Six veterans received the Légion d'honneur, France's highest honor, for their service in World War II. The former servicemembers all moved to Colorado in their life after service and were rewarded at a ceremony at the state capitol in Denver. They were recognized for their roles in helping to liberate France, according to 9 News.
The award can be presented on five different levels, from Grand Cross to Knight – all the men being honored received the highest honor, and were officially knighted. Pfc. Wesley B. Ferguson, Cpl. Lawrence C. Farnan, Cpl. Joseph F. McCluggage Jr., Tech. Sgt. Charles W. Blaney and Staff Sgt. Claude John C. Corbridge all posses other honors for their service, including Purple Hearts, noted the source.
Staff Sgt. Robert Burrows was deeply humbled by the honor, especially since he had no physical combat in France. According to the source, he intended to accept the medal for all his friends and colleagues who had passed.
According to The Consulate Generale of France in Boston, the recipients of the award must meet strict criteria and are evaluated by an official committee in France. The process for selecting American soldiers is highly selective and can take months.
Now that a case of Ebola has been confirmed inside the U.S., the Coast Guard has issued new guidelines to help prevent the spread of the disease.
According to the Associated Press, these new processes will target ships that have been in and around the West African countries where the contagious illness has been spreading rapidly. Passengers on-board ships returning to U.S. ports will have to show proof that they do not have any symptoms associated with Ebola. The source noted that this system is currently being put in place for ships in the Connecticut and New York areas, and it is unclear whether it will become nationally mandated.
The first case of Ebola in the U.S. was confirmed on Sept. 30 after a man traveled from his native Liberia to Dallas, Texas, and began showing symptoms five days later, reported ABC News. Currently, there is no travel ban in effect, although people attempting to enter the U.S. from affected regions must fill out questionnaires regarding their potential exposure to the disease. If a passenger attempts to board a plane while exhibiting symptoms typical of Ebola, authorities will be notified and the patient will be quarantined, noted The Wall Street Journal.
The National Marine Corps Museum, located in Triangle, Virginia, has opened a temporary exhibit honoring those lost in 9/11.
According to Military Times, the display, which has been named "9/11 – We Remember," specifically honors the 17 New York City firefighters who were also Marines and were killed in the attacks 13 years ago.
The museum's website noted that the memorial will show actual debris from the attacks, including an I-beam and a piece of the Pentagon. It will also display a Marine Corps flag that was found standing up in the wreckage near the Pentagon after the attacks.
Military Times noted that The Fire Department of New York branch of the Marine Corps Association will hold an event on Sunday outside of the museum to honor the new memorial.
Currently, the museum has another temporary exhibit entitled "War and Peace Tintypes Show." The exhibit features Civil War-style tintype photographs of modern-day soldiers. It displays nine women and 15 men of various racial backgrounds, ages and military positions and was shot by photographer Melissa Cacciola. This exhibit will be open until December 2014.
After their son, Lance Cpl. Donald Hogan, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009, Jim and Carla Hogan found comfort in his friends from 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
According to Military Times, the couple wanted to give back to the soldiers who showed them kindness as they dealt with grief. When they asked what they could possibly send overseas to show their gratitude, the answer was overwhelming – socks, socks and more socks. Soldiers are required to purchase their own socks before deployment, and after being overseas for a while they tend to run low on their supply.
After personally buying a number of socks for these servicemembers, the Hogans founded Socks for Heroes, a nonprofit dedicated to their cause, noted the source. Since the couple began this initiative, they have helped send over 330,000 pairs of socks overseas to two Marine Infantry Battalions, many Marine Support Units and Army Units.
According to the organization's Facebook page, the group partners with retailers to cheaply provide large amounts of black and brown socks to soldiers. Socks for Heroes is located out of San Clemente, California, and is always looking for volunteers and donations.
Over the next year, the Obama administration will put $270 million toward ending veteran homelessness, according to The Washington Post.
This funding comes as part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' initiative to find housing for all veterans by the end of 2015. According to the VA, it will be combining resources dedicated to housing assistance, mental and physical health care and job training to get former servicemembers off the street.
The Post noted that in the past week, the VA announced it would be giving $207 million to programs that would help 70,000 veterans and their families find permanent housing. This money would also help vets in danger of losing their homes stay in their current residences. The VA will give an additional $62 million to the cause, in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds will be used for a rental-assistance program.
With the addition of this money, the VA will have given more than $1 billion this year toward the fight against veteran homelessness, according to The Post. The source noted that rates of homeless veterans have been steadily decreasing since efforts to help soldiers in their life after service increased in 2010. Numbers have dropped 33 percent and continue to decline.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors has increased its efforts to help families of fallen soldiers receive the benefits they are entitled to.
