From: Wayne Gatewood, JrTo: Wayne Gatewood, JrSubject: Veterans News for Monday, October 1, 2012Date: Monday, October 01, 2012 7:20:50 PM

Happy Monday good people! Welcome back to work! Hope you and yours had a great and safeweekend. For Today: “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing isnot to stop questioning.” Albert Einstein VA's Claims Process: Behind the Scenes. http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/8143/vas-claim-process-behind-the-scenes/ National Association for Black Veterans, Inc. (NABVETS) National Convention. Conventiondates are October 3-6, 2012. Sorry for the late notice folks but I just received it. http://www.nabvetscharlotte.org/index.php?p=1_38_NABVETS-National-Convention-2012 The Patriot's Group, Inc, Military Hiring Event, Education and Resource Fair. To be held atDel Mar California Fairgrounds, Mission Tower, on October 24, 2012. Please go to following linkfor detailed information. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=44jo7ziab&v=001TEa7HUw8hRF5kwlviq7mvRv1Ue-b5fAG0y5jt3BtHUhs6o5dDpJvfO6DTYr9HnWZASCZJN_mzIoPPj4q-OuODse9BUWj-O8kEA6Hx16Bi_FPxRw49H6-Oqn6RuAZSKvNyjgSJgosmXiEwWjJUumc_OWhz4nI3CJBJptRLRzaW4gjed47IryrDzRrVBAADz7y Reserve Officers Association (ROA) SmartBrief for October 1, 2012.http://www.smartbrief.com/servlet/wireless?issueid=7BEC30B2-750F-4504-8E1D-694740152389&sid=22cbe9eb%2d3ef0%2d4eca%2d8105%2def9f466dc32d Veterans Crisis Line: Confidential Help for Vets. The Veterans Crisis Line offers free,confidential support to Veterans in crisis, as well as their family and friends. Save thisnumber to your phone: 1-800-273-8255 (press 1 for Veterans). You can also chat onlineor text professional responders at 838255. VA Leads Nation In Breast Cancer Screening Rates. http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20121001a.asp Prayers and Blessings for you and your loved ones and for our wonderful Troops and their lovedones everywhere. Sincerely........Wayne---------------------------------------VA Veterans News for Monday, October 1, 2012. Thanks to Kevin Secor, VA VSO Liaison

1. CalVet encourages veterans and active military to register and vote. 2. Medal recipients' Social Security numbers accidentally posted online. 3. Group lets injured troops train own canines as service dogs. 4. Afghan troops get a lesson in American cultural ignorance. 5. Paying tribute to a Civil War veteran. 6. After years of use, dangers of opioid drugs discovered. 7. Critics say pharmaceutical firms spurred the increase in prescriptions. 8. Wait time grows for veterans seeking benefits. 9. Lehigh Valley nonprofit receives grant to help low-income military veterans.

10. Marine Combat Vet Wants To Help Others. 11. Online Business Launches To Match Vets To Jobs. 12. Hiring Veterans: Legal Benefits And Challenges. 13. A Country Song About PTSD: "All You've Got Left Are These Pieces." 14. VA Studies New Ways To Treat PTSD. 15. VA Touts New Digitized System As Antidote To Claims Backlog. 16. VA Cuts Regional Office Staffs By A Quarter. 17. Military Ballots Sent Late. 18. Wreaths Across America Set For Dec. 15. 19. Many Local Veterans Return To School; Some Struggle. 20. Veteran Rides To Help Stem Soldier Suicides. 21. Texas Vets Dying Young At Alarming Rate. 22. VA to Save State Nursing Home Beds for Veterans. 23. El Paso VA Holds Prescription Drug Take Back Day. 24. VA Golf Program Provides Outlet For Struggling Vets. 25. VA Medical Center Begins Medical Foster Home Program. 26. Tewksbury Resident Receives Korea's 'Ambassador For Peace' Medal. 27. Medal Of Honor Recipient Profiled. 28. WWII Veteran Makes Dream Come True For Vietnam Veteran. 29. Iraq Veteran With PTSD Desperate To Find His Missing Dog. 30. "Hiring Our Heroes" Job Fair Will Focus On Veterans. 31. Hundreds Welcome Home World War II Vets After Last Honor Flight. 32. Parade A Two-Hour Salute To Armed Forces. 33. Discovery Of Korean War Letters Prompts Search. 34. VA Clinic Patient Advocate Receives National Recognition. 35. Blue Star Mothers Seek Addresses, Donations For Soldiers Serving Overseas. 36. Governor Proclaims Gold Star Mother's Day. 37. Veterans Honored On 50th Anniversary Of Vietnam War. 38. Helping Veterans Regroup Is A Mission For All Of Us. 39. VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as October 1, 2012:40. Today in History:

1. CalVet encourages veterans and active military to register and vote. Orange County Breeze

The California Department of Veterans Affairs is coordinating with the California Secretaryof State to encourage veterans, active duty military, employees and their families to vote!“Veterans have protected our right to vote from the time this ...

2. Medal recipients' Social Security numbers accidentally posted online. The Social Security

numbers of Army recipients of the Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross wereinadvertently posted online by a Pentagon contractor and were available to the public untilthey were discovered by a Vietnam veteran who researches military medal awards.

3. Group lets injured troops train own canines as service dogs. Chuck and Kate Daffron made a

decision to change the lives of disabled veterans by launching a non-profit organization tohelp veterans train their own service dogs.

4. Afghan troops get a lesson in American cultural ignorance. Eleven years into the war, NATO

troops and Afghan soldiers are still beset by a dangerous lack of cultural awareness, officialssay, contributing to a string of insider attacks that have threatened to undermine the militarypartnership. So the Afghan army is trying something new: a guide to the strange ways of theAmerican soldier.

5. Paying tribute to a Civil War veteran. Towanda Daily Review Review Photo/ERIC HRIN

The grave of Civil War veteran Private Horace O. Sackett was rededicated Saturday inLitchfield Township with a new gravestone from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Here, Sackett's great-great-great grandson, Jerrell Sackett, ...

6. After years of use, dangers of opioid drugs discovered. Austin American-Statesman It wasn't

clear if the pills directly responsible for the overdoses were prescribed by U.S. Department ofVeterans Affairs physicians. But in many instances, family members said, the veterans firstused the narcotics as active-duty service members.

7. Critics say pharmaceutical firms spurred the increase in prescriptions. Austin American-

Statesman Over the past dozen years, as the number of prescriptions for narcotic painkillerswritten by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs doctors soared, pharmaceutical companieswaged a behind-the-scenes campaign to get the VA to focus more on veterans' pain, ...

8. Wait time grows for veterans seeking benefits. The Bay Citizen (blog) Veterans across the

nation are waiting an average of 260 days for a decision on a war-related disability claim –three days longer than last week and 80 days longer than in mid-2011, according to datarecently released by the U.S. Department of ...

9. Lehigh Valley nonprofit receives grant to help low-income military veterans. The Express

Times - LehighValleyLive.com Amy Beck, executive director for the Lehigh Valley Centerfor Independent Living, in Allentown about a $152,000 grant from the U.S. Department ofVeterans Affairs for the Supportive Services ...

10.Marine Combat Vet Wants To Help Others. American Forces Press Service Marine Corp.

Cpl. Adrian Cuevas, a native of South El Monte, California, who "is an Afghanistan veteranon his third deployment there and is currently serving as a machine gun squad." His "end ofactive service date is fast approaching and he has decided he wants to dedicate his life tohelping people work through that anguish - the trauma he himself has endured." Cuevas hasexperienced three IED explosions and "lot friends in battle." He plans to go "back to school.... I want to be a counselor to help people out who have gone through what I have gonethrough."

