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.
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.
On Sept. 21, construction began on a new veteran's home in Chicago. The facility will offer physical and mental health care to 200 Illinois veterans, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The building, which will be five stories and cost approximately $70.5 million, will be the fifth assisted living home for veterans in the state. The Chicago Sun-Times noted that this will be the first one in the Chicago area, which is home to 60 percent of Illinois' vet population.
The new facility will have over 40 beds dedicated to patients suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia in an effort to boost attention to mental health in life after service, reported the Tribune.
According to the Sun-Times, veterans who served in foreign conflicts and are Illinois natives, as well as peacetime veterans who served for a minimum of one year, are eligible to apply. They will pay for their rooms according to their income.
The home is set to open in 2016, noted the Tribune. It has been in the works since 2009, but due to federal support and other funding obstacles the start of the project was delayed.
The construction was kicked off with a ceremony, during which Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn made a speech, noted the Sun-Times.
"Abraham Lincoln, who came from our state, said during the Civil War that it's the duty of all of us on the homefront to take good care of those who have borne the battle," he said.
Chuck Searcy, a Vietnam veteran, has spent the past 19 years working to clean up leftover bombs in the southeast Asian country.
Searcy served doing military intelligence in the Vietnam War in the 1960s. He was stationed in the area currently known as Ho Chi Minh City, reported Military Times. After working government jobs for most of his life after service, Searcy felt moved to return to Vietnam in the 1990s. He joined a group that specialized in giving braces to children affected by bombs, and has devoted himself to assisting bomb victims ever since, noted the source.
According to Military Times, 15 million bombs were dropped on Vietnam during the war. Many of these are unexploded cluster bombs that release smaller explosives known as bomblets. These are small in size and often picked up by curious children. Project Renew's website noted that an estimated 10 percent of those bombs remain unexploded.
Project Renew reported that 100,000 deaths and injuries have been caused by these explosive remnants of war, or ERW, since the end of the Vietnam war in 1975. Most of these are located in the Quang Tri Provence. It is the area previously known as the Demilitarized Zone, and it is where Searcy focuses his work.
According to Project Renew, its initiative is divided into three components. Firstly, ERW survey and clearance. Next, it educates local people on what the explosives look like and what to do if they see any. It also offers assistance to victims.
Searcy returns to his home in Georgia once a year to raise money for the cause, according to Military Times. As of now, he still feels he has work left in Vietnam and has no plans to move home permanently.
Just about 70 years ago, an American B-25 Mitchell bomber plane named "Maybe" crashed into an Italian mountain after sustaining damage from an attack. The two pilots, who were killed in the accident, will be honored by the village of Ronzo di Chienis, according to Military Times.
The pilots, Earl Remmer and Leslie Speer, are being remembered as heroes for multiple reasons. The two men worked hard to steady the aircraft, allowing the five crew members aboard to parachute to safety, before losing their own lives in the crash, reported Military Times. The people of Ronzo di Chienis consider them heroes for not detonating the bombs on board the B-25 in an effort to lighten the plane – an act of mercy they believe saved the town.
According to Townhall Magazine, surviving family members of Remmer, along with relatives of crew member Isidore Ifshin, will attend the ceremony. Military Times reported that current servicemembers from the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade, who are based in Aviano, Italy, will also be in attendance.
Townhall noted that the event was set up by a local group that has written a book about "Maybe." A plaque with the pilots' names will be displayed near the area of the crash.
Sept. 18 marks the 67th birthday of the United States Air Force.
The armed forces branch was created in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman passed The National Security Act. According to Military.com, the Air Force has become about more than just flight – servicemembers also work in technical and support roles on the ground.
A celebration was held on Friday, Sept. 12, in Arlington, Virginia, reported CNBC. It featured performances by the U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team.
On the anniversary, current Air Force Secretary Deborah James reflected on past achievements and looked ahead to future obstacles. According to a piece she penned for The Denver Post, a strategic blueprint for the next 30 years was recently laid out, and a large focus will be placed on staying updated with cutting-edge technology.
James wrote in an op-ed for Air Force Times, "In the next three decades, we'll face declining defense budgets, changes in technology, nations and groups acquiring weapons, changing communications, and geopolitical instability. Our Airmen must prepare for a range of missions, and adapt ahead of the rapid pace of change."
Veteran unemployment rates, while improving, are still significantly higher than the national average, according to CBS News.
Veterans face many challenges in their life after service, including finding a steady job.
The mobile-app-based taxi alternative Uber is joining forces with the nonprofit organization Hiring Our Heroes to match 50,000 vets with driving jobs. According to CBS, Uber feels that the partnership will be mutually beneficial – in addition to lowering unemployment rates, the company will gain top-quality servicemembers with mission-oriented mind-sets and strong work ethics.
Politico Magazine published an article written by the CEO of Uber, Travis Kalanick, in partnership with former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. In it, they described how the leadership and attention to safety demonstrated by veterans makes them perfect candidates for driver positions.
CBS noted that because Uber drivers use their own vehicles and create their own schedules, it can be a good opportunity for veterans attending school or raising families.
According to Politico, the new hiring initiative will also seek to find jobs for current servicemembers and military spouses. Uber has established an advisory board known as UberMILITARY in order to gain perspective, support and expertise from armed forces professionals.
Sept. 16 marks the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. The attack was performed by Aaron Alexis, a Navy contractor and former sailor who was speculated to be mentally ill, reported The Washington Post.
The random shooting was eventually stopped by Carl Hiott, a U.S. Park Police Officer, and Dorian DeSantis, a member of the D.C. tactical police team, according to The Washington Post.
Twelve people were killed during the rampage. Their names were read by Vice Adm. William Hilarides during a ceremony at the site of the attack and they were symbolically awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal for Valor, according to Military Times.
Additionally, eight servicemembers were honored for their actions during the shooting. They were awarded the highest non-combat honor, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, for acting quickly, evacuating colleagues and offering emergency medical care to those wounded during the attack.
The shooting took place in the former headquarters of Naval Sea Systems Command, building 197. The building hasn't been used in a year due to the damage it sustained. Since 197's offices were moved to different offices in the area, many of the Naval employees hadn't seen one another since the attacks. Military Times described the ceremony as a bittersweet reunion.