News

VA celebrates Women’s History Month with a look at some fascinating women Veterans and their remarkable achievements.

Sarah Emma Edmonds joined the United States Army to “fight for her country” in the Civil War. She disguised her sex and used the name Frank Thompson. A nurse in the Second Volunteers of the United States Army, she was unique because she able to remain in the army for several years and was successful as a Union spy, while impersonating a man.

Fargo, ND - Breton M. Weintraub, M.D. has been selected as Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, Fargo VA Health Care System.

Dr. Weintraub received his undergraduate degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  He completed his residency in the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Are you a service member who has been recently assigned to the Individual Ready Reserves (IRR)? Then there’s important insurance information you need to know. Your Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage will end 120 days after the date you were assigned to the IRR.

Vietnam Veterans of America November 7, 2013

Legislative Alert

Senator Richard Blumenthal, (CT) has introduced S.1602, the Toxic Exposure Research and Military Family Support of 2013, VVA strongly supports this bill, which reflects positively on one of our foremost legislative goals. Not only would it help achieve a measure of justice for the innocent victims of the use of toxic substances in times of war, but it offers unlimited possibilities for scientific research into the effects of these toxic chemicals.

A fifth of all service members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffered concussions, mainly from being close to explosive blasts from roadside bombs. Doctors often refer to sports injuries to seek treatment options for the so-called signature wound of the long wars.

But new research signals that war-zone concussions are much different from concussions than happen playing football or hockey. Most athletes quickly recover brain function. Most soldiers and Marines do not, according to a study released Wednesday in Brain: A Journal of Neurology.

By Steve Maieli
2:37 p.m. EST December 22, 2014

Nothing is more frustrating than applying for a job and not getting a response. All anyone would ask is a simple reply by phone or email stating why you were not chosen for the position. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee you will hear from a company either after you apply for a position or gone through an interview.

On August 7, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-146) ("Choice Act"). Technical revisions to the Choice Act were made on September 26, 2014, when the President signed into law the Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-175).

By Leo Shane III
Military Times Staff writer
Oct. 9, 2014 - 12:37PM

Four Veterans Affairs senior executives being dismissed this month are the first to face the department’s controversial new firing authorities, approved by Congress in July.

VA leaders are also promising they won’t be the last.

The four — VA’s deputy chief procurement officer and facility directors from Pittsburgh, Alabama and Georgia — have all been the subject of investigations into mismanagement and records manipulation.

North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs announces the successful completion of National Association of County Veterans Service Officer (NACVSO) training for three ND County Veterans Service Officers and two State Veterans Service Officers.

By Jordain Carney
National Journal
July 16, 2014

Sloan Gibson says the agency can turn the corner in two years, but it will need a lot more money.

For anyone still under the impression that the embattled Veterans Affairs Department will be able to turn itself around quickly, think again.

Instead, acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson told members of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on Wednesday that it would take years for the department to right its wrongs.