Blog Post

Daily News Brief 02.14.12
Posted by Jacob Worrell on February 14

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA.  Prefer to receive real-time updates about major stories and legislation that IAVA is tracking? Follow us on Twitter @IAVAPressRoom and click here to get the News Brief delivered to your inbox every morning.

MUST READS

1) VA Budget Deals With Homelessness and Jobs

On Monday, the Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled its proposed fiscal 2013 budget. As part of its push to expand access, eliminate the claims backlog and end veteran homelessness, VA has asked Congress to increase funding for IT management and programs that combat homelessness. The proposal also includes $1 billion for the new Veterans Job Corps.

2) Veteran Discrimination in the Civilian Workforce

IAVA Member Veteran Nichole Olson writes about her struggle to balance her military and civilian careers. Like many post-9/11 reservists, Olson has deployed multiple times to serve her country. The frequent moves and the lack of a steady civilian career have harmed her job search on the home front.

3) VA sees spike in homeless veterans with families

The Department of Veterans Affairs has vowed to end veteran homelessness by 2015, but an economic downturn has challenged traditional methods of combating homelessness. New veterans that are homeless are more likely to be married and have children than previous generations.

AFGHANISTAN

• Two officers, one an American and the other an Afghan, offer an optimistic view of reconstruction in Afghanistan..
• After a misspelling provoked outrage, the U.S. military says that Combat Outpost Aryanis actually a perversion of Arian, an ancient Persian tribe.
• A deluge of news about Afghans suffering from material want has led to an avalanche of foreign aid.

IRAQ

• On Tuesday, a car bomb in Mosul killed three and injured 19; another bombing in Baghdad wounded six.
• As punishment for signing an independent deal with semi-autonomous Kurdistan, Baghdad has punished Exxon Mobil by banning it from the next round of oil- and gas-licensing.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

• The Army is preparing to discharge a veteran who was mistakenly declared AWOL and arrested after a trip to France.
• Hollywood celebrated the premiere of “Act of Valor” on Monday night.

NEW GREATEST GENERATION

• An Army Doctor has developed a vaccine that seeks to eliminate the recurrence of cancer for patients who are in remission.
• A service member who was nearly burned to death by an IED in Afghanistan uses a virtual reality game as a form of treatment.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

• Congressional resistance will complicate the Pentagon’s effort to cut costs with a domestic base realignment and closure (BRAC) initiative.