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Military Times
House lawmakers finalized the fiscal 2019 Veterans Affairs and military construction budgets, sending the full-year spending plan to the president ahead of the new fiscal year deadline for only the second time in nine years.
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NBC News
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Amy McGrath was just 12 years old when she set out to help change the law to allow women to fly fighter jets in combat. Now, she's on a new mission — trying to take what she learned in the Marine Corps to a divided Washington. The Kentucky Democrat — and first women to fly an F-18 in combat for the Marines — is part of a new wave of military veterans running for Congress this fall, with more than two hundred seeking office according to the non-partisan super PAC With Honor.
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| THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION |
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Veterans Association of America wants to know ...
Do you think the country and the Trump Administration is doing enough to recognize women veterans and their issues?
- No, I think a lot more needs to be done to acknowledge their service.
- Yes, they receive the same valued recognition as everyone else.
- There are many areas that could use some improvement.
- With the current climate in this country, women are always viewed as being second to men.
- Too many complaints have been lodge at people years later that annoy me.
Click here to provide Veterans Association of America your answer.
We assess all answers with the utmost of care and consideration. Survey results revealed in next week's VAA Dispatch.
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'Changes in Assistance' Results
In the previous issues of VAA Dispatch, we asked, "Do you see any changes in assistance being provided under the Trump Administration?"
Here's how our readers responded:
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NPR
Guiding her cart down an aisle of a Virginia grocery store, Leigh Michel attracts more attention than the average shopper.
Michel is a retired first sergeant in the U.S. Army, where she trained as a Chinese linguist, jumped out of airplanes at Fort Bragg, N.C., and traveled the world as a chaplain assistant for 29 years.
She transitioned to civilian life earlier this year but continues to heal physical and mental wounds she has carried for decades, and her service dog Lizzy provides relief that Michel says no other therapy or medication can match.
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The Associated Press and Santa Fe New Mexican via The Durango Herald
U.S. Army veteran Brian Ray was sitting tall in the saddle of a palomino quarter horse at the Crossed Arrows Ranch south of Santa Fe. The combat vet, who had spent three decades in the military, including two tours in Iraq as an adviser, focused his heart, mind and body on his connection with the horse.
"We both have that same mindset," Ray said. "Training to trust. We (combat veterans) don't want to be psychoanalyzed by experts. We don't want somebody sitting there listening to us and taking notes. Horses don't take notes. They don't judge. And they learn to trust." Ray is both a student and trainer-in-training in the Horses for Heroes Cowboy Up! program headquartered at the ranch.
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Four month average turn around with the VA’s Pension with Aid and Attendance
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Military.com
Recently, a Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General report revealed that roughly 1,300 claims for military sexual trauma were incorrectly processed and denied, leaving veterans suffering from PTSD without the benefits they deserve.
The VA has stated it will take the necessary steps — including thorough reviews and additional training — to rectify the situation regarding military sexual trauma claims. But these findings, disproportionately affecting women veterans, are symptoms of a larger cultural problem.
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Military Times
Military death gratuities will be exempted from future government shutdowns under a provision included in the defense appropriations deal announced.
The move means a permanent fix for an infrequent but devastating problem facing grieving military families caught up in national political budget fights.
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Task & Purpose
Former Army infantry officer Richard Siemion writes: "'The VA is a broken system that does not care about veterans and does nothing to help them.'
This is a common quote I've heard countless people say throughout my life. But the truth is that many people proclaiming this have never set foot inside a Veterans Affairs administration building, let alone even served.
The common perception of the VA is that it is an irrevocably broken organization, fundamentally unable to provide functional care for veterans. But based on my personal experience, I believe the VA does a fantastic job taking care of veterans that seek the help they need.
The key words are 'veterans' and 'seek the help.'"
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Crain's Detroit Business
Workforce agencies recognize veterans as a highly attractive talent pool to help address a significant labor shortage. Nonetheless, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, there remain some misconceptions over hiring veterans upon return from military service.
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Entrepreneur
There's something about successful people that sets them apart from everyone else: they have learned to draw on their natural abilities, traits and attributes to achieve their dreams. Successful people approach situations differently from the rest of us. They frame challenges in a different way than most people. They have developed skills and traits that will carry them further than the rest.
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| VAA RESOURCES — JOB SEARCH, GRANTS, RESEARCH |
Get what you need with these resources available to veterans and family members.
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 7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063
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