Rao bulletin 15 January 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles



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Patrick Olive and his wife Evelyn Olive at their home in Plantation with the certificate verifying that Patrick has received the Purple Heart, 45 years after he was wounded in Vietnam & 1969 Newspaper photo of Patrick Olive being greeted by dignitaries while recuperating from injuries in Vietnam.
Now, 45 years after the explosion near Cu Chi, Vietnam, that left him with permanent nerve damage in his right leg, Olive has been notified that he finally will receive a Purple Heart, a recognition of injuries he sustained when he was a 21-year-old soldier. "We are pleased to inform you that your records have been corrected…" reads a letter he received in December from the Department of the Army. "When he gets that medal it will be mission accomplished," said Olive's wife, Evelyn. "We will all be proud. I will be proud of my hero." Born and raised in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Olive was drafted in 1968. After basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he was sent to Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division, which saw heavy fighting near Saigon.
In November 1968, Olive's company came under attack from an enemy ground assault. "With complete disregard for his own safety, Pvt. Olive exposed himself to a heavy volume of Viet Cong fire and he received desperately needed mortar ammunition and distributed it to his comrades," says his citation for valor. In April 1969, while in a nighttime defensive position, he again "distinguished himself by heroic actions," reads a second citation, when he "volunteered to brave the intense enemy fire in order to resupply his section of the perimeter." After he was wounded in June 1969, Olive spent months in hospitals, first in Saigon, then in Japan, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, and finally in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the Veterans Affairs facility closest to his home. There he met Evelyn Ramirez, a hospital dietitian. When she first saw him, he was being treated for the leg wound and other injuries. He eventually left that hospital to go home to St. Thomas, but he and Ramirez reconnected a year later. They have been married 43 years.
Vietnam was not a popular war. When Olive and his fellow soldiers and Marines returned they were not greeted as heroes, as are many veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Programs to deal with PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder – and other legacies of combat were far fewer than they are now. "War was a nightmare," said Olive. "It was hell. It's nothing you like to talk about." So Olive did not talk about it, or pursue the Purple Heart or other service medals he was entitled to. He went to work for Customs, and learned to live with the nerve damage in his leg that causes him constant pain. After years in St. Thomas, Olive was transferred to Miami in the early 1980s. He and Evelyn raised a son, Francisco, who followed his father's career path and now works for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Although he had often thought about seeking the Purple Heart, "I am a procrastinator big-time," he said. But last summer, at his wife's urging, he wrote the Army. "All veterans deserve to be honored for the sacrifices they and their families gave for this country," Evelyn Olive said. "The medal would be an acknowledgment of what he went through. So I said let's go for it." Given in the name of the President, the Purple Heart is awarded to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces killed or wounded by enemy action. In addition to the Purple Heart, the Army has advised Olive he will also receive the Army Commendation Medal with a V for valor, a Good Conduct medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, with four bronze service stars, and his expert badge as a rifleman. While grateful to receive the medals, Olive said he is disappointed they will arrive by mail and not awarded to him in a ceremony.


