffic and dust storms, rather than the burn pit, according to the institute, which advises the government on health issues.
Acrolein is a liquid primarily used as a herbicide and in making other chemicals. Exposure can lead to eye, nose and throat irritation. Although the concentration exceeded precautionary levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency, it was still far below the concentration that led to nasal and lung damage in laboratory animals, the study said.
The Pentagon said it is continuing to study the potential hazards of burn pit exposure.
The VA opposed the legislation setting up the burn pit registry even though it has registries for those exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and for those who served during the Gulf War. The department did not oppose trying to track potential burn pit-related illnesses, just the mechanism proposed.
"We said it was not the best scientific approach for learning about long-term health outcomes and it really wasn't necessary for outreach because we have other programs in place," said Dr. Paul Ciminera, director of the VA's Post-9/11 Era Environmental Health Program.
As to whether the burn pits lead to health problems in soldiers, Ciminera cited the Institute of Medicine report. "We need to do further research to see what the long-term effects could be," he said.
Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico, the lead Senate sponsor of the registry legislation, said he pushed ahead despite VA objections because the department seems to instinctively reject concerns that veterans are harmed by their surrounding environment. He cited Agent Orange as an example and said the VA initially resisted a link between the defoliant and the health of soldiers who served in Vietnam.
Many supporters of the registry, including Williams, are also participants in a class-action lawsuit filed against KBR Inc., which contracted with the government to operate several of the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some 50 lawsuits were consolidated into one case in a Maryland federal court. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for various injuries, emotional distress and fear of future disease. KBR is seeking to dismiss the lawsuits on grounds it deserves the same immunity that prevents the plaintiffs from suing the federal government.
"Every type of waste imaginable was and is burned in these pits," the plaintiffs said in their lawsuit.
Veterans groups were big backers of the registry, and an often-divided Congress overwhelmingly sides with them rather than the VA.
"You've been told since you're a little kid: `Don't put a Styrofoam cup in a fire and breathe it because it's bad for you," said Ray Kelley, national legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. "They do that all day long on these stops along with Lord knows what else, from human waste to all sorts of garbage. You're inhaling that on a daily basis. It can't be good for you."
The "New" Navy By Sanford Hughes http://www.pacificflyer.com/2012/04/navys-new-plan-to-halt-re-enlistment/.
Military Affairs
Bad news for Squids and Jarheads (our beloved sailors and Marines). The Navy Department has figured a way to cut back on the expense of running a Navy and all those desert wastelands they call Marine bases.
Basically, Stop all Drinking, Smoking and Eating rich foods, and Test everyone all the time and eventually, there won't be anyone left to collect pay and pension benefits. Of course they didn't say that exactly. What they did say is, the Navy will implement fleet-wide breathalyzer tests for Sailors and Marines, crack down on Smoking and Drinking, and phase in many other major personnel policy changes, such as giving females three years off to birth babies instead of standing duty they signed up for.
The broad collection of new policies has been dubbed "21st Century Sailor and Marine," and reflected many "longstanding issues or goals" for the department by Social engineers now seemingly in charge of the U.S. Military.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jim Amos unveiled the coming disaster but it isn't clear if the White House forced them into it or they went along willingly. Juan Garcia (a civilian), assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs, said that "21st Century" has five "pillars" - Readiness, Safety, Physical fitness, Inclusion and "Continuum of Service."
The Navy Department's basic goal is to get the most possible good out of every Service member and keep them in the force for as long as possible before they come to their senses or just head for Canada. Officials said they hope anti-drinking, anti-smoking and physical fitness campaigns will make troops healthier, reduce accidents such as drunk driving and result in fewer missed work days over a Sailor or Marine's career. Contrast this with the British Navy which not only allows smoking but still issues a cupful of grog every day.
EVERYONE GETS SCREENED
The highest profile new policy will be the fleet wide use of breathalyzers, which until now have only been tried sporadically in various parts of the Navy. Within the coming year, Garcia said, virtually all Ships and many Marine units will begin fielding breathalyzers and a novel approach for using them.
"What we're stressing is this is not a punitive tool, not a legal tool, but instead it's an inspection and prevention tool," Garcia, who's obviously never been in the Navy, said, "Leading Chiefs to prevent career-ending or service-ending incidents." Of course, just the opposite will be true.
For example, all sailors coming aboard a ship for a duty shift after 'Liberty' will be screened with the 'Breathalyzer', and the whole Crew will be subject to random inspections. In addition to being deeply unpopular with the Sailors, the Navy's past breathalyzer experiments also have drawn skepticism from its own leaders: former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe Campa once observed that a breathalyzer on the brow could cause as many problems as it solved.
A Sailor or Marine who shows up for duty with a blood alcohol level above .08 will be sent to Medical, his Leaders and Shipmates will be notified, and his case will rest in the hands of his Commanding Officer and noted in his record. That should do a lot for reenlistment figures.
NO SMOKING ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
Tobacco and the synthetic marijuana-like drug known as "Spice" are also on the hit list. The Navy Department will stop discounting tobacco products at exchanges and begin new rounds of tests to catch spice-smokers. Recent Congressional action also means that, for the first time in decades, Navy Warships may not go to sea with tobacco in their ships' stores. Navy officials want to duplicate what they say has been the success of the submarine force, which outlawed smoking at the beginning of 2011.
So much for having an after dinner cigar in the goat locker (Chief's Quarters).
WOMEN CAN GET THREE YEARS OFF
It also will offer Women new options to take time away from the 'Service' to have Children, then return to duty to pick up their careers. Women will be able to move into the "Inactive Ready Reserve for as long as three years, receive a stipend for not working, keep Commissary and other benefits and use one permanent change of station to relocate.
They'll incur a "Two for One" obligation - meaning a Woman who took the maximum three years off would owe the Navy or Marine Corps six additional years. Let's see how long that lasts.
BAD NEWS FOR RECRUITING OFFICES
Worse, for Chief Petty Officers and Gunnery Sergeants, the Navy and Marines will also step up a "Year-round culture of fitness" to lean on Servicemembers to keep fit. With all these Sailors and Marines in better shape, Drinking less and not Smoking, the Navy Department wants to keep them in Service for as long as possible, or, at least, until their enlistment is up. Of course, it may be Impossible to get anyone to Re-up ! since the men are unable to Smoke or Drink. And as all the Women will be off having Babies, who's going to run the Ships, Planes and Shore bases in about four years ?
Hopefully, by that time, all the Social experimenters in Washington, D.C. and in the Pentagon will have been replaced by realists who understand Military enlisted Men and what it takes to be a 'Warrior'.
But probably not. Please don't let China, North Korea or Iran hear about this.
Green Beret Group Lobbies Against Gun Control
Jan 29, 2013
Military.com| by Bryant Jordan
More than 1,100 former and current Army Special Forces troops -- Green Berets -- have reportedly put their names to a letter condemning any efforts to restrict gun ownership following the massacre of 20 students and six staff at Sandy Hill Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
The 2,900-word letter has been distributed to media outlets and posted on Professionalsoldiers.com, which is operated by retired Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Jeff Hinton. Because of the sensitive nature of their military careers the names of those signing the letter are not being released.
Hinton -- who has routinely exposed phony Green Berets and others on his website -- said he has confirmed that everyone who put his name to the letter is a current or former Special Forces soldier. Military.com could not validate all 1,100 names by press time.
Hinton's original goal was to collect 100 signatures. He was surprised by the response he received.
The letter makes the case for allowing civilians to own and use a military-style assault rifle, in particular the AR-15, as well as high-capacity magazines that can hold in excess of 10 rounds.
While the AR-15 is designed to look like the Army's M4A1 rifle, it is not able to fire automatically and cannot be reconfigured to do so, the letter states. As for limiting magazines to 10 rounds, they wrote "it is our considered opinion that reducing magazine capacity from 30 rounds to 10 rounds will only require an additional 6 -8 seconds to change two empty 10-round magazines with full magazines.
"Would an increase of 6 -8 seconds make any real difference to the outcome in a mass shooting incident? In our opinion it would not."
The view offered by the Special Forces soldiers is markedly different than that given by retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of forces in Afghanistan, who also came out of the Special Forces community.
In interviews with various media outlets McChrystal drew no hard distinctions between the AR-15 and M4, both of which fire a .223 caliber round.
"We've got to take a serious look -- I understand everyone's desire to have whatever [weapon] they want -- but we've got to protect our children, we've got to protect our police, we've got to protect our population," McChrystal said during an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier this month. "Serious action is necessary. Sometimes we talk about very limited actions on the edges and I just don't think that's enough."
In its letter, the group states they also are "loving and caring fathers and grandfathers" who have been "stunned, horrified, and angered by the tragedies of Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Fort Hood, and Sandy Hook."
But solutions cannot and will not be found in new laws restricting gun ownership, the group wrote. The writers argue that the Supreme Court has maintained the right for citizens to own weapons in common use, which does not rule out military-style weapons.
In its letter, the group also offers several recommendations it says will help solve gun-violence, including gun-safety programs in schools, legislation mandating that court-determined mentally ill people undergo treatment, and giving border states the job of implementing border control laws to prevent illegal shipments of both firearms and drugs.
The government intercepts only about 10 percent of illegal drugs coming into the country, while its attempt to track illegal guns has also proven a failure, the group said, pointing to the "Fast and Furious" program that allowed criminals to buy and move guns.
"Given this dismal performance record that is misguided and inept … we believe that border states will be far more competent at this mission," the group says.
The group also supports passing Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws to allow courts to require individuals with mental disorders to comply with treatment.
"In each of the mass shooting incidents the perpetrator was mentally unstable," the group wrote in the letter. "We also believe that people who have been adjudicated as incompetent should be simultaneously examined to determine whether they should be allowed the right to retain/purchase firearms.
As for schools, which have been the sites of several mass murders in recent history, the group supports state and local boards developing security measures they deem necessary. This includes arming staff, if that is their wish. The group also calls for firearms safety instruction -- such as the National Rifle Association's "Eddie the Eagle" program -- in classrooms.
The repeal of the "Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990," does not work but establishes schools as tempting targets to anyone wanting to inflict violence, the group said in their letter.
The group also recommends that gratuitous violence in movies and video games be discouraged, citing research showing links between the exposure to those popular mediums and desensitization to actual violence.
Debate Swirls over Female Navy SEALs
Feb 02, 2013
The Virginian-Pilot| by Mike Hixenbaugh
A bruised and bloodied female recruit pulls herself to her feet, spits out a mouthful of blood and shouts an unladylike insult at an abusive master chief, instantly earning respect from her male teammates as she becomes the nation's first female commando.
The dramatic scene from "G.I. Jane" suggests that integrating women into a special operations unit is as simple as finding a physically fit woman willing to shave her head and put up with misogynistic jerks.
That was just a movie. This is real life.
Special operations chief Adm. Bill McRaven told a Washington audience this week that he supports allowing women into elite military units, including the SEALs. The comments, made days after defense officials ended the ban on women serving in ground combat, ignited fresh debate among the ranks over whether women could -- or should -- serve alongside America's elite warriors.
There's long been skepticism over whether women can meet the grueling physical standards of special operations. Of those fit enough to make it to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training -- an achievement in its own right -- only about 1 in 3 of them become Navy commandos.
McRaven, a former SEAL commander, said it's crucial that women be held to the same high standards as men and that he believes some "will do a phenomenal job."
McRaven has until 2016 to report back to the secretary of defense with a plan to integrate his forces or apply for an exception to continue to restrict women.
His comments drew mixed reactions among former SEALs reached by a reporter this week. Several flatly rejected the idea of bringing women into the force; others said they were open to the idea as long as standards were not lowered.
Even those who oppose allowing women to join the teams concede that a select few would probably make the cut.
"I'm confident there are women who can pass the physical standards; there are women I'm sure that can pass the mental standards," former SEAL officer Cade Courtley said. "But why would you add an element into the most elite special forces that could cause it to be less effective?"
Courtley, who spun his military experience into a reality show and book about survival tactics, imagined what would happen if a woman had been on the team of Virginia Beach-based SEALs tapped to take out Osama bin Laden and learned she was pregnant days before the raid.
"I'm not saying SEALs can't adapt," he said, "but why mess with something that's working?"
Courtley also questioned whether women should train alongside men in humbling circumstances. He described pushing through "hell week," a brutal five days of continuous training during the initial phase of BUD/S.
"At about night number four, when we're lying on metal grates in nothing but our swim shorts, I'm spooning this guy next to me, shivering to death and just hoping that he has to pee because I'll at least get a couple seconds of warmth," said Courtley, who became a SEAL in 1995 and left the service in 2001. "That's how far down we go. Are we really going to add women to that?"
Retired SEAL Don Shipley runs Extreme SEAL Experience in rural Chesapeake, a weeklong program for young men who aspire to join special operations forces. He has refused to open the course to women, despite several requests, because he fears it would deter men from signing up.
He expects the same would happen if women were integrated into SEAL training.
"You cannot even get the majority of the strongest guys in the nation to get through the training," Shipley said. "You're going to deter some those guys from coming out, and for what?"
Larry Bailey, a former SEAL commander who retired in 1990 after 27 years, said even if a woman meets the rigorous physical and mental requirements, she would not be suited for the job "by virtue of her anatomy." The 73-year-old described a scenario in which a female SEAL and her team are swimming toward a target through shark-infested Caribbean waters.
"What happens if her female menstrual cycle starts?" Bailey said. "The sharks will be swarming. That sounds ridiculous, but I use that to make a point. Men and women aren't built the same."
Bailey's hard-line stance doesn't necessarily reflect the views among younger special operations troops, many of whom have served alongside women during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kevin Maurer, a journalist and Virginia Beach native who has embedded numerous times with special operations units over the past decade, said he has seen commandos come to respect women who often join them on dangerous missions as helicopter pilots or with cultural support teams.
"With special operations guys, everyone earns their place," said Maurer, who co-wrote "No Easy Day" with an ex-SEAL who participated in the bin Laden raid. "It's about earning the green beret, earning the trident. If you can earn it, and if you're held to the same standards, then you will earn that respect."
Lisa Barbarics, a retired Navy chief, worked with SEAL teams as a communications specialist during the late-1990s. She said she felt like she was welcomed as part of the Naval Special Warfare community, but she has doubts about whether a woman would be accepted as a SEAL. She questioned whether many women could make it to that point.
"Having worked with those guys, there may be a few women out there who are capable of meeting those standards," Barbarics said. "I doubt there are very many of them."
One recently retired SEAL who served on deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan said gender shouldn't matter. He shared his views with a reporter on the condition that his name not be published.
Women can be "as ruthless and driven as dudes," the ex-SEAL said in an email, "and once they have proven that they can pass the minimum standard, they should be allowed to roll with us."
He acknowledged that his views are not typical of most of his former teammates. But as long as standards aren't lowered, he said the training could be amended to allow women to participate without needlessly being forced into provocative situations. The change wouldn't be unprecedented.
"When I went through training, we did every run in jungle boots, and we lost 25 percent of the class to shin-splints or leg fractures," the retired SEAL said.
Now, SEALs do some training in running shoes -- and no one accuses them of being soft.
Friday, February 1, 2013 www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs. Feel free to forward the newsletter to veterans and friends and encourage them to subscribe.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: GetInterviews.com, TECHEXPO Top Secret and FranChoice
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. Lawmakers Sign Off on Tricare Prescription Cost Increases
3. Despite a Deal Taxes to Rise for Most
4. Women in Combat Ban Reversed
5. Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, July 20 - 27,
6. Plumbers and Pipefitters Accelerated Welding Program
7. DOD to End TRICARE Prime for 171,000
8. Skills for Chicagoland’s Future
9. Request for Veterans who have been Successfully Employed in the Civilian Workplace Despite Their PTSD
10. Military Suicides Hit Record High in 2012
11. Remembering4You is Celebrating One Year on the Web by Offering Scholarships to Military
12. VRAP Update from VA
13. One in Three Employees Plan to Look for New Job in 2013
14. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January 29, 2013
15. Significant Events this Month in Military History
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and endorsing veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
- - - - - From the VFW - - - - - - - - VFW Insurance: For information about various insurance plans sponsored by VFW National Headquarters, please visit http://www.vfwinsurance.com/index.html or call 1-800-821-2606, option 1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NOTE: If you have a resume in the VetJobs database, be sure to update your experience and refresh your resume at a minimum of every two weeks. VetJobs has many new customers using the resume database and as a general rule, they do not look at resumes over 30 days old.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1. Message from the Top
ATTITUDE! Studies have shown the leading single reason why people do not get an offer after an interview is their attitude during the interview. And studies have also shown one of the leading reasons for justifiable termination (not including economic layoffs) is the attitude of the employee. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a positive attitude when interviewing for a job. As the candidate, you have to maintain a positive mental attitude in order to succeed. No company wants to hire a person with a poor attitude or a candidate who thinks they know everything!
