U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CWV - News Update

China was awarded the gold medal while the U.S. took home silver during an awards ceremony that finalized the 18th Conseil International du Sport Militaire World Military Women’s Volleyball Championship at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., June 9.  Second Lieutenant Felicia Clement, 62nd Maintenance Squadron, scored five points for the Americans in the loss.  She led the Americans with 10 points off of six spikes and four blocks in the game against the Netherlands June 7 that put the Americans into the championship game. [From Northwest Guardian]

In the early morning light, a silhouette ascends the white cinder block tower’s short staircase, briefly pausing at the top to jingle open the structure’s single hatch.  Moments later, a voice echoes across the quiet range at Camp Hansen here. [From U.S. Department of Defense]

Though Air Force Senior Airman Samantha Ghareeb’s military occupation involves excavators and bulldozers, one of her more memorable experiences in uniform – helping to renovate an orphanage in Latvia – required only hand tools.  “I was tasked with putting what felt like 50 layers of stucco on the outside of the building,” she said.  “It was a great experience to help those kids.” [From U.S. Department of Defense]

When Daniel and Angel Durkee first met, they were in high school chemistry class in Canyon Lake, California, and the reaction was immediate.  They started dating, but their bond would be tested as Daniel, a year older, graduated, joined the Army, and was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  Angel graduated the next year and also joined the Army.  The two were reunited at Fort Bragg and married in 2016. [From U.S. Department of Defense]

For the first time in history at Fort Benning, Georgia, four women were among 162 soldiers who graduated Thursday from the Cavalry Scout One Station Unit Training.  The soldiers of the 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment, completed the 17-week training and earned the military occupational specialty of 19D Cavalry Scout during a ceremony at Freedom Hall. [From Military.com]

On Sunday, children nationwide will spend the day celebrating their fathers. However, for military families, that may mean sending dad some love from a couple thousand miles away.  For one dad, it means knowing that even if there’s a time when most of his children may not make it home, they’re serving a far greater purpose. [From Independent Journal Review]

When Sajek, the Sexual Assault Prevention Response Office’s first therapy dog was medically retired here last year, Amy Creighton began the search for a new dog.  “After speaking with several organizations, we decided to work with Warrior’s Best Friend.  That group then began their search for the perfect dog for our program, and after several long months of waiting, Apollo was brought into their program from a local shelter,” said Creighton, who is the Missouri Air National Guard, 131st Bomb Wing’s sexual assault response coordinator. [From U.S. Department of Defense]

Today, IAVA is proud to announce that the Craig Newmark Foundation has made a transformational $500,000 gift towards IAVA’s campaign to improve services and increase recognition for women Veterans.  In order to amplify impact, the Foundation is challenging Americans in advance of this July 4th holiday to match their generous gift to support IAVA’s critical work on behalf of women Veterans. [From Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America]

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) has experienced her fair share of tough fights, most recently last fall when the former Illinois congresswoman won her first Senate race against the incumbent.  But that wasn’t her toughest battle—that came 13 years ago when she was fighting for her life while serving in Iraq. [From Parade]

Army Veteran Bonita “Mother Goose” Curtner began her sixth journey hiking the Appalachian Trail on April 1.  Curtner, who prefers to be called by her trail name, “Mother Goose,” sat down with me June 12 during her visit to the Salem VA Medical Center to talk about her hiking experiences.  Since her first Appalachian Trail hike in 1988, she has backpacked more than 45,000 miles, including three hikes on the west coast’s Pacific Crest Trail. [From VAntage Point]

Veterans service organizations (VSOs) play a major role as advocates for the Veteran community, and as partners with VA, to ensure this nation’s Veterans receive the benefits they have earned.  An important part of this partnership is to support VSOs as they train their advisors on the benefit process.  VA›s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program recently entered in to an agreement with Paralyzed Veterans of America to participate in an apprenticeship program to train Paralyzed Veterans’ employees on how to assist Veterans to file for and obtain their benefits.  A similar program is currently in effect with the Disabled American Veterans organization. [From VAntage Point]

Nine states and the District of Columbia took a stand in federal court on Wednesday to support transgender military Veterans who are suing the Department of Veterans Affairs to make the agency pay for gender-transition treatment in their health care coverage.  The states say in a brief, led by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, that “there is no legitimate basis for the Department›s refusal to cover sex reassignment surgery to transgender Veterans who need it.” [From BuzzFeed News]

During a recent chat with a fellow Marine, the Marines United scandal and debate about gender within the Corps inevitably came up.  We’d been catching up, talking about our families and careers, but the mention of gender brought an eye-roll from our friend. [From Task and Purpose]

House lawmakers on Wednesday turned aside a new attempt to require women to register with the Selective Service, arguing that any changes should wait on a review of the entire draft system.  The move came as part of the House Armed Services Committee’s debate on the annual defense authorization bill.  Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., pushed for the amendment to add women to the military draft as an issue of fairness. [From Military Times]

Saving one person’s life usually is enough to establish someone as a hero.  Tech. Sgt. Megan Harper saved two lives in a single evening.  Harper is Air Force Times’ 2017 Airman of the Year due to her nearly 15 years of service excellence – from the battlefields of Iraq as a security forces airman, to her devotion to producing outstanding young airmen as a Military Training Instructor, to serving her community and saving lives at home. [From Air Force Times]

Observed on June 27, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day is a day to support those Veterans who fight a battle with traumatic memories.  It also helps other Americans who aren’t as familiar with the disorder come to a better understanding of how it impacts not only Veterans, but other individuals as well. [From The Journal]

There’s a new garden planted on the grounds of the Biloxi VA that has special meaning.  It represents a tribute to all the women who have served their country in the military.  It was the dream of Mary Jane Nelson to see this garden spring up.  She’s a Veteran herself, having served during World War II.  She remembers when she joined, and what her father told her. [From WLOX]

Anita O’Daniel is an Air Force Veteran, and mother of two young children.  She will receive her BA in Deaf Education from University of Tulsa in May of 2018.  She plans to continue her education and earn her Masters of Occupational Therapy which will enable her to bring occupational therapy services to the deaf community, which she has observed has a lack of occupational therapists who know how to communicate with deaf clients.  She is also currently the Treasurer for the University of Tulsa SVA and married to a fellow Air Force Veteran. [From Student Veterans of America]

When it comes to being an advocate for lifelong learning, Air Force veteran Christine Johnson is one of the strongest.  To name a few of her academic accomplishments, she has earned her A.S. in Political Science with a minor in International Studies, B.A. in Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief, and her M.A. in Political Science and Foreign Affairs.  Christine exemplifies academics at its pinnacle and encourages others to put forth the academic commitment.  Christine says, “Never stop learning on the job and aspire to enter into many new classrooms – maybe someday stand at the blackboard (or LED Screen!).” [From Student Veterans of America]

Lots of people become entrepreneurs because of an unexpected career shock, such as a corporate acquisition or layoff.  Dawn Halfaker’s military career was ended by an explosion and a catastrophic injury, in Iraq, in 2004.  Yet Halfaker would eventually recover and form Halfaker and Associates, an Arlington, Virginia-based contractor in data analytics, cybersecurity, software engineering, and IT infrastructure for the federal government, including the Navy, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Defense. [From Inc.]

VA today released finalized plans that lay the framework for providing emergency mental health coverage to former service members with other-than-honorable (OTH) administrative discharges.  This is the first time a VA Secretary has implemented an initiative specifically focused on this group of former service members who are in mental health distress. [From VAntage Point]