GI Go Transition Times Spring 2015 by Jack Fanous

Cover

The GI Go Fund Directors

Next Generation of Disabled Veterans Finding New Career Opportunities �� 14 GI Go Fund and PSEG Honor Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Other dedicated Veteran Supporters During 6th Annual Veterans Day Gala ��4

Jack Fanous

Executive Director fanous@gigofund.org

President Obama Signed the Clay Hunt SAV Act ��6

“Clay Hunt SAV Act” page 6 Alex Manis

Deputy Director manis@gigofund.org

GI Go Fund Distributes over $10,000 in Gift Cards to Veteran Families for the Holidays ��8 Congressman Donald Norcross and NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney Join GI Go Fund to Provide Hundreds of Care Packages to Military Families for Thanksgiving ��10 Challenges Facing Female Veterans As the VA Looks to Modernize ��13

James Fanous

Health Care Cards Causing Confusion page 18

Communications Director/ Transition Times Managing Editor jafanous@gigofund.org

Jeans for Troops Day in Honor of Veterans Day Breaks Records Once Again Throughout the Country ��20 Florida Based Group Provides Care Packages to Soldiers Deployed Overseas ��23

Website: www.gigofund.org

Report Shows that VA Call Centers Block Majority of Veterans’ Calls ��25

Contact Telephone Number: (866) 389-GIGo (4446) Locations: Newark City Hall 105 Evesboro-Medford Rd. Office of Veterans Affairs Suite K 920 Broad Street, Room B28 Marlton, NJ 08053 Newark, NJ 07102

VA Rules On Health Care Cards Designed to Give Vets Access to Private Care Causing Confusion ��18

Chris Kyle’s Story page 26

How Chris Kyle’s story has brought the issue of post-traumatic stress to the forefront ��26

GI Go Fund and PSEG Honor Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Other dedicated Veteran Supporters During 6th Annual Veterans Day Gala Mayor Steven Fulop and NJ Assemblyman Troy Singleton among honorees; Congressman Donald Payne Jr. Gives Opening Remarks By Staff Writer The GI Go Fund hosted its 6th home from combat facing difficulty. Annual Veterans Day Gala, where We must never give up in our fight PSEG, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Confor veterans, and every person here gressman Donald Payne Jr. and over tonight is committed to helping our 250 military personnel, veterans, and veterans. We do not only honor our their loved ones joined at the Newark mothers on Mother’s Day, and we will Club for the premiere Veterans event cannot and will not choose to only in New Jersey to honor our veterans honor our veterans on Veterans Day.” and the people who have made a sigAmong the honorees was Jersey nificant difference in the lives of veterCity Mayor and Marine Corps Veteran ans and their loved ones. Steven Fulop, who was given the VeterThis year’s gala recognized the an Leadership Award for the great exindividuals and organizations that have ample he has set for fellow veterans as made it a priority to ensure that our to what can be achieved by former milveterans not only return home with itary members when they return home. honor and pride, but are regarded as Mayor Fulop was working for some of the most important and valuGoldman Sachs when he witnessed Jersey City, NJ Mayor and Marine able members of our society. Throughthe devastating attacks of September Corps Veteran Steven Fulop out the private and public sectors, 11, 2001, Fulop made the life-altering there are individuals who have disdecision to leave his job and enlist in played an unparalleled commitment to ensuring that the United States Marine Corps. He served in Iraq as a our veterans are transitioning successfully. member of the 6th Engineer Support Battalion, where “We’ve worked every day this past decade helphe was awarded the Overseas Service Ribbon, Meritoriing veterans find jobs, train for jobs, and go to college,” ous Masts, and the Presidential Unit Citation. He returned said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous, “But home and became successful in the public sector, as he our work is never done. There are still many veterans was elected to the Jersey City Council as the youngest who need assistance, and countless veterans coming member in history in 2005. In addition, he raised tens of

(L-R) GI Go Deputy Director Alex Manis, NJ Assemblyman Troy Singleton, Day Pitney Partner Mark Morgan, NJEA President Wendell Steinhauer, GI Go Executive Director Jack Fanous, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Author John Shiffman, and GI Go Communications Director James Fanous thousands of dollars for children and veterans. Also honored was NJ State Assemblyman Troy Singleton, who was named Legislator of the Year by the GI Go Fund for his leadership in creating a veterans court program within the state, which helps veterans arrested on the county level end their criminal dependency. In addition, Singleton developed a “Helmets to Hardhats” program to help out-of-work former military personnel find jobs in the construction industry. Wendell Steinhauer, President of the New Jersey Education Association, was named Man of the Year for the tremendous support that he and the hundreds of thousands of teachers in his organization have shown over the years. Since 2012, the NJEA has sponsored the GI Go Fund’s Jeans For Troops drive, encouraging their teachers to wear jeans to work after making a $5 donation to our organization. Thanks to the support of the NJEA, the fundraising drive has grown exponentially, with hundreds of thousands of participants from coast to coast raising money for our organization to help re-

turning military personnel. In addition, attorney Mark Salah Morgan of Day Pitney was awarded the Veterans Justice Award for developing a pro bono legal aid program for veterans in his firm. His program has helped dozens of veterans in just a few short months with landlord-tenant issues, VA claims, and will drafting, and it’s all because of the commitment that Mark and his firm have towards helping our military men and women. Lastly, author John Shiffman was given the Excellence in Veteran Journalism award for his book Operation Shakespeare, which discussed the circumstances surrounding the death of Lt. Seth Dvorin. His book has made headways in the veteran community, highlighting how some American weapons have been used by enemy forces against our troops. Among those who gave opening remarks at the event were Congressman Donald Payne Jr. and new mayor of Newark, NJ Ras Baraka. Sponsors for the event included PSEG,Verizon NJ, NJEA, and Stop & Shop. J