A local ceremony may be possible. "Yes, someone should present [the medals] to him," said Jim Ellard, president of the Broward chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. He said among the chapter's 162 members are three senior Army officers who could conduct an award ceremony. "He has waited all this time," said Ellard, a veteran himself. "You might as well have somebody present it to him." [Source: Sun Sentinel | Mike Clary | Jan. 08, 2015 ++]
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Vet Awardees Nisei Soldiers | Legion of Honor | WWII
The accolades continue to pour in for an aging group of World War II soldiers. Twenty-seven World War II Japanese-American soldiers will be decorated with France's highest medal — the Legion of Honor — this month for their part in liberating France as members of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Pauline Carmona, consul general of France in San Francisco, will bestow the honors at a ceremony at 9 a.m. 23 JAN at the Japanese Cultual Center. Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., incoming Pacific forces commander and possible candidate for chief of naval operations, will be the keynote speaker. Harris, whose mother is Japanese, has said the nisei soldiers were his role models. Harris is the highest-ranking Asian-American in the history of the Navy and the first to gain the rank of four-star admiral. Also attending the ceremony will be Gov. David Ige, whose father was a member of the 100th Battalion, and U.S. Rep. Mark Takai.
The Oahu ceremony is one of three that will be held in Hawaii by the French government to honor the veterans who served in the Army unit composed mainly of Japa­nese-Americans. Other ceremonies will be held in Kona on 21 JAN, when five veterans will be recognized, and on Maui honoring 18 awardees 22 JAN.
Last year 67 Asian-Americans were approved for the Legion of Honor by the French government, said attorney Pat Lee, honorary French consul in Hono­lulu. Seven got their medals during a ceremony on the Arizona Battleship Memorial in July. Since 2004, when 442nd veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Barney Hajiro was bestowed the rank of chevalier, or knight, 72 members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion have received the award. The Legion of Honor was created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. The award is France's highest civilian honor and consists of five classes. In descending order of distinction, they are grand cross, grand officer, commander, officer and chevalier. The order is conferred upon men and women, either French citizens or foreigners, for outstanding achievements in military or civilian life.
Jack Seitoku Nakamura and Rikio Tsuda, both members of the 100th Battalion's B Company, in October were part of an official delegation that traveled to France to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Vosges Mountain region by the nisei soldiers. The two, along with Eddie Yamasaki, a member of C Company, visited battleground sites in Bruyeres and Biffontaine. In Bruyeres, Tsuda was given the honor of unveiling a photo and plaque renaming the town square after 100th Battalion soldier Tomosu Hira­hara, who was killed in October 1944 on the first day of the battle to liberate Bruyeres. Hira­hara is buried in the French cemetery in Epinal. The trip was Tsuda's fourth pilgrimage to the tiny French village, and the 91-year-old veteran said he was impressed with how the French have expressed their appreciation. For Nakamura, 91, it was his first visit since the war. "I couldn't recognize anything," he said. The veteran tried in vain to find trees that he was forced to take cover behind during some of the intense shelling by German artillery. "I remember everything being stark and bare," Naka­mura added. "This time everything was flourishing." Nakamura said he is honored to be recognized by the French government. "It's not every day to be recognized like that."
American servicemen who fought in one of the four main campaigns of the liberation of France — Normandy, Provence, Ardennes or Northern France between D-Day, June 6, 1944, and May 8, 1945 — are eligible for the Legion of Honor. France does not approve applications posthumously, Lee said. The screening process can take as long as a year. Veterans or their family members can apply by writing to the Consulate General of France, 88 Kearny St. Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94108. [Source: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser | Gregg K. Kakesako | Jan. 12, 2015 ++]
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Vet Jobs Update 168 ► Ohio Vet Employer Online Registry
Ohio has rolled out an online registry at http://jfs.ohio.gov/owd/OMJResources/Military-Friendly-Employer-Registry.stm letting military veterans know which employers are looking to hire veterans. Registry proponents say it should result in more jobs for veterans, while others aren’t so sure. The registry, stemming from a 2014 law, went online 19 DEC with about 300 employer names. More than 150 indicated they have a preference policy for hiring, promoting or retaining veterans, service members or their spouses or surviving spouses. Others “self-reported” as military-friendly — an option that isn’t in the law but does allow employers to indicate other veteran support. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services must maintain the voluntary registry and provide a link on its OhioMeansJobs website for employers wanting to get on the list (https://jobseeker.ohiomeansjobs.monster.com/Veterans/VeteranInfo.aspx).
