Legal Help for Veterans blog.
News and Press
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has told Politico that she is planning to push for a new vote on her military sexual assault reform bill. Last year, the senator’s bill was defeated in Congress. Gillibrand’s bill sought to put the decision to prosecute sexual assault cases into the hands of prosecutors, not commanding officers. But those […]
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News and Press
The high cost of Sovaldi, a new drug that cures Hepatitis C, could cost the Veterans Administration (VA) $1.3 billion in the next two years. The high cost of the drug could force the agency to make budget cuts in other areas. Chronic Hepatitis C infections can destroy the liver. Eventually, sufferers will require a […]
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News and Press
Jackie Knapp has volunteered at the Battle Creek Veterans Affairs Medical Center for nearly 35 years. Knapp offers her support and time to veterans who need someone to talk to about their emotional, physical and economic problems. She has helped veterans from every war since World War II, right up to veterans of the recent […]
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News and Press
Brigadier General Carol Ann Fausone (ret.) got involved in the Livonia Public Schools “Inventor’s Contest” – one of the largest partnerships between local businesses and the schools yet. Fausone spoke with contest organizer Chuck Dardas, firing up middle school students for the month-long contest. Chuck Dardas, president of Alpha USA manufacturing facility in Livonia, invited […]
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News and Press
A Vietnam veteran died at the Sacramento VA Medical Center in October. A “do not resuscitate” (DNR) armband was incorrectly placed on the patient, but the Veterans Administration (VA) said that the error did not contribute to the death. Family members stated that the patient was Roland Mayo, 65. Mayo was a Vietnam veteran and […]
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Claims Processing, News and Press, Veterans Law
After several reports on the horrendous customer service of the Department of Veterans Affairs toward veterans in 2014, the VA is now celebrating some “good news” on that front for 2015: VA officials have settled on a single map of the United States. Pop the Champagne for bureaucratic progress! It should be noted, the Department […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
A new report from Disabled American Veterans has found that female veterans face additional challenges when transitioning to civilian life. According to the report, female veterans are more likely to be unemployed than male veterans or non-veteran women. They are more likely to be homeless than non-veteran women. In addition, fewer resources are available to […]
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News and Press
We Veterans had a tough news year in 2014: from the VA hospital scandals and questionable scheduling practices for appointments, to increasingly severe health problems, to rising reports of sexual assault in the military. Yet, despite this seeming roller-coaster of bad news, I am hopeful for our Michigan Veterans in 2015. The two year old […]
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News and Press, PTSD
New research published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress suggests that the practice of yoga could help combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study examined the effects of Sudarshan Kriya yoga on PTSD patients over the course of one year. Sudarshan Kriya focuses on breathing-based meditation. Twenty-one male Iraq/Afghanistan veterans diagnosed with […]
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News and Press, Veterans Law
In early December, the Clay Hunt SAV Act was unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is designed to mobilize resources to address the current crisis in veteran suicides. But less than a week later, a sole U.S. senator, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, placed a hold on the bill, stopping further progress […]
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