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.

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. 

Veterans often need support in financial management when returning home from overseas or ending their time on active duty within the United States. At the same time, crimes such as identity theft and fraud have run rampant across the nation for years now, and veterans – along with civilians – have certainly been targeted and victimized by the events. There have even been scams that specifically target service members and use digital tactics to steal from them. 

This is one of the main reasons why more groups ought to be advocating for veteran financial management assistance, education and protection against some of the more common threats on the Web and elsewhere today. Certain projects and programs have already been launched with these objectives in mind, and a relatively unique one has been making a big difference in the state of Kentucky. 

Operation Stand Down
The Bowling Green Daily News recently reported that Ron Georgette started Operation Stand Down – an organization that works to better inform veterans' financial decisions – in 2015, and has already made a solid impact on local individuals. The source noted that Georgette is a veteran of the U.S. Army himself, and believed that service members needed an entity to support them through the challenges of handling their budgets properly and avoiding problems. 

"I started this because of veterans getting ripped off," Georgette told the news provider. "We want to make sure our veterans aren't getting the shaft. That's where the original idea spawned from. We have a great team who implemented it. It's totally unique."

He also explained that the current goal is to begin operating nationally in the near future, especially as there are only six VA Fiduciary Hubs in the country that can help with these matters. The Bowling Green Daily news added that the group currently works with one of the VA Fiduciary Hubs. 

"When a veteran gets into a jam or some life-changing event, we will advance them their own money," Georgette asserted, according to the source. "We're on the fence between the VA and the families when it comes to finances. When you have family and friends handling finances it can cause problems."

Plenty of resources
While these types of groups can make a big difference on the ground, veterans can also find opportunities to learn more about proper financial management through a range of resources. For example, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions offers information pertaining to financial literacy and other similar matters through its website, while VeteransPlus provides learning courses to service members and their families. 

Whether in a stable, financially sound position or one that has been a bit rockier, veterans should always take advantage of opportunities to boost their financial literacy and better manage their bank accounts. Awareness and education are the best weapons to combat issues with cash flow down the road, and service members can begin to improve their financial stature by learning more. 

The Navarre Press reported that May has been recognized as Military Appreciation Month since Congress first designated it as such back in 1999, and has been successful in bringing communities together in the years since. The source pointed out that there have been countless examples of extreme heroics and selflessness among the nearly 1.5 million individuals who currently serve in the armed forces, while communities should take this opportunity to recognize the veterans in their local areas. 

Events have been hosted across the nation throughout the past two weeks, and more are certainly to follow in the remaining days of Military Appreciation Month. From governors and state senators passing new legislation to assist veterans to relatively simple recognition programs and events, civilians will have a wealth of opportunities to support veterans and active duty service members throughout the coming months. 

South Dakota's big statement
The Rapid City Journal recently reported that South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard spoke to the reasons behind May acting as Military Appreciation Month across the nation, and urged the state's residents to honor those who have or are serving in the armed forces. The source pointed out that Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day both fall within the days of May, and act as an even greater chance for communities to rally around their veterans. 

"The vigilance of the members of the Armed Forces has been instrumental to the preservation of freedom, security and prosperity enjoyed by the people of this great nation," Governor Daugaard stated in his proclamation last week, according to the news provider. "The success of the Armed Forces depends on the dedicated service of its members and their families."

High-ranking politicians in Washington, D.C., Utah and elsewhere have put forth similar proclamations to kick off and recognize Military Appreciation Month. Another well-known figure took to writing a blog post regarding his backing of this month's appreciation events. 

A message from Chuck
Chuck Norris recently published an opinion piece in WND regarding some of the reasons he believes May has been designated to honor veterans and service members. The renowned action-movie actor noted that he served as an Airman First Class in the U.S. Air Force, and that his experiences while on active duty shaped many of his life's core missions and goals. 

Norris also took the opportunity to point out the increasing division between military and civilian life, and the need to bring the groups a bit closer together in the near future. He argued that the tiny percentage of the population that serves now – 0.5 percent – compared to the 12 percent who did for World War II might be one of the sources of misunderstandings and division. 

Communities that pull together behind their veterans will be making a big difference, as service members act as champions for their neighbors and fellow Americans throughout and following their time on active duty. May is the perfect month to increase these types of efforts.