The registry was included in an amendment that Ohio House Speaker-elect Cliff Rosenberger proposed primarily to provide legal protection for employers’ concerned that establishing a preference policy might violate equal employment opportunity laws, state Rep. Terry Johnson said in an email. But Johnson, who heads the House Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, said the registry should also help veterans find jobs. Army veteran Buck Clay, who graduated in April from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in communications, is skeptical that the growing number of online websites and registries to assist veterans looking for jobs actually helps. Clay, who has tried online job sites and registries in a search for employment that has also included attending job fairs and contacting potential employers on his own, said he thinks few online sites lead to employment and any jobs they do generate are mostly low-level ones that don’t match veterans’ abilities and experience. “There are a lot of sites that are supposed to help, but there isn’t a good professional network connecting them and no sharing of databases,” Clay said. “Everybody wants to stay on their own little island.”
Clay isn’t the only veteran of that opinion, according to the head of a firm that provides human resources consulting and training for organizations wanting to improve recruitment and retention of veterans. Lisa Rosser says some veterans say they often see employers list themselves as veteran friendly but then not provide job help. “More technology and databases won’t solve the problem,” said Rosser, chief executive of The Value of a Veteran company in the Washington, D.C., area. “Making a human connection is what’s needed, whether that comes through mentorships, internships or just meeting with veterans.” The 2013 unemployment rate in Ohio for veterans who have served since 2001 averaged 11.8 percent, compared with 7.3 percent for nonveterans, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Harry Prestanski, a Vietnam veteran and executive director of Ohio Veterans United, believes much of the unemployment can be attributed to the economy and the inability of some veterans and employers to translate military skills into civilian jobs. But he said he is seeing more companies aggressively recruit and hire veterans, and he is optimistic. “I think the registry is a good start,” he said. Cleveland Clinic, which has sought more access to veterans for jobs, plans to sign on, said Gayle Agahi, a director of government and community relations for the clinic. Columbus-based American Electric Power, where veterans make up about 10 percent of the workforce, was unaware of the registry but will look into it, utility spokeswoman Tammy Ridout said. “It sounds like something that may allow us to expand our veterans outreach,” she said. Ohio’s jobs agency has sent about 13,000 emails notifying employers of the registry and will promote it more in 2015. [Source: Mansfield News Journal | Lisa Cornwell | Jan. 04, 2015 ++]
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Vet Gun Control Update 10 ► VA Offering Free Gun Locks
The Department of Veterans Affairs is offering free gun locks to veterans if they provide details on the number of guns they own and their home address, raising concerns about a government-run gun registry. Some veterans have received a form letter in recent days from the VA offering gun locks if they return a completed form listing their name, address and number of guns in the home. “As your partner in healthcare, we are committed to keeping you and your family safe,” states the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times. “Gun locks have been shown to greatly reduce death and injury caused by firearms in the home. If you own a gun, we hope you will request and use a gun lock.”
The letter said agency officials “hope to reach all our veterans with this offer.” The VA said it will mail the locks to the address provided by a veteran. One veteran who received the letter said it raises concerns about “a gun registry in disguise.” “Young soldiers are already notoriously reluctant to admit any problems with post-traumatic stress disorder,” said the veteran, who asked to remain anonymous. “Imagine the effect if the average 23-year-old private … back from Iraq, already reluctant to ask for help … is now hearing rumors that if he seeks help from the VA for sleeplessness, PTSD, nightmares, etc., Big Brother is going take his guns away? Now young veterans will really avoid asking for help,” the veteran said.
The letter about gun locks obtained by the Times was signed by Daniel Hendee, director of the VA medical center in Philadelphia. A VA spokesman in Washington said he was not aware of such an effort and could not provide further comment immediately. Last month, an ex-Marine who was being treated for various health issues through the Philadelphia VA office shot and killed six family members before taking his own life. And on 6 JAN, an incident at the VA clinic in El Paso, Texas, resulted into two deaths — the gunman and a doctor. The Iraq veteran who shot and killed a Veterans Administration hospital doctor before turning the gun on himself was a former employee of the clinic who had threatened the doctor more than a year ago. [Source: The Washington Times | Dave Boyer | Jan. 06, 2015 ++]
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Filipino Vet Inequities Update 28: Children’s Green Cards Still an Issue
Philippines native Art Caleda still carries shrapnel in the left side of his chin that he ruefully calls a "souvenir" from assisting the American military 70 years ago as a guerrilla intelligence officer during World War II. For their service, Caleda and about 26,000 other Filipino nationals were granted U.S. citizenship under a 1990 immigration law signed by President George H. W. Bush, and many of them received a one-time cash payment of $15,000 in 2009. But they are still waiting for a final piece of compensation: green cards for their grown children to join them here from the Philippines. Caleda, 90, said he and his wife, Luz, who settled in Waipahu, west of Honolulu, petitioned the federal government in 1996 on behalf of their three sons, who live in Manila. They waited as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services slowly processed a global backlog of more than 4 million family-based green-card applications. Caleda said the last time he inquired about his sons' status, immigration officials "told me to wait because they are processing [applications from] 1993. They're processing 1993? The time is 2014." Luz died last spring during a trip back to the Philippines.


