Happy Monday Good People. Hope Everyone Had a Great Weekend and You and Yours Are in the Best of Health

From: Wayne Gatewood, Jr To: Wayne Gatewood, Jr Subject: Veterans News for Monday, August 6, 2012 Date: Monday, August 06, 2012 8:37:23 PM Attachments: Career Fairs and Open Houses Scheduled as of August 5, 2012.pdf 100K BethesdaAugHE Flyer_8-2 (2).pdf

Happy Monday good people. Hope everyone had a great weekend and you and yours are in the best of health.

For Today:

Naval District of Washington Family Support Program Presents the 100,000 Jobs Mission Hiring Event. Saturday, August 25, 2012, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Naval Support Activity Bethesda, MD. Please see attached Flyer for more details. Thanks to Paul Grossman, USAF (Ret) for sending this to us!

August 4, 2012 - A Happy 222nd Birthday to our Fighting Coast Guard. Better late than never to wish our great Coast Guard folks a Happy Birthday! A message from Coast Guard leaders is as follows. http://www.dvidshub.net/video/150864/coast-guard-birthday-message- admiral-robert-papp-and-masterchief-michael-leavitt#.UB0xPqN0n9c Semper Fidelis & Semper Paratus! Thanks to Wayne Morris, Col, USMC (Ret) for reminding me to get this Message out! J

Scheduled Career Fairs & Open Houses - From Boston to S. Carolina as of August 5, 2012. Please see attached pdf. Thanks to Veteran Harry Brooks at State of Maryland, Department of Labor, for getting this good scoop to us. Please pass it along folks. Our Veterans need the opportunities.

New VA Medical Center With State-Of-The-Art Mental Health Unit To Open in Las Vegas. http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2363

Assistance Dogs Transform Lives of Veteran Partners. http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20120806a.asp

Reserve Officers Association (ROA) SmartBrief for Monday, August 5, 2012. http://www.smartbrief.com/servlet/wireless?issueid=68DCAFB6-45D4-4719-90E2- EA91633B2539&sid=22cbe9eb%2d3ef0%2d4eca%2d8105%2def9f466dc32d

Prayers and blessings for you and your loved ones and for our very Dear troops and their loved ones everywhere.

Sincerely...... Wayne ------VA Veterans News for Monday, August 6, 2012. Thanks to Kevin Secor, VA VSO Liaison.

1. With US drawdown nearing, Afghans have little faith in their own security forces. 2. Karzai agrees to replace two key ministers after no-confidence vote. 3. Military adding more electric vehicles to fleet. 4. Veteran's widow in fight of her life for VA benefits. 5. Gen. Robert E. Lee's lost orders on display. 6. Newest Coast Guard cutter 'brought to life' in Florida. 7. US warns China against further moves in South China Sea. 8. Groups lend hand to veterans. 9. Central Texas veterans face nation's longest wait for VA disability claims. 10. Biden Vows To Protect Care For Veterans. 11. Missouri Native Sowers Confirmed For VA Position. 12. Lawmakers Say VA Contracting Rule Squeezing Out Vet-Owned Firms. 13. New VA Medical Center Set To Open In North Las Vegas. 14. Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki Meets on Campus with Boise State Student Veterans. 15. Your Wait Time Is 4,116 Minutes, Agency Hot Line Tells Vet. 16. "The Fight Doesn't End When They Get Home." 17. A New Generation Of Vets Faces Challenges At Home. 18. California Display. 19. Community Unites To Repair Rundown Veterans Cemetery. 20. N Ky. Highway Named For Fallen Soldier. 21. Veterans Rave About PTSD Service Dogs, But Research Lags. 22. Veteran's Service Dog Killed After It Was Reported Stolen. 23. Veterans' Risk Of Developing ALS May Be Higher. 24. Camp Lejeune Marines To Get Health Care In Contamination Case. 25. Tricare Will Again Cover Breast Cancer Tests. 26. Health IT Helps Fight The War At Home. 27. Emergency Aid To Vets Dropping. 28. Unemployment Rate For Afghanistan/Iraq Veterans Is 8.9%. 29. Iraq War Veteran Writes Vivid War Memoir. 30. Veterans To Discuss PTSD, Reintegration At Boulder Event. 31. Charges Dropped In Military Medals Case. 32. "Red Shirt" Fridays Support Disabled Veterans. 33. Burial Options For Veterans In Rural Areas Are Being Expanded. 34. Duke Researchers Look To World War I Soldiers For Clues About Traumatic Brain Injuries. 35. Father, Daughter Honor Iowans Killed In Vietnam. 36. VA Steps Up To Serve Local Veterans. 37. Homeless Veterans Find Help Getting Reconnected. 38. Marine Father And Sons All Served In Afghanistan. 39. VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as August 6, 2012: 40. Today in History:

1. With US drawdown nearing, Afghans have little faith in their own security forces. The men sat on the ground inside a mud-brick barn listening to Capt. Philip Schneider, the air imbued with the scent of manure and a sense of fatalism. More than a decade into the longest war in U.S. history, Afghans remain less convinced of their military’s intentions than the Taliban’s.

2. Karzai agrees to replace two key ministers after no-confidence vote. The cross- border rocket attacks that have plagued villagers in Afghanistan’s northeast have apparently claimed their latest victims in the capital: the country’s two highest security officials.

3. Military adding more electric vehicles to fleet. Electric vehicles are becoming a more common sight on military bases as the Department of Defense adds “road-capable” electric cars such as the Chevy Volt to a fleet of thousands of smaller battery-powered vehicles.

4. Veteran's widow in fight of her life for VA benefits. Army veteran Lester Groff thought his wife, Nancy, would be taken care of after he died. But 3 1/2 years after he passed away, Nancy Groff is homeless. Her life is in limbo as she stays with friends in Mount Penn and waits for the Department of Veterans Affairs to decide whether she'll receive any benefits.

5. Gen. Robert E. Lee's lost orders on display. The war was on, or so it seemed Saturday when three Civil War historians traced events that caused top-secret orders from Gen. Robert E. Lee to land in the hands of his Union counterpart.

6. Newest Coast Guard cutter 'brought to life' in Florida. The Richard Etheridge -- named for a former slave who became captain of a naval station -- is the second of 58 First Response Cutters designed to replace an aging fleet.

7. US warns China against further moves in South China Sea. The Obama administration on Friday warned China against further moves to tighten control over a disputed section of the South China Sea, as tensions rose in the flash point region.

8. Groups lend hand to veterans. Danville Commercial News Two vans were donated by the Disabled American Veterans and 30 pagers were donated by the Champaign Area United States Bowling Congress recently to the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System. In addition, Danville Firefighters Local 429 in conjunction with the Friendly Tavern donated more than $4000 raised during their 14th annual poker run. Also, the VA's Homeless Veteran Program received more than $1500 from the fundraising cornhole tournament in June. New vans. The 12-passenger van and a ...