11.Online Business Launches To Match Vets To Jobs. Hampton Roads (VA) Business

Journal Mobile America, "an online service that matches the talents of veterans withemployers seeking independent contractors," is similar to "Guru.com, Freelance.com andother outsourcing providers. But unlike some of those sites, it doesn't charge job seekers anyfees and is exclusively for veterans and their spouses, said President and CEO Dan Bell." Thewebsite went up this week, and Bell says it will get its revenues from employer fees. Bellfinanced the company himself. He has "served as a regional support manager at AppleComputer, a VP of consumer product support at 3Com & US Robotics and, most recently,president of Canon Technology Information Technology Services in Chesapeake."

12.Hiring Veterans: Legal Benefits And Challenges. Mass Transit Magazine The attorneys

say "now is a critical time for businesses to hire veterans, but private employers need toconsider both the legal benefits and challenges associated with hiring veterans." While theemployers can "benefit from hiring veterans in a number of ways, including tax credits" suchas "President Obama's 2011 Returning Heroes Tax Credit and the Wounded Warrior TaxCredit," those employers need to be aware "of potential legal pitfalls in the hiring process,such as showing preferential treatment to veterans, targeting recruitment efforts andapplication retention requirements."

13.A Country Song About PTSD: "All You've Got Left Are These Pieces." NBC NewsStephen Cochran, a Marine veteran who is now a country singer with the pending release of"Pieces," which NBC calls "an ode to the blackness" the veteran experienced after hereturned from Iraq. A music video for the song is based on Cochran "in his dimmest hour,behind a locked door in his Nashville home, exhausted, alone, and telling himself: 'I'mdone.'" NBC explains how he was inspired to go from that moment and how veterans'concerns drove him. Cochran said, "We have an epidemic of suicides in the military rightnow. At this point, we are physically losing both of these wars in the United States ofAmerica, not overseas." Cochran has served as national spokesman for research anddevelopment at the VA and as co-chair for voluntary service, touring and "urging veterans toseek help for combat stress."

14.VA Studies New Ways To Treat PTSD. Information Week "The VA Palo Alto Health

Care System is collaborating with Fujitsu Laboratories of America (FLA) on research toimprove treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder" among veterans. The VA is gatheringdata on "problems many veterans have in driving cars, leading to a higher-than-averageaccident rate for this group of people." To gather the data, the VA uses sensors on the carsthat record heart and respiration rates "and combine that data with the car's location at pointsin time, as well as factors on the road that might trigger PTSD symptoms." The partnershipdeveloped when the VA had trouble correlating data, so now they use "Fujitsu's remotemonitoring technology to time-synchronize the data."

15.VA Touts New Digitized System As Antidote To Claims Backlog. Stars And Stripes The

Friday New York Times story on how "the Department of Veterans Affairs' new digitizedrecords system is bringing 'fundamental improvements' to the agency's efforts to slash itsmassive backlog of pending disability compensation claims." The report backgrounds theissue of delays and criticism of the VA and points out that "the new digitized system is beingtested in four regional offices and will be in place in 40 offices by the end of 2013, the Timessaid." Moreover, "workers told the Times the new system makes researching and processingclaims much more efficient" and "consolidates several existing databases and providesprompts during the input process that help reduce mistakes."

16.VA Cuts Regional Office Staffs By A Quarter. Federal Times "The Veterans AffairsDepartment has begun slashing more than a quarter of its staff at 21 regional managementoffices," to reduce personnel "from roughly 1,700 now to 1,236 - a cut of about 464positions, according to a Sept. 10 internal memo obtained by Federal Times." The officeseach operate with about 82 people, and that "will shrink to between 55 - in the case ofVeterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 5, in Linthicum, Md. - and 65 - in the caseof VISN 8, in St. Petersburg, Fla." Federal Times notes that "staffing at the offices hasswelled over the years." The VA originally planned for the offices to operate with 220people, "a small fraction of their current 1,700-person size."

17.Military Ballots Sent Late. Jackson (MS) Clarion Ledger "Mitt Romney's campaign has

raised concerns that Hinds County didn't send absentee ballots to people serving overseas inthe military, but county officials say the problem has been corrected and soldiers will be ableto cast their votes online." Hinds County officials first "said ballots had been sent on Friday,the day before the deadline, to 32 people overseas who had requested them," but they later"clarified that those 32 were online ballots, and that the county had missed the deadline for 13others requesting paper ballots," but those people had been contacted and "agreed to accepte-mailed ballots and vote online." County officials blamed the delay on a lawsuit challenginga candidacy, which wasn't decided until this week.

18.Wreaths Across America Set For Dec. 15. Dexter (MO) Daily Statesman "For the fifth

consecutive year, Wreaths Across America will be observed at the Missouri State VeteransCemetery in Bloomfield with a special ceremony to be held Dec. 15, 2012, at 11 a.m."Organizers hope to find enough sponsors "to place a wreath on every grave at the cemetery,"as they have for four years. The program "began in 1992 when the Worcester WreathCompany in Harrington, Maine, donated wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery. ... Theprogram gradually expanded, and in 2006 the program went nationwide." To date, 670,000wreaths have been donated.

19.Many Local Veterans Return To School; Some Struggle. Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin

The challenges that local veterans find in trying to return to school. One challenge is relatingto "younger, non-military classmates," according to Iraq veteran Elish Odegaard of theMinnesota National Guard. An additional problem is that veterans are "more prone tostruggle and drop out of school." At Rochester Community and Technical College, "nearly 45percent of first-time students who are veterans, active military and National Guard membersfailed to earn a certificate or reach their second fall semester after starting school," comparedto about 32 percent of non-veteran students. An even bigger challenge is "simply settlingback into the patterns of civilian life."

20.Veteran Rides To Help Stem Soldier Suicides. Tacoma (WA) News Tribune Army

veteran Brian Kinsella, founder of the nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide, "kicked off a 5,000-mile motorcycle ride in Tacoma on Friday, hoping to raise awareness about military suicidesand drum up support at Army installations." The program "connects troubled soldiers withindependent counseling services" and "tries to fill a gap in the soldier safety net by providingcounseling services outside the military chain of command" for soldiers who "fearrepercussions to their careers if they are too open." Kinsella plans his next stop at FortCarson, Colorado, and "plans to wrap up his Ride for Life on Oct. 12 in Times Square inNew York City."

21.Texas Vets Dying Young At Alarming Rate. AP Six-month investigation of death records

of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans by the Austin American-Statesman that showed "alarminglyhigh percentage died from prescription drug overdoses, toxic drug combinations, suicide andsingle-car crashes - a largely unseen pattern of early death that federal authorities are failingto adequately track." The newspaper concluded that the median age for the 266 veterans'deaths was 28, and "more than one in three died from a drug overdose, a fatal combination ofdrugs, or suicide." Nearly 80 percent of veterans with PTSD died of those causes or in asingle-car crash. Overall, the deaths were "equal to nearly two-thirds of the state's casualties"in the wars. All the dead were receiving VA benefits, but because the VA doesn't trackindividual causes of veteran deaths, it does not understand "the scope of the problems facingthose who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan."

22.VA to Save State Nursing Home Beds for Veterans. Courthouse News From Washington,

DC, that "the Department of Veterans Affairs must make per diem payments to state nursinghomes for care to veterans whether or not they have resided in the state home for 30consecutive days, under a new emergency rule." The rule is designed to reimburse statehomes so they "will hold the veterans' beds until the veterans return" if they do not stayovernight. The rule will be effective Nov. 26, "unless the VA receives a significant adversecomment by Oct. 29."

