Legal Help for Veterans blog.
Aug
24

New research shows nature can help those suffering from PTSD

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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Aug
20

Service Member Domestic Abuse to be Tracked Separately

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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Aug
16

The Military Runs on Coffee – Which Brands do the Troops Prefer?

News and Press

If you ask a service member what keeps them going on a morning without much sleep or a late guard shift, you might expect to get an answer like “Sense of Duty” or “Motivation.” The popular answer, however, is generally coffee. Coffee has been an integral part of the United States Military since before the […]

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Aug
14

Veterans Affairs secretary nominee opposes privatization of vets health care

News and Press

During a Senate confirmation hearing, Robert Wilkie, the nominee to head the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), testified he is against the privatization of VA care and pledged to better integrate outside health systems. Wilkie, who most recently served as the VA’s acting secretary, said if he is confirmed to lead the expansive federal […]

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Jul
31

Study of veterans reveals one concussion may increase risk for Parkinson’s disease

News and Press

Suffering any level of traumatic brain injury – mild, moderate or severe – may make a person more susceptible to developing Parkinson’s disease, new research shows. According to the study, published in Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology’s medical journal, after a mild injury, often a concussion, the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increased 56 […]

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Jul
24

Trump nominates new leader for the Department of Veterans Affairs

News and Press

President Donald Trump selected Robert Wilkie, the acting secretary of veterans affairs, as his nominee to head the expansive federal agency. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has not had a permanent secretary since March when Trump fired David Shulkin, the VA’s previous leader. Trump then nominated Dr. Ronny Jackson, the White House doctor, […]

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Jul
13

Michigan veteran homes receive perfect score in annual federal survey

News and Press

Based on surveys administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, two veteran homes, located in Grand Rapids and Marquette, managed by the state of Michigan met all 231 standards for nursing home and domiciliary care. The distinction, a first for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, comes two years after an audit panned the […]

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Jun
15

VA mishandles new benefit expansion

News and Press

Implementation of a 2018 law that gave veterans who had an other-than-honorable discharge from the military mental health benefits has been largely mishandled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. An expansion of a VA program that granted certain veterans with other-than-honorable discharges acute healthcare benefits during a crisis gives them eligibility for ongoing mental health […]

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Jun
05

VA Health System Outperforms Other Health Providers

Medical Issues / Disability, News and Press

Jim Fausone, Esq. RAND Corporation conducted a study comparing 135 VA health facilities to other health systems with similar characteristics. The VA systems graded similarly or better in the majority of categories analyzed. While the VA facilities performed well, the results also indicated a high amount of variation between individual facilities. Some facilities care for […]

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May
02

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Approves Funding for New Veterans Homes

News and Press

Jim Fausone, Esq. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approved funding from the VA State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program to build two new veterans homes in Michigan. One home will be constructed on the existing 90 acre property in Grand Rapids, and another at a location to be determined in Southeast Michigan. The VA […]

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