9. Central Texas veterans face nation's longest wait for VA disability claims. Austin American-Statesman Such service officers, who are mostly county employees and act as veteran advocates, are in counties throughout the state and aid veterans in filing their claims. "The level of frustration is very high ... But local VA officials say that the Waco and Houston offices are simply feeling the same pressures driving the backlog nationally: a sour economy, aging Vietnam and World War II veterans, an influx of younger veterans from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and new rules that make it easier to file claims. "Our employees are ...

10.Biden Vows To Protect Care For Veterans. AP Vice President Joe Biden told a disabled veterans group Saturday that their benefits are safe from automatic defense spending cuts while "he accused members of Congress of playing political 'brinksmanship' with the nation's security." Biden said, "Look, we're going to get through this...but this is a hell of way to do business. ... We owe our military more certainty." He also "said the Obama Administration has increased funding to veterans by 30 percent, and promised to end a massive backlog of disability claims by 2015." Las Vegas Review-Journal Biden promised, "We're going to keep our commitment to American veterans no matter what happens." It also reports on Biden's promises to reduce the veterans' claims backlog, noting that some 880,000 claims are stuck as the VA now deals with some 1 million new claims annually as the list of veterans injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars grows. Las Vegas Sun Veterans who listened to Biden were struck by his personal connection to their issues, which the Sun notes is an unusually positive response to a politician.

11.Missouri Native Sowers Confirmed For VA Position. AP Missouri native Tommy Sowers was confirmed Thursday by the Senate for "a top spot" as the VA's assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs. Sowers served in the Army in Iraq and Kosovo and "recently was an adviser for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. He previously taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and at the Missouri University of Science and Technology."

12.Lawmakers Say VA Contracting Rule Squeezing Out Vet-Owned Firms. Federal News Radio House lawmakers' concerns over a VA process that "goes too far" in its efforts "to keep ineligible companies from winning service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) contracts." On Thursday, members of a House VA subcommittee "zeroed in on the requirement that veterans maintain 100 percent control over their companies' decision-making. Legislators said the rule is too strict and discourages companies from participating in the set-aside program." One subcommittee member, Phil Roe of Tennessee, "said he thinks VA should loosen the standard," with "51 percent ownership of a firm...sufficient to prove a veteran controls the firm."

13.New VA Medical Center Set To Open In North Las Vegas. KTNV-TV "A new VA Medical Center is set to open in North Las Vegas," and Secretary Shinseki is expected at a Monday dedication ceremony. "The $600 million facility will provide health services for thousands of veterans in Southern Nevada," some of whom had to travel to California to receive services before it was built. The facility, at one million square feet, has 90 in- patient beds as well as a "community living center." It also "will provide specialty care, surgery, mental health services, rehabilitation and support programs." The report notes, "The medical facility is the first VA Hospital built in the system since 1995." Las Vegas Review-Journal Secretary Shinseki has described it as a "crown jewel" of VA healthcare facilities. The Review-Journal also offers remarks by John Bright, director of the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System. In addition to Shinseki, Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller and US Rep. Shelley Berkley are expected at the Monday ceremony. The first parts of the complex that will open include an eye clinic, pharmacy, and an infectious diseases unit. The report details how other units will roll out and how primary care clinics in the region figure into the complex.

14.Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki Meets on Campus with Boise State Student Veterans. Boise State University Secretary Shinseki "met with Boise State student veterans on campus Friday morning for a roundtable discussion" and then met with local media. The university has some 1,700 students, or "one out of every 12," as well as 600 staff members who are US military service members, veterans, or qualifying relatives "who are eligible for federal benefits through VA." The university partners with the VA for its program, VetSuccess on Campus, which "is designed to provide student veterans a direct link to VA as they transition from their military experience." The university post noted that Secretary Shinseki "has focused on three critical priorities for VA: increasing access to benefits and services, eliminating the disability claims backlog, and ending veteran homelessness."

15.Your Wait Time Is 4,116 Minutes, Agency Hot Line Tells Vet. Bloomberg News "Neeson Levinson says the letter he received from the Department of Veteran Affairs on June 21 placed the future of his 30-employee construction company in jeopardy." He said he'd called the help desk on several occasions, once being told by an automated machine that he'd be on hold for "4,116 minutes, or 2.86 days." His "experience is an example of the problems that lawmakers and advocates say veteran business owners face navigating a new certification system meant to prevent fraud" and that "the program isn't weeding out potential abuse or helping veterans as Congress intended."

16."The Fight Doesn't End When They Get Home." Time The Massachusetts outreach program Soldier On and its efforts with housing for troubled veterans. Time says the program is "growing," in part because the VA "gave Soldier On nearly $3 million last month to help fight veteran homelessness in New Jersey and New York." Time notes, however, that the organization's "voluble president," Jack Downing, last month "called VA Secretary...Eric Shinseki on the carpet." Downing "suggests Shinseki has it backwards. 'The model that the veteran needs to find the VA, rather than the VA needs to find veterans, is at the center of what is wrong with the VA today.'"

17.A New Generation Of Vets Faces Challenges At Home. NPR The veterans' event known as the Stand Down, basing its report on the annual offering of the Veterans Village of San Diego. Although the Stand Down there "still primarily serves veterans from the Vietnam War...it now includes some younger faces" from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The veterans go for three days to sleep on cots in a tent city, "eat warm meals," and experience "medical checkups, dental care, showers and new clothes," or what organizers say are services that "clear all the obstacles that could prevent a fresh start." The services are donated by a range of charities and have been offered in San Diego for 25 years.

18.California Display. KGO-TV Police in Lafayette are investigating the vandalizing of memorial crosses that honor fallen soldiers from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Sixty three crosses were vandalized at Hillside Memorial. KGO-TV notes that the display had been controversial since it began in 2006, because some people "felt the crosses showed an anti-war bias."

19.Community Unites To Repair Rundown Veterans Cemetery. KOMO-TV Veterans are among volunteers repairing the rundown Ivy Green Cemetery in Bremerton, "where hundreds of military veterans are buried, including the remains of one man in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier." Retired Marine John Pursley pursued the cleanup after visiting the cemetery with his grandson and finding it in poor repair. Some 200 people showed up for the repair, which "is going far beyond a cleanup. Organizers are working to renovate the entire tomb and surrounding grounds - to create a sacred place, worthy of those buried here."

20.N Ky. Highway Named For Fallen Soldier. AP The northern Kentucky town of Fort Thomas has renamed part of a highway for the soldier who grew up next to it and died in April 2011 in Afghanistan on his first combat tour. The Private First Class Brandon T. Pickering Memorial Highway honors a soldier remembered "as a funny adventurous young man" who received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. The AP says "his tombstone in Alexandria has a simple inscription: 'Live a life worthy of my sacrifice.'"

