Advocacy groups, federal agencies and other entities have long asserted that veterans need a little more support when it comes to entering higher education following their service in the military. At the same time, officials and private sector giants alike will often argue that veterans are exceptional students and strong candidates for employment after graduating. Students and nonprofits in Chicago and Boston have been highly active in trying to support the veterans in their communities. 

At the high school level
ABC 7, a Chicago-based affiliate, recently reported that high school students in the West Englewood area of the city have completed a project to convert a parking lot into a meditation garden that was specifically built with veterans in mind. According to the news provider, the group of students thought that it would be good to establish a place where veterans could go to take a deep breath, reflect, and "find peace."

Suffice it to say that the project was a success right from the start. 

"All these guys are from different parts of the city, and I met them here at this garden, so the fellowship with these veterans has been awesome," Ronald Stacy, a veteran, told the source. 

Interestingly, ABC 7 noted that the actual design for the meditation space came from the minds of students at the Lindblom Math and Science Academy, while those involved felt as though it was a cause worth fighting for. 

"A lot of people don't really know what they've suffered through and what they're suffering now, so having this space that's kind of dedicated to them I felt was something necessary," Danica Jayco, an architectural student at the school, explained to ABC 7. 

Establishing an environment in which veterans can meet comfortably and share peaceful moments is just one of the countless initiatives that have been launched within communities across the nation in the past few years. A nonprofit organization in Boston just announced a strategy of its own to assist veterans in higher education. 

Athletic re-acclimation
The Boston Globe reported that Athletes of Valor, a startup based in neighboring Cambridge, has begun work to help veterans get involved in athletics at their chosen universities. Perhaps not all that surprisingly, leaders of the nonprofit believe that this would be a mutually beneficial pursuit for both the veteran community and higher education athletics programs. 

"We feel like we have a pinnacle group of men and women who have proven themselves and are trained leaders," Athletes of Valor founder and Marine Sergeant Alex Stone told The Boston Globe. "They're coming out at 22, 23, 26 years old – and they have four years of eligibility."

According to the source, the main idea of the company is to establish a website that will help connect potential athletic recruits from the military with college coaches. 

This type of program will likely also have a positive impact on service members trying to re-acclimate to civilian life upon exiting the military and entering higher education. 

As National Military Appreciation Month comes to a close, it is good to take a look back at the past few weeks and how various organizations, government agencies, communities and others recognized service members and veterans. With major moves being made in the private and public sectors to support the military community, this was a strong year for National Military Appreciation Month. 

Insurance giant steps up
Nationwide announced that it would honor veterans through the sponsorship of a NASCAR event in May, while the firm has been a major force in the veteran employment arena as well. According to a release from the insurance provider, it has hired 1,000 veterans since 2012 when it first launched an initiative to get involved in the onboarding of former service members. 

"We are proud of all of our Nationwiders and in particular the military veterans who have served our country," Nationwide Chief Administrative Officer Gale King explained. "We are honored to have them join Nationwide and help us make a difference for our members and communities."

The company celebrated its veteran employees as part of National Military Appreciation Month, and has committed to continuing on its path toward employing more retired service members in the coming years. 

"Part of what makes Nationwide a great company is that we value making an impact within our company and the communities we serve," Nationwide Vice President of Talent Acquisition Rocky Parker affirmed. "We are committed to bringing talent on board from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. Our veteran associates offer a unique set of skills, knowledge and talents that make them a great fit at Nationwide."

Other enterprises and organizations have launched similar initiatives to boost employment rates among veterans, and Nationwide has had among the greatest success in doing so throughout the past four years. The public sector has also been engaged in recognizing and celebrating veterans this National Military Appreciation Month. 

Enhancing financial knowledge
The Internal Revenue Service announced in May that it has released a new edition of its Armed Forces Tax Guide, which can be used to ensure that veterans understand what tax benefits are available and how best to take advantage of special programs. The agency listed some of the more common ones that veterans should be aware of, including the fact that combat pay is either fully or partially tax free, and unreimbursed moving expenses can be deducted. 

Financial literary can go a long way in helping the veteran community strengthen from the ground up. The federal government has been working to empower veterans with this type of knowledge, all the while supporting them through job and housing searches and providing guidance related to higher education. Veterans can take advantage of a wealth of programs to boost their quality of life today, and more are sure to come as the nation mobilizes behind the military community. 

