Revised July 2017 The following are references for Programs that assist Soldiers and their families in Minnesota Compliments of Minnesota Army Reserve Ambassador’s Tom Haugo, Jim Lundell, & Steve Carter. The balance of the programs apply to all Soldiers & their families in all states. M indicates specific programs that help Minnesota Soldiers and their families. Corrections or additions please email [email protected] or call me at 952-412-7525 NOTE: ** Red indicates change/new since 1 June 2017 Veteran Friendly Verizon Did you know Verizon offers ongoing discounts to active duty servicemembers and veterans, including 15% off monthly Verizon wireless cellphone service and 25% off select accessories like chargers, cellphone cases, and batteries? To learn more or register for discounts, visit www.vz.to/1JGTpOd. The company also has been rated one of the most military-friendly employers in the world by Military Times. Veteran job seekers can use Verizon’s website (www.verizon.com/about/careers/military) to search for Verizon careers that closely match their military experience; join Verizon’s military network and upload resumes; and contact Verizon Military recruiters with just one mouse click. (from July 2017 MOA Military Officer magazine page 14) FOCUS (Families Over Coming Under Stress) The FOCUS Project provides resilience training to military spouses & children. The service consists of several skill- building sessions that teach families practical skills to help them overcome common challenges related to military service, effectively solve problems, and successfully set goals to create a shared family story. FOCUS resilience training is designed to help service-members and their family members remain supportive of each other during stressful times. For more information, include a list of installations where FOCUS services are available, visit www.focusproject.org. (from July 2017 MOA Military Officer magazine page 16) XXX M - Caring for Caregivers Our promise is for every caregiver to never feel overwhelmed but rather appreciated, valued, and supported as they care for a loved one. Offerings: Individual Coaching and Mentoring Caregiver Appreciation Events Business & Organizational training Workshops Online Video & Document Libraries Caregiver Support Network For information about caregiving, go to www.caregiverstrong.org For information about solving financial crises, go to www.bridgepaths.com For information about Christian spiritual crises, go to www.majorhope.com Address 516 Wood Way, Burnsville, MN 55337 http://www.caregiverstrong.org [email protected] Jake Chaya 612-414-5182 M - The Mission Continues Empowering Veterans to serve their communities in new ways. The Mission Continues empowers veterans who are adjusting to life at home to find purpose through community impact. We connect veterans to the heart of community improvement efforts by tapping into their unique leadership and skills developed in the military, and their spirit of service to the help the community do even more. The Fellowship Program The Mission Continues Fellow is a post 9/11 veteran who, through an application and interview process, is selected to serve for 6 months, 20 hours a week at a non-profit organization of their choice. During the fellowship, fellows will complete a professional development curriculum, receive a monthly cost of living stipend and one on one coaching from Mission Continues Staff. The Mission Continues has award 1600+ Fellowships across the country with fellows serving at national monuments, historic sites, youth and public service organizations and more. Contact Lee Freeman, City Impact Manager, Minneapolis, MN [email protected] 612-202-7958 www.missioncontinues.org XXX MOAA Supports Military Caregivers MOAA supports military caregivers through their work with Elizabeth Dole Foundation, USAA, the PsychArmor Institute, and the Public Counsel Law Center. Categories include: >An online guide for legal and financial aspects of military caregiving at www.moaa.org/caregiver >No-cost legal assistance to mid- and lower-income caregivers at www.lawyersforheroes.org, provided by MOAA and Public Counsel Law Center via the Lawyers and Heroes collaboration. >Financial education for military caregivers from MOAA and the PsychArmor Institute, in cooperation with USAA – learn more at www.moaa.org/caregiverfinancialed. – DEER ID Card processing office at Ft Snelling new phone 612-467-7648 Hours 700 AM – 1200 noon Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Closed Wednesday and Federal holidays Requires 2 forms of ID for most transactions. Call with your questions. 