President Obama Signed the Clay Hunt SAV Act Clay Hunt was 28 years old when he took his own life. Now a new law has been passed aimed at ensuring that suicides like his happen far less often. By Jeremy Julis Clay Hunt joined the Marine Corps in May 2005 and was deployed to Iraq where he received a purple heart for being wounded in combat. On March 2011, at the age of 28, he took his own life. Five weeks after his death, The VA rated his PTSD 100 percent, yet not enough was

done to prevent him from taking his own life, as factors such as long wait times and inadequate care may have played a role in Clay not getting the assistance he needed in time. Now, legislation has just been passed that will aim to prevent veterans like Clay from ever feeling like

they need to commit suicide. The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by the President in February, requires annual reviews of the efficacy of VA suicide prevention programs and offered a student

President Obama signs the Clay Hunt Act of 2015 at the White House with Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle looking on.

loan repayment pilot program to recruit more mental health specialists to work with the VA. While the bill had major support on Capitol Hill in 2014, it was initially blocked by retiring Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) who argued that lawmakers should hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for frequently failing to serve veterans. He continued his opposition despite the fact that in the month since the House passed the bill and the Senate did not act, more than 750 veterans committed suicide, a number that is simply staggering. Despite Coburn’s actions, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) reintroduced the bill to the Senate and on February 3, 2015, the Clay Hunt SAV Act (S.167) unanimously passed the Senate by a vote of 99-0. The bill has since reached the President’s desk, where he signed it into law on February 12, 2015. “We are extremely grateful for the Senate passing this bill and all those who have worked so hard on it” said Susan Selke, the mother of Clay Hunt. “While we are a little

bittersweet, because it is too late for our son Clay, we are thankful knowing that this bill will save many lives. No veteran should have to wait or go through bureaucratic red tape to get the mental health care they earned during their selfless service to our country. While this legislation is not a 100 percent solution, it is a huge step in the right direction.” This bill, although important in the fight against veteran suicide, is not the first of its kind. Back in 2011, similar legislation Sergeant Coleman S. Bean Reserve Component Suicide Prevention Act was introduced. It directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to ensure that each of the following individuals receive, at least once every 90 days, a telephone call from properly-trained DOD personnel to determine their emotional, psychological, medical, career needs and concerns. The bill was named after Coleman Bean, a resident of East Brunswick, NJ. While this bill was a good idea involving possibly screening veterans who are thinking about taking their lives, it lacks the additional commitment for suicide pre-

Clay Hunt was a loving friend and a proud Marine before taking his own life in March 2011 at the age of 28.

vention resources The Clay Hunt Act will give at risk veterans the help they need before it is too late. Supporters are hopeful that this bill will pave the way to properly address veteran’s mental health concerns and institute true suicide prevention measures, something that our veterans must have.J

GI Go Fund Distributes over $10,000 in Gift Cards to Veteran Families for the Holidays Nonprofit Organization hands out hundreds of $50 gift cards to veterans in need during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Season By Staff Writer Throughout the country, families are coming together for the holidays to celebrate and give thanks for what they have. However, while most of us view this time of year with pure adulation, there is a sad

reality that too many of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s military veterans, the men and women who fought to ensure that we can enjoy our holidays, lack the means to provide their families with gifts or a holiday meal.

With this thought in mind, the GI Go Fund lent a helping hand to hundreds of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s veterans who are struggling the most by distributing over $10,000 in gift cards during the Thanksgiving and Christmas sea-

Brigadier General James Grant of the NJ National Guard and NJ Assemblyman Troy Singleton join GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous and dozens of veterans at the Bordentown Armory for a GI Go Fund Holiday Gift Card Drive on December 17, 2014, one of many held throughout the region by the organization during the holiday season. The GI Go Fund distributed more than $10,000 to veterans in need for the holidays.

son. Each Visa gift card was valued at $50, which veterans could use towards the purchase of food, clothing, and toys for their families. “This has truly been a wonderful experience,” said GI Go Executive Director Jack Fanous. “To understand the true meaning of the holiday season, you don’t need to travel to Rockefeller Center or the Macy’s Parade. Instead, you must see the faces of these families, and at that moment you will realize that the meaning of the holidays is giving, and that helping a neighbor in need is the ultimate form of celebration. These neighbors in particular are the men and women who have and continue to serve our country, and to give to those who have given so much to us is the greatest honor of my life.” The organization was able to distribute these cards to needy families thanks in large part to the record-breaking Jeans For Troops fundraising drive during Veterans Day 2014. The nationwide movement featured employees at thousands of companies and schools joining the millions of people who have already supported the GI Go Fund by donating $5 and wearing Jeans to work to honor our military veterans. In addition to the funds distributed this holiday season, the organization is planning on handing out thousands more in aid to veteran families in the coming year. “While I am the one that is giving these cards away, it is not because of me or the GI Go Fund, but rather our supporters who are offering the assistance,” said Fanous. “When we give out a gift card to a veteran, we have millions of donors