Tens of millions of Americans have smartphones these days, and many use them with increasing regularity to do everything from checking their email to making online purchases. However, what people often don't think about when they use these devices is the ways in which they may be at risk for hacking attacks, or worse. As such, it's often a good idea for smartphone users to acquaint themselves with some standard security measures to better protect their personal and even financial information.

The most important thing people can do when trying to secure a mobile device is to have a lock screen passcode, according to a report from the security firm Malwarebytes Labs. This is because, if a person's phone is lost or stolen, and they aren't protecting their screens with a complex passcode of some kind, all the information they have on their phones – contact information for friends and family, personal data, financial apps, etc. – will all be at a stranger's fingertips. Most crooks would be unable to get past even this most basic form of security.

This same precaution can also be true of individual apps, because many allow users to set another password within them, the report said. That, too, just provides an additional layer of protection.

Moving beyond passwords
However, sometimes even that might not be enough to make sure sensitive data is protected on mobile devices, the report said. In addition, it can be wise for consumers to download antivirus apps that further protect a phone in the same way their desktop brothers protect computers. The good news here is that many of these apps are free, and provide additional security against everything from downloaded malware apps to hacking attempts.

Further, there are some non-standard websites that allow users to download mobile apps, and they should be avoided at all costs, the report said. Apple does a good job of vetting all apps that get onto its App Store, while Android phones have less (although some) protection in this regard. Certainly, any app downloaded from a relatively unknown site poses a security threat, sometimes even if antivirus apps are also installed.

Bad browsing habits
Finally, it's also important for consumers to keep in mind that any information they enter on a phone – PIN codes, passwords, financial data, etc. – can be intercepted if they're connected to a WiFi network. However, as long as they're only using cellular data, they are likely to be perfectly safe. That's because their phones have a unique one-to-one connection with the cell network that is overridden by connecting to WiFi. For this reason, whenever a person attempts to enter sensitive information, they should only do so when off WiFi, and if that site uses HTTPS protocols that provide an extra layer of security.

By following these simple steps, and using a bit of common sense about not revealing passwords or other sensitive information in most circumstances, consumers will be able to significantly shield themselves from mobile security threats of all stripes.

National Military Appreciation Month comes to its peak this Memorial Day weekend, as individuals and families across the nation remember the individuals who gave their lives while serving their country. Events to celebrate the service member community can be found across the nation, while many authors and media professionals use this time to remember specific soldiers who paid the ultimate price for the United States. 

Whatever approach a community might take, the important thing is to remember why Memorial Day is observed each year. Showing active service members and veterans recognition, respect and appreciation should be the highest priority of the weekend. 

One organization's approach 
Triple Pundit recently published a blog post from Chris Crace of PricewaterhouseCoopers that described some of the ways in which the organization has made it its mission to support the veteran community throughout the year. The author pointed out that PwC's Chairman Bob Moritz has stated in the past that he does not think military appreciation or remembrance of fallen soldiers should only occur once or twice a year, but rather every day. 

According to Crace, PwC has implemented a range of programs that specifically work to support veterans who want to advance their professional careers, and many have been successful. The company has also established the Veterans Affinity Network, which helps service members navigate career paths and connect with one another in a more seamless fashion. Additionally, PwC has worked to support the families of service members in similar fashions. 

Interestingly, Crace also pointed out that PwC Learning and Development's Manager for the San Diego, California, area understands exactly how challenging being married to a service member can be. Alicia Bowman's husband is an active Captain in the Marines, and has had a positive experience working for the firm. 

"Long-distance relationships are tough and you're always worried about your partner's safety," she told Crace. "But, I'm confident that my team will support me through whatever we must go through as a military family."

Supporting veterans and service members through life's challenges should indeed be a priority throughout the year, while specifically remembering those who died during their duties in the military is just as important. Memorial Day will be a good opportunity to do so. 

A pilot's family's search
USA Today contributor Jim Michaels recently explained the challenges his family faced when trying to find an Army Air Force pilot during World War II. The author of the article is the nephew of that soldier, John Matthews, and walked through the stories he had heard from his family regarding the process of finding out what had happened to Matthews' brother, Robert, who had died during his service in Europe.

