Gulf War Syndrome

Rumors of Gulf War Syndrome 10/18/08. Informal communication among British veterans of the first Iraq war may have shaped the vets' characterization of Gulf War Syndrome. Science News

Cost-of-Living Increase

Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Increase Announced 10/18/08. Effective December 1, 2008, veterans’ disability compensation, among other benefits, will be increased by 5.8 percent, to respond to the increasingly high cost-of-living in the United States. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs

From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

VA Providing Connecticut Veterans with Disability Verification 10/18/08. The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today it is sending out disability verification letters to more than 20,000 Connecticut veterans and surviving spouses who may be eligible for state or local tax exemptions.

VA Tightens Protections for Veterans Paperwork 10/18/08. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake vowed swift action after a handful of documents related to veterans’ applications for financial benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs were found among documents identified for shredding. The documents, which were not duplicated in government files, could have affected veterans’ eligibility for benefits.

Veterans' Day History

Veterans Day 2008: Nov. 11. 10/18/08. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars. The day has evolved into also honoring living military veterans with parades and speeches across the nation. A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. U.S. Census Bureau

Veterans Pain Care Policy Act

American Pain Society Hails Enactment of Military Pain Care Laws 10/16/08. The American Pain Society has expressed strong support for action by Congress and President, which resulted in the enactment today of two pain care bills, the Veterans Pain Care Policy Act and the Military Pain Care Policy Act of 2008. American Pain Society via Newswise

Entrepreneurial Assistance for Disabled Veterans

Multiple Agencies Provide Assistance to Service-disabled Veterans or Entrepreneurs, but Specific Needs Are Difficult to Identify and Coordination Is Weak. 10/16/08. As of July 2008, the Department of Defense (DOD) reported that almost 33,000 servicemembers had been wounded in action as part of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some of these servicemembers could have injuries that keep them from easily entering or returning to the workplace upon their exit from the military. For some service-disabled veterans, starting a business may be one option for entering or returning to the workforce. GAO