This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran we will follow AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin to Albert Lea, Minn., where Miskulin will present the 2010 AMVETS Congressional Silver Helmet award to Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) in his home district.

The presentation will take place at 10 a.m. at AMVETS Post No. 47, co-located at the Albert Lea American Legion Post No. 56.

This week, AMVETS Deputy National Legislative Director Christina Roof will participate in a series of meetings with Congressional staffers during the members' district work period, following up on the recent Capitol Hill visits alongside Paws With A Cause, educating on the benefits of assistance dogs for wounded veterans.

Roof will also participate in this week's meeting at the Department of Labor, where veterans' leaders will join Administration leaders to discuss progress on the federal Veterans' Employment Initiative.

As part of our Women in Service series for Women's History Month, we will highlight the Marine Corps Lioness Brigades--female units in Iraq who serve alongside male combat units.

As always, we're eager to hear from our readers, so please post your comments, and if you have anything you would like to share for our "Keeping Posted" feature on the blog and in the magazine, please let us know.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will be following VA's announcement of its FY2011 budget proposal, which takes place at VA headquarters in Washington this afternoon. AMVETS National Executive Director Jim King and National Legislative Director Ray Kelley will be on hand for the announcement. VA will formally present its budget proposal to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs on Thursday.

AMVETS is a partner in the Independent Budget, a comprehensive line-by-line analysis, compiled by the nation's top VSOs, explaining how the veterans' community believes Congress should allocate funds for VA each fiscal year. To learn more about the IB, Click Here.

American Veteran will also be following several key hearings in the House and Senate this week, such as tomorrow's hearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee where Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Mike Mullen will announce their plans for addressing the military's controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

In the wake of last week's State of the Union address, AMVETS clarified its stance on the issue, as voted on by AMVETS membership.

American Veteran will also follow Wednesday's hearing in the House Committee on Veterans Affairs where VA and Humana will discuss the Project HERO pilot program, which was designed to offer critical health care services to rural and remote veterans consistent with VA standards. AMVETS has made rural and remote veterans' access to care a top legislative priority for 2010.

Next, today is Feb. 1--the day VA claimed all Post-9/11 G.I. Bill requests would be processed, should all necessary paperwork be received by Jan. 19. AMVETS leaders will be following the situation closely, though initial reports suggest that veterans are already receiving payment for their spring semester living stipends. If you hear otherwise, please let us know by posting on this blog or contacting the AMVETS National Communications Department via email.

AMVETS will also participate in meetings this week with the Department of Labor to further discuss the Veterans Employment Initiative, which is designed to help veterans enter the federal workforce. AMVETS is one of the few VSOs working directly with the Department of Labor to ensure the program succeeds.

As always, we're eager to hear from our readers and from AMVETS posts and departments around the country. Last week, we posted our first Keeping Posted Online story. We're eager to share as much as we can down the road. Check back regularly for updates.

OPM Launches Veterans' Federal Employment Web Site

Yesterday, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management launched its new Web site designed exclusively to assist in recruitment and employment of veterans for federal jobs. The Web site, www.fedshirevets.gov, is part of the broad federal initiative to connect federal agencies to the growing pool of talented veterans seeking employment following their time in the military.

The initiative was launched the night before Veterans Day when President Barack Obama signed an executive order creating an interagency council on veterans' employment, setting new ambitious standards for hiring veterans in the federal workforce. AMVETS was on hand two days later for the roll-out of the Veterans' Employment Initiative at the Department of Labor.

The Web site is a partnership among the departments of Labor, Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Homeland Security, among others interested in matching veterans' skills to federal positions worthy of their expertise.

The site allows veterans and transitioning service members to search for positions around the country and also provides agencies with the ability to seek out veterans who meet their criteria. The Web site also offers tools to guide veterans in the federal job-hunting process.

AMVETS legislative department, which has made veterans' reintegration a top priority for 2010, looks to play an integral role in the implementation of the Veterans Employment Initiative in the coming months. Check back regularly for updates.

(Image: Screen grab of www.fedshirevets.gov, accessed on Jan. 21, 2009.)