Eventually, the family discovered his fate, as well as what actions led to his death, but only after a significant amount of searching. Michaels argued that "remembering is all we can do" to respect fallen soldiers in many cases. 

Some of the more prominent errors and problems seen in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the past few years have related to accounting and reporting issues. Although there have been other problems that truly require legislative overhauls, and indicate the importance of more funding to ensure the VA has everything it needs to properly serve the veteran community, plenty have been obvious symptoms of poor accounting and information management policies. 

The VA has been under fire a lot of late, but is working to improve upon its strategies and capabilities with the help of various other government agencies. Now, it is in the process of correcting an issue that impacted thousands of veterans. 

Incorrect classifications
The Washington Free Beacon recently reported that the VA announced it had accidentally declared more than 4,000 veterans dead and subsequently terminated their benefits over the four years spanning from 2011 and 2015. This all came to a head last year, as the source pointed out that about one-quarter of the individuals impacted saw their benefits disappear in 2015. Making matters worse, the agency struggled to figure out which veterans had been wrongfully declared dead. 

"Although we are able to identify cases where benefits were terminated based on an erroneous notice of a beneficiary's death and subsequently reinstated, our computer systems do not collect information on the cause of the errors (e.g., VA employee error, erroneous information received through a data-matching program, incorrect identifying data provided by a third party, etc.)," VA Undersecretary for Benefits Danny Pummill explained, according to the news provider.

Many of the challenges the VA has faced since the turn of the century have been unavoidable, but this is an example of an issue that can be easily remedied by improving accounting and reporting performance. The Washington Free Beacon noted that the initial admission of the error was disclosed to Representative David Jolly of Florida, who has since explained his concerns regarding this latest issue. 

"We simply cannot have men and women who have sacrificed for this country see their rightful benefits wrongfully terminated because the VA mistakenly declares them dead," Jolly affirmed, according to the source. "This creates tremendous financial hardships and undue personal turmoil for veterans, many who are seniors relying primarily if not solely on their VA benefits."

Making it right
Stars and Stripes reported that Jolly has confirmed that the error has been fixed for the time being, with all 4,200 veterans impacted seeing their benefits reinstated in a timely fashion. However, the source cited his comments on what will need to happen to avoid the issue from coming back again and negatively impacting the veteran community in the process. 

"It's a problem that should have been addressed years ago, as it has caused needless hardships for thousands of people who had their benefits terminated and their world turned upside down," Jolly explained.

The general policies and strategies used to govern benefits programs for veterans must be improved to keep the community supported. 

As May is National Military Appreciation Month, and also contains Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day, state and federal legislatures have been increasingly active in their passage of laws to improve the livelihoods of service members and veterans across the country. Although politicians have come a long way on certain matters related to supporting service members during their time on active duty and after they retire, there is still much to be done to improve life for the community. 

Some of the moves that have been made are a bit more symbolic than anything else, paying respect to those who have served their country, while others are expected to have a direct, substantive impact on the military community at large. 

Spending bill signed
The New York Times recently reported that the U.S. House of Representatives has voted in favor of a spending program that will inject roughly $81.6 billion into the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction initiatives. This particular bill will have a significant impact on the finances of service members and veterans, as the source pointed out that it includes a provision to give them a 2.1 percent increase in pay. 

According to the news provider, $57 million will go to homeless veterans in the form of housing vouchers, $1.1 billion will go toward projects to manage and defeat the Zika virus, and other funds will be directed toward infrastructure. 

"The bill makes vital investments in our nation's infrastructure, helps meet the housing needs of the most vulnerable among us and provides funding for economic development projects in our communities that create jobs," said Maine Senator Susan Collins, The New York Times added.

Interestingly, the source did point out that the legislation had certain components that caused an uproar on the House floor, including one that would lift a ban of sorts on government contractors that discriminate against staff members due to their sexual orientation. 

Burial policy changed
Slate reported that the House also voted to end the display of Confederate flags on VA cemeteries. This has been somewhat of a major topic of discussion for several months now, as various states have fought to keep the image of the flag on certain state and federal properties, but public outcry has pushed many representatives to begin work to ban it from public areas. 

The news provider noted that there had been a relatively large amount of disagreement between the two parties in the House regarding the statute, but that the Republicans who had argued against it eventually dropped the debate and did not try to block the law from taking shape. 

