Veterans Report - Week of September 15, 2014

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Veterans Report - Week of September 15, 2014

More Veterans Turn to Farming
More veterans are turning to farming. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data shows that even though rural America makes up 17 percent of the country's population, it accounts for 44 percent of the men and women who served in the military. One organization trying to connect veterans to farming resources is the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) whose mission is to mobilize veterans to feed America. For more information, visit the Farmer Veteran Coalition website at (http://www.farmvetco.org/) www.farmvetco.org.
For more veteran job fair listings, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


VA Launches Updated GI Bill Tool
The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a new version of the GI Bill Comparison Tool, which was first launched in February 2014. The GI Bill Comparison Tool is designed to make it easier for veterans, service members, and family members to estimate their GI Bill education benefits and learn more about VA's approved college, university, and other education and training programs. The updated version of the tool has new functionality, including a more robust GI Bill benefits calculator and additional information pertinent to the veteran population. For more information, visit the (http://department-of-veterans-affairs.g ... ison-tool/) GI Bill Comparison Tool website.


Help with Spouse Job Search
The Military Spouse and Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) is a 10-year-old not-for-profit organization that provides employment readiness and job placement solutions. The agency, along with a sister organization Corporate America Supports You (CASY), has already helped more than 20,000 military spouses and 8,000 transitioning active military and veterans find jobs. The organization is working with the National Guard and others in various ways to help transitioning veterans find employment. For more information, visit the (http://msccn.org/WhoWeAre/who_we_are.html) Military Spouse and Corporate Career Network website.
For more spouse job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Jobs Center.


Bottom Line on the Drawdown: Cut With Dignity
Recent headlines have shed light on the Army providing pink slips to nearly 1,200 captains and 550 majors -- several while serving in combat zones. The Army is caught between a rock and a hard place. It is in the midst of drawing down over 120,000 active duty troops from the peak of 570,000 members to 450,000 by 2019. This drawdown is far from over -- if you escaped round one, don't think you're necessarily safe in round two or even three. Read the rest of the article at Military Officers Association of America (MOAA): (http://www.moaa.org/MRSepBottomLine/) www.moaa.org/MRSepBottomLine.


VA PTSD Center Celebrates Anniversary
The Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. VA created the Center in 1989 to address the needs of Veterans and other trauma survivors with PTSD. A list of accomplishments of the center is available on the (http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2619) VA website. For more information on PTSD and ways to raise awareness of this mental health problem, visit the National Center for PTSD website at (http://www.ptsd.va.gov) www.ptsd.va.gov, and the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... d-wellness) Military.com Mental Health and Wellness section.


Save up to 66% on TRICARE Costs
Save on the out-of-pocket costs that TRICARE doesn't cover. (http://offers.military.com/i/tricare/in ... rvr0915.nl) Save now.


Find Your Next Career at A+E Networks
A+E Networks strongly supports the hiring of our servicemen and women as they transition back into civilian life or seek career changes. We believe that veterans possess identifiable and transferable skills proven in real-life situations, and it is our intention to foster a business culture that recognizes, supports and develops the unique characteristics of our veterans. (http://www.military.com/veteran-employe ... =vr0915.nl) Read more.


OPM Announces Upgrades
The Office of Personnel Management has announced recent upgrades to their electronic personnel filing system. The OPM eOPF is a secure electronic personnel folder which provides civilian employees virtual access to their personnel records. Employees who have not done so should set up an eOPF account and review their records to ensure they are correct and up to date. To create an eOPF account, visit (https://mypers.af.mil) myPers. Under the "I would like to..." section, select "Learn how to access my Electronic Official Personnel File." Scroll down to the "Creating eOPF Account" section and follow the instructions. Employees must have a valid work email address in the eOPF in order to create their user account. The eOPF can only be accessed from a government or military computer network. To learn more about self-service updates, visit the myPers self-service page, accessible via the home page "I would like to" section at (https://mypers.af.mil) myPers.
For more Air Force news updates, visit the (http://www.military.com/daily-news) Military.com News Center.


