Remarks by the First Lady at the Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013 Bill Signing

The White House

Office of the First Lady

State House
Annapolis, Maryland 

1:55 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Good afternoon.  It is truly a pleasure to be here in Maryland today. 

But before we get started, I want to take a moment to say that our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston.  My husband continues to monitor the situation, and he has directed the full resources of the federal government to assist state and local authorities as they investigate this horrific act. 

And what happened on Monday was a reminder that in times of crisis, here in America we respond with courage, and grit, and selflessness.  That’s exactly what we saw from the people of Boston, and from all those who rushed to aid the victims, especially the police officers and firefighters, the first responders, and our men and women in uniform.

And that is the spirit of Boston, but it is also the spirit of this country.  And in many ways, that’s the spirit of service and sacrifice that we are here to honor today. 

So I want to thank Governor O’Malley for hosting us, but also for his tremendous leadership for the state of Maryland and for all of his efforts on behalf of our troops, veterans, and military families.

I also want to thank Lieutenant Governor Brown; the Secretary of the Navy, Secretary Mabus; and all of the servicemembers from Fort Meade and the United States Naval Academy who are here with us today. 

And I’d like to recognize all of the Maryland state legislators:  Attorney General Gansler, Mayor Cohen, the representatives we have here from veterans service organizations and the University of Maryland, and to all of the military family members who are joining us today.  Welcome, and thank you for being here. 

And, finally, I want to thank Senior Chief Hite and his wonderful family who I got to meet -- Mom and Dad are here, and his handsome son, who I will embarrass -- (laughter) -- but we are proud of you all.  But I want to thank you all for your service to this country, because the truth is, is that every family member serves, and every time I meet a servicemember, a veteran, I don’t just thank him or her, I think children and parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters, because everyone in some way is part of that service.  And thank you for sharing your story with us today.

Two years ago, Jill Biden and I launched Joining Forces in large part because we’d heard too many stories like that of Senior Chief Hite’s.  We had heard the stories of military spouses like Janelle Gray, whose husband serves in the Air Force at Fort Meade. 

Janelle was a professional counselor for seven years in Minnesota and North Dakota.  But when she and her husband were transferred here to Maryland, she found out that she’d either have to wait three years or take additional coursework and get extra training before she could get back to work.

And then there were all the veterans we’d heard from -- the Army medics who couldn’t get jobs as EMTs; the Marine welders who couldn’t land a manufacturing job here; or the convoy drivers who couldn’t get hired to drive a semi.

Earlier today, I was over at the U.S. Naval Academy, and I met with some wonderful individuals who are here today in the healthcare professions who have served this country for years -- even decades -- and have mastered so many highly technical, high-demand skills.

But even with all that experience, these men and women wouldn’t even be considered for entry-level jobs in their fields because they didn’t have the right civilian credentials.  And all of this is happening after we have already asked so much of our troops. 

We have asked them to risk their lives in combat, manage dozens of peers, operate complicated machinery, oversee millions of dollars of assets, and save lives on the battlefield.  And then, when they come home, we’re also asking them to repeat months of training for skills they’ve already mastered.  So we have to ask ourselves:  How does this make sense? 

And the same is true for our military spouses.  We’re asking them to juggle a full-time job and their family’s finances, and the entire household all alone while their spouse is deployed overseas.  And we’re asking them to move their families to new communities and new states every couple of years.  And after they do all that, we’re also asking them to wait months and pay hundreds of dollars in fees just to be able to continue their careers?

That’s just not right.  And let me be clear -- this is about more than just eliminating a few bureaucratic headaches for these men and women.  This is about improving the financial security for thousands of military families.  It’s about giving veterans and their spouses an opportunity to build their careers and create a better future for their children.

So with all of that on the line, we knew we had to get this fixed.  And that meant we had to turn to state leaders like so many of you here in this room, because you all are the only ones who can make an impact on these licensing issues.

And I’m here today not just because Annapolis is beautiful -- which it is, and I wish I could stay and have ice cream and crab cakes -- (laughter) -- but I would clog up the city.  I will be back.  (Laughter.)  But I’m here today because here in Maryland, you all have done just that.

You have come together to take a bold step forward on behalf of our troops, veterans, and military families.  And by doing so, your state is joining a growing list of states that are addressing this issue.

Since last year, when I spoke to our nation’s governors about the issues facing military spouses, the number of states that have passed laws to help those spouses has more than tripled -- from 11 to 36.   And since we spoke with the governors again at the end of February of this year, this time about veterans issues, 13 states, including Maryland, have acted to help our veterans earn credentials.

And let me tell you, your bill here in Maryland is one of the best bills that we have seen in this entire country.  You all are tackling three big issues all at once.  You’re helping our veterans obtain professional credentials.  You’re helping them earn college credit.  And you’re making it easier for military spouses to continue their careers as they transfer to your state. 

So I want to say a huge thank you to Governor O’Malley for his leadership on this effort and to all of the legislators who have made our military families a priority.  You all didn’t just ask yourselves, can we do this.  You asked yourselves, how can we do it right; how can we serve our men and women in uniform as well as they’ve served us. 