GI Go Executive Director Jack Fanous hugs one of the veterans who received a $50 Visa Gift Card at the Ocean County Veterans Services Bureau on December 23, 2014. The GI Go Fund distributed more than $10,000 to veterans in need for the holidays. standing alongside us. We are blessed to have had the chance to turn the unbelievable generosity of so many people to help more veterans during the holidays than ever before. We must always keep in our hearts and minds what these families and so many others go through during this time of year. I am so proud and honored to have had the opportunity to help so many of our nation’s veterans in need this holiday season, and I hope to have the chance to help countless more in 2015.” The cards were distributed at many different locations, including the Bordentown NJ Armory with Assemblyman Troy Singleton and Brigadier General James Grant, as well as at the Brick Town Hall with Mayor John Ducey, and the Ocean County Veterans Services Bureau. Hundreds

more were given out to veterans throughout the country who expressed a need for the funds in time for the holidays. The GI Go Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that provides assistance to all military veterans, with a focus on veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, by helping them find employment, access housing, and secure their educational and health benefits.The group accomplishes these goals through strong partnerships like the one created in Newark, NJ with now Senator Cory Booker. In addition to these efforts, the organization offers support to veterans in need every year, as it has distributed tens of thousands in cards throughout the years to veterans in the area looking for a helping hand during the holidays.J

Running Head

Congressman Donald Norcross and NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney Join GI Go Fund to Provide Hundreds of Care Packages to Military Families for Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day Event held annually aboard the Battleship NJ helps hundreds of homeless veterans living in south Jersey and active duty military personnel stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. by Staff Writer

NJ State Senate President Steve Sweeney, Congressman Donald Norcross, and GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous hand out care packages to current and former military personnel aboard Battleship NJ.

Congressman Donald Norcross and NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney joined the GI Go Fund in providing hundreds of care packages to current and former military members during the annual Battleship New Jersey’s Thanksgiving Day Meal for Homeless Veterans and Active Duty Personnel in Camden, NJ. The Battleship New Jersey hosted its 10th Annual Thanksgiving meal for homeless veterans and active military personnel from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, giving them and their loved ones a full-course turkey dinner for the holiday.The meal was served by dozens of volunteers in the Battleship’s crew’s on-board cafeteria. During the event, each veteran was provided a care package that included clothing materials and nonperishable food items as they boarded the ship. The GI Go Fund is an organization that has been committed to helping veterans and military personnel with finding jobs, receiving benefits, and getting off the streets. For the homeless population, the organization provides care packages to homeless vets during their Midnight Missions, where teams of GI Go volunteers go out before dawn around the state to provide vets with food and clothing, as well as emergency medical assistance,VA benefits counseling, and housing opportunities. The group also hosts an annual Stand Down in Newark to provide homeless veterans with food, clothing, haircuts, medical screenings, and legal aid. The care packages distributed to the military personnel by the GI Go Fund were assembled by volunteers from the Father Bishoy Youth Group of St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church in East Brunswick, NJ to benefit the veterans that the GI Go Fund aims to serve. “We are always honored to be a part of this great event on the Battleship,” said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous.“Our primary goal as an organization is to do everything we can to ensure that our veterans who once fought to defend our streets never live on them, and I am so proud to see so many fellow Americans working towards that same goal.This event is incredible at bringing the community of South Jersey together to lend a hand to our current and former military members on Thanksgiving. We thank the Spevak family for putting on this event, as we look forward to spending the hol-

iday aboard the Battleship every year to show our current and former military service members how much we love them.” Norcross and Sweeney, who both serve the Camden area in their legislative capacities, joined the GI Go Fund in handing out the care packages to show their support and appreciation for our current and former service members this Thanksgiving. “I want all of the men and women of our Armed Forces to know how much we truly care for them,” said Congressman Norcross. “They and their families have risked so much for our country, and they all have been willing to sacrifice everything to protect us here at home. So when they come back to the country that they served to protect, they should be given every level of support possible. The Battleship NJ is a collection of nuts and bolts, but those nuts and bolts signify the great men and women who wore our countries uniform, both past and present. I am so thankful to be here today to greet these veterans and their families, shake their hands, provide them care packages with Jack and the GI Go Fund, and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.” “This is a terrific event,” said Senate President Sweeney.“The Battleship NJ signifies so much for our country, both for the sailors who fought on it as they defended our country so many years ago and the importance it signifies to all Americans today.The sailors who fought on this ship worked together to accomplish their mission to protect us, and we now have the same opportunity to honor their efforts by working with each other to help our veterans. The lives of so many military families were touched today, both by the Thanksgiving meals that the Battleship provided and by these care packages that I had the honor to hand out with the GI Go Fund, and I am thrilled to have had the chance to participate in the effort.” In addition to their work aboard the Battleship,The GI Go Fund gave out over eighty $50 Walmart gift cards to veterans in need during the annual Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau’s Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive in Toms River, NJ. In all, the organization offered more than $10,000 in gift cards and supplies to veterans in need throughout New Jersey between Thanksgiving and Christmas. J

Challenges Facing Female Veterans As the VA Looks to Modernize By Jamie Thai According to “Women Veterans: The Long Journey Home,” a report published in 2014 by the Disabled American Veterans, there are more women veterans today than ever. Prior to 1973, there was legislation enforced that limited the participation of women in the military to a mere two percent. Following the lift of this legislation, women entered the military at extraordinary rates. With 2.2 million women veterans living in the United States today, the military has come a long way in terms of recruitment. However, women veterans are still not getting the care needed in order to be able to reintegrate into civilian life successfully. In a DAV Women Veterans Focus Group, women spoke openly about the problems in the VA. One participant stated,“Everyone assumes that my husband is the veteran and he never served in the military…I feel invisible.” Another subject said, “[The] VA needs to provide child care or at least child friendly spaces…it’s taking too long and [the] VA is not prepared for women.” With the Veterans Affairs’ healthcare system largely dominated and cultivated for the needs of their male counterparts, women veterans are often left feeling uncomfortable and hardly able to seek the help they need. The problems are exhaustive. Just less than one-third of VA medical centers have no staff gynecologist on site. Along with physical