23.El Paso VA Holds Prescription Drug Take Back Day. KVIA-TV "The El Paso Veterans

Affairs office is asking everyone to drop off old and unused prescriptions so they won't beused improperly. Prescription drug take back day is going on now and the weekend. thepurpose is to get as many of those meds away from those to whom they aren't prescribed.Prescription drug abuse is rampant in the US. In fact DEA officials are finding that it's more

of a problem than illegal drug abuse. The number of Americans abusing them surpasses thosewho use heroin, cocaine, and hallucinogens combined." Gail Ziegler, El Paso VA PublicAffairs: "Drug Enforcement Administration really encourages people to use these take backdays because they do all of that work for you. You bring it in, turn it over to the DEA andthey will dispose of them in a safe and effective manner."

24.VA Golf Program Provides Outlet For Struggling Vets. Battle Creek (MI) Enquirer A

program at the Battle Creek Veterans Affairs Medical Center that allows disabled or sickveterans to relearn or take up golf with the help of volunteer professionals. The program,which runs in five-week sessions, is "an offshoot of the local annual VA golf tournamentheld on Memorial Day weekend." Bob Bales of Sauganash Golf Club in Three Riverscoordinates the nine PGS golf pros who volunteer, and he "said when he contacted club pros,they were only too happy to help. 'When they knew it was for the VA, they wanted to help.... I didn't have to beg anyone."

25.VA Medical Center Begins Medical Foster Home Program. Native American Times The

Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee about "the development of a newMedical Foster Home (MFH) Program, which gives eligible Veterans the option of living in afamily setting when they can no longer stay in their own home." The voluntary program "willhelp match eligible Veterans with approved homes and experienced caregivers who willprovide the Veteran with room and board, personal care and 24-hour supervision." Therelease details how expenses are calculated and how to get more information.

26.Tewksbury Resident Receives Korea's 'Ambassador For Peace' Medal. Hunterton

County (NJ) Democrat "Tewksbury resident Rolf Margenau, accompanied by his wife,Nancy, joined sixty-two other veterans of the Korean War in Seoul, Republic of Korea whowere awarded Korea's 'Ambassador for Peace' medal on Sept. 16." That government hassponsored its "Revisit Korea" program since 1975 to honor the United Nations forces thatcame to its rescue from 1950 through 1953. Margenau said of the trip, "It was very humblingto realize how deeply the Korean people appreciate the support of those who came to theiraid over sixty years ago. We were cared for like celebrities. ... Their generosity wasoverwhelming."

27.Medal Of Honor Recipient Profiled. KGMB-TV "Next week Hawaii hosts the 2012 Medal

of Honor convention and at a number of public and private events, more than 50 medal ofhonor recipients will be honored for their heroism. This morning we spotlight one of them.Allan Kellogg calls Hawaii home and proudly wears America's highest award forvalor." KGMB (Mendoza) added, "The shirts and supplies surrounding Alan Kellogg are forhomeless veterans he helps." Allan Kellogg, Medal of Honor recipient: "The more you get offthe streets, the more come on the streets." Mendoza: "Kellogg has devoted 21 years toveterans' affairs after 30 years in the Marine Corps." Kellogg: "When you're messing aroundwith hand grenades, you've got three to five seconds to make up your mine what you're goingto do before the show is over." Mendoza: "He is one of only 81 living Medal of Honorrecipients who wear the nation's highest military honor."

28.WWII Veteran Makes Dream Come True For Vietnam Veteran. AP How a half-acre

lot donated there by the late Army Lt. Col Ashley Ivey became "a Vietnam veteran's dreamcome true" with a new home built by Northwest Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. Ivey,who fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, stipulated that anyhome built on the lot "go to a disabled veteran," and it went to Lt. Victor Alvarado, a PuertoRico native and grandfather of seven who "injured his back while offloading 250-pound C-130 tires at Homestead Base, south of Miami, while serving in the Air Force." The new homewill allow Alvarado to live on one floor and avoid stairs.

29.Iraq Veteran With PTSD Desperate To Find His Missing Dog. WJXX-TV Iraq veteran

Kenneth Chambers "is still desperately looking for his therapy dog he believes was stolennearly 40 days ago." The dog disappeared from his mother's car in a Save-A-Lot parking lotwhile he "walked inside for a just a few minutes to help his mother bag groceries." Chambersis offering a $1,000 reward, has passed out fliers, used a billboard, and has a Facebook pagedevoted to finding Adalia. Chambers says the dog "absolutely saved my life."

30."Hiring Our Heroes" Job Fair Will Focus On Veterans. Rocky Mount (NC) Telegram

"The Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce's "Hiring Our Heroes" job fair is scheduledfrom 11 a.m. to 2 p.m." on Tuesday. The chamber expects "an unprecedented turnout ofbusinesses from throughout Eastern Carolina to promote their products and services,particularly with the military job fair being incorporated into this year's event." One Armyveteran who hopes to find a full-time job is Debora Parker, who has been looking since 2001.She "has had a slew of temporary jobs in recent years, but has yet to land the permanentposition she's been seeking." Parker said she believes veterans offer benefits to employers."Some people say they have trouble dealing with different individuals. I feel like I can prettymuch work with anybody. I don't stress out on the job."

31.Hundreds Welcome Home World War II Vets After Last Honor Flight. Daytona Beach(FL) News-Journal A welcome home for about 100 World War II veterans who returnedSaturday night to Daytona Beach International Airport from an Honor Flight to WashingtonDC. Hundreds of people were standing by with flags and cheers for the group, which was on"the 10th and final Volusia Honor Air flight - bringing a close to five years of planning, 10flights to Washington and free trips for about 1,000 veterans from Volusia, Flagler andneighboring counties." The Volusia program raised $800,000 over its life, which began witha first flight in 2008. The News-Journal says "other Honor Air programs around the countryhave ceased flights, too. The national Honor Flight network has indicated it will turn its focusto veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars as they grow older."

32.Parade A Two-Hour Salute To Armed Forces. Kansas City (MO) Star The annual

American Royal parade this year "wanted to pay tribute to the American military," and it didon Saturday, bringing out a supportive crowd. "The parade's sponsor, Cerner Corp., passedout hundreds of American flags along the mile-and-a-half route to spectators, who wavedthem in support during the two-hour parade." The Grand Marshal was Ike Skelton, a formercongressman who was chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. The parade alsoattracted veterans, such as Jared Stotts, a Marine who served in Iraq. He was approving. "Ilike how all the military branches have been represented. It's a cool mix of agriculture, too,with the horses and tractors."

33.Discovery Of Korean War Letters Prompts Search. AP

34.VA Clinic Patient Advocate Receives National Recognition. Daily Sentinel

35.Blue Star Mothers Seek Addresses, Donations For Soldiers Serving Overseas. Observer

Today (NY)

36.Governor Proclaims Gold Star Mother's Day. Sparta (TN) Expositor

37.Veterans Honored On 50th Anniversary Of Vietnam War. WHNT-TV

38.Helping Veterans Regroup Is A Mission For All Of Us. Alexandria (LA) Town Talk

39.VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as October 1, 2012: October 3, 2012. Joint House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees hearing onLegislative Presentation of the American Legion. 10:00 A.M.; 345 Cannon

Hearing being rescheduled: House Veterans Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Economic

Opportunity will be holding a hearing on October 4, 2012 on; State Approving Agencies Roles andReviewing the Challenges of PL 111-377 Section 203.

