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

Get the Recruitment & Retention, Employment & Integration, Well Being & Treatment, Servicwomen in the News, Women Veterans, and Upcoming Events DACOWITS news from November 2, 2018. [From DACOWITS]

With Veterans Day approaching, two experts from Department of Veterans Affairs will join UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Nov. 8, at 4:00 p.m. EST to discuss Veterans and Alzheimer’s and examine the current findings and what the future may hold.  Register today to join the discussion. [From VAntage Point]

Today, VA, along with representatives from the departments of Labor, Justice, Defense, Homeland Security, the U.S. Navy and others, signed a joint statement aimed at improving access to free legal services for Veterans in need.  Federal agencies and the Veterans legal services community came together at VA headquarters in Washington D.C. to celebrate VA’s Medical Legal Partnerships and to recognize volunteers who serve at VA-based free legal clinics. [From VAntage Point]

Amanda Kelley didn’t set out to become the first female enlisted soldier to pass the incredibly rigorous Army Ranger course.  For Staff Sgt. Kelley, a native of Easley, that was just another step along the path toward her bigger goal – to become sergeant major of the Army. [From Army Times]

A new monument honoring Delaware women who have served in the military or in support of military efforts will be unveiled this weekend in Dover.  The Delaware Heritage Commission, with help from the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs and the General Assembly, is responsible for creating the monument, which will officially be unveiled at noon Saturday. [From Delaware Public Media]

The U.S. Army’s new wave of recruiting ads will show soldiers firing mortars, launching drones and clearing rooms.  But don’t look for them to feature women earning Ranger Tabs or joining the infantry for the first time in the service’s history. [From Military.com]

The Navy officially retired the combination – or “bucket” – cover this week, ending the 78-year run for the staple of the female officer and chief petty officer uniform.  Starting Thursday, all female officers and chief petty officers are required to wear what is officially called the unisex combination cover:  essentially what is, in appearance and fit, the male cover in use for decades. [From USNI News]

On the night of Jan. 24, 2018, volunteers across the country counted 37,878 Veterans living on the streets or in transitional housing and shelters – a decrease of 2,142, or 5.4 percent, from those counted in January 2017.  For female Veterans, homelessness went down by 10 percent, from 3,571 Veterans counted in 2017 to 3,219 in January. [From Stars and Stripes]

Yesterday evening President Donald J. Trump declared November 2018 the second annual National Veterans and Military Families Month to “salute the brave and dedicated patriots who have worn the uniform of the United States, and…celebrate the extraordinary military families whose selfless service and sacrifice make our military the finest in the world.” [From VAntage Point]

Service dogs play a key role in many Veterans lives, but not everyone realizes the extensive training the service animals must undergo.  While most of the training is focused around commands and behavior, socialization is also vital. [From VAntage Point]

Established by an act of Congress this June, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum brings a deeper understanding to the U.S. Veteran experience.  The majestic structure in Columbus, Ohio, which opens its doors on Saturday, houses the stories of Veterans and their families beginning with our country’s founding through today, in wartime and peace, during and after military service. [From Military Times]

137 Veterans from 58 VA medical centers have been invited to participate this week in VA’s annual Veterans Creative Arts Festival in Des Moines, Iowa.  All VA medical facilities incorporate creative arts into their recreation therapy programs to assist Veterans in their rehabilitation. [From VAntage Point]

Veterans remain more likely to report feeling in great medical condition even while they face an increased risk of serious health problems like cancer, arthritis and emotional distress, according to updated survey results from veterans advocates out Tuesday.  “Both men and women with military service report significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, and frequent mental distress than men and women who have not served,” the report states. [From Military Times]

Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets IV, the former deputy commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, made inappropriate comments in public about a female junior airman under his command and a woman at a Kansas City Chiefs event after drinking alcohol, an inspector general investigation found.  The May 2018 report, which the Air Force released on Monday, also found that Tibbets was derelict in his duties as commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri when he failed to report four suicide attempts, and pressured officials not to record some suicide attempts. [From Air Force Times]

A Rand Corp. report requested by the Department of Defense and published last month offered a glimpse at where sexual assault was happening in the military, but experts say it failed to answer one of the most important questions:  Why?  Of the four military branches studied, the Navy had the installations with the greatest risks of sexual assault. [From Stars and Stripes]

The Air Force has chosen 1,532 first lieutenants for promotion to captain in the latest quarterly selection process.  The list of selectees includes 1,402 from the Line of the Air Force, 54 nurses, 35 judge advocates, 21 from the Biomedical Sciences Corps, 16 from the Medical Service Corps, and four chaplains. [From Air Force Times]

The Maryland National Guard is making history with its command staff, breaking the glass ceiling with an all-female command staff.  “I’ve been in the service 37 years.  This is the first time I've been able to see something like this.  It gives me really great pride to watch this unfold,” said Linda Singh, Adjutant General for the Maryland National Guard. [From WBAL]