Other more social matters were also covered in the legislation, but the biggest component – and piece that appeared to truly get the bill into motion – was the spending measure to ensure the VA has what it needs to support the veteran community. 

Tens of millions of Americans use social media sites on a daily basis, but experts say that these people often don't do enough to protect themselves when doing so. As a consequence, they may leave themselves open to a myriad of problems that can arise, including identity theft, if they share too much information. For this reason, it's often a good idea for people to revisit the best practices for using social media in a way that allows them to have as much fun as they want while also protecting themselves.

The biggest step in this regard is to make sure privacy standards for each of a person's accounts are as hefty as their social networks will allow, according to a report from Drexel University's College of Computing and Informatics. That means keeping Twitter accounts set to private, and limiting the amount of information being shared on Facebook to "friends only." Otherwise, just about anyone may be able to find personally identifying information about a person, their whereabouts, or even details of their financial lives.

"While social media use is safe for the most part, sharing personal information online does come with an element of risk," said Denise Agosto, a professor at the Drexel University College of Computer and Informatics.

Be more careful
In addition, many users would simply be wise to not even share personal information when they do trust people, the report said. This isn't to say those people can't be trusted, but their accounts can be hacked or at least accessed by others, which in turn may give those third parties the ability to view plenty of profiles. Consequently, not publishing data such as email addresses, phone numbers, home addresses, birthdays, and so on is often a good idea regardless of privacy settings.

In addition, those who want to connect with friends but don't want to be found quite so easily often set up accounts under assumed names, or simply use their middle names as their last names, just to make themselves a little more difficult to track down, the report said. For instance, many teachers do this so their students can't look them up online.

Just be prudent
Furthermore, many people find themselves guilty of "over-sharing" on social media, which basically means that even if they're protecting a lot of personal information, they might still post status updates and the like that reveal data they may not want out there, the report said. This can be especially true when embarrassing information gets posted as a result of indiscretion. A good general rule is, "If you wouldn't tell this to a stranger, you shouldn't share it online."

Finally, basic account security standards, such as having a long, complex password – and changing that login information on a regular basis – also apply on social media. All this can go a long way toward not only protecting online information, but also avoiding real-world headaches.

The National Guard has always been a vital resource to states and municipalities, helping to ensure that the first responders and others who are responsible for the communities' safety are supported in their endeavors. In the past several months, there have been countless instances of natural and man-made disasters that have necessitated the activation of National Guard resources, and the individuals involved have done an immense amount of good work to protect civilians. 

This has been especially clear in states such as Texas, where floods have been raging, and others including Michigan and Colorado. 

Working in Flint
MLive recently reported that the Michigan National Guard has been working tirelessly in Flint to help the community get through the water crisis, with more than 400 members deployed since the beginning of the event. However, thanks to the efforts of local first responders and the national guard, Governor Rick Snyder announced the forces will be pulled out by May 27, with civilians taking on the duties that are needed. 

Interestingly, the source pointed out that some groups believe a healthy grant from the federal government might help to correct the issues involved in the water distribution centers, and employ people for that matter. According to the news provider, Governor Snyder's announcement regarding the national guard project's end in the city included a moment in which he gave members of the National Guard medals of merit. 

This particular crisis will take much longer to completely correct, but the National Guard was a critical force in getting the city's citizens through the toughest aspects of the lead-poisoned water. These types of issues are expected to become a bit more common as time goes on, with so much of the nation still dependent upon lead-based pipes within their water systems, and the National Guard will be there to assist in more extreme events. 

Training in Colorado
The Times-Call reported that the Colorado Air National Guard conducted fire suppression training in a neighborhood right outside of Denver, working with helicopters to prevent the spread of wildfires in the state. As a note, fires are a very prevalent and always pressing threat to the state of Colorado in spring and summer, as the dry climate makes for a higher risk than is present most other states. 

According to the source, National Guard members from Nebraska will also be involved in the training exercise, which will teach individuals how to best use more advanced equipment and tactics to control wild fires. 

More recently, Deseret News pointed out that Colorado, New Mexico and Utah National Guard members participated in terrorist-response training in several areas surrounding Denver, including the airport. The news provider argued that these particular exercises were meant to train participants in how to best respond to attacks that mimic those that took place in Paris last fall. 