needs, female veterans also found it difficult to deal with their service related PTSD. Those who suffered from sexual abuse from fellow service members, also termed Military Sexual Trauma, found it particularly challenging to seek help. According to the DAV study, one in five women reported experiencing Military Sexual Trauma; however, less than one- third of VA medical clinics offer the proper services and support for these women. For those that do, the women often found themselves waiting in rooms generally occupied by male veterans creating an anxious environment where the women feel distressed. Recognizing the unique needs of women veterans, the VA has been taking steps to help them reintegrate into post-military life. According to Sally Haskell, deputy chief consultant for women’s health at the VA, 80 out of the 150 women medical clinics are hiring more gynecologists. In addition, prior to 2010, pregnant female veterans would need to worry about the care of their babies following the delivery. While the delivery expenses would be covered, the newborn child was not. If something should happen to the child, mothers would need to rely on private insurance, Medicaid, or pay out of pocket costs. In 2010, the VA changed their policy to include care for the child for the next seven days following his/her birth, which came as a relief for these new mothers. In addition

to the new benefits, the VA has also recognized the culture difference between returning home as a male veteran and as a female veteran. Posters have been created to make the women feel more comfortable and proud to return home. One reads: “You earned the title Veteran. Wear it with pride.” A subtle step, perhaps, but a step in the right direction nonetheless. While the change is slow, the VA is working to become more women friendly. The rise of female veterans in the VA system has been noticed by all within the government, including those in the top ranks of the military. “Today, women are rising through our ranks and expanding their influence at an ever increasing rate, serving magnificently all over the world in all sorts of ways” said Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman and Joint Chiefs of Staff.“I’d be hard pressed to say that any woman who serves in Afghanistan today or served in Iraq over the last few years did so without facing the same risks of their male counterparts.” The women who have volunteered their lives to protect this nation not only deserve our respect and gratitude, but they earned their benefits following their service. We, as a nation, should work towards making these women feel comfortable with getting the assistance they need. J

Next Generation of Disabled Veterans Finding New Career Opportunities As veterans of the new conflicts return home with their battle scars, many are finding new avenues for employment in the new employment marketplace By James Fanous

Every battle comes with challenges. For most Americans, those difficulties can be measured in simple terms; struggles with employment, equal rights, and the overall quality of life are all things that people deal with on a daily basis. However, these problems are exceptionally daunting for our disabled population, who not only fight to achieve what the rest of us want, but also must face the skepticism that they can do it at all. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disabled veterans are feeling that pressure more than most generations. This is so not because of changed circumstances throughout the times, but simply in the sheer number of service members returning home from the current conflicts with mental and physical disabilities. And while this fact can be attributed to positive advancements in medical science that allow soldiers who once could not be saved after suffering a wound now are returning home, leading to more of our men and women coming home being able to embrace their loved ones once more. Nevertheless, the growing reality is that there are more veterans than ever coming home with service

connected disabilities. According to the Department of Labor, Twenty-nine percent of veterans serving since 2001 reported having a service-connected disability, compared with fifteen percent of all veterans. With twice as many veterans reporting that they have a service connected disability then in all the other conflicts combined, the natural question we need to ask is how these veterans take care of themselves and their loved ones. Even with disability compensation, most veterans need to find work opportunities so their families are secure. However, far too many disabled veterans of the new wars have not been finding the work opportunities they need. The 2015 Veteran Economic Opportunity Report stated that approximately one out of two (53%) separating Post-9/11 Veterans will face a period of unemployment. While national unemployment rates have declined, the on-the-ground reality is that half of our Veterans enter a period of unemployment upon transition. The statistics only get worse as you dig deeper.

The unemployment rate for persons with a disability was 13.2 percent and higher over the last two years, a good number of those persons being veterans.According to the Congressional Budget Office, that number increases when you exclude non-working age and retirees from the figures. While the unemployment rate for disabled veterans of working age (7 percent) was lower in 2013 than that among similar, nondisabled veterans (12 percent), that was due in mainly because of the larger share of disabled veterans who were not in the labor force. These numbers of veterans dropping from the labor force led to an all too predictable reality in 2014; that more veterans turned to disability compensation from the VA to help with their problems. According to a study from Stanford economist Mark Duggan, veterans receiving disability compensation from the VA rose from 8.9% in 2001 to 18% this year, Duggan’s study says. Even as the number of veterans shrank from 26.1 million in 2001 to 22 million this year, those receiving federal money for wounds linked to military service have climbed from 2.3 million to 3.9 million. “We have needed to do better for quite some time,” said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous. “Veterans have been returning home from this war with disabilities when other wars would have seen them perish. But so many of these disabilities, whether PTSD, tinnitus or amputations, do not preclude the veterans afflicted with them from working in today’s economy. The fact is that so many of our jobs in the marketplace only require dedication and hard work, something everyone is well aware that military veterans have an abundance of. Yet the disability rates have stayed high among disabled veterans for much of this conflict.” Fanous has been focusing his organization’s attention on helping disabled veterans find work for several years. The GI Go Fund partnered with the Kessler Foundation in 2012 to provide disabled veterans with job training and placement for at-home customer service jobs with companies like PSE&G. Once thought to be a job permanently lost to outsourcing, companies like the NJ power giant started to think that customer service jobs would be best served by local agents. And