21.Veterans Rave About PTSD Service Dogs, But Research Lags. NBC The "profound relief" of some veterans with PTSD who have been paired with service dogs, although "many challenges remain to providing PTSD service dogs to veterans on wide-scale basis." Research is needed, NBC reports, noting that a team at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa is doing a study that is "the first of its kind at VA." NBC says concerns remain among dog training organizations that "a dog can assist with a so- called invisible disability" and whether such dogs are classified as therapy dogs or service animals. "The distinction is important as a therapy dog is not considered a service animal under the American Disabilities Act, and is not granted the same access to public and private buildings."

22.Veteran's Service Dog Killed After It Was Reported Stolen. Kansas City (MO) Star Disabled Army veteran Ryan Newell lost his service dog when the Doberman was apparently stolen Friday and then was struck and killed about three hours later. Newell, a Marion veteran who lost his legs to an IED in Afghanistan, stopped at a car wash to let the dog take a break and he "told police he noticed Red missing about the same time a man and woman sped away from the car wash in a pickup truck." The dog's body was found later near Interstate 135.

23.Veterans' Risk Of Developing ALS May Be Higher. Detroit Free Press The reasons are unclear, but "a small number of studies have suggested military veterans may be at a higher risk for developing ALS." As a result, the VA began in 2008 to set aside benefits for ALS victims who had served. Between 2003 and 2011, the VA also gathered information and blood from veterans with ALS for study, although "the results were mixed." The Free Press says researchers could not find a link, but a review of all available studies in 2006 by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine found "the data were 'limited and suggestive' of a link between military service and ALS." The VA closed its ALS registry in 2011, and the data is now tracked by the CDC.

24.Camp Lejeune Marines To Get Health Care In Contamination Case. Charlotte (NC) Observer A White House source for a report that "President Obama will sign a bill on Monday to give health care to thousands of sick Marine veterans and their families who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune." Invitees include "Mike Partain, who survived breast cancer after living on the base" and "helped lead the fight for health care along with retired Marine Jerry Ensminger. ... Part of the bill is named after Ensminger's daughter, Janey, who died of a rare form of leukemia in 1985 at age 9." The Observer backgrounds the bill's passage in the Senate and House " after their respective Veterans Affairs committees agreed on a bill that would provide health care for people who lived or worked at the Marine Corps base from Jan. 1, 1957, through Dec. 31, 1987" and have a condition related to chemicals in the water.

25.Tricare Will Again Cover Breast Cancer Tests. Air Force Times The Pentagon said Tricare will again cover the genetic tests for breast cancer, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, beginning Sept. 30 and retroactive to May 22 for some recipients. The Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay also will be covered. The Times notes that Tricare had taken the tests off its approved list because the FDA had not approved them because they are categorized as "medical devices." Tricare made them part of a pilot project in order to cover them again. Criteria for coverage will be published in August.

26.Health IT Helps Fight The War At Home. Healthcare IT News Under the headline "Health IT Helps Fight The War At Home." The feature notes the experience of one Iraq veteran who "says he's only marginally satisfied with his experiences with the Veterans Health Administration" and says "there can be a better way." Healthcare IT News says that "better way" is the goal of "an array of innovative public- and private-sector health IT initiatives – EHRs and PHRs, telerehabilitation and telepsychiatry, mobile health and wellness apps, even virtual reality and video games." The report provides greater detail on treating veterans and notes that under Secretary Shinseki's "leadership, the VA has made big strides to modernize and expand its operations...with such a wide array of medical and mental health needs."

27.Emergency Aid To Vets Dropping. Hamilton (OH) Journal-News "The amount of emergency financial aid given to veterans in southwest Ohio counties has plummeted, state figures show. Statewide, the amount of county emergency financial aid peaked at $23 million distributed to 71,112 recipients in 2009, before it plummeted to $20.7 million and 62,572 applicants last year. The average dollar amount paid out jumped, but only slightly to $331, or about a hike of eight dollars in three years." The emergency payments "are grants given out based on income and need for necessities such as rent, utilities, food and gasoline."

28.Unemployment Rate For Afghanistan/Iraq Veterans Is 8.9%. Fox News Special Report "Among those hardest hit by this 'non-recovery recovery': veterans. For all veterans dating back to World War II, the unemployment rate stands at 6.9%, but for veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, that figure rises to 8.9% - higher than the national average."

29.Iraq War Veteran Writes Vivid War Memoir. AP Iraq war veteran Brian Castner's book, "The Long Walk: A Story of War and the Life That Follows," which "has been compared to other highly regarded war memoirs, including...Tim O'Brien's 'The Things They Carried' and Michael Herr's 'Dispatches.'" The 220-page book grew out of writing he did at his therapist's request, and it "intersperses stateside scenes...with vivid, often grisly accounts from Iraq's war-ravaged landscape." The book's title is about the walk made by a member of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit to an IED "when you've tried everything else and there's nothing else to do, somebody has to put on the suit and walk down there by themselves," Castner lives with his family in Grand Island, New York.

30.Veterans To Discuss PTSD, Reintegration At Boulder Event. Boulder (CO) Daily Camera Author Jon Krakauer will be in Boulder on Monday to join a discussion sponsored by Veterans Helping Veterans Now "on the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life" after war, and "the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder." The veterans group was founded by Vietnam veteran Ray Meyers, who wants to reach Iraq and Afghanistan veterans "much earlier on" about reintegration issues. The Daily News also details how Krakauer developed an interest in the veterans group, which he said helps fill a need for veterans with TBI and PTSD. Iraq veteran Daniel Janosko will join Krakauer for the Monday talk.

31.Charges Dropped In Military Medals Case. Baton Rouge (LA) Advocate "The U.S. Attorney's Office dismissed charges Friday in Baton Rouge against an LSU student accused of wearing the Purple Heart and other military medals without authorization. The Purple Heart is awarded to military service men and women who are wounded in war zones." Andrew Bryson, 31, "was indicted in February. His attorney, John S. McLindon, filed a motion for dismissal last month," arguing "that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled recently in a similar case that wearing of unearned military medals is a form of free speech that is protected by the Constitution."

32."Red Shirt" Fridays Support Disabled Veterans. Munster (IN) Times

33.Burial Options For Veterans In Rural Areas Are Being Expanded. Jefferson City News Tribune

34.Duke Researchers Look To World War I Soldiers For Clues About Traumatic Brain Injuries. Raleigh (NC) News & Observer

35.Father, Daughter Honor Iowans Killed In Vietnam. AP

36.VA Steps Up To Serve Local Veterans. Fayetteville (NC) Observer

37.Homeless Veterans Find Help Getting Reconnected. Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette

