Veterans Report - Week of January 07, 2013

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Veterans Report - Week of January 07, 2013

Golden Age Games Applications Available
Veterans ages 55 and older are encouraged to participate in the 2013 National Veterans Golden Age Games. This year's games will take place May 30 to June 4, 2013, in Buffalo, N.Y. Veterans who currently receive inpatient or outpatient care from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) are eligible. Applications, due four months before the games, are available on VA's (http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/gag/index.asp) National Veterans Golden Age Games webpage.
For more sports-related military news, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty) Military.com Off-duty section.


House VA Committee Changes
Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, has recommended the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Chairs for the new session of Congress that began in January, 2013. A listing of the new subcommittee chairs is available on the (http://veterans.house.gov/press-release ... -announced) House Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


Security Clearance Wanted in 2013
Top companies are actively hiring and paying top salaries to Veterans with Security Clearance in 2013. Make this your best year yet -- (http://content.military.com/newsletters ... rvr0107.nl) visit Military.com to see who's hiring, apply for jobs, get industry tips and more.


What Benefits Will You Have in 2013?
Access all your military benefits with the (http://benefits.military.com/reg/Vetera ... rvr0107.nl) Military.com Benefit Calculator. It's designed for you to quickly and easily connect to benefits information based on your military service and status. Find Federal Benefits, State Benefits, National Guard State Benefits, Special Military Discounts and more.


Special Warfare Combatant Fitness Training
The Vietnam era Swift Boats or Brown Water Navy are the forefathers of SWCC. The "Brown Water Navy" is now one of the three components of the Naval Special Warfare Command - SEAL Teams, SEAL Delivery vehicle (SDV) Teams, and Special Boat Units. These high-tech, high-speed boats make up the maritime component of the U.S. Special Operations Command - SOCOM. (http://www.military.com/special-operations?ESRC=mrvr.nl) Read More.


Parker Hannifin Committed to Hiring Veterans
Engineering YOUR Success. You were serious about your career in the Military and now we are serious about engineering your success as the nation's most valued talent. Explore working for a company who is the leader in motion and control technologies. (http://www.military.com/jobs-in/employe ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read more at Military.com.


American Legion Seeks Travel Stories
Many Legionnaires traveling around the world over the holiday season may have visited Legion posts outside the continental United States. If you have traveled near a Legion post outside the borders of the continental United States and are a Legionnaire, the American Legion would like to hear your story. The national Legion website's dedicated webpage for the FODPAL (Foreign and Outlying Departments and Posts of The American Legion) organization includes a space for members to enter text and photos/video of where they went, what they did and who they met. Visit the American Legion website at (http://www.legion.org/fodpal/share) www.legion.org/fodpal/share to share your story. And, visit the American Legion's FODPAL webpage at (http://www.legion.org/fodpal) www.legion.org/fodpal to learn about American Legion posts around the world.


A Look at Sleep Apnea
Millions of Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, but many people do not realize they have the condition. So, less than 25 percent of cases are diagnosed. Classified as one or more pauses in breathing during the night, sleep apnea is commonly diagnosed through snoring. With sleep apnea, added breathing abnormalities can happen up to one hundred times per night causing lasting effects during the day including lethargy. Sleep apnea increases the risk of hypertension, stroke and heart attacks, heart failure and heart arrhythmia. There are many methods of treatment. For more information, visit the National Sleep Foundation website at (http://www.sleepfoundation.org/) www.sleepfoundation.org.
For more military family support resources, visit the (http://www.military.com/spouse) Military.com Spouse and Family Center.


VA Claims Backlog Milestone
The Veterans Affairs Department's disability claims backlog edged above the 900,000 mark this week, with 608,365 -- 67.6 percent -- staying in the system more than 125 days. Claims backlogged more than 125 days increased 7.5 percent or 45,245 since January, 2012. In April, representatives of veterans services organizations (http://www.nextgov.com/technology-news/ ... 000/51060/) described the backlog of 897,566 disability claims, with more than 65 percent pending for more than 125 days, as a "staggering" figure that denies veterans quick payment of benefits. VA plans to deploy its paperless Veterans Benefits Management System nationwide next year in an attempt to boost claims processing. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has repeatedly vowed to eliminate the claims backlog by 2015. For more information on VA disability claims, visit the VA website at (http://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/) www.benefits.va.gov/compensation.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


The Secret to Losing Weight
Which diet should you choose to lose weight with the New Year? The best thing you could do to achieve your goals is to avoid fad diets. Slow, steady weight loss is more likely to last than dramatic weight changes. Ditch diets that allow unlimited quantities of one food. Also, there is no evidence that combining certain foods or eating foods at specific times of day will help with weight loss. Also, regular physical activity and exercise is essential for good health and healthy weight management. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Healthy Weight webpage at (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/) www.cdc.gov/healthyweight.
For military-level fitness training tips and programs from the experts, visit the (http://military-fitness.military.com/) Daily PT.