SGLI/VGLI Celebrate Centennial
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently commemorated one hundred years of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Life Insurance program, which began as the War Risk Insurance Act, Sept. 2, 1914. VA directly administers six life insurance programs and supervises the (http://www.military.com/money/insurance/sgli) service members' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... rance.html) Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) programs that provide $1.3 trillion in insurance coverage. To learn more about the 100th anniversary commemoration, visit the 100 Years of VA Life Insurance webpage at (http://www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/insurance100.asp) www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/insurance100.asp. If you have a question about VA's life insurance protection policies, please call toll-free at 1-800-419-1473.
For more on SGLI and VGLI, as well as other insurance options, visit the (http://www.military.com/insurance/) Military.com Insurance section.


Veterans Job Fair in Austin
Veterans, service members and spouses are invited to a free career fair Sept. 24 in Austin, Texas, at the Omni Austin Southpark Hotel, Ballroom D, 4140 Governor's Row, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hosted by the American Legion's Department of Texas, about 60 employers from the private and public sectors will be in attendance. Attendees are encouraged to pre-register at WorkInTexas.com for the event. Attendees should also come in business attire and bring copies of their resumes, as employers on hand will be evaluating job candidates and even hiring or interviewing.
For more veteran job fair listings, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


Vet Hiring Event in Chicago
Hiring Our Heroes, one of the largest efforts to help Veterans and their family members find employment, returns to Chicago on Thursday, September 18. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) and Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) are primary hosts. The Aon-sponsored event is from 10 a.m. To 1 p.m. At the Hyatt Regency, 151 E. Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago. Veterans and military spouses should pre-register at (http://hiringourheroes.org) hiringourheroes.org prior to the event. Job seekers also are encouraged to take advantage of a free employment workshop at 8:30 a.m. Veterans also should register with (http://Illinoisjoblink.com) Illinoisjoblink.com. Free parking for job seekers is available at Grant Park north and south garages, Millennium Park Garage and Millennium Lakeside Garage. Parking validation is required.
For more veteran job fair listings, job postings and transition advice, visit the (http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs) Military.com Veteran Jobs Center.


VA Needs to Plus Up Medical Staff
The Department of Veterans Affairs needs "tens of thousands" more personnel working in VA hospitals and clinics to meet patient demand, the new VA Secretary, Robert McDonald, told lawmakers Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. The size of the staff shortage explains the VA's "big recruiting effort" which he kicked off recently with visits to Duke University and University of Pennsylvania medical schools to tell students there why "VA is where they want to work." Congress is pressing to clarify the VA staff shortage as the department struggles to recover from a patient wait-time scandal, as demand for care grows due to a force drawdown, and as the nation at large also copes with a shortage of health workers, particularly in mental health care.
(http://militaryadvantage.military.com/2 ... ff-needed/) Read more in Tom Philpott's Military Update.


New VA Cemetery in Nebraska
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has selected the name Omaha National Cemetery for the national cemetery that VA will construct in the Omaha region of Nebraska. The cemetery will serve more than 112,000 veterans in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Veterans with a qualifying discharge, their spouses and eligible dependent children may be buried in a VA national cemetery. Also eligible are military personnel who die on active duty, their spouses and eligible dependents. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from VA's National Cemetery Administration website at (http://www.cem.va.gov) www.cem.va.gov, or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000. To make burial arrangements at any VA national cemetery at the time of need, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
For more on veteran memorial services and benefits, see (http://www.military.com/benefits/burial-and-memorial) this Military.com section.


Saving Lives: An Honest Discussion about Suicide Prevention in the Military
"37 percent of veterans return from deployment with mental health disorders. Only half seek help." Our Guard and Reserve members and many who have not deployed are also committing suicide at an alarming rate. Military.com is joining the Veterans Affairs Department, Department of Defense and Disabled American Veterans to reach spouses, coworkers, family members and military members with practical solutions and advice for preventing suicide among our service members. (https://plus.google.com/events/cgmenc62 ... rvr0915.nl) Please RSVP to watch our LIVE Google Hangout.


SGLI/VGLI too Much? $100k Coverage from $7 a Month
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Fall is the Perfect Time to Use Your VA Loan
Now is the time to use your VA Loan. You don't have to pay PMI or have a large down payment. Plus you can get financing up to $417,000. (https://secure.military.com/leads/VALoa ... rvr0915.nl) Use your VA Loan Benefit today.
(http://www.military.com/money/va-loans?ESRC=mrvr0915.nl) Want more information about this great benefit?