Art Caleda, president of the WW I Filipino-American Veterans Hawaii Chapter
In all, approximately 250,000 Filipinos responded to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's call to arms in 1941 and fought on behalf of American forces in the Philippines, which at the time was a U.S. territory. They responded out of a desire to defeat a common enemy, Japan, but since the end of the war, they have been pushing the U.S. government to fully recognize their contributions. As their ranks dwindle, the elderly veterans living here as U.S. citizens have waning hopes of being reunited with their children, a casualty of Washington's inability to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Although President Barack Obama announced in November that he would use his executive authority to shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation, his actions did little to address the lengthy backlogs in the legal immigration system — something the president said only Congress can change through legislation.
The United States has a cap on family-based green cards of 226,000 annually, and no more than 7 percent of the recipients are permitted to come from a single country. Aside from Mexico, Asian countries, including China, Vietnam and India, dominate the list of nations with the most applicants and the longest waits. The average wait from the Philippines — which has the most family applicants after Mexico — is more than two decades. Opponents of easing restrictions on family-based green cards say it would open the door to chain-migration, in which extended families flood the United States, competing with Americans for jobs and taxing the nation's benefits system. But Mee Moua, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said: "There is an inherent unfairness in setting people up for failure by accepting their application fees but then having them wait 5, 10, 15 years before they might possibly see their family members."
Lawmakers from Hawaii and California, where most of the Filipino veterans settled in the 1990s, have tried for years to get them special exemptions from the green-card caps. But each time, the measures were swallowed in the toxic debate over broader reforms of border control laws — and ultimately went nowhere.