I was recently working with a veteran who was having problems finding a job. He has been unemployed for a year. The first indication of an attitude problem was when he stated that he retired from the military so the companies “owed” him a job. I tried to explain to him companies do not “owe” him a job or anything else. He has to earn to right to the job by demonstrating in a positive manner that he can fulfill a need at the company. He then went on to say that he knew more than any of the people that interviewed him and everyone who interviewed him were stupid.
I think you can see where the conversation was going. He had a serious attitude problem and it came across very, very strong. If you are looking for a job and having problems, visit the Employment Assistance section of VetJobs (www.vetjobs.com) for help, but remember that at all times you have to have a positive attitude. And yes, I know that can be difficult when you have met a lot of rejection, but it still stands that you have to be positive.
Keep that in mind when you apply for jobs or when you go in for an interview. Attitude counts! If you have a bad attitude, it may be your Achilles tendon during the interview.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * We celebrate several holidays in February:
February 2, marks the 112th anniversary of the inception of the Army Nurse Corps. If you meet an Army nurse, tell them Happy Birthday!
February 4 marks the 72nd anniversary of the USO.
February 12 is Lincoln’s birthday.
February 13 is Ash Wednesday
February 14, we celebrate Valentine’s Day! Be sure to remember your special person.
On February 18 the country celebrates President’s Day. The original purpose of President’s Day was to honor Washington and Lincoln, but it is now the day we honor all of the presidents who have served these great United States.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Those of you who have read our newsletter over the years or who know me personally know that VetJobs will not falsely raise hopes or sugar coat the facts. As I am frequently quoted to say, I am the mayor of “Realsville”. Our job at VetJobs is to help you find work in spite of what is happening in the economy. And work is available. But during tough times you will need to make use of all the information VetJobs presents in the Employment Assistance section (www.vetjobs.com/vetEmpAssistance.htm) of the site. The bottom line is you can find work. In fact, veterans have been finding work at a better pace than their civilian counterparts which is why the overall veteran unemployment rate in December was only 7.0% while the national unemployment rate is 7.8%.
With that in mind, let’s look at what is happening on the economic front where things are definitely mixed.
The Commerce Department reports the nation's gross domestic product unexpectedly shrank for the first time in 3 1/2 years during the fourth quarter, declining at an annual rate of 0.1% between October and December. It was the first time the broad measure of all goods and services produced by the economy contracted since the recovery from the financial crisis began. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected 1.0% annualized growth for the quarter so this news is not good. A shrinking economy means fewer jobs. A shrinking economy is also raising fears by many of a double dip recession, but I think it is too soon to jump to that conclusion. If first quarter 2013 continues the trend, then there will be serious problems complicating the already bad unemployment rate.
Right now, for many the job market is not good with the uncertainty of the fiscal cliff negotiations, the debt ceiling fight, the very real problems of continued high unemployment, the Affordable Care Act, the deficit and payroll tax increases for all (see article #3 below). There are regular press stories of companies now laying off employees for one or more of these reasons.
Due to these events, the unemployment rate in January raised to 7.9%. A larger increase was expected. Only 179,000 jobs were created in January when the economy needs 250,000 to 300,000 new jobs a month to reduce the unemployment rate. But do not let these numbers get you down.
Here is a review the economic indicators for the past month:
On the positive side:
-BLS reports December jobless rates down over the year in 290 of 372 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 283
-U.S. housing starts jumped 12.1% in December from November to an annualized 954,000-unit rate, the highest rate since June 2008. Permits rose 0.3% to an annualized rate of 903,000 units.
-Wall Street had one of the best January’s in years.
On the negative side:
-The U.S. economy contracted at an annualized pace of 0.1% in the fourth quarter in the first decline since 2009, according to an advance estimate from the Commerce Department. Economists expected the world’s biggest economy to grow at a pace of 1.1% in the final three months of 2012.
-The Conference Board's gauge of U.S. consumer confidence tumbled to 58.6 in January, the lowest level since November 2011, from an upwardly revised 66.7 in December. The index was expected to fall to 64 from an initially reported 65.1.
-The non-profit Center for College Affordability and Productivity reports nearly half of working Americans with college degrees are in jobs for which they are overqualified. The study says the trend is likely to continue for newly minted college graduates over the next decade.
-The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices slipped 0.1% in November from October on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. Prices were expected to remain unchanged. The gauge jumped 5.5% from the same month in 2011, as expected.
-A preliminary reading on consumer sentiment for the month of January checked in at 71.3, down from 72.9 in December and lower than the 75 expected, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan. The reading was the lowest since December 2011
-The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's gauge of manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region fell to -5.8 in January from 4.6 in December. The index was expected to rise to 5.8. Readings above zero point to expansion while those below indicate contraction.
While there is some negative news, all is not lost for those seeking work. There is also good news. The BLS report that December jobless rates were down over the year in 290 of 372 metro areas is very good news. VetJobs is daily averaging over 50,000 jobs nationally from employers who want to hire veterans and their family members. Wal-Mart has committed to hire 100,000 veterans starting on Memorial Day! Stores like Home Depot are anxious to hire veterans. There is a shortage of qualified candidates in manufacturing and the trades which veterans are ideal to fill. And during every difficult economy, companies still make hires in all levels of their companies.
After reading the information in the Employment Assistance section you can always call a counselor at VetJobs on our toll free line at 877-838-5627, but please first read the information in the Employment Assistance section.
It will be very interesting to see where the economy goes in the next month and quarter!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Please note that the Veteran Eagle has a new sponsor, GetInterviews.com. Please read their ad and let me know what you think of their service.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * For those who may be traveling in February, please stop in each USO you pass, especially in airports, and sign their visitor log. Funding for the USO is contingent on those who visit so the more people they have who sign their logs, the better their funding. Additionally, take by store bought cookies and paper goods. These are always needed at USO facilities.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.
Remember, Freedom Is Never Free - Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans
Best regards,
Ted Daywalt President
/---February Veteran Eagle sponsor is GetInterview.com----\
Words that Sabotage Your Resume - GetInterviews.com
Creating a winning resume is a feat of strategy involving focus, wording, design and content. To achieve a resume that wins interviews, all areas of the strategy must be on-target. One of the most common mistakes job candidates make when writing their resumes is not paying attention to strategy and word selection.
There are actually words that are commonly used on resumes that can have a detrimental impact on the effectiveness of the resume. When most job candidates write their own resumes, they don’t consider word choice because they are concerned about the basic information. Yet verbiage is critical and the wrong word choice can sabotage your resume.
The average hiring manager sees hundreds of resumes from candidates and only reviews each for approximately 15 seconds. Resumes begin to look and sound the same to them. Here are some words and phrases to avoid:
Soft-skill Descriptions Job seekers feel they need to communicate their soft-skills to the employer because they believe they are the traits that make them unique. Wrong! Soft-skills are so common that hiring managers pay no attention to them.
Soft-skill phrases to avoid or severely limit: • Excellent communication skills • Personable presenter • Detail-oriented
Do not bore the reader with these overused phrases. After all no one will write that he/she takes long lunches and is lazy. It is more effective to write description that demonstrates these abilities rather than just laying claim to them. Rather than just stating you are an “excellent presenter,” you could say “Developed and presented 15 multi-media presentations resulting in 10 new accounts which generated $5,000 in new revenue.”
Passive Voice Many people write in passive-type voice because that is how we’ve been taught in school. The problem with a passive-type voice is that it is just that – passive!
Indicators of the passive-type voice: • Responsible for • Duties included • Served as Rather than “Responsible for management of three direct reports” say “Managed 3 direct reports.” It is a shorter, more direct mode of writing and adds impact to the way the resume reads.
On the flip side, while action verbs are great, don’t overdo it. We have actually seen: • Smashed numbers through the roof • Electrified sales team to produce • Pushed close rate by 10%
Consider your word choice in a resume. A resume is a marketing document for your career just as a brochure is a marketing document for a product or service. Companies put careful thought and consideration into every word that goes into marketing copy and you should do the same in your resume. Be wise -- stop and give some thought to the words you choose.
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2. Lawmakers Sign Off on Tricare Prescription Cost Increases
Increases to Tricare prescription co-payments will go into effect February 1 under a plan agreed to by House and Senate conferees, who mostly accepted the House version of the plan, which included more modest fee hikes. Medications at military pharmacies will remain free, but fees for prescriptions for name-brand drugs filled at retail outlets and via mail will rise. Source: The Sun Herald, Biloxi-Gulfport, MS
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TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next career fairs are:
2/12, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Expo, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Please call 410-859-8300 or go online to register http://www.techexpousa.com/. Security Clearance with CI or Full Scope Polygraph REQUIRED for this event.
2/13, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Expo, The Sheraton Reston Hotel, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, go online to register http://www.techexpousa.com.Security Clearance with CI or Full Scope Polygraph REQUIRED for this event.
2/27, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Expo, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, 1775 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, go online to register http://www.techexpousa.com or call 719-576-8900; Hiring Event for all levels of Security-Cleared professionals.
Interview with leading government contractors! Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration are available at www.TechExpoUSA.com. The career fair is for professionals with active or recent security clearances only. Free admission. If you attend a TECHEXPO career fair, please indicate you learned of the career fair from VetJobs.
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3. Despite a Deal Taxes to Rise for Most
Associated Press reporter Stephen Ohlemacher reports that while the tax package that Congress passed New Year's Day will protect 99% of Americans from an income tax increase, most of them will still end up paying more federal taxes in 2013. That's because the legislation did nothing to prevent a temporary reduction in the Social Security payroll tax from expiring. In 2012, that 2-percentage-point cut in the payroll tax was worth about $1,000 to a worker making $50,000 a year. The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan Washington research group, estimates that 77% of American households will face higher federal taxes in 2013 under the agreement negotiated between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans. High-income families will feel the biggest tax increases, but many middle- and low-income families will pay higher taxes as well. Households making between $40,000 and $50,000 will face an average tax increase of $579 in 2013, according to the Tax Policy Center's analysis. Hous eholds making between $50,000 and $75,000 will face an average tax increase of $822.
/---February Veteran Eagle sponsor is FranChoice----\
Veterans interested in learning about franchise ownership are invited to join a FREE webinar “Veterans Exploring Franchise Ownership”. Learn how you can leverage your military experience through franchise ownership and how your unique qualifications improve your chances for success.
Senior Franchise Consultant, Laurie Pollock, and retired Army Captain and 2-time franchise owner, Christian Germain, will explain how to evaluate franchise opportunities, the training and support franchisors offer, as well as discounts for veterans – including one franchise in particular that is waiving the entire franchise fee for qualified veterans. They’ll open up the lines at the end of the webinar to answer your individual questions.
The next webinar date is Monday, February 4th at 4pm CT / 5pm ET. To register, go to: http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E952DC8382473B
Interested veterans who cannot attend the webinar can request a one-on-one consultation. Always free. Contact lauriepollock@franchoice.com or 800-818-9929
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4. Women in Combat Ban Reversed
The Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs Chairman reversed a longstanding policy that barred women from serving in frontline units and holding combat arms Military Occupational Specialties. According to DOD, the policy change could potentially open up 53,000 unit positions and 184,000 MOS positions to women by the January 2016 implementation date. The military services will be required to set the MOS standards and some specialties could still remain closed to women, but SECDEF must approve all exceptions. A determination whether women should be required to register with the Selective Service System will also be made.
5. Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, July 20 - 27, 2013
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partnership with Oklahoma State University School of Entrepreneurship presents a Unique Entrepreneurship Program for America’s Heroes. The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (VEP) at UTC provides a rigorous entrepreneurial learning and development opportunity for service disabled veterans and those who distinguished themselves in their military service. It is designed for veterans who are interested in starting a venture as a means to financial independence or have an existing business that they would like to grow profitably. UTC College of Business is proud to partner with Oklahoma State’s School of Entrepreneurship to bring this highly successful program to Chattanooga, Tennessee in order to serve both disabled and service-distinguished veterans in our southern region.
The VEP offers a unique, highly innovative training program built around hands-on learning, personalized interaction and exposure to inspiring role models. Our purpose is to foster the creation of successful, profitable ventures. A team of experienced faculty, distinguished entrepreneurs and experts work closely with delegates, providing a challenging, interactive and informative experience. The program provides opportunities to develop entrepreneurial ideas while also learning leading edge concepts, tools and frameworks. The VEP program is offered entirely free to qualified veterans accepted into the program. Applications are online at www.utc.edu/vep. For more information, contact: Sandra Cordell, Coordinator at (423) 425-4417 or Sandra-Cordell@utc.edu
6. Plumbers and Pipefitters Accelerated Welding Program
The Brunswick JATC of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #177 will be accepting applications for an Accelerated Welding Program. This Welding Program is designed specifically for the piping industry with certifications accepted across the nation. If accepted into the program, the participant will complete a 10-hour safety course before beginning activities in the weld shop. This safety course is a combination of both classroom and hands-on training that will qualify the participant to receive an OSHA 10 card. The OSHA 10 qualification is required on most construction sites throughout the U.S.
The participants will practice the weld processes of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). These are the common weld processes used throughout the piping industry. Certifications earned by the participant with qualify them for carbon steel, stainless steel and dissimilar welds. The first class is projected to begin in February 2013 and will run 10 hours per day 4 days a week for 18 weeks. Applications can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Local Union 177, 6148 New Jesup Highway, Brunswick, GA 31523. The dates applications are available will be announced. Financial assistance may be available if eligibility requirements are met. Contact Julie Henderson at 912-262-9726 for further information or an application.
7. DOD to End TRICARE Prime for 171,000
Starting October 1, 2013, the Pentagon will eliminate TRICARE Prime for some 171,000 military retirees and their eligible family members, forcing them instead to enroll in the more costly TRICARE Standard or Extra. Why? Because they reside 40 miles or more from an active military treatment facility or former military base. Defense officials are touting the positives of the change by saying the other two TRICARE programs offer more provider flexibility, and eliminate the annual enrollment fee, among others. The VFW views the change as a further lessening of earned benefits, especially since TRICARE Standard and Extra have more out-of-pocket expenses, which means DOD is making the change to save money, not to better serve military retirees. Those impacted will be notified by mail. The numbers total 98,771 people in the TRICARE South Region, 37,404 in the North, and 36,706 in the West. Read more at http://www.tricare.mil/Welcome/AboutUs/T3Contracts/ChangestoPSAs.aspx
8. Skills for Chicagoland’s Future
Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is committed to helping unemployed veterans and veterans returning home to civilian life secure employment in Chicago and the greater Cook County area. We combine the best aspects of recruitment firms and workforce programs to help unemployed veterans return to the workforce. We connect you with employers that are ready to hire or provide training for their available positions. There is no cost to the veteran.
The mission of Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is to close the workforce skills gap by helping unemployed job seekers find employment by directly responding to the needs of employers. We offer a wide range of immediate job opportunities in a variety of industries with businesses that are committed to hiring unemployed veterans. Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is also currently recruiting veterans for two train-to-hire opportunities with our IT and health care clients. These programs provide candidates with the skills employers desire and a commitment to hire once completed. More details can be found here: https://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH11/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=CCT&cws=50
9. Request for Veterans who have been Successfully Employed in the Civilian Workplace Despite Their PTSD
Dr. Harry Croft, a former Army Psychiatrist who has evaluated more than 7000 veterans with PTSD, and the author of a book on Recovery from Combat PTSD, is interested in helping civilian businesses know the value of hiring veterans (including those with PTSD/TBI), and how to best retain those veterans once hired. He is seeking input from veterans. If you are one of those veterans who have been successfully employed in the civilian workplace despite your PTSD, he would like to talk with you about your experiences, and tips to help other veterans and businesses DO IT RIGHT! Please contact Dr. Croft at: hacmdvets@gmail.com and write your thoughts, or leave your phone number and best time to call. Please indicate you saw his request in the VetJobs Veteran Eagle.