as a committed supporter and employer of veterans, they became eager to fill these positions with veterans. “We are very excited to be working with the Kessler Foundation on this project, as they have been so great in helping disabled individuals overcome their problems and achieve great things with their lives,” said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous.“They have served as the critical component to the recovery of countless disabled individuals, and they will be instrumental in the assistance of our disabled veterans here as well.” The program eventually brought in nearly 50 veterans that year, working with them at their Training Facility for a 4-6 week period, teaching them the critical skills needed to field a wide range of calls during any given time in the day. After completing the paid training, the veterans were set up to work from home, giving them an opportunity to work full time and earn enough money to provide for their loved ones. “We are very glad to be able to hire so many veterans through such a unique program,” said PSE&G Call Center Manager Fred Daum during the project. “We’re very proud to have this opportunity to work with The GI Go Fund and Convergent ERS to get these great men and women hired. We personally cannot believe that the veteran unemployment rate is so high, especially given the strong character and work ethic that the vets who we’re training have shown us already. So anything we can do to take a bite out of that high unemployment number, PSE&G is ready.” The trust that the company had towards these veterans was rewarded during Superstorm Sandy, where the veterans handled calls from thousands of New Jerseyans who were without power, talking them through the crisis and working to resolve their problems in a timely manner. “When Sandy devastated New Jersey a year ago, our communities were better served because of the cohorts of vets in our workforce,” said Diana Drysdale, President PSEG Power Ventures LLC and President PSEG Solar Source LLC, who worked together with GI Go and Kessler to make the project a reality. “PSEG is proud of our culture of dedication and commitment to

New Career Opportunities service in our communities and our veterans fit naturally into that culture. The GI Go Fund is an important and vital partner in that effort, and they will continue to be an important part in helping veterans find quality jobs and services in our area.” The success of this program led to its expansion in 2015, with GI Go and Kessler teaming up once again to work with disabled veterans to help them find work in all areas of employment. “Our men and women risked their lives for us,” said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. “Many return with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and mobility impairments including spinal cord injury. After all of their sacrifices, it’s our duty to ensure that they have the resources they need to find employment. Inclusion in the workplace is the prime focus of our grantfunding, through which we have invested millions to expand opportunities for meaningful employment. We are very pleased with the results of our funding for The GI Go Fund’s creative approach to placing veterans with disabilities in flexible jobs with major employers.” The Foundation funds other employment programs that serve veterans, such as the Veteran Staffing Network, a successful program of Easter Seals Greater Washington Baltimore Region, and the Warrior Bridge Brain Injury Demonstration Project of Service Source in Clearwater, Florida. In addition to these efforts in the nonprofit sector, the support from the federal government may be on its way as well. Rep. Paul Cook (R- Apple Valley) and Rep. Dina Titus (D- NV) recently introduced the “Veterans Employment and Training Service Longitudinal Study Act of 2015”, a bill to ensure veterans are receiving effective and successful employment training services. This bipartisan bill authorizes an independent organization to collect and analyze data on the effectiveness of the Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment Training Service (VETS). The study will focus on veterans who have received intensive services from

two programs under VETS, the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) and the Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER). The study will track the employment status of veterans who have received these services, determine if the program contributed to their employment, monitor the employment retention rate, and determine if the services provided helped them increase their average earnings. A report on the findings will be presented to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs in the House and Senate every year for the next five years in order to allow Congress to make improvements to these programs and more efficiently spend taxpayer dollars. Another bill that was introduced in late 2014 is the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, authored by Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, would provide federal employees, who are also disabled veterans, with 104 hours of “Wounded Warrior leave” during their first year in the federal workforce so that they may seek medical treatment for their service-connected disabilities without being forced to take unpaid leave or forego their appointments altogether. Newly hired federal employees begin their federal government careers with a zero sick leave balance. As a result, disabled veterans who have recently entered the federal workforce do not have sufficient sick leave to attend medical appointments to treat their service-connected disabilities on a regular basis. Many veterans are returning from multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD and other health issues. “I am very pleased that [the bill] was passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis and I look forward to swift passage of this legislation on the House floor,” said Congressman Stephen F. Lynch.“Our disabled veterans are faced with a significant burden as they enter the federal workforce. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2014 provides our dedicated Wounded Warriors with the flexibility and opportunity to con-

New Career Opportunities tinue their medical treatment, as they transition to careers in the federal workforce and continue their much appreciated service to our country.” As the mold for veterans with disabilities finding work takes shape, so do the services available to them. Perhaps one of the most intriguing and promising efforts is from the fast-growing JobPath, which has already given so many veterans the opportunity to find employment by matching their skillsets in the military with available jobs and obtaining additional skills through intricate online training courses. Through the JobPath site, veterans are able to go through the countless jobs available after matching with their particular Military Occupational Specialty using the sites custom built MOS Translator and connect with the company position they feel is the best fit. Then they are shown the list of qualifications that job requires, including degrees and/ or certificates. If the veteran does not have these specifications, they can simply click “Start Training” and they will be taken to an online training program designed by the company that will give them the skills that they need for the position. Once they have completed all the necessary training, they now have the complete skillset that the company is looking for in its prospective employees, without the added costs and burdens of obtaining full undergraduate or graduate degrees. The benefits for the companies are also without equal. In addition to being able to offset the cost of hiring and training veteran employees through federal benefit programs like the GI Bill and Voc-Rehab, many companies are also turning to JobPath to help with their government contracts. Any company that provides goods or services to the federal government must meet certain diversity goals in hiring through the guidelines set out by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). One way companies can meet this requirement is by training and hiring veterans, especially disabled veterans, which gives employers every incentive they need to hire one of the