But I also want to make an important point here:  This is not simply about patriotism and repaying our debt to our servicemen and women.  This is also about putting highly skilled individuals to work in communities all across Maryland and throughout the country.  It’s about strengthening our hospitals and our schools, and making our businesses more productive and dynamic.

That’s why the bill that’s being signed into law today is so important.  And I want you to know that we’re working at the federal level to address these issues as well.  For example, my husband has championed programs to help our troops get their civilian credentials in areas like manufacturing, medicine, and transportation before they leave the Armed Forces.  And I want to recognize the Navy, in particular, for leading the way on this issue with sailors earning more than 80,000 credentials in the last six years. 

So all of these efforts couldn’t be more important as we look at what’s coming in the years ahead.  With the Iraq war over, the war in Afghanistan winding down, more than a million servicemembers are going to be hanging up their uniforms and transitioning back to civilian life.  And that comes on top of the hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses already out there looking for work. 

So even though we’ve made a lot of progress on veterans employment over the past few years, as a country, we still have a lot more work to do.  And that means we need to redouble our efforts across the board.  We need more businesses to make big, bold commitments to hire and train our veterans and military spouses.  We need more hospitals and colleges and employers from every sector to recognize our veterans’ and military spouses’ unique skills and experiences, and give them a fair shot at a job.  We need every single state that has not already acted on these licensing and credentialing issues to follow Maryland’s lead and clear away every unnecessary obstacle facing our veterans and military spouses. 

And while these bills are a wonderful first step, we can’t rest until we’ve worked with our licensing boards, colleges, and universities to make sure these bills are fully implemented so that our veterans and military spouses get the credentials and the jobs they need.

And if we all step up in this way, if we all keep coming together on this issue, we will be sending a powerful message of love and support that makes a real, concrete difference for our military families.  We’ll be helping them build their careers, support their families, and find new ways to serve this country, which they so desperately want to do.  And that’s what Joining Forces is about.  And that’s why we’re not going to stop working until every state has enacted legislation to address these issues.  We’re not going to stop until every single military family in America gets the honor and support they’ve earned.

And so to all the military families here today, I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that we are going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.  We are in this for the long haul.  And we are bound and determined to repay your service and sacrifice with service and sacrifice of our own.

So to our servicemembers and military families, thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you so much for everything you have done for this country, and everything you will continue to do in the years ahead.  And to all the elected officials, to the leaders from the University of Maryland, to all the people of this great state, thank you for stepping up to show your support for these brave men and women.

I look forward to continuing our work together in the months and years ahead.  Thank you, God bless, and let’s get some signing done.  (Applause.)

END
2:05 P.M. EDT

President Obama speaks at in interfaith service dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed at the Boston Marathon bombing.

President Obama will deliver remarks this morning at Healing Our City: An Interfaith Service which is dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed in Monday’s bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

The Kaiser Foundation hosts an event for the launch of EMPOWERED, Alicia Keys' new campaign to help end the HIV/AIDs epidemic.

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VA chief Shinseki vows backlog in veterans’ claims will end by 2015

By Molly K. Hooper - 03/24/13 02:41 PM ET

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Sunday defended the administration’s efforts to aid former servicemembers, even as he was forced to acknowledge his agency would not clear a backlog of pending disability claims until the end of 2015.

Shinseki – who has known of the ballooning problem since his confirmation in 2009 – said it will take nearly three more years to process the hundreds of thousands of claims, in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“We have put in place a robust plan to end the backlog in 2015. That's in our commitment,” Shinseki said.

Shenski also said President Obama was determined to help speed up the process.

“The president's been very clear. Veterans are a top priority with him and ending the backlog is a foremost in his mind. He has made that very clear,” he said.

According to recent reports, at least 70 percent of the disability claims take 125 days to process. CNN host Candy Crowley noted the number of backlogged claims was 164,000 in October of 2009; today it is 630,000.

Crowley pressed Shinseki on the agency’s efforts to tackle the problem.

Shinseki said a lack of funding was not the issue, noting that his department has received 40 percent in budget increases over the past four years, while most other agencies have taken hits.

He instead pointed to the massive amount of paperwork that needed to be transferred to digital formats, the need to sync with Department of Defense (DOD) records and the addition of more veterans who qualify for disability claims as reasons for the backlog.

The longtime Army veteran emphasized the VA’s efforts to end the backlog by the end of 2015, however noting a “new tool” to help in the process.

“We have today an automation tool that we didn't have two years ago, and it is called the Veterans Benefits Management System, it has already been fielded to 20 of our regional offices. We will be in all 56 regional offices by the end of this year,” Shinseki said.

The VA Secretary acknowledged that the wait would still be too long, but said the agency has “put three million claims out the door,” noting that “there are going to be a few that are complex enough to run longer than we would like.”

“We can go and take those numbers and drill down into them, but again our commitment is we're going to end the backlog in 2015. This has been decades in the making, 10 years of war. We're in paper, we need to get out of paper, we still get paper from DOD and other agencies. We have commitments that in 2014 we will be electronically processing our data and sharing it,” Shinseki added.

Asked if Shinseki was “satisfied” with his performance over the past five years at the helm of the VA, the secretary responded: “No veteran should have to wait for claims as they are today. We have a fix for this, we're open for business, and we will end the backlog in 2015.”

