Iowa has launched an initiative to connect veterans with potential employers in their life after service. Named "Home Base Iowa," the act was signed into law in May 2014 and includes tax breaks for former servicemembers.
According to Military Times, eligible Iowa-based veterans can now pay no state income tax on their military pensions and obtain civilian licenses for skills they acquired in the military. They can also get a $5,000 grant toward buying a house, and have the home assessed for $1,850 less than its worth, for tax purposes.
The Home Base website features a customizable job search where veterans can search for positions by their military duties. There is also updated information about job fairs and job-search strategies. Military Times reported that there is even a singular email address where soldiers can send their resume and have it forwarded to military-friendly employers throughout the state. Currently, hundreds of organizations are participating, and have helped find work for over 600 veterans.
"What we're doing in Iowa can be an example of what other states can do. We look at it as a win-win for the veteran, for the companies and also for the communities in which they locate," Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad told Military Times.
A Nov. 14 fire at Emmanuel House, a nonprofit veterans' residence in Detroit, Michigan, left four former servicemembers without homes. Helpful officials at the state's AmeriCorps chapter, however, helped the men find a rental home.
According to the Detroit News, the four men who had been living in the transitional home had experienced hardships before, as all of them had post-traumatic stress disorder. One of the residents, 63-year-old David Addison, had been homeless before receiving a spot in the home, which helps veterans transition to independent living.
It was Ben Elliott, 46, who noticed flames and smoke upon arriving home. He alerted his roommates, and the residents attempted to stop the fire in order to save the two service dogs living in the house. Fortunately, all of the men were spared, in addition to Cookie, the dog who belonged to Elliott. The other pet, Little Man, was lost in the flames, as were nearly all of the veterans' belongings, reported Detroit News.
Macomb Daily News explained that AmeriCorps veterans resource navigator Bill Mowder heard about the situation and decided to see what he could do to help. As an Air Force veteran who served in both the Vietnam and Gulf wars, he took a strong interest in assisting the men. He located a rental property in the city and contacted the owner, who happened to be a Navy veteran himself. He not only agreed to rent to the group of former soldiers, but offered to install new appliances. The men moved in immediately, gaining a new roommate as well as a new dog.
"It's got some quirks and we're getting used to it. But it's got a backyard for Cookie and that's something we really like," Elliott told the Detroit News.
A soldier who displayed heroic actions during World War I is one step closer to being awarded the Medal of Honor. Though this award must typically be issued within five years of the brave act, Elsie Shemin-Roth is seeking an exception for her father, who was denied the medal because of his Jewish heritage, according to Military Times.
Remembering bravery
According to Military Times, Shemin, the New Jersey-born child of Russian immigrants, joined the Army at age 18, and was immediately sent to France. It was during a bloody battle in 1918 that the then 19-year-old displayed outstanding courage. While American soldiers were being taken down left and right, the servicemember sprang into action, opening fire on enemy troops and leading his platoon to safety over the course of three days. Military Times noted that he was eventually struck in the helmet by German gunfire, which put him in the hospital for a few months, and diminished his hearing for the rest of his life. The shrapnel-induced wounds he sustained throughout this mission also affected his long-term health, making him practically unable to walk toward the end of his life.
A long road to recognition
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that it has been a 12-year process for Shemin-Roth, the now 85-year-old resident of Webster Groves, Missouri. Though her father had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1919, the second-highest military honor, she knew his actions were worthy of the Medal of Honor. When she heard that a number of Jewish WWII veterans were having their awards reviewed for upgrades due to discrimination at the time they were issued, she decided to pursue the same for her father, who passed away in 1973.
In 2011, she was able to pass the William Shemin Jewish World War I Veterans Act, which gives a one-year window for people to re-submit cases similar to her father's – though the review process comes with very strict rules. For example, there needs to be eyewitness accounts available for the award committee to look over, something that can be difficult to find with cases that occurred decades, or even centuries, ago. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that luckily for Shemin-Roth, her father had kept a plethora of war documents during his life after service, including six detailed accounts from his colleagues who saw him risk his life to save others.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that while Shemin would not qualify for the medal under current military standards, he more than proved himself based on 1919 guidelines. Many people received the award for committing a singular heroic act, while records prove that Shemin committed multiple. Most of the people who have reviewed his file believe he should have been given the honor back then, and hope that he will be recognized for his service soon. The final decision will be made by President Obama.