tens of thousands of veterans already signed up to use the system. “Companies have always expressed the interest to hire disabled veterans, feeling the need to fulfill both their obligations as employers and as Americans,” Fanous said.“However they have never had a real venue for accomplishing that goal. JobPath is a platform that is designed especially for bringing veterans, including thousands from across the country with disabilities, and companies together, giving everyone all that they would need to turn military applicants into military employees.” But perhaps the best benefit of all is the simplest one: this service is provided completely free of charge to veterans. With the training modules being developed by the companies subscribing into the JobPath program, veterans can train for any job they want in the comfort of their own home, or even while they are still deployed overseas, all without worrying about high tuition costs and mounting debt. And as the system recognizes the skills that veterans had in the military and the ones they possess today, those former personnel with disabilities know that they can find the job that’s right for them. “Veterans are getting everything they were always promised through this program, and companies are being given every incentive imaginable to make all of their future employees former members of the Armed Forces,” said Fanous. The efforts are in place from all directions to get veterans with disabilities a steady job that will last them for quite some time. However these are necessary steps that need to be taken for an entire generation of young heroes who risked life and limb for us.We have to move forward not just in hiring efforts, but in all areas of life, from health care to equal recognition and appreciation. We have to always remember that there are millions of disabled veterans who are currently facing a medical condition because they were willing to do anything they needed to do to get the job done, and that they would be willing to do anything once more. J

Far too many disabled veterans of the new wars have not been finding the work opportunities they need

VA Rules On Health Care Cards Designed to Give Vets Access to Private Care Causing Confusion Sweeping changes hit the VA Health Care system last year, including giving veterans access to private care, in order to cut down the wait times for veterans in the system. But many veterans have not been able to utilize the new benefits due to confusing rules as to who qualifies By James Fanous 2014 saw tremendous change to the VA system, as a scandal related to wait times caused Congress to implement private care options long advocated by veterans and advocates alike. With the new ability for veterans who live 40 miles from a VA facility to see a private doctor in place, wait times were supposed to go down, and quality of care was supposed to improve. However, veterans and some VA doctors say that the new “choice card” program, meant to reduce long patient wait times, is confusing and causing more stress. The card gives veterans who have been waiting more than 30 days for appointments or who live more than 40 miles from a VA facility the chance to see a private doctor. But instead, some veterans say that when they attempted to use their card, the VA told them they had to live more than 40 “miles in a straight line, or as the crow flies,” from their VA rather than Google maps miles, which makes the card harder to use. “This is completely inexcus-

VA Secretary Bob McDonald testifying before the US Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (Photo Courtesy Pete Marovich - Bloomberg via Getty Images)

able,” said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous. “Veterans have been craving for private care for decades. We finally had the glimmer of hope that we were looking for last year when they implemented this new 40-mile rule. I think most veterans agree that there should be no restrictions on when and how veterans see the doctor they want, but at least it was a step in the right direction. But to now see the agency claim that

veterans don’t qualify because they don’t live beyond 40 straight miles from the VA, regardless if there is a mountain or a river in between those 40 miles, is beyond comprehension.” Compounding the problem with the straight line rule is that it is contrary to how veterans normally apply for benefits. When applying for beneficiary travel benefits, for instance, veterans must assess their benefits by literally measuring the

number of miles driven. According to a VA report based on the success of the program so far, this is one of many issues that are causing problems for veterans. “Thus, it is illogical to veterans that they can qualify for beneficiary travel of 40 miles but cannot qualify for the Veterans Choice Program as a 40-miler,” the report said. That report included a survey of veterans, which found that 80 percent of the 1,068 respondents who were interested in and eligible to receive outside medical care through the Veterans Choice Program had not been offered non-VA care. So far, 27,000 veterans have made appointments for private care with their cards, the VA said in February. It’s a fraction of the 9 million veterans who depend on the delay-plagued VA health-care system, the largest network of health centers and hospitals in the country. “As far as I can tell, the choice card has created more confusion and aggravation than improving access to clinical care, though it did gain

political points,” said one VA primary care doctor who spoke to the Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because VA employees are not allowed to speak to the media without permission. But he said he and other doctors “are confused by the choice card system and don’t understand how to implement it.” In addition to these problems with implementation, the VA still seems to be unable to fix some of the basic problems it has been facing. In that Washington Post story related to this issue, a woman spoke about her stepfather Charles Schuster, who died in 2009, and how he recently received a card in the mail. “Gave me a good laugh,” she wrote. With all of these problems, the VA has been forced to once again defend themselves for their mistakes. During a hearing at Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, new VA Secretary Bob McDonald, claiming that he was “as frustrated as you all are,” wants authority to redirect some of the $10 billion Congress allocated for the program to boost

care for veterans at the VA’s 970 hospitals and clinics. However there is trepidation from both parties to give the VA more funds after the agency overhaul was approved by Congress last year in response to the scandals. “Given the clear intent of Congress to reduce barriers to care, it is perplexing that the VA is not using its authority to allow non-VA care for those who face a geographic challenge in accessing care, including long drive times or health conditions that make travel difficult,” 42 senators from both parties said in a letter to the VA in February. The VA’s continuous troubles within their system are nothing short of tragic. With so many veterans returning home now adding to the millions of veterans who have been struggling with this failing system, technicalities and incompetence can no longer be allowed to get in the way of veterans getting the care they deserve. When it comes to fixing the VA’s problems, it is either now or never. J