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Remarks by the First Lady at Champions of Change Women's Veterans Event

The White House

Office of the First Lady

Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Washington, D.C.

11:39 A.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Hello!  (Applause.)  Good afternoon -- morning.  It's still morning.  How is everyone?  You all, rest yourselves.  (Laughter.)  I hear we've been keeping you pretty busy, right? 

Well, I'm really thrilled to be here.  I am just delighted to have the opportunity to stop by and say hello, and to add my thanks to the many thanks.  But I want to start by thanking Secretary Shinseki, not just for his kind introduction but for his stalwart service to this country.  And also, when -- I hear Patty is here, too.  Patty -- there is Patty Shinseki, who has been with you.  I want to thank you for joining us today, and for all that you've done as a partner, with Jill and I, through Joining Forces.  It's wonderful to see you, as well as everyone here from the Business and Professional Women's Foundation, for the exceptional work that they do every day for women's veterans.

And, of course, I want to recognize the 14 extraordinary women we're honoring as our Champions of Change.  I had an opportunity to take some quick photos and meet Joshua over there, who is -- (laughter) -- he's riveted by today's proceedings.  (Laughter.) 

And I want to thank every single woman in this room who has worn our country's uniform.  And I know there are a few men here, so I don’t want you to think I'm ignoring you, but this is really not about you today.  (Laughter.)  Not at all.  But you look -- you all look good.  You dressed up for your respective people.  You're not embarrassing anyone, which is good.  (Laughter.) 

But to our women veterans, you all are part of a long line of women who have broken barriers and defied expectations and served this country with unparalleled courage and determination.  You've been on the front lines, often in the line of fire.  And generation after generation, women like you have proven that you not only serve alongside men -- you lead them, as well.  Let's just take a moment.  (Laughter.)  Whether you're in combat or aboard a submarine or anywhere else service takes you, you're doing the job, and you're doing it with grace and poise and dignity. 

And the beautiful thing about our veterans -- and this is especially true for our women veterans -- is that long after you stop serving this country, you don’t stop serving it after you hang up your uniforms.  And that’s something that we say all the time about our veterans.  It's important for the nation to understand that you all keep working.  You make me tired -- (laughter) -- but you keep doing it. 

You are the leaders in our businesses and schools in our communities.  You're mothers raising your kids with that same sense of honor that defines your own lives every single day.  You're volunteers in your neighborhoods, on the PTA, your houses of worship, always finding ways to keep lifting folks up. 

And the 14 women we're celebrating today are truly the living embodiment of that spirit of service.  They're helping women veterans and military families start their own businesses.  They're fighting to promote gender equality in the military.  They're working to end homelessness and domestic violence and sexual assault. 

One of our honorees, Marsha Four, a former Army nurse in Vietnam, founded a transitional housing residence for homeless vets.  She started another program specifically for homeless women's veterans.  And she says she does it -- and these are her words -- she says, "When I die, I will know that I have spent some of my time here on Earth in a very important way; that I was part of something bigger than me."  Yes, we all nod to that. 

Being part of something bigger than ourselves -- that is the common thread that connects our 14 honorees, and, quite frankly, everyone in this room.  And Dr. Jill Biden and I have seen all of this occurring all across this country.  That is the thread that connects all our nation's veterans and our military families. 

And through Joining Forces, Jill and I, we are determined to match that extraordinary service with some extraordinary service of our own.  We're determined to ensure that all of our veterans and military families get the benefits, support and respect that they have earned and that they deserve. 

And this mission is particularly urgent today -- I spoke of this last week.  With the Iraq war now -- is over, and the war in Afghanistan drawing to a close, hundreds of thousands of veterans, particularly our women veterans, are going to be looking for work and are looking for work.  Right now, we have so many talented, highly skilled veterans who have so much to offer this country.  And they're going to need that opportunity to make that happen.  We need that service operating here at home.

And that’s why, last week, I went to the Business Roundtable to speak with CEOs from 80 of our nation's leading businesses -- companies like Walmart, and JPMorgan Chase, and UPS.  And at that meeting, I challenged them.  I challenged some of the biggest countries [companies] in this nation to hire and train even more of our veterans and military spouses in the coming years as the needs increase.

And this kind of challenge and call to action is really just one part of a much bigger effort by this administration to ensure that our veterans have access to the jobs they need and deserve when they return home.  For example, over the past few years, my husband has made tax credits available to any business hiring an unemployed veteran or wounded warrior.  We've also been working to help our troops translate their skills into civilian résumés and match them with careers that suit their experiences.

We've created an online jobs bank, and we're connecting companies across America to veterans in local communities through our American Job Centers that have been created.  And we're also working to streamline the credentialing processes so it's easier for military truck drivers and welders and machinists and medics to earn the certifications they need here at home so that they can get jobs and they're not bogged down in paperwork trying to make that happen.

And I have said this before, but this work couldn’t be more urgent.  With so many women hanging up their uniforms and looking for that next mission -- because that’s what you all are doing; you're just transitioning missions -- we know that right now is the time when you need us most.  And that’s what we've been talking to this nation about -- because everyone is grateful.  We live in a grateful nation.  People respect and value your service, but now is the time when we've got to step up on your behalf.

