Claims Processing, Medical Issues / Disability, Mental Health, PTSD
Veterans looking for an upgrade to their punitive discharges related to behavior problems caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can find assistance at a new website: https://arba.army.pentagon.mil/adrb-ptsd.cfm This initiative follows a recent directive to the Army’s Review Board Agency (ARBA) to help those veterans whose discharges were under “other than honorable” conditions, and who assert that […]
Many veterans have service-connected disabilities that render them unable to work, even if the veterans’ disabilities have not caused them to be rated 100 percent disabled by the Veterans Administration (VA). At VA, this status is known as Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), also referred to as individual unemployability. With this status, a […]
In 2012, Michigan had just six veterans treatment courts. Today, that number has more than tripled to twenty, and Michigan leads the country in the number of veterans treatment courts. These courts are a type of “problem-solving court,” which are courts tailored to a specific population of people or addressing a certain realm of issues. […]
Across the country, researchers and policymakers are trying to find new and better ways to support veterans returning home. In Michigan, one such program is making headlines: the Buddy to Buddy program, a peer support system designed to connect post-9/11 veterans to a host of resources. The Buddy to Buddy program was developed by the […]
Earlier this month, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee announced plans to open seven currently male-only, direct combat jobs to women by spring of 2016. While I commend the Air Force for this initiative, I first want to point out that women in our armed-forces have been in combat situations from the beginning. Whether as nurses […]
Over the past two years, there has been about a 60% spike in sexual assaults reported in the military, according to numbers coming from the Pentagon that have been reported to the Associated Press (AP). Officials report that there were almost 6,000 victims of reported assaults in 2014, compared with just over 5,500 last year. […]
The American Journal of Audiology (AJA) recently published research demonstrating that a new masking treatment — known as S-tone treatment — works better for tinnitus sufferers than existing masking treatments do. In standard medical procedure, the ringing in the ears caused by tinnitus can only be covered by machines that produced broadband sound, better known […]
There are around 1.6 million non-profit organizations in this country. Of those, upwards of 65,000 include the word “veterans” in their title. With so many seeking donations, it is more important than ever to be confident that when you give to a veteran charity your donation will actually be used to help our veterans. Many […]
When Melissa Stockwell was young, she dreamed of becoming an Olympic gymnast. And although her life has taken a few unexpected turns, she has maintained her love of athletics and competitive spirit. Today, Stockwell is a national and global paratriathlon champion who is getting ready to compete for a spot on Team USA, headed to […]
The Year was 1944. Robert McConachie was 17 years old and wanted to enlist and defend his country in World War II. Because of his young age, his father, James McConachie, had to sign a waiver allowing him to join the armed forces. His father acquiesced and Robert McConachie joined the United States Marine Corps. […]