The Department of Defense's central repository for visual images will undertake a massive archival preservation project in 2014, the agency announced in a recent statement. The Defense Imagery Management Operations Center recently received $5 million to preserve hundreds of thousands of historical images, with the ultimate goal of enhancing its digital archive.
The DIMOC archives military images for not only the Defense Department, but also for other federal agencies and the public. The images are often found in obscure places, such as closed bases or deserted warehouses. Once the physical images are digitized, they can be viewed online. The photos available for viewing were taken by members acting on the behalf of the DOD, according to Defense Imagery website.
However, it's not only photographic prints that the archival center is working to preserve, but also negatives, film slides and videotapes.
"That material is deteriorating faster than we can offer it to the National Archives and we need to get it into a digital form," said DIMOC director Mike Edrington.
According to the DOD, one reason why the DIMOC is taking on this massive archival process is because its climate-controlled storage space at the March Air Base in Riverside, Calif., is quickly filling up.
The recent cuts to the cost-of-living adjustments may affect more than just military retirees under the age of 62.
According to The Associated Press, the 1 percent reduction to the annual COLA increases for working-age military retirees extends to survivors who receive annuity payments under the Survivor Benefit Plan. The insurance plan provides surviving spouses with a monthly payment to make up for the loss of retirement benefits and income. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said in a statement that survivors can receive up to 55 percent of the retiree's amount of coverage.
"Those who have kept us safe and taken bullets for us shouldn't be singled out to sacrifice even more," Ayotte said. "I am continuing my efforts to immediately right this wrong and to ensure our military retirees, survivors and combat-wounded receive the full benefits they've earned."
The COLA reductions were one of the most controversial measures in the National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed by President Barack Obama in late December. The Washington Post reported that a new Veteran Affairs bill featuring a provision that would reverse the pension cuts was recently introduced in the Senate by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
The Georgia branch of the gift-giving holiday program Toys for Tots received a record number of toy donations in 2013. According to an announcement from the Department of Defense, the program at the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, Ga., set out to collect 15,000 toys throughout the 2013 Christmas season. When program wrapped up this month, it received 17,000 toys – far exceeding the members' expectations.
"Thanks to the outpouring of support from the local community and surrounding counties, we had enough toys to give three to five per child," Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Johnny R. Ruby, an assistant coordinator for Toys for Tots, said in a statement.
The program at the Georgia base helped approximately 3,000 children, according to Toys for Tots coordinator Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ernest Thompson. About 2,000 toys were also donated to a local Salvation Army, where they were given to more than 500 families.
In addition to toys, Thompson said that the Georgia branch of the organization received $3,000 in funds.
Toys for Tots began as an official Marine Corps program when it was approved by the Department of Defense in 1995. Since its inception, Toys for Tots has provided toys for more than 216 million children, according to the organization's website.
The Senate will be bringing military pensions back to the drawing board later this month in an effort to undo the recent cuts to the cost-of-living adjustments for working-age military retirees.
According to USA Today, a hearing slated for Jan. 28 will discuss military pensions and the recent changes made to the military retirement system. The hearing comes shortly after the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which was approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama in late December. The bill authorized 1 percent cuts to the COLA payments of former servicemembers under the age of 62. However, these reductions will not begin until December 2015. A higher rate will apply once the retirees reach age 62.
While the Department of Defense approved the 1 percent cut to COLA, many veterans organizations and lawmakers opposed the reductions. According to The Washington Post, an omnibus Veteran Affairs bill that was introduced in the Senate last week includes a provision that will repeal the COLA reductions. Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the bill, stating that it "delivers on the promises that we have made to our service members," the news source reported.
Female veterans are coming together in California to support others like them. Called the Inland Empire Women Veterans Unity Group, the newly formed organization, which plans to meet once a month, is determined to empower local female veterans, The San Bernardino Sun reported.
"The women veterans unity group meetings provide an environment of safety, support, motivation, awareness and information that promotes the improvement and productivity of female veterans," Ann Duson, the group's founder and president, told the news source.
In addition to weekly meetings, the women's organization plans to hold events throughout the year, such as the "Thank a Sheros" event to coincide with Women in Military History Week in March.
California women aren't the only female veterans joining forces to create a support network. The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported this week that a new facility opened in Philadelphia to provide various services to the city's female veterans. Aronda Smith, the coordinator of the Women Veterans Center, told the news source that the center was formed because most services available to veterans are "predominantly male." She added that the center will focus on more gender-specific issues.
Gov. Terry Branstad addressed the Iowa state legislature this week and outlined new ways in which the state can provide more military benefits to its veterans. According to CBS2 News, Branstad proposed a new plan that will help veterans get the training and education they need to secure gainful employment.