40.Today in History:1795 – Belgium is conquered by France.1800 – Spain cedes Louisiana to France via the Treaty of San Ildefonso.1811 – The first steamboat to sail the Mississippi River arrives in New Orléans, Louisiana.1814 – Opening of the Congress of Vienna, intended to redraw Europe's political map afterthe defeat of Napoléon the previous spring.1827 – Russo-Persian War: The Russian army under Ivan Paskevich storms Yerevan, ending amillennium of Muslim domination in Armenia.1832 – Texian political delegates convened at San Felipe de Austin to petition for changes inthe governance of Mexican Texas.1880 – John Philip Sousa becomes leader of the United States Marine Band.1887 – Balochistan is conquered by the British Empire.1890 – Yosemite National Park is established by the U.S. Congress.1891 – In the U.S. state of California, Stanford University opens its doors.1903 – Baseball: The Boston Americans play the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of themodern World Series.1908 – Ford puts the Model T car on the market at a price of US$825.1910 – Los Angeles Times bombing: A large bomb destroys the Los Angeles Times building indowntown Los Angeles, California, killing 21.1918 – World War I: Arab forces under T. E. Lawrence, also known as "Lawrence of Arabia"capture Damascus.1931 – The George Washington Bridge linking New Jersey and New York opens.1938 – Germany annexes the Sudetenland.1939 – After a one-month Siege of Warsaw, hostile forces enter the city.1940 – The Pennsylvania Turnpike, often considered the first superhighway in the UnitedStates, opens to traffic.1942 – USS Grouper torpedoes Lisbon Maru not knowing she is carrying British PoWs fromHong Kong1942 – First flight of the Bell XP-59 "Aircomet".1943 – World War II: Naples falls to Allied soldiers.1946 – Nazi leaders are sentenced at Nuremberg Trials.1947 – The F-86 Sabre flies for the first time.1949 – The People's Republic of China is established and declared by Mao Zedong.1957 – First appearance of In God We Trust on U.S. paper currency.1958 – NASA is created to replace NACA.1960 – Nigeria gains independence from the United Kingdom.1961 – East and West Cameroon merge to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon.1962 – First broadcast of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.1964 – The Free Speech Movement is launched on the campus of University of California,Berkeley.1964 – Japanese Shinkansen ("bullet trains") begin high-speed rail service from Tokyo toOsaka.1965 – General Suharto rises to power after a coup that alleged to the Communist Party of

Indonesia. In response, Suharto and his army massacre over a million Indonesians suspected ofbeing communists. The killings of 7 army officers happened in the early hours of 1 October1965.1969 – Concorde breaks the sound barrier for the first time.1971 – Walt Disney World opens near Orlando, Florida, United States.1971 – The first brain-scan using x-ray computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) is performedat Atkinson Morley Hospital in Wimbledon, London.1975 – Thrilla in Manila: Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in a boxing match in Manila,Philippines.1979 – The United States returns sovereignty of the Panama canal to Panama.1982 – EPCOT Center opens at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, United States.1982 – Sony launches the first consumer compact disc player (model CDP-101).1985 – The Israeli air force bombs PLO Headquarters in Tunis.1994 – Palau gains independence from the United Nations (trusteeship administered by theUnited States of America).1998 – Vladimir Putin becomes a permanent member of the Security Council of the RussianFederation.

------------------------------------From: JS Pentagon OCJCS Mailbox Warrior and Family SupportSent: Monday, October 01, 2012 2:55 PM

Subj: Warrior & Family Support News for Monday, “Keeping Faith with the Military Family” COMMUNITIES IN ACTION Clarksville labor analysis advises more education, jobs for exiting militaryClarksville Leaf ChronicleTom Stellman, center, president and CEO of TIP Strategies, discusses the current labor market onFriday, with, from left, Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board ExecutiveDirector Mike Evans, WorkForce Essentials Inc. President ...Austin American-StatesmanThe group also has set up an emergency response team as a way to use some of the disaster reliefskills they learned in the military — and to give veterans a larger purpose they might have beenmissing since leaving the military. The team, which ... Home from Iraq and Afghanistan, many combat veterans look to serve again ...Minneapolis Star TribuneSeveral dozen veterans — some of them from earlier wars — are vying for U.S. House and Senateseats this year. And many others are seeking state and local offices across the country. Men andwomen, Republicans and Democrats, they range from ... WELLNESS Suicide among veterans receiving less attention than active-duty deathsAustin American-StatesmanObama ordered the VA to fill staff vacancies, reduce wait times and launch a national campaign toeducate veterans about mental health services. Kemp said the VA has devoted substantial resourcesto preventing suicides in recent years, adding a ... Military facing a shortage in mental health treatment abilityOHS CanadaThe military ombudsman slammed the Canadian Forces in his latest report, calling for upgrades toits handling of soldiers with mental health needs. In his report, entitled Fortitude Under Fatigue,

Canadian Forces ombudsman Pierre Daigle determined that ... VA fails to track cause of veterans deathsDayton Daily NewsLast month, Veterans Affairs officials in Dayton said multiple deployments, a tough economy and arise in post-traumatic stress added to an alarming increase in suicides among local service membersand veterans. The Dayton VA recorded 19 suicide ... Commander's regret over Afghanistan proves the case for public silenceSydney Morning HeraldPart of the journalistic interest in this memoir turned on Cantwell's PTSD, which he acquired as oneof the few Australians who participated on the ground during the first Gulf War of 1990-91.Cantwell was on exchange with the British Army at the time.

EDUCATION MILITARY: USD offering vets help with education and predatory loan issuesNorth County TimesA former Camp Pendleton military law judge is spearheading a University of San Diego effort aimedat helping veterans resolve disputes with online colleges who may have targeted them for theirmilitary education benefits. Critics including Iowa U.S. Sen. Department of Education Awards $14.3 Million for 51 Grants to Boost Veterans ...eNews Park ForestWashington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—October 1, 2012. The U.S. Department of Education announcedthe award of $14,392,377 for 51 Veterans Upward Bound projects, which will help some 6,831veterans acquire the skills and knowledge they need to succeed ... EMPLOYMENT Want a job? Look to the energy fieldUSA TODAYAt Pioneer, field hands and supervisors include everyone from military veterans to formerschoolteachers, Hall said. Pipeline technician James Laake took about a $20,000 raise from his oldjob as a prison guard; the 24-year-old high school graduate ... Veterans job training program growing in popularityFort Worth Star TelegramIt requires legwork by the applicant: find a school within program parameters, get the field of studyapproved, show that you are unemployed, etc., said James Frost, a lead veteran employmentrepresentative with the Texas Veterans Commission. Because ... Best regards….ANN M. CURTIS, Lt Col, USAFWarrior Care and Family Support Officer,Warrior and Family Support Office-------------------------------------VA Veterans News for Saturday, September 29, 2012. Thanks to Kevin Secor, VA VSOLiaison

1. Panetta: Fate of Syrian chemical weapons unknown. 2. Department of Veterans Affairs. 3. Jury awards former state veterans official $1.8 million. 4. Women Vets Still Don't Call Themselves Veterans. 5. Army "Stand Down" Focuses Day On Suicide Training.

6. Service-Wide "Stand Down" Followed On Held Recently At Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

7. Panetta Makes Sexual Assault Problem In Military A Top Priority. 8. Complementary Medicine May Help Soldiers With PTSD. 9. Smartphone Apps Become "Surrogate Therapists." 10. Veterans Wait For Benefits As Claims Pile Up. 11. VA Planning To Use Technology To Eliminate Backlog. 12. More Than 100 Veterans, Spouses Turn Out For Heroes Job Fair In Spartanburg. 13. Homeless Summit, Forum Oct. 11. 14. Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center Named "Top Performer" By National Accreditor. 15. American Legion Seeks App Users. 16. GAO: Agencies Have EA Implementation Gaps, But Blame OMB. 17. NC Division Of Veterans Affairs Warns Veterans Of Payment Scams. 18. Agent Shunts Fluid Overload Via GI Tract. 19. AHA: Wireless Telemetry Delays Problematic. 20. TBI, PTSD And Early Aging In The Research Stage: Now's The Time To Prepare. 21. Thousands Of Vets Find Vital Services At Stand Down 2012. 22. Annual VA Stand Down Puts Something Tangible In Hands Of Homeless Veterans. 23. Tragedy Of Ancient Warrior Spurs Suicide Discussion. 24. Army Surgeon Shares PTSD Struggles To Help Others. 25. VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as September 29, 2012:26. Today in History:

1. Panetta: Fate of Syrian chemical weapons unknown. The United States doesn’t know

whether the nightmare scenario of Syrian chemical weapons on the loose in the midst of achaotic civil war is becoming reality.

