Jun 16 VA benefits chief retiring, was suspended in relocation scam By Matthew Daly, Associated Press The acting head of the Veterans Benefits Administration is retiring — three months after he was suspended for allowing two officials to manipulate the agency's hiring system for their own gain. Continue reading
Jun 03 How veterans see the wait time issue By Joshua Barajas Last week, the head of the Department of Veteran Affairs compared wait times to the wait for rides at a Disney theme park. Now veterans share their reactions to McDonald's comments and suggestions for improving care. Continue reading
Jun 02 Army’s gay civilian leader calls his promotion ‘remarkable’ By Associated Press Army Secretary Eric Fanning is the first gay head of a military service branch. Continue reading
May 31 This innovative, wound-filling sponge just saved its first soldier By News Desk XSTAT, a device designed to staunch bleeding from combat wounds -- when traditional methods are too slow or insufficient -- was successful in its first documented use in the field. Continue reading
May 29 Column: How I answer my students’ tough questions about military service By Darrell Jones Darrell Jones, who served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, shares how he teaches his classes about the history of Memorial Day and how he answers the question often posed by his students: does he know anyone who… Continue reading
May 27 Column: How one military veteran teaches his students about Memorial Day By Demetrius Ball High school teacher Demetrius Ball hopes that by sharing a little about what life was like in the military, his students might further understand the meaning of Memorial Day. Continue reading
May 23 VA chief compares wait times for veteran care to Disney park lines By Matthew Daly, Associated Press Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald said Monday that the VA should not use wait times as a measure of success, comparing waits for VA health care to the hours people wait for rides at Disney theme parks. Continue reading
May 17 GOP blocks provision to require women to register for draft By Richard Lardner, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Buckling under conservative pressure, the Republican-led House Rules Committee pulled a legislative sleight of hand and stripped a provision from the annual defense policy bill that would have required women between the ages of 18 and 25 to… Continue reading
May 11 Watch 7:37 Transgender soldiers gain ground as U.S. military transitions By PBS News Hour Last July, Defense Secretary Ash Carter ended the policy of discharging soldiers who change their gender identity, and began drafting a plan for transgender soldiers to serve openly. With a greater proportion of transgender people in the armed forces as… Continue watching
May 05 Pentagon says fewer sex-assault victims faced retaliation By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is lowering its estimate of the number of people it believes have faced retaliation for making claims of sexual assault, arguing that what might sometimes feel like revenge may actually be an attempt to help. Continue reading