Study Finds PTSD Gene Link
Stars and Stripes reports that a recent study has identified the genes that are linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "The existence of a study population with clear genetic links, common family histories, and exposure to a single trauma allowed researchers an unusual opportunity to distill information about genes' role in PTSD," said UCLA psychiatrist Armen K. Goenjian, who led the study. An abstract of the study is available in the April 5, 2012 online edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness month. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments; communication difficulties; and restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Signs and symptoms begin to show up early in life from one to three years of age, but the average age of diagnosis is five years. The Army has a partnership with respite care providers to allow parents and caregivers of a person with autism time take a break. Also the Department of Defense's Exceptional Family Member Program, a mandatory enrollment program, works with agencies to provide medical, educational and community support services to families with special needs. For more information, visit the STOMP Project website, the Exceptional Family Member Program website, and the Mayo Clinic's Autism webpage.
Army Wants Your Input on MWR
The Army MWR Services Survey seeks to identify what morale, welfare and recreation programs customers are interested in, whether they are using available services and if so, how satisfied they are with the programming their garrison has to offer. The survey will involve randomly selected participants from Army communities and will remain open from March through May. Xdssss/. The Army has selected participants from 75 garrisons. Those who were randomly selected to participate were mailed instructions in March. Follow-up reminders will be sent by postal mail. For more information, visit the Army MWR Services Survey website.
The Month of the Military Child
April is the Month of the Military Child. This year's theme, developed by the Army Teen Panel, is "Military Kids: Heroes for the Future." More than 1.7 million children have at least one parent serving in the military. An estimated 900,000 children have had one or both parents deployed multiple times over the last 10 years. Many child development and mental health experts believe military children need support. During April, Army garrisons around the world are developing events and celebrations designed to recognize the sacrifices military children make and the support they provide to their Soldier-parent(s) and families. For more information and resources, visit the Army OneSource Month of the Military Child webpage at: http://1.usa.gov/bRWpEU
Senior Leaders Honor Military Children of the Year
Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance to military families, annually gives the award to a child from each service to honor military kids’ service and sacrifice. The military’s top brass heaped praise to five children one from each service plus the Coast Guard for their resilience, strength of character and leadership. The military’s top brass heaped praise on five of these children – one from each service plus the Coast Guard for their resilience, strength of character and leadership. These children are the “best of the best,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told an audience of military and family members. Joining the chairman was his wife, Deanie, top military leaders from each service, and special guest speaker, Medal of Honor recipient Army Sgt. 1st Class Sammy L. Davis. To learn more about the Military Child of the Year, please go to: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=67849
Carlisle Barracks Student Named Army Military Child of Year for 2012
Amelia McConnell of Carlisle Barracks, Pa., was named Army Military Child of the Year for 2012, earning her a $5,000 tribute from Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront awarded tributes to five young military family members during a ceremony, April 5, in Washington, D.C. The honorees were chosen because they epitomize partriotism to country, devotion and selflessness to family and outstanding leadership within their communities. Children of servicemembers from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard were honored. To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.army.mil/article/77462/Carlisle_Barracks_student_named_Army_Military_Child_of_Year_for_2012/
Mrs. Obama: Nation Must 'Step up Forever' for Military Families
As First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden mark the first anniversary of their “Joining Forces” campaign recently, the two say they will continue to solidify its successes so a structured effort to help military families is a permanent part of American culture. Additionally, Obama and Biden, wife of vice president Joe Biden, said they’ve been amazed by the outpouring of support by American civilians. More than 100 companies have committed to participate in the administration’s goal of the private sector hiring of 100,000 spouses and veterans. They also expressed how impressed they are with the resiliency of military families. The first lady noted that 1 percent of Americans serve in the all-volunteer force to protect everyone else, and President Obama emphasizes how the need to continue this military family support is needed. To read more about this subject, please go to: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=67877
Family Matters Blog: New Job Push to Benefit Military Spouses
First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled a new hiring effort that will deliver thousands of portable, flexible job opportunities to military spouses. Eleven companies have pledged more than 15,000 jobs for military spouses and veterans. A major advantage for these spouses is that these jobs can be accomplished from home. Other jobs will be in contact centers located near military installations, and offer family-friendly scheduling, growth opportunities and the ability to transfer seamlessly from one center to another. Companies' key commitments include: Alpine Access, Dial America, Arise Virtual Solutions Inc., Etech Global Services, Hilton Hotels, Agility Marketing, QCSS Inc., among several others. To learn more about this job push, please go to: http://bit.ly/IngQ3w
Is MilSpouse Government Hiring Preference Coming Soon?
