The Air Force's explosive ordinance disposal mission in Afghanistan is officially over. The U.S. branch of service has been a presence in the country for the past 12 years, assisting with Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
According to Military Times, EOD airmen first began their service on Sept. 27, 2002, and went on to complete missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The Air Force noted that throughout their time overseas EOD servicemembers responded to nearly 20,000 improvised explosive devices and completed just under 56,000 missions.
Over 100 Purple Hearts have been awarded to EOD soldiers in the past 12 years. The Air Force lost 20 airmen during this time, eight while serving in Iraq and 12 in Afghanistan.
"Knowing we didn't accomplish this alone, I think about our families, their sacrifices, keeping the home front going, growing up with dad or mom (in several cases both) gone on multiple trips to the AOR (area of responsibility) and the stress they went through," said Chief Master Sgt. Martin Cortez, EOD career field manager, in an American Forces Press Service article.
Military Times reported that the last airmen returned to a base in Florida on Sept. 14.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, will begin work on a research initiative to look at non-opioid treatment options for servicemembers. According to The Washington Post, the research will span the next five years and cost $21.7 million. The initiative will involve 13 separate research projects.
The NIH reported that the studies will be done in an effort to help soldiers dealing with both physical pain and mental health issues such as problems sleeping, post-traumatic stress disorder and even substance abuse during life after service.
According to the Post, most soldiers returning from war with these issues are being given opioids, which are linked to troubling side effects and can be highly addictive. The NIH noted that since 44 percent of soldiers report having to manage chronic pain post-deployment, finding safe and healthy treatments is essential. Some of the alternative medical procedures that will be researched include meditation, hypnosis and the use of chiropractors and morning light.
Funding for the projects will come from the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and National Institute on Drug Abuse and the VA's Health Services Research and Development Division.
Newman's Own Awards gave a total of $200,000 to five programs dedicated to helping servicemembers, veterans and their families.
The award money doubled from last year's prize of $100,000 thanks to an increased donation from The Fisher House Foundation, an organization committed to helping armed forces families.
According to Military Times, the winners were selected from 288 entries. Awards will be given to a program that teaches veterans entrepreneurship, two organizations devoted to helping military children, a veteran dental care program and a group that helps struggling veterans find housing. The housing program, Operation Warm Embrace, received the highest award at $50,000, while the other programs received $37,500 each.
The awards were presented in a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, presented the donations and gave a speech.
"There is power in what you do. It can be big or small, but there's power in it," he remarked, according to Military Times.
The Fisher House Foundation noted that the entries are judged by seven officials who look for innovation, creativity and how much of a positive impact the organizations have had on their respective communities. The contest began in 1999 and has since honored 158 programs, giving out $1,125,000.
A report just released by the Disabled American Veterans highlights the lack of services available that are geared toward female servicemembers.
According to Military Times, the amount of female veterans in the U.S. has more than doubled in the past 14 years. Numbers are expected to increase by as much as 11 percent by the year 2020. Veterans Affairs has done little to keep up with this gender shift – the source reported that almost a quarter of VA medical facilities do not have a full-time gynecologist. Many institutions helping rural veterans don't even have a designated provider for women's health care.
The Wall Street Journal noted that many women face obstacles that men will never experience, such as the need for adjusted prosthetics during pregnancy. Female soldiers are also more likely to require care for mental health issues post-war, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The source noted that female veterans have a higher unemployment rate than male veterans, and are therefore more likely to seek medical services through the VA.
Military Times noted that female veterans are also more likely to be single parents, be divorced and be younger in their life after service than male veterans, all factors that need to be taken into account when figuring out how to move forward with adapting veteran care. The DAV report makes numerous suggestions on how the VA can begin this adaptation.
A new program being developed by the Army Research Laboratory and using Microsoft's Kinect video game technology has turned regular sandboxes into 3-D maps. According to Marine Corps Times, it is being called augmented reality sand, and will be used to create topographical maps of battle areas.
Tech website DVIDSHub.net noted that the system made an appearance at the Modern Day Marine expo in Quantico, Virginia. According to the source, augmented reality sand takes existing processes to a new level. While military branches have used sand tables to plan tactics for years, the addition of the video game software will increase precision immeasurably. Kinect technology is shown on sand using a projector, and color codes the areas based on elevation, making it easy to create a detailed and customizable interactive map.
Marine Corps Times reported that officials hope the system will help with obstacles such as language barriers: Showing foreign soldiers small-scale maps of their terrain will eliminate having to explain complicated measurements. According to the source, if the augmented reality sand proves efficient, it could translate into larger scale projects, for example, filling a full-size gym for training exercises, or smaller scale projects like mobile applications. Currently, the program is being researched and developed.
The photograph of a soldier kissing a nurse in Times Square, snapped on Aug.15, 1945, is often seen as a symbol for the end of World War II. The sculpture version, created by artist Seward Johnson, is making a visit to Normandy, France, where it will remain for a year, reported Military Times.
