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  • USO takes to the road in new mobile canteens

    One of three United Service Organizations' mobile canteens spent Aug. 11 here during drill week as part of an effort to reach out to servicemembers who are not often exposed to the USO. The USO, famous for taking the show on the road, is using the new set of wheels to help the agency travel to

  • USO to honor service heroes

    The United Service Organizations will present its "Service Member of the Year" Award to an enlisted member from each branch of the armed forces at the 2006 USO World Gala Sept. 28 in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes individuals for extraordinary heroism. This year's recipients are: Staff Sgt.

  • USO tour brings celebrities, cheer to Bagram servicemembers

    Hundreds of Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines gathered here Dec. 15, to enjoy a United Service Organizations' Holiday Troop Visit tour featuring country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus, tennis pro Anna Kournikova, acclaimed comedian Dave Attell and legendary tennis coach and inspirational

  • USO, NFL honor fallen Soldier

    The stars came out in the afternoon here Dec. 16 to honor a fallen Soldier. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Pat Tillman United Service Organizations Center featured military, sports and Hollywood icons. Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; John Elway, National Football

  • USPS offers free shipping materials for military families

    With so many military families scrambling to ship holiday care packages to their loved ones deployed around the world, U.S. Postal Service officials are stepping in to make things a bit easier.They are offering free packing materials. A special kit includes 10 boxes; 10 customs forms with

  • USPS restricts shipping of lithium batteries

    Effective May 16, the United States Postal Service will no longer allow the mailing of lithium batteries to or from international destinations, including Army post offices, fleet post offices and diplomatic post offices. Affected items will be lithium-metal or lithium-ion batteries in electronic

  • USS Nassau delivers critical help to Galveston

    Military heavy equipment and teams began arriving onshore here Sept. 18 as part of a tremendous assistance effort for an area devastated by Hurricane Ike. Teams from the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau began the process of bringing supplies, equipment and people ashore to help with cleanup

  • USSOUTHCOM supports US disaster assistance to Haiti

    A Situational Awareness Team will join officials from the U.S. embassy and a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) deployed to Haiti, Aug. 14, at the direction of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

  • USSTRATCOM Airman absorbs family fleeing Hurricane Katrina

    Mornings at the Moten household became a little more chaotic on Labor Day as it grew from one to 10 people, but Tech. Sgt. Dorrell Moten does not mind because he knows all of his immediate family survived the hurricane.Eight days after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Sergeant Moten, a personnel

  • USTRANSCOM members move DOD personnel from Japan

    More than 7,500 Department of Defense personnel and family members, and 400 of their pets, were evacuated from Japan following natural disasters in March. The evacuation was made possible through the combined efforts of the U.S. Transportation Command, Air Mobility Command, Military Surface

  • USTRANSCOM ready for worst hurricanes can muster

    As Hurricane Dean converged on the Gulf of Mexico in August, members of the U.S. Transportation Command were prepared for the worst its winds could muster. In support of United States Northern Command, aeromedical capabilities such as personnel and equipment were forward -deployed to Texas, and a

  • USTRANSCOM tackles rotations

    The U.S. Transportation Command's basic mission is moving the nation's military wherever and whenever required. The current task is to redeploy the forces who defeated the Iraqi military and liberated that country and replace them with fresh troops. At the same time, forces must be redeployed from

  • USTRANSCOM wins 2011 Government Organization Defense Architecture Award

    The Association for Enterprise Information recognized U.S. Transportation Command as the winner of its 2011 Government Organization Defense Architecture Award.The award highlights the command's USTRANSCOM Joint Deployment and Distribution Architecture - Enhanced as a model for policy and practice

  • Utah Air Guard mission in Chile changes from training to humanitarian

    Four members of the Utah Air National Guard's 151st Air Refueling Wing based here had a rude awakening Feb. 27 when the 15th floor of their hotel in Santiago, Chile, started to shake. Deployed to Chile to provide flying and maintenance support to the Chilean air force on their new KC-135 "E" model

  • Utah Air Guardsmen excel in handling two special events

    Hosting a U.S. presidential visit is always a challenge, but hosting a visit by President George W. Bush along with coordinating the arrival of more than 200 Army National Guard Soldiers within hours of each other is a whole other ballgame.  But that's exactly what members of the Utah Air National

  • Utah ANG demonstrates multi-domain battlespace connectivity on KC-135

    The presentation showed how integrated technologies and joint connectivity can provide warfighters with the actionable data and increased situational awareness they need to make informed, split-second decisions in evolving threat conditions against cyber-sophisticated adversaries.

