Archive for the ‘News’ Category
February 15, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
Today marks the release of the You Served Widget, a small include that readers can place on their website or blog that shows the 2 most recent posts from You Served.
It has a sleek look and patriotic design (this is a Military and Veterans blog after all!). We just thought it would nice for some of our readers to be able to drop it on their own sites and stay up to date with You Served.
Of course, subscribing to our RSS feed is another great way to keep tabs on our ongoing posts from the likes of CJ, Troy, and the You Served Staff.
Get the You Served Widget here.
Subscribe to our RSS feed here.
Thanks for reading, we love the feedback!
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February 13, 2008 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Charities/Contests, News
Just in time for Valentine’s Day (or perhaps a belated Valentine’s Day gift), word has made it to You Served that there is a new initiative turning old military uniforms and fatigues into custom handbags for military spouses. The company is called Maeva Design and you can see an example of their product below. 10% of all profits benefit organizations associated with the military. Check ‘em out!
Thanks to our pals at VA Joe for sending this our way :-).
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December 17, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
In our efforts to be a contributing member of the Military and Veteran community, VA Mortgage Center.com has become a corporate sponsor of National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. Other NCHV sponsors include Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Lilly Pharmaceuticals.
Under our $17,000 grant, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) will be working with several partners to create housing opportunities for low-income and homeless veterans, including National Guard and Reserve troops now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Other priorities include ensuring access to health care and employment services, as well as peer counseling and community support systems for veterans returning home from combat operations.
The corporate sponsorship, a first for us, was inspired by recent reports of the high numbers of homeless veterans. In particular, a story in the Kansas City Star about homelessness levels in Missouri prompted action.
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November 7, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Veteran Benefits, News
VA Mortgage Center.com’s newest feature is likely to surprise many readers. The new Statistics and Reports Section was compiled to educate visitors and dispel misconceptions about the VA Home Loan Program. The data presents facts in a number of categories including “Availability and Awareness,” “Qualifications and Typical Loans.” There are also statistics compiled from US Census data detailing the demographics of Veterans living in America.
Possibly the most surprising statistic is that 80% of VA Loan borrowers could not qualify for a conventional loan. Interestingly enough, VA Loan foreclosure rates have been dropping while other types of loans continue to have rising foreclosure rates. The census statistics offer interesting insights about the rising rate of Veterans in the Southern United States, while the rate decreases elsewhere. Another rise has been in the number of female Veterans, though it’s only been a 2% increase in the past 20 years.
For more facts and figures, visit our brand new Statistics and Reports Section. Click here.
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October 31, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in Military News, News
As you may or may not know, during military burials, it is tradition for the volunteers to fold the American flag 13 times. For each fold they recite the significance of the fold for the survivors. Folds 11 and 12 have proved problematic recently in that they refer to religious figures. The 11th fold celebrates veterans of Jewish decent and “glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” The 12th fold is meant to glorify “God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.”
Unfortunately, complaints about the religious content of the recital have led to the recitation being banned across the country by the Veterans Administration employees and volunteers at all national cemeteries.
It is noted that it took only one complaint to have the recitation banned and the National Cemetery Administration has not yet disclosed the details of the complaint.
Veterans and the honor detail volunteers are livid. Bobby Castillo, 85, a World War II Navy veteran says it’s “a slap in the face of every veteran.” He also added, “When we got back from the war, we didn’t ask for a whole lot. We just wanted to give our veterans the respect they deserve. No one has ever complained to us about it. I just don’t understand.”
Rees Lloyd, 59, has his own ideas about what’s happening. “That the actions of one disgruntled, whining, narcissistic and intolerant individual is preventing veterans from getting the honors they deserve is truly an outrage. This is another attempt by secular fanatics to cleanse any reference to God.”
The spokesman for the National Cemetery Administration, Mike Nacincik, says the new policy is meant to create a uniform service throughout the military graveyard system. The recital is not part of the U.S. Flag Code, nor is it government approved.
Some have decided to ignore the edict. Charlie Waters is parliamentarian for the American Legion of California and says “There are 26 million veterans in this country, and they’re not going to take us all to prison.”
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October 25, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
With much of Southern California currently experiencing the terrible effects of large wildfires, we thought it would be useful to post on the Gov’s disaster information for homeowners. Please be sure to check their list of tips if you are one of the unfortunate persons affected by the circumstances in SoCal. Our prayers are with you.
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June 27, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
VA Mortgage Center.com’s “You Served” military and veteran blog is looking to hire 1-2 writers who are U.S. veterans or active-duty military to contribute weekly articles.
Interested parties should contact us at blog@vamortgagecenter.com with their personal information and any writing examples.
This is a paid position and we are hoping to team up with highly-motivated, intelligent individuals from within the mil/vet community. We strive to provide our readers with the most recent industry news, updates on their VA benefits, and offbeat stories that are fun to read.
To learn more about “You Served”, browse our most recent articles. You may direct any questions about the position to the email address above and we look forward to hearing from you!
