SUPPORT FREEDOMS FOUNDATION AT VALLEY FORGE, AMVETS NATIONAL COMMANDER GARY L. FRY'S NATIONAL PROJECT FOR THE YEAR 2011-2012

To donate now, click here.

For more than 30 years, AMVETS has worked in partnership with the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge to deliver quality educational programs to youth and educators. These programs focus on adherence to our nation’s founding democratic principles, building a patriotic citizenry, and advancing active civic engagement.
As our military men and women stationed around the world continue to sacrifice for the protection of our democracy, our partnership with the Freedoms Foundation remains as important as ever.
A study conducted this year by the American Enterprise Institute found that our nation’s top educators ranked the importance of civics as highly as literacy and math. The civics education achievement gap was also discovered to be larger between advantaged and disadvantaged students than the achievement gap between these groups regarding reading and math.
This finding is a strong indicator that AMVETS is on the right track in supporting the civic education provided by the Freedoms Foundation. Thus, equally important is our support for the preservation and care of the wonderful Freedoms Foundation campus, which is visited annually by thousands of AMVETS members, students, educators, military leaders and civic leaders representing every state in the country.
Your contribution to the Commander's 2011-2012 Project will assist the maintenance and improvement of the dormitories, conference rooms, and common areas that are in constant use. Your support for these upgrades will also provide the opportunity to permanently recognize your AMVETS unit on the Freedoms Foundation Campus.
Represented below are the major needs and associated capital improvement
budget of $100,000:
$40,000 for central air conditioning for the Alexander Hamilton Student Dormitory;
$35,000 for central air conditioning for the General MacArthur Cafeteria and adult sleeping rooms located in the building;
$25,000 for refurbishment of the lobbies in the Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton Student Dormitories - both buildings are in need of new furniture, flooring, lighting and recreational equipment.
Donate today and plan to attend the 2012 AMVETS youth program in November, where the Freedoms Foundation will recognize donors to the Commander’s Project.
Beryl Love and the Freedoms Foundation staff are ready to assist Departments, Posts and individual donors who desire to participate in this fundraising mission. Together we can help the Freedoms Foundation accomplish its mission to educate and inspire our country’s future generations of civic leaders.
For more information, contact:
Beryl Love, AMVETS National Programs Director
Phone: (240) 832-7768
e-mail: blove@amvets.org

Live from Capitol Hill: Senate to Host G.I. Bill Hearing

This morning the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs will listen to testimony from VA administrators on the progress of Post-9/11 G.I. Bill implementation. The hearing will take place in Russell Senate Office Building Room 418 at 9:30 a.m.

Veteran Benefits Administration Director of Education Services Keith Wilson will testify on recent progress in developing a digital education benefits processing system, the ongoing recoupment of emergency living stipend checks, and status of the benefit roll-out, including the issues faced during the fall semester.

Yesterday, Military Times reported that living stipends for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill would not be adjusted to the 2010 rate until this summer. VA has acknowledged that technological limitations under the current system are to blame, but that all veterans entitled to back pay will receive it this summer and those whose living stipend rates would have decreased will not be required to pay back the difference.

VA said that it has been transparent about this potential shortcoming for months, as VA focused on delivering benefits to all enrolled veterans, rather than attempt to adjust the living stipends in the midst of the program's roll out.

From the time VA was tasked to deliver the new benefit, VA officials acknowledged that there could be technological hiccups until the final IT solution could be activated in December 2010, and that it was more important to ensure all enrolled student-veterans were processed into the system and receiving timely payments. To date, VA says that all claims have been processed for enrolled student-veterans and that all payments are up to date.

American Veteran will follow this morning's hearing closely. Check back later for updates.

Microsoft Launches Initiative to Assist Veterans in the Workforce

Yesterday, Microsoft officially announced its new Elevating America's Veterans Initiative to assist veterans with developing the necessary technology skills to compete in today's job market.

Building upon the successful Elevate America program, Microsoft will bring together a coalition of public, private and non-profit organizations to provide veterans and their family members with the requisite skills and resources to succeed in the civilian work force.

“Our servicemen and women are amazing leaders, but to be able to compete in the tough job market when they return from duty, many of them need access to technology training,” said Pamela Passman, corporate vice president of Microsoft Global Corporate Affairs, who announced the initiative at yesterday’s National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) forum in Washington. “We are bringing together organizations and companies that can combine their competencies and resources with ours to make the greatest possible impact to help veterans and their spouses.”

Passman went on to say that every sector of the economy should be open to veterans and that Microsoft hopes to leverage existing infrastructures within the veterans' community, such as veterans' service organizations, to ensure that Microsoft resources reach those looking to compete in today's job market.

As part of the initiative, Microsoft will contribute $2 million in cash and up to $6 million in software over the next two years to assist members of the military and military spouses looking to reintegrate into the civilian work force.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, or IAVA, was the first veterans' group to officially partner with Microsoft on the day of the launch. Microsoft is also looking for other eligible veterans' service organizations, work force agencies, community colleges, and other non-profits to ensure access to these resources for veterans from coast to coast.

"Microsoft wants to use all of the tools at our disposal to bring forth the skilled individuals from today's veterans' community," said Bill Kamela, Microsoft's senior director for education and workforce law and corporate affairs.

Microsoft has acknowledged that veterans bring to bear skills that many employers seek, yet the unemployment situation remains dire for those transitioning from today's military.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, more than 180,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are currently unemployed and total veterans' unemployment far eclipses the nations' already-daunting civilian unemployment figures.

AMVETS leaders have spoken out on the veterans' unemployment crisis, calling on Congress to develop better reintegration programs for today's transitioning service members and pushing Congress to pass the landmark Post-9/11 G.I. Bill in 2008, offering unprecedented educational opportunities to today's veterans.