  • Utah hands Air Force women’s soccer a 4-0 loss

    Amanda Feight scored a pair of goals to lead the University of Utah to a dominant 4-0 win over the Air Force Academy in Mountain West Conference women’s soccer here Oct. 14. The Falcons are now 3-10-1 overall and 0-3-0 in the conference play.The Utes (8-4-2, 2-0-1) took the lead 17 minutes into the

  • Utah reservists, Lajes Airmen train together

    Reservists from the 419th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, arrived here June 9 as part of a cooperative effort with the 65th Air Base Wing.Members of the 419th LRS completed annual training during their temporary duty stay here, while members of the 65th LRS exercised their

  • Utility of genetics clinical study seeks volunteers across AF

    In partnership with the Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative, recruitment has begun for Phase II of the Air Force Medical Service Personalized Medicine Clinical Utility Study. The aim of the study is to evaluate the utility of genetics and genomics in clinical care.

  • Utility uniform feedback survey, PT gear coming

    The Air Force’s first physical training uniform will hit the street later this year, and a Web site for Airmen to provide feedback on the proposed utility uniform will be online July 1.Feedback on the proposed utility uniform has been excellent so far, but an Internet survey will give all Airmen a

  • Uzbeks ask U.S. to leave Karshi-Khanabad

    Uzbekistan has exercised its rights under an October 2001 bilateral agreement to end coalition use of Karshi-Khanabad airfield.The Uzbek government delivered a note July 29 to the U.S. embassy in Tashkent giving the United States 180 days to withdraw its forces from the strategic field. About 800

  • VA announces $300 million in grants to help veteran homeless

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced today the award of nearly $300 million in grants that will help approximately 120,000 homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families. The grants have been awarded to 319 community agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto

  • VA announces disaster assistance after tornado outbreaks

    Officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs announced May 17 that special disaster assistance may be available to veterans with VA-guaranteed home loans who have been affected by recent tornados. Veterans living in designated disaster areas may receive mortgage assistance through their loan

  • VA announces online claims applications

    The Department of Veterans Affairs will now accept online applications from veterans, survivors and other claimants for various benefits without the additional requirement of submitting a signed paper copy of the application. People can now file initial applications for disability compensation,

  • VA announces 'Veterans Pride' initiative

    Leaders of major veterans organizations joined Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson here today to launch an effort to "kindle a new spark of patriotism" by asking men and women who have served in the military to wear their medals on Veterans Day. "We are announcing a 'Veterans Pride

  • VA backs 19 million home loans

    With mortgage rates at historic lows, veterans and military members continue to use the Department of Veterans Affairs home loan program in record numbers to purchase a home or refinance their existing loans."Home ownership is one of the foundations of the American dream," said Secretary of Veterans

  • VA beefs up data security procedures

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is revamping its data security procedures following last month's theft of a VA laptop computer that contained personal information of veterans and military personnel still in uniform, the secretary of the VA told a congressional committee. "We will stay focused on

  • VA budget adds mental-health services for combat vets

    The proposed Department of Veterans Affairs funding request will provide more post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury services to combat veterans, as well as other mental-health care and services for wounded warriors, President Barack Obama said April 9. "The nightmares of war

  • VA budget request signals commitment to vets

    President Barack Obama's $132 billion 2012 budget request for the Veterans Affairs Department demonstrates that despite a tight fiscal environment, the U.S. officials stand by their commitment to men and women who have served in uniform, Deputy VA Secretary W. Scott Gould told American Forces Press

  • VA chief visits joint base clinic, discusses progress

    The Secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, retired Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, along with Rep. Jon Runyan, visited the Community Based Outpatient Clinic April 13 here.Shinseki, the former Army Chief of Staff, came to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to tour the facility and discuss

  • VA chief: Opportunity ensures care for all servicemembers

    The secretary of Veterans Affairs said June 3 that where some might see challenges for the department, he sees opportunities."One of the big opportunities we have, and it's a priority of ours, is to make sure that our servicemembers coming out of the combat theater are well taken care of," R. James

  • VA creating 28 new vet centers

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced Aug. 14 that combat veterans will receive readjustment counseling and other assistance in 28 additional communities across the country where the Department of Veterans Affairs will establish vet centers in 2010. "VA is committed to providing

  • VA data theft: Airmen may check status on AFPC Web site

    All active duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen can check the Spotlight area on the Air Force Personnel Center Web site to see if their personal data was compromised in the Veterans Administration data theft. This is an additional effort on behalf of the Air Force to ensure affected Airmen are aware their

  • VA deputy highlights bond between Defense and Veterans Affairs

    An innovative, far-sighted partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense will improve the health care system for Veterans and dramatically change the way health care is delivered to all Americans, according to Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott

  • VA eases claims process for veterans with PTSD

    The Veterans Affairs Department will publish a final regulation July 13 intended to ease the claims process and improve access to health care for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. The new rule, to be published in the Federal Register, will relax the evidence requirement if the PTSD