10. Military Suicides Hit Record High in 2012
The Associated Press via The Washington Post reports that for U.S. troops less combat is not translating to less stress. Members of the military committed suicide at a record pace in 2012, almost one per day, and some experts think the trend will grow worse in 2013. Pentagon figures obtained by The Associated Press show 349 suicides among active-duty troops last year, up from 301 the year before and exceeding the Pentagon's own internal projection of 325.
11. Remembering4You is Celebrating One Year on the Web by Offering Scholarships to Military
REMEMBERING FOR YOU (R4Y), a Maine-based organization, is commemorating one year on the world-wide web with full scholarships to military personnel returning from wars. Remembering4You (R4Y), an Alzheimer’s consulting and coaching organization, unveiled a unique opportunity for any qualifying military personnel to train and become certified as an Alzheimer’s (AD) coach. In addition to the full scholarship, a one-year mentoring/coaching offer accompanies each individual learner. R4Y has created a special scholarship program in its training institute to support veterans. The program is a 3-month intensive AD coach training consisting of two separate internships. This certification program is designed for the professional coaches who have a minimum of an associate’s degree and an accredited coach training program, or equivalent training and experience. A desire to become an institutional Alzheimer’s coach and a willingness to help create a more comprehensive vision of holistic caregiving aimed at benefitting persons who provide care for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other related dementias. Registration for the Fall 2013 semester close June 30, 2013. For more information on this training offer please email info@remembering4you.com.
12. VRAP Update from VA
The law that enacted the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) was signed on November 21, 2011 giving up to 99,000 unemployed Veterans who do not have any VA educational benefits an additional 12 months of Montgomery GI Bill benefits ($1,564/month) for training towards a high demand occupation. VA began accepting applications on May 15, 2012, less than 6 months after enactment. Every Veteran who is given a Certificate of Eligibility is contacted by VA partners in the Department of Labor to assist the veteran with their employment goals.
Curt Coy of the VA reports they have received over 94,000 applications and have approved 77,000 Certificates of Eligibility - all good news. However, just over 27,000 of those eligible have begun using their benefit. Curt Coy has two 'asks'. -Please continue to get the word out on this wonderful program. Go to the website at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW. -Encourage those Veterans who have been accepted to use their benefit, or turn them in if they do not plan to use them.
Curt Coy asks to please help get that word out. The VA does not want any of the 99,000 slots to go unused. The program is only two years long. By law the VA can only accept applications until September 30, 2013, and the last payment can be made through March 31, 2014. VRAP participants that do not enroll in school by March of this year will not be able to receive a full 12 months of training.
13. One in Three Employees Plan to Look for New Job in 2013
The nationwide survey of 2,249 people by career site Glassdoor.com found that 1 in 3 employees plan to look for a new job in the coming year, and 1 in 5 plan to start the job hunt in the first three months of 2013. Fears about layoffs have stabilized, stagnating at around 17% of respondents for Glassdoor's last several employee confidence surveys. Fewer pay cuts were also reported. In terms of what employees may be looking for in a potential new employer, 73% ranked salary as priority No. 1, followed by 55% who said location and 30% most concerned about career growth.
14. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January 29, 2013
The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 39,108; Navy Reserve, 4,893; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 7,354; Marine Corps Reserve, 2,060; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 558. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 53,937, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found online at http://www.defense.gov/news/MobilizationWeeklyReport012913.pdf
15. Significant Events this Month in Military History
1763 - Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War in Europe
1778 - The American frigate Ranger carried the Stars and Stripes to a foreign port for the first time as it arrived in France
1795 – Navy Supply Corps established
1813 - The American ship USS Hornet sank the British sloop HMS Peacock in an action off the coast of Guiana (north coast of South America) during the war of 1812
1836 - Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna began his siege of the Alamo Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas.
1863 - General Joseph Hooker organized the Army of the Potomac
1863 - The Confederate ship Nashville was destroyed by the Union ironclad vessel USS Montauk on the Ogeechee River in Georgia during the American Civil War
1865 - The battle of Petersburg (American Civil War)
1898 - The battleship USS Maine was sunk following an explosion in the harbor of Havana, Cuba.
1901 – Army Nurse Corps is established.
1916 - The German Fleet was given orders to attack armed Allied merchant ships without warning during WWI.
1916 - Beginning of the battle of Verdun, in France, which lasted ten months (WW I)
1917 - British intelligence intercepted the "Zimmerman telegram," sent to the Mexican government by the German foreign minister, promising Mexico that the lands taken from it by the U.S. during the 1846-1848 war would be returned if Mexico entered World War I on Germany's side and the Germans won. The message was promptly relayed to the U.S. Government
1941 – Founding of the USO
1942 - A Japanese submarine surfaced off the coast of California, shelling the coastline near the town of Ellwood.
1943 - Women's Marine Corps Auxiliary established.
1943 - The German Afrika Korps defeated American forces during the battle of Kasserine Pass, in Tunisia (WW II)
1944 - Beginning of the German Army offensive against the Anzio bridgehead in Italy (WW II)
1944 - U.S. Marines seized Parry Island from Japanese forces, completing their takeover of the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific (WW II)
1945 - U.S. Marines began the invasion of Iwo Jima in the Western Pacific (WW II)
1966 - Operation White Wing, a search and destroy mission during the Vietnam War. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * VetJobs is exclusively sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (www.vfw.org) and endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org ), the Association of the US Navy (www.ausn.org), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org ), Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org), Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purpleheart.org) , Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (www.usawoa.org) , The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org) and the National Guard Association of the United States (www.ngaus.org )
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Breathalyzers to start hitting fleet Feb. 4 2013
The Navy will begin breath-testing sailors for alcohol abuse by Feb. 4 and you should expect a full rollout by May, just in time for Memorial Day and the “long days of summer,” according to a new, joint message from Fleet Forces and Pacific Fleet.
“We must educate service members on the responsible use of alcohol and deter alcohol abuse in the fleet, in home part and on deployment,” wrote Adm. Bill Gortney and Adm. Cecil Haney in their message released Tuesday to commanders, commanding officers, officers in charge and command master chiefs.
What do you think? The Navy says it’s going to use breathalyzers for education purposes only and that a positive test can’t land you an NJP. But in practice, do you think you’d still end up in hot water with your command? Do you feel this measure will reduce drinking in the fleet? Why or why not? Send your thoughts to staff writer Mark Faram at mfaram@navytimes.com. Your comments could appear in an upcoming story. “Service members who drink excessively or late into the night and report for duty under the influence of alcohol place themselves, their shipmates and our equipment at risk,” they wrote. “This is unacceptable.”
The Navy has said the testing will be non-punitive. But the Marine Corps, which is operating its testing independently from the Navy, has given discretion to commanders, who can flag problem-Marines for alcohol counseling. In severe cases, they may be disciplined.
The Navy conducted a pilot program last year and initially planned to rollout fleetwide testing before 2013.
The move was first announced as part of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine Initiative last March and called for the use of alcohol detection devices to curb binge drinking in the fleet. Navy officials have resisted to referring to the devices as “Breathalyzers,” which is a name brand.
The new message states that the chief of naval personnel will release a NAVADMIN on Wednesday spelling out “policies and procedures” for commands. The official Navy instruction is also expected on Wednesday.
The So Cal Marines are having a party on Febraury 23rd at the Beer and Wine
Garden. All clubs are invited see attached flyer. Please forward flyer to the
other clubs.
S/F
VA Approves Veteran's Claim after Newspaper Report Feb 02, 2013
The Baltimore Sun| by Yvonne Wenger
Add a Comment .For 21/2 years, Iraq combat veteran Robert Fearing battled overwhelming anxiety and paranoia, a remnant of the mortar attacks he endured in the desert, all the while swallowing his frustration at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for failing to process his disability claim.
His wait ended when he decided to speak up. The VA's Baltimore office -- the worst-performing in the country -- approved Fearing's claim for post-traumatic stress disorder less than a week after The Baltimore Sun highlighted his struggles in an article about the agency's high error rate and vast backlog.
"For me, it's obviously a good thing," said Fearing, 44, a former Aberdeen resident who has since moved to Stafford, Va. "[But] when there are 900,000 veterans waiting, it doesn't give me that warm and fuzzy feeling."
Fearing, who is married and has four children, received an 80 percent disability rating, which will provide him with more than $1,800 in benefits a month. The Bronze Star recipient retired from the Air Force after serving 20 years.
"It's amazing that it was done so quickly, which means they had all the information they had to have to make a decision, but it was just sitting around," Fearing said.
Meagan Lutz, a VA spokeswoman, said the Baltimore office had completed multiple actions on Fearing's claim before the article was published, but she acknowledged that the coverage triggered a review.
"As a result of the Baltimore Sun article, we completed an immediate review and found we could make a partial decision on his claim," Lutz said in an email.
Although Fearing was approved for some benefits, portions of his case remain under review.
"Until all issues are resolved, his claim remains open," Lutz said.
Fearing provided The Sun with a copy of the letter he received from the VA that shows his 80 percent disability rating is effective retroactive to Dec. 1. Fearing said he had previously received some disability benefits for sinus problems, anxiety and migraines.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said news media exposure has prompted VA action in other places in the country, such as Oakland, Calif.
"This is not the first time I've seen it happen," Rieckhoff said. "We saw it in Oakland. They shifted some resources over. I wouldn't be surprised if [The Sun's] story brings increased focus and resources to Baltimore. But it shouldn't take that.
"It becomes a game of Whac-A-Mole; it was Oakland. Now, it's Baltimore. We're hearing stories from Florida and Texas and other places."
The latest figures show an error rate at the Oakland office of 12.3 percent, compared to 26.2 percent at the Baltimore office, which serves all of Maryland. Nearly 84 percent of Baltimore's cases are older than 125 days; about 82 percent of Oakland's cases are backlogged.
This week, Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, both Maryland Democrats, told the VA's secretary, Eric K. Shinseki, that the situation in Baltimore was unacceptable. They demanded that the agency provide a plan to correct the problems and assign a senior-level official to provide them with information on the progress.
Cardin said Friday that the action on Fearing's claim does not solve the problems facing the local office.
"I am pleased that Mr. Fearing's case has been resolved, but the Baltimore VA Office has more than 16,000 claims still pending and that is totally unacceptable," the senator said in a statement. "Maryland veterans deserve much better from the VA, and I am committed to making sure that we get the backlog addressed and resolved quickly."
The problems at the local office, located at 31 Hopkins Plaza, have been well documented in recent years. Audits from 2009 and 2011 show that the Baltimore office did not adequately control its workload, and investigators called for additional oversight and training.
The office serves 450,000 veterans in the state.
Rieckhoff said he is waiting to see what the VA does to respond to the challenges in Baltimore and hopes change comes sooner than later.
"I know the VA understands the complexity and depth of the challenge; I don't think they realize the complexity and depth of the anger and the frustration," he said. "It's the No. 1 issue that folks bring up with me, no matter where I am in the country."
Fearing said he is making plans to move his family to Arizona, to be closer to relatives. He is awaiting a request for an early retirement from his government job in counterintelligence, a career that he said triggers his PTSD and feelings of paranoia and one he can no longer perform. When he gets out west, Fearing said, he wants to find a new track, perhaps as a teacher.
"There are 900,000 other veterans out there," he said. "I don't think we should rest on our laurels and say, 'The battle is won,' because it is not. It may have solved my issues.
"They deserve the same level of response."
Deep Military Cuts Begin as Congress Dawdles
Jan 31, 2013
Tom Philpott
Congressional leaders appear to have reach consensus that it is safer politically to allow deep and arbitrary cuts to military budgets than it is to negotiate a large debt-reduction deal that would have names attached.
With Republicans and Democrats unwilling to make difficult decisions to address budget deficits in a balanced way, the military is being forced to cut training, cancel construction projects, defer maintenance of ships, aircraft and vehicles, cancel professional conferences, halt most temporary duty assignments, and interrupt supply and equipment purchases.
Quality of life for the military also is being impacted as dependents lose jobs, local economies and businesses lose contracts, and base operations, including family support programs, take immediate budget cuts.
The entire Department of Defense has imposed a civilian-hiring freeze. At least 46,000 temporary employees are getting pink slips and many more employees under “term” contracts won’t see those contracts renewed.
Gordon Adams, a national security policy specialist with the Stimson Center and a senior White House budget official in the last Clinton administration, said he is “amazed” to watch congressional leaders, in effect, “fold their hands” on trying to prevent deeper defense cuts this year.
With the Iraq war ended and U.S. combat forces scheduled to leave Afghanistan in 2014, defense “is not the centerpiece” of the Capitol Hill budget argument. “The centerpiece is the overall federal budget and [tax] revenue...This is leadership driven. The armed services committees are almost irrelevant, which is very unusual.”
Even as Defense officials and military leaders ordered commands to take broad cost-cutting actions, they held out hope Congress will come to share their concern and take two remedial actions. One is to pass a defense appropriations bill for the fiscal year that began last October, thus removing spending caps imposed by operating through March under continuing budget resolution. The resolution freezes their budgets just below 2012 levels.
Service officials now fear Congress intends to extend the continuing resolution through September. If so, at a minimum, they seek authority to “reprogram” or transfer money between accounts to fully fund their highest priorities to sustain operations and protect readiness.
Second, Defense officials want Congress to swiftly reach a deficit reduction deal and avoid budget sequestration, which as adjusted during the Jan. 1 fiscal cliff deal, would still impose an eight percent cut across 2500 separate defense programs. Sequestration was a scheme Congress concocted in 2011 to scare itself into a debt deal. It has failed.
Effective Feb. 15, the Navy will cancel private-sector contracts for ship maintenance in the last half of fiscal 2013, impacting 10 ships in Norfolk, Va., 10 more in San Diego and one ship apiece in New London, Conn., Bremerton, Wash., and Jacksonville, Fla. This alone will save an estimated $600 million.
“The way we have tried to manage this is to protect forward deployed readiness so that are ships, aircraft and sailors forward deployed can continue to do what they need to do. Their mission won’t be affected,” said Rear Adm. John Kirby, Navy chief of information, in a phone interview.
The next goal is to protect training and readiness for “next-to-deploy forces.” That might not be possible, however, if Congress allows sequestration to take effect, as rescheduled, on March 1, Kirby warned.
Operating under a continuing resolution popped a $4.6 billion hole in Navy operations and maintenance budgets. Sequestration would expand that hole by $4 billion, explained Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, chief of naval operations, in fleet-wide message Jan. 25. The Navy would have to stop all deployments to the Caribbean and South America; limit European deployments to ballistic missile defense ships only, and cut steaming and flying hours across the fleet. A majority of ships and aircraft preparing for deployment would see stateside training, flying and steaming operations end, he warned, unless fleet commanders find other budget offsets.
That word “unless” in Greenert’s guidance is significant, Adams said. Like the other services, Adams argued, Navy paints worst-case scenarios for operating under a continuing budget resolution through September and taking the additional sequestration hit. When actually forced to take those cuts, Adams said, sequestration would allow flexibility in how operations and maintenance dollars get chopped. The service can, for example, target personnel service contracts, which have ballooned over a decade of war.
“It’s everything from cutting the grass at Fort Belvoir to serving the food at Bagram Air Base,” Adams said. “That’s an area, given our departure from Iraq and coming out of Afghanistan, that ought to be a low priority.”
The Army’s own “risk mitigation” budget guidance directs a 30-percent cut in base operations support to include “reduced levels of installation service delivery and reduced new and current contracts” for the same. To help to implement this, Army leaders promise further guidance “on the use of soldiers to perform installation functions.”
“That’s where you can manage” priorities, Adams said. “You might actually have a soldier pushing a lawnmower at Fort Belvoir come spring.”
Congress seems resigned to allow sequestration, he said, in part because it’s easier than reaching a balanced budget deal and in part because lawmakers recognize the military is in a post-war drawdown, a period when taking deep spending cuts is natural, particularly for ground forces.
Kirby countered that the Navy isn’t drawing down, however.
“All by itself the continuing resolution is going to have a readiness impact. Those ships will have to get maintenance sooner or later, and it is probably going to cost more. Just like maintenance on your car, defer it and when you finally get it into the garage you’re probably going to need more work than you originally needed and it will cost you more”
“The other cost is time,” Kirby continued. “If you had that ship scheduled for deployment in 2014 or ’15, now it will not be achievable because of needed maintenance. There’s a real readiness impact.”