38.Marine Father And Sons All Served In Afghanistan. Princeton (NJ) Packet

39.VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as August 6, 2012: None

40.Today in History: 1777 – American Revolutionary War: The bloody Battle of Oriskany prevents American relief of the Siege of Fort Stanwix. 1787 – Sixty proof sheets of the Constitution of the United States are delivered to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. 1806 – Francis II, the last Holy Roman Emperor, abdicates ending the Holy Roman Empire. 1819 – Norwich University is founded in Vermont as the first private military school in the United States. 1861 – The United Kingdom annexes Lagos, Nigeria. 1862 – American Civil War: the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas is scuttled on the Mississippi River after sustaining damage in a battle with USS Essex near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 1870 – Franco-Prussian War: the Battle of Wörth results in a decisive Prussian victory. 1890 – At Auburn Prison in New York, murderer William Kemmler becomes the first person to be executed by electric chair. 1901 – Kiowa land in Oklahoma is opened for white settlement, effectively dissolving the contiguous reservation. 1914 – World War I: First Battle of the Atlantic – two days after the United Kingdom had declared war on Germany over the German invasion of Belgium, ten German U-boats leave their base in Helgoland to attack Royal Navy warships in the North Sea. 1914 – World War I: Serbia declares war on Germany; Austria declares war on Russia. 1915 – World War I: Battle of Sari Bair – the Allies mount a diversionary attack timed to coincide with a major Allied landing of reinforcements at Suvla Bay. 1917 – World War I: Battle of Mărăşeşti between the Romanian and German armies begins. 1926 – Gertrude Ederle becomes the first woman to swim across the English Channel. 1926 – Harry Houdini performs his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping. 1930 – Judge Joseph Force Crater steps into a taxi in New York and disappears never to be seen again. 1940 – Estonia was illegally annexed by the Soviet Union. 1942 – Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands becomes the first reigning queen to address a joint session of the United States Congress. 1945 – World War II: Hiroshima is devastated when the atomic bomb "Little Boy" is dropped by the United States B-29 Enola Gay. Around 70,000 people are killed instantly, and some tens of thousands die in subsequent years from burns and radiation poisoning. 1960 – Cuban Revolution: Cuba nationalizes American and foreign-owned property in the nation. 1962 – Jamaica becomes independent from the United Kingdom. 1964 – Prometheus, a bristlecone pine and the world's oldest tree, is cut down. 1965 – US President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law. 1988 – The Tompkins Square Park Police Riot in New York City spurs a reform of the NYPD, held responsible for the event. 1990 – Gulf War: the United Nations Security Council orders a global trade embargo against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. 1991 – Tim Berners-Lee releases files describing his idea for the World Wide Web. WWW debuts as a publicly available service on the Internet. 1991 – Doi Takako, chair of the Social Democratic Party, becomes Japan's first female speaker of the House of Representatives. 1996 – NASA announces that the ALH 84001 meteorite, thought to originate from Mars, contains evidence of primitive life-forms. 2001 – Erwadi fire incident, 28 mentally ill persons tied to chain were burnt to death at a faith based institution at Erwadi, Tamil Nadu. 2008 – A military junta led by Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz stages a coup d'état in Mauritania, overthrowing president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi. 2011 – A helicopter containing members of Navy SEAL 6 is shot down in Afghanistan killing 38.

------VA Veterans News for Saturday, August 4, 2012. Thanks to Kevin Secor, VA VSO Liaison.

1. Air Force instructor jailed for 30 days in Lackland sex scandal. 2. Afghan troops find it's tough going it alone. 3. No imminent threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, experts say. 4. Vet Center helps local combat veterans. 5. Mo. native Tommy Sowers confirmed for position in Department of Veterans Affairs. 6. Veterans visiting Veterans program is triple victory. 7. Bill That Restricts Protests At Military Funerals Awaits Obama's Signature. 8. Veterans Omnibus Bill Contains Key Changes To VA Loan Program. 9. CalVet To Host Women's Leadership Conference. 10. Involve HR Early To Improve Proposals. 11. House Chairman To Push Tax Credits Extension For Vets. 12. HHS Grants To Help Veterans Become Physician Assistants. 13. VA Grants Will Aid Homeless Veterans. 14. Homeless Illinois Vets Among Those Being Helped By VA Grant Funds. 15. VA Also Funding Effort To Help Homeless Vets In Massachusetts. 16. VA Assisting Displaced Homeless Vets In Fresno, California. 17. Columnist Says VA And HUD Have Been Successful In Decreasing veteran Homelessness. 18. Sen. Nelson Calls For Inquiry On Haley VA's Covert Camera. 19. Miller "More Than Dumbfounded" By Camera Use At Haley, Says Matter Is Being Investigated. 20. Paying For College Still A Major Challenge For Military Students, 21. Vets. Marine With Backlogged VA Claim Gets First Check. 22. Military, VA Release Mobile App For PTSD Therapy. 23. Help Is Available To Encourage Veterans To Seek Mental Health Services. 24. Organization Delivers Scooter To Hefner VA. 25. DISA Details Defensewide Wireless And Mobile Device Plan. 26. Encrypted Laptops Ease VA's Concerns About Data Breaches. 27. Yoga May Help Stroke Survivors Improve Balance. 28. Military Veterans Report Poorer Health. 29. BMJ Op Ed Says Komen Ads False. 30. South Africa's "Blade Runner" An Inspiration To Maimed Soldiers. 31. Army Eyes Robot Rescue Copters For Wounded Troops. 32. VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as August 4, 2012: 33. Today in History:

1. Air Force instructor jailed for 30 days in Lackland sex scandal. A military jury on Thursday sentenced a Texas Air Force basic training instructor to 30 days of confinement and reduction in rank for his part in a sex scandal at one of the busiest military training centers in the nation.

2. Afghan troops find it's tough going it alone. Not long after the U.S. military left a combat outpost to an indigenous force, the Taliban began to ramp up its attacks. The Afghan soldiers at the outpost soon came to a painful conclusion: They weren't ready. But it was too late — the Americans were not coming back.

3. No imminent threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, experts say. Israeli and U.S. politicians have been bandying about the prospect of an airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities. But nonproliferation experts and Middle East analysts are skeptical of claims that Tehran is so close to building a nuclear weapon that time is running out for a peaceful resolution.

4. Vet Center helps local combat veterans. St. George Daily Spectrum Bruce Solomon, readjustment counselor and Vietnam veteran from the U.S. Marine Corps, said the center has been in operation for a few months and provides services for those combat service members who may need support and assistance in readjusting post ...

5. Mo. native Tommy Sowers confirmed for position in Department of Veterans Affairs. The Republic Missouri native Tommy Sowers has won confirmation to a top spot in the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. U.S.. Sen. Claire McCaskill said Friday that Sowers was confirmed Thursday evening by the Senate to serve as the department's assistant ...

6. Veterans visiting Veterans program is triple victory. The First Infantry Division Post The plan is for AFSBn-Riley personnel to visit veterans in VA Hospitals, federal- or state-operated veterans homes or at the veteran's personal residence. By completing basic level home care tasks, such as lawn care and small repairs that do not require a ...

7. Bill That Restricts Protests At Military Funerals Awaits Obama's Signature. CNN "Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012" includes "provisions that would expand restrictions on protests at military funerals," such as "those carried out by Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas." President Obama now has the bill, which requires that "protesters must be at least 300 feet from military funerals from two hours before they start until two hours after they end. Violators could face unspecified fines and up to two years in prison."

