June 11, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Veteran Benefits
Although it might seem like a shocker given all the recent press about the inadequacies of certain VA programs (such as the hospitals), there are positive things happening in the world of veteran’s benefits. Like we’ve mentioned once before here at You Served, the GI Bill of Rights Act of the 21st Century is one of them:
When a soldier returns from active-duty, they are often not the man or woman they once were. The soldiers fighting in Iraq face the physical and mental turmoil of war every single day. Inevitably, their nerves are worn, and their emotions become unstable.
When they return to the United States, how do they reintegrate into society after witnesses the death of their comrades? The task of leaving warfare behind is not an easy or painless process, and they need all the help that they can receive.
The new GI Bill of Rights Act of the 21st Century will work to ensure that there are available funds as well as available medical staff for helping diagnose and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The GI Bill does more for American soldiers than provide financial support. This Bill works to ensure that all those who have served our country valiantly, receive the medical attention they need.
This is indeed a Bill for the 21st Century, because rather than viewing PTSD as a social stigma, politicians and medical staff will now recognize this disorder as a serious problem that needs to be treated with the best techniques they have to offer.
This legislation creates a National Steering Committee on PTSD education comprised of healthcare professionals who will meet to discuss what care must be available for soldiers after deployment. This legislation is reaching out to soldiers to reassure them that in return for their sacrifices, they will have all the help they need.
In April, Senator Hillary Clinton introduced the Heroes at Home Act of 2007, in hopes of expanding the medical attention for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) even further. This problem is being placed at the forefront of concerns that Americans have for our returning soldiers, and the pending legislation speak to these concerns.
With new additions to its veteran benefits, the GI Bill is now helping soldiers receive the best healthcare possible. And the number of veterans taking advantage of their va loan benefits continues to stay strong helping ensure affordable housing.
No Comments »
June 6, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military News
It’s been a year since Federal employees lost laptops containing information on approximately 26.5 million people, including active military members. Telework Exchange recently announced the results of a new study, “Feds Walking the Talk on Security – One year after the VA laptop scandal, is Fed’s data still going AWOL?” Telework Exchange is a partnership that focuses on demonstrating the value of telework and serves to educate Federal telework employees and communication requirements. Teleworkers are employees who regularly work at an alternative worksite during normal working hours on either a full-time or part-time basis.
The survey highlights the security issues that have been addressed in the past year and the ones that haven’t.
• The Federal government has seemingly become more mobile. Over 40% of employees are using laptops for their work, almost half of which moved to laptops in the past year. Fortunately, mobile employees and teleworkers, while still not entirely secure, are better off than the majority of their regular in-office counterparts.
• After the VA laptop scandal, the government responded favorably and provided training for federal employees. Forty-eight percent of employees received training and 47% of government agencies updated encryption and protection software for employees’ computers. Unfortunately, there are still some agencies that have yet to address this issue. Sixteen percent of employees’ agencies had no reaction to the scandal.
• The study notes that almost 95% of all teleworkers have received adequate security training and are aware of agencies security policies and procedures. This is compared to 87% of traditional in-office employees. Similarly, 94% of teleworkers’ computers are equipped with anti-virus software, as opposed to just 75% of regular workers.
• The largest area of concern is the “unofficial teleworker”. The “unofficial teleworker” is an in-office employee who will take home work on nights or weekends. Of this third category of workers, 54% of workers carry files home, and 63% percent are using their own computers. This creates an uncontrolled environment in which agency data is being accessed. The study recommends that agencies train these “unofficial teleworkers” as though they were teleworkers. Only by ensuring that these employees know how to handle data outside of their office environment, and by making sure all computers are protected and data is encrypted, can we be confident that another incident like the VA laptop scandal be avoided.
No Comments »
June 4, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Life in the Military
The continuing involvement in Iraq has resulted in many long-term deployments for soldiers across the country. Although being away can place a strain on many different aspects of a soldier’s life, it can be particularly difficult when it comes to maintaining a relationship. The most important thing for Military personnel and their loved ones back home to remember is that they are not alone.
Many individuals in the states turn to forums to stay connected to others who are going through the same thing as them. Forum topics run the gamut from issues about wedding planning to Military-related television shows. No matter what the discussion topic, forums are great ways for individuals to show their support for their loved one and the Military as a whole.
Another challenge faced by Military personnel and their partners is making a relationship work after the return home. An ABC News story about military marriage issues highlights the difficulties couples face, and the options they have. For many struggling couples, a retreat was just what was needed to save their relationship. Although the deployments are long and the returns may sometimes be rocky, with the support your partner, friends, and professionals, military relationships can stand the test of time.
No Comments »