Write Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, or email milupdate@aol.com or twitter: Tom Philpott @Military_Update
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http://www.military.com/benefits/2013/01/24/dod-urged-to-stop-ignoring-full-cost-of-personnel.html?comp=7000023431425&rank=1
DoD Urged to Account for ‘Full’ Cost Of Personnel
Jan 24, 2013
Tom Philpott
DoD Urged to Stop Ignoring ‘Full’ Cost Of Personnel
This time last year the Air Force unveiled a plan to cut Air National Guard strength by 5100 members along with more than 200 Guard aircraft, touting this as a reasonable efficiency, in part because Guard squadrons cost more to operate than active duty squadrons.
That argument was dead wrong, says Maj. Gen. Arnold L. Punaro, a retired Marine Corps reservist and chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board. In a new report, the advisory board he leads urges the Department of Defense to stop ignoring the true and increasingly “unsustainable” costs of active duty forces.
The board said it doesn’t seek through its arguments to spare reserve components at the expense of active forces as forces draw down. But the kind of flawed cost data the Air Force used for cutting the Air National Guard is symptomatic of a larger problem for the entire the Department of Defense: unacknowledged personnel costs that threaten the volunteer force.
As described by Punaro in a phone interview, the Air Force looked primarily at the higher pay of Air National Guard units, with personnel generally older and more experienced, and concluded their costs to be higher than for active forces. It was a pattern Punaro recognized. Soon after he became chairman of the reserve advisory board late in 2011, he said, he began fielding queries from the most senior Defense civilians and military officers asking why the Guard and Reserve was so expensive.
“I would say, ‘Who’s telling you that?’ They’d recite some spiel,” Punaro said, “and I would say, ‘Let me ask you a question: How many family housing units, childcare centers, dependent schools, commissaries, barracks, military hospitals or tactical equipment shops have we built to support the 850,000 Guard and Reserve personnel who have been mobilized since 9/11?’ And of course the answer is zero.”
In truth, reserve component members, when not activated, cost less than a third of active duty counterparts given disparities in health coverage, base housing or allowances, future retired pay, commissary subsides, dependent schools and other family support and quality-of-life programs.
The board’s report, online at http://ra.defense.gov/rfpb/reports/ argues that, unlike defense contractors bidding to build ships or new combat vehicles, Defense policy makers don't have to account for “fully-burdened and life-cycle costs” of personnel, even though military personnel costs have reached $250 billion a year or about half the entire defense budget.
The report claims the “fully-burdened per capita” cost to the government of an active duty member is $108,307 in pay and benefits, a figure 20 percent higher usually calculated because it includes their health care, dependent education, housing and commissaries. The equivalent per capita cost of reserve component members is $34,272, with 30 percent of that linked health care improvements under TRICARE Reserve Select.
Total Defense Department per capita costs triple, to $330,342 for active duty and to $100,380 for reserve component members, when non-compensation items such as training, military construction and base support costs are calculated. They climb by another 15 to 20 percent when military personnel costs covered by other federal departments, including Veterans Affairs, Treasury, Labor and Education, are calculated. These non-DoD costs for personnel include the GI Bill, VA disability benefits, job training for vets, and a portion of retirement and Medicare obligations paid by Treasury.
A large proportion of total personnel costs is deferred, paid to retirees who can draw an annuity with benefits at 20 years even though most will live, on average, another 40 years, Punaro said. If this sounds familiar, Punaro also served on the Defense Business Board, another advisory panel to DoD that produced recent reports criticizing military retirement and retiree health benefits as too generous to be sustained for future generations.
The Reserve Forces Policy Board raises the same compensation concerns as a cost accounting charade that, if not addressed, will distort future decisions on the “best balance” between active and reserve forces.
“We now pay people for sixty years who serve for 20. That’s a cost,” Punaro said. “DoD would argue that, for 40 of those years, we don’t care about the cost. Well, the country cares, taxpayers care, the Treasury cares and people in Congress who appropriate the money care. You can’t ignore 40 years of costs as we’re doing right now in the Department of Defense.”
The report and Punaro stress that their push for better methods of cost accounting is not intended to protect reserve components as defense budgets shrink. But every section of the report makes clear the Reserve and Guard leave a lighter footprint on budgets than does the heavier boot of active forces when full costs are shown.
Congress did refuse last year to accept the Air Force argument that Guard personnel cost more than active duty. Of the planned cut of 5100 Air National Guard members sought, lawmakers accepted only 1000.
“Cost can’t be the only factor” in choosing between reserve and active forces, Punaro said. “You’re never going to replace the 82nd Airborne with Guard and Reserve. It doesn’t matter how much it costs…But when debating capability, and whether we are going to need Guard and Reserve as an insurance policy, you ought to know what things will cost.”
Knowing true personnel costs also will allow the department, he said “to come to grips with the bigger issue: the long-term unsustainable course we are on in terms of cost growth of the volunteer force. We need to understand all the elements. You can’t fix it just by dealing with pay.”
Speaking for himself alone, Punaro said he suspects past military leaders haven’t wanted to calculate the true and total cost of personnel.
“There has been a tendency since the volunteer force started in 1973 to underestimate its cost. People are concerned that [by knowing] the true life-cycle costs you will put some elements of the volunteer force at risk” like 20-year retirement. “They don’t like facing the choices these numbers drive them to…But if personnel cost trends continue, and if we don’t make some fundamental reforms particularly with deferred compensation, the choice will be between happy retirees and a smaller active duty force.”
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Lawmakers Require VA to Track Effects of Burn Pits
FEB 2, 2013
Associated Press| by Kevin Freking
WASHINGTON - J.D. Williams didn't think much about the smoke cloud that often shrouded his air base in Iraq. Not when it covered everything he owned with black soot or when his wheezing and coughing made it difficult to sleep at night.
"We just went about our business because there was a war going on," said Williams, a retired chief warrant officer who was responsible for maintaining some 250 aircraft for the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division.
He returned home from that second stint in Iraq in 2006 and subsequently was diagnosed with an irreversible lung disease that his doctor suspects could be related to smoke from one of the hundreds of burn pits that dotted Iraq and Afghanistan during the course of the two wars. The pits were used to burn off the garbage that accumulates at military bases, everything from Styrofoam and metal to paints, solvents, human waste and medical waste.
A new Department of Veterans Affairs registry, mandated by Congress, will be used to try to determine if there is a link between the burn pits and long-term health problems.
Military personnel who were stationed near an open burn pit can sign up. Researchers will use the database to monitor health trends in participants, and the VA will alert them to major problems detected.
Over the long term, the findings could make it easier for veterans who served near burn pits to obtain disability payments.
Williams, 56, of Huntsville, Ala., was initially told that he would have to prove that his illness, diagnosed as constrictive bronchiolitis, was service-related. He walked out of the room. Eventually, after he traveled to Washington and met with members of Congress, the VA increased his disability rating 10 percent.
He said he's hoping the registry will pave the way for other soldiers to avoid a similarly exasperating process. If researchers find certain illnesses are linked to exposure to burn pits, then the VA would be more likely to declare those illnesses a presumptive condition, eliminating the need for a veteran to prove that his or her illness is service-related.
Sixty-three burn pits were still being used in Afghanistan as of Dec. 26; those in Iraq were closed by December 2010. Camps with fewer than 100 people are not required to report the use of a burn pit, so there could be more, but generally much smaller ones. Proponents say the burn pits were so widespread that the large majority of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan could participate in the registry.
In 2009, the military updated its policies on burn pits to prohibit the burning of hazardous materials such as certain medical waste, batteries and tires, and whenever possible, to situate them where the smoke would not blow over work and living quarters.
"When our service members voice concerns about burn pit exposures as well as other health issues, we take our responsibility seriously to investigate these exposures and possible health risks, and to implement any protective measure that are indicated and feasible," said Defense Department spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith.
The creation of the burn pit registry has been several years in the making.
Air Force Lt. Col Darrin Curtis said in a memo disclosed by the Army Times in 2008 that he believed a particularly large burn pit at Joint Base Balad, one of the largest air bases in Iraq, was an acute health hazard, and he was amazed that it was allowed to operate without restrictions.
Congressional hearings followed that featured sick veterans, contractors and family members who had lost a loved one from illnesses they attributed to burn pits. The Pentagon said that none of the monitoring conducted at Balad identified an increased risk for long-term health problems. It has maintained that position over the years but also acknowledges that some personnel have persistent symptoms, possibly as a result of elevated exposures to the smoke, existing health conditions or other unknown factors.
An Institute of Medicine study requested by the VA and made public in 2011 concluded there was insufficient data to determine whether burn pit emissions had long-term health consequences. The study found the pollutants measured at Balad were generally present at a concentration so low that it would not be expected to cause any harm, even if a person was exposed to that concentration for a lifetime. The two exceptions were particulate matter and acrolein.
Particulate matter is a mixture of small particles and liquid droplets that can lead to acute respiratory problems. But the high concentrations at Joint Base Balad came primarily from local sources such as traffic and dust storms, rather than the burn pit, according to the institute, which advises the government on health issues.
Acrolein is a liquid primarily used as a herbicide and in making other chemicals. Exposure can lead to eye, nose and throat irritation. Although the concentration exceeded precautionary levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency, it was still far below the concentration that led to nasal and lung damage in laboratory animals, the study said.
The Pentagon said it is continuing to study the potential hazards of burn pit exposure.
The VA opposed the legislation setting up the burn pit registry even though it has registries for those exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam and for those who served during the Gulf War. The department did not oppose trying to track potential burn pit-related illnesses, just the mechanism proposed.
"We said it was not the best scientific approach for learning about long-term health outcomes and it really wasn't necessary for outreach because we have other programs in place," said Dr. Paul Ciminera, director of the VA's Post-9/11 Era Environmental Health Program.
As to whether the burn pits lead to health problems in soldiers, Ciminera cited the Institute of Medicine report. "We need to do further research to see what the long-term effects could be," he said.
Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico, the lead Senate sponsor of the registry legislation, said he pushed ahead despite VA objections because the department seems to instinctively reject concerns that veterans are harmed by their surrounding environment. He cited Agent Orange as an example and said the VA initially resisted a link between the defoliant and the health of soldiers who served in Vietnam.
Many supporters of the registry, including Williams, are also participants in a class-action lawsuit filed against KBR Inc., which contracted with the government to operate several of the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some 50 lawsuits were consolidated into one case in a Maryland federal court. The plaintiffs are seeking damages for various injuries, emotional distress and fear of future disease. KBR is seeking to dismiss the lawsuits on grounds it deserves the same immunity that prevents the plaintiffs from suing the federal government.
"Every type of waste imaginable was and is burned in these pits," the plaintiffs said in their lawsuit.
Veterans groups were big backers of the registry, and an often-divided Congress overwhelmingly sides with them rather than the VA.
"You've been told since you're a little kid: `Don't put a Styrofoam cup in a fire and breathe it because it's bad for you," said Ray Kelley, national legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. "They do that all day long on these stops along with Lord knows what else, from human waste to all sorts of garbage. You're inhaling that on a daily basis. It can't be good for you."
The "New" Navy By Sanford Hughes http://www.pacificflyer.com/2012/04/navys-new-plan-to-halt-re-enlistment/.
Military Affairs
Bad news for Squids and Jarheads (our beloved sailors and Marines). The Navy Department has figured a way to cut back on the expense of running a Navy and all those desert wastelands they call Marine bases.
Basically, Stop all Drinking, Smoking and Eating rich foods, and Test everyone all the time and eventually, there won't be anyone left to collect pay and pension benefits. Of course they didn't say that exactly. What they did say is, the Navy will implement fleet-wide breathalyzer tests for Sailors and Marines, crack down on Smoking and Drinking, and phase in many other major personnel policy changes, such as giving females three years off to birth babies instead of standing duty they signed up for.
The broad collection of new policies has been dubbed "21st Century Sailor and Marine," and reflected many "longstanding issues or goals" for the department by Social engineers now seemingly in charge of the U.S. Military.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jim Amos unveiled the coming disaster but it isn't clear if the White House forced them into it or they went along willingly. Juan Garcia (a civilian), assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs, said that "21st Century" has five "pillars" - Readiness, Safety, Physical fitness, Inclusion and "Continuum of Service."
The Navy Department's basic goal is to get the most possible good out of every Service member and keep them in the force for as long as possible before they come to their senses or just head for Canada. Officials said they hope anti-drinking, anti-smoking and physical fitness campaigns will make troops healthier, reduce accidents such as drunk driving and result in fewer missed work days over a Sailor or Marine's career. Contrast this with the British Navy which not only allows smoking but still issues a cupful of grog every day.
EVERYONE GETS SCREENED
The highest profile new policy will be the fleet wide use of breathalyzers, which until now have only been tried sporadically in various parts of the Navy. Within the coming year, Garcia said, virtually all Ships and many Marine units will begin fielding breathalyzers and a novel approach for using them.
"What we're stressing is this is not a punitive tool, not a legal tool, but instead it's an inspection and prevention tool," Garcia, who's obviously never been in the Navy, said, "Leading Chiefs to prevent career-ending or service-ending incidents." Of course, just the opposite will be true.
For example, all sailors coming aboard a ship for a duty shift after 'Liberty' will be screened with the 'Breathalyzer', and the whole Crew will be subject to random inspections. In addition to being deeply unpopular with the Sailors, the Navy's past breathalyzer experiments also have drawn skepticism from its own leaders: former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Joe Campa once observed that a breathalyzer on the brow could cause as many problems as it solved.
A Sailor or Marine who shows up for duty with a blood alcohol level above .08 will be sent to Medical, his Leaders and Shipmates will be notified, and his case will rest in the hands of his Commanding Officer and noted in his record. That should do a lot for reenlistment figures.
NO SMOKING ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
Tobacco and the synthetic marijuana-like drug known as "Spice" are also on the hit list. The Navy Department will stop discounting tobacco products at exchanges and begin new rounds of tests to catch spice-smokers. Recent Congressional action also means that, for the first time in decades, Navy Warships may not go to sea with tobacco in their ships' stores. Navy officials want to duplicate what they say has been the success of the submarine force, which outlawed smoking at the beginning of 2011.
So much for having an after dinner cigar in the goat locker (Chief's Quarters).
WOMEN CAN GET THREE YEARS OFF
It also will offer Women new options to take time away from the 'Service' to have Children, then return to duty to pick up their careers. Women will be able to move into the "Inactive Ready Reserve for as long as three years, receive a stipend for not working, keep Commissary and other benefits and use one permanent change of station to relocate.
They'll incur a "Two for One" obligation - meaning a Woman who took the maximum three years off would owe the Navy or Marine Corps six additional years. Let's see how long that lasts.
BAD NEWS FOR RECRUITING OFFICES
Worse, for Chief Petty Officers and Gunnery Sergeants, the Navy and Marines will also step up a "Year-round culture of fitness" to lean on Servicemembers to keep fit. With all these Sailors and Marines in better shape, Drinking less and not Smoking, the Navy Department wants to keep them in Service for as long as possible, or, at least, until their enlistment is up. Of course, it may be Impossible to get anyone to Re-up ! since the men are unable to Smoke or Drink. And as all the Women will be off having Babies, who's going to run the Ships, Planes and Shore bases in about four years ?
Hopefully, by that time, all the Social experimenters in Washington, D.C. and in the Pentagon will have been replaced by realists who understand Military enlisted Men and what it takes to be a 'Warrior'.
But probably not. Please don't let China, North Korea or Iran hear about this.
Jan 29, 2013
Military.com| by Bryant Jordan
More than 1,100 former and current Army Special Forces troops -- Green Berets -- have reportedly put their names to a letter condemning any efforts to restrict gun ownership following the massacre of 20 students and six staff at Sandy Hill Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
The 2,900-word letter has been distributed to media outlets and posted on Professionalsoldiers.com, which is operated by retired Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Jeff Hinton. Because of the sensitive nature of their military careers the names of those signing the letter are not being released.
Hinton -- who has routinely exposed phony Green Berets and others on his website -- said he has confirmed that everyone who put his name to the letter is a current or former Special Forces soldier. Military.com could not validate all 1,100 names by press time.
Hinton's original goal was to collect 100 signatures. He was surprised by the response he received.
The letter makes the case for allowing civilians to own and use a military-style assault rifle, in particular the AR-15, as well as high-capacity magazines that can hold in excess of 10 rounds.
While the AR-15 is designed to look like the Army's M4A1 rifle, it is not able to fire automatically and cannot be reconfigured to do so, the letter states. As for limiting magazines to 10 rounds, they wrote "it is our considered opinion that reducing magazine capacity from 30 rounds to 10 rounds will only require an additional 6 -8 seconds to change two empty 10-round magazines with full magazines.