They said right now there are two hiring initiatives within the federal government. The first is DoD specific. It gives military spouses who recently completed a PCS preference when applying for a DoD job at their new base. That means they may be given head-of-line consideration for certain positions. The second rule lets agencies hire recently PCSed spouses, military widows and spouses of 100 percent disabled vets for noncompetitive appointment. This does not mean they have preference for those jobs – it simply means they have a foot in the job door under some circumstances. In short: hiring preference for all military spouses within the federal government does not exist. One of the great things about this blog is that it gives you the chance for your voice to be heard by the White House and the people who plan these programs. To read this article in full, please go to: http://spousebuzz.com/blog/2012/04/is-military-spous-government-hiring-preference-coming-soon.html?comp=1198882887570&rank=3
Fort Benning Prepares for Female Trainees
Officials at the 194th Armored Brigade said they could begin training female Soldiers right now, if necessary. It’s just a matter of when the Army decides to send them there. After a Defense Department (DoD) review of women’s roles in the military, the Army is expanding access to some combat-arms positions on the battlefield traditionally reserved for men. In February, it announced plans to open six military occupational specialties, or MOSs, and more than 13,000 positions to female Soldiers. The 1994 DoD policy known as the Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule had prohibited women from serving in combat units below the brigade level. An exception has now been granted allowing them to serve in some positions at the battalion tier. To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.army.mil/article/77565/Fort_Benning_prepares_for_female_trainees/
GI Benefit Watchdog Bill Introduced
U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, recently joined with Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Mark Begich (D-AK) to introduce in the U.S. Senate the GI Bill Consumer Awareness Act of 2012. The bill will give Servicemembers and veterans using the GI Bill and other VA education benefits access to information that would help them make informed decisions about the schools they attend so they get the most out of the benefit. For highlights of the bill and to understand this further, please go to: http://bit.ly/HVoI82
New Wounded Warriors App
A new smartphone app has been released for iPhone and Android devices that provides wounded warriors with a comprehensive mobile resource guide. Based on "The Wounded, Ill and Injured Compensation and Benefits Handbook" that was released November by the Department of Defense, the free app gives wounded and ill
Servicemembers and their families access to information they may need during recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration, and answers many of the questions that Servicemembers may have. The app also lists toll free numbers for TRICARE regional contractors, behavioral healthcare providers and other TRICARE programs (dental, pharmacy, etc.). The app can be downloaded for free on the Android Market and iTunes Store.
TRICARE Introduces New Benefits
TRICARE introduced several new programs in 2009. The TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP) provides short-term professional counseling assistance. For information about TRIAP and other behavioral health resources, visit the TRICARE Mental Health Resources Center. TRICARE’s new Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) benefits for eligible family members whoa re diagnosed with extraordinary physical or psychological conditions. For more information on TRICARE’s new dental program and pharmacy benefits, visit the TRICARE Active Duty Dental Program website at: http://www.addp-ucci.com and the TRICARE Pharmacy Program webpage at www.TRICARE .mil/pharmacy. For further information, please go to: http://www.military.com.
Suicide Prevention Resources for Military Families
No warrior or military family is alone. If you are concerned that a service member or veteran in your family is considering harming or killing him/herself, free resources are immediately available to aid your family in its time of crisis. To get help for someone immediately, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-TALK and press 1. You can also use the information below to educate yourself about how to tell if a loved one may be experiencing thoughts of suicide, and what you can do to help him or her find the strength to reach out for help. http://www.realwarriors.net/family/support/preventsuicide.php
VA Launches 'Project REACH' Contest to Help Homeless
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a new contest recently to help the people who help the homeless. It challenges the developer community to create easy, mobile access to resources that the homeless need, when they need it and where they can get it. Project REACH (Real-time Electronic Access for Caregivers and the Homeless) was announced in collaboration with the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the lives of people facing economic challenges. The ultimate goal of the contest is to create a national platform that enables health clinics, food kitchens, housing services and shelters to update availability of key services automatically on the Internet. The winning app will collect, map, and electronically distribute that information for communities across the nation. For more information on this contest, please go to: http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2278
What Does Military Friendly Mean?