2. Department of Veterans Affairs. Legal Examiner One of our attorneys, Katrina Eagle, was

recently quoted by the New York Times in an article exploring the current state of the VA,which is severely backlogged for a number for reasons. The article is provided below in itsentirety and is a must read ...

3. Jury awards former state veterans official $1.8 million. Green Bay Press Gazette MADISON

– A jury has awarded $1.8 million to a former Wisconsin veterans affairs administrator,agreeing that his boss reassigned him to a job 110 miles from home to punish him forbacking a former colleague's claims that he was fired because of his ...

4. Women Vets Still Don't Call Themselves Veterans. Stars And Stripes "Even after 11

years of war where female troops have handled unprecedented battlefield responsibilities,many women leaving the service still don't see themselves as 'veterans,' according" to theVeterans Affairs' "top female vet." Retired Brig. Gen. Allison Hickey, VA's undersecretaryfor benefits, said the situation makes it hard to reach out to female vets so that "we cansurround them with the support they need." Hickey's "remarks came at a Thursday eventdesigned to highlight heart disease prevention among female veterans. Earlier this year, VAofficials partnered with the American Heart Association in an effort to spread informationabout heart disease, the number one killer of both female veterans and American womennationwide."

5. Army "Stand Down" Focuses Day On Suicide Training. AP "In a service-wide 'stand

down,' the Army...ordered soldiers to put aside their usual duties Thursday and spend the dayon suicide prevention training as the military struggles with a spike in the number of self-inflicted deaths this year." The plan was to "focus on making sure that troops know whatbehavioral health programs are available to them and helping them get over the

embarrassment that keeps many from seeking help." 6. Service-Wide "Stand Down" Followed On Held Recently At Joint Base Lewis-

McChord. AP The Army's Joint Base Lewis-McChord recently updated its approach tosuicide prevention "by ditching the old PowerPoint presentations in favor of one-on-oneinteractions between care providers and soldiers." In the last two weeks, for example, thebase had a "leadership retreat for about 80 noncommissioned officers. At the same time, asuicide 'stand down' was held in which officers and enlisted leaders took a walking tour ofthe base's social support services."

7. Panetta Makes Sexual Assault Problem In Military A Top Priority. NBC Nightly News

"Yesterday, the Army filed charges against a brigadier general believed to be the highestranking officer in US military history to face" sexual assault charges. But "in too many othercases, women who signed up to serve their country say they now feel betrayed." ReporterNatalie Morales interviewed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who has made the sexualassault problem in the military a top priority. Panetta said, "As we learned from whathappened at Lackland Air Force Base, is that there is a power game going on here thatreflects what is happening in society, in general. ... The reality is when you have 19,000sexual assaults taking place this is something happening that's elsewhere, as well."

8. Complementary Medicine May Help Soldiers With PTSD. HealthDay "Complementary

medicine techniques known as healing touch and guided imagery can help reduce symptomsof post-traumatic stress disorder in military personnel who have been in combat...says" astudy that was "published in the September issue of the journal MilitaryMedicine." HealthDay adds, "Healing touch is described as an energy-based treatment meantto restore and balance the human biofield in order to decrease pain and promote healing."Guided imagery, meanwhile, "uses imagination and visualization to help reduce stress andanxiety and enhance overall well-being."

9. Smartphone Apps Become "Surrogate Therapists." CNN "Some mental health

professionals are encouraging their patients to use mobile apps as a way to supplement theircare." CNN points out that the Defense Department's National Center for Telehealth andTechnology "has put out an intriguing suite of mental health apps as well. PTSD Coach, co-created by the VA's National Center for post-traumatic stress disorder, includes a PTSD self-assessment and information about the condition."

10.Veterans Wait For Benefits As Claims Pile Up. New York Times "What has become

known as 'the backlog': the crushing inventory of claims for disability, pension andeducational benefits that has overwhelmed" the US Veterans Affairs Department. In a recentinterview, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said, "I've got a fix" for the backlog. He was referringto VA's "'transformation plan,' which calls for a new training regimen that Mr. Shinseki sayswill improve speed and accuracy in processing claims; creation of special teams to handlecomplex claims; and new digital technology that will replace the current paper-chokedsystem. When all those pieces are in place by 2015, Mr. Shinseki says that every claim willbe processed in fewer than 125 days, with almost no errors - a pledge that veterans' advocatesview skeptically." Such advocates, along with some VA employees, say more people areneeded to reduce the claims backlog.

11.VA Planning To Use Technology To Eliminate Backlog. New York Times VA's claims

"backlog has become a major source of embarrassment for the department, causing bipartisanire in Congress and bitter frustration among thousands of veterans who complain of longwaits, unfair decisions and delayed payments." The "centerpiece" of VA's plan to get rid of

the backlog is "new technology known as the Veterans Benefits Management System thatwill use digital records to speed claims processing." Gerald T. Manar, a "former departmentofficial who now works for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said he believed that the stepswould make a difference, but cautioned that the new technology was still years away frombeing fully functional."

12.More Than 100 Veterans, Spouses Turn Out For Heroes Job Fair In Spartanburg.

Spartanburg (SC) Herald-Journal On Thursday, "more than 100...veterans and militaryspouses" attended a US Chamber of Commerce "Hiring Our Heroes job fair in the NationalGuard Armory at the University of South Carolina Upstate." The "event was hosted inpartnership" with several organizations, including the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

13.Homeless Summit, Forum Oct. 11. La Crosse (WI) Tribune "The Monroe County Housing

Coalition and Tomah VA Medical Center are hosting a Homeless Summit/CHALENGForum (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Network Groups) andluncheon Thursday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tomah VA Medical Centergymnasium." Among other things, the event "will include discussions on the VA's five-yearplan to end veteran homelessness."

14.Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center Named "Top Performer" By National Accreditor.

Saginaw (MI) News The Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Saginaw "hasbeen named a top performer in key quality measures by the Joint Commission for the secondyear. The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in thecountry, listed the facility as one of 620 hospitals earning the title of 'Top Performer on KeyQuality Measures,' the hospital said in a news release." According to the News, the SaginawVA is one of 244 hospitals "to earn the honor two years in a row."

15.American Legion Seeks App Users. American Legion The Legion recently developed the

Claims Coach app to help "veterans and their families connect with a service officer andnavigate the VA claims process. In order to improve the app's functionality, The AmericanLegion now is seeking input" from veterans that use the app. The website adds, "Bydownloading the app and then participating in a short online questionnaire, you can help usimprove the Claims Coach and make it an even better tool."

