On March 24, 2010, ArmedForcesEyewear.com, the military division of FramesDirect.com (the World’s Largest Online Optical Store), will unveil the first Virtual Eyewear Store at Goodfellow Air Force Base!

ArmedForcesEyewear.com is an online optical retailer for active duty and retired military personnel, as well as dependents. The site offers thousands of name brand eyeglasses, sunglasses, prescription sunglasses, and contact lenses at special military discount prices. They also offer a streamlined ordering process, a prescription lens guarantee and dependable customer service.

Goodfellow AFB serves as the pilot site for this project, and success in this location could lead to the implementation of additional kiosks in military installations worldwide.

For more information visit http://www.framesdirectblog.com/first-virtual-optical-store-serves-military-personnel/

Attention Veterans and Employers! The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, enacted in February of 2009, offers $4,800 to an employer for hiring a qualified veteran.  This legislation includes other key provisions – including giving businesses tax credits for hiring unemployed veterans and providing disabled veterans a payment of $250.  In addition, it includes other provisions to improve the lives of our troops and veterans, such as funding additional child care centers and warrior transition centers for wounded warriors returning from combat.

Improving the Quality of Life for Our Troops

• Renovating and Making More Energy-Efficient DOD Facilities:  Provides $4.2 billion to invest in energy efficient projects and to repair and modernize a variety of Department of Defense facilities.
• Improving the Hospitals for Our Troops: Provides $1.3 billion for rebuild and renovate our aging military hospitals and ambulatory care centers.  Many of these facilities are 40 or even 50 years old, and are not suited to current medical standards and practices.
• Providing Assistance to Military Homeowners: Provides $555 million for assistance to military homeowners, including wounded warriors and surviving spouses, who have been impacted by the housing crisis.
• Improving Troop and Family Housing:  Provides $335 million to build new barracks and dormitories for our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen as well as to make further investments in quality family housing for military families.
• Expanding Child Care for Military Families:  Provides $240 million for new child development centers on military bases across the country.  These facilities will help military spouses hold down jobs and will provide employment opportunities for caregivers.
• Establishing Warrior Transition Complexes: Provides $100 million for warrior transition complexes to provide services to wounded warriors returning from combat and their families.
• Constructing Needed Facilities for the National Guard: Provides $100 million for new construction of operations and training facilities to support National Guard units across the country.

Improving the Quality of Life for Our Veterans

• Providing Businesses A Tax Credit for Hiring Unemployed Veterans: Provides a tax credit to businesses for hiring unemployed veterans.  Specifically, veterans would qualify if they were discharged or released from active duty from the Armed Forces during the previous five years and received unemployment benefits for more than 4 weeks before being hired.
• Providing Disabled Veterans A Payment of $250:  Provides a payment of $250 to all disabled veterans receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  (This $250 payment, which also goes to retirees, SSI beneficiaries and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries, is targeted to those who are likely not to benefit from the Making Work Pay tax credit.)
• Improving the Hospitals for Our Veterans:  Provides $1 billion for non-recurring maintenance, including energy efficiency projects, to address deficiencies and avoid serious maintenance problems at the 153 VA hospitals across the country.
• Increasing the Number of VA Claims Processors:  Provides $150 million for an increase in VA claims processing staff, in order to address the large backlog in processing veterans’ claims.  This backlog has been a key complaint of veterans across the country.
• Improving Automation of VA Benefit Processing:  Provides $50 million to improve the automation of the processing of veterans’ benefits, to get benefits out sooner and more accurately.
• Constructing Extended Care Facilities for Veterans: Provides $150 million for state grants for the construction of additional extended care facilities for veterans.

Article source: http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/legislation?id=0273#troopsandvets

As the Infantry Headquarters Company Commander of during a 2005 to 2006 deployment to Iraq, U.S. Army Major David Bursac spent much of his time in the field working with the Iraqi Police in the town of Hawijah, located near Kirkuk in Northern Iraq.

We were primarily responsible for being out there, providing security for the locals in the area, training up the Iraqi Security Forces, as well as conducting Counter Insurgency operations, Bursac said, taking a positive spin on a challenging job.

The battalion’s mission, said Bursac, “was to provide a secure environment within the Hawijah area, while simultaneously developing the capabilities of the local Iraqi Security Forces [Army and Police] so that the ISF could assume full responsibility for the securing their own area of operations.”