506 Roeder Circle, Ft Snelling, St. Paul, MN 55111 VA Loan Limit Increased to $424,100 for 2017 Attention Retiree, The VA has increased the VA Home Loan Benefit to up to $424,100 financing for 2017. In fact, in some higher cost counties have up to $636,150 in VA Loan Financing. The VA Loan Still Means $0 Down & NO PMI. Qualified buyers have the ability to buy or refinance using the increased financing amounts without the traditional 20% down or PMI payments. Now is the time to get information from VA Loan Lenders. Buy or Refi Now: Take Advantage of Your VA Loan Benefit Today XXX AAFES: Will open to all honorably discharged veterans on Veterans Day 2017 Welcoming home all of America’s veterans with online shopping benefits DALLAS – After four years of coordination with the Departments of Defense, Army and Air Force as well as several other federal agencies, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) will welcome home approximately 15 million veterans on Nov. 11. “AAFES is honored to offer this well-deserved benefit to those who raised their right hands, took the oath and served our Nation with honor,” said AAFES Director/CEO Tom Shull. “There are many generations of service members who have not been properly recognized for their sacrifices. The Veterans Online Shopping Benefit (VOSB) acknowledges their service and welcomes them home.” Extending online shopping (shopmyexchange.com) privileges to all honorably discharged veterans will directly improve family and support programs for Soldiers, Airmen and their families. Consistent with each exchange’s dividend policy, increased earnings as a result of VOSB are expected to generate tens of millions of dollars in increased annual dividends to Quality-of-Life programs for the military community including contingency operations, Army child development centers, youth services and fitness centers, Air Force outdoor recreation, combat uniforms, overseas school lunches and more. VOSB also strengthens AAFES’ online business to better serve current shoppers. Including honorably discharged veterans will conservatively double exchanges’ online presence, improving the experience for all shoppers. From technology upgrades to associate training to inventory planning, AAFES has been working on implementation of VOSB since it was first proposed in 2013. As a result, most of the required business capabilities are already in place, and AAFES will be ready for a smooth rollout on Veterans Day. “AAFES, along with its sister exchanges, is ensuring America’s veterans are honored for their service and recognized as Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Sailors for life,” said Shull. “We look forward to welcoming our veterans home this Veterans Day and every day thereafter.” XXX MyVA311: One number to call to reach VA When the VA Secretary first started evaluating business and customer service practices across VA to improve the Veteran experience, the need for a revamped phone system was clear. Instead of navigating dozens of automated phone trees with no guarantee of success, Veterans needed one place to call to get connected to the right place quickly VA is introducing 1-844-MyVA311 (1-844-698-2311) as a go-to source for Veterans and their families who don’t know what number to call. This new national toll-free number will help eliminate the feeling of frustration and confusion that Veterans and their families have expressed when navigating the 1000-plus phone numbers that currently exist. With 1-844-MyVA311, Veterans, families, and caregivers can access information about VA services like disability, pension, healthcare eligibility, enrollment, and burial benefits, in addition to a self-service locator to find the nearest VA facility. And if they’re looking for immediate assistance with housing or are having a mental health crisis, MyVA311 will route callers to the Homeless Veteran help line and the Veterans Crisis Line. If you know what number you’re calling – keep calling it. None of the existing VA numbers will go away. The future vision is that 1-844-MyVA311 will become a 24/7 one-stop information service platform for all VA services. Veteran feedback has been instrumental helping us streamline the way we get callers routed to the right place at VA. VA is also making improvements to the overall Veteran experience eliminating blocked calls and hiring more people to reduce wait times. We will continue to gather feedback from our Veterans to ensure VA is meeting their needs. The new MyVA311 phone number is just one step in a larger effort to modernize VA contact centers so Veterans have a seamless, positive experience when reaching out VA. In the coming months, we will be sharing more on additional steps as we continue to improve the Veterans experience. Give an Hour A national network of mental health care providers who give an hour of their time each week to help members of the military and their families cope with the "unseen wounds" associated with military service. With over 5,000 members and growing, these caring professionals can provide tens of millions of dollars in free mental health services each year. Web site: www.giveanhour.org Calculate Your 2017 Pay Raise Download the FREE Military Pay App! Update: The 2.1 percent pay raise for 2017 has been passed into law. Military pay will see a 2.1 percent increase for 2017, compared to 2016 levels. The military pay tables below apply to active members of the Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The calculator above (and related tables below) reflect 2017 monthly pay based on the 2.1 percent pay raise, which is effective as of January 1, 2017.