8. Veterans Omnibus Bill Contains Key Changes To VA Loan Program. Huffington Post "A veterans omnibus bill now on its way to the president's desk contains some key changes and updates that will extend housing benefits to more surviving spouses and allow military dependents to fulfill the loan program's occupancy requirements." More than a half-dozen provisions of the "Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act" directly "impact the VA Loan Guaranty program, which allows qualified borrowers to purchase homes with no money down." Among other tings, the act would "waive the VA Funding Fee for all service members eligible to receive compensation because of a pre-discharge program."

9. CalVet To Host Women's Leadership Conference. Red Bluff (CA) Daily News The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) will "host a Leadership Conference for veterans and veteran stakeholders on Oct. 4 in Sacramento at the Double Tree Hotel. The conference, entitled 'A Call To Service, A Call to Action' will empower attendees to 'move the needle' when working with women veteran issues in their communities." CalVet will "present three awards at the conference: Woman Veteran Leader of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Outstanding Volunteer Award."

10.Involve HR Early To Improve Proposals. AOL Government The chief operating officer of iGATE, which "provides consulting, technology and business process outsourcing, and product engineering services," writes, "At the recent National Veteran Small Business Conference in Detroit, I had the honor of speaking on the importance of integrating" human resources (HR) "into new business development. It was surprising to me how many small and large government contractors forget this important department when they're planning their capture management strategy." McNeily says HR managers should be very involved with the development of such a strategy.

11.House Chairman To Push Tax Credits Extension For Vets. Bloomberg News US Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, "said he'll push to extend tax credits that expire this year for employers who hire jobless veterans." At a Bloomberg Government lunch on Thursday, Miller also said he thinks Transition GPS, the Obama Administration's revamping of the US military's Transition Assistance Program, "will make a difference" for service members who leave the military. But Miller "also said he's concerned about the impact that automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, might have on veterans' programs."

12.HHS Grants To Help Veterans Become Physician Assistants. The Hill The US Health and Human Services Department (HSS) will "devote $2.3 million to helping train new physician assistants, focusing on veterans who want civilian jobs in healthcare." Grants "went to 12 medical programs in 10 states that train physician assistants to practice in primary-care settings." In a statement, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "These grants will help ensure veterans who served our country can use their military medical training and get good jobs serving patients."

13.VA Grants Will Aid Homeless Veterans. Char-Koosta News "The US Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding nearly $100 million in grants that will help approximately 42,000 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced recently. The grants are going to 151 community agencies in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, according to a VA news release." In a press release, Shinseki said VA is "committed to ending veteran homelessness in America." He added, "These grants will help VA and community organizations reach out and prevent at-risk veterans from losing their homes."

14.Homeless Illinois Vets Among Those Being Helped By VA Grant Funds. Danville (IL) Commercial News "Nearly $3 million in grants will help homeless and at-risk veterans in central Illinois, including Vermilion County. The grants will serve about 795 homeless and at-risk veteran families as part" of VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. In a press release announcing the grant, Shinseki said VA is "committed to ending veteran homelessness in America."

15.VA Also Funding Effort To Help Homeless Vets In Massachusetts. Springfield (MA) Republican "500 veterans per year who come through Soldier On, a transitional program for homeless veterans" in Northampton, Massachusetts. In Pittsfield, another Massachusetts city, the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community allows "veterans who have successfully completed programs at Soldier On to become homeowners within a community of veterans." Funding "for such projects as well as all of the programs offered by the organization come from a variety of sources including the state Department of Veterans Services, the Department of Labor, the Northampton Division of Housing and Urban Development, the Veterans Administration and private donations."

16.VA Assisting Displaced Homeless Vets In Fresno, California. Fresno (CA) Bee "Fresno city workers this week began tearing out tall oleander bushes that had shielded about 20 homeless people from passing traffic near downtown Fresno." Social workers "from the Department of Veterans Affairs fanned out Wednesday in search of homeless veterans who might need housing and other assistance." Dawn Golik, chief of public affairs for US VA in Fresno, said, "We really make an effort to go out when there are encampments that will be closing so we can contact veterans and let them know about the different services we could make available." The Bee added, "Since the city started closing encampments, Veterans Affairs has housed 23 homeless residents -- 12 are still in permanent housing overseen by the VA, Golik said."

17.Columnist Says VA And HUD Have Been Successful In Decreasing veteran Homelessness. Pagosa Springs (CO) Sun "Prevention services and unprecedented interagency collaboration have been emphasized ever since Secretary Shinseki called for his goal to end homelessness by 2015. By many measures, the joint effort between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and VA is working toward that goal." Since the two agencies "teamed up, homelessness among veterans has dropped 12 percent."

18.Sen. Nelson Calls For Inquiry On Haley VA's Covert Camera. Tampa Bay (FL) Times In a Thursday letter, US Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) "asked the Department of Veterans Affairs inspector general...to investigate the James A. Haley VA Medical Center's use of a camera disguised to look like a smoke detector in a patient's room." The family of 80-year-old Joseph Carnegie "said the camera was installed after they threatened the VA with a lawsuit alleging substandard care" at Haley caused the brain damage that Carnegie now has. The Times adds, "Nelson's letter to the VA's internal watchdog comes on top of an investigation launched earlier this week" by the US House Veterans Affairs Committee.

19.Miller "More Than Dumbfounded" By Camera Use At Haley, Says Matter Is Being Investigated. WFTX-TV "Congress is investigating the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital over their use of covert cameras. 'I'm more than dumbfounded with what's been taking place at Haley,' said" US Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), who chairs the House Veterans Affairs Committee. He was referring to the fact that this week, Haley "admitted to monitoring at least 40 patients with camera and against the wishes of at least one veteran's family." Miller said a "very robust investigation" of the matter has begun. A spokeswoman for VA said the agency has "responded to questions about this issue from members of Congress."

20.Paying For College Still A Major Challenge For Military Students, Vets. US News And World Report "Some colleges and universities have significantly ramped up programs for military students and veterans, a new survey has found, but many still see financial aid as a pressing issue for the increasingly college-bound demographic." Part of the "funding challenge lies with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the complexity of the Post 9/11 GI Bill...notes" the study, which was conducted by the American Council on Education. US News And World Report quotes from the study, which said it findings suggest that the Defense Department and VA "have more work to do in preparing service members for transition from the military and processing their benefits in a timely manner."

21.Marine With Backlogged VA Claim Gets First Check. CBS News "A retired Marine master sergeant who told CBS News last month about his problems getting disability payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs received his first check Wednesday, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports. Master Sgt. Aaron Helstrom, who was severely wounded in Iraq in 2003, told Martin in a 'CBS Evening News' story broadcast July 10 that he expected to start receiving payments when he retired from the Marines in December" of last year. But for "seven months, he received form letters from the government advising him that his claim was being processed." According to the July story, Helstrom was "one of half a million veterans whose claims are caught" in an increasing claims backlog at VA.