Daily operations, said Bursac, included dealing with IEDs, daily enemy contact, securing check points, helping the Iraqi Security Forces, and targeting insurgent forces in the area.

When he wasn’t supervising Iraqi police on patrol in the field, Bursac focused on headquarters activities, such as training Iraqi Army Soldiers, and Iraqi Army Police on the forward operating base (FOB).

It was a job which was a “combination of frustrating at times, and rewarding at times,” he said.

“It was certainly a challenging task,” he said, but it was ultimately satisfying “to see the progress we made in building up the Iraqi Security forces, and knowing we helped the Iraqis.”

Another one of the smaller challenges of the position, Bursac said, came from the language barrier between the American and Iraqi Soldiers, he said. While there were many interpreters on hand to translate and communicate, it got complicated when a third language was introduced: military terminology.

Working with and getting to know the Iraqi Army Soldiers and Police was interesting, said Bursac, who was commissioned in 1999.

“It was interesting considering that it was a diverse cross section of Iraq,” he said. “Some of them had been enlisted in the former army in the former regime. Some were the same forces that we were fighting 2003. But some were just regular guys looking to feed their families and make their country better.”

At the end of the day, Bursac said, he found they were alike in many more ways than he had thought.

“Once we were able to put the Iraqi Soldiers and Police in the lead and empower them with more responsibility, they were able to take that and go from there. That was the key overall. “Holding them accountable for securing their own country gave them a sense of ownership in the job they were doing,” he said.

“Being away from home,” said Bursac, was the biggest challenge of the deployment.

“The hardest thing about any deployment is the separation from family and friends,” he said, but cited how improved internet access, telephones and other Army support systems helped to mitigate that hardship.

“Overall, keeping everyone focused on the mission and not letting feelings of being separated get in the way of staying focused, is what’s important,” he said.

“The most important thing,” he said, “is to get the job done.”

Bursac earned a Bronze Star for his service during the deployment.

Article Source:  http://ourmilitaryheroes.defense.gov/profiles/bursacD.html

Excerpt from the SBA:

The new Patriot Express loan is offered by SBA’s network of participating lenders nationwide and features our fastest turnaround time for loan approvals.  Loans are available up to $500,000 and qualify for SBA’s maximum guaranty of up to 85 percent for loans of $150,000 or less and up to 75 percent for loans over $150,000 up to $500,000.  For loans above $350,000, lenders are required to take all available collateral.

The Patriot Express loan can be used for most business purposes, including start-up, expansion, equipment purchases, working capital, inventory or business-occupied real-estate purchases.

Patriot Express loans feature SBA’s lowest interest rates for business loans, generally 2.25 percent to 4.75 percent over prime depending upon the size and maturity of the loan.

Eligible military community members include:

• Veterans
• Service-disabled veterans
• Active-duty service members eligible for the military’s Transition Assistance Program
• Reservists and National Guard members
• Current spouses of any of the above
• The widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service or of a service-connected disability
• The SBA and its resource partners are focusing additional efforts on counseling and training to augment this loan initiative.

For more information visit your local SBA Office or check it out online here

Excerpt from the SBA:

The Filing Period for small businesses to apply for economic injury loan assistance begins on the date the essential employee receives a notice of expected call-up and ends 1 year after the essential employee is discharged or released from active duty.

(NOTE: This program applies to military conflicts occurring or ending on or after March 24, 1999)

The purpose of the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (MREIDL) is to provide funds to eligible small businesses to meet its ordinary and necessary operating expenses that it could have met, but is unable to meet, because an essential employee was “called-up” to active duty in their role as a military reservist. These loans are intended only to provide the amount of working capital needed by a small business to pay its necessary obligations as they mature until operations return to normal after the essential employee is released from active military duty. The purpose of these loans is not to cover lost income or lost profits. MREIDL funds cannot be used to take the place of regular commercial debt, to refinance long-term debt or to expand the business.

Federal law requires SBA to determine whether credit in an amount needed to accomplish full recovery is available from non-government sources without creating an undue financial hardship to the applicant. The law calls this credit available elsewhere. Generally, SBA determines that over 90% of disaster loan applicants do not have sufficient financial resources to recover without the assistance of the Federal government. Because the Military Reservist economic injury loans are taxpayer subsidized, Congress intended that applicants with the financial capacity to fund their own recovery should do so and therefore are not eligible for MREIDL assistance.