We know that right now, as this transitioning is happening for so many veterans, this is the time when they're feeling whether or not this country is truly there for them right at that transition point.  Now is the time.

So I just want you all to know that I'm not going to stop working, Jill is not going to stop working, my husband and the Vice President, we are not going to stop working until all of our veterans and all of their families feel the support of our entire country.  And we've got work to do.  (Applause.) 

Because here is the thing about our veterans -- every time this country has issued a call, our veterans and our women veterans in uniform have answered it.  And -- absolutely.  (Applause.)  And as the 14 women we honor today remind us, they continue to answer that call as veterans every single day in our communities.  And it is my hope that as Americans, the rest of us will step up to meet that example -- to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, and to serve all of you as well as you've served us. 

But here's the good news -- through Joining Forces, there has never been a "no."  There isn't a request that we have made, a challenge that we've issued that this country, from every sector -- private, non-profit, businesses, our houses of worship -- people are ready and willing to answer the call for you.  And I think that’s so important for you to know, because there are times that you don’t feel the gratefulness of this nation, but it is there.  It is truly there. 

There is more work to do.  There are more challenges to meet.  But as you go through the process and you come across young veterans transitioning, it's important for them to know that they're not alone.  We're going to get it right, and we're going to keep working hard.  And we are so grateful, and so proud.

This is one of the best things I do every single day, is work with our servicemembers, our veterans and their tremendous families.  Because none of you, I know, could do what you do without somebody having your back.  And that’s usually a spouse, or a son, or a daughter, or someone else who has sacrificed tremendously so that you could serve.  And I know a little bit about that.  (Laughter and applause.)

So thank you to our Champions of Change.  As I told them, just don’t get tired.  We still need you.  And to all of our veterans, not just in this room but all across this country, we are proud of you.  We are grateful.  And we're going to keep working.  Just keep working for our nation, because we still need you.

Thank you for being here.  God bless.  Take care.

END
11:50 A.M. EDT

The first stop on President Obama's trip to the Middle East marks the first time the President has visited Israel since taking office, and comes as its citizens celebrate the 65th anniversary of a free and independent State of Israel.

On the third anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius lays out some of the ways in which the health reform has lowered costs.

We will be posting regular updates from the road and livestreaming several of the President's events on whitehouse.gov/live

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Military Leaders: Sequester Cuts Will Prevent Veterans From Accessing Mental Health Services

During a hearing before the House Military Personnel Subcommittee Wednesday, American civilian and military leaders issued lawmakers a stark warning: federal budget cutbacks under the so-called “sequester” will leave veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses without access to the health care that they desperately need.

The sequester cuts will force multiple governmental departments to cut back on programs or eliminate them entirely. Charged with taking care of the staggering percentage of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with PTSD, the Defense Department has had to increasingly rely on civilian mental health specialists to address the backlog. In fact, out of the 2,118 psychologists, 809 psychiatrists, and 2,533 social workers now employed by the military — a substantial increase over past years — over half are civilians. But under sequestration, the Department has been bracing for massive cuts to this civilian workforce, and is preparing to send notices to “more than 800,000 Defense Department civilian workers telling them that once-a-week unpaid furloughs will begin in April and continue for 22 weeks.”

As Military.com reports, that is particularly problematic for the military when it comes to these civilian mental health specialists because “they have options to seek employment elsewhere” and might be tempted to do so seeing as they are not exempt from the furloughs:

Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, the Army’s surgeon general, has lobbied to exempt the mental health specialists from furloughs to retain them for treating PTSD. The Pentagon has said that 20 percent of the civilian workforce will be exempt from furloughs. However, it did not look like the mental health specialists would receive that exemption, said Col. Rebecca Porter, the chief of Behavioral Health in Horoho’s office.

“We value these individuals greatly,” Porter said of the mental health workers. “If they start to go out the door, it’s going to take a lot longer for us to rebuild that” mental health workforce, Porter told a defense writers breakfast Tuesday.

“We have in the past offered retention bonuses, but that’s not specifically on the table now,” said Porter, a former military police officer and now a clinical psychologist whose main task is treating PTSD in the Army.

Her comments echoed those of Gen. Ray Odierno, the Army’s chief of staff, who told a Senate hearing last month that “before sequestration, we allocated the dollars and positions to increase military and civilian mental health providers.”

“The problem is there are not enough out there,” Odierno said. “Now what’s going to happen is we’re going to have to reduce the number we already have.”

The officials’ testimony is a clear-cut demonstration of the real world consequences brought on by budget cuts that lawmakers and the media tend to discuss in rather shallow terms. Budget cuts to military health care programs are also particularly cruel considering the already-massive backlog of over 900,000 veterans’ benefit claims — a problem that will be exacerbated as more military personnel return home from the waning Afghan war. Those veterans will already be plagued by poverty and a bleak economic outlook when they return home — and under sequestration, their mental health care outlook is even worse.

