Posts Tagged ‘Military Families’

A think tank report released Tuesday calls for the federal government to craft a “whole-of-the-nation national veterans strategy” to take advantage of the progress made over the past decade promoting veterans issues and the overwhelming public support for returning veterans and military families. Under the more holistic approach proposed by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, a single federal entity would coordinate and direct national veterans programs that are currently housed in six separate agencies not counting the Department of Veterans Affairs …

Veterans in Utah soon may find it a lot less confusing to take advantage of the multitude of state programs designed for them. A measure expected to be approved this session by the Utah legislature would establish a veterans services coordinator position in the state Department of Veterans Affairs that would be responsible for coordinating veterans services offered by all state agencies, reported the Salt Lake Tribune. The bill also would require the state departments of Health and Human Services, Public Safety, Workforce Services, Health, the Division of Professional and Occupational Licensing, and all state institutions of higher education to appoint veterans specialists. The legislation stops short, however, of consolidating all veterans services under the veterans affairs department.

A local school board is considering establishing a K-8 charter school for the children of military personnel and civilian workers at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany to better improve local support for the installation in southwestern Georgia. “School systems are very important to military families, and I think a charter school with the Marine Base would be of benefit to the community, especially during the next round of BRAC hearings,” a member of the Dougherty County School Board said Monday. The school would be intended to stem the loss of children from the base to the school systems of surrounding counties, reported the Albany Herald. The school board endorsed the proposal to form an ad hoc committee to begin exploratory discussions with the base.

Despite attempting to address spending cuts that will have “an irreversible and debilitating impact on the Navy’s readiness through at least 2014,” the chief of naval operations said Wednesday he would fight to preserve funding for family readiness and wellness programs. “Family programs are important,” said Adm. Jonathan Greenert, reported Navy public affairs. “I do not want those constrained.”

A bill in the Florida Legislature would allow veterans moving to the state to immediately have residency, allowing them to pay in-state college tuition. Abolishing Florida’s 12-month residency requirement for state schools is expected to attract veterans to the state. About six other states offer such a benefit …

The first class enrolled in a program spearheaded by a national coalition aiming to prepare 15,000 veterans for jobs in advanced manufacturing has started training at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. The program is a pilot initiative sponsored by the Get Skills to Work coalition established last year by the Manufacturing Institute and supported by General Electric, Alcoa Inc., Boeing and Lockheed Martin …

During a farewell tribute at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall on Friday, President Obama and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lauded Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for his nearly 50-year career in public service. Obama applauded Panetta’s numerous accomplishments at both the Pentagon and CIA, from the high-profile success of hunting down Osama bin Laden, to other achievements, such as improving support for wounded warriors, military families and veterans and carrying out the final repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy …

Workforce groups in Dallas this week launched a new initiative intended to put a dent in the high rates of unemployment among military veterans and the long-term unemployed. The Dallas effort — sponsored by Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas and the YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas — is the first community to benefit from the national expansion of the Platform to Employment program, which was started in Connecticut by The WorkPlace, a regional workforce development board in Bridgeport …

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) last month issued an executive order creating a state Veterans Affairs Agency to better connect veterans with available benefits and services. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, housed within the within the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, will help link veterans with government officials who will guide them through the government bureaucracy to obtain services involving health care, education and quality of life. Michigan is home to more than 650,000 military veterans, which is the 11th largest population of veterans nationally. Michigan veterans rank last on a per-capita basis as recipients of federal dollars for total veterans’ benefits, according to a press release from the governor’s office. The agency will begin operating on March 20, the 10th anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq.

The veterans’ unemployment rate climbed to 7.6 percent in January, resulting in an estimated 844,000 veterans without jobs and marking the third straight month the rate has increased. The jobless rate for veterans was 7 percent in December and 6.6 percent in November. Recently separated veterans have faced an even greater challenge in finding jobs …