  • VA emphasizes education before Post-9/11 GI Bill switch

    As the Department of Veterans Affairs begins accepting sign-ups for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, officials are encouraging anyone considering enrolling in the program to get educated about it first to ensure it's right for them. "Starting (today), people can start applying for the new benefit," said Keith

  • VA expedites decisions for long-standing claims

    The Veterans Affairs Department is expediting compensation claims decisions for veterans who have waited one year or longer, VA officials announced today.Effective today, VA claims raters will make provisional decisions on the oldest claims on hand, officials said, which will allow veterans to begin

  • VA finding jobs for Iraq, Afghanistan vets

    For young men and women fighting the war on terrorism, coming home in good health is a major goal. But coming home to a good job also is a primary concern, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson said during a news conference Oct. 13. He announced a VA jobs program for

  • VA funding reflects commitment to vets

    Emphasizing that a nation's budget reflects its core priorities, a senior Veterans Affairs Department official said the proposed 10 percent fiscal year 2014 budget increase for VA and the fact that the department is specifically sheltered from sequestration demonstrate America's unwavering

  • VA grants up to one year of retroactive veterans benefits

    The Department of Veterans Affairs announced yesterday that veterans filing an original fully developed claim for service-connected disability compensation may be entitled to up to one-year of retroactive disability benefits.

  • VA guarantees home loans for servicemembers

    Servicemembers returning to the states from overseas can now take advantage of a valuable home buying guarantee from the Department of Veterans Affairs.Contrary to what some may think, the VA does not offer home loans, instead they offer a home-loan guarantee, said Tan Johnson, a VA representative. 

  • VA issues new report on suicide data

    The Veterans Affairs Department today released a comprehensive report on veterans who die by suicide.In the past, data on veterans who died by suicide was only available for those who had sought VA health care services. Today's report also includes state data for veterans who had not received health

  • VA launches hotline for health care, women veteran questions

    The Veterans Affairs Department has launched a new hotline -- 1-855-VA-WOMEN -- to receive and respond to questions from veterans, their families and caregivers about the many VA services and resources available to women veterans.The service began accepting calls March 27."Some women veterans may

  • VA launches 'Kids Page' Web site

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced the launch of "VA Kids" on Nov. 5. The new Web page is designed to help young people understand what it means to be a veteran."The ideals of military service and patriotism can be unfamiliar to some children and young adults," said Anthony

  • VA launches new PSA on suicide prevention for veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials are reaching out to veterans in crisis and their families in a new public service announcement to raise awareness about suicide prevention resources, such as the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). "As more veterans return from Iraq and

  • VA launches partnership to benefit veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have launched a new partnership to help non-government organizations, or NGOs, plan, improve and carry out their own programs on behalf of veterans, their families and their survivors. "VA has a track record of success in working with non-profit groups and

  • VA makes progress to end veteran homelessness

    They served their country in uniform -- many on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now that they've returned home and rejoined civilian life, an alarming number of veterans have found themselves on the streets and living under bridges.Veterans Affairs Department officials are making

  • VA offers new online resource service

    The Department of Veterans Affairs is offering a new online service, My HealtheVet, which is a gateway to veteran health benefits and services.It provides access to trusted health information, links to federal and VA benefits and resources, the Personal Health Journal and online VA prescription

  • VA official emphasizes addressing mental health issues early

    Close collaboration between Defense and Veterans Affairs department officials, plus proactive military screening policies are helping to identify and treat mental-health issues in returning combat veterans before they escalate into more serious, long-term problems, said the Veteran Affairs

  • VA official outlines progress in reducing claims backlog

    A senior Veterans Affairs Department official Dec. 11, outlined progress made by the Veterans Benefits Administration in reducing the backlog of veterans' disability compensation and pension claims by 36 percent since March, attributing the success to the combined impact of transformation

  • VA officials announce funding for polytrauma center in San Antonio

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced the award of two contracts totaling $41.5 million to create a polytrauma center for the care of the most severely injured veterans and to improve the existing wards at the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center in San Antonio."A top priority for VA is

  • VA officials announce test of paperless claims processing system

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have selected their regional benefits office in Providence, R.I., to test a paperless system and new procedures to improve processing of veterans' claims for disability compensation."This test program marks a major milestone in VA's move to paperless

  • VA officials announce use of standard payment rates for some non-VA care

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced Dec. 16 they will begin using Medicare's standard payment rates for certain medical procedures performed by non-VA providers on Feb. 16, 2011."This regulation will have no impact on the veterans we care for," said Dr. Robert A. Petzel, the VA

