Travis Mills, a veteran who lost his limbs serving in Afghanistan, received a new handicap-accessible home, reported Military Times.
The house, which takes into account Mills' needs for his prosthetic limbs, comes courtesy of Building for America's Bravest. The organization, which is a subsidiary of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, raises money to provide injured servicemembers with custom "smart houses" in their life after service, or homes with automated features that can be controlled via iPad. The Stephen Siller Foundation was created in memory of a firefighter who died saving civilians on Sept. 11, 2001. Ten years later, BFAB was created to give a comfortable residence to Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco, the first quadruple amputee to survive.
Mills sustained his injuries in 2012, when during his third tour of duty in Afghanistan he survived an IED attack, noted Military Times.
According to the source, Mills' home comes equipped with features like extra-wide hallways, elevators and special cabinets with motion sensors. The home is located in the town of Manchester, Maine. The source reported that the Mills family recently began their own nonprofit organization, the Travis Mills Organization. The foundation is currently working toward building a National Veterans Family Center in Maine.
On Oct. 17, Gen. Joe Dunford will officially be in control of the Marine Corps as the 36th commandant following a ceremony. The inaugural event will take place at Marine Barracks Washington.
According to Marine Corps Times, the ceremony will be formal and include remarks from high-ranking officials and a performance by "The President's Own" Marine Band.
Dunford is also known by the nickname Fighting Joe, which he earned serving in Iraq in 2003, when he was in charge of Regimental Combat Team-5. He was also listed as No. 8 in Fortune magazine's list of 50 greatest world leaders. A former Marine commandant told the magazine that Dunford "is probably the most complete warrior-statesman wearing a uniform today."
Dunford is familiar with his new position – he recently spent two years as assistant commandant. He was also the commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, leading both U.S. and allied troops, reported Marine Corps Times.
He will be replacing Gen. Jim Amos, who has spent the past 42 years in the Marine Corps and was the first Marine Corps aviator to become commandant. He held the position for four years, and will be entering retirement, noted the source.
Now that multiple cases of the Ebola virus have been confirmed in the U.S., the nation's first responders are gearing up to deal with the illness. While government officials have clearly stated that the risk of the virus becoming an epidemic within the country is extremely low, these emergency workers will be prepared to handle anything.
New York City
Because of its status as an international city, as well as being a typical point of entry to the U.S. from people all over the world, NYC has started taking preventative measures against Ebola. According to ABC 7 News New York, first responders at area airports have been given "High-Risk Kits," which contain biohazard bags, disinfecting wipes, face and eye masks, gloves and a gown. First responders will be called in to deal with airline passengers displaying symptoms of the contagious virus and will need this protective gear to prevent the spread of the disease. Special training has been given to ambulance workers in the region, with special instructions on how to deal with emergencies involving people who recently traveled to West Africa, where the Ebola outbreak began, noted the source.
Washington, D.C.
First responders in the nation's capital have also been involved in thorough training, with the city's officials regularly issuing memos reminding workers what to do in the event they encounter the disease. According to ABC 7 News, every emergency medical technician in the region has been equipped with hazard-prevention suits including boots, gowns and respirator masks. Nearby Dulles International Airport in Virginia will start Ebola screenings for symptomatic passengers, noted the source.
Chicago
According to NBC Chicago, the city's O'Hare International Airport is a popular destination for people traveling from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, the West African nations greatly affected by the Ebola outbreak. Because of this, first responders will screen any passengers arriving from these countries. In addition to asking them questions about their potential interactions with infected people, they will take their temperatures. Anybody showing any evidence of Ebola-like symptoms will immediately be quarantined and taken to an area hospital, reported the source.
After the Department of Veterans Affairs' recent scandal involving long wait times and poor patient care, the government organization is under pressure to make staff adjustments.
According to CNN, the decision-making process of which major officials will be fired has already begun. In addition to the deputy chief procurement director, program directors in Alabama, Georgia and Pittsburgh face being cut. A new law that was signed by President Obama this summer gives firing power to the VA secretary, Robert McDonald.
Since these speculated firing announcements were made, two of these professionals have already retired, according to Military Times. While some point the finger at McDonald, he pointed out that he cannot force employees to remain in their positions simply so they can receive disciplinary action.
Moving forward toward a better VA, McDonald has already begun recruiting qualified staff members through a tour to medical schools and local hospitals across the nation. The organization is looking to take thousands of new employees on board to make up for the long wait times and lack of attention that led to the death and illness of many veterans seeking care in their life after service. Military Times reported that the organization has already decided upon a higher pay scale for both doctors and nurses in order to attract reliable and well-qualified candidates.
As a part of the Soldier Enhancement Program, Army members will be involved in testing potential new gear in both Hawaii and Alaska.
According to Military Times, this program is in place to help test the quality of readily available gear instead of developing new gear, saving the service time and money.
As winter approaches, servicemembers will be examining the efficiency of cold-weather gear in Alaska. Items like stoves, tentage, gloves and sleep systems will be put to the test in the freezing temperatures. According to a statement made by Col. Tim Wallace, head of the SEP, at the Association of the United States Army's annual exposition, the military branch is in dire need of quality cold-weather items. He described the Army's current inventory as "very old."