Called the Home Base Iowa Initiative, the measure will allow veterans to use their military service as educational credits. The governor added that he is also working toward eliminating all taxes on military pensions.
"In Iowa, we honor our veterans – not only with words and ceremonies; but with action," Gov. Branstad said, as quoted by the news source. "To show our gratitude, let's make Iowa the leader in respect, support and opportunity for veterans."
Although the veterans initiative currently has bipartisan support, several legislative members told the news outlet that Iowa presently has many directives that aid veterans in the workforce.
Iowa is home to more than 240,000 veterans, according data from the Department of Veteran Affairs. About 9,000 Iowa veterans are currently using education benefits from the G.I. Bill, while nearly 30,000 of the state's veterans receive disability or pension payments.
After reports surfaced that several VA hospitals blocked Christmas cards and other Christmas-specific items from being delivered to their residents during the holiday season, leaders in Congress began questioning the acts. Now, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs is reviewing the VA's policy that bans religious items from its medical centers.
According to The Augusta Chronicle, Committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) sent a letter to Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki ordering an overview of the steps the department is taking to rectify the incidents that occurred around the Christmas holiday.
Miller said in a statement that he expects an answer from the VA by next week.
"Christmas was declared a federal holiday by our government in the 1800s, and it is not up to the department to decide whether veterans, their families, volunteers, and veterans service organizations should be free to sing Christmas carols or exchange Christmas gifts within VA facilities," Miller said, as quoted by the news source.
The news outlet stated that a VA medical center in Augusta, Ga., was one of the facilities that denied Christmas cards to its residents. FOX 4 also reported that a VA hospital in Dallas prohibited school children from the Grace Academy from delivering cards to the patients because the cards featured religious-oriented symbols and phrases.
According in the news source, a spokesperson for the VA released a statement explaining that non-secular cards were distributed freely among the medical centers, while secular cards are handed out on a one-to-one basis with a patient's approval.
The Pentagon announced this week that it will end its walk-in administrative services at all TRICARE service centers in the U.S. TRICARE beneficiaries will be able to use the walk-in services to access their military benefits until April 1.
There are currently 189 TRICARE medical service centers around the country. Half of the walk-in visits to the centers are for in- and out-processing and requests to switch primary health care providers. While walk-in services will no longer be available, Pentagon officials said servicemembers and veterans can still complete any administrative task online or by phone.
"The change will not – let me repeat that – will not affect any TRICARE medical benefit or health care service," Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said in a statement. "What it will do is allow the department to save $250 million over the next five years, allowing TRICARE to invest in more important services."
Pentagon officials added that the TRICARE website receives about 38,000 hits each day.
The first TRICARE service center opened in the mid '90s, according to the health care system's website. Most of the service centers are located in military hospitals and clinics. Although the walk-in services are ceasing in the U.S., the TRICARE website states that the services will continue at overseas facilities.
A deserted building in Auburn, Wash., will be the future home of a veterans services center composed of nonprofit veterans assistance groups, KING 5 News reported. The site was acquired from the state six months ago. Now, Auburn city officials are working to get the center running within the next six months.
"We'll make a world of difference in the lives of so many who live on the edge," Michael Hursh, human services manager for the City of Auburn, told the news source.
Hursh added that while Auburn has a number of nonprofits that assist veterans with military benefits, the organizations are currently scattered across the city and King County. The goal of this new project is to bring those groups together so veterans have a one-stop center for all their needs.
The Auburn-Reporter previously noted that the 33,000-square-foot facility is expected to cost between $6 and $7 million. It will house local organizations such as the Auburn Food Bank, and receive assistance from the nearby Valley Medical Center-University of Washington.
According to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington is home to more than 600,000 veterans and 60,000 active-duty servicemembers.
For the first time since 2009, a national advocacy group has been deemed a veterans service organization.
Stars and Stripes reported that the Military Officers Association of America has stepped in to help veterans prepare their applications for military benefits, primarily disability claims. The new designation allows the group to handle the benefits claims paperwork on behalf of veterans.
"We just felt like we couldn't stay on the sidelines on this anymore," MOAA president Norb Ryan told the news source. "Even with all the great help out there already, there is still a lot of work to get done."
The news outlet noted that the group will assist veterans with collecting their documents, as well as case management. The MOAA will help with just a few thousand cases in 2014.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the disability claims backlog has been reduced by 34 percent since March 2013, when the number of claims peaked at more than 600,000 pending cases. As of November 2013, there were about 401,000 claims still pending. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said in a statement that the VA is continuing to work toward eliminating the disability claims backlog by 2015.