  • VA officials approve $2.8 million for Gulf War illness research

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have approved $2.8 million to fund three new research projects that focus on testing or developing new treatments for illnesses affecting veterans who served in the Gulf War from 1990 to 1991. The research incorporates recommendations of the department's Gulf

  • VA officials assist veterans with health care costs

    For veterans struggling financially due to a job loss or decreased income, Department of Veterans Affairs officials offer an assortment of programs that can relieve the costs of health care or provide care at no cost. Veterans whose previous income was ruled too high for VA health care may be able

  • VA officials begin paying benefits for new Agent Orange claims

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials have begun distributing disability benefits to Vietnam veterans who qualify for compensation under recently liberalized rules for Agent Orange exposure."The joint efforts of Congress and VA demonstrate a commitment to provide Vietnam veterans with treatment

  • VA officials begin process to create open source electronic health record

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials released a draft Request for Proposal April 1 aimed at forming an open source community around its ground-breaking Veterans Integrated System Technology Architecture, or VistA, electronic health record, or EHR, system. When award is made under a planned RFP

  • VA officIals contacting veteran-students about new GI Bill

    Representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs here will be telephoning veterans across the country to explain their education benefits under the new Post-911 GI Bill and ensure beneficiaries are able to receive payments due them. "The Post-9/11 GI Bill is one of our highest priorities," said

  • VA officials create ad campaign to highlight educational benefits

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced a two-month, nationwide advertising campaign Feb. 22 to assist student veterans and servicemembers applying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill."VA, student veterans and our schools have made significant progress in implementing the GI Bill this spring, but

  • VA officials cutting insurance premiums for families

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced April 29 here that military personnel insuring their families under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance program will have reduced out-of-pocket expenses beginning July 1. "VA (officials hope) these reductions will allow more military

  • VA officials cutting insurance premiums for families

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced here that military members insuring their families under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, which is administered by the VA, will have reduced out-of-pocket expenses beginning July 1."VA hopes these reductions will allow more military

  • VA officials expand support for families of low-income veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced Nov. 9 an important program designed to provide enhanced services to low-income veterans and their families who are at risk of being homeless. Under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, VA officials will provide grants to private

  • VA officials extend 'Agent Orange' benefits to more veterans

    Relying on an independent study by the Institute of Medicine, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam veterans with three specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to as Agent Orange.

  • VA officials extend coverage for Gulf War veterans

    Veterans of the Gulf War as well as current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan now have a smoother path toward receiving health care benefits and disability compensation for nine diseases associated with their military service, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced Sept. 29.A

  • VA officials extend post-incarceration health care

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials will extend health care to eligible veterans in halfway houses and other temporary, post-incarceration housing under a new program aimed at cutting back on repeat offenses."There's hard evidence that lack of access to health care, including mental health

  • VA officials issuing first payments to caregivers

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials will send out more than $430,000 in stipend payments in July to nearly 200 family caregivers of veterans. These family caregivers were the first to complete their caregiver training under the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers. The

  • VA officials kick off National Caregiver Support Conference

    The 2011 National Caregiver Support Conference, which highlights Veterans Affairs' support of caregivers of all eras, will conclude here Aug. 4.The conference, which began Aug. 2, follows the implementation of landmark legislation by VA that provides a direct benefit for the first time to

  • VA officials launch childcare pilot

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the launch of free, drop-in childcare service centers at three VA medical centers to an audience of more than 700 participants attending the Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues July 15 through 17 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on

  • VA officials launching new personalized Veterans Health Benefits Handbook

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials are testing a new, personalized Veterans Health Benefits Handbooks. The handbooks are tailored to provide enrolled veterans with the most relevant health benefits information based on their own specific eligibility. In essence, each handbook will be written

  • VA officials mark 85 years of 'discovery, innovation and advancement'

    Eighty-five years of enriching the lives of veterans and all Americans through top-notch medical research will be spotlighted April 26 through 30 when members of the Department of Veterans Affairs celebrate National VA Research Week.On April 22, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould

  • VA officials obligate last of Recovery Act funds to help veterans

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials committed the last of their $1.8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds July 31, as one of the first federal agencies to achieve that milestone. Projects at more than 1,200 sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will

  • VA officials process first claims for new Agent Orange presumptives

    Department of Veterans Affairs processors have decided more than 28,000 claims in the first six weeks of processing disability compensation applications from Vietnam veterans with diseases related to exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange."With new technology and ongoing improvements, we are quickly

  • VA officials propose change to aid veterans exposed to Agent Orange

    More than 100,000 veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in Vietnam and other areas will have an easier path to qualify for disability pay under a proposed regulation published by Department of Veterans Affairs officials that adds three new illnesses to the list of health problems found to be