News
19 Ways Army Women Helped Make the 19th Amendment Possible
Friday, August 26, 2016 | Category: History/Heritage - National
Elizabeth M. Collins, Defense Media Activity, commemorates "Women's Equality Day" and the passing of the 19th Amendment on August 26, 1920. This article highlights 19 examples of women's service from the birth of the United States until the 19th Amendment passed. It is believed that it finally passed Congressional muster due to women's service during World War I and every other major war. Although women may have not always served in an officially recognized capacity or in uniform, they served faithfully in the United States Army since 1775.
The 19th amendment states that the right of citizens to vote "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."
Veteran Suicides--A Hidden Epidemic
Thursday, August 25, 2016 | Category: Suicide - National
Since 2001, veteran suicide has increased by one-third. Most victims are men 50 years of age or older. A Department of Veteran Affairs report stated that in 2014, 7,300 veterans killed themselves, an average of 20 per day and more than the total number of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to date. Both presidential nominees will speak at the 2016 America Legion conference and have in the past offered their proposals on how to better offer care to veterans. Meanwhile, at least 140 veterans will have killed themselves by the end of the American Legion conference. This article includes personal testimony and suggests that VA intervention does make a difference. The author states: "Perhaps the greatest challenge of all, however, will be to transform the culture of the military so that veterans are not ashamed to ask for the help they so clearly need."
Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Microsoft Is Training Service Members For Civilian Careers In The IT Industry
Sunday, August 21, 2016 | Category: Employment - National
Nearly 12% of all unfulfilled jobs in the U.S. are in the IT field. In October 2016, the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy will be offered in two new locations including Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
In addition to these two new sites, the Academy is active in three other stateside locations and another six locations are projected to open as noted on this article's map.
Veterans and Military Personnel Issues Set to Become a Major Focus in the Presidential Campaign
Friday, August 19, 2016 | Category: Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) - National
On September 7, 2016, Wednesday, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is hosting a town hall forum on "national security, military affairs and veterans issues" with both Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump. The town hall forum will be in New York City and broadcasted on NBC networks just four days before the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Format and moderator details will be announced later.
Advocate for Military Sexual Assaults Back Clinton
Thursday, August 18, 2016 | Category: Military Justice - National
Nancy Parrish, Founder and CEO of "Protect Our Defenders," meets with the "Stars and Stripes." She shares insight on her personal and professional background and how it influenced her decision to champion "Protect Our Defenders" mission to end the epidemic of sexual assault and rape in the United States military. She received Atlanta's Georgia Institute of Technology "Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage" this year, which recognizes individuals "who act to improve the human condition, often in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges." Ms. Parrish donated the $100,000 prize to "Protect Our Defenders."
One Woman Remains in Marine Special Ops Training
Tuesday, August 16, 2016 | Category: Combat - National
One woman remains in the first U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command assessment and selection course that accepted women. It is scheduled to end August 22d.
Record Numbers of Female Vets Strain System
Sunday, August 14, 2016 | Category: Advocacy/Outreach - National
Today, 360,000 women use Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical services...the number is expected to double. About 17.4 percent of them are post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. This article discusses the challenges women with military service face during and after serving the military. Topics include access to gender-specific care in the VA, which has improved in the past decade, employment, parenthood, and the public's awareness of women's combat and combat experience.
To Military Women: Seize New Opportunities in Ground Combat Jobs
Saturday, August 13, 2016 | Category: Combat - National
Senator Joni Ernst, the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate, presents her position on women serving in combat positions in this opinion piece. She stated: "I fully support women having the opportunity to serve in any military capacity, as long as standards are not lowered and it does not reduce our combat effectiveness."
Military Hospitals Work to Improve Care of Women and Newborns
Tuesday, August 9, 2016 | Category: Health Care - National
A Government Accounting Office report found that all 41 domestic military hospitals offered general gynecological care, such as contraceptive services and cervical cancer screening. Basic maternity and neonatal care was offered at 37 of them and fewer offered more specialized care, such as treatment for gynecological cancers. In 2015, the Department of Defense’s Military Health System (MHS) collected data for 90 maternity, neonatal, and gynecological care quality measures. This data is being used to identify and improve lagging areas of care.
The Home Depot Foundation Pledges More Than $1.75 Million to Volunteers of America to Provide Homes and Services to Vulnerable Veterans
Monday, August 8, 2016 | Category: Housing/Experiencing Homelessness - National
Volunteers of America (VOA) is the recipient of more than $1.75 million dollars from The Home Depot® Foundation for veteran housing projects. The Foundation has given nearly $11.3 million to improve housing for homeless veterans and their families since 2011. Nine VOA homeless veteran programs in seven states (Maine, Florida, California, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, and Massachusetts) will benefit from the 2016 grants including building 219 units of which up to 64 are earmarked specifically for women veterans. (Maine's "Cabin in the Woods" will be for female and male veterans with and without children as verified with VOA Northern New England on 8/15/2016.)