A recent Associated Press article by Justin Pope addressed this issue of military friendliness and the proposed legislation which would force schools that wish to participate in the GI Bill to follow much tighter veteran friendly policies. Unfortunately, most veterans have no way of knowing exactly what the phrase really means. But, in the loosest interpretation it means that veterans are welcome and the school has programs which have been approved by the VA for using the GI Bill (and by the DoD for tuition assistance). The fact is, for a school to be truly “Military Friendly” they need to do a lot more than that. To learn more, please go to: http://www.military.com/military-report/what-does-military-friendly-mean
Featured Employer: Chevron Hiring Vets
Chevron is hiring veterans and transitioning servicemembers. Visit the Chevron Veteran Talent Portal to apply for jobs, translate your military skills and network with other veterans. The Chevron tam has the technology to take on big challenges, the integrity to do it responsibly and the drive to keep moving forward. Right now we’re hiring Facility Engineers, Petroleum Engineers, Drilling and Completion Engineers, Pipeline Operator/ Maintenance, Production Operations and more. Please visit the Chevron Talent Portal at: http://jobsforveterans.military.com/654/veteran-talent-portal-chevron/
Beware of Scam Letter
A letter is making the circuit purporting to be from the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) asking military member’s fiancées to register in the system entitling them to benefits in the event of the member’s death. All for only a $350 fee. This is not a genuine DFAS letter – it is a scam. The letter is a typical scam phishers use to try and obtain your personal information and, in this case, money. DFAS will never send unsolicited e-mail messages with attachments. For more information on scams or financial issues, please visit: http://www.military.com. For more on this article, please go to: http://www.military.com/military-report/beware-of-scam-letter
Play Military Trivia, Win an iPod
Think you know military history and trivia? Test your knowledge with the Military.com Trivia Challenge. Here's how you win: For each question you answer correctly you'll receive one point, and for each point you'll earn an electronic raffle ticket. At the end of the month we'll have a random drawing of all the tickets and pull out one to determine the winner. Play as little or as much as you'd like during the month, but the more questions you answer correctly, the greater your chances of winning. To play now, please click: http://www.military.com/Trivia/Home?ESRC=mrvr.nl
Rideshares Sought in Northern Virginia
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) has begun “Real-time Ridesharing,” a six-month pilot program sesigned to match Depart of Defense (DoD) personnel traveling along the interstate 95/395 and U.S. Route 1 corridors with fellow employees taking similar paths to work. The program pays defense workers to carpool. Commuters can use a smart phone app to arrange a specific time to meet a driver traveling in the same direction. The NVRC is recruiting at least 1,000 riders and 500 drivers to participate in the pilot. Sign-ups for the program will begin in March, and ride sharing would begin in May or June. Contact Peggy Tadej at 703-642-4635 for more information. To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.military.com/military-report/rideshares-sought-in-northern-virginia.
From DFAS.mil:
Beware - scam emails - that appear to be sent by DFAS employees!
There are emails being sent to individuals, including military members, military retirees, and civilian employees, which appear to be sent by a DFAS employee. Although the email appears to come from a DFAS employee and displays a dot mil address it is actually from a non-government email account. This is an example of what's called "spoofing."
The emails indicate that individuals who are receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may be able to obtain additional funds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These emails are not issued by DFAS and will likely result in a financial loss if you comply with the suggestions in the email. Bottom line - do not send your personal information or copies of your tax returns and 1099s to the individual listed in the email.
The email indicates that individuals receiving VA disability compensation can receive additional funds from the IRS. The email states that such funds can be obtained by sending copies of your VA award letter, your income tax returns, your 1099-Rs, your RAS statements, and a copy of your DD 214, to a so-called retired Colonel at an address in Florida. Do NOT follow the suggestions in the email because you will be providing a significant amount of your personal information to a complete stranger, which could result in a financial loss to you.
The 1099-Rs that are issued by DFAS reflect only the taxable portion of a member's retired pay. DFAS is not aware of any legal basis for the alleged additional funds that the IRS would supposedly pay over. By ignoring the email, you will avoid frustration, the release of personal information to a stranger, and the possibility of financial loss by ignoring the email. If you have any questions or concerns about these or any other tax issues, you should contact a known, reputable tax consultant, tax attorney, or legal assistance officer for advice and assistance.