The National Guard is responsible for a range of safety and protection tasks within the borders, and training will continue to improve upon the department's effectiveness in responding to disasters. 

Veterans are often targeted by scammers in a range of areas, including predatory lending and financial schemes, but a new movement has started to impact service members who are trying to attend college. Law Yale School reported that for-profit schools have been largely targeting veterans to try and get access to funds distributed through the Higher Education Act. Unfortunately, the loophole involved is massive, as the school pointed out it incentivizes the act of bringing as many veterans into the school as possible, while not necessarily giving them an education. 

Yale noted that the funds are generated through the G.I. Bill, and then essentially stolen by these schools. Unfortunately, many schools have gotten in on this scam, but the Department of Veterans Affairs has taken action to root out and eradicate the problem. Still, there is much work to be done, and awareness will play an imperative role in the fight against deceptive, fraudulent and predatory entities that target the veteran community. 

Call to action
The New York Times recently reported that several groups that represent the veteran community have sent letters to the VA in hopes of it taking greater action against the schools involved in these predatory schemes against service members. According to the news provider, the National Military Family Association and American Legion were included in the more than 20 parties that participated. 

The source pointed out that the groups are highly concerned about the treatment of veterans, but that for-profit schools have pushed back on the accusations being made. 

"Those that demonize our sector do so because of ideological reasons, not rational arguments," explained Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities Vice President Michael Dakduk, according to The New York Times. "For the veteran holding down a part-time or full-time job in addition to their studies, our sector's institutions and programs are the right fit."

Suffice it to say that this specific battle is not looking like it will wane any time soon, as all sides involved are getting a bit more contentious. However, one thing is for sure, and that is some action must be taken by regulators and the higher education industry as a whole to prevent veterans from being taken advantage of and losing the funds they earned while in service to the nation.

A tricky endeavor
National Public Radio once reported that, even when for-profit schools are not necessarily partaking in predatory schemes, they still might not be the best choice for a veteran. Service members who are looking to get a college degree should always consider using the resources available to them, especially those that involve guidance on finding the right school. 

Certain universities have immaculate track records when it comes to veteran education, while others will simply not be well-suited to the needs of a service member. The VA, as well as advocacy groups, provide often complimentary support to veterans who need assistance in these matters. 

First responders are on the front lines of tragedies in communities across the country, and many advocacy groups have called for greater support on the municipal, state and national levels. From protection against the hazards of their jobs to simply recognizing the selflessness of these individuals, many have already begun to take action on programs and initiatives to improve the quality of life of first responders. 

Luckily, the federal government – along with state legislatures – appears to be following suit, passing new bills and acts ranging from health care and recognition of those who have fallen in the line of duty to legal protection and beyond. A combination of civilian-driven programs and governmental moves will hopefully work in the best interests of first responders, enabling them to stay safe, complete their duties and have a strong quality of life following retirement. 

Moves made on Capitol Hill
The St. Joseph News-Press recently reported that the U.S. House has completed and voted in favor of a bill titled the Fallen Heroes Flag Act, and that President Barack Obama is expected to sign it into law soon. The source noted that the Senate also passed of the act, which will put a flag in the nation's capital that recognizes first responders who have died while on the job, including police officers and firefighters. 

"We can never in any way fully repay the debt we owe them or that we owe their families," Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, who created the legislation and acts as the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus' co-chairman, explained, according to the news provider. "These are people who go to work every day, with the greatest goal for their families being that they come home safely that day, and they have more reason to worry about that than most of us have. All we can offer instead is our gratitude."

The St. Joseph News-Press also quoted Florida Representative Rich Nugent regarding his sentiments on the bill, pointing out that he was in law enforcement for nearly 40 years before entering the political theater. 

"It's really lifting up all of our first responders," the source cited from Nugent's statement. "This is not a huge thing, but I'll tell you what: To a grieving family, it is a small token of the appreciation that the United States of America and this Congress … can bestow on a family at their deepest sorrow."

State-level action
A state bill has been signed into law in Florida by the state's Governor Rick Scott to give spouses of fallen first responders rights to their late husbands' and wives' salaries for their entire lives, Fox 13 reported. The news provider explained that the bill was championed by a widow of a sheriff's deputy who was killed in the line of duty. 

Protecting first responders and their families ought to be a priority in the coming years, as these selfless individuals put their lives at risk every day to protect their communities.