"Would an increase of 6 -8 seconds make any real difference to the outcome in a mass shooting incident? In our opinion it would not."
The view offered by the Special Forces soldiers is markedly different than that given by retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of forces in Afghanistan, who also came out of the Special Forces community.
In interviews with various media outlets McChrystal drew no hard distinctions between the AR-15 and M4, both of which fire a .223 caliber round.
"We've got to take a serious look -- I understand everyone's desire to have whatever [weapon] they want -- but we've got to protect our children, we've got to protect our police, we've got to protect our population," McChrystal said during an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier this month. "Serious action is necessary. Sometimes we talk about very limited actions on the edges and I just don't think that's enough."
In its letter, the group states they also are "loving and caring fathers and grandfathers" who have been "stunned, horrified, and angered by the tragedies of Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Fort Hood, and Sandy Hook."
But solutions cannot and will not be found in new laws restricting gun ownership, the group wrote. The writers argue that the Supreme Court has maintained the right for citizens to own weapons in common use, which does not rule out military-style weapons.
In its letter, the group also offers several recommendations it says will help solve gun-violence, including gun-safety programs in schools, legislation mandating that court-determined mentally ill people undergo treatment, and giving border states the job of implementing border control laws to prevent illegal shipments of both firearms and drugs.
The government intercepts only about 10 percent of illegal drugs coming into the country, while its attempt to track illegal guns has also proven a failure, the group said, pointing to the "Fast and Furious" program that allowed criminals to buy and move guns.
"Given this dismal performance record that is misguided and inept … we believe that border states will be far more competent at this mission," the group says.
The group also supports passing Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws to allow courts to require individuals with mental disorders to comply with treatment.
"In each of the mass shooting incidents the perpetrator was mentally unstable," the group wrote in the letter. "We also believe that people who have been adjudicated as incompetent should be simultaneously examined to determine whether they should be allowed the right to retain/purchase firearms.
As for schools, which have been the sites of several mass murders in recent history, the group supports state and local boards developing security measures they deem necessary. This includes arming staff, if that is their wish. The group also calls for firearms safety instruction -- such as the National Rifle Association's "Eddie the Eagle" program -- in classrooms.
The repeal of the "Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990," does not work but establishes schools as tempting targets to anyone wanting to inflict violence, the group said in their letter.
The group also recommends that gratuitous violence in movies and video games be discouraged, citing research showing links between the exposure to those popular mediums and desensitization to actual violence.
"We believe that it is time that we take personal responsibility for our
choices and actions rather than abdicate that responsibility to someone else
under the illusion that we have done something that will make us all safer," the
group states. "We have a responsibility to stand by our principles and act in
accordance with them. Our children are watching and they will follow the example
we set."
Feb 02, 2013
The Virginian-Pilot| by Mike Hixenbaugh
A bruised and bloodied female recruit pulls herself to her feet, spits out a mouthful of blood and shouts an unladylike insult at an abusive master chief, instantly earning respect from her male teammates as she becomes the nation's first female commando.
The dramatic scene from "G.I. Jane" suggests that integrating women into a special operations unit is as simple as finding a physically fit woman willing to shave her head and put up with misogynistic jerks.
That was just a movie. This is real life.
Special operations chief Adm. Bill McRaven told a Washington audience this week that he supports allowing women into elite military units, including the SEALs. The comments, made days after defense officials ended the ban on women serving in ground combat, ignited fresh debate among the ranks over whether women could -- or should -- serve alongside America's elite warriors.
There's long been skepticism over whether women can meet the grueling physical standards of special operations. Of those fit enough to make it to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training -- an achievement in its own right -- only about 1 in 3 of them become Navy commandos.
McRaven, a former SEAL commander, said it's crucial that women be held to the same high standards as men and that he believes some "will do a phenomenal job."
McRaven has until 2016 to report back to the secretary of defense with a plan to integrate his forces or apply for an exception to continue to restrict women.
His comments drew mixed reactions among former SEALs reached by a reporter this week. Several flatly rejected the idea of bringing women into the force; others said they were open to the idea as long as standards were not lowered.
Even those who oppose allowing women to join the teams concede that a select few would probably make the cut.
"I'm confident there are women who can pass the physical standards; there are women I'm sure that can pass the mental standards," former SEAL officer Cade Courtley said. "But why would you add an element into the most elite special forces that could cause it to be less effective?"
Courtley, who spun his military experience into a reality show and book about survival tactics, imagined what would happen if a woman had been on the team of Virginia Beach-based SEALs tapped to take out Osama bin Laden and learned she was pregnant days before the raid.
"I'm not saying SEALs can't adapt," he said, "but why mess with something that's working?"
Courtley also questioned whether women should train alongside men in humbling circumstances. He described pushing through "hell week," a brutal five days of continuous training during the initial phase of BUD/S.
"At about night number four, when we're lying on metal grates in nothing but our swim shorts, I'm spooning this guy next to me, shivering to death and just hoping that he has to pee because I'll at least get a couple seconds of warmth," said Courtley, who became a SEAL in 1995 and left the service in 2001. "That's how far down we go. Are we really going to add women to that?"
Retired SEAL Don Shipley runs Extreme SEAL Experience in rural Chesapeake, a weeklong program for young men who aspire to join special operations forces. He has refused to open the course to women, despite several requests, because he fears it would deter men from signing up.
He expects the same would happen if women were integrated into SEAL training.
"You cannot even get the majority of the strongest guys in the nation to get through the training," Shipley said. "You're going to deter some those guys from coming out, and for what?"
Larry Bailey, a former SEAL commander who retired in 1990 after 27 years, said even if a woman meets the rigorous physical and mental requirements, she would not be suited for the job "by virtue of her anatomy." The 73-year-old described a scenario in which a female SEAL and her team are swimming toward a target through shark-infested Caribbean waters.
"What happens if her female menstrual cycle starts?" Bailey said. "The sharks will be swarming. That sounds ridiculous, but I use that to make a point. Men and women aren't built the same."
Bailey's hard-line stance doesn't necessarily reflect the views among younger special operations troops, many of whom have served alongside women during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kevin Maurer, a journalist and Virginia Beach native who has embedded numerous times with special operations units over the past decade, said he has seen commandos come to respect women who often join them on dangerous missions as helicopter pilots or with cultural support teams.
"With special operations guys, everyone earns their place," said Maurer, who co-wrote "No Easy Day" with an ex-SEAL who participated in the bin Laden raid. "It's about earning the green beret, earning the trident. If you can earn it, and if you're held to the same standards, then you will earn that respect."
Lisa Barbarics, a retired Navy chief, worked with SEAL teams as a communications specialist during the late-1990s. She said she felt like she was welcomed as part of the Naval Special Warfare community, but she has doubts about whether a woman would be accepted as a SEAL. She questioned whether many women could make it to that point.
"Having worked with those guys, there may be a few women out there who are capable of meeting those standards," Barbarics said. "I doubt there are very many of them."
One recently retired SEAL who served on deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan said gender shouldn't matter. He shared his views with a reporter on the condition that his name not be published.
Women can be "as ruthless and driven as dudes," the ex-SEAL said in an email, "and once they have proven that they can pass the minimum standard, they should be allowed to roll with us."
He acknowledged that his views are not typical of most of his former teammates. But as long as standards aren't lowered, he said the training could be amended to allow women to participate without needlessly being forced into provocative situations. The change wouldn't be unprecedented.
"When I went through training, we did every run in jungle boots, and we lost 25 percent of the class to shin-splints or leg fractures," the retired SEAL said.
Now, SEALs do some training in running shoes -- and no one accuses them of being soft.
Friday, February 1, 2013 www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs. Feel free to forward the newsletter to veterans and friends and encourage them to subscribe.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: GetInterviews.com, TECHEXPO Top Secret and FranChoice
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. Lawmakers Sign Off on Tricare Prescription Cost Increases
3. Despite a Deal Taxes to Rise for Most
4. Women in Combat Ban Reversed
5. Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, July 20 - 27,
6. Plumbers and Pipefitters Accelerated Welding Program
7. DOD to End TRICARE Prime for 171,000
8. Skills for Chicagoland’s Future
9. Request for Veterans who have been Successfully Employed in the Civilian Workplace Despite Their PTSD
10. Military Suicides Hit Record High in 2012
11. Remembering4You is Celebrating One Year on the Web by Offering Scholarships to Military
12. VRAP Update from VA
13. One in Three Employees Plan to Look for New Job in 2013
14. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January 29, 2013
15. Significant Events this Month in Military History
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and endorsing veteran service organizations do to assist veterans and their family members find employment, please go to www.weddles.com/poll.htm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
- - - - - From the VFW - - - - - - - - VFW Insurance: For information about various insurance plans sponsored by VFW National Headquarters, please visit http://www.vfwinsurance.com/index.html or call 1-800-821-2606, option 1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NOTE: If you have a resume in the VetJobs database, be sure to update your experience and refresh your resume at a minimum of every two weeks. VetJobs has many new customers using the resume database and as a general rule, they do not look at resumes over 30 days old.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1. Message from the Top
ATTITUDE! Studies have shown the leading single reason why people do not get an offer after an interview is their attitude during the interview. And studies have also shown one of the leading reasons for justifiable termination (not including economic layoffs) is the attitude of the employee. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a positive attitude when interviewing for a job. As the candidate, you have to maintain a positive mental attitude in order to succeed. No company wants to hire a person with a poor attitude or a candidate who thinks they know everything!
I was recently working with a veteran who was having problems finding a job. He has been unemployed for a year. The first indication of an attitude problem was when he stated that he retired from the military so the companies “owed” him a job. I tried to explain to him companies do not “owe” him a job or anything else. He has to earn to right to the job by demonstrating in a positive manner that he can fulfill a need at the company. He then went on to say that he knew more than any of the people that interviewed him and everyone who interviewed him were stupid.
I think you can see where the conversation was going. He had a serious attitude problem and it came across very, very strong. If you are looking for a job and having problems, visit the Employment Assistance section of VetJobs (www.vetjobs.com) for help, but remember that at all times you have to have a positive attitude. And yes, I know that can be difficult when you have met a lot of rejection, but it still stands that you have to be positive.
Keep that in mind when you apply for jobs or when you go in for an interview. Attitude counts! If you have a bad attitude, it may be your Achilles tendon during the interview.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * We celebrate several holidays in February:
February 2, marks the 112th anniversary of the inception of the Army Nurse Corps. If you meet an Army nurse, tell them Happy Birthday!
February 4 marks the 72nd anniversary of the USO.
February 12 is Lincoln’s birthday.
February 13 is Ash Wednesday
February 14, we celebrate Valentine’s Day! Be sure to remember your special person.
On February 18 the country celebrates President’s Day. The original purpose of President’s Day was to honor Washington and Lincoln, but it is now the day we honor all of the presidents who have served these great United States.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Those of you who have read our newsletter over the years or who know me personally know that VetJobs will not falsely raise hopes or sugar coat the facts. As I am frequently quoted to say, I am the mayor of “Realsville”. Our job at VetJobs is to help you find work in spite of what is happening in the economy. And work is available. But during tough times you will need to make use of all the information VetJobs presents in the Employment Assistance section (www.vetjobs.com/vetEmpAssistance.htm) of the site. The bottom line is you can find work. In fact, veterans have been finding work at a better pace than their civilian counterparts which is why the overall veteran unemployment rate in December was only 7.0% while the national unemployment rate is 7.8%.
With that in mind, let’s look at what is happening on the economic front where things are definitely mixed.
The Commerce Department reports the nation's gross domestic product unexpectedly shrank for the first time in 3 1/2 years during the fourth quarter, declining at an annual rate of 0.1% between October and December. It was the first time the broad measure of all goods and services produced by the economy contracted since the recovery from the financial crisis began. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected 1.0% annualized growth for the quarter so this news is not good. A shrinking economy means fewer jobs. A shrinking economy is also raising fears by many of a double dip recession, but I think it is too soon to jump to that conclusion. If first quarter 2013 continues the trend, then there will be serious problems complicating the already bad unemployment rate.
Right now, for many the job market is not good with the uncertainty of the fiscal cliff negotiations, the debt ceiling fight, the very real problems of continued high unemployment, the Affordable Care Act, the deficit and payroll tax increases for all (see article #3 below). There are regular press stories of companies now laying off employees for one or more of these reasons.
Due to these events, the unemployment rate in January raised to 7.9%. A larger increase was expected. Only 179,000 jobs were created in January when the economy needs 250,000 to 300,000 new jobs a month to reduce the unemployment rate. But do not let these numbers get you down.
Here is a review the economic indicators for the past month:
On the positive side:
-BLS reports December jobless rates down over the year in 290 of 372 metro areas; payroll jobs up in 283
-U.S. housing starts jumped 12.1% in December from November to an annualized 954,000-unit rate, the highest rate since June 2008. Permits rose 0.3% to an annualized rate of 903,000 units.
-Wall Street had one of the best January’s in years.
On the negative side:
-The U.S. economy contracted at an annualized pace of 0.1% in the fourth quarter in the first decline since 2009, according to an advance estimate from the Commerce Department. Economists expected the world’s biggest economy to grow at a pace of 1.1% in the final three months of 2012.
-The Conference Board's gauge of U.S. consumer confidence tumbled to 58.6 in January, the lowest level since November 2011, from an upwardly revised 66.7 in December. The index was expected to fall to 64 from an initially reported 65.1.
-The non-profit Center for College Affordability and Productivity reports nearly half of working Americans with college degrees are in jobs for which they are overqualified. The study says the trend is likely to continue for newly minted college graduates over the next decade.
-The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices slipped 0.1% in November from October on a non-seasonally adjusted basis. Prices were expected to remain unchanged. The gauge jumped 5.5% from the same month in 2011, as expected.
-A preliminary reading on consumer sentiment for the month of January checked in at 71.3, down from 72.9 in December and lower than the 75 expected, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters and the University of Michigan. The reading was the lowest since December 2011
-The Philadelphia Federal Reserve's gauge of manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region fell to -5.8 in January from 4.6 in December. The index was expected to rise to 5.8. Readings above zero point to expansion while those below indicate contraction.
While there is some negative news, all is not lost for those seeking work. There is also good news. The BLS report that December jobless rates were down over the year in 290 of 372 metro areas is very good news. VetJobs is daily averaging over 50,000 jobs nationally from employers who want to hire veterans and their family members. Wal-Mart has committed to hire 100,000 veterans starting on Memorial Day! Stores like Home Depot are anxious to hire veterans. There is a shortage of qualified candidates in manufacturing and the trades which veterans are ideal to fill. And during every difficult economy, companies still make hires in all levels of their companies.
After reading the information in the Employment Assistance section you can always call a counselor at VetJobs on our toll free line at 877-838-5627, but please first read the information in the Employment Assistance section.
It will be very interesting to see where the economy goes in the next month and quarter!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * Please note that the Veteran Eagle has a new sponsor, GetInterviews.com. Please read their ad and let me know what you think of their service.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * For those who may be traveling in February, please stop in each USO you pass, especially in airports, and sign their visitor log. Funding for the USO is contingent on those who visit so the more people they have who sign their logs, the better their funding. Additionally, take by store bought cookies and paper goods. These are always needed at USO facilities.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.
Remember, Freedom Is Never Free - Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans
Best regards,
Ted Daywalt President
/---February Veteran Eagle sponsor is GetInterview.com----\
Words that Sabotage Your Resume - GetInterviews.com
Creating a winning resume is a feat of strategy involving focus, wording, design and content. To achieve a resume that wins interviews, all areas of the strategy must be on-target. One of the most common mistakes job candidates make when writing their resumes is not paying attention to strategy and word selection.
There are actually words that are commonly used on resumes that can have a detrimental impact on the effectiveness of the resume. When most job candidates write their own resumes, they don’t consider word choice because they are concerned about the basic information. Yet verbiage is critical and the wrong word choice can sabotage your resume.
The average hiring manager sees hundreds of resumes from candidates and only reviews each for approximately 15 seconds. Resumes begin to look and sound the same to them. Here are some words and phrases to avoid:
Soft-skill Descriptions Job seekers feel they need to communicate their soft-skills to the employer because they believe they are the traits that make them unique. Wrong! Soft-skills are so common that hiring managers pay no attention to them.