SeaWorld Offering Half-Off Admission
SeaWorld in San Diego, Calif. will offer half off admission for those who are in or have served in the military, along with up to five companions. Those who qualify must be on active duty, retired or honorably discharged. Tickets must be purchased by Nov. 11, Veterans Day, and redeemed by Dec. 21. To purchase tickets, visit the (http://www.military.com/discounts/seawo ... y-discount) Military.com Discount Center or buy tickets at participating military bases. SeaWorld requires proof of service to qualify for the discounts. Discounts offered in the "Waves of Honor" program do not include Discovery Cove in Orlando or Aquatica, SeaWorld's Waterpark.
For more travel and amusement discounts, visit the (http://www.military.com/discounts/) Military.com Discount Center.


Personal Data Loss Alert in South Carolina
The Dorn Veterans Administration Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, says some old records are missing, and is warning veterans that their personal information could be compromised. Four boxes of pathology reports that were stored in a locked area in the medical center laboratory are gone. The records include patients' names, Social Security numbers, and pathology reports from the years 1999, 2000, and 2002 only. The hospital is in the process of notifying 2,179 veterans that could be affected. As a precaution, the hospital is offering one year of free credit monitoring is available to veterans who are notified in writing. Veterans who receive a letter in the mail can call the Dorn VA Privacy Officer at (803) 776-4000 extension 7692 with any questions.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


VA Secretary's Latest Press Conference
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert A. McDonald, recently held a press conference at VA's Washington, D.C., headquarters where he shared observations from his travels to VA facilities over the past month and outlined the way ahead for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). A transcript of Secretary McDonald's comments is available on the (http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2622) VA website.
For more veterans benefits info and updates, visit the (http://militaryadvantage.military.com) Military Advantage blog.


Help Prevent Suicide Among Vets
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Help is available through the Vets4Warriors peer support chat line at 855-838-8255 or at the Vets4Warriors website at (http://www.vets4warriors.com/) www.vets4warriors.com. This line will connect an individual with veteran peers can assist with problem solving and resolution. Veterans can also find help through the Military Crisis Line by calling 1-800-273-8255, press 1, text 838255, or chat at the Military Crisis Line website at (http://www.militarycrisisline.net) www.militarycrisisline.net. For more information and resources, visit the Air Force Suicide Prevention website at (http://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/suicideprevention) www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/suicideprevention.
For more mental health guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... d-wellness) Military.com Mental Health and Wellness section.


Vet Couples Counseling in Massachusetts
Veterans in Massachusetts who are reintegrating back into civilian life are invited to participate in a free, confidential series of couples therapy sessions with their spouse or partner. The project focuses specifically on how the veterans and their partners manage Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, while addressing the issues in the relationship that may emerge. The project is headed up by Kathryn K. Basham, a licensed clinical social worker working with Jean LaTerz. There will be a brief interview on the phone with the couple to make sure they are prepared and that they meet the criteria. Both individuals in the relationship must be willing to participate in the counseling. Those interested in participating in this program can contact Basham at (413) 585-7959 or (mailto:kbasham@smith.edu) kbasham@smith.edu.
For more family support resources, see this (http://www.military.com/spouse/military ... vices.html) Military.com Family Center.


VA Launches "The Power of 1"
The Department of Veterans Affairs is launching 'The Power of 1' campaign to commemorate September as Suicide Prevention Month. The new campaign is a joint project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). A new public service announcement, "The Power of 1," will reinforce this message by focusing on the small, everyday actions that can play a pivotal role in improving a Veteran's life. Also, a new (http://veteranscrisisline.net) Suicide Prevention Month webpage offers interactive tools to learn more about the Veterans Crisis Line and how small acts make a difference. For more information about VA mental health resources, visit VA's Mental Health website at (http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/) www.mentalhealth.va.gov. If you are in crisis, or know someone who is, call 1-800-273-8255, press 1, text 838255, or visit (http://veteranscrisisline.net/) VeteransCrisisLine.net.
For more mental health guides and tips, visit the (http://www.military.com/benefits/vetera ... d-wellness) Military.com Mental Health and Wellness section.