16.GAO: Agencies Have EA Implementation Gaps, But Blame

OMB. FierceGovernmentIT "Almost all agencies have established goals for their enterprisearchitecture, but executing on those goals is another challenge entirely, according to aGovernment Accountability Office report" that was published onWednesday. FierceGovernmentIT adds, "All 27 agencies reviewed in the report have fully orpartially-defined goals, but only 11 have fully or partially established metrics for assessingtheir architectures and only five have fully or partially measured outcomes and benefits, sayreport authors. The only agency that lacks fully-defined goals--only meeting 'partially-defined' criteria--for enterprise architecture is the Veterans Affairs Department." The reportauthors say "forthcoming guidance" from the Office of Management and Budget's "is anopportunity to overcome the absence of detailed directions to agencies on how they canmeasure and report enterprise architecture strategic value."

17.NC Division Of Veterans Affairs Warns Veterans Of Payment Scams. Salisbury (NC)

Post "Veterans are being warned by state officials about scams involving companies thatrequire payments for processing pension and benefits forms, the North Carolina Division ofVeterans Affairs said" on Thursday. The Post notes that the US Department of VeteransAffairs "has a website for those seeking accredited services available to veterans."

18.Agent Shunts Fluid Overload Via GI Tract. Internal Medicine News "An investigational

agent that eliminates excess fluid through the gastrointestinal tract appears promising fortreatment in patients with heart failure–related fluid overload who also have chronic kidneydisease, new data suggest." The lead researcher on the study that produced the data was "Dr.Barry M. Massie, chief of the cardiology division at the San Francisco Veterans AffairsMedical Center." The same story is run by Family Practice News (9/28, 82K).

19.AHA: Wireless Telemetry Delays Problematic. MedPage Today "Wireless ECG

monitoring systems may have clinically significant delays between when a patient's heartrhythm is measured and when it shows up on a bedside monitor, according to a scienceadvisory from the American Heart Association." For cases in which "instantaneousassessment is needed for clinical decision-making, healthcare professionals should use hard-wired telemetry systems, stated a writing group chaired by Mintu Turakhia, MD, of the VAPalo Alto Health Care System in California." This "advisory, published in Circulation:Journal of the American Heart Association, was endorsed by the American College ofCardiology and the Heart Rhythm Society."

20.TBI, PTSD And Early Aging In The Research Stage: Now's The Time To Prepare.

Huffington Post

21.Thousands Of Vets Find Vital Services At Stand Down 2012. New Britain (CT) Herald

22.Annual VA Stand Down Puts Something Tangible In Hands Of Homeless Veterans. Evansville (IN) Courier & Press

23.Tragedy Of Ancient Warrior Spurs Suicide Discussion. Stars And Stripes

24.Army Surgeon Shares PTSD Struggles To Help Others. American Forces Press Service 25.VA / VSO-MSO Hearings as September 29, 2012:

October 3, 2012. Joint House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees hearing onLegislative Presentation of the American Legion. 10:00 A.M.; 345 Cannon

Hearing being rescheduled: House Veterans Affairs Committee Subcommittee on EconomicOpportunity will be holding a hearing on October 4, 2012 on; State Approving Agencies Roles andReviewing the Challenges of PL 111-377 Section 203.

27.Today in History:1789 – The United States Department of War first establishes a regular army with a strength ofseveral hundred men.1789 – The 1st United States Congress adjourns.1848 – Battle of Pákozd: stalemate between Hungarian and Croatian forces at Pákozd; the firstbattle of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.1864 – American Civil War: The Battle of Chaffin's Farm is fought.1885 – The first practical public electric tramway in the world is opened in Blackpool,England.1907 – The cornerstone is laid at Washington National Cathedral in the U.S. capital.1911 – Italy declares war on the Ottoman Empire.1918 – World War I, Battle of St. Quentin Canal: The Hindenburg Line is broken by Alliedforces. Bulgaria signs an armistice.

1923 – The British Mandate for Palestine takes effect, creating Mandatory Palestine.1932 – Chaco War: Last day of the Battle of Boquerón between Paraguay and Bolivia.1938 – Munich Agreement: Germany was given permission from France, Italy, and GreatBritain to seize the territory of Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia. The meeting occurred in Munich,and leaders from neither the Soviet Union nor Czechoslovakia attended.1941 – World War II: Holocaust in Kiev, Soviet Union: German Einsatzgruppe C beginsthe Babyn Yar massacre, according to the Einsatzgruppen operational situation report.1951 – The first live sporting event seen coast-to-coast in the United States, a college footballgame between Duke and the University of Pittsburgh, is televised on NBC.1957 – 20 MCi (740 petabecquerels) of radioactive material is released in an explosion at theSoviet Mayak nuclear plant at Chelyabinsk.1960 – Nikita Khrushchev, leader of Soviet Union, disrupts a meeting of the United NationsGeneral Assembly with a number of angry outbursts.1966 – The Chevrolet Camaro, originally named Panther, is introduced.1972 – Sino-Japanese relations: Japan establishes diplomatic relations with the People'sRepublic of China after breaking official ties with the Republic of China.1975 – WGPR in Detroit, Michigan, becomes the world's first black-owned-and-operatedtelevision station.1979 – Pope John Paul II becomes the first pope to set foot on Irish soil with his pastoral visitto the Republic of Ireland.1982 – The 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders begin when the first of seven individuals dies inmetropolitan Chicago.1988 – Space Shuttle: NASA launches STS-26, the return to flight mission, after the SpaceShuttle Challenger disaster.1990 – Construction of the Washington National Cathedral is completed.1990 – The YF-22, which would later become the F-22 Raptor, flies for the first time.1991 – Military coup in Haiti (1991 Haitian coup d'état).1992 – Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello is impeached.1995 – The United States Navy disbands Fighter Squadron 84 (VF-84), nicknamed the "JollyRogers".2004 – The Burt Rutan Ansari X Prize entry SpaceShipOne performs a successful spaceflight,the first of two required to win the prize.2007 – Calder Hall, the world's first commercial nuclear power station, is demolished in acontrolled explosion.2008 – Following the bankruptcies of Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual, The DowJones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points, the largest single-day point loss in its history.2009 – An 8.0 magnitude earthquake near the Samoan Islands causes a tsunami.

------------------------------------From: Mitchell, Amy [Amy.Mitchell@mail.house.gov]Sent: Monday, October 01, 2012 4:17 PM

Subj: Miller Calls on VA to Take Responsibility for Errant Spending IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2012 CONTACT: Amy Mitchell (202) 225-3527

Miller Calls on VA to Take Responsibility for Errant Spending

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’Affairs, issued the following statement on the final findings of VA’s Office of Inspector Generalinvestigation into two VA Human Resources Conferences held in Orlando, Florida, last year: “Today’s findings by VA’s OIG demonstrate a clear lack of leadership and accountability when itcomes to VA senior leadership being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

“Senior leaders took no action to stem excessive conferences costs, and in fact, endorsed andapproved costs without proper oversight. Despite repeated attempts by Congress to reign inconference costs, this report demonstrates that some senior VA leaders have given little attention tohow veteran funding is being spent and VA lacks an adequate system of checks and balances toensure this type of abuse does not occur. “Funding allocated for these conferences was drawn from VA medical accounts, which could havebeen used toward providing hundreds of veterans with VA healthcare. Furthermore, numerousunauthorized commitments were made for these two conferences, which have yet to be resolved,including the funding and making of the Patton-style videos. And, the OIG found that VAemployees acted on their own, without regard to the law or advice from VA’s General Counsel, toseek, and receive, concessions from the hotel, some in order to bring their families to enjoy a VA-paid vacation. The report also calls into question Interagency Agreements that helped to fund theseconferences, and provided what VA has called ‘freebies’ for attendees. Of particular concern isfunding that came through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “It is blatantly clear that VA does not know how much it spends on conferences. That has beenapparent from contradictory information provided to the Committee in testimony and documents.But to put this specific conference into context, the OIG found that $762,197 of the overall costswere wasteful. As a comparison, the entire GSA conference held last year in Las Vegas totaled$823,000. “This sort of funny money accounting must stop, and will no longer be tolerated, especially intoday’s tight fiscal climate. Without a doubt, this appears to be a systemic problem at VA, and usingthe figures based in today’s report, it can be reasonably concluded that 10-15 percent of VA’sconference spending is wasteful, amounting to $10-15 million a year, at the least. I am calling onVA to review these findings, and take appropriate action, especially at the senior management level.” Overview of VA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) findings, which has led to the resignation ofJohn Sepulveda, VA’s Assistant Secretary for Human Resources:

$6.1 million was spent on the two Human Resources conferences in Orlando, not $5.1 millionas previously stated by VA.