** If you know of anyone within the military community that would be interested in this position please pass along our information.
Thanks everyone,
You Served Editorial Staff
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June 20, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
To an outsider, military service might almost appear mandatory for those hoping to become president of the United States. All but 11 of the country’s 43 commanders in chief have listed some semblance of service on their records. Of the last half-dozen presidents, only one — Bill Clinton — did not engage in some form of military service, although there’s been plenty of debate and conspiracy theories about whether current President George W. Bush actually spent time with the Texas Air National Guard.
Here’s a look at the past six presidents and their legacy of service to our country:
-George W. Bush
First Lieutenant, Texas Air National Guard
He remained in the United States during the Vietnam War. The “Bushgate” flap at CBS regarding allegations that the president failed to fulfill his duty led to a major shakeup at the network, after scores of experts started to question the authenticity of the evidence presented.
-Bill Clinton
No military service.
The Rhodes scholar and skilled orator bypassed the draft because of student deferments. He finally entered in the draft in 1969 but received a high enough number that he was never called to serve.
-George H.W. Bush
Lieutenant, Junior Grade, United States Navy.
The first president Bush served as a Navy pilot in World War II. His plane was shot down by the Japanese, and the future president was the sole survivor. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
-Ronald Reagan
Captain, United States Army
He remained stateside during World War II. Apparently plagued by bad eyesight, Ronald Reagan continued working as actor during the war, making films for the Army.
-Jimmy Carter
Lieutenant Commander , United States Navy.
His service included sea duty and stateside service from 1946-1953. The future Nobel Peace Prize winner spent seven years in the Navy, earning the second-longest military stay of any U.S. president (Dwight D. Eisenhower tops the list).
-Gerald Ford
Lieutenant Commander , United States Navy.
A phenomenal athlete at Michigan, Ford applied for a commission in the Naval Reserve less than a week after the Pearl Harbor bombing in December 1941. He became an ensign in April 1942 and eventually served on the USS Monterey from May 1943 to December 1944.
Eleven (11) presidents had no military service:
Bill Clinton
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover
Calvin Coolidge
Warren G. Harding
Woodrow Wilson
William Howard Taft
Grover Cleveland
Martin Van Buren
John Quincy Adams
John Adams
- Thanks to the Associated Press for the content of this post.
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June 15, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
This is a guest post to You Served.
Established in 1949, Flag Day is a day reserved to reflect on what the American flag means to each of us. It is a day when we recognize the connection between our flag, our country, and ourselves. This year, I think about all of the veterans of wars past; those who died in service and those who lived to tell stories of heroism. It is because of the sacrifices made by these brave men and women that we are able to live free today. I also think about our courageous men and women serving today, whose will continue to sustain freedom for years to come. These soldiers make sacrifices in the name of freedom, and it shines through in the waving red, white and blue.
To each veteran and soldier reading this today I convey my highest respect and regard for your efforts to defend the rights and liberties of freedom loving people. And to the family members who have loved ones supporting the Global War on Terror - you are the most essential source of encouragement to them, and it is your continued support and love that sustains our troops here at home and abroad.
I extend my most heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones and friends in the current conflict. We cannot repay the selfless spirit of America’s fallen but we can ensure their sacrifice is not forgotten. Those who grieve and have experienced a loss are in our prayers, and I join all patriotic Americans in honoring the valor of our fallen men and women.
The cost of freedom is measured not in currency - but in the selfless spirit of those willing to serve our Nation in the Armed Forces. We must never forget that the freedoms and liberties we all enjoy are because of the sacrifice of patriots. We salute our U.S. forces, veterans, military retirees and the families who love and support them. Our troops hold our future in their hands and our legacy in their hearts. They continue to make our country proud, and we salute them for a job well done.
And above all, our flag of red, white and blue serves as a constant reminder of pride, patriotism, freedom, and an undying commitment to the United States of America.
May God richly bless you, your families and the United States of America.
Sincerely,
K. Michael Conaway
Member of Congress
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May 30, 2007 By You Served Editorial Staff
Posted in News
A new bill recently introduced by a pair of Democratic legislators would boost home loan benefits for veterans.
Called the 21st Century GI Bill of Rights Act of 2007, the proposed legislation would revamp the GI Bill in the face of rapidly rising education and living costs. The measure is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. The bill’s precursor, the GI Bill, was created at the height of the Second World War to provide a financial foothold for soldiers returning from service.
The wide-ranging bill boasts a variety of changes for service personnel, including the creation of a micro-loan program that would provide low-interest loans for start-up businesses and the elimination of a $1,200 buy-in to enroll in the current program for college funding.
For homeowners, though, the news is even better. Changes in the VA home loans plan would boost the loan limit from $417,000 to $625,000 and eliminate fees for obtaining the loan.
VA home loans can make the difference between a lifetime of renting and the joys of homeownership for servicemen and women, especially those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
To learn more about VA loans and what these changes could mean for you, start with our Loan Library and Expert sections here at VAMC.
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