According to CBS News, the photo featured George Mendonsa, a WWII sailor, and Greta Friedman, a dental assistant who, on her lunch break, had stumbled upon the jubilant end-of-war celebration. The two didn't know each other, but Mendonsa, who mistook Friedman as a nurse in her white uniform, planted a kiss on her anyway. The photo was published in Life magazine, and the two reconnected again in 1980, more than 30 years after the image was captured, noted the source.
The sculptural rendition of the now classic image, which is owned by the nonprofit organization the Sculpture Foundation, stands at 25 feet and is made of bronze, noted Military Times. While the original photo is black and white, the statue is in full color. It will stand outside the Caen Museum, an institution memorializing WWII.
After undergoing nearly $10 million worth of construction, the building that formerly housed San Francisco's Stanford Hotel is set to become a residence for 130 homeless veterans. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the renovated residence is part of the city's initiative to decrease the amount of veterans living on the streets by June of next year.
According to the Chronicle, the city is set to lease the home, which features single rooms, for $2 million per year, and that 73 percent of the cost will be handled by the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Veterans will need to be clean of addictions and complete a survey before qualifying for the new residence, reported the source. They will also be held accountable for paying 30 percent of their monthly rent. The facility will offer its residents private bathrooms, Internet access, jacks for phone and cable and access to social workers. The Chronicle also noted that 10 units are reserved for veterans with specific handicaps.
According to Military Times, the number of homeless veterans across the nation has been steadily declining. The source reported that research for 2014 showed that there are just under 50,000 homeless veterans across the country. This number has been cut by 25,000 since 2010. The federal government is hoping that projects like the one in San Francisco can be implemented in other U.S. cities to eradicate homelessness in life after service.
A new initiative to help veterans find employment was announced recently by the Obama administration. The plan will involve an existing job training program called the Solar Instructor Training Network, which educates people on how to install energy-efficient solar panels, according to WhiteHouse.gov.
The program
This training program will be introduced to 30 active soldiers this fall. It will then be expanded to train veterans. WhiteHouse.gov reported that the goal of the program is to prepare servicemembers for careers in the growing solar industry, helping reduce veteran unemployment rates while helping the environment.
The program will teach participants how to size solar panels, install them, link electricity to the grid and even understand local building codes. WhiteHouse.gov noted that major solar industry organizations, such as SunPower, SolarCity and Vivint Solar, have already pledged to offer interview opportunities to servicemembers who successfully complete the course.
Veteran unemployment
This initiative comes at a necessary time – post 9/11 veteran unemployment percentages currently exceed the national average. Roughly 7 percent of these former servicemembers are without work, versus 6.1 percent of people nationally, according to Army Times. While numbers have been declining recently, veterans still often face trouble finding a job in their life after service.
Northern California's King fire, which started on Sept. 13, has grown to be roughly the size of Atlanta, according to The Weather Channel.
The blaze is estimated to be 18 percent contained. Cooler temperatures and light rain over the weekend helped officials make progress, but an anticipated heat wave has them hoping they can keep up, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.
There are currently 5,000 firefighters working around the clock to contain the flames. According to CBS Sacramento, every firefighter is doing 12-hour shifts using carefully mapped out Incident Action Plans. They are committed to keeping the fire from spreading as well as keeping residents safe.
The Weather Channel reported that 87,000 acres have already been burned. While most of this damage has taken place in remote locations like Eldorado National Forest and Tahoe National Forest, 10 houses have been destroyed and 12,000 are considered threatened reported the Chronicle.
While the King fire may seem insurmountable, firefighters and officials remain optimistic. Firefighter spokesman Mike McMillan told CBS Sacramento that they have been successful in pushing flames away from residential areas and further into the wilderness, where they are easier to deal with.
"In this area we feel pretty good about the progress we're making. We've got some water going right to this," he said.
A recent survey released by Blue Star Families in partnership with Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families shows the current challenges faced by today's servicemembers and their relatives. About 6,200 people took part in the survey, including active servicemembers, armed forces family members and veterans.
Blue Star, a nonprofit, aims to shed light on the difficulties faced by military families in order to better understand how to empower and help them.
The White House praised the work done by the group, which was formed in 2009. According to WhiteHouse.gov, the organization has been influential in helping military families all across the country build connections with one another. The group also puts on fundraisers to provide a variety of services to military families – from children's books to discounted theater tickets.
This year marks the fifth Blue Star survey, and it increased the focus on financial issues, mental health and the difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life. Topping the list of concerns were military lifestyle uncertainty, military spouse employment, impact of deployment on military children, changes to retirement benefits and military pay and benefits, according to the survey results.
The survey revealed some uplifting facts as well. For example, 80 percent of military couples report being very happy with their spouses, and 60 percent indicated that the military lifestyle has taught their children adaptability skills.