VA employees improperly accepted gifts including room upgrades, meals, limousine services,golf, spa services, helicopter rides, and tickets for the Rockettes.

Contract violations and lack of oversight led to excessive costs and illegal or wastefulexpenditures.

There was inappropriate use of government purchase cards.

$97,906 VA spent on promotional items (including bags, pens, water bottles, and exercisebands) were determined to unnecessary and wasteful.

To learn more about the investigation and to read the full VA OIG report, click here.

For more news from the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, please visit:

Veterans.House.Gov Find us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/HouseVetsAffairs or follow us on Twitter at:

@HouseVetAffairs ------------------------------------News from Al Bunting, Col, USAF (Ret) in NJ. Thanks Al!

Guard, Reserve network helps integrate military, civilian careersTwo Air National Guard officers have joined forces to form the Guard and Reserve Network,which helps civilian service members better manage their careers. "Despite the manyoptions offered by military personnel organizations, there are few resources that can helpGuard and Reserve members chart a path to success that truly integrates both sides oftheir careers," said co-founder Col. Ed Vaughan of the Colorado Air National Guard. AirForce Link (9/25) Capstone Concept Released for 2020 Joint Operations: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen.Martin Dempsey last week issued a Capstone Concept for Joint Operations that describesthe notion of globally integrated operations to address future security challenges. Theconcept is meant "to guide force development toward Joint Force 2020," the force calledfor in the Obama Administration's new defense strategic guidance, writes Dempsey in thedocument's foreword. "Future joint forces will face an increasingly complex, uncertain,competitive, rapidly changing, and transparent operating environment characterized bysecurity challenges that cross borders," states the capstone document, dated Sept. 10. Itspublic release was on Sept. 28. Joint force elements postured globally "can combine quicklywith each other and mission partners to harmonize capabilities fluidly across domains,echelons, geographic boundaries, and organizational affiliations" under the concept "withsignificantly greater fluidity and flexibility than do current joint forces," states thedocument. By routinely leveraging "unique service capabilities into a coherent operationalwhole," future joint forces will "achieve efficiencies and synergies not previously feasible,"states the document. "The assertion is that through globally integrated operations, jointforces will remain able to protect US national interests despite constrained resources," itadds. (CCJO 2020 full document; caution, large-sized file.) The Army’s Top Ten Inventions for 201109/28/2012 06:49 AM CDT VA Surveys Return Important Data for Veterans' Health09/24/2012 09:00 AM EDT Online Toolkit Aims to Support Mental Health ProvidersThe VA has developed a new online Community Provider Toolkit aimed at deliveringsupport, therapeutic tools, and resources to community providers treating Veterans formental health concerns. Military Cybersecurity Gets Closer Scrutiny(Bloomberg Government (bgov.com)) Cybersecurity is in the spotlight in Washington,especially after attacks on U.S. banks in the past two weeks crippled their websites, andthe military is playing a central role in the debate.

Opinion: Air Force's modernization efforts lack clarityAs the Air Force makes decisions about systems and equipment upgrades, it will need torefocus its core purpose, write James G. Roche, former secretary of the Air Force, andBarry Watts, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. "Our sense is that the highly successfulbut largely supporting role that air power has played in Afghanistan and Iraq has erodedclarity and consensus among civilian and even some military leaders about the coremissions of the Air Force, and where the limited modernization funds [that] are likely to beavailable in coming years should be focused," they write. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (9/26)How Many Civilians Might Die in an Attack on Iran's Nuclear Sites U.S. Military Deaths Hit 2,000(Miami Herald) The killing of an American serviceman in an exchange of fire with alliedAfghan soldiers pushed U.S. military deaths in the war to 2,000, a cold reminder of theperils that remain after an 11-year conflict that now garners little public interest at home.

From Clausewitz To Al Qaeda(Boston Globe) The US Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., recently announced its list ofthe "top 10 classics" in warfare. Ex-N.J. National Guard commander gets probation after pleading guilty to ...Today's Sunbeam - NJ.comSALEM — A former member of the New Jersey National Guard was sentenced toprobation after pleading guilty to two counts of endangering the welfare of child, officialssaid. Joseph Boucher, 52, of Woodstown, was sentenced in Superior Court last week.See all stories on this topic » New Disability System Fails To Speed Claims(Army Times) Five years after launching a combined effort to cut the time it takes tocomplete disability evaluations and begin paying benefits to wounded, injured and illtroops, it now takes the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments an average of 100 dayslonger to close a case. Undefeated (U-T San Diego) A group of military, veteran and community health care heavyweightsbegan meeting last year in San Diego to think big about improving treatment foramputation and traumatic brain injury. The plan that took shape is unlike any nationwide,organizers say: a community center offering medical treatment, family and mental healthcounseling, job placement and education services under one roof. CNO: High Op Tempo Straining Fleet (Navy Times) With four carrier strike groups responding to crises, the fleet is nearing thelimits of a sustainable deployment pace, the Navy's top officer said Sept. 27, anacknowledgment that comes as the defense secretary decides whether to continue a two-carrier presence requirement in 5th Fleet that's already entered its third year. Sequestration Sends Wrong Message To U.S. Friends And Foes Alike(U-T San Diego) To most Americans, the term "sequestration" does not mean a whole lot,at least right now, but it should, given the uncertain future facing U.S. national security. A New Course For The Middle East(Wall Street Journal) Restore the three sinews of American influence: our economicstrength, our military strength and the strength of our values. Soot-Covered Cadets Battle Waldo Canyon Fire Damage (Colorado Springs Gazette (gazette.com)) Soot-covered Air Force Academy cadets dugtrenches, hauled logs, sawed down burned trees and pounded stakes on the city's westernedge Sunday. The volunteers worked to help protect open space areas in Colorado Springswith erosion control measures needed after the Waldo Canyon fire. More Vets On Political Battlefield (Las Vegas Sun) Veterans across the country are vying for House, Senate and state officeseats this year, from well-known hopefuls such as congressional candidate TammyDuckworth in Illinois, who became a double amputee when her National Guard helicopterwas shot down in Iraq, to Arizona state House contender Mark Cardenas, a 25-year-oldIraq vet who remains a National Guardsman. Foot Soldiers March Their Way Into New Air Sea Battle Concept(Washington Times) The Army is preparing to officially join the Pentagon's "Air Sea Battle"operational concept, as the Defense Department shifts its focus from land operations in theMiddle East and Europe to mostly naval and aerial activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Defense Agency Asks Contractors To Take A Look At Waging Cyberwar