Credit Requirements: SBA’s assistance is in the form of loans, as such SBA must have a reasonable assurance that such loans can and will be repaid.

Collateral Requirements: Collateral is required for all MREIDLs over $50,000. SBA takes real estate as collateral when it is available. SBA will not decline a loan for lack of collateral, but SBA will require the borrower to pledge collateral that is available.

Interest Rate: The interest rate is 4.000%
Loan Term: The law authorizes loan terms up to a maximum of 30 years. SBA determines the term of each loan in accordance with the borrower’s ability to repay. Based on the financial circumstances of each borrower, SBA determines an appropriate installment payment amount, which in turn determines the actual term.

Loan Amount Limit – $2,000,000: The actual amount of each loan, up to this maximum, is limited to the actual economic injury as calculated by SBA, not compensated by business interruption insurance or otherwise, and beyond the ability of the business and/or its owners to provide. If a business is a major source of employment, SBA has authority to waive the $2,000,000 statutory limit.

Insurance Requirements: To protect each borrower and the Agency, SBA requires borrowers to obtain and maintain appropriate insurance. Borrowers of all secured loans (over $50,000) must purchase and maintain hazard insurance for the life of the loan on the collateral property. By law, borrowers whose collateral property is located in a special flood hazard area must also purchase and maintain flood insurance for the full insurable value of the property for the life of the loan.
Apply for a Disaster Loan Online and get more information here

By Sylvia Hall – bio | email

OCEAN SPRINGS, MS (WLOX) – Jamie Chevalier, a proud Navy wife, isn’t finished with her journalism degree.  However, she worries this semester could be her last, due to sudden halt in the Department of Defense’s program called MyCAA.

“It gives you $6,000 to put towards your education,” explained Chevalier.  “While we’re down here, that would have covered the 11 classes I need to finish out the degree. So I would be able to finish it here and not have to worry.”

A program representative did not return our call Friday, but an update on the Department of Defense’ website explains the program’s pause is temporary.  The post explains the program’s enrollment increased six fold in recent months, forcing the Department of Defense to halt it temporarily and regroup.

“To clarify the status of MyCAA, during the pause no new MyCAA accounts may be created, and no new financial assistance applications will be accepted,” the post said.  “Approved financial assistance documents for enrolled participants will not be affected. And, spouses who already have a MyCAA account may continue to use the MyCAA website for career counseling and planning.”

Click here to read the entire post.

Chevalier said she was never contacted about the freeze, and instead was told by a friend via email the program had halted.

“It’s like they gave us something and took it away and they expect us to just be quiet and to not question it,” said Chevalier.  “And I think that’s where the problem lies is they didn’t expect us to question it like we’re doing.  And we are.”

More than 1,500 military spouses have joined a Facebook group, using comments to express their concerns about the program’s abrupt halt.  Click here for a link that page.

Chevalier said the affected spouses aren’t just making noise online.

“We’ve started letter writings, emails, phone calls, and congress is listening, and they’re talking to the DoD on our behalf,” Chevalier said.  “Somebody’s going to listen.   If it’s just a handful of people, we’re just making noise. But if its 2000 spouses, somebody’s going to listen.  And hopefully we’ll get something accomplished.”

Chevalier hopes this wont be her last semester of studying with help from MyCAA, but if it is, she wants to be notified.

“If they can start the program back up, great,” said Chevalier.  “If they can’t just let us know. Personally tell everybody why and explain to them what can be done in the future.”

By Andy Snyder

If you are married to a person who is currently enlisted in any of the following:

1. The Army
2. The Navy
3. The Marines
4. The Air Force

Then you are eligible to apply to any of the many different military spouse scholarship programs. It actually doesn’t matter if your spouse is still active or retired and with some of the programs, non enlisted people can apply too!.

One of the best programs available at the moment is the $10,000 Free Military Scholarship program that is given away each month via a drawing. In order to participate, you need to register online by entering your basic contact information. If you are one of the lucky winners, then you will be able to use that money to cover any education related expense, such as:

1. Tuition costs
2. Computer and software that you may need for your classes and assignments
3. Books and school supplies
4. Meals and Transportation costs.

Basically you can use this money for anything you want as long as it is for your studies. The other great advantage of this program is that you will not be required to pay it back ever. This money is free and you will not go into any kind of debt in order to go to school, which is not the case when it comes to student loans or other type of credit card debt that you may incur while in school.