"I am just so pleased that we are finally going down the homestretch," Shemin-Roth told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Victims of the 2009 shooting at the Fort Hood military base in Texas could soon be eligible to receive Purple Heart Awards – an honor typically reserved for soldiers injured in combat.
According to the Military Times, the attack was the worst a U.S. military base has ever experienced. It was carried out by former Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, who injured over 30 people and killed 13. The majority of the shooting took place in a processing center, so most of the victims were about to embark on missions in Afghanistan or Iraq, or had just returned from these war zones. Many of the servicemembers affected by the shooting discovered in their recovery process that they were ineligible for a plethora of medical benefits and heroic awards, since their injuries were not sustained in overseas combat, reported The Wall Street Journal.
Bipartisan support from a number of officials, however, could change these policies for the victims of this horrific shooting. Military Times noted that a bill to include those impacted by the Fort Hood attack as eligible candidates for Purple Hearts recently passed in the House and is on its way to the Senate. If the bill is signed into law, the Department of Defense will review records from the event and decide which victims qualify for the prestigious award. The source reported that those awarded, or the families of deceased recipients, will also receive compensation, something that could greatly assist with ongoing medical bills and other financial issues that resulted from the shooting.
Military Times noted that while it is rare, Purple Heart rules have been adjusted in the case of past tragedies. Victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families, for example, were able to receive the award and its benefits.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama attended a Washington, D.C., event hosted by the Marine Corps in partnership with Toys for Tots.
According to a press release from the Department of Defense, the fundraiser – which aimed to collect toys for underprivileged children – was held at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. While Mrs. Obama has attended the event for the past six years, this was the president's first visit to the annual charity affair. Obama made a point to attend this year to thank the troops for not only protecting the country, but improving it from the inside as well.
In his speech, the president acknowledged that since Toys for Tots began in 1947 it has delivered almost 500 million toys to over 200 million children, noted USA Today. The release reported that the Marine Corps has actively partnered with the charity since 1995.
During his speech, the president took a moment to acknowledge the sacrifices made by U.S. servicemembers.
"With our combat mission coming to a close in Afghanistan, it means more of our extraordinary military members are going to be home for the holidays, back where they belong," stated Obama, according to the release.
Virginia Values Veterans, or V3, a program started by the state in an effort to eradicate unemployment during life after service, has successfully paired 1,450 former servicemembers with jobs between July and October 2014.
According to Augusta Free Press, Virginia's veteran employment efforts have been paying off. The state is home to 550,000 former servicemembers, as well as the highest labor force participation rate for this demographic in the nation, at almost 70 percent. Much of this is due to the success of V3, which started in 2012 and was the first state-sponsored program of its kind. Over 200 Virginia employers promised to use the initiative to collectively hire 8,150 returning soldiers. WDBJ 7 noted that so far, over 6,600 jobs have been given to veterans through V3.
Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John C. Harvey Jr. has made it clear that V3's mission is his top priority. According to Augusta Free Press, he sees the hiring initiative as a positive thing for both soldiers looking to adapt to civilian life and employers looking to gain staff with leadership skills who know how to work hard.
"Hiring veterans isn't just simply the right moral thing to do; it's the right business thing to do," he told the source.
Body Labs, a 3-D body modeling company, is using its state-of-the-art software to see how armor for female soldiers can be redesigned for a better fit. In addition to being uncomfortable, ill-fitting military garb can leave body parts exposed and vulnerable, making well-tailored armor absolutely crucial to the lives of female troops.
CNN reported that Body Labs, a company based out of New York City, recently signed a two-year, $825,000 deal with U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center to design better protective combat clothing for women. Current items worn by women in the military were designed with the goal of being unisex, but fit the torsos of male soldiers far better than female soldiers.
According to Forbes magazine, the company is using data gathered by Brown University. Researchers took scans of a variety of women, all of different shapes and sizes, striking a plethora of active poses. The 12-person Body Labs team assigned to this project uses algorithms to create 3-D models of female soldiers, allowing them to customize their designs more closely. While each woman soldier will not receive a completely custom-fitted uniform, Body Labs specialists will be able to create a better shape based on average measurements and body part ratios.
CNN noted that this initiative is the latest in a series of pushes toward fully integrating women into the armed forces, something officials are hoping to achieve by 2016. Currently, there are 71,000 active female soldiers – far too many troops to justify them heading to the front lines in ill-fitting armor. Beyond military apparel, Body Labs hopes to improve the fit of civilian clothing and athletic apparel using its unique 3-D model approach.