Read our agency email policy available on www.dfas.mil that has been developed to protect customer privacy.
Army Launches 12 New Apps
The newly launched Army Software Marketplace prototype now delivers 12 mobile training applications for Soldiers to use on personal phones or tablets. The publicly-facing apps, now approved for Army-wide use, are available online via www.marketplace.army.mil. When fully implemented, the Marketplace will deliver web-based and downloadable applications to all devices approved for use within the Army’s Common Operating Environment on the Army network.
Army Offers Summer School Option
Registration is open for the U.S. Army Educational outreach Program’s ‘Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS) program; which prepares middle and high school students in the studies of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Each summer, students participate in week-long internships at Hood College or Hagerstown Community College while working within state-of-the-art science laboratories. For more information and to register, visit the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program website at http://www.usaeop.com.
Fort Myer MWR Open to Federal Employees
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Fort Myer, Va. Now has an exception to policy that allows non-Department of Defense (DoD) federal employees residing and working in close proximity to use bowling center, club pools and tennis courts, as well as access to dining at the clubs or picnic areas, wedding packages and special event equipment rental, including grills and tents. Non-DoD federal employees still must provide proper identification and can use their official ID cards. For more information, visit the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall FMWR website at: http://www.jbmhhmwr.com/, or call 703-696-0299
Top Cities for Job and Growth and Raises
Anywhere there’s a fossil-fuel expansion, skilled workers are in short supply, so companies may have to raise pay to attract employees. NewGeography’s top cities for job growth include five Texas towns: Fort Hood, El Paso, College Station, Midland, Austin, Bismark, New Orleans, Dubuque, Manhattan, Pascagoula and more. To view the entire list, please click on the following link: http://www.military.com/veterans-report/top-cities-for-job-growth-and-raises-040212
Internships for Wounded Warriors
Are you a wounded, ill or injured Servicemember looking to increase your career readiness and use your time productively while you recover? Consider participating in an Operation Warfighter internship! To get an idea of how an internship could help you during your recovery and rehabilitation, read the story of one of the interns on the DoD Warrior Care Blog. For more information about Federal internship opportunities, send an e-mail to warriorcare@osd.mil. To read this article in its entirety, please go to: http://www.military.com/military-report/internships-for-wounded-warriors.
Transition Services Now Mandatory for Soldiers
Soldiers now must participate in transition services before they leave active duty. An execution order requiring them to make use of the services is in force throughout the Army. The order applies to all Soldiers who are leaving active duty, whether they are Regular Army members who are separating or retiring or reservists demobilizing after six months or more on active duty. The order, which implements a directive issued last year by Army Secretary John McHugh further requires that transition processing begin at least 12 months before a Soldier leaves active duty and that the Soldier’s commander oversee the process. To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/04/army-transition-services-now-mandatory-040312w/
Soldiers Seek to Return to Traditions, Discipline
Soldiers can expect tighter standards and discipline, changes to professional military education and doctrine, more coaching and mentoring, and a return to Army traditions and events as a result of the service’s yearlong Profession Campaign. The Army Profession Campaign report, released April 2, follows a year of surveys, focus groups, blogs and forums to give the Army a chance to examine itself and determine what it means to be a profession and for Soldiers to be professionals, said Col. Sean Hannah, director of the Center for Army Profession and Ethic, which is part of the Combined Arms Center. With the release of this report, the Army will now move from a campaign of learning into a campaign of execution, to act on the recommendations in the report. To learn more, please go to: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/04/army-profession-campaign-soldiers-discipline-tradition-040312/
TRICARE Contract Battle Heats Up
TRICARE beneficiaries across 21 western states won’t know for another three months whether TriWest Healthcare Alliance will continue to administer their healthcare benefit beyond March of next year. After 16 years, TriWest lost its latest bid to continue to run the TRICARE West Region under a third generation support contract, this one worth an estimated $20.5 billion over almost six years. Defense Department officials awarded the contract instead to a company new to TRICARE users, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, Inc., of Minnetonka, Minn., the nation’s largest health insurance entity. TriWest, however, is protesting that award to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO has 100 days, until early July, to decide whether the contract was awarded properly or if it should be reversed or re-bid. To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,243325,00.html
Official Details Pentagon Health Care Proposals
The Defense Department's top medical official, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, detailed in a Capitol Hill hearing the Pentagon's strategy to corral health care costs while continuing to provide a high level of care. Defense Department leaders have sent four proposals to Congress designed to reduce costs while minimizing financial burdens on beneficiaries. Woodson, who also serves as director of the TRICARE Management Activity, told the committee the proposals mitigate the burden on any particular group of beneficiaries while meeting the department's cost-saving mandate. Woodson also feels that the fiscal 2013 budget proposal is a responsible path forward to sustaining the Military Health System in a changing world and recognizes that the fiscal health of the country is a vital element of national security. To read further about these proposals, please go to: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=67642