There are estimated to be only a few thousand veterans still alive and living in the United States. In 1990, Bush signed the Immigration and Nationality Act passed by Congress that expanded the number of visas allotted for family reunification and for employment. Under the act, the Filipino veterans were granted citizenship and allowed to move to the United States with their spouses and children younger than 21. In 2013, the Senate approved a comprehensive immigration bill that included provisions to speed up processing and slim down the green-card backlog. It lifted the caps for spouses and children of legal permanent residents while eliminating categories for foreign siblings of U.S. citizens, who would instead be ranked on a new points-based system, with credit for family ties, education and work skills.


The Senate bill included an amendment from Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hi., that granted the children of the Filipino veterans green cards immediately on humanitarian grounds. But the Republican-controlled House rejected the Senate legislation last summer amid fierce resistance over another provision that offered a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Estimates from advocacy groups suggested that as many as 20,000 children of Filipino veterans would have been covered by the Senate bill, though not all were expected to apply for green cards. "If even 10 apply, it's still the right thing to do," said Rodel Rodis, a San Francisco-based lawyer who has done pro bono work on behalf of the veterans.
Two of Caleda's sons live in Manila, where he grew up, and another works in Vietnam. Caleda's three daughters all live in the United States, having gone to school here on student visas and marrying Americans. Since Luz died, Caleda is uncertain how to proceed on behalf of his sons because his wife had been the petitioner on their green-card applications. He fears he will have to re-file, pay additional fees and go to the back of the line again. His eldest son, Arthur, is 60 and another, Benedicto, is 58 — and he's not sure it makes sense for them to come as they near their own retirement. "To wait another 20 years? 20 plus 90 — I'll be 110!" he said with a wry laugh. (Rodis said there are immigration law provisions that allow the applications to be transferred to a new petitioner without penalty.) Caleda rubbed his chin, where the shrapnel was lodged on a mission when his guerrilla unit was strafed by a Japanese warplane. His wound was treated by medicine from guava leaves. After the war ended in 1945, he spent 38 years working in forestry before moving to the United States in 1992. Of the dimming prospects of his sons joining him in Hawaii, Caleda said: "It's too bad. You cannot expect me to be laughing." [Source: Washington Post | David Nakamura | Jan. 06, 2015 ++]
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North Carolina Scholarship ► Available for Some Vet Children
Scholarships from the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs and the North Carolina Association of Veterans Services Officers are available for eligible high school seniors who are the children of some North Carolina veterans. The deadline for applying is 1 MAR. The North Carolina Division of Veteran Affairs manages a scholarship for the children of certain categories of deceased, disabled, combat or POW/MIA veterans. The scholarship pays for four years of tuition and fees at a North Carolina college or university. Applicants must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher. Applications are available online at North Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs website http://www.doa.nc.gov/vets under the "Scholarships" tab. The North Carolina Association of Veterans Services Officers scholarship was established to honor deceased veterans services officers. Information and applications are available at your county veterans services officer's office. [Source: NAUS Weekly update Jan 09, 2015 ++]
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Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Short-Term Financial Crisis Needs
The Michigan Veterans Trust Fund (MVTF) provides emergency grants to Michigan veterans and dependent family members to help them weather short-term financial crisis (i.e. high heating or electricity bills, etc.) MVTF grants may be applied for through the MVTF county committee serving the veterans county of residence. All applications are investigated and decided upon in confidence. Veterans may request a personal hearing before the county committee when their application is being considered. Additionally, veterans have the right to appeal to the MVTF Board of Trustees if the application is denied at the county level, and will be provided with the opportunity to appear before the board to present information and answer questions.
To be eligible for a grant from the MVTF a veteran or legal dependent must be a legal resident of the State of Michigan at the time of the application. The veteran must have been discharged under honorable conditions, with at least 180 days of active wartime service (90 days for WWI veteran), or have been separated as the result of a physical or mental disability incurred in the line of duty (or aggravated by active duty). Service during the following periods (or an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, plus 180 days of honorable active duty, for service between periods in places such as Grenada, Lebanon, Berlin, Persian Gulf, Mayaguez Operation, or Desert Storm) is required:

  • WWI - April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918 (If service in Russia, then to April 1, 1920)

  • WWII - December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946

  • Korea - June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955

  • Vietnam - February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975

  • Persian Gulf - August 2, 1990 to present

  • If a veteran has less than 180 days of active duty during these eras, duty in more than one period may be combined. Evidence of separation or discharge with less than 180 days of wartime service due to a physical or mental disability is required to determine eligibility.

Needed documentation

  • Discharge papers, separation report or DD-214 (showing the dates of active duty and the character of the release);

  • Proof of residence (driver's license, voter registration, state I.D.)

  • Marriage certificate and birth certificates for minor children (legal dependents)

  • Death certificate of a deceased spouse or parent

  • Bills or account statements regarding the items for which you are seeking an MVTF grant

  • Documentation of any disability rating

  • Proof of employment or other income

  • Evidence of efforts at other appropriate agencies

To apply for emergency funds from the MVTF, contact the MVTF county committee serving the county where you reside. You may also contact the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund at 1-800-MICH-VET or P.O. Box 30104, Lansing, MI, 48909.

[Source: http://www.michiganveterans.com/Home/Quality-of-Life/Emergency-Assistance Jan 2015 ++]


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Veterans Employment Center Update 01 Transitioning Aid
The Veteran Employment Center (VEC) is an online portal that combines elements of standard job boards and professional connection media (e.g. LinkedIn) to provide a single solution for meeting the needs of both veteran job-seekers and employers seeking to hire our veterans. The VEC is accessible from the Veteran's Administration's e-Benefits website https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs. Soldiers, veterans, and family members are encouraged to create a VEC profile early! Their Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP) offices, career counselors, and Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) benefit advisors can assist in getting started with the VEC and job search related skills training. The eBenefits portal is a safe, secure, and centralized resource for benefits associated with pre-separation, employment assistance, relocation, education and training, health and life insurance, finances, Reserve affiliation, disabled veterans, and retirement. Navigating to the VEC provides access to the career tools, employment resources, and services for the job seeker.
The Army continues to align with agencies like the VA and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to improve the VEC's functionality while advancing the responsibilities, objectives, and policies supporting the VEC's use within the transition life cycle while continuing to highlight the benefits of the VEC:

  • The VEC is open to all Reserve & National Guard members, veterans, spouses, and dependents.