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An often overshadowed battle for veterans

An often overshadowed battle for veterans - The Hill's Congress Blog @import "/plugins/content/jw_disqus/tmpl/css/template.css"; li.item435,li.item437,li.item439,li.item441,li.item443,li.item497,li.item499,li.item501,li.item503,li.item605,li.item689,li.item691,li.item693,li.item695,li.item697,li.item683,li.item685{display: none;} var _comscore = _comscore || []; _comscore.push({ c1: "2", c2: "10314615" }); (function() { var s = document.createElement("script"), el = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.async = true; s.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js"; el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el); })(); function getURLParameter(name) { return decodeURI( (RegExp(name + '=' + '(.+?)(&|$)').exec(location.search)||[,null])[1] );}(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=369058349794205"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); if (getURLParameter("set_fb_var") == '1') { jQuery.cookie('set_fb_var', 'true', { expires: 7, path: '/' }); return true; } if (!jQuery.cookie('set_fb_var') && d.referrer.match(/facebook.com/i)) { window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '340094652706297', status: true, xfbml: true, cookie: true, oauth: true }); }; }}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));if((navigator.userAgent.match(/iPhone/i)) || (navigator.userAgent.match(/iPod/i))) {document.write('');}if(navigator.userAgent.match(/iPad/i)) {document.write('');}if(navigator.userAgent.match(/Android/i)) {document.write('');} Follow!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");Advanced Search Options » Home/NewsSenateHouseAdministrationCampaignPollsBusiness & LobbyingSunday Talk ShowsCampaignBusiness & LobbyingK Street InsidersLobbying ContractsLobbying HiresLobbying RevenueOpinionColumnistsEditorialsLettersOp-EdWeyants WorldCapital LivingCover StoriesFood & DrinkNew Member of the Week20 QuestionsMy 5 Min. W/ObamaAnnouncementsMeet the LawmakerJobsVideoGossip: In The Know Briefing RoomRegWatchHillicon ValleyE2-WireFloor ActionOn The MoneyHealthwatchTransportationDEFCON HillGlobal AffairsCongressBallot BoxIn The KnowPunditsTwitter Room HomeSenateHouseAdministrationCampaignPollsBusiness & LobbyingSunday Talk ShowsBlogsBriefing RoomRegWatchHillicon ValleyE2-WireFloor ActionOn The MoneyHealthwatchTransportationDEFCON HillGlobal AffairsCongressBallot BoxIn The KnowPunditsTwitter RoomOpinionA.B. StoddardBrent BudowskyLanny DavisDavid HillCheri JacobusMark MellmanDick MorrisMarkos Moulitsas (Kos)Robin BronkEditorialsLettersOp-EdsJuan WilliamsJudd GreggChristian HeinzeKaren FinneyJohn FeeheryCapital LivingCover StoriesFood & DrinkAnnouncementsNew Member of the WeekMy 5 Min. W/ObamaAll Capital LivingVideoHillTubeEventsVideoClassifiedsJobsClassifiedsResourcesMobile SiteiPhoneAndroidiPadLawmaker RatingsWhite PapersOrder ReprintsLast 6 IssuesOutside LinksRSS FeedsContact UsAdvertiseReach UsSubmitting LettersSubmitting Op-edsSubscriptions   An often overshadowed battle for veteransBy Thomas J. Berger, executive director, Veterans Health Council for Vietnam Veterans of America-03/08/13 03:00 PM ET Tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

Our veterans, returning from two protracted wars, deserve the very best. Most agree that includes access to jobs, education, affordable housing, quality health care, and equal opportunity employment. After defending our freedom overseas, our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are clearly facing a crisis at home. We need to ensure that those who have taken care of us abroad are taken care of once they transition back to civilian life. One area that is often overlooked is the proper diagnosis and treatment for veterans suffering from chronic pain.

Few Americans truly understand the struggles our veterans faced overseas in recent wars, and in past conflicts like Vietnam. Part of the experience was a generation of veterans returning home with chronic pain problems. While millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain, many are veterans who brought the unfortunate souvenir back from war. According to a May 2011 study by the American Pain Society, about nine in 10 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who registered for care with the Department of Veterans Affairs are experiencing pain. More than half of these veterans have significant pain, the study asserted. In raw numbers, of the 291,205 who enrolled for VA health care between October 2003 and December 2008, 141,029 received a diagnosis of a painful condition not caused by cancer.
 
Despite the media attention given to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) the number one malady suffered by America’s active duty military personnel is musculoskeletal. With all the injuries suffered by troops, it comes as no surprise that chronic pain is a frequent problem among returning military personnel from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
 
This is not a new trend, however. Vietnam veterans have suffered a variety of sustained and chronic injuries and afflictions, including exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange. Many of these veterans have been living with chronic pain for more than 40 years, and the access they have to medications and treatments is often the difference between being productive and bedridden.
 
We can help veterans, both young and older, by ensuring they have access to improved treatments and medications to better manage their chronic pain.  The fact is every person experiences pain differently and responds to treatments in different ways. Whether the pain stems from head trauma, spinal-cord and eye injuries or an amputation, there must be a variety of options available to treat the unique symptoms our veterans are experiencing. But the rise in prescription drug abuse threatens to stifle these options for fear of the further spread of abuse and misuse. We must not let that happen.
 