TRICARE Dental Under New Management
MetLife will take over managing the TRICARE Dental Program and begin providing dental coverage for more than 2 million active duty family members, selected and individual Ready Reservists and their families on May 1, 2012. This change does not affect TRICARE’s Retiree Dental plan (TDP). All TDP enrollees will receive welcome packages and new enrollment cards. To learn more, please go to: http://www.military.com/military-report/tricare-dental-under-new-management
Learn Proper Flag Disposal
How people should honor the flag when it becomes worn, torn, faded and threadbare is not clear to many who fly it. The section of law dealing with American Flag etiquette, generally referred to as the Flag Code, clearly states that, “When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.” Many veterans service organizations collect worn flag for proper disposal. For more information on our flag, read the Flag Cod or visit the American Flag Etiquette webpage at: http://www.usa-flag-site.org/etiquette.shtml
Deal of the Week: Military Discounts
Visit the Military.com Discounts Channel to find hundreds of discounts for Servicemembers, reservists, guard, veterans, retirees and their families - Travel, clothing trucks, electronics, fitness and more. For more information, please go to: http://www.military.com/military-report/deal-of-week-military-discounts-040212
Featured Employer: AT&T Hiring Military
At&T is hiring veterans and transitioning servicemembers. Visit the AT&T Veteran Talent Portal to apply for jobs, translate your military skills and network with other veterans. In the military, you contributed to a disciplined, motivated and successful team. You’ll be right at home with AT&T. We continuously recognize the contributions of our armed forces. In every area of AT&T, you’ll find retired military and active reservists who made the transition to civilian life. For more information, please click on the following link: http://www.military.com/military-report/featured-employer-att-hiring-military-032612
Outgoing AMEDD Chief: Plenty For Us To Learn
Army medicine must stay relevant, incorporate the lessons learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, and develop new and cutting-edge ways to train and educate the service’s medical personnel, the Army Medical Department Center and School’s outgoing commander said. Maj. Gen. David Rubenstein relinquished command of AMEDD Center and School in a March 27 ceremony. Maj. Gen. Philip Volpe assumed command of the home of Army medical training and education. Looking to the future, Rubenstein said he believes Army medicine will continue to learn from the past 10 years of war even as the Army prepares for future threats around the world. His successor, Volpe, along with the men and women in the center and school, will have much more work to do, Rubenstein. To read this article in full, please go to: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/04/army-amedd-change-of-command-plenty-to-learn-david-rubenstein-says-040112w/
More Women Vets Are Homeless, But Housing is Scarce
Once primarily male veteran problems, homelessness and economic struggles are escalating among female veterans, whose numbers have grown during the past decade of U.S. wars while resources for them haven’t kept up. The population of female veterans without permanent shelter has more than doubled in the last half-dozen years and may continue climbing now that the Iraq war has ended, sending women home with the same stresses as their male counterparts plus some gender-specific ones that make them more susceptible to homelessness. Veterans’ homelessness, the subject of a March congressional hearing, has received fresh attention amid government reports documenting the numbers and identifying widespread flaws in buildings that shelter veterans. Female veterans make up about 8 percent of all veterans or about 1.8 million compared to just 4 percent in 1990. The number of homeless female veterans has more than doubled from 1,380 to 3,328 between fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2010, according to a December U.S. Government Accountability Office report that found many with young children and nearly two-thirds between ages 40 and 59. Female Servicemembers, who in wars with increasingly blurred front lines return with post-traumatic stress disorder, face unique challenges, advocates say. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says it’s making a change. To learn more, please go to: http://www.military.com/news/article/more-women-vets-are-homeless-but-housing-is-scarce.html?comp=700001075741&rank=4
The Best Cities for Servicemembers and Spouses to Find Jobs
Every year, more job seekers flock to large cities in the hopes of finding employment. However, large cities might have lower employment rates than smaller cities. According to a Forbes report, cities such as, new York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago, all ranked low on the annual Best 100 Cities to Get a Job List. While these large cities languished on this list, smaller, lesser-known cities moved up in the ranks. Most were chosen because of their affordable housing and immense job opportunities, especially for Servicemembers and military spouses. To view the list of cities and read this article in full, please go to: http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/content/career-advice/job-hunting/best-cities-for-servicemember-and-spouse-jobs.html?col=1198882780881&comp=1198882780881&rank=1
VA Cancels Microsoft Software License Agreement to Save Millions
The Department of Veterans Affairs has canceled an enterprise software license agreement for Microsoft products. The move could save VA nearly 30 percent in annual licensing fees, analysts said. In 2002, the department signed a $225 million agreement with Hewlett-Packard for Microsoft software licenses under an internal VA contract that ran through 2006. Using those numbers, the savings would be a little bit less than $67.5 million.