4 Benefits of the VA Loan in Today's Market
1.The VA home mortgage loan doesn't require a down payment. This can save consumers up to 20 percent of the loan value when compared to a conventional loan. 2. Borrowers can often refinance to a lower rate within the VA program without re-qualifying for the program through the VA Streamline Refinance Loan. 3. The VA program won't deny a loan based solely on a low credit score, and most lenders don't tier interest rates for better scores. 4. If the borrower has a service-related disability, they may qualify for the lender to waive the funding fee, further reducing closing costs. (http://www.military.com/money/va-loans/ ... RC=mrvr.nl) Read the full article on Military.com.
(https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... rvr0107.nl) Next Step: Find lenders ready to help you use your $417,000 VA Home Loan Benefit.


Senate Passes Vet Health Care Bill
The (http://www.veterans.senate.gov/press-re ... 79f0cecd1e) Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvement Act of 2012 recently passed through the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent. The bill would end the ban by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on providing In Vitro Fertilization services to veterans and their families. The bill was sponsored by Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs' Committee. Remarks by Senator Murray are available on the (http://veterans.senate.gov/press-releas ... 55e811a059) U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs website.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.


$300k Coverage as Low as $21 a Month
Protect your family for less. Get $300k life insurance protection for as little as $21 a month. Need more coverage? (http://www.military.com/insurance/?lpid ... =vr0107.nl) Find personalized coverage today.


Warrior Games Announced
The 2013 Warrior Games are slated for May 11-17, Colorado Springs, Colo. More than 200 wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and veterans are expected to participate in 2013 games. Athletes will compete in sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, swimming, cycling, track & field, archery & competitive shooting. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded. Information about the Army team selection and the 2013 Warrior Games will be provided in the coming months at the Warrior Transition Command Road to Warrior Games page at (http://www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames2013.html) www.wtc.army.mil/about_us/warriorgames2013.html, and the U.S. Paralympics website at (http://www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.aspx) www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics.aspx . For information, photographs and videos about the Army's 2012 Warrior Games athletes, visit the Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS) website at (http://www.dvidshub.net/search?q=warrior+games+2012) www.dvidshub.net/search?q=warrior+games+2012 .
For more sports-related military news, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty) Military.com Off-duty section.


Ed Tax Credit Survived Fiscal Cliff
The American Opportunity Tax Credit for college expenses was saved when Congress agreed on the deal to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff." The education tax credit can help families to get up to $2,500 in tax credits for higher education related expenses over four years. The credit was introduced as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The credit was later extended to apply for tax years 2011 and 2012 by the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2010.
Learn more about how you can take advantage of the (http://www.military.com/education/getti ... edits.html) American Opportunity Tax Credit.
For more tax season tips and guides, visit the (http://www.military.com/money/personal-finance/taxes) Military.com Tax Center.


Register for the Legion Baseball Season
The American Legion now has a new website at (http://www.baseball.legion.org/) www.baseball.legion.org that is designed specifically for Legion Baseball registration. The new site requires coaches to create an administrator account -- the same username and password from last year may be used. Once logged in, coaches will have the ability to locate and renew teams and players from previous seasons. Additionally, the registration site has been customized to meet the Legion's new policy for (http://www.legion.org/baseball/212802/b ... s-mandated) background screening checks. For more information, visit the American Legion Baseball website at (http://baseball.legion.org/) baseball.legion.org or e-mail (mailto:baseball@legion.org) baseball@legion.org.
For more sports-related military news, visit the (http://www.military.com/off-duty) Military.com Off-duty section.


Report Says VA Undercounted Cases
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has acknowledged in a recently revised June, 2012 report that it undercounted the number of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans seeking care over the past decade for post-traumatic stress disorder by 10,299 cases or roughly 4 percent. VA posted the revised report on December 12, 2012 on a (http://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/epi ... 2-qtr3.pdf) website that is not linked to its main website. The revised report said the department relied on an improperly constructed patient data file that omitted three months of data in the original report. The revised report is available (http://www.publichealth.va.gov/docs/epi ... 2-qtr3.pdf) online.
For complete guides on veteran benefits, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits) Military.com Benefits Center.