Make no mistake, prescription drug abuse is a major concern within the veteran community and we support proactive measures to educate veterans of this threat and to encourage responsible prescribing to ensure these medicines stay out of the hands of those who abuse and misuse the drugs. But we cannot allow for the abuse dynamic to restrict veterans’ access to the highest quality medications and treatments needed to relieve their pain.
 
Prescription medicines are not the only solution for every veteran. But for those who need them, they are critical. Together we can ensure our warriors can live long and productive lives, even if they have to manage pain. Access to quality health care and new options for treatment will protect the next generation of Americans coming back from war from experiencing the same challenges of past generations.
 
Let us not stand in the way of our heroes resuming and fulfilling their dreams.
 
Berger is executive director of the Veterans Health Council for Vietnam Veterans of America.

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First Lady and Wal-Mart team up for veterans initiative

A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama said Tuesday the First Lady would work with Walmart on an initiative to employ veterans, after the company announced a pledge to offer a job to any honorably discharged veteran in his or her first 12 months off active duty.

"The First Lady’s team was very excited and pleased by Walmart’s new national commitment to employ America’s veterans and immediately expressed an interest in working with Walmart and the entire business community to build upon and expand this commitment," Obama's deputy communications director Semonti Stephens said in an email. "In the next several weeks the White House will convene Walmart and other major American employers to discuss Walmart’s plan and encourage other businesses to make similar significant veterans employment commitments to train and employ America’s returning heroes."

Walmart has estimated it could hire more than 100,00 veterans over the next five year in stores, clubs, distribution centers and its home office.

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First Lady and Wal-Mart team up for veterans initiative

A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama said Tuesday the First Lady would work with Walmart on an initiative to employ veterans, after the company announced a pledge to offer a job to any honorably discharged veteran in his or her first 12 months off active duty.

"The First Lady’s team was very excited and pleased by Walmart’s new national commitment to employ America’s veterans and immediately expressed an interest in working with Walmart and the entire business community to build upon and expand this commitment," Obama's deputy communications director Semonti Stephens said in an email. "In the next several weeks the White House will convene Walmart and other major American employers to discuss Walmart’s plan and encourage other businesses to make similar significant veterans employment commitments to train and employ America’s returning heroes."

Walmart has estimated it could hire more than 100,00 veterans over the next five year in stores, clubs, distribution centers and its home office.

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Walmart Pledges To Hire Veterans Seeking Employment

Walmart U.S. president and CEO William Simon is expected to announce on Tuesday that the company will hire any U.S. veteran who wants a job provided that the veteran has left the military within the last year and has not been dishonorably discharged.

“Let’s be clear; hiring a veteran can be one of the best decisions any of us can make,” Simon will say according to his prepared remarks. “Veterans have a record of performance under pressure. They’re quick learners, and they’re team players. These are leaders with discipline, training, and a passion for service. There is a seriousness and sense of purpose that the military instills, and we need it today more than ever.”

First Lady Michele Obama, who, along with Dr. Jill Biden, heads up the Obama administration’s “Joining Forces” program designed to put returning veterans to work, applauded Walmart’s “historic” decision. “We all believe that no one who serves our country should have to fight for a job once they return home,” Mrs. Obama said in a statement. “Wal-Mart is setting a groundbreaking example for the private sector to follow.”

The unemployment rate for veterans, while steadily falling, has remained much higher than the national average, as servicemembers returning from war have struggled to find work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this month that he unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans was at 10.8 percent (well above the national average of 7.8 percent). However Veterans Affairs noted that “the annual jobless rate for post-9/11 Vets was 9.9 percent in 2012; a significant drop from the annual average in 2011 of 12.1 percent.”

“The military instilled in you a sense of pride, honed your leadership skills and drew on the deep sense of purpose you carry throughout everything you do,” says Walmart’s “Careers With A Mission” website, “Continue making the most of these traits without compromise at Walmart.” The company says it hopes to hire more than 100,000 veterans under the new program.

Walmart became involved in the Obama administration’s “Joining Forces” program in 2011, announcing that it “guarantees a job at a nearby store or club for all military personnel, and military spouses, employed at Walmart and Sam’s Club who move to a different part of the country because they or their spouse have been transferred by the United States military.”

“They like military people because they have a sense of hierarchy and a commitment to the organization they are in,” Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor historian at the University of California who wrote a book on Walmart, told the New York Times. “And that’s important to Wal-Mart.”

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First Lady and Wal-Mart team up for veterans initiative

A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama said Tuesday the First Lady would work with Walmart on an initiative to employ veterans, after the company announced a pledge to offer a job to any honorably discharged veteran in his or her first 12 months off active duty.

"The First Lady’s team was very excited and pleased by Walmart’s new national commitment to employ America’s veterans and immediately expressed an interest in working with Walmart and the entire business community to build upon and expand this commitment," Obama's deputy communications director Semonti Stephens said in an email. "In the next several weeks the White House will convene Walmart and other major American employers to discuss Walmart’s plan and encourage other businesses to make similar significant veterans employment commitments to train and employ America’s returning heroes."

Walmart has estimated it could hire more than 100,00 veterans over the next five year in stores, clubs, distribution centers and its home office.

