Over the next year, the Obama administration will put $270 million toward ending veteran homelessness, according to The Washington Post.
This funding comes as part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' initiative to find housing for all veterans by the end of 2015. According to the VA, it will be combining resources dedicated to housing assistance, mental and physical health care and job training to get former servicemembers off the street.
The Post noted that in the past week, the VA announced it would be giving $207 million to programs that would help 70,000 veterans and their families find permanent housing. This money would also help vets in danger of losing their homes stay in their current residences. The VA will give an additional $62 million to the cause, in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds will be used for a rental-assistance program.
With the addition of this money, the VA will have given more than $1 billion this year toward the fight against veteran homelessness, according to The Post. The source noted that rates of homeless veterans have been steadily decreasing since efforts to help soldiers in their life after service increased in 2010. Numbers have dropped 33 percent and continue to decline.
A new tribute to servicemembers, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, will be recognized in a ceremony on Oct. 5.
According to The Washington Post, the tribute has been built to honor veterans who have been physically and mentally wounded from war. The memorial's website noted that its construction has been in the works since 1997, when veterans' advocates realized that Washington, D.C., while filled with memorials, was missing one that recognized soldiers disabled due to combat.
They set out to create a place that recognized the sacrifices of all branches of the armed forces throughout the entire history of the U.S. For over a decade, the team has been going through the 24-step process of establishing a memorial in Washington. On Sunday, their efforts will finally come to fruition.
The Post noted that the memorial will consist of a reflecting pool surrounded by granite and glass panels with 18 quotes meant to summarize and honor the struggles faced by veterans throughout history.
The tribute is located in the heart of the nation's capital, next to the U.S. Botanic Garden. After Sunday's ceremony, it will officially be open to the public.
Almost 50 years ago, Virginia native Larry F. Freeman helped save the lives of nine people while fighting in Vietnam. He received the prestigious Silver Star award for his actions on Sept. 28.
According to Military Times, the Silver Star is the third-highest award for valor. Freeman was given the medal at the convention center in Tennessee where he often reunites with fellow veterans. Family and friends were present to see him receive the overdue honor.
It has been a long road for Freeman to finally have his actions recognized. Pilot Online noted that he was originally nominated in 1966, but issues with paperwork prevented the request from being submitted. Because of his outstanding actions in Vietnam, however, members of his platoon pursued the honor on his behalf again, starting the process in 2005.
Freeman's platoon, Alpha Company of the 1st Bn, 27th Infantry Regiment, started July 19, 1966, with 33 people and ended the day with only nine. According to Military Times, Freeman played an influential role in saving those nine lives. He also received a Purple Heart award because of the wounds he sustained during this day, noted the source.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, will begin work on a research initiative to look at non-opioid treatment options for servicemembers. According to The Washington Post, the research will span the next five years and cost $21.7 million. The initiative will involve 13 separate research projects.
The NIH reported that the studies will be done in an effort to help soldiers dealing with both physical pain and mental health issues such as problems sleeping, post-traumatic stress disorder and even substance abuse during life after service.
According to the Post, most soldiers returning from war with these issues are being given opioids, which are linked to troubling side effects and can be highly addictive. The NIH noted that since 44 percent of soldiers report having to manage chronic pain post-deployment, finding safe and healthy treatments is essential. Some of the alternative medical procedures that will be researched include meditation, hypnosis and the use of chiropractors and morning light.
Funding for the projects will come from the NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and National Institute on Drug Abuse and the VA's Health Services Research and Development Division.
Newman's Own Awards gave a total of $200,000 to five programs dedicated to helping servicemembers, veterans and their families.
The award money doubled from last year's prize of $100,000 thanks to an increased donation from The Fisher House Foundation, an organization committed to helping armed forces families.
According to Military Times, the winners were selected from 288 entries. Awards will be given to a program that teaches veterans entrepreneurship, two organizations devoted to helping military children, a veteran dental care program and a group that helps struggling veterans find housing. The housing program, Operation Warm Embrace, received the highest award at $50,000, while the other programs received $37,500 each.
The awards were presented in a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, presented the donations and gave a speech.
"There is power in what you do. It can be big or small, but there's power in it," he remarked, according to Military Times.
The Fisher House Foundation noted that the entries are judged by seven officials who look for innovation, creativity and how much of a positive impact the organizations have had on their respective communities. The contest began in 1999 and has since honored 158 programs, giving out $1,125,000.
A report just released by the Disabled American Veterans highlights the lack of services available that are geared toward female servicemembers.
According to Military Times, the amount of female veterans in the U.S. has more than doubled in the past 14 years. Numbers are expected to increase by as much as 11 percent by the year 2020. Veterans Affairs has done little to keep up with this gender shift – the source reported that almost a quarter of VA medical facilities do not have a full-time gynecologist. Many institutions helping rural veterans don't even have a designated provider for women's health care.
The Wall Street Journal noted that many women face obstacles that men will never experience, such as the need for adjusted prosthetics during pregnancy. Female soldiers are also more likely to require care for mental health issues post-war, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The source noted that female veterans have a higher unemployment rate than male veterans, and are therefore more likely to seek medical services through the VA.
Military Times noted that female veterans are also more likely to be single parents, be divorced and be younger in their life after service than male veterans, all factors that need to be taken into account when figuring out how to move forward with adapting veteran care. The DAV report makes numerous suggestions on how the VA can begin this adaptation.
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.