Jeans for Troops Day in Honor of Veterans Day Breaks Records Once Again Throughout the Country Employees at over 1,900 Schools, Companies, and Government Agencies Honored Our Men and Women in Uniform During Nationwide Dress Down Day; Funds Will Go to Benefit the GI Go Fund as They Work to Help Veterans Find Employment and Achieve Better Access to Health Care By Staff Writer As our nation paid tribute to our armed forces on this Veterans Day, many of its citizens from coast to coast joined together to help their fellow troops and their families. Over 1,900 schools, companies, and government agencies are taking part in a nationwide movement to support returning veterans this Memorial Day and help them get the assistance they need as they come home. During the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jeans for Troopsâ&#x20AC;? program, schools, companies, and all other employers that chose to participate allowed their employees to wear jeans to work on November 12 in exchange for a $5 donation to the GI Go Fund, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting all veterans with their needs upon their return home from combat. The last drive held during Memorial Day set records with over 1,600 schools and companies participating, a norm for the drive as totals increase with each passing drive.This Veterans Day once again saw records

Celebrating Jeans For Troops Day at Costa Mesa Montesorri School in California (above) and Mansfield Elementary School in New Jersey (below)

broken, with nearly 2,000 groups signing up to support veterans. “The amount that this event has grown in the past few years has been truly something special,” said GI Go Fund Executive Director Jack Fanous. “What started as a small group of loyal supporters has now swelled to over a million school teachers, government workers, and business employees alike standing together to lend a hand to their local veterans in need this Veterans Day.All of our participants are showing the true passion and love that all of us Americans have for our military men and women, and they are saying thank you to them in the best way possible.” The organization was able to reach a major milestone this year

Once again records were broken, with nearly 2,000 groups signing up to support veterans.

thanks to the help of their previous Jeans Drive during Memorial Day. Working with federal legislators following the VA scandal, the GI Go Fund was able to make a significant impact on many veterans struggling to obtain adequate healthcare, getting new VA reforms to include language that gives veterans living more than 40 miles from a VA facility access to a private doctor. The funds from this drive will go towards helping veterans in need this Thanksgiving and Christmas season with meals and shopping cards so they may provide for their loved ones during the holidays. The organization will also work to help veterans find employment through new and innovative methods.J

Top 10 contributors Veterans Day 2014 Paychex, Inc

$11,540.00

Rochester, NY

Teleperformance

$7,620.50

Holladay, UT

Upper Darby School District

$4,202.00

Drexel Hill, PA

Bridgewater-Raritan Education Association

$3,734.00

Bridgewater, NJ

East Brunswick Education Association

$3,503.00

East Brunswick, NJ

Alice Independent School District

$3,043.28

Alice, TX

Sacred Heart School

$2,296.00

Glendale, NY

Center Grove Community School Corporation $2,285.00

Greenwood, IN

Chrisman Elementary School

$1,913.00

Chrisman, IL

Cherry Creek School District

$1,845.00

Greenwood Village,CO

Florida Based Group Provides Care Packages to Soldiers Deployed Overseas Forgotten Soldiers, a group that provides care packages to soldiers stationed in combat zones, worked with members of the GI Go Fund to provide needed supplies to our troops By Aaron Fawzy Our Troops make tremendous sacrifices for our country, often enduring long deployments in hostile warzones to ensure that we remain safe here at home. Nevertheless, our soldiers and sailors deployed in combat can oftentimes feel disconnected from the people they are serving, and naturally become homesick, missing the country that they love. Luckily enough, Lynelle Chauncey Zelnar, the Executive Director and founder of Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc., has put together a unique organization to help us give thanks, support, and a reminder to our soldiers, that they are still remembered. Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc. is a non-profit organization based out of south Florida with a particular mission: to assure our soldiers that they have not been forgotten.The organization does so by sending out care packages to deployed men and women stationed in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, parts of Africa, and numerous other parts of the world where our soldiers may be found receiving little or no support from home. “I love being able to do this,” said Jeanelle Avallone, the assistant to executive director of Forgotten Soldiers. “I get the biggest gratitude just knowing they’re getting something from home, from strangers, and knowing they are not forgotten.” Forgotten Soldiers was founded in 2003 when the executive director, Lynelle Chauncey Zelnar, was asked by a co-worker to keep her son Christopher in her prayers since he had recently been deployed. Out of the kindness of her heart, Zelnar took it upon herself to create care packages and send them to Christopher.

He was extremely thankful for the acts of kindness and generosity; however, he had one request: to send care packages to the “forgotten soldiers.” Fortunately enough, one of our very own, Sue Niederer, the mother of our never-forgotten hero and inspiration Lt. Seth Dvorin, was able to volunteer and work alongside this incredible organization during the early part of 2015 as they created thousands of care packages for soldiers, which requires a great deal of work and support from many people. Volunteer services are extremely beneficial and helpful to the organization. According to Jeanelle Avallone, Niederer’s support was found to be “instrumental to the organization,” as she provided assistance with preparing and organizing various items that were placed in the care packages. Since founding in 2003, Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc. has been able to assemble and send out over an astonishing 350,000 care packages to soldiers all around the world. Through generous donations from people across the country as well as other organizations, Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc. has been able to provide deployed men and women with a plethora of items such as basic and essential toiletries, snack bars, oatmeal, candy, juices, and other feel good items. Thanks to the support and partnership with Girl Scouts and their “Cookies for the Military” fundraisers, the organization has also been able to provide our soldiers with an array of Girl Scout Cookies. Most importantly, letters of encouragement are found in these care packages to help motivate and remind the soldiers of this country that they are always remembered and loved, highlighting Ms. Avallone’s claim. “The main goal of our organization is to support our troops and make sure they are not forgotten.” For more information about this organization, you can visit them online at www.forgottensoldiers. org, or follow them on Twitter @fso_USAsoldiers or on Facebook at Forgotten Soldiers Outreach J