Remember, if you want to find a good military spouse scholarship then register to win the Free $10,000 Military Scholarship.

Click Here Now to register and win a FREE Military Scholarship. This is $10,000 for your education for FREE.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Snyder

Master Gunnery Sergeant Peter Proietto of the U.S. Marine Corps was faced with a tough decision on March 12, 2003. He could leave his position and seek cover from the enemy ambush, or he could stay in position. Though it would risk his own life, if he stayed he could continue to provide suppressive fire to protect the other Marines in the forward element of the patrol.

Proietto chose to stay in position.

The patrol had been traveling outside of the village of Bara Waze, Afghanistan that afternoon when the Taliban fighters, well armed with an array of weaponry, ambushed.

Proietto had immediately manned the machine gun on his vehicle to lay down suppressive fire on the enemy and to  provide supporting fire to the lead element of the patrol, which had been pinned down by the heavy enemy fire.

As the firefight progressed, a heavy crossfire from the enemy mounted against Proietto “to a point of intensity that was amazing” states the narrative the accompanies his award citation. Proietto earned a  Bronze Star with ‘Valor’ for his actions that day.

That’s when the Team Sergeant, Master Sergeant Clopp advised him to abandon his position and seek cover, since he was firing from a non-armored vehicle on an open road, and the enemy was concentrating their fire on him.

Proietto knew that if he abandoned his position the forward element would be left on their own with no supporting fire. So he ignored his own safety and refused to leave his position even though everything around him, including his vehicle, was being shot up in the enemy crossfire.  He could continue to lay down a steady stream of suppressive fire on the enemy, which he did for almost an hour, and silenced two enemy machine gun positions.

Proietto held his position for almost an hour through intense fire and silenced two enemy machineguns.  When his machinegun ran out of ammunition, he grabbed his M4 carbine and began to engage the enemy and spot enemy positions for the gunner.

Eventually the enemy was pushed out of their positions. A running firefight through the mountains ensued until after dark at which time the patrol broke contact and reconsolidated.

“Throughout this engagement…Proietto displayed himself in a courageous professional manner and his heroic and immediate response to enemy fire and willingness to jeopardize his own safety to provide supporting fire for the rest of the team demonstrated a level of dedication to the mission and his fellow soldiers, which is rarely surpassed,” the award citation states. “His actions and selfless courage under fire was instrumental in the success of the operation and the safe return of all U.S. and Afghan militia forces.”

Article Source:  “Our Military Hereos” and to hear his interviews”

By Robert L. Hanafin

There has been an increase of media coverage dealing with the growing number of non-profit organizations providing much needed companion pets for our returning troops requiring such companionship, and Pets for Vets is one of these great ideas.

This story is in two parts. The first part will cover what groups like Pets for Vets have to offer. The second part will cover the reasons why Veterans need to be screened and prepared to accept such animals just as much as the dog needs to be appropriate for the Veteran.

For example, Veterans coping with PTSD or exhibiting signs of domestic abuse must have our own demons under control before even thinking about such companionship. In most cases non-profit groups like Pets for Vets screen potential Veteran applicants to ensure a stable environment for the Pet and Vet.

I know from personal experience that most shelter pets sent out for adoption have been rescued from an abusive situation as puppies, so potential owners are screened within reason to prevent further abuse.

Simply put we do not take a dog that has had a traumatic experience of their own (PTSD if I may) and place them with someone with PTSD unless that person is undergoing treatment and has the condition pretty much under control that is the Veteran is stabilized. The addition of such a companion may serve as a compliment to any other therapy the Veteran receives.

I have ’stabilized’ type 2 bipolar meaning not only is it under control enough for me to live a normal [for me] life, but I never have required hospitalization for Mental Illness (MI). Shiba pictured here is my companion dog that I trained myself and love very much. She had been abused and battered before I got her to include having her tail cut off by the previous owner and tied to a tree with no shelter year round in Ohio including the dead of winter. It was a miracle Shiba survived; when decent neighbors reported the abuse. She looked nothing like this photo and was near starvation, fearing human contact. I intend ensuring all those demons in her experience go away, and she never suffers again for the rest of her days.

Lastly, it must be noted and clear that there is a vast difference between companion dogs like mine for people with MI and Service Dogs for people with physical combined with MI or Cognitive Impairment Disorders.

Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, Veterans Today News

By Griselda Nevarez, Cronkite News Service
Published at AZ Capital Times, February 16, 2010