Soft-skill phrases to avoid or severely limit: • Excellent communication skills • Personable presenter • Detail-oriented
Do not bore the reader with these overused phrases. After all no one will write that he/she takes long lunches and is lazy. It is more effective to write description that demonstrates these abilities rather than just laying claim to them. Rather than just stating you are an “excellent presenter,” you could say “Developed and presented 15 multi-media presentations resulting in 10 new accounts which generated $5,000 in new revenue.”
Passive Voice Many people write in passive-type voice because that is how we’ve been taught in school. The problem with a passive-type voice is that it is just that – passive!
Indicators of the passive-type voice: • Responsible for • Duties included • Served as Rather than “Responsible for management of three direct reports” say “Managed 3 direct reports.” It is a shorter, more direct mode of writing and adds impact to the way the resume reads.
On the flip side, while action verbs are great, don’t overdo it. We have actually seen: • Smashed numbers through the roof • Electrified sales team to produce • Pushed close rate by 10%
Consider your word choice in a resume. A resume is a marketing document for your career just as a brochure is a marketing document for a product or service. Companies put careful thought and consideration into every word that goes into marketing copy and you should do the same in your resume. Be wise -- stop and give some thought to the words you choose.
About GetInterviews: GetInterviews.com is the country's leading resume writing firm. The staff’s credentials include being cited by JIST Publications as one of the "best resume writers in North America". Since 1994, their expert team has written 175,000 resumes. GetInterviews.com offers a free resume evaluation and their services come with a guarantee -- interviews in 30 days or they'll rewrite for free.
\---Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor ESGR at www.getinterviews.com ----/
2. Lawmakers Sign Off on Tricare Prescription Cost Increases
Increases to Tricare prescription co-payments will go into effect February 1 under a plan agreed to by House and Senate conferees, who mostly accepted the House version of the plan, which included more modest fee hikes. Medications at military pharmacies will remain free, but fees for prescriptions for name-brand drugs filled at retail outlets and via mail will rise. Source: The Sun Herald, Biloxi-Gulfport, MS
/---February Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret----\
TECHEXPO Top Secret’s next career fairs are:
2/12, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Expo, BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Linthicum Heights, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Please call 410-859-8300 or go online to register http://www.techexpousa.com/. Security Clearance with CI or Full Scope Polygraph REQUIRED for this event.
2/13, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Expo, The Sheraton Reston Hotel, 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, go online to register http://www.techexpousa.com.Security Clearance with CI or Full Scope Polygraph REQUIRED for this event.
2/27, TECHEXPO Top Secret Career Expo, Doubletree Hotel Colorado Springs, 1775 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, go online to register http://www.techexpousa.com or call 719-576-8900; Hiring Event for all levels of Security-Cleared professionals.
Interview with leading government contractors! Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration are available at www.TechExpoUSA.com. The career fair is for professionals with active or recent security clearances only. Free admission. If you attend a TECHEXPO career fair, please indicate you learned of the career fair from VetJobs.
\---Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret at www.techexpousa.com----/
3. Despite a Deal Taxes to Rise for Most
Associated Press reporter Stephen Ohlemacher reports that while the tax package that Congress passed New Year's Day will protect 99% of Americans from an income tax increase, most of them will still end up paying more federal taxes in 2013. That's because the legislation did nothing to prevent a temporary reduction in the Social Security payroll tax from expiring. In 2012, that 2-percentage-point cut in the payroll tax was worth about $1,000 to a worker making $50,000 a year. The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan Washington research group, estimates that 77% of American households will face higher federal taxes in 2013 under the agreement negotiated between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans. High-income families will feel the biggest tax increases, but many middle- and low-income families will pay higher taxes as well. Households making between $40,000 and $50,000 will face an average tax increase of $579 in 2013, according to the Tax Policy Center's analysis. Hous eholds making between $50,000 and $75,000 will face an average tax increase of $822.
/---February Veteran Eagle sponsor is FranChoice----\
Veterans interested in learning about franchise ownership are invited to join a FREE webinar “Veterans Exploring Franchise Ownership”. Learn how you can leverage your military experience through franchise ownership and how your unique qualifications improve your chances for success.
Senior Franchise Consultant, Laurie Pollock, and retired Army Captain and 2-time franchise owner, Christian Germain, will explain how to evaluate franchise opportunities, the training and support franchisors offer, as well as discounts for veterans – including one franchise in particular that is waiving the entire franchise fee for qualified veterans. They’ll open up the lines at the end of the webinar to answer your individual questions.
The next webinar date is Monday, February 4th at 4pm CT / 5pm ET. To register, go to: http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E952DC8382473B
Interested veterans who cannot attend the webinar can request a one-on-one consultation. Always free. Contact lauriepollock@franchoice.com or 800-818-9929
\-----Please visit your Veteran Eagle sponsor FranChoice-----/
4. Women in Combat Ban Reversed
The Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs Chairman reversed a longstanding policy that barred women from serving in frontline units and holding combat arms Military Occupational Specialties. According to DOD, the policy change could potentially open up 53,000 unit positions and 184,000 MOS positions to women by the January 2016 implementation date. The military services will be required to set the MOS standards and some specialties could still remain closed to women, but SECDEF must approve all exceptions. A determination whether women should be required to register with the Selective Service System will also be made.
5. Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, July 20 - 27, 2013
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partnership with Oklahoma State University School of Entrepreneurship presents a Unique Entrepreneurship Program for America’s Heroes. The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (VEP) at UTC provides a rigorous entrepreneurial learning and development opportunity for service disabled veterans and those who distinguished themselves in their military service. It is designed for veterans who are interested in starting a venture as a means to financial independence or have an existing business that they would like to grow profitably. UTC College of Business is proud to partner with Oklahoma State’s School of Entrepreneurship to bring this highly successful program to Chattanooga, Tennessee in order to serve both disabled and service-distinguished veterans in our southern region.
The VEP offers a unique, highly innovative training program built around hands-on learning, personalized interaction and exposure to inspiring role models. Our purpose is to foster the creation of successful, profitable ventures. A team of experienced faculty, distinguished entrepreneurs and experts work closely with delegates, providing a challenging, interactive and informative experience. The program provides opportunities to develop entrepreneurial ideas while also learning leading edge concepts, tools and frameworks. The VEP program is offered entirely free to qualified veterans accepted into the program. Applications are online at www.utc.edu/vep. For more information, contact: Sandra Cordell, Coordinator at (423) 425-4417 or Sandra-Cordell@utc.edu
6. Plumbers and Pipefitters Accelerated Welding Program
The Brunswick JATC of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #177 will be accepting applications for an Accelerated Welding Program. This Welding Program is designed specifically for the piping industry with certifications accepted across the nation. If accepted into the program, the participant will complete a 10-hour safety course before beginning activities in the weld shop. This safety course is a combination of both classroom and hands-on training that will qualify the participant to receive an OSHA 10 card. The OSHA 10 qualification is required on most construction sites throughout the U.S.
The participants will practice the weld processes of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). These are the common weld processes used throughout the piping industry. Certifications earned by the participant with qualify them for carbon steel, stainless steel and dissimilar welds. The first class is projected to begin in February 2013 and will run 10 hours per day 4 days a week for 18 weeks. Applications can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Local Union 177, 6148 New Jesup Highway, Brunswick, GA 31523. The dates applications are available will be announced. Financial assistance may be available if eligibility requirements are met. Contact Julie Henderson at 912-262-9726 for further information or an application.
7. DOD to End TRICARE Prime for 171,000
Starting October 1, 2013, the Pentagon will eliminate TRICARE Prime for some 171,000 military retirees and their eligible family members, forcing them instead to enroll in the more costly TRICARE Standard or Extra. Why? Because they reside 40 miles or more from an active military treatment facility or former military base. Defense officials are touting the positives of the change by saying the other two TRICARE programs offer more provider flexibility, and eliminate the annual enrollment fee, among others. The VFW views the change as a further lessening of earned benefits, especially since TRICARE Standard and Extra have more out-of-pocket expenses, which means DOD is making the change to save money, not to better serve military retirees. Those impacted will be notified by mail. The numbers total 98,771 people in the TRICARE South Region, 37,404 in the North, and 36,706 in the West. Read more at http://www.tricare.mil/Welcome/AboutUs/T3Contracts/ChangestoPSAs.aspx
8. Skills for Chicagoland’s Future
Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is committed to helping unemployed veterans and veterans returning home to civilian life secure employment in Chicago and the greater Cook County area. We combine the best aspects of recruitment firms and workforce programs to help unemployed veterans return to the workforce. We connect you with employers that are ready to hire or provide training for their available positions. There is no cost to the veteran.
The mission of Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is to close the workforce skills gap by helping unemployed job seekers find employment by directly responding to the needs of employers. We offer a wide range of immediate job opportunities in a variety of industries with businesses that are committed to hiring unemployed veterans. Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is also currently recruiting veterans for two train-to-hire opportunities with our IT and health care clients. These programs provide candidates with the skills employers desire and a commitment to hire once completed. More details can be found here: https://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH11/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp?org=CCT&cws=50
9. Request for Veterans who have been Successfully Employed in the Civilian Workplace Despite Their PTSD
Dr. Harry Croft, a former Army Psychiatrist who has evaluated more than 7000 veterans with PTSD, and the author of a book on Recovery from Combat PTSD, is interested in helping civilian businesses know the value of hiring veterans (including those with PTSD/TBI), and how to best retain those veterans once hired. He is seeking input from veterans. If you are one of those veterans who have been successfully employed in the civilian workplace despite your PTSD, he would like to talk with you about your experiences, and tips to help other veterans and businesses DO IT RIGHT! Please contact Dr. Croft at: hacmdvets@gmail.com and write your thoughts, or leave your phone number and best time to call. Please indicate you saw his request in the VetJobs Veteran Eagle.
10. Military Suicides Hit Record High in 2012
The Associated Press via The Washington Post reports that for U.S. troops less combat is not translating to less stress. Members of the military committed suicide at a record pace in 2012, almost one per day, and some experts think the trend will grow worse in 2013. Pentagon figures obtained by The Associated Press show 349 suicides among active-duty troops last year, up from 301 the year before and exceeding the Pentagon's own internal projection of 325.
11. Remembering4You is Celebrating One Year on the Web by Offering Scholarships to Military
REMEMBERING FOR YOU (R4Y), a Maine-based organization, is commemorating one year on the world-wide web with full scholarships to military personnel returning from wars. Remembering4You (R4Y), an Alzheimer’s consulting and coaching organization, unveiled a unique opportunity for any qualifying military personnel to train and become certified as an Alzheimer’s (AD) coach. In addition to the full scholarship, a one-year mentoring/coaching offer accompanies each individual learner. R4Y has created a special scholarship program in its training institute to support veterans. The program is a 3-month intensive AD coach training consisting of two separate internships. This certification program is designed for the professional coaches who have a minimum of an associate’s degree and an accredited coach training program, or equivalent training and experience. A desire to become an institutional Alzheimer’s coach and a willingness to help create a more comprehensive vision of holistic caregiving aimed at benefitting persons who provide care for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other related dementias. Registration for the Fall 2013 semester close June 30, 2013. For more information on this training offer please email info@remembering4you.com.
12. VRAP Update from VA
The law that enacted the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) was signed on November 21, 2011 giving up to 99,000 unemployed Veterans who do not have any VA educational benefits an additional 12 months of Montgomery GI Bill benefits ($1,564/month) for training towards a high demand occupation. VA began accepting applications on May 15, 2012, less than 6 months after enactment. Every Veteran who is given a Certificate of Eligibility is contacted by VA partners in the Department of Labor to assist the veteran with their employment goals.
Curt Coy of the VA reports they have received over 94,000 applications and have approved 77,000 Certificates of Eligibility - all good news. However, just over 27,000 of those eligible have begun using their benefit. Curt Coy has two 'asks'. -Please continue to get the word out on this wonderful program. Go to the website at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW. -Encourage those Veterans who have been accepted to use their benefit, or turn them in if they do not plan to use them.
Curt Coy asks to please help get that word out. The VA does not want any of the 99,000 slots to go unused. The program is only two years long. By law the VA can only accept applications until September 30, 2013, and the last payment can be made through March 31, 2014. VRAP participants that do not enroll in school by March of this year will not be able to receive a full 12 months of training.
13. One in Three Employees Plan to Look for New Job in 2013
The nationwide survey of 2,249 people by career site Glassdoor.com found that 1 in 3 employees plan to look for a new job in the coming year, and 1 in 5 plan to start the job hunt in the first three months of 2013. Fears about layoffs have stabilized, stagnating at around 17% of respondents for Glassdoor's last several employee confidence surveys. Fewer pay cuts were also reported. In terms of what employees may be looking for in a potential new employer, 73% ranked salary as priority No. 1, followed by 55% who said location and 30% most concerned about career growth.
14. National Guard (in Federal Status) and Reserve Activated as of January 29, 2013
The total number currently on active duty from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 39,108; Navy Reserve, 4,893; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 7,354; Marine Corps Reserve, 2,060; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 558. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel who have been activated to 53,937, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel who are currently activated may be found online at http://www.defense.gov/news/MobilizationWeeklyReport012913.pdf
15. Significant Events this Month in Military History
1763 - Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War in Europe
1778 - The American frigate Ranger carried the Stars and Stripes to a foreign port for the first time as it arrived in France
1795 – Navy Supply Corps established
1813 - The American ship USS Hornet sank the British sloop HMS Peacock in an action off the coast of Guiana (north coast of South America) during the war of 1812
1836 - Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna began his siege of the Alamo Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas.
1863 - General Joseph Hooker organized the Army of the Potomac
1863 - The Confederate ship Nashville was destroyed by the Union ironclad vessel USS Montauk on the Ogeechee River in Georgia during the American Civil War
1865 - The battle of Petersburg (American Civil War)
1898 - The battleship USS Maine was sunk following an explosion in the harbor of Havana, Cuba.
1901 – Army Nurse Corps is established.
1916 - The German Fleet was given orders to attack armed Allied merchant ships without warning during WWI.
1916 - Beginning of the battle of Verdun, in France, which lasted ten months (WW I)
1917 - British intelligence intercepted the "Zimmerman telegram," sent to the Mexican government by the German foreign minister, promising Mexico that the lands taken from it by the U.S. during the 1846-1848 war would be returned if Mexico entered World War I on Germany's side and the Germans won. The message was promptly relayed to the U.S. Government
1941 – Founding of the USO
1942 - A Japanese submarine surfaced off the coast of California, shelling the coastline near the town of Ellwood.
1943 - Women's Marine Corps Auxiliary established.
1943 - The German Afrika Korps defeated American forces during the battle of Kasserine Pass, in Tunisia (WW II)
1944 - Beginning of the German Army offensive against the Anzio bridgehead in Italy (WW II)
1944 - U.S. Marines seized Parry Island from Japanese forces, completing their takeover of the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific (WW II)
1945 - U.S. Marines began the invasion of Iwo Jima in the Western Pacific (WW II)
1966 - Operation White Wing, a search and destroy mission during the Vietnam War. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * VetJobs is exclusively sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (www.vfw.org) and endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America (www.vva.org ), the Association of the US Navy (www.ausn.org), the Veterans of Modern Warfare (www.vmwusa.org ), Student Veterans of America (www.studentveterans.org), Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purpleheart.org) , Hope4Heroes (www.hope4heroes.org), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (www.usawoa.org) , The Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org) and the National Guard Association of the United States (www.ngaus.org )
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The Navy will begin breath-testing sailors for alcohol abuse by Feb. 4 and you should expect a full rollout by May, just in time for Memorial Day and the “long days of summer,” according to a new, joint message from Fleet Forces and Pacific Fleet.
“We must educate service members on the responsible use of alcohol and deter alcohol abuse in the fleet, in home part and on deployment,” wrote Adm. Bill Gortney and Adm. Cecil Haney in their message released Tuesday to commanders, commanding officers, officers in charge and command master chiefs.
What do you think? The Navy says it’s going to use breathalyzers for education purposes only and that a positive test can’t land you an NJP. But in practice, do you think you’d still end up in hot water with your command? Do you feel this measure will reduce drinking in the fleet? Why or why not? Send your thoughts to staff writer Mark Faram at mfaram@navytimes.com. Your comments could appear in an upcoming story. “Service members who drink excessively or late into the night and report for duty under the influence of alcohol place themselves, their shipmates and our equipment at risk,” they wrote. “This is unacceptable.”
The Navy has said the testing will be non-punitive. But the Marine Corps, which is operating its testing independently from the Navy, has given discretion to commanders, who can flag problem-Marines for alcohol counseling. In severe cases, they may be disciplined.