22.Military, VA Release Mobile App For PTSD Therapy. NBC News The US military "has released a new mobile app designed for post-traumatic stress disorder patients in a therapy known as prolonged exposure," or PE. NBC News adds, "PE Coach was developed by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and offers users a mobile way of assessing symptoms, recording therapy sessions, receiving reminders for homework and appointments and learning more about PTSD. The app is available on Apple and Android devices, but is advised for use only when a patient is receiving professional" PE therapy.

23.Help Is Available To Encourage Veterans To Seek Mental Health Services. Liberty (TX) Vindicator The US Veterans Affairs Department "now offers a free Telephone Call Center, "Coaching Into Care," which provides assistance to family members and friends trying to encourage their Veteran to seek health care for possible readjustment and mental health issues. 'Coaching Into Care' is a valuable service for family members and friends of Veterans who might be reluctant to seek mental health care,' said" Dr. Laura Marsh, "Mental Health Care Line executive at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center." Marsh added, "In the last three years, VA has devoted more people, programs, and resources toward mental health services to serve returning combat Veterans."

24.Organization Delivers Scooter To Hefner VA. Salisbury (NC) Post The "Department of North Carolina Sons of AMVETS delivered an electric scooter to the W.G. 'Bill' Hefner Medical Center" on Wednesday . Donald Morrison, "administrative assistant for volunteer services at the VA, said donations such as the scooter are always needed, and it probably would be put into use immediately, as soon as a back tire was given more air."

25.DISA Details Defensewide Wireless And Mobile Device Plan. NextGov "The Defense Information Systems Agency has jump-started the procurement process for a secure departmentwide global mobile wireless system, software to manage smartphones and computers, and mobile application store." The Veterans Affairs Department "launched its own National Mobile Device and Services project in July with a request to industry for comments on a plan that includes a mobile device management system, hardware and a national cellphone service contract."

26.Encrypted Laptops Ease VA's Concerns About Data Breaches. Federal News Radio "Six years ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs was at the center of one of the biggest data breaches in government history when an employee lost a laptop containing 26 million veterans' records. But as of this year, VA officials say data is safe even when computers go missing." That is according to Roger Baker, VA's assistant secretary in the Office of Information and Technology and the chief information officer, who made his comments "during his monthly briefing with reporters Thursday."

27.Yoga May Help Stroke Survivors Improve Balance. McClatchy "Group yoga can improve balance in stroke survivors who no longer receive rehabilitative care, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke." For "'people with chronic stroke, something like yoga in a group environment is cost effective and appears to improve motor function and balance,' said Arlene Schmid, lead researcher and a rehabilitation research scientist at Roudebush Veterans Administration-Medical Center and Indiana University, Department of Occupational Therapy in Indianapolis, Ind."

28.Military Veterans Report Poorer Health. WebMD "Men who served in the military carry a heavier health burden than non-veterans." According to a report that was released on Thursday, "veterans are significantly more likely to have two or more chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, as well as other health problems." The "report was produced by the National Center for Health Statistics, a division" of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

29.BMJ Op Ed Says Komen Ads False. MedPage Today "The world's largest breast cancer charity used misleading statistics and deceptive statements about mammography to promote breast cancer awareness and screening, authors of an opinion piece asserted. In promotional material for the 2011 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Susan G. Komen for the Cure suggested large differences in breast cancer survival among women who undergo screening mammography and those who do not." The "advertisement...is crazy," wrote "Steven Woloshin, MD, and Lisa M. Schwartz, MD, of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction, Vt. and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Lebanon, N.H.," in an "article published online in BMJ."

30.South Africa's "Blade Runner" An Inspiration To Maimed Soldiers. USA Today

31.Army Eyes Robot Rescue Copters For Wounded Troops. Wired

32.VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as August 4, 2012: None 33.Today in History: 1704 – War of the Spanish Succession: Gibraltar is captured by an English and Dutch fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir George Rooke and allied with Archduke Charles. 1790 – A newly passed tariff act creates the Revenue Cutter Service (the forerunner of the United States Coast Guard). 1791 – The Treaty of Sistova is signed, ending the Ottoman-Habsburg wars. 1796 – French Revolutionary Wars: Napoleon leads the French Army of Italy to victory in the Battle of Lonato. 1821 – Atkinson & Alexander publish the Saturday Evening Post for the first time as a weekly newspaper. 1824 – The Battle of Kos is fought between Turk and Greek forces. 1873 – American Indian Wars: whilst protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the United States 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer clashes for the first time with the Sioux near the Tongue River; only one man on each side is killed. 1914 – World War I: Germany invades Belgium. In response, the United Kingdom declares war on Germany. The United States declare their neutrality. 1916 – World War I: Liberia declares war on Germany. 1944 – The Holocaust: a tip from a Dutch informer leads the Gestapo to a sealed-off area in an Amsterdam warehouse where they find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others. 1958 – The Billboard Hot 100 is published for the first time. 1964 – American civil rights movement: civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney are found dead in Mississippi after disappearing on June 21. 1964 – Gulf of Tonkin Incident: U.S. destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy report coming under attack in the Gulf of Tonkin. 1965 – The Constitution of Cook Islands comes into force, giving the Cook Islands self- governing status within New Zealand. 1969 – Vietnam War: at the apartment of French intermediary Jean Sainteny in Paris, American representative Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese representative Xuan Thuy begin secret peace negotiations. The negotiations will eventually fail. 1974 – A bomb explodes in the Italicus Express train at San Benedetto Val di Sambro, Italy, killing 12 people and wounding 22. 1975 – The Japanese Red Army takes more than 50 hostages at the AIA Building housing several embassies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The hostages include the U.S. consul and the Swedish chargé d’affaires. The gunmen win the release of five imprisoned comrades and fly with them to Libya. 1977 – US President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the United States Department of Energy. 1987 – The Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine which had required radio and television stations to present controversial issues "fairly". 1993 – A federal judge sentences LAPD officers Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell to 30 months in prison for violating motorist Rodney King's civil rights. 1995 – Operation Storm begins in Croatia. 2006 – A massacre, is carried out by Sri Lankan government forces, killing 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger (known internationally as Action Contre la Faim, or ACF). 2007 – Airport police officer María del Luján Telpuk discovers a suitcase containing the undeclared sum of US$800,000 as it goes through an x-ray machine in Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires, sparking an international scandal involving Venezuela and Argentina known as "Maletinazo". 2010 – California's Proposition 8, the ballot initiative prohibiting same-sex marriage passed by the state's voters in 2008, is overturned by Judge Vaughn Walker in the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger.

------From: Mitchell, Amy [[email protected]] Sent: Monday, August 06, 2012 1:12 PM

Subj: Miller: There is Still More We Need to Do

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 6, 2012 CONTACT: Amy Mitchell (202) 225-3527 Miller: There is Still More We Need to Do

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, issued the following statement on his bill, The Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012 (H.R. 1627), being signed into law:

“Today, our government took action and corrected the injustice of ignoring the health and wellbeing of Camp Lejeune Marines and their families. After more than a decade of fighting for healthcare, these families will finally have access to the care they rightly deserve and desperately need through the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. I want to especially thank Jerry Ensminger for never giving up hope that we would come together and do what is right.