According to Military Times, spouses and children of deceased servicemembers are often unaware of the educational benefits they are eligible to receive, and because of this end up forgoing higher education or drowning in student loan debt. TAPS has created a Web page to guide survivors through the process of applying for scholarships and grants.
TAPS was created in 1992 by current CEO Bonnie Carroll. Her husband, a member of the Army, passed away in a plane crash and she founded the organization in an effort to help others in similar situations. The group offers emotional support groups, community workshops and even summer camps for families who have lost a soldier. According to Military Times, TAPS works closely with the Veterans Affairs Department and 45 U.S. states, as well as private companies and scholarship funds that hope to help military children and spouses.
The educational initiative began in January 2014 and has already assisted 420 surviving family members receive funding for school, noted the source.
A new tribute to servicemembers, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, will be recognized in a ceremony on Oct. 5.
According to The Washington Post, the tribute has been built to honor veterans who have been physically and mentally wounded from war. The memorial's website noted that its construction has been in the works since 1997, when veterans' advocates realized that Washington, D.C., while filled with memorials, was missing one that recognized soldiers disabled due to combat.
They set out to create a place that recognized the sacrifices of all branches of the armed forces throughout the entire history of the U.S. For over a decade, the team has been going through the 24-step process of establishing a memorial in Washington. On Sunday, their efforts will finally come to fruition.
The Post noted that the memorial will consist of a reflecting pool surrounded by granite and glass panels with 18 quotes meant to summarize and honor the struggles faced by veterans throughout history.
The tribute is located in the heart of the nation's capital, next to the U.S. Botanic Garden. After Sunday's ceremony, it will officially be open to the public.
U.S. soldiers prepare to head to Liberia this month to help in the ongoing fight against Ebola. The Pentagon announced on Sept. 30 that they anticipate landing in the West African nation by late October, according to Stars and Stripes.
The troops will be divided into groups focusing on different tasks. A team of 700 combat engineers will work to construct 17 new Ebola treatment facilities. The rest of the servicemembers will be responsible for preparation and helping African medical personnel, noted Stars and Stripes.
Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids. American troops will not offer medical treatment or have any contact with individuals infected by the virus, according to Military Times. Soldiers will be trained in how to protect themselves from contracting the disease before they are deployed.
Stars and Stripes noted that U.S. troops are estimated to remain in Liberia for at least six months.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this outbreak of Ebola is the largest in history and is considered an epidemic. The World Health Organization reported that there have been 3,000 deaths from the outbreak so far and nearly 7,000 people have been infected.
Almost 50 years ago, Virginia native Larry F. Freeman helped save the lives of nine people while fighting in Vietnam. He received the prestigious Silver Star award for his actions on Sept. 28.
According to Military Times, the Silver Star is the third-highest award for valor. Freeman was given the medal at the convention center in Tennessee where he often reunites with fellow veterans. Family and friends were present to see him receive the overdue honor.
It has been a long road for Freeman to finally have his actions recognized. Pilot Online noted that he was originally nominated in 1966, but issues with paperwork prevented the request from being submitted. Because of his outstanding actions in Vietnam, however, members of his platoon pursued the honor on his behalf again, starting the process in 2005.
Freeman's platoon, Alpha Company of the 1st Bn, 27th Infantry Regiment, started July 19, 1966, with 33 people and ended the day with only nine. According to Military Times, Freeman played an influential role in saving those nine lives. He also received a Purple Heart award because of the wounds he sustained during this day, noted the source.
The Army has implemented a competitive program for enlisted servicemembers who want to become physician assistants.
According to Army Times, this new training will be extremely long and demanding, even by Army standards. It will consist of two phases over the course of 116 weeks. Successful completion of the course will result in a master's degree in medical care, courtesy of the University of Nebraska.
According to the United States Army Recruiting Command, well-qualified officers, enlisted soldiers and warrant officers are welcome to apply to receive the PA degree. Soldiers with more than 13 years of federal active service and officers with more than seven years of federal active service as of 2016 are not eligible. Regular Army servicemembers who intend to participate must be set to complete the training before their 42nd birthday. Members of the Army Reserves must do so before their 47th birthday.
If accepted, servicemembers will spend 64 weeks at the Army Medical Department Center and School in Houston, Texas, for classes. They will then be placed at an Army medical facility for a year-long clinical, reported Army Times.
Graduates of the PA program will have a 54-month service obligation if they are regular Army servicemembers and eight year obligation if they are from the Army Reserves.