Top 10 Veterans Stories in Today’s News May 24, 2012

On May 22, VA honored all Veterans past and present with a gallery of works from The American Fallen Soldiers Project.

On May 22, VA honored all Veterans past and present with a gallery of works from The American Fallen Soldiers Project.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has streamlined the process for families of deceased Veterans to receive a medallion which can be affixed to grave markers at private cemeteries and indicates the Veteran status of the deceased.

When they landed, Pathfinders with 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division bounded from the aircraft with their Afghan partners.

Veterans in Michigan and its surrounding states, register now for the free Veterans Hiring Fair at the Detroit COBO Center, June 26-28.

A disabled veteran has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider anew whether states violate federal law when they allow divorce courts to count a veteran’s disability compensation in calculating spousal support.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ task force on women veterans this month offered its plans for making the health and benefits system more female friendly.

For Mothers Day, VA honors the sacrifice and commitment of mothers who both wore the uniform and supported those who did. Read how one mother inspired an Iraq Veteran to serve at VAntage Point.

In collaboration with VA, Blue Star Families and the Wounded Warrior Project, Facebook has announced the launch of powerful tools designed to connect military and Veteran families with mental health services like the Veterans Crisis Line.

More than 700 Veterans will travel to St. Louis, Mo., May 31 – June 5 to compete in the 26th National Veterans Golden Age Games, a national sports and recreation competition sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV), and Veterans Canteen Service (VCS).

If you’ve ever deployed in combat, you may qualify for counseling services at your local Vet Center. Individual, group, and family counseling are available in facilities away from big hospitals, and 70% of the support staff are Veterans themselves.

You’ll need a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) before you can get a VA-backed loan. This section shows how you can apply for one.

Officials say the 1,900 new mental health staffers to be added in coming months will include the new specialists in an effort to broaden veterans’ care options.

In the continuing effort of ensuring a safe and secure environment, while still providing open and accessible service, the Department of Veterans Affairs would like to remind you that possession of firearms is illegal, under Federal law, at all VA facilities and properties.

Veterans are becoming increasingly concerned about health and in organic foods. A common question that frequently comes up is, “Should I be eating all organic foods?

On April 27, the White House announced measures that will help curb the practices of some abusive schools, which target Veterans for their education benefits.

Make the Connection is a portal to the stories of Veterans who have overcome the challenges that can occur after the military. Hear stories like yours, or browse the resource page to help start down your own path toward recovery.

The Department of Veterans Affairs will host several events to commemorate Research Week April 23-27, highlighted by Dr. Arun A. Seraphin of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) speaking at a forum on Thursday, April 26.

Last week, VA announced it would add 1,900 mental health staffers to its workforce. If you’re interested in serving through a job in VA’s health care system, we’re hiring.

Veterans Affairs will “host the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo in Detroit from June 26 to June 29″ at the Cobo Center.

Charlie Mitchell, a professor as well as a volunteer at The HONOR Center (providing Hope, Opportunities, Networking, Outreach and Recovery), located in Gainesville, Fla., teaches theater appreciation and improvisation for political and social change in addition to his work with Veterans.

Get More Out of the VA Home Loan Process – FAQs & Rates Made Simple. Houston Chronicle The newest VA Mortgage Experts are spreading VA Home Loans out to Veterans across the nation and were recently licensed in another state, which is Sunny California.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki today announced that the department would add approximately 1,600 mental health clinicians – to include nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers as well as nearly 300 support staff to its existing workforce of 20,590 mental health staff as part of an ongoing review of mental health operations.

It’s National Volunteer Week, and VA is recognizing the invaluable contribution of volunteers across the country.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today the national deployment of claims transformation initiatives to 12 regional offices in the remaining months of fiscal year 2012 to improve benefits delivery to Veterans, families and their survivors.

This week VA celebrates National Volunteer Week. VA relies heavily on volunteers to perform a variety of tasks all to provide service to Veterans.

The Department of Defense and Department of Veteran Affairs must disclose more information about sexual assault on women in the military.

Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Leneski, a high school senior, has been volunteering at the VA medical center in Ann Arbor, Mich., since she was four-years-old. “Well, I didn’t actually get registered as a volunteer until I was 10,” the high school senior said, “but I started coming here with my mom when I was four.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding more than $2.4 million to make improvements, including energy conservation measures, to the Colorado State Veterans Home at Rifle.

The Obama administration on Monday defended its decision to negotiate with North Korea as the reclusive regime prepared for a long-range rocket launch and a possible nuclear bomb test — two actions that fly in the face of the deal the United States struck recently with leaders there.

It is highly likely that North Korea is preparing for an underground nuclear test in another apparent snub of the international community, a South Korean spokesman said.