“This new law also represents nearly two years worth of work by Congress to ensure that America’s veterans receive the healthcare, benefits, and services promised to them. I would like to thank all the Members of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees for their bipartisan work to make this law a reality.

“There is still more we need to do, however, on behalf of veterans, their families, and survivors. Too many veterans are stuck in the disability claims backlog, a system long overdue for reform; veterans suffering from the invisible wounds of war are waiting too long for treatment through VA; hundreds of thousands of veterans are still standing in unemployment lines; and the specter of sequestration still looms over the heads of our veterans.

“It is my hope that Congress and the President will continue to work across party lines to transform the Department of Veterans Affairs for the 21st Century and ensure world-class care and benefits for America’s veterans.”

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, please visit:

Veterans.House.Gov Find us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/HouseVetsAffairs or follow us on Twitter at: @HouseVetAffairs ------From: J S [email protected] - Forwarded to us by Max Wix, MEA Subj: Post 24 - Jobs for Vets - Administrative Position

Job details: Brand new five year program in Crystal City, Perm hire, 65k, MUST have a Secret Clearance. Should have experience using Microsoft Project (MS Project) on a daily/weekly basis, scheduling task, making sure projects are on schedule, multiple small projects at one time, metrics/budget tracking experience, 5 + years experience with a Degree or 8 + years experience w/o degree. There are three government agencies merging together and a lot of small projects will be happening all at once. This person will work with and support the Portfolio Manager, obviously any experience supporting a Portfolio Manager in the past would be a huge plus.

If you qualify send your resume for review and possible forwarding to [email protected] noting you saw this announcement on Post 24 announcement.

Post 24’s Job for Vets program is spear headed by Jesse Stevens but all members contribute. If you may be able to bird dog jobs or send resumes to hiring authorities please send your email address to Jesse Stevens, [email protected]

------From: JS Pentagon OCJCS Warrior and Family Support Sent: Monday, August 06, 2012 6:24 PM

Subject: Warrior & Family Support News for Monday, 6 August 2012 - “Keeping Faith with the Military Family”

COMMUNITIES IN ACTION

Author Jon Krakauer, veterans to discuss PTSD, reintegration at Boulder event Daily Camera Krakauerhas a fund that distributes money through the Community Foundation, and Veterans Helping Veterans Now was the beneficiary of a grant through that fund. The Community Foundation put Krakauer ... Krakauer had gained a new appreciation for ...

Classic reunion for veteran: Car club restores '67 Ford Galaxie as thank-you ... The Mercury “To see hundreds of people come through with donations, love, sweat equity, I think it drew out community even closer together,” Pace said of the project. “The 'gear heads' all wanted to be part of this to say thanks to our veteran.” In the fall of ...

Caleb Cage: US, state working for Nevada vets Nevada Appeal Nevada has recently been the focal point of the veterans' community for some very high- profile activities, visits and events. Reno hosted several very high-level discussions of national veterans policy during the Veterans of Foreign Wars' national ... WELLNESS

USF course aids health providers with vets' care Tbo.com "They are seen by nurses, physicians and clinics across the state and country, and we felt that providers need to know and be aware of the unique health issues surrounding the veteran and military population as well as their families." For Rossiter ...

Therapy at Roseburg VA helps veterans suffering from PTSD NRToday.com Lovelady and other veterans learned to cope with traumatic experiences through cognitive processing therapy, said Bryan Nestripke, clinical director of post-traumatic stress disorder programs at the Roseburg VA. The hospital started offering the ...

Op-ed: Goolsby - Veterans Affairs Medical Center steps up to serve local veterans Fayetteville Observer The partnership with the Fayetteville community in addressing the needs of our homeless veterans, veterans in legal difficulty, or our newest veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have strengthened a partnership built on a mutual goal to serve those who ...

EDUCATION New state panelto look at needsof military kids Yuma Sun Jan Brewer has signed an executive order to create a panel to specifically address the needs of school-age children of military families in our state. The State Council on the Education for Military Children will dovetail with the involvement of the ...

School choice could benefit Oklahoma's military families NewsOK.com Redeployment is a necessary part of military life, one that puts a strain on parents seeking educational continuity and quality for their children. Department of Defense data show that military children typically attend six to nine school systems ...

Seeking WA Vets, Military & Family To Interview For Nat'l VA Campaign Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) Kyle is seeking VETERANS, MILITARY and FAMILY MEMBERS to give interviews for a national Dept. of Veterans Affairs campaign to help other Veterans. This highly visible and acclaimed campaign (www.MakeTheConnection.net) is advertised nationally via ...

EMPLOYMENT

Vets struggle to find employment Foster's Daily Democrat After organizing a job fair for veterans last month following Portsmouth's "End of the Iraq War" parade, though, he said he wished there could have been more employers seeking to hire veterans. There were a little more than half a dozen booths set up...

Homeless veterans find help getting reconnected Worcester Telegram Mr. Doherty, 36, landed a bed at the Veterans Inc. shelter for homeless veterans in Worcester three months ago and, about three weeks ago, started a temporary full-time job at Eaton Corp. assembling computer server cabinets. “That was my goal,” he said ...

Our best regards - Randall E. "Smitty" Smith, Lt Col, USAF Deputy Director, Warrior & Family Support, Office of the Chairman ------News from Al Bunting, Col, USAF, Ret, in NJ. Thanks Al!

Panetta Sets Up Military Justice Review Board

US General Asks Cut In Nuclear Stockpile (Boston Globe, Bryan Bender)

Chilling Account Of Near-Miss (Wall Street Journal, Andy Pasztor) DoD Aiming To Improve Protection For Whistle-Blowers (Federal Times, Sarah Chacko)

Is Pentagon Spending Good For The Economy? (Washington Times, Guy Taylor)

Afghan President Moves to Reassure Allies After Security Ministers Are Dismissed (NY Times, Alissa J. Rubin and Sangar Rahimi) White House Struggles To Reverse Secrecy Culture (Washington Post, James Ball) . New Tensions Rise on South China Sea (Wall Street Journal, Brian Spegele) U.S. Reviews Bidding Status Of Va. Firm (Washington Post, Kathleen Miller/Bloomberg Government)

Battle Intensifies Over Sequestration (Washington Post, Marjorie Censer/Capital Business) Reach Deficit Reduction Deal (Defense News, Editorial) . Israel Upgrades Its Missile-Defense System (ABC News, AP). Alleged Confessions In Scientists' Deaths (Huffington Post, AP) Army's Vehicles Not Tough Enough; Taliban just build bigger bombs (Washington Times, Rowan Scarborough) Cash To Get Out: Corps To Offer Buyouts As Drawdown Incentive (Marine Corps Times, James K. Sanborn) Obama Aide Fires Back At Anti-Military Contention (Washington Times, David Eldridge)