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Hundreds Of Veterans Accidentally Exposed To HIV At New York Hospital

Over 700 veterans may have been exposed to the HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C viruses after a medical oversight allowed insulin pens to be shared between multiple patients at a Buffalo, NY hospital. According to hospital officials, the insulin pens — which are each supposed to be designated for a single patient, to help prevent the spread of diseases — were used incorrectly over a two-year period.

In November, pharmacy inspection rounds revealed that the hospital was storing insulin pens in supply drawers without any patient labels on them — despite the fact that the federal government has been warning against the practice of sharing insulin needles for years. In 2009, after a similar incident at a Texas hospital put more than 2,000 patients at risk, the Food and Drug Administration issued an alert about the issue.

“What has happened can only be described as the grossest of irresponsible and dangerous behavior,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said of the incident. And representatives from the Buffalo area, including Rep. Brian Higgins (D) and Rep. Chris Collins (R), are now seeking an investigation into the hospital’s practices:

“Beyond the fact that the error occurred at all, most concerning was the length of time it took the Buffalo VA to catch the error — over two years, as well as the three-month delay in informing patients who may have been exposed,” Higgins, whose district includes the city of Buffalo, wrote in a letter to the VA on Monday. “Also detail why affected patients weren’t notified immediately.” [...]

“Unfortunately, since the day that new technology was introduced at the VA, they did not have a protocol in place that let the nurses know they were not supposed to use the cartridge on more than one patient,” Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Collins told CNN affiliate WGRZ. Collins also called the situation in Buffalo “unacceptable.” [...]

Higgins has also requested a detailed response outlining what steps will be taken to prevent any similar issues in the future.

An official from the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Melissa Schaefer, told the Associated Press the CDC believes these incidents still go underreported despite previous warnings from federal public health officials. Part of the problem may be that some medical professionals, like the staff at the Buffalo-area hospital, may believe it’s safe to reuse insulin pens if they simply change the needle within the pen.

But Scaefer explained that’s not the case. “Reuse of insulin pens for more than one patient essentially is akin to syringe reuse,” she said. “You can get back flow of blood into that syringe or cartridge that contains the insulin and then you potentially expose others patients. And changing the needle wouldn’t make it safe for multi-patient use.”

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Share Your Ideas for Improving Transportation for Veterans

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Ed. note: This is cross-posted from fastlane.dot.gov

Yesterday, DOT helped launch a national dialogue on strengthening transportation choices for America’s military veterans, wounded warriors, and their families. This online conversation, “Strengthening Transportation Choices So We Can Serve Those Who Have Served Their Country,” is open until June 8, and we invite those interested in helping veterans and service members to participate by visiting veteransdialogue.ideascale.com.

The benefits Americans enjoy today wouldn't be possible without the courageous service of our nation's veterans. So when they return home, we must turn our sincere appreciation of the men and women who bravely protect and defend the United States of America into action. We must help them and their families find meaningful work, a good education, and quality medical care—none of which is possible without access to reliable, affordable transportation.

That's why the Federal Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility and the Department of Defense are sponsoring this first-ever online exchange of ideas about the transportation options veterans need and how we can help make those options available to our returning heroes and their families.

Managed by Easter Seals Project ACTION, this dialogue is open to:

Veterans, service members, and their familiesMilitary and veteran service organizationsTransportation providers (public and private)Human service providersState, city, and county officials delivering services and outreach to veteransCounty offices of Veterans AffairsVA hospitalsEmployersColleges and universities

As Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff said, “We are thrilled to support a national conversation that will, for the first time, enable veterans and service members to engage in a frank and creative exchange about their transportation needs with a wide range of organizations that can ultimately deliver solutions.”

The FTA's Veterans’ Transportation and Community Living Initiative is already helping local agencies provide a one-stop shop for military families, veterans, and others searching for good transportation options in their own neighborhoods—whether it’s a bus, a van, a taxi, or another way to get around.

And now, we’re proud to broaden the conversation by giving those who have been on the front lines of military service a chance to communicate with those who are on the front lines of delivering transportation services. This online give-and-take will help us make better decisions about the transportation connections our military families need to pursue the opportunities they deserve.

So, if you’re a veteran, an active member of the Armed Forces, or the family member of one, we want to hear from you about your transportation needs. What can we do to help you and your family get back and forth to work, or to school, or to all the activities going on in your community?

And, if you represent an organization that’s helping our military heroes here at home, we want to hear from you on how we can better coordinate transportation services for these deserving individuals and their families.

We know that Washington doesn’t have all the answers. So, please, go online to veteransdialogue.ideascale.com and let us hear your ideas for getting America's veterans and their families where they need to go.

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VA and Department of Labor Program to Retrain 99,000 Unemployed Veterans Is Now Accepting Applications

Posted by Brad Cooper on May 15, 2012 at 10:03 AM EDT

First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, and others watch as President Barack Obama signs the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (VOW to Hire Heroes Act) in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, Nov. 21, 2011. The legislation provides tax credits to help put veterans back to work. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Last November, the President signed into law the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this law is a new program designed to help put veterans who aren’t eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill back to work – interested veterans can start to apply through the Veterans On-Line Application today!

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed veterans age 35-60. The re-training program will help our nation’s heroes gain meaningful training in a new skill that will increase their employability.