According to the Washington Post, a new initiative is being launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to attract veterans to farm work in their life after service.
The program, named the Returning Veterans to Agriculture project, comes as the average age of America's farmers rests at 58. Officials are hoping to encourage younger people to get involved with this important – and rapidly declining – career. Newsweek reported that, ideally, this push could attract at least 100,000 new farmers over the next few years.
Online resources encourage veterans to choose agriculture
The program's website launched 12 months ago, and serves as a resource for former servicemembers looking to get into agriculture. The Washington Post reported that it is filled with information about USDA loans, public and private sector job announcements, as well as posts from Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. The page has been used by 6,000 veterans and receives 750 unique hits per month.
The website also includes information about the 2014 Farm Bill, noted Newsweek. The legislation allows veteran ranchers and farmers with facilities under 10 years old to receive financial aid from the government to get their operations off the ground. Officials hope that certain elements of the bill, like lowered interest rates on repairs, fuel and livestock, will encourage veterans to get into the industry.
If veterans support agriculture, agriculture can support veterans
The initiative was spearheaded by Al Muñoz, a project manager in USDA's Office of the Chief Information Officer. According to the Washington Post, Muñoz created the site mostly on his own time, using a preexisting Web platform and at no cost to the USDA. His passion for the cause motivated him to seek out the resources necessary to make the site happen.
While Muñoz had served in the military himself, his veteran daughter's experience as she attempted to reassimilate to civilian life was the driving force behind the site development. The Washington Post reported that her struggles to find herself on a successful career path inspired the project manager to help other soldiers facing similar challenges.
Newsweek reported that, just like Muñoz, government officials are hopeful that agriculture will help with the high unemployment rates among young veterans. Many of these servicemembers also experience mental and emotional challenges, like post-traumatic stress disorder, that make it difficult for them to adapt to professional life. While there is no scientific evidence that farming helps these disorders, a plethora of personal testimonies and groups like the Farmer Veteran Coalition claim that the trade has helped ease the difficult transition back to civilian life while providing a steady income to former servicemembers.
The U.S. jobs report for November, recently released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed a large increase in the country's payroll. This growth positively impacted the employment situation for post-9/11 veterans, a demographic whose jobless rates have been high in recent years.
According to Military Times, the unemployment rate for veterans of recent wars fell to 5.7 percent for November, which is .1 percent below the national average. This number fell significantly since October, when it was at 7.2 percent. While this leap is a dramatically positive expansion, an upward trend has been going on in this demographic for the past 12 months. At the beginning of 2014, the post-9/11 veteran unemployment rate exceeded 9 percent. By May, it hit a historic low of 5.3 percent. Though it went up slightly during the summer, its recent improvement shows signs of future hiring increases.
The unemployment rate for this group of former servicemembers is higher than the overall average of veteran joblessness. Currently, 4.5 percent of all veterans are looking for work in their life after service. A variety of social and economical factors affect these young veterans' ability to find a job, noted U.S. News & World Report.
"While more must still be done to help these veterans find work, progress has been made. The unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans has been cut by more than 4 percentage points from its peak," wrote Jason Furman for the White House Blog.
Veterans in Texas looking to join the civilian workforce in their life after service will soon have a helpful new online resource.
According to the Killeen Daily Herald, the Texas Workforce Commission will soon unveil its new page, dubbed Texas Wide Open For Veterans. It is intended to help connect unemployed veterans with employers looking to hire a retired servicemember. The TWC partnered with the Texas Veterans Commission for this initiative, which hopes to significantly boost employment among the Lone Star state's sizeable military population.
Currently, there are 300,000 veterans in Texas under the age of 40, reported the Killeen Daily Herald. Overall, the state is home to 1.7 million retired soldiers, making it second in the nation behind California. The source noted that this is set to change very soon – Texas has 15 active duty and reserve bases, and many soldiers remain in state even after their service is over.
A press release noted that the site will not only be a useful job search tool for veterans and a helpful resource for employers. It will also feature instructions and advice for servicemembers on how to get job training, further their education and even helpful tips on where to look for housing and fun activities to participate in while living in the Lone Star state.
"After serving our country, service members deserve the best prospects in employment and education as they transition into civilian life, and they will find that in Texas. The commitment the state of Texas has made to our veterans is proven time and again through career, educational and entrepreneur opportunities as well as the programs and services available," Texas Veterans Commission Chair Eliseo Cantu Jr. said in the release.