The Navy conducted a pilot program last year and initially planned to rollout fleetwide testing before 2013.
The move was first announced as part of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine Initiative last March and called for the use of alcohol detection devices to curb binge drinking in the fleet. Navy officials have resisted to referring to the devices as “Breathalyzers,” which is a name brand.
The new message states that the chief of naval personnel will release a NAVADMIN on Wednesday spelling out “policies and procedures” for commands. The official Navy instruction is also expected on Wednesday.
S/F
The Baltimore Sun| by Yvonne Wenger
Add a Comment .For 21/2 years, Iraq combat veteran Robert Fearing battled overwhelming anxiety and paranoia, a remnant of the mortar attacks he endured in the desert, all the while swallowing his frustration at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for failing to process his disability claim.
His wait ended when he decided to speak up. The VA's Baltimore office -- the worst-performing in the country -- approved Fearing's claim for post-traumatic stress disorder less than a week after The Baltimore Sun highlighted his struggles in an article about the agency's high error rate and vast backlog.
"For me, it's obviously a good thing," said Fearing, 44, a former Aberdeen resident who has since moved to Stafford, Va. "[But] when there are 900,000 veterans waiting, it doesn't give me that warm and fuzzy feeling."
Fearing, who is married and has four children, received an 80 percent disability rating, which will provide him with more than $1,800 in benefits a month. The Bronze Star recipient retired from the Air Force after serving 20 years.
"It's amazing that it was done so quickly, which means they had all the information they had to have to make a decision, but it was just sitting around," Fearing said.
Meagan Lutz, a VA spokeswoman, said the Baltimore office had completed multiple actions on Fearing's claim before the article was published, but she acknowledged that the coverage triggered a review.
"As a result of the Baltimore Sun article, we completed an immediate review and found we could make a partial decision on his claim," Lutz said in an email.
Although Fearing was approved for some benefits, portions of his case remain under review.
"Until all issues are resolved, his claim remains open," Lutz said.
Fearing provided The Sun with a copy of the letter he received from the VA that shows his 80 percent disability rating is effective retroactive to Dec. 1. Fearing said he had previously received some disability benefits for sinus problems, anxiety and migraines.
Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said news media exposure has prompted VA action in other places in the country, such as Oakland, Calif.
"This is not the first time I've seen it happen," Rieckhoff said. "We saw it in Oakland. They shifted some resources over. I wouldn't be surprised if [The Sun's] story brings increased focus and resources to Baltimore. But it shouldn't take that.
"It becomes a game of Whac-A-Mole; it was Oakland. Now, it's Baltimore. We're hearing stories from Florida and Texas and other places."
The latest figures show an error rate at the Oakland office of 12.3 percent, compared to 26.2 percent at the Baltimore office, which serves all of Maryland. Nearly 84 percent of Baltimore's cases are older than 125 days; about 82 percent of Oakland's cases are backlogged.
This week, Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, both Maryland Democrats, told the VA's secretary, Eric K. Shinseki, that the situation in Baltimore was unacceptable. They demanded that the agency provide a plan to correct the problems and assign a senior-level official to provide them with information on the progress.
Cardin said Friday that the action on Fearing's claim does not solve the problems facing the local office.
"I am pleased that Mr. Fearing's case has been resolved, but the Baltimore VA Office has more than 16,000 claims still pending and that is totally unacceptable," the senator said in a statement. "Maryland veterans deserve much better from the VA, and I am committed to making sure that we get the backlog addressed and resolved quickly."
The problems at the local office, located at 31 Hopkins Plaza, have been well documented in recent years. Audits from 2009 and 2011 show that the Baltimore office did not adequately control its workload, and investigators called for additional oversight and training.
The office serves 450,000 veterans in the state.
Rieckhoff said he is waiting to see what the VA does to respond to the challenges in Baltimore and hopes change comes sooner than later.
"I know the VA understands the complexity and depth of the challenge; I don't think they realize the complexity and depth of the anger and the frustration," he said. "It's the No. 1 issue that folks bring up with me, no matter where I am in the country."
Fearing said he is making plans to move his family to Arizona, to be closer to relatives. He is awaiting a request for an early retirement from his government job in counterintelligence, a career that he said triggers his PTSD and feelings of paranoia and one he can no longer perform. When he gets out west, Fearing said, he wants to find a new track, perhaps as a teacher.
"There are 900,000 other veterans out there," he said. "I don't think we should rest on our laurels and say, 'The battle is won,' because it is not. It may have solved my issues.
"They deserve the same level of response."
This event last year raised over $80,000 and completed build-outs in homes
for TWO WOUNDED WAR VETS. This year THREE veterans will benefit from the
proceeds. If you'd like to donate items for the raffle or make a general
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Good
Morning—
This is
today’s daily update of veteran-related legislation introduced during the
2013 Legislative Session, which began at noon on January 15 and concludes at
noon on
March 16.
The New
Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services will provide you with this daily
courtesy update for the duration of the Session. It will contain
information about the introduced Bills/Memorials/Resolutions and show their
status in the legislative process.
The list
will grow as more legislation is introduced on the chamber floors of the
State Senate and House of Representatives.
For more
information about the 2013 Legislature, go to the Legislature website at
http://www.nmlegis.gov.
The New
Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services fully supports these veteran-related
pieces of legislation. We encourage you to contact your local legislators to
voice your support for these measures. You can find the contact information
of all legislators at:
Bill: HB15
Sponsors: Anderson (R29)
Title: TAXATION: ARMED
FORCES RETIREES' INCENTIVE TAX CREDIT
Summary: Adds a new section to
the Income Tax Act to provide a phased in annual state income tax credit of
up to $1,000 to encourage military retirees to move to New Mexico and use
their expertise in its work force.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs; Taxation and Fees; Public Employees/Retirement
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/16/2013 – House
Taxation and Revenue Committee
History: 12/18/2012—H
Prefiled in the House.
01/16/2013—H Introduced and referred to
House Taxation & Revenue.
01/16/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB16
Sponsors: Anderson (R29)
Title: FUNDING TO RAISE
AWARENESS OF USS NEW MEXICO SUBMARINE
Summary: Appropriates $50,000
from the General Fund to the Department of Military Affairs for FY2014 to
educate the public on the mission of the nuclear‑powered submarine USS New
Mexico, sponsor the visit of its crew to the state, and recognize its top
sailors each quarter and each year.
Subjects: Appropriations;
Veterans and Military Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/24/2013 – House
Appropriations and Finance Committee
History: 12/18/2012—H
Prefiled in the House.
01/16/2013—H Introduced and referred to
House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/16/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
01/24/2013—H Reported Do Pass by House
Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
Bill: HB36
Sponsors: Hamilton (R38)
Title: VETERANS' PTSD
TREATMENT PILOT PROJECT
Summary: (For the Military and
Veterans’ Affairs Committee) (Identical to 2012 HHGAC substitute for HB101)
Appropriate $250,000 (GF) to the Veterans’ Services Department for a pilot
program to treat veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) with virtual reality therapy. Funding is for use from FY2014 through
FY2017.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs; Appropriations; State Affairs and State Agencies; Interim Studies
and Interim Committees; Information Technology; Higher Education; Health and
Medical Practice
Related: 2012:HB101
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/16/2013 – House
Education Committee
History: 12/28/2012—H
Prefiled in the House.
01/16/2013—H Introduced and referred to
House Education.
01/16/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB102
Sponsors: Martinez, Rudolpho
(D39)
Title: DEMOLISH FORT
BAYARD MEDICAL CENTER
Summary: (For the Military and
Veterans’ Affairs Committee) Appropriates $5 million (GF) to GSD’s Property
Control Division to demolish the Fort Bayard Medical Center owned by the
state.
Subjects: Appropriations; State
Affairs and State Agencies; Veterans and Military Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/16/2013 – House
Health, Government and Indian Affairs Committee
History: 01/16/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/16/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB141
Sponsors: Wooley (R66)
Title: FORT STANTON
STATE MONUMENT CEMETERY
Summary: (Endorsed by the
Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee) Appropriates $750,000 (GF
nonreverting) to the Cultural Affairs Department to improve and maintain the
cemetery at the Fort Stanton State Monument, contingent on the department
receiving a grant of $7.5 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Subjects: Appropriations;
Cultural Affairs; Veterans and Military Affairs; State Affairs and State
Agencies
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/17/2013 – House
Appropriations and Finance Committee
History: 01/17/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB174
Sponsors: Clahchischilliage (R4)
Title: NATIVE AMERICAN
SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM
Summary: Appropriates $155,000
(GF) to the Veterans’ Services Department to train Native American veterans
as counselors and administer a suicide prevention program involving youth
and their families in Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties.
Subjects: Appropriations;
Veterans and Military Affairs; State Affairs and State Agencies; Health and
Medical Practice; Indians; Family and Juveniles
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/22/2013 – House
Health, Government and Indian Affairs Committee
History: 01/22/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/22/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB175
Sponsors: Steinborn (D35)
Title: WAIVER OF UTILITY
CONNECTION FEES FOR MILITARY
Summary: Provides that a
municipal resident who is called to active military duty or temporary
assignment outside the municipality may have any or all of his municipal,
utility, cable and telecommunications services, suspended and later
reconnected at no charge.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs; Utilities; Municipalities/City Government; State Affairs and State
Agencies
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/22/2013 – House
Business and Industry Committee
History: 01/22/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Business & Industry.
01/22/2013—H Also referred to House
Judiciary.
Bill: HB180
Sponsors: Martinez, Rudolpho
(D39)
Title: EXPEDITED
OCCUPATION LICENSING FOR MILITARY AND VETERANS
Summary: Provides for expedited
occupational and professional licensing of military service members, their
spouses, and veterans who are licensed in another jurisdiction.
Subjects: State Affairs and
State Agencies; Veterans and Military Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/22/2013 – House
Business and Industry Committee
History: 01/22/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Business & Industry.
01/22/2013—H Also referred to House
Judiciary.
Bill: HB186
Sponsors: McMillan (R37)
Title: DISABLED MILITARY
MAY HUNT ORYX AT RESIDENT FEE
Summary: Allows nonresident
disabled military members and veterans enrolled in a qualified
rehabilitation program involving hunting to purchase a license to hunt oryx
at the resident oryx license fee.
Subjects: Natural Resources
(Parks and Wildlife); Veterans and Military Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/22/2013 – House
Health, Government and Indian Affairs Committee
History: 01/22/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/22/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB207
Sponsors: Jeff (D5)
Title: NATIVE AMERICAN
VETERANS DIVISION CREATED
Summary: Creates the Native
American Veterans Division within the Veterans’ Services Department to carry
out the following statutory duties:
Subjects: Indians; Veterans and
Military Affairs; State Affairs and State Agencies
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/23/2013 – House
Health, Government and Indian Affairs Committee
History: 01/23/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
Bill: HB233
Sponsors: Wooley (R66)
Title: APPROPRIATION TO
TREAT PTSD
Summary: Appropriates $250,000
(GF) to the Department of Health for expenditure in FY 2014 to contract for
services to treat veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.
Subjects: Appropriations;
Health and Medical Practice; Human Services; Veterans and Military Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/24/2013 – House
Health, Government and Indian Affairs Committee
History: 01/24/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/24/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB246
Sponsors: Dodge (D63)
Title: SERVICE MEMBER
CHILD CUSTODY ACT
Summary: (For the Military and
Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Courts, Corrections and Justice
Committee) (Identical to 2011 HB108) Proposes a Service Member Child Custody
Act that would modify existing procedures for custody, time‑sharing or
visitation orders for children of service members and prohibit the entry of
final modifications or orders while the service member is absent pursuant to
military orders. Permits a service member to delegate visitation rights.
Provides for an expedited hearing, including electronic testimony, when the
service member will be unavailable pursuant to military orders.
Subjects: Family and Juveniles;
Courts and Civil Matters; Veterans and Military Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/25/2013 – House
Judiciary Committee
History: 01/25/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Judiciary.
Bill: HB247
Sponsors: Dodge (D63)
Title: HIGHER ED:
MILITARY WAR VETERAN SCHOLARSHIPS
Summary: (Almost identical to
HB438 in 2011) Creates in the state treasury the nonreverting Military War
Veteran Scholarship Fund to be administered by the Higher Education
Department to reimburse state post‑secondary institutions for tuition
payments, student fees and book allowances for military war veteran students
including those perusing a master’s degree at a state institution.
Subjects: Higher Education;
Veterans and Military Affairs; Appropriations; State Affairs and State
Agencies
Related: 2011:HB438
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/25/2013 – House
Education Committee
History: 01/25/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Education.
01/25/2013—H Also referred to House
Appropriations & Finance.
Bill: HB272
Sponsors: Archuleta (D36)
Title: FREE ELK HUNTING
FOR DISABLED VETERANS
Summary: Requires the Department
of Game and Fish to reserve at least five free elk licenses for veterans
with service‑related disabilities of at least 50 percent.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs; Natural Resources (Parks and Wildlife)
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/25/2013 – House
Health, Government and Indian Affairs Committee
History: 01/25/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
Bill: HB337
Sponsors: Trujillo, J. (D45)
Title: WORK NEW MEXICO
ACT
Summary: Cited as the Work New
Mexico Act, the bill authorizes issuance of severance tax bonds with
proceeds appropriated to the government agencies listed below to perform
construction and facility upgrades throughout the state:
Subjects: Appropriations;
Capital Outlay Requests
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/30/2013 – House
Taxation and Revenue Committee
History: 01/30/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Taxation & Revenue.
Bill: HB353
Sponsors: Trujillo, J. (D45)
Title: REAUTHORIZING AND
REAPPROPRIATING UNEXPENDED BALANCES
Summary: (Identical to SB369)
Revises capital outlay expenditures with respect to four projects funded by
severance tax bonds.
Subjects: Appropriations; State
Affairs and State Agencies; Banks, Securities and Loans; Municipalities/City
Government; County Affairs
Related: 2013:SB369
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/31/2013 – House
Taxation and Revenue Committee
History: 01/31/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Taxation & Revenue.
Bill: HJM3
Sponsors: Hamilton (R38)
Title: APPROVAL PROTOCOL
FOR VETERANS' EDUCATION LEGISLATION
Summary: (For the Military and
Veterans’ Affairs Committee) Requests the congressional delegation to
utilize the “New Mexico State Approving Agency” and the “National
Association of State‑Approving Agencies” when Congress is considering
legislation that could affect education benefits for New Mexico veterans.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs; Higher Education; State Affairs and State Agencies
Progress: 2nd House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/29/2013 – Senate
Rules Committee
History: 12/28/2012—H
Prefiled in the House.
01/16/2013—H Introduced and referred to
House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/24/2013—H Reported Do Pass by House
Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/28/2013—H Removed from Speaker's
table.
01/28/2013—H Opened for floor debate.
01/28/2013—H Passed 65‑0.
01/29/2013—S Received in the Senate and
referred to Senate Rules.
01/29/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Education.
Bill: HJM4
Sponsors: Martinez, Rudolpho
(D39)
Title: VIETNAM VETERANS
DAY
Summary: (For the Military and
Veterans’ Affairs Committee) Expresses gratitude for the service and
sacrifices of Vietnam War veterans and requests that the Governor declare
March 29, 2013 as Vietnam Veterans Day in New Mexico.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs
Progress: 2nd House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/28/2013 –
President's Table
History: 12/28/2012—H
Prefiled in the House.
01/16/2013—H Introduced.
01/16/2013—H Not referred to committee,
placed on Speaker's table.
01/25/2013—H Removed from Speaker's
table.
01/25/2013—H Opened for floor debate.
01/25/2013—H Passed 70‑0.
01/28/2013—S Received in the Senate and
placed on President's Table.
Scheduled: 02/01/2013—Senate
Calendar, 10:30 a.m., Senate Chambers
Bill: HJM6
Sponsors: McCamley (D33)
Title: ADDITIONAL
FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO’S VETERANS
Summary: Requests the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs to provide additional funding and personnel
to the department’s Albuquerque Regional Office to expedite processing of
veterans’ requests and appeals; and requests the New Mexico Congressional
Delegation to address various issues affecting the state’s veterans.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs
Progress: 2nd House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/29/2013 – Senate
Rules Committee
History: 01/16/2013—H
Introduced and referred to House Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/24/2013—H Reported Do Pass by House
Health, Government & Indian Affairs.
01/28/2013—H Removed from Speaker's
table.
01/28/2013—H Opened for floor debate.