(Capital Business) The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency stirred notice when itasked contractors to come up with ideas on how to create systems and platforms that canengage in cyberwarfare. But perhaps what was even more attention-getting has been theresponse. Official: MRAPs Made Difference In Wars(USA Today) Data collected from roadside explosions in Afghanistan and Iraq show troopsin Mine Resistant Ambush Protected trucks are as much as 14 times more likely to survivethe blast than those riding in Humvees, the Pentagon's No. 2 official told USA TODAY. Online Orders, Curbside Pickup: Commissaries A-Changin' (Newport News Daily Press) Commissary patrons will soon see the "biggesttransformational effort" made by the Defense Commissary Agency in its 21-year history,according to DeCA Director Joseph H. Jeu. By this time next year military families might beordering groceries online, Monday through Friday, with service members or spouses beingable to pick up the order curbside on their way home from work. Undue Influence(Marine Corps Times) The commandant's tough talk complicates Corps' push to curtail sexassaults. Few Options For Replacing Destroyed Harrier Jets(Bloomberg Government (bgov.com)) Tight budgets and a closed production line will makeit harder for the U.S. Marine Corps to replace the eight AV-8B Harrier jets lost to a Sept.14 Taliban attack in Afghanistan. Preserving Old Ships Is Dear To U.S. Veterans, Costly For Museums(Reuters.com) The Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, a popular tourist spot inSouth Carolina's Charleston Harbor, is facing the same challenge as other U.S. Navy shipmuseums: keeping retired, once-storied warships afloat. Opportunity, Not Necessity, In BAE-EADS Tie-Up (Financial Times) The first thing to say is that this is a combination born of opportunity, notnecessity. BAE Systems and EADS are both strong businesses with clearly definedstrategies that have enabled them to make progress in the past five years, and whichwould take them forward as independent companies. But there comes a time when it isright to seize the moment, and to create something that is even stronger and better. Webelieve that time is now. China Builds Nuclear Arsenal While Rest Of The World Disarms (Washington Times) While the United States negotiates with Russia on dismantlingAmerica's nuclear arsenal, China has become the world's busiest builder of nuclearweapons. If America's allies, especially in Asia, lose confidence in the U.S. nucleardeterrent, the Obama administration's vaunted "pivot to the Pacific" will become irrelevant. Pentagon Should Investigate Fighter Options Beyond The F-35 (Aviation Week & Space Technology) ... Before going farther down this cracked and brokenpath, the Pentagon needs to take a hard look at the consequences. On schedule andaffordability, the JSF program is already a failure. In terms of capabilities and the long-termbenefits of commonality, the jury is still out. And even if the F-35 delivers on everything itpromised, the world has changed since 2001. The Longest War(CBS) The war in Afghanistan is now the longest war in American history. Eleven yearsafter 9/11, the enemy the U.S. went there to defeat, is coming back, according to the twomen who know more about this than anyone: U.S. General John Allen and AfghanPresident Hamid Karzai. We interviewed both of them

In Syrian Shadow, Iraq's Maliki Juggles Tehran, Washington(Reuters.com) Iraq's move to inspect Iranian aircraft flying to Syria may appease theUnited States but also shows how crisis in Damascus has pushed Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki into an ever more delicate balancing act between his two main allies. Tehran Split Over Billions Spent By Spy Chief To Prop Up Assad Regime(London Times) Iran is spending billions of dollars in support of President Assad of Syria,creating a rift at the top of the regime in Tehran as the war remains deadlocked. Military Transporter Southern Air Files For Bankruptcy(Wall Street Journal Quiet Guardians: During separate responses, two F-22 fighters last week intercepted twogeneral aviation aircraft that violated a temporary flight restricted area over the UnitedNations building in New York City, announced NORAD. The intercepts occurred on Sept. 25during the time that President Obama addressed the UN General Assembly. We asked AirCombat Command if these engagements marked the first time that F-22s have scrambledto protect US airspace in support of Operation Noble Eagle since the Raptor fleet returnedto flight in September 2011. "It was not the first intercept" since then, Air CombatCommand spokeswoman Kelly Sanders told the Daily Report on Sept. 28. Instead, she said,"the F-22 has been performing ONE duties since it returned to flight." ACC grounded theRaptor fleet for nearly five months starting in May 2011 as it investigated the physiologicalincidents that some Raptor pilots were experiencing in flight, like nausea anddisorientation. Since the F-22 fleet resumed flight operations, the Air Force has beenincorporating hardware changes in the Raptor cockpit, along with modified flightprocedures, to keep the pilots safe as the fleet returns to normal operations in phases European Missile Defense Center Opens: The US European Command leadership wason hand for last week's opening of the European Integrated Air and Missile Defense Centerin Einsiedlerhof, GermanyThe center is meant to support the increased education andtraining requirements driven by the emerging NATO mission for the territorial ballisticmissile defense of Europe. "What we see today represents the US contribution to thiscritical mission, and we fully expect to grow it into a true coalition center with US andEuropean nation partners working side by side," said Breedlove. (Einsiedlerhof report by Afghanistan is worse off now than before surge, data suggestBy most metrics, the U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan failed to accomplish its goal ofreducing the Taliban's ability to conduct operations, according to data released by ISAF, theNATO command in Afghanistan. A month-by-month comparison shows that every month sofar this year, the number of attacks launched by Taliban insurgents has approached orsurpassed the number of attacks each month in 2009. Wired.com/Danger Room blog(9/27)

How sequestration would play out depends on budget rules ForeignPolicy.com(9/26) CFPB Expanding Outreach to VeteransThe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the federal agency responsible forprotecting American consumers from financial fraud; regulating financial products such asmortgages, credits cards, and credit reports; and supervising banks, credit unions, andother financial institutions. The central mission of the CFPB is to make consumer financialproducts, services and markets work for all Americans.You can find out more about the CFPB OSA by visiting its website.

Clinton: U.S. will enhance counterterrorism efforts in AfricaSecretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that the U.S. is working with

governments and organizations in northern Africa to help them combat emerging terroristthreats. She cited three initiatives that aim to increase cooperation among security forcesin the region and boost their capabilities. The Hill/Global Affairs blog (9/26)

Airmen's pay could be affected by upcoming data system shutdownStars and Stripes (9/26)Leadership, Trust Essential To Battling Suicide. American Forces Press Service"Military leaders have changed the way they approach suicide prevention, the chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a recent interview." While speaking to the AmericanForces Press Service, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said, "I think we have made significantprogress in addressing the medical aspects of suicide and suicide prevention - depression,post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury - we're partnered not only with militarymedicine but into the civilian sector as well with the Department of Veterans Affairs and theVeterans Affairs hospital system." The AFPS adds, "Trust is the foundation upon which themilitary profession is built, Dempsey said, and developing and maintaining that trust iscrucial to making progress against the military's suicide problem. This demands time anddedication from leaders, he said." Genetic Link To PTSD Could Lead To Vet Drug Treatment. West Hartford (CT) News"A recent study that discovered a genetic link to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)could ultimately lead to breakthroughs in treatment or prevention, but advances are atleast a decade away because additional research is needed, according to the study's leadresearcher," Dr. Mark W. Miller, a clinical research psychologist in Boston for the VA'sNational PTSD Center. Miller said, "We're onto something important." But he also "saidstudies with more participants that replicate his findings are needed before talking about'policy implications or screening or anything like that. The Last Battle: Some Soldiers Turn To Alternative Treatments For EmotionalAnd Physical Toll Of Combat. Fayetteville (NC) Observer A "growing trend of soldiersand veterans...are trying alternative ways to deal with the emotional and physical toll ofcombat." The US Army and the US Department of Veteran Affairs "are more open than everto different treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, spending millions of dollars onresearch."-------------------------------------Godspeed all..................Wayne Wayne M. Gatewood, Jr. USMC (Ret)President/CEOQuality Support, Inc.A Service Disabled Veteran and Minority Owned-Small Business8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 220Landover, MD 20785301-459-3777 EXT 101 - Fax 301-459-6961www.qualitysupport.com "The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter howjustified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars weretreated and appreciated by their Nation." - George Washington