Some members of the Army Reserve can try out a Reserve pilot program designed to help soldiers find childcare during annual training and drill weekends. The pilot program is offered to Reservists stationed in eastern Iowa and western Missouri – so Reserve families in those areas can find child care while serving. Childcare Issues in… Read more »
A study published on the National Institute for Health official site links “forever chemicals” to testicular cancer among some military members. The study says some troops have an elevated risk of cancer due to a group of substances commonly known as PFAS, which are used in a variety of applications, including military firefighting operations where… Read more »
In August 2023, the Army Reserve found itself out of funding for the Army Reserve Scholarship program some two weeks before school was supposed to start at many colleges and universities. The Army Reserve used up its entire $20 million scholarship budget and, according to Military.com, failed to notify troops of the lack of funding…. Read more »
The Pentagon has not yet fully implemented enhancements to its Exceptional Family Member Program, and that’s a problem for military families with special needs who may be left without support or medical care depending on where they are assigned. A report by the DoD Office of the Inspector General faults the DoD for not updating… Read more »
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ official site, there are approximately 33 thousand homeless veterans in the United States in 2022. And while that number represents a downward trend in veteran homelessness, the issue is still a major cause of concern at the VA. VA Deploys Mobile Medical Units To Help Homeless Veterans In… Read more »
Update: Open Season for Military Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts runs from November 13, 2023 and ends at 11:59 pm Eastern Time, Monday, December 11, 2023 for theFederal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS). You cannot sign up for this option outside of open season without a qualifying life event (see below.) Dependent Care Flexible Spending… Read more »
How sexual assault and other serious crimes are handled within the United States military has changed. President Joe Biden signed an executive order changing the Manual for Courts-Martial to address how certain crimes in the ranks are handled. The order profoundly changes how the military must respond to crimes, including sexual assault, domestic violence, child… Read more »
Update August 16, 2023: The VA deadline to file (or submit an intent to file) for retroactive PACT Act benefits has passed. The deadline was 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, August 14, 2023. Those who filed before that deadline may qualify to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022, the day the PACT Act… Read more »
The 2024 budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs is in danger of being vetoed; in the last full week of July 2023, the White House stated that the VA funding bill is rife with controversy over VA policies on reproductive care and is unacceptable in its current form. The House VA budget proposal for… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs is performing a review of certain medical conditions to learn if there’s a relationship between them and military duty in areas listed in PACT Act legislation, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. When the PACT Act was passed, that law expanded VA benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange,… Read more »