Family members of U.S. military personnel received some relief last week with a recent announcement from the Department of Homeland Security.
The federal agency announced in a memo released Nov. 15 that it will stop deporting the relatives of servicemembers because it places "stress and anxiety" on both active-duty troops and veterans, according to USA Today.
"We as a nation have made a commitment to our veterans, to support and care for them," DHS said in the memo. "It is a commitment that begins at enlistment, and continues as they become veterans."
According to the memo, relatives of servicemembers will not be deported if they have a clean criminal record, but will be labeled "parole in place," making them eligible to apply for permanent legal status while remaining in the U.S. instead of returning to their home countries. Currently, undocumented immigrants are able to apply for a Green Card only if they return to their native country.
While many are celebrating the new directive from Homeland Security, not every relative of a military member is exempt. According to the news source, those with criminal backgrounds still face deportation.
A newly opened outreach center in Fitchburg, Mass., is lending a helping hand to veterans with the help of those who've been through it before.
According to the Sentinel & Enterprise, the New Patriots Veteran Outreach Center was started by a group of parishioners of the New Patriots Christian Congregation Church after plans to partner with the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center in Gardner, Mass., fell through. The parishioners – most of whom are former servicemembers – were determined to start a center of their own for veterans seeking assistance with health care, education and finances.
"It took me a long time to figure out what was going on, so if I was out there for that amount of time, I know there's a lot of other people out there that just won't discuss anything, they won't come out of that shell that they're in," John Lyle, one of the center's founding members, told the newspaper.
An Air Force veteran who served in the Vietnam War, Lyle was brought to the group through his father, Robert, a Korean War veteran. Together, they hope to reach out to former servicemembers who are either unaware of the benefits available to them or afraid to ask for help.
The news source stated that the group will hold meetings on the fourth Friday of each month at the local church, where veterans can come and receive support. Plans to move the center into its own building are currently in the works, according to the news outlet.
Both the VA and nonprofit organizations provide many health care options for veterans, yet oftentimes, those who need assistance the most do not ask for help.
According to the The Daily Mail – Charleston, a recent report presented to the state's legislative committee found that at-risk veterans were the least likely to seek medical assistance. The news source stated that the primary reason these veterans – particularly those who were most likely to commit suicide – did not receive counseling or treatment was because of the stigma attached to mental illness.
The research presented to the committee was compiled from a 2012 survey of more than 1,200 former servicemembers residing in West Virginia, the news outlet reported. Many of the veterans responded that they ignored medical assistance because they believed treatment wouldn't help or that others wouldn't comprehend their needs.
About 40 percent of the veterans surveyed have symptoms of depression, the report stated, while 25 percent have post-traumatic stress disorder. Another 20 percent were at-risk for inflicting self-harm. None of these former servicemembers have sought assistance for their mental illnesses.
In 2012, the Department of Veterans Affair released a report stating that nearly 30 percent of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans treated in VA hospitals and medical centers had PTSD.
Servicemembers, veterans and military family members who are currently covered by TRICARE are exempt from an important provision of the Affordable Care Act, Opposing Views reported.
TRICARE holders are not eligible to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until their 26th birthday – a new policy that was enacted under the ACA in 2011. According to the news source, in an attempt to reduce spending, the Department of Defense has set a cut-off age for young people dependent on their parents' health insurance. The cut-off age is currently 21, while full-time students are eligible to stay on their parents' plans until age 23.
However, the young adult children of servicemembers and veterans do have other options. The TRICARE website states that "qualified adult children" who are unmarried and over 21 but younger than 26 can buy the TRICARE Young Adult plan, which guarantees minimal essential coverage under the ACA. Those interested in purchasing the Young Adult plan must also be ineligible for an employer-based health insurance plan, according to the website.
While the TRICARE Young Adult is a viable option for many servicemembers, veterans and their families, several veterans expressed disappointment over the new health care plan to Fox News.
"It'd be nice if they leveled with everybody and let them know so that people could make plans, because this is going to hit all, I mean it's going to hit thousands of retirees over time," Air Force veteran Eddie Grooms told the news source.
A North Carolina hospice held a memorial service this week for current veterans and those the facility once cared for.
The Daily News, Jacksonville reported that family members, area residents and caregivers at the Onslow County Home Health and Hospice gathered at a local cemetery for a Veterans Day ceremony that honored veterans by sharing memories of the late servicemembers while also recognizing the county's aging veterans population.
"Some veterans made the ultimate sacrifice so we can do things in life that we probably take for granted," staff member Joseph Durgin told the news source. "I think it's important that the veterans be honored and shown the respect they deserve because they provided us all with the freedom to be able to take those things for granted."
According to the news outlet, former servicemembers who fought in World War II and the Vietnam War attended the ceremony.
While the average age of veterans in the U.S. is 58, data from the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that more than 35 percent of the veteran population is over the age of 65. Currently, several organizations, such as We Honor Veterans, connect hospices and home-health workers with aging veterans to provide them with the proper care.
The Navy's deepest-diving submarine, which conducted both research and covert military operations along the ocean floor during the Cold War is making its return to Connecticut.