. The Risks Of Inaction In Syria (Washington Post, John McCain, Joseph I. Lieberman, Lindsey O. Graham)

A Kingdom On The Edge? (Washington Post, David Ignatius)

Forgetting The War In Afghanistan (Washington Post, Jackson Diehl)

Army’s Wrong For Disregarding Tool That Helps Marines In Battle (U-T San Diego, Rep. Duncan Hunter)

The $600,000 Budget Thorn (Boston Globe, Juliette Kayyem)

. Republicans Fail A Security Test (NY Times, Editorial)

Gay Pride And Uniforms (Army Times, Editorial) U.S. criticizes new China garrison in tense sea WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States on Friday criticized China's establishment of a new military garrison in the South China Sea as it called on all sides to lower tensions in the hotly contested waters. ... more Reports: Russia to Send Warships to Syria MOSCOW — Three Russian amphibious assault ships carrying hundreds of armed navy personnel will briefly dock in a Moscow-leased Syrian port in the coming days, Russian news agencies reported Aug. 3. ... more NFL Team Honors Military With Appreciation Day 08/05/2012 04:48 PM CDT Defense Acquisition Board Delays Big Radio Decision The u.s. Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) has delayed a production decision for the Joint Tactical Radio System's HMS Manpack radio, which had recently been the subject of a highly critical report issued by the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E). ... more New Problems Found on Avondale Ships A new issue involving improperly installed bolts has emerged in the latest ships built by the Avondale shipyard near New Orleans, delaying the delivery of one ship and affecting another. ... more Pacific Shift: Gen. Herbert Carlisle took command of Pacific Air Forces during a ceremony at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. During the Aug. 3 change of command, Carlisle replaced Gen. Gary North, who had led PACAF since August 2009. North is retiring from the Air Force, effective Oct. 1, ending a 36-year career in uniform. Adm. Samuel Locklear, head of US Pacific Command, said at the ceremony Carlisle was well prepared to assume command. "He's an impressive leader with a distinctive career with significant experience in this region, which is very important to me," said Locklear, reported the Associated Press (via the Sacramento Bee). Carlisle pinned on his fourth star prior to taking command. A 1978 Air Force Academy graduate, Carlisle will oversee some 45,000 airmen stationed in places like Guam, Hawaii, Japan, and South Korea. He led 13th Air Force at Pearl Harbor-Hickam from September 2009 to December 2010. From January 2011, he was in charge of operations, plans, and requirements issues on the Air Staff. (See also Carlisle Confirmed as PACAF Commander.) Third Training Instructor Sentenced in Sexual Abuse Scandal: A seven-member officer panel last week sentenced former Air Force military training instructor TSgt. Christopher Smith to 30 days confinement and reduction in rank to airman first class for unprofessional relationships with two basic trainees at JBSA-Lackland, Tex. A special court-martial found Smith guilty on Aug. 1 for "seeking to develop and conduct personal and intimate relationships with one trainee and carrying on a personal social relationship with another trainee," according to a San Antonio-Lackland release. His sentencing came two days later. Smith is the third former MTI sentenced for sexual misconduct at San Antonio- Lackland, home of Air Force basic military training. Some 15 former MTIs are under investigation. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley on Aug. 2 discussed the situation with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) and Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) behind closed doors. "All allegations should be investigated, and individuals involved in inappropriate or criminal behavior should be dealt with properly," stated McKeon and Smith in a joint statement following the meeting. (See also Welsh Confirmed as Chief of Staff.) Tuskegee Emblem Officially Recognized: The Air Force has officially recognized the insignia of the 477th Bombardment Group, a Tuskegee Airmen unit that flew B-25s during World War II, according to officials from Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group. The fighter unit traces its heritage to the bombardment group. Col. Bryan Radliff, 477th Fighter Group commander, announced the news at the 41st Annual Tuskegee Airmen Convention that ran from July 31 to Aug. 3 in Las Vegas. He cited a July 17 letter from Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz that conveyed the news to the Tuskegee Airmen. "The presentation of this patch is a long overdue recognition of the service and sacrifice of these great men" and "their rightful place in airpower history," said Radliff in an Aug. 2 release. During World War II, the Army Air Corps never recognized the emblem because it never declared the group mission-ready since the unit relocated several times, states the release. The Air Force will now include the insignia in official heraldry records. (Las Vegas report by Capt. Ashley Connor) B-52s Demonstrate Maritime Role at RIMPAC: B-52 bombers forward-deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, flew 20-plus-hour missions to train in aerial interdiction of maritime targets with naval forces near Hawaii during the Rim of the Pacific exercise. "This includes gathering intelligence, honing our skills in low-level flying, providing close air support, and simulating strikes when targets are found," said Maj. Christopher Morris, planning chief for the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, the contingent of airmen and B-52s deployed from Minot AFB, N.D. The B-52s flew low-level mining runs on the first two sorties, seeding shipping lanes with inert sea mines to train Navy minesweepers, according to Andersen's Aug. 2 release. Refueling twice en-route, the bombers flew more than 3,000 miles roundtrip on the first runs on July 11 and July 13. "As a Navy-centric exercise, we're thrilled about the air capabilities that our B-52s were able to provide," said Col. Randy Kaufman, Anderson's 36th Operations Group commander. RIMPAC runs through Aug 9. (Andersen report by 2nd Lt. Sarah Bergstein) FDA seeks data mining tool to track adverse drug reactions

By Joseph Marks

Agencies are increasingly turning to data mining for research. …fULL articLe Yes, the Air Force has a Navy

By Bob Brewin

Ballistic missile tracking ship starts sea tests. …fULL articLe After a decade of delays, FBI agents finally get a case management system

By Aliya Sternstein

'Sentinel' works like a Webmail system for investigations. …fULL articLe Family Matters Blog: job fairs join spouses, employers 08/02/2012 12:52 PM EDT Easy Ways to Reduce Email Overload

Follow these best practices to avoid wasting half your day on email.

Motive Sought in US Sikh Temple Slayings When the gunfire finally ended in a shootout between a gunman and police outside the temple in suburban Milwaukee, seven people lay dead, including the suspect, and three others were critically wounded in what police called an act of domestic terrorism. Read More

NASA Rover Curiosity Lands on Mars After Plummet Lejeune Targets Aggressive Dogs, Specific Breeds Military Adding More Electric Vehicles to Fleet Israel Had Intel on Attack That Killed 16 in Egypt Afghans Lack Faith in Security as Drawdown Looms Japan's Defense Minister Gets Osprey Ride Report Gives Grim Details Behind Sex Scandal Retired Four-Star Gives Presidential Pick Deployed Soldiers Become US Citizens DoD Buzz: The Gathering Storm

------Godspeed all...... Wayne

Wayne M. Gatewood, Jr. USMC (Ret) President/CEO Quality Support, Inc. A Service Disabled Veteran and Minority Owned-Small Business 8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 220 Landover, MD 20785 301-459-3777 EXT 101 - Fax 301-459-6961 www.qualitysupport.com

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation." - George Washington