The department has discontinued its Microsoft Software Assurance for Volume Licensing agreement, which typically requires customers to pay an annual fee of 29 percent for desktop software and server software to lock in discounts on upgrades. Approximately 300,000 VA employees use Microsoft operating system and desktop application software.
Because Microsoft requires buyers to purchase the package for three years, at the end of that period VA would have forked over 87 percent of the license value, according to the analyst.
VA has started to shift its computing environment from the standard Microsoft server/desktop environment to smartphones and tablet computers favored by hospital clinicians. It also is eyeing cloud computing services. In that case, it makes even more sense for the VA to cancel its Microsoft software assurance licensing program.
VA hopes that discontinuing software assurance (the license agreement) will allow them to move away from automatically paying for all new releases and updates, giving VA the opportunity to foster competition between vendors and better assess the value of the software prior to purchase.
New Benefit for Unemployed Veterans
The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 includes a program to help older unemployed veterans (as well of programs for newly returning vets. The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) is expected to be rolled out by both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor on July 1. It provides retraining for veterans at least 35 years old through 60 years of age. Below you can find the VA’s Fact Sheet that explain this very useful sounding program.
Department of Defense Completes New Tuition Assistance Policy Memo
In order to participate in the Department of Defense’s Tuition Assistance Program, schools will need to have signed a newly-revamped memorandum of understanding between them and the Pentagon, most likely by this summer, according to Pentagon officials.
A 90-day extension that expired March 30 allowed DOD officials to work with stakeholders to address issues associated with the older version of the memorandum.
When the new policy takes effect, schools that provide education programs through the DOD Tuition Assistance Program must agree to the new memorandum and have a signed copy on file with the Defense Department for service members receiving tuition assistance approval to attend their institution, officials said. The revised memorandum and the policy implementation date will be announced on the Defense Department’s Memorandum of Understanding Web page, available at: http://www.dodmou.com
The memorandum is meant to ensure service members have the widest variety of choices for their continued education while maintaining important educational protections for service members and government oversight into writing.
The revised memorandum contains the following guidelines:
-- Prior to enrollment, schools must disclose all policies regarding admissions, transfer of credit and residency requirements, as well as costs such as tuition, fees and other charges to the service member;
-- Prior to enrollment, schools must provide service members access to a financial aid advisor who will provide a clear and complete explanation of available financial aid, including Title IV, and appropriate loan counseling before offering, recommending, or singing up a student for a school loan; and
-- Schools must have a policy that bans aggressive marketing and inducements, and must refrain from aggressively marketing to military students or use inducements to encourage military students to enroll in their school.
Once internal coordination of the revised memorandum is complete, schools will have ample opportunity to review and sign the memorandum before the policy goes into effect, officials said.
Academic institutions participating in the Tuition Assistance Program will continue to receive tuition assistance, regardless of whether they have signed the original memorandum with the department until the new policy goes into effect. Once that happens, only those schools that have signed a memorandum of understanding with the department will be able to receive tuition assistance.
Institutions that have signed or are in the process of signing the original memorandum will not have to re-sign or make changes to the document.