To qualify, a veteran must:

Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years oldBe unemployed on the day of applicationHave an other than dishonorable dischargeNot be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)Not be in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployabilityNot be enrolled in a federal or state job training program

Participants may receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). DOL will provide employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of the program. VA will begin accepting applications online starting May 15, 2012.

Participants must be enrolled in a program of education approved for VA benefits offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, (but not necessarily attain) and provide training towards a high demand occupation.

For More Information:

Brad Cooper is the Executive Director of Joining Forces

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Why Doesn’t Marcy Kaptur Respect Veterans?

From the diaries.

Not long ago, my opponent, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur used her Congressional website to take Republicans to task for not being “sensitive” about “the plight of unemployed returning veterans.” She was angry that the House of Representatives had rejected her proposed amendment to the 2013 budget.

The amendment would have established a Veterans Job Corps, which she claims “would employ at least 20,000 veterans over 5 years in projects to preserve and restore America’s national parks, state parks, and other public lands.”

This idea may sound good on paper. But it ignores several important questions that involve sensitivity, common sense and responsible government.

Number One: Who was being more sensitive, thoughtful and responsible here? House Republicans who want to reduce out-of-control federal spending, borrowing and deficits – and reduce the size and intrusiveness of a federal bureaucracy that has become a massive legal and regulatory drag on our economy and job creation?

Or an out of touch Democrat politician who is determined to keep borrowing, spending and growing our government – and who rejects our veterans’ military backgrounds and wants to turn them into federally employed landscapers and groundskeepers?

Is Kaptur suggesting that the military training and hands-on experience our veterans acquired during their time in service isn’t good enough? Or that these jobs are the best they should expect? Or does she just not respect their service and training?

Kaptur and her campaign staff certainly don’t respect my own military training. That’s obvious from the way they call me a “faux” plumber. Are all our other veterans “fake” in their jobs too? Marcy’s campaign has denied my military experience several times before, each time proving that she and her staff don’t respect veterans and our military experience.

This lack of respect goes a long way toward explaining why Kaptur is so willing to turn this nation’s soldiers into landscapers and groundskeepers, when instead they could be transitioning to productive civilian lives in trades for which they have already received training. Heck, a few might even make pretty good plumbers.

Number Two: What this nation needs – and what our veterans need, so that they can find good jobs – is an economy that is growing. Last year, growth didn’t even reach a lousy 2 percent. Our economic growth needs to get back to 4 or 5 percent a year, every year.

For that to happen, government needs to stop borrowing and spending the money the private sector needs – the money private businesses would invest in new equipment, new hires and new ideas far better than government ever can. Government also needs to stop taxing and regulating everything in sight, dragging our economy down, far too often for no health or environmental benefit.

Congress and the federal bureaucracy also need to stop wasting taxpayer money on worthless fake-energy wind, solar and algae schemes – and start letting companies drill again for oil and gas that power our economy and create real jobs and revenues.

Just over the past few years, oil and gas “fracking” on state and federal lands created 600,000 jobs! It generated real energy that we can use, and billions of dollars in revenue! And here Kaptur is upset that the House rejected her proposal to borrow more money to create a lousy 20,000 menial jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “young male veterans” between the ages of 18 and 24 had an unemployment rate of 29.1 percent last year. Non-veteran males in the same age group had “only” a 17.6 percent unemployment rate – which is also intolerable, insensitive and unnecessary.

It’s clear that America is in a crisis – which almost everyone outside of Washington, DC realizes. Ms. Kaptur, along with most other Washington politicians and bureaucrats, however, is isolated and insulated from this crisis. Both they and we should all be asking: Why are veterans, with all their training and experience, so much worse off than non-veterans, after having served and sacrificed so much for their country? And how much longer can we tolerate this destructive situation?

Yes, Congress has tried repeatedly (and failed repeatedly), to “fix” the unemployment problem. But little has been accomplished beyond partisan bickering and political grandstanding. While our political “heroes” keep talking about unemployment, America’s real heroes continue returning home to live it.

We need to focus on getting excessive government out of the way, so that the private sector can create jobs for our veterans and the millions of other Americans who so desperately want to work again.

A soldier understands one thing above all others: results. Congress, as history continues to prove, doesn’t understand this concept. Worse, too many politicians keep coming up with crazy ideas that they think will get them votes – when what they will really do is make sure the problems remain unsolved. They obviously have no clue what they’re doing.

Veterans deserve better than a 29% unemployment rate. Veterans deserve better than politicians who don’t respect what they went through and what they learned from military life. Veterans deserve respect, and an appreciation for what they’ve done for their country.

Most of all, veterans deserve to be represented in Washington by people who understand and respect what they did, what they do, what they know, and what they have to offer their country when their military service is over.
_______________
Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher is a Republican candidate for Congress in Ohio’s ninth congressional district. Samuel Wurzelbacher rose to national fame as “Joe the Plumber” when he challenged then-candidate Barack Obama on his plans to increase taxes for the middle class. Since 2008, Wurzelbacher has spoken nationally in support of blue collar workers, encouraging voters to get engaged in the political process. Learn more at http://www.JoeForCongress2012.com/

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