In 2010, two of AMVETS' top legislative priorities include reintegration and education, with AMVETS Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof currently sitting on the advisory board for the Federal Government Veterans' Employment Initiative with the Department of Labor.

AMVETS has also launched new programs on the local and national levels to address job training and education ranging from AMVETS partnership with Supportive Education for the Returning Veteran, to the AMVETS Department of Ohio pilots Ohio Vets CAN and AMVETS Career Centers.

AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley applauded yesterday's Microsoft announcement.

"This is a critical step by Microsoft that will help veterans and their spouses launch viable 21st century careers--not just find jobs," said Kelley. "The Elevate America's Veterans Initiative is about making real connections and providing real resources to help our veterans excel, which is why we hope Microsoft will explore any and all resources to reach today's transitioning vets."

(Image: Microsoft's Pamela Passman announces the Elevate America's Veterans Initiative at yesterday's NAWB forum in Washington. Photo courtesy of Merritt Group and Microsoft.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. AMVETS and American Veteran Online have received dozens of notes from veterans affected by the G.I. Bill delays around the country. AMVETS leaders will continue to discuss ways to remedy the situation with VA officials this week.

Last week, AMVETS National Service Director Denny Boller sent an "All Hands" message to AMVETS National Service Officers stationed around the country looking for veterans facing financial hardship as a result of the new G.I. Bill delays, sparking AMVETS to take action.

VA recently sent a letter to institutions of higher learning urging campus administrators to work with their student-veterans while payments continue to be processed. However, this letter does not serve as viable stop-gap measure for veterans with other expenses such as rent, groceries, mortages, and utilities.

AMVETS National Programs Department is investigating ways to ensure that veterans can make ends meet in the interim. Check back regularly with American Veteran Online for updates.

Also this week, American Veteran will be following several key hearings and round table discussions in the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Tomorrow, the committee will discuss the pharmaceutical needs of veterans enrolled in the VA health care system. On Wednesday, they will discuss the VA's bonus award process, which recently came under fire in an OIG report.

Thursday will be the busiest day for the committee and AMVETS when more than a dozen pieces of veterans' legislation will be up for discussion in committee.

To view a listing of the hearings on the committee's Web site, Click Here. Be sure to check back with American Veteran Online before each hearing for more updates.

Finally, the fall issue of American Veteran magazine will go to the printer this week. We appreciate all who submitted content for the upcoming issue's "Keeping Posted" section.

Federal "Troops to Teachers" program receives donation from XAMOnline

Last week XAMOnline, a leading national publisher of teacher certification study guides, announced that they will partner with the Troops to Teachers program, a joint program through the departments of Defense and Education that assists prior-service military men and women who wish to pursue careers in education.

Through the partnership with Troops to Teachers, XAMOnline will offer PRAXIS-based diagnostic testing specifically for the Troops to Teachers program. Troops enrolled in the program will also receive a full-length study guide from XAMOnline along with offers for additional discounts, should they choose to purchase supplemental materials.

Troops to Teachers offices in 36 states across the country will also receive complementary supplemental materials to assist veterans at each location.

Troops to Teachers, which was launched in 1994, has already helped place more than 11,000 veterans in the teaching industry. However, since the start of the Global War on Terrorism, more than 42,000 troops have enrolled in the program, seeking to teach once they complete their military obligation.

In a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been hit particularly hard by the current economic crisis with unemployment rates approaching 12 percent. Recognizing the value of veterans in the civilian work force, XAMOnline is the latest company lending its resources to assist veterans in education and job placement.

To learn more about XAMOnline, Click Here.

To learn more about Troops to Teachers, Click Here.

G.I. Bill Update: VA to accept apps TODAY, DoD clarifies transferability

This morning, the VA will begin to accept applications for Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits, or Chapter 33. Eligible veterans should visit the VA's new G.I. Bill Web site, www.gibill.va.gov, to print out an application form and to learn more about the new benefit.

Last week American Veteran reported that veterans eligible for Chapter 33 should play close attention to their usage of any previous G.I. Bill chapters, as this will effect your eligibility for the new benefit. Veterans with fewer than twelve months remaining on their previous G.I. Bill entitlements should completely use their old benefits before enrolling in Chapter 33. Veterans who have any time remaining on their old benefits will only be eligible for that limited amount of time under the new benefit. However, if a veteran has completely exhausted their previous G.I. Bill benefits, they will automatically be eligible for an additional 12 months of Chapter 33.

For example, I have only three months remaining of my Chapter 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) G.I. Bill benefits. If I chose to enroll in Chapter 33 today, I would only be eligible to receive three months worth of Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. However, if I use my remaining three months of Chapter 1607, I will then be eligible for another 12 months of Chapter 33 benefits.

The decision to enroll in Chapter 33 is IRREVOCABLE, so be sure to understand your personal entitlements before filing for the new benefit.

In regards to transferability, service members who wish to pass along their Chapter 33 benefits to dependents must be on active duty on August 1, 2009, when the new benefit takes effect. Service members must also have at least six years of service on active duty with a commitment to serve an additional four.

However, DoD has also outlined special rules for service members who are slated to retire before August 1, 2012 or who have a minimum of 10 years in service, so that they will also be able to take advantage of Chapter 33 transferability. These special criteria only apply to service members up to 2012 and will not be extended. To view a DoD fact sheet on transferability, Click Here.

Service members who opt to transfer their Chapter 33 benefits may transfer any or all of the benefit to eligible dependents for up to 36 months worth of schooling.

Check back regularly with American Veteran Online for further updates on this summer's implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, and, as always, please let us know if you have any specific questions.

-Ryan