The tropical climate tests will include trying out water purification systems, uniforms made from fast-drying material, uniforms with fewer pockets and a variety of new lightweight boot designs. These new products are being tested for troops who may deploy to humid, jungle regions such as Southeast Asia, noted the source. These trials, which will be done in Hawaii, are expected to begin January 2015.
A recent report issued by Military Times revealed the top technical and career colleges in the nation for veterans.
The publication reached out to a variety of post-secondary institutions and asked them to fill out a survey detailing their relationship with and services for former servicemembers. Factors included in the survey ranged from financial aid and academic reputation to the overall culture of the school. While a college report will be released next month, these findings focused on institutions committed to taking technical skills learned in the military and helping veterans apply them to a stable career in their life after service.
The top-rated school was Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico. The school accepts American Council on Education-recommended credits, meaning it offers some academic credit for military service. It also costs within the tuition assistance program cap, which means that its per-credit-hour cost does not exceed $250. Additionally, no post-9/11 GI Bill recipient at Santa Fe CC had to pay more than what that bill accounts for, making it an affordable option.
The school was also rated highly in terms of academic and staff support, extracurricular activities and student-to-faculty ratio.
Other highly rated institutions included Fayetteville Technical Community College in North Carolina, Virginia College and Golf Academy of America in Alabama, The Los Angeles Film School in California and Thomas Nelson Community College in Virginia.
Two months ago, a report issued by the Merit Systems Protection Board cited a growing concern among civilians that veteran hiring practices within the federal government were contributing to an excess of under qualified staff members. According to the report, 6.5 percent of federal workers saw the hiring practice as being unfairly advantageous for veterans.
According to Military Times, the current standard gives preference to former servicemembers due to their military experience and takes into account war-induced injuries. These hiring rules have contributed to the employment of many veterans. The source reported that one-third of federal workers are veterans.
National Commander of the American Legion Michael Helm disagrees with the idea that a veteran's preference is unfair. He noted that while civilians have years to gain professional experience, veterans often spend those formative years on the front lines. Adding weight to their applications evens out their sparse resumes, many of which only include military service.
In a press release issued by the American Legion, Helm said, "To any civilian workers who have problems with veterans preference, The American Legion's message is simple: Become a veteran. Those who have served in uniform have earned such preference."
A group of 95 World War II veterans recently flew from Michigan to Washington, D.C., to view the memorial dedicated to their service.
The journey was part of the "Legends Flight" initiative, which aims to send Michigan-based veterans to the nation's capital at no charge to them. The flights are supported via donations and volunteers eager to connect former servicemembers with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, according to the Muskegon Chronicle.
The vets arrived early in the morning, and were taken to the Air Force Memorial for an opening speech and the singing of the national anthem. They were then brought to the Vietnam and Korean War memorials, the Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where they watched the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Eventually, the men were taken to the World War II Memorial, where they spent most of the time reflecting at the Michigan monument, noted the Muskegon Chronicle.
After a long day remembering their sacrifices, the men returned to Michigan that night. According to the source, many of the men had never been to Washington, D.C., before, and were humbled by the experience.
While there are a number of services and benefits available for military families, many of them do not know how to access them – or that they exist at all.
On Tuesday, the Department of Defense Military Readiness Council met with Congress to discuss this issue and how to overcome it, according to Military Times. This council, which is comprised of military spouses, DoD officials, reserve component members and representatives of military family support organizations, wants to make sure the loved ones of servicemembers are getting all the help they are eligible to receive.
Military Times reported that the council wants to see more DoD officials reaching out to military families during the transition to life after service – a time when many people feel lost and could benefit from a number of social, financial and medical services. They also requested that communication practices be reevaluated, since current processes have proved inadequate for delivering important information. They are requesting a push toward a more social media-driven, technological mode of communication.
While this meeting discussed the goals of the council, they will officially submit a report to Congress early next year.
As the Ebola epidemic in Liberia continues to spread, the Department of Defense extended the speculated time U.S. servicemembers will spend helping in Liberia from six months to one year. They have also increased the number of troops from 3,000 to 4,000, noted Military Times.
While the highly contagious disease has been rampant in West Africa since the summer, measures are being taken to eliminate the risk of American soldiers contracting the virus. Although the troops will be housed in tent cities, their food and water will be tightly monitored. Military Times reported that, as of now, U.S. servicemembers will not be in direct contact with Ebola patients, but will be working to construct health facilities and help existing medical workers. The source noted that U.S. officials are open to changing the roles of these soldiers as the situation evolves.
According to Politico, a select few Americans who are trained in chemical and biological warfare will be interacting with the virus in controlled lab settings. These troops will be in charge of diagnosing patients whose symptoms also resemble malaria or the flu in order to expedite necessary isolation and treatment. The source noted that if a servicemember does contract the disease, he or she will be taken home to be quarantined and treated in an American hospital.