Posts Tagged ‘Military Families’

First Lady Michelle Obama joined Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley at a bill signing in Annapolis Wednesday to showcase the efforts of states to streamline credentialing and licensing procedures for service members, veterans and their spouses. O’Malley signed into law the Veterans Full Employment Act, which simplifies the process for service members, veterans, and their spouses to obtain more than 70 civilian credentials and licenses, allowing them to readily transfer their military training, experience and skills into civilian certification and licenses and academic degrees or certifications …

A partnership between the federal government and other organizations has unveiled a publication series intended to help civilians support military families and veterans across a variety of endeavors. The How to Help Military and Veteran Families series will feature 11 issues tailored to audiences such as medical professionals, faith-based communities, educators, employers, financial institutions, legal professionals, first responders, mental health professionals, and families and friends …

Teachers and counselors at DOD Education Activity (DODEA) schools will not be furloughed during the current school year, ensuring military children won’t miss any class time before the academic year ends in June. Until last week’s announcement, DODEA had not said how sequestration would affect the operation of on-base schools, but military families had worried that planned furloughs for civilian employees would shorten the school year …

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ $63.5 billion fiscal 2014 budget request calls for a Veterans Job Corps to invest in veterans’ skills and experience, and place tens of thousands of veterans into civilian jobs. Features of the initiative include: $1 billion in mandatory funds to help unemployed veterans; a target of putting 20,000 veterans to work within the next five years in conservation, law enforcement and infrastructure jobs on public lands; developing back-to-work programs for veterans with other federal agencies, including the Interior and Agriculture departments, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers; and supporting job-producing projects with contracts and grants with nonfederal organizations, such as states, nonprofit organizations and private businesses.

More than 120 service providers from across Las Vegas came together last month to support homeless and at-risk veterans. Participants in the area’s 10th Veterans Stand Down included local nonprofits, veterans service organizations, the VA Medical Center of Southern Nevada and court representatives. In addition to helping place veterans in housing, the organizations offered employment and education assistance, medical care, showers, haircuts, clothing and computer stations …

The Department of Veterans Affairs would receive a 4 percent boost in discretionary funding under President Obama’s fiscal 2014 budget request, a reflection of his commitment to deal with the growing backlog of veterans’ claims and help returning service members transition to civilian life, according to White House and VA officials. “The president has made clear that this is a national priority,” White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said at briefing Friday with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki …

As the administrators of the DOD Education Activity’s 194 schools plan for cancelling classes during furlough days, affected teachers worry about the impact on their students. Many teachers — who like most DOD civilian employees will be subject to 14 furlough days through the end of September — wonder about a plan that will force about 84,000 military dependents to lose up to three weeks of school …

Veterans will be able to count their military experience and training toward requirements for occupational licenses, certificates and permits in New York City, under legislation Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed Tuesday. The new laws will allow veterans to apply qualifying military experience on a year-for-year basis, reported Army Installation Management Command. Examples of trades that require city licenses for which military experience can be applied include construction, retail, vendor, garage and parking, towing, sightseeing, pedicabs and newsstands. “We are grateful for all efforts to maximize job opportunities, including these laws so that veterans can more easily work in New York City in a trade they performed with the Army during a time of war,” said Col. Eluyn Gines, commander of Army Garrison Fort Hamilton, who attended the bill signing.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said Tuesday he will introduce legislation to streamline the process for service members transitioning to civilian life to get professional credit for their military expertise. The 2013 Troop Talent Act, the first bill sponsored by the freshman Democrat, would improve the translation of military skill sets to civilian certifications or licenses by providing more information to service members throughout their military careers about the path to earning a civilian credential matching their military occupational specialty training …

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez last week signed a bill designed to help military personnel, their spouses and veterans more easily obtain occupational licenses in a range of fields if they already are qualified or certified in another state. The law covers a broad set of professional occupations such as barbers, architects and veterinarians, along with health care providers such as physicians, pharmacists, dentists and physical therapists …