Applebee’s Restaurant – Free dinners to veterans throughout Veterans Day November 11th; selections will be from a new Veterans Day menu.

Outback Steakhouse – Free Blooming Onion and beverage.

Golden Corral- Free buffet dinner from 5-9 p.m. on Nov. 16 to anyone who has ever served in the U.S. military Staff.

MILITARY DISCOUNTS UPDATE 02:  All these businesses offer military discounts; all you have to do is ask:

Restaurants

· Arby’s · A&W · Back Yard Burgers · Burger King · Captain D’s · Chick-Fil-A · Cotton Patch

· Denny’s · Dunkin’ Donuts · Farmers Boy · IHOP (20 percent discount with military identification)

· Java Café · KFC · Long John Silver · Pancho’s Mexican Buffet · Pizza Hut · Quizno’s · Sizzler

· Sonic · Taco Bell · Whataburger

Services

· AT&T · California Cryobank · Geico · Jiffy Lube · Meineke · Sears Portrait Studio

Travel and Leisure

· Blockbuster · Movie theaters · Ripley’s attractions and museums · Professional Sports teams

Products

· Apple Computers · AutoZone · Barnhill’s · Bass Pro Shop · Bath and Body Works

· Big 10 Tires · The Buckle · Champs Sports · Copeland’s Sports · Dell

· The Discovery Channel Store · Dress Barn · The Finish Line · Foot Action · Footlocker

· Gadzooks · GNC · Goody’s · Great Party· Happy Harry’s ·Home Depot · Hot Topic

· Jockey · Lerner ·Lowe’s  · Michael’s · NAPA Auto Parts · New York & Company · Pac Sun

· Payless Shoes · Play It Again Sports · Pure Beauty · Sally Beauty Supply · Spencer’s Gifts

· Suncoast · Timberland Outlets · Wilson’s Leather

Cell Phone Service Discount – All Federal employees are able to get a 15% discount on their personal cell phones by calling their carrier and mentioning the “Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 – Discount to Federal Employees Past and Present.” You will need to know the military member’s supervisor’s name, phone number, and full address, so that his/her military status can be verified.  Use the following contact numbers:

• Cingular – 800-319-6393

• Sprint – 877-812-1223

• T-Mobile – 866-646-4688

• Nextel – 800-639-6111

• Verizon – 800-865-1825

Director of Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, Patrick Yngstrom will be on our Veterans Day Telethon November 6th, to talk about services available to veterans on Long Island.  Mr. Yngstrom, a Vietnam veteran himself, is a past president of the United Veteran’s Organization which fights to ensure that every veteran is treated with dignity and respect.

There are many federal, state and local agencies as well as non-government organizations that offer benefits to our veterans.  Often service members returning to civilian life don’t know about the programs set up to help them.  Or, if they do know, the paperwork to access these benefits is too daunting for them to tackle alone.

The Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, which was created with that need in mind, performs two important functions.  First, they help veterans pick their way through the tangle of agencies to find the services they need.  In addition they run an active volunteer program.

There are an incredible number of benefits and services available to veterans in Nassau County. The federal services, of course, are available nationwide.  They include access to a large network veteran’s hospitals.  Locally that is the Northport VA Hospital and the Plainview Clinic.  Veterans who need transportation to either of these facilities are encouraged to call the agency which will, in turn, contact volunteers willing to provide rides.  They have a wheelchair accessible van for the convenience of disabled vets.

The agency isn’t just a place to call for a ride.  They offer many other services including help for veterans who want to file claims benefits, from federal and state agencies.  They can also help file discharge or separation papers (DD-214), and file for veteran’s state tax exemption status.

Returning service members can find help in obtaining medals, and medical and personnel records.  The agency assists with appeals and offers employment counseling.  They can also help a veteran who is trying to get his discharge upgraded. And finally, as stated earlier, they will refer the ex-serviceman to other county, state and federal agencies which offer benefits.

In addition to all of this, the agency coordinates an annual “Stand-Down”.  Stand-Downs are a nationwide effort by the Department of Veterans Affairs to address the needs of America’s homeless veterans.  Since the first Stand-Down was organized in 1988, these events have helped hundreds of thousands of people.

This past summer, Agency Director Patrick Yngstrom and his staff and volunteers hosted their “Stand-Down” for the area’s needy and homeless vets at the Hempstead American Legion Post. Inside the post, veterans were assisted through various aid stations where they received information about benefits to which they were entitled as well as employment counseling.  They were also directed to civilian social service agencies which could help them with housing or substance abuse problems.

Other aid stations were set up to offer veterans basic medical evaluations.  One table was devoted to blood pressure checks, while at another, the men got eye exams and glasses.  Another station offered free haircuts.  The men didn’t leave empty-handed.  They were also given clothes, and toiletries.

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/

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.”

Several major airlines offer rate discounts and other perks for members of the armed forces and their dependents. Because these rates are unavailable to the general public and often not readily found online, military members should be ready to call the airline directly or speak in person to a gate agent to receive more information. For members who choose to search for them, these rates provide the opportunity for military families to travel without breaking their budgets.

American Airlines

American Airlines and its regional carrier, American Eagle, offer military discounts on flights in selected areas. Military members are also afforded other perks, including relaxed advanced purchase requirements and preferred boarding privileges. Also, service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan are eligible to visit American Airlines’ Admiral’s Club, a lounge that offers a number of perks for frequent travelers.

United Airlines

United Airlines offers reduced domestic fares for members of the military and their dependents. These fares are available for travel on all days of the week and have no advance purchase requirements, however they are also limited in number and subject to availability. All passengers traveling with military discounts will require identification to verify their eligibility. Sample fares are displayed on United Airlines’ website.

US Airways

US Airways provides discounts to military personnel on officially excused absence as well as discharged members for seven days after their separation from the service. The airline also provides rate discounts to military dependents and children. There are no discounts for military members traveling on temporary duty orders. Active duty military members will need to provide identification to fly with the discounted fare while children and dependents will need to produce an active Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines offers specific fares for military personnel and their dependents that are not available through its website or online. Contact an airline representative by phone or in person for more information on these discounts.

Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines offers the Veterans Advantage program to active duty military members and anyone who has served in any branch of the armed forces. Enrollment in the plan, also open to defendants, provides members with a 5 percent discount on tickets purchased through Continental’s website.

Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines offers fares to service members that are not publicized on its website and can only be booked by phone or in person. In addition to these fares, Delta will allow active duty members traveling on orders to check up to 10 bags on Delta flights or four bags on DeltaConnection flights for no charge. For dependents and family members, Delta also offers discounts to members of its WorldPerks or SkyMiles program on flights to visit wounded relatives at military hospitals under its Delta Cares program.