According to The Associated Press, the NR-1, a nuclear-powered submarine that was commissioned in 1969, will be on display at the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Conn. Having been disassembled in 2008, the museum will only display the sub's restored pieces.
At 140-feet long, the news source stated that the NR-1 was a powerful underwater vessel unmatched in the Navy. While carrying a crew of 10 men, the sub was able to dive to 3,000 feet below sea level, where it could grab items from the ocean floor with a mechanical claw.
While some of the submarine's missions are known to the public, including its task of retrieving particles from the space shuttle Challenger after it exploded over the Atlantic, the news source reported that much of its military operations still remain classified. According to the source, mission records could not be traced by the Navy's History and Heritage Command in Washington, D.C., and even veterans are remaining quiet about their past experiences until the files are declassified.
Also on display at Groton's submarine museum is the historic USS Nautilus, the first operational nuclear-powered submarine in the world, as well as the first vessel to travel to the North Pole, according to the museum's website.
Following the devastation caused by a massive typhoon that hit the Philippines last weekend, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has commissioned a Naval aircraft carrier to provide disaster relief to the country and its residents.
The Christian Science Monitor reported that the USS George Washington, which carries a crew of 5,000 sailors, is making its way to the Philippines this week, where the Naval members will join about 90 Marines who already landed there last weekend.
According to a statement released by the Pentagon, the aircraft carrier is currently at a port in Hong Kong and will take up to 72 hours to arrive at the South Pacific nation. In addition to the large number of crew members, the USS George Washington also carriers more than 80 planes, including Carrier Air Wing Five, an aircraft unit specially designed for disaster relief scenarios.
Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told members of the press that several other aircraft carriers are already on their way to the Philippines. Supply ship USNS Charles Drew is currently traveling to the location, as well as the missile destroyer USS Lassen.
Little added that the purpose of these ships' deployment to the weather-battered nation is to provide medical care, supplies and other assistance.
In a partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, NBCUniversal launched a new career website designed specifically for former servicemembers. Called Next Steps for Vets, the website will provide veterans – especially those who are recently transitioning into civilian life – and military spouses with a variety of employment and educational resources.
According to NBC News, which is also hosting the website, the online portal features a resume builder on its front page, designed to help former servicemembers figure out where and how their past military experience and skills can be applied to the civilian workforce. The website also includes a searchable job-finder index, listing openings culled from the National Resource Directory's Veteran's Job Bank.
"Our returning servicemen and women can be a vital part of the U.S. workforce, putting the skills they've learned in the military to work for companies or their own business enterprise," Beth Colleton, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility at NBCUniversal, told the news source.
Next Steps for Vets comes at a crucial time for just-returning servicemembers. According to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Gulf War era-II veterans is more than 11 percent – much higher than the overall national unemployment average.
In time for Veterans Day, Victory Media released its 11th annual report of the most military-friendly private-sector companies in the U.S. According to Forbes, the index takes into account the long-term hiring practices of more than 5,000 companies, as well as veterans, military spouses and National Guard and Reserve members recruiting programs.
"We hear from veterans that it's impossible to research the thousands of companies that might be military-friendly," Victory Media CEO Sean Collins told the news source. "Our objective is to present a transparent, data-driven list of pre-vetted institutions for service members to start their job search and find the best fit for them."
The news source stated that to make the list, private companies must have a yearly revenue over $500 million.
Union Pacific Railroad, Verizon Communications, ManTech International Corporation and AlliedBarton Security Services were among the top 10 most military-friendly companies. According to the news outlet, about 20 percent of the Union Pacific Railroad workforce is made up of veterans. Meanwhile, a statement released by Verizon claims that it currently employees 12,000 veterans. The company has also set up a special website equipped with a military skill matcher for former servicemembers looking for employment opportunities.
Victory Media's military-friendly index can be beneficial for veterans attempting to re-enter the workforce, considering that the unemployment rate for Gulf War era-II veterans is currently at 11.6 percent, according to data compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In honor of Veterans Day, first lady Michelle Obama, along with Dr. Jill Biden, thanked members of the military for their service in an Op-Ed featured in several military newspapers. According to the Department of Defense, the article, titled "Joining Forces with you on Veterans Day," addresses how the military, federal government and private sector can work together to expand the first lady's veterans initiative.
Obama launched the "Joining Forces" initiative more than two years ago as a way to bridge the gap between veterans, nonprofits and private businesses through employment directives, educational programs and wellness and care services.
"We've been overwhelmed by the courage of our wounded warriors and the devotion of the caregivers who stand by their side," Obama and Biden wrote in the Op-Ed. We've been inspired by the military spouses and children who've endured move after move, deployment after deployment with such strength and grace."
Veterans unemployment remains one of the initiative's largest concerns. The first lady stated that while major companies such as Starbucks, AT&T and Facebook have hired thousands of veterans over the last two years, many veterans still face obstacles when it comes to credentials and training. According to the Op-Ed, Obama and the "Joining Forces" initiative is currently working with politicians at the state level to streamline the credentialing process.