One of our newest member organizations is finally expanding its activities and events in or near the Lehigh Valley with the coming year. Below is a summary of major known events as provided by Sam Johnson, Captain, USMC, its current President. (more…)
MR. DiLUZIO OF LVMAC SPEAKS OUT ON VETERANS HOMELESSNESS
Mr. Pat DiLuzio, Executive Director of Victory House, the area’s only VA recognized homelessness shelter and the new Homelessness Subcommittee Chairman for our Veterans Affairs Committee, addressed the Council at its 18 January 2012 meeting on the subject of homelessness and the plight of our veterans who are a significant proportion of that problem.
He started off with, “Close your eyes and when you think of a homeless person – what comes to mind or what do you see? Someone sitting on a heating grate; someone with a cup on corner of a busy street asking for food or dollars; children and families; someone in line at a soup kitchen; sadness and sorrow? These were some of the common answers I’ve heard people who were questioned about homelessness in United States.
“Others were asked, why do you think homelessness exists and what are the causes? The responses varied, but the top causes in the eyes of the respondents were: alcohol and drug addictions; family break-ups including abusive behavior/family dysfunctions; and physical and mental disabilities.
“But what is really interesting is that when people thought about what came to mind when they [the public] thought about homelessness, no one mentioned the homeless veteran.” (more…)
Training to Commence 7 March in South Bethlehem
In response to the growing concern over the unemployment rate of returning veterans, the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council (LVMAC) is once again offering its JOVE (Job One:Veterans Employment) program to veterans willing to invest their time to hone their job-seeking skills. Priority will go to those returning from the recent conflicts, for they are less likely to have the job hunting skills needed.
Call 484-602-JOB1 or 610-349-5856, send an email to JOVE@lvmac.org , or use the online application form from our website, if you are interested in enrolling. Applications are being accepted now. (more…)
The Good: As far as websites go, the new website My Next Move for Veterans, which tries to automatically relate military occupational specialties with civilian careers plus provide advice on the future prospects of those career fields, identify their characteristics, salaries, educational requirements and apprenticeship programs — and then even goes further in helping you locate actual job offerings in a state or zip code area — is a long sought idea come to fruition. (more…)
On 1 December 2011, we reported on the tax incentives for employers of P.L. 112-56, signed into law on 21 November 2011, as it seemed at the time the most significant part of the act and had grabbed all the attention, but what about the other major provisions? Below are five of possible individual interest: (more…)
On 21 November, the President signed new legislation, a portion of which continued and expanded tax breaks to employers who hire veterans. H.R. 674 became Public Law 112-56 and Title II within it, the section which applies to veterans, is known as the “VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.”
While the bill directs certain federal departments to reform or improve veterans retraining and placement, includes improvements to Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and directs improvements in the somewhat infamous Transition Assistance Program (TAP) — among other items of interest — what seems to be grabbing the attention has been a small section on new tax credits found under “Other Matters.” (more…)
CLYDE HOCH SPEAKS TO THE COUNCIL
Clyde Hoch, author of Tracks – Memoirs of a Vietnam Veteran, spoke to the Council on his service in the Marine Corps, his remembrances of war and his return home.
First off, he expressed his appreciation to the Council for their concern for veterans as he thinks too often veterans “are tossed aside” once they have played their role in the defense of the nation.
Now in his sixties, he believes he has a story to tell – as many other veterans do also – which can help the young understand that sometimes great sacrifices are made on their behalf, that millions of men and women before them have left their loving families to do whatever is necessary to protect our way of life. Nor does it matter they ultimately served as cooks or infantry, for the deed was in the willingness to sacrifice for others even when those “others” often little understood or cared for the service members during the Vietnam era. (more…)
First Generation Gets It Right
First Generation Visual Communication in Allentown “gets it.” While it is important to support our troops when deployed, it is also important to support them as veterans when they return home and are most likely to be forgotten. First Generation realizes it takes the “whole village” to do this. Not only must federal, state and county governments do their part on our behalf, but in times of war our community must make a special effort to ensure those local nonprofits effectively helping the local military veteran community are supported as well. One cannot afford the opinion of one former state legislator who stated helping veterans is the federal government’s responsibility alone. (more…)
For 2012, the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase will be 3.6% for most military retirees, for military survivor benefit plan and social security recipients, and for those drawing VA compensation (to include DIC) – a welcomed increase after two years without one. The President signed the last of the necessary legislation on 9 November — the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011 (S. 894). This dispels a local rumor that spouses and children receiving dependency indemnity compensation (DIC) would be forgotten. (more…)
VISN-4’s (the next higher organization to our Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center) Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) in Philadelphia is conducting a funded study to understand how war-related psychiatric symptoms may interfere with family reintegration and functioning. The obvious is not apparent to them. Nevertheless, there are benefits to such a study. The means to improving care in the VA is most often lead through documented study. The VA has been known to be loath to move without one. The benefit we see? … another step towards a more family-oriented VA. Therefore, you can help by participating. (more…)