01/28/2013—H Passed 70‑0.
01/29/2013—S Received in the Senate and
referred to Senate Rules.
01/29/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Public Affairs.
Bill: SB96
Sponsors: Sharer (R1)
Title: INCOME TAX
EXEMPTION FOR MILITARY RETIREMENT PAY
Summary: (Similar to 2012 SCORC
substitute for SB129) Creates an exemption from the Income Tax Act for
uniformed service retirees and their surviving spouses. The exemption is
equal to a percentage of the retiree’s retirement or retainer pay.
Subjects: Taxation and Fees;
Veterans and Military Affairs
Related: 2012:SB129
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/16/2013 – Senate
Corporations and Transportation Committee
History: 01/16/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Corporations & Transportation.
01/16/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Finance.
Bill: SB112
Sponsors: Ortiz y Pino (D12);
O'Neill (D13)
Title: GUARDIAN AND
CONSERVATOR POWERS AFTER DEATH OF PROTECTED PERSON
Summary: (Similar to 2011 HB271)
Upon the death of a protected person, the person’s guardian or conservator
must submit notice of the death to the appointing court and any relatives of
the protected person. For one year following the death of a protected
person, the guardian or conservator must continue to exercise powers
including arranging and paying for a funeral, receiving medical or financial
records, requesting an autopsy, filing financial documents, and terminating
the guardianship or conservatorship relationship in the appointing court.
Subjects: Courts and Civil
Matters; Human Services; Family and Juveniles
Related: 2011:HB271
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/16/2013 – Senate
Public Affairs Committee
History: 01/16/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Public Affairs.
01/16/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Judiciary.
Bill: SB162
Sponsors: Pinto (D3)
Title: NATIVE AMERICAN
SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM
Summary: Appropriates $155,000
(GF) to the Veterans’ Services Department to train Native American veterans
as counselors and administer a suicide prevention program involving youth
and their families in Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties.
Subjects: Appropriations;
Veterans and Military Affairs; Indians; Family and Juveniles; State Affairs
and State Agencies; Health and Medical Practice
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/29/2013 – Senate
Finance Committee
History: 01/21/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Indian & Cultural Affairs.
01/21/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Finance.
01/29/2013—S Reported Do Pass by Senate
Indian & Cultural Affairs.
Bill: SB195
Sponsors: Payne (R20)
Title: BATAAN‑CORREGIDOR
HERITAGE MONTH
Summary: Designates the month of
April “Bataan‑Corregidor Heritage Month.”
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs
Progress: 2nd House: Passed
Status: 01/31/2013 – Signed
by Officers of House
History: 01/22/2013—S
Introduced.
01/22/2013—S Not referred to committee,
placed on President's table.
01/23/2013—S Removed from President's
table.
01/23/2013—S Placed on Senate Calendar.
01/23/2013—S Opened for floor debate.
01/23/2013—S Passed 38‑0.
01/23/2013—H Not referred to committee,
placed on Speaker's table.
01/30/2013—H Removed from Speaker's
table.
01/30/2013—H Opened for floor debate.
01/30/2013—H Passed 70‑0.
01/31/2013—S Enrolled and engrossed.
01/31/2013—S Signed by Officers of
Senate.
01/31/2013—H Signed by Officers of
House.
Bill: SB258
Sponsors: Burt (R33)
Title: EXPEDITED
LICENSING APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY, RECENT VETERANS AND SPOUSES
Summary: Requires all state
agencies, boards or commissions that issue occupational or professional
licenses pursuant to the Uniform Licensing Act to expedite applications
filed by a military service member or spouse, or a recent veteran. Applies
only to applications filed on or after July 1, 2013. A license must be
issued to such an applicant who submits satisfactory evidence of a current
license in another jurisdiction, including a branch of the armed forces.
However, licensing requirements in the other jurisdiction must be
substantially the same as those in New Mexico.
Subjects: Veterans and Military
Affairs; State Affairs and State Agencies
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/24/2013 – Senate
Public Affairs Committee
History: 01/24/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Public Affairs.
01/24/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Judiciary.
Bill: SB322
Sponsors: Campos, P. (D8)
Title: VETERANS
TRANSPORTATION TO V.A. MEDICAL CENTER
Summary: Appropriates $75,000 (GF)
to the Department of Health for FY2014 expenses for the transportation of
veterans residing in San Miguel, Mora and Guadalupe counties from a central
location in Las Vegas to the V.A. Medical Center in Albuquerque.
Subjects: Appropriations;
Veterans and Military Affairs; Health and Medical Practice; County Affairs
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/29/2013 – Senate
Public Affairs Committee
History: 01/29/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Public Affairs.
01/29/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Finance.
Bill: SB369
Sponsors: Cisneros (D6)
Title: REAUTHORIZING AND
REAPPROPRIATING UNEXPENDED BALANCES
Summary: (Identical to HB353)
Revises capital outlay expenditures with respect to four projects funded by
severance tax bonds.
Subjects: Appropriations; State
Affairs and State Agencies; Banks, Securities and Loans; Municipalities/City
Government; County Affairs
Related: 2013:HB353
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/31/2013 – Senate
Finance Committee
History: 01/31/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Finance.
Bill: SM2
Sponsors: Martinez, Richard (D5)
Title: VOLUNTEER
CIVILIAN MOTORCYCLE TRAFFIC ESCORTS
Summary: Requests the Department
of Public Safety and Department of Transportation to convene a task force to
study implementation of a program to train volunteer civilian motorcycle
traffic escorts, to include a review and analysis of current legislation
pertaining to authorized emergency vehicles, licensing requirements, and
funeral and military procession escort rights of way.
Subjects: Transportation;
Public Safety and Corrections; Veterans and Military Affairs; Interim
Studies and Interim Committees
Progress: 1st House: Referred
to Committee
Status: 01/16/2013 – Senate
Rules Committee
History: 01/16/2013—S
Introduced and referred to Senate Rules.
01/16/2013—S Also referred to Senate
Public Affairs.
Ray Seva
Public Information
Officer,
New Mexico
Department of Veterans' Services
(505) 362-6089 cell
Bataan Memorial Building
407 Galisteo Street/Room 132
Santa Fe, NM 87504-2324
Jan 31, 2013
Tom Philpott
Congressional leaders appear to have reach consensus that it is safer politically to allow deep and arbitrary cuts to military budgets than it is to negotiate a large debt-reduction deal that would have names attached.
With Republicans and Democrats unwilling to make difficult decisions to address budget deficits in a balanced way, the military is being forced to cut training, cancel construction projects, defer maintenance of ships, aircraft and vehicles, cancel professional conferences, halt most temporary duty assignments, and interrupt supply and equipment purchases.
Quality of life for the military also is being impacted as dependents lose jobs, local economies and businesses lose contracts, and base operations, including family support programs, take immediate budget cuts.
The entire Department of Defense has imposed a civilian-hiring freeze. At least 46,000 temporary employees are getting pink slips and many more employees under “term” contracts won’t see those contracts renewed.
Gordon Adams, a national security policy specialist with the Stimson Center and a senior White House budget official in the last Clinton administration, said he is “amazed” to watch congressional leaders, in effect, “fold their hands” on trying to prevent deeper defense cuts this year.
With the Iraq war ended and U.S. combat forces scheduled to leave Afghanistan in 2014, defense “is not the centerpiece” of the Capitol Hill budget argument. “The centerpiece is the overall federal budget and [tax] revenue...This is leadership driven. The armed services committees are almost irrelevant, which is very unusual.”
Even as Defense officials and military leaders ordered commands to take broad cost-cutting actions, they held out hope Congress will come to share their concern and take two remedial actions. One is to pass a defense appropriations bill for the fiscal year that began last October, thus removing spending caps imposed by operating through March under continuing budget resolution. The resolution freezes their budgets just below 2012 levels.
Service officials now fear Congress intends to extend the continuing resolution through September. If so, at a minimum, they seek authority to “reprogram” or transfer money between accounts to fully fund their highest priorities to sustain operations and protect readiness.
Second, Defense officials want Congress to swiftly reach a deficit reduction deal and avoid budget sequestration, which as adjusted during the Jan. 1 fiscal cliff deal, would still impose an eight percent cut across 2500 separate defense programs. Sequestration was a scheme Congress concocted in 2011 to scare itself into a debt deal. It has failed.
Effective Feb. 15, the Navy will cancel private-sector contracts for ship maintenance in the last half of fiscal 2013, impacting 10 ships in Norfolk, Va., 10 more in San Diego and one ship apiece in New London, Conn., Bremerton, Wash., and Jacksonville, Fla. This alone will save an estimated $600 million.
“The way we have tried to manage this is to protect forward deployed readiness so that are ships, aircraft and sailors forward deployed can continue to do what they need to do. Their mission won’t be affected,” said Rear Adm. John Kirby, Navy chief of information, in a phone interview.
The next goal is to protect training and readiness for “next-to-deploy forces.” That might not be possible, however, if Congress allows sequestration to take effect, as rescheduled, on March 1, Kirby warned.
Operating under a continuing resolution popped a $4.6 billion hole in Navy operations and maintenance budgets. Sequestration would expand that hole by $4 billion, explained Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, chief of naval operations, in fleet-wide message Jan. 25. The Navy would have to stop all deployments to the Caribbean and South America; limit European deployments to ballistic missile defense ships only, and cut steaming and flying hours across the fleet. A majority of ships and aircraft preparing for deployment would see stateside training, flying and steaming operations end, he warned, unless fleet commanders find other budget offsets.
That word “unless” in Greenert’s guidance is significant, Adams said. Like the other services, Adams argued, Navy paints worst-case scenarios for operating under a continuing budget resolution through September and taking the additional sequestration hit. When actually forced to take those cuts, Adams said, sequestration would allow flexibility in how operations and maintenance dollars get chopped. The service can, for example, target personnel service contracts, which have ballooned over a decade of war.
“It’s everything from cutting the grass at Fort Belvoir to serving the food at Bagram Air Base,” Adams said. “That’s an area, given our departure from Iraq and coming out of Afghanistan, that ought to be a low priority.”
The Army’s own “risk mitigation” budget guidance directs a 30-percent cut in base operations support to include “reduced levels of installation service delivery and reduced new and current contracts” for the same. To help to implement this, Army leaders promise further guidance “on the use of soldiers to perform installation functions.”
“That’s where you can manage” priorities, Adams said. “You might actually have a soldier pushing a lawnmower at Fort Belvoir come spring.”
Congress seems resigned to allow sequestration, he said, in part because it’s easier than reaching a balanced budget deal and in part because lawmakers recognize the military is in a post-war drawdown, a period when taking deep spending cuts is natural, particularly for ground forces.
Kirby countered that the Navy isn’t drawing down, however.
“All by itself the continuing resolution is going to have a readiness impact. Those ships will have to get maintenance sooner or later, and it is probably going to cost more. Just like maintenance on your car, defer it and when you finally get it into the garage you’re probably going to need more work than you originally needed and it will cost you more”
“The other cost is time,” Kirby continued. “If you had that ship scheduled for deployment in 2014 or ’15, now it will not be achievable because of needed maintenance. There’s a real readiness impact.”
Write Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, or email milupdate@aol.com or twitter: Tom Philpott @Military_Update
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http://www.military.com/benefits/2013/01/24/dod-urged-to-stop-ignoring-full-cost-of-personnel.html?comp=7000023431425&rank=1
DoD Urged to Account for ‘Full’ Cost Of Personnel
Jan 24, 2013
Tom Philpott
DoD Urged to Stop Ignoring ‘Full’ Cost Of Personnel
This time last year the Air Force unveiled a plan to cut Air National Guard strength by 5100 members along with more than 200 Guard aircraft, touting this as a reasonable efficiency, in part because Guard squadrons cost more to operate than active duty squadrons.
That argument was dead wrong, says Maj. Gen. Arnold L. Punaro, a retired Marine Corps reservist and chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board. In a new report, the advisory board he leads urges the Department of Defense to stop ignoring the true and increasingly “unsustainable” costs of active duty forces.
The board said it doesn’t seek through its arguments to spare reserve components at the expense of active forces as forces draw down. But the kind of flawed cost data the Air Force used for cutting the Air National Guard is symptomatic of a larger problem for the entire the Department of Defense: unacknowledged personnel costs that threaten the volunteer force.
As described by Punaro in a phone interview, the Air Force looked primarily at the higher pay of Air National Guard units, with personnel generally older and more experienced, and concluded their costs to be higher than for active forces. It was a pattern Punaro recognized. Soon after he became chairman of the reserve advisory board late in 2011, he said, he began fielding queries from the most senior Defense civilians and military officers asking why the Guard and Reserve was so expensive.
“I would say, ‘Who’s telling you that?’ They’d recite some spiel,” Punaro said, “and I would say, ‘Let me ask you a question: How many family housing units, childcare centers, dependent schools, commissaries, barracks, military hospitals or tactical equipment shops have we built to support the 850,000 Guard and Reserve personnel who have been mobilized since 9/11?’ And of course the answer is zero.”
In truth, reserve component members, when not activated, cost less than a third of active duty counterparts given disparities in health coverage, base housing or allowances, future retired pay, commissary subsides, dependent schools and other family support and quality-of-life programs.
The board’s report, online at http://ra.defense.gov/rfpb/reports/ argues that, unlike defense contractors bidding to build ships or new combat vehicles, Defense policy makers don't have to account for “fully-burdened and life-cycle costs” of personnel, even though military personnel costs have reached $250 billion a year or about half the entire defense budget.
The report claims the “fully-burdened per capita” cost to the government of an active duty member is $108,307 in pay and benefits, a figure 20 percent higher usually calculated because it includes their health care, dependent education, housing and commissaries. The equivalent per capita cost of reserve component members is $34,272, with 30 percent of that linked health care improvements under TRICARE Reserve Select.
Total Defense Department per capita costs triple, to $330,342 for active duty and to $100,380 for reserve component members, when non-compensation items such as training, military construction and base support costs are calculated. They climb by another 15 to 20 percent when military personnel costs covered by other federal departments, including Veterans Affairs, Treasury, Labor and Education, are calculated. These non-DoD costs for personnel include the GI Bill, VA disability benefits, job training for vets, and a portion of retirement and Medicare obligations paid by Treasury.
A large proportion of total personnel costs is deferred, paid to retirees who can draw an annuity with benefits at 20 years even though most will live, on average, another 40 years, Punaro said. If this sounds familiar, Punaro also served on the Defense Business Board, another advisory panel to DoD that produced recent reports criticizing military retirement and retiree health benefits as too generous to be sustained for future generations.
The Reserve Forces Policy Board raises the same compensation concerns as a cost accounting charade that, if not addressed, will distort future decisions on the “best balance” between active and reserve forces.
“We now pay people for sixty years who serve for 20. That’s a cost,” Punaro said. “DoD would argue that, for 40 of those years, we don’t care about the cost. Well, the country cares, taxpayers care, the Treasury cares and people in Congress who appropriate the money care. You can’t ignore 40 years of costs as we’re doing right now in the Department of Defense.”
The report and Punaro stress that their push for better methods of cost accounting is not intended to protect reserve components as defense budgets shrink. But every section of the report makes clear the Reserve and Guard leave a lighter footprint on budgets than does the heavier boot of active forces when full costs are shown.
Congress did refuse last year to accept the Air Force argument that Guard personnel cost more than active duty. Of the planned cut of 5100 Air National Guard members sought, lawmakers accepted only 1000.
“Cost can’t be the only factor” in choosing between reserve and active forces, Punaro said. “You’re never going to replace the 82nd Airborne with Guard and Reserve. It doesn’t matter how much it costs…But when debating capability, and whether we are going to need Guard and Reserve as an insurance policy, you ought to know what things will cost.”
Knowing true personnel costs also will allow the department, he said “to come to grips with the bigger issue: the long-term unsustainable course we are on in terms of cost growth of the volunteer force. We need to understand all the elements. You can’t fix it just by dealing with pay.”
Speaking for himself alone, Punaro said he suspects past military leaders haven’t wanted to calculate the true and total cost of personnel.
“There has been a tendency since the volunteer force started in 1973 to underestimate its cost. People are concerned that [by knowing] the true life-cycle costs you will put some elements of the volunteer force at risk” like 20-year retirement. “They don’t like facing the choices these numbers drive them to…But if personnel cost trends continue, and if we don’t make some fundamental reforms particularly with deferred compensation, the choice will be between happy retirees and a smaller active duty force.”