Report Shows that VA Call Centers Block Majority of Veterans’ Calls By Staff Writer We now have confirmation for what most veterans’ have been saying for years-- that the majority of veteran calls are blocked at ailing VA Call Centers. According to a report from ABC15 in Arizona, 55 percent of calls never got through to a representative in 2014.That number increased to 59 percent for 2015. Most veterans are forced to rely on the call centers for feedback about their disability claims, so failures at this level drastically impair a veteran’s ability to access information about their respective claim. In the call center industry,“blocked” calls are calls that do not get through to a call center operator due to a full call cue. So, blocked calls include calls that are dropped, calls that reach a busy signal, or ignored calls. The likely cause of these issues is understaffing and limited phone call durations per veteran.There are 736 employees staffed at VA call centers nationwide, but VA refused to provide specific numbers as to how many are working at any one time to help answer veteran calls. Also at issue are the wait times on the phone. In addition to long wait lines to see their VA doctor, veterans have reported waiting several hours on the phone before they are able to speak with a representative. “I’ve waited two or three hours to speak to someone more times than I remember,” said Marine Sgt. Joe Pace. “It takes forever. And when you do get someone on the phone, they try to give you whatever answer they can in order to get you off the line. Even if you know the answer their giving you is wrong, and you tell them that you know it’s wrong, they still won’t

back down.“ There may be truth to this, as VA maintains a policy that requires these call center employees to only spend 10 minutes per call. If they do not meet the guidelines, the employees may get fired or reprimanded. How is that for customer service? “If true, these allegations further add to the VA’s disappointing history of denying timely and quality care to veterans,” Arizona Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “While significant steps have been taken to fix our broken VA health care system, including passage of historic bipartisan reform legislation last year, clearly the VA still has a long way to go to earn back the trust of our service members. Our veterans deserve to have a department dedicated to helping them in every way possible, and I remain committed to making sure that the VA fulfills its promise to care for all of those who have served.” When questioned, the VA told ABC:“Although the number of ‘blocked’ calls – an industry term describing calls that are not connected to a Call Center employee due to a full call queue – is high, demand for information from the National Call Center continues to climb.” Regardless of the technicalities, the fact remains that this is yet another black eye for an agency that has been knee deep in controversy for years now. Between the long wait times, the scandal that was designed to cover up the severity of the problem, as well as a myriad of other public relations disaster, it is no wonder why the VA is perceived as the most inefficient agency in the federal government.J

PTSD and the “American Sniper”:

How Chris Kyle’s story has brought the issue of post-traumatic stress to the forefront By Joseph Bongon A war veteran is truly appreciated by the majority of the American population. The bright ribbons and shiny medals that are pinned on the service member’s chest signify great courage and commitment. Moviegoers enjoy seeing the war hero come home after a daunting firefight, but the audience is left without knowing how a war hero’s life changes after a long time consuming deployment. Films of war mostly portray a hero’s valiant effort throughout a military campaign and rarely show the events that transpire during their home lives. Many war veterans come home with post-traumatic stress disorder or better known as PTSD. Despite years of coverage and awareness campaigns on the issue, some civilians are still intimidated by the veterans that have PTSD. As Americans, raising awareness for PTSD can benefit the livelihood of veterans after service. The movie, “American Sniper”, a film by Clint Eastwood, has been a box office success all over the world. It is based on a true story about the Navy SEAL sniper, Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle and his four tours in Afghanistan. Aside from the struggles of war, the film also portrays what life is like when a soldier comes home, and what personal battles they face long after their combat operations have ended. Films that portray war or any military events have a kind of Hollywood style makeover that captures

an audience’s interest in the matter; but what about the hardships that are faced when a soldier or sailor comes home? Scenes from “American Sniper” show Kyle’s inability to separate his home life from his life in Iraq. The audience was exposed to the hardships that veterans are dealing with after coming home from a long deployment. On February of 2013, Kyle was killed by former marine Eddie Ray Routh, a fellow veteran that Kyle was trying to offer assistance for his PTSD. The movie has drawn attention to PTSD and other problems related to combat vets, and Kyle’s death has forced the issue of post-traumatic stress to come full circle. Aside from the psychological damages, service men come home with lost limbs and blindness. There are individuals that may not come home with PTSD, but may have a difficult time transitioning to 26

being away from combat. The pain that these men and women are going through should be treated with care and not to be taken lightly. Nevertheless, PTSD stands alone as the fastest rising and most misunderstood condition that returning soldiers, and the public at large, are dealing with. Hundreds of thousands of combat veterans come home with PTSD and the number will continue to climb.After leaving the armed forces, many of these men and women may not be exposed to all the veteran resources that are offered to them. Kyle was able to adjust to civilian life and help veterans in his community; but many of the of them may not be so fortunate. While the death of Kyle might not have been caused by the PTSD of another veteran, it is unquestionable that we must do more to find the best treatments and support mechanisms possible for other veterans with PTSD. Seeing the events that unfolded in “American Sniper” opened many eyes to a problem that hundreds of thousands of veterans struggle with. Post-traumatic stress disorder can play a major role in a veteran’s future. As Americans, we should raise awareness for PTSD and reach out to other veterans in our community. There are organizations that help veterans adjust to their new civilian lives.Veterans have served our country and it’s our turn as a nation to serve them.J