The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the end of the VET TEC pilot program, a five-year experiment formally known as the Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC). When it was operational, the VET TEC program offered $45 million in annual benefits to qualifying military members through partnerships with civilian companies nationwide. What Was… Read more »
Applications for the 2024 VA Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology grant are now open through midnight on April 28. The SAHAT program funds developers, researchers, and “individuals” working to innovate adaptive technologies to benefit disabled veterans, including thought-based assistive technology for those suffering from neuromuscular conditions as a result of their military service. These new… Read more »
3M has agreed to settle a major lawsuit brought by a quarter of a million veterans who claim they received faulty hearing protection gear for use in combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq. The 3M Lawsuit Settlement: $6 Billion Over Allegedly Defective Hearing Protection CBS News reports approximately a quarter million veterans are set to… Read more »
The Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities, or VASRD, is the VA reference for assigning disability ratings for service-connected medical conditions. It was updated in 2024. Those updates include modified ratings and criteria for some 55 medical conditions, including changes to how the VA rates certain digestive conditions. VA Secretary for Benefits Josh Jacobs, quoted… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024 season. The updated vaccines, which include an additional shot for those 65 or older, are meant to offer protection against the latest COVID variations. According to the VA official site, “Due to changes in the virus, it is important to get the updated… Read more »
Women veterans have unique healthcare needs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs Women’s Healthcare Department offers many reproductive healthcare options and services for women veterans, including sexual health, maternity care, infertility, and menopause. These VA services can improve women’s overall health and offer support at any age and stage of life. Learn more.
The House of Representatives approved full-year funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies in the first full week of March. The bill was sent to the Senate on March 8, which passed it. The funding bill was sent to the President’s desk for signature. The spending bills were signed into law… Read more »
The House of Representatives approved funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year. The funding also applies to long-delayed military construction projects. The official site for the House Appropriations Committee Chair Kaye Granger notes the passage of House Resolution 4366, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,… Read more »
The Veterans Affairs Administration (VA) made major changes in 2024 to how veterans receive their VA benefits. After April 20th, 2024, the VA requires all benefits recipients to get their VA payments via direct deposit. This change comes after a prior change by the VA. The official site includes a press release stating that “Effective… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced a revised abortion policy on March 4, 2024. The policy is listed in a Final Rule published on FederalRegister.gov, with an “effective date” of April 3, 2024. The new policy is controversial in some circles. Not all are happy with the VA’s efforts to bring the agency in line… Read more »