Legal Help for Veterans blog.
News and Press, Veterans Law
The Board of Veterans’ Appeals is an integral part of the VA. It handles veteran appeals of decisions not to provide benefits for conditions associated with the military. When selecting new judges, the VA secretary appoints candidates who are then approved by the president. Historically, whether a judge is approved or not depends on their […]
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PTSD
The American Legion says traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a “signature wound” for military personnel and a leading cause of suicides among U.S. veterans. That is especially true for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Traumatic brain injury occurs when an external force, like an explosion, damages the brain. According to the U.S. […]
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Employment, News and Press
Many veterans can find it a bit difficult to decide where to go after being discharged from the military. What should I do now? What kind of job would be best? Job fairs can only help so much. Grow with Google has designed and released a program specialized in helping veterans find a job based […]
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News and Press
Heather Wilson, the Secretary of the Air Force, has called for an increase in the number of operation air force squadrons by 74. This notable increase in firepower in the skies is part of an initiative to give the Air Force the strength it would need to fight an enemy country as strong as the […]
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PTSD
As the veteran suicide rate remains largely unchanged, experts searching for innovative solutions to help decrease the epidemic have praised the benefits of man’s best friend, the dog. A study conducted by researchers at Purdue University revealed overall symptoms of PTSD are lower in veterans with service dogs. “[Veterans with service dogs] had lower levels […]
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PTSD
A bipartisan bill introduced in the House of Representatives calls on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to research the efficacy of marijuana for treating PTSD. In the spring, 25 members of Congress filed the Medical Cannabis Research Act of 2018. One of the lawmakers, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R –Fla., explained the need for […]
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News and Press
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has its fourth leader in five years after President Donald Trump swore in Robert Wilkie July 30. The Senate confirmed Wilkie, who most recently served as the VA’s acting secretary, with a vote of 86 to 9. Veterans groups like The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars […]
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News and Press
For 25 years, a computer glitch at the Department of Defense taxed non-taxable disability severance payments, resulting in hundreds of thousands of veterans overpaying their taxes. The disability payments to veterans injured in combat are tax-free. However, the Defense Department’s automated payment system did not distinguish those payments from taxable income between 1991 and 2016 […]
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PTSD
The great outdoors can make an impact on those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to recent research from UC Berkeley psychologists. The studies tracked psychological and physiological changes in military veterans’ and at-risk inner-city youths’ stress hormones and markers of immune function before and after white-water rafting trips. The findings, published in the journal […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
Jim Fausone, Esq. Until now, domestic violence and assault have both been categorized as the same crime, according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This month President Trump signed the Annual Defense Authorization Act into law. This act included a 2.6 percent pay raise for troops, but also classified Domestic Violence a separate crime […]
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