  • Job seeker access to real job opportunities and the tools to build profiles to be shared with employers committed publically to a hiring goal and public tracking of the progress made.

  • Offers employers a free platform to connect with the Army and post job openings, search job-seeker profiles, directly contact prospective employees, and make public employment commitments.

  • Contains an integrated private and public sector military skills translator that helps members describe their skills and experience in terms that employers understand and value.

  • Is a central hub for VA-vetted partnerships. Examples include: LinkedIn (a professional network) is offering a free one-year Job Seeker subscription that increases contacts through their network; Coursera (an education platform) is offering one free credential to top off skills as well as teaming with the VA to open 20 learning hubs across the country.

The Army is currently working on a more refined adoption strategy to help transitioning offices standardize training and use of VEC supporting the SFL-TAP curriculum. Soon, TAP managers and SFL Centers will fully implement the VEC for transitioning Soldiers. The VA is available to provide comprehensive coaching and training at no cost. Establishing a VEC profile early will help Soldiers and veterans reduce their reliance on unemployment compensation for ex-Service members (UCX) and help Soldiers, veterans, and family members connect with top-of-the-line resources and opportunities leading to meaningful employment. UCX provides temporary, weekly income to Service members as they look for work, including those who can find only part-time work. [Source: Stand-To! | U.S. Army | Jan 09, 2015 ++]
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Vet Toxic Exposure | Dover AFB ► PFCs in Shallow Groundwater
Officials at Dover Air Force Base say chemical compounds used in firefighting foam have been found at four sites on base but not in drinking water supply wells. Officials said 5 JAN that an investigation detected perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, in shallow groundwater and some surface drainage ditches in levels above Environmental Protection Agency recommended limits. They noted that the base obtains drinking water from a deep confined groundwater aquifer that is isolated from the aquifer where the contaminants were found. Officials say the contaminants are being managed under federal environmental standards and that a preliminary assessment and site inspection will be done this year to identify any remaining locations were PFCs may have been released to the environment. A decision will then be made on whether cleanup actions are necessary. [Source: The Associated Press | Jan. 05, 2015 ++]
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Nebraska Veterans Registry ► Reasons to Enroll
The Nebraska Veterans' Registry authorizes the word 'veteran' to be placed on driver's licenses and state issued identification cards. The Registry will also allow the issuance of Military Honor License Plates starting in 2016. Once in the Registry, veterans can request the veteran indicator on their operator's license or state issued identification card at the time of renewal with no additional fee. To enroll in the Registry, veterans can contact the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs (NDVA) online, in person or via email: phone 402-471-2458, email ndva@nebraka.gov, or visit the NDVA website at www.veterans.nebraska.gov. A paper application is available at https://www.nebraska.gov/va_registry/VA-App.pdf. [Source: Military.com | Benefits | Dec. 29, 2014 ++]
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AF Retiree Council Update 03 ► Issues Reported to Air Force COS
The 2014 Air Force Retiree Council met in May to discuss issues important to retirees and surviving spouses, and receive briefings on various subjects important to the retiree community. This was the first time the council convened since 2012. Last year’s annual meeting was cancelled because of budget constraints. The Air Force Retiree Council provides the link between members of the Air Force retiree community – more than 800,000-plus retirees, spouses and surviving spouses living throughout the world -- and the Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh. Council co-chairmen are Welsh’s liaison with the retiree community and work directly for him. Current cochairmen are Lt. Gen. Steven R. Polk and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley, both retired.



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