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Veterans News & Events | July 27, 2017

Veterans News & Events | July 27, 2017

(Please Note: The Veterans News compiled and transmitted by Wayne M. Gatewood, Jr., USMC (Ret), does not endorse the views and/or facts presented, or any commercial products that may be advertised or available on external links. The presence of a link to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of that site, or the views or privacy policies contained therein).

 

 

VA OIG - Jacksonville Veteran Indicted On Charges of Stealing $538,000 in Fraudulent Disability Benefits. https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/jacksonville-veteran-indicted-charges-stealing-538000-fraudulent-disability-benefits

 

 

VA OIG - Owner Of Commercial Supply Companies Gets 60 Months In Prison For Conspiring To Defraud Approximately 40 Companies Of More Than $1 Million. https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/owner-commercial-supply-companies-gets-60-months-prison-conspiring-defraud-approximately

 

 

Guardianship Firm and its Principals Charged with Federal Conspiracy, Fraud, Theft and Money Laundering Offenses.  https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/guardianship-firm-and-its-principals-charged-federal-conspiracy-fraud-theft-and-money

 

 

Healthcare Inspection—Quality of Care Concerns at Two Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 Facilities and a Veterans Readjustment Counseling Center, St. Cloud VA Health Care System, St. Cloud, Minnesota, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis. https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-15-00509-301.pdf

 

 

Chicago Honors Korean War Veterans on the 64th Commemoration.  http://abc7chicago.com/society/korean-war-veterans-honored-in-chicago/2243008/ Sent in by George Mulvaney of the Chicago Marines.  Thanks George and Semper Fi!

 

 

Veterans Affairs Media Summary and News Clips for Wednesday, July 26, 2017.  Read here...

 

 

Veterans Affairs Media Summary and News Clips for Tuesday, July 25, 2017.  Read here...

 

 

DOD Contracts Awarded for Wednesday, July 26, 2017.  https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1258952/source/GovDelivery/

 

 

DOD Contracts Awarded for Tuesday, July 25, 2017. https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1257663/source/GovDelivery/

 

 

 

Defense News - Early Bird Brief for Wednesday, July 26, 2017.  http://link.defensenews.com/view/5873e065a22762ca768b456c61vte.udh/389273f4

 

 

 

Defense News - Early Bird Brief for Tuesday, July 25, 2017.   http://link.defensenews.com/view/5873e065a22762ca768b456c61oyg.uhx/90b499ad

 

 

 

Reserve Officers Association (ROA) SmartBrief for Wednesday, July 26, 2017. http://www2.smartbrief.com/servlet/encodeServlet?issueid=499B56B1-D9EC-4C2C-87EB-4892D7811240&sid=97fc7e62-fef0-4d78-aeb8-a2a54d351b58

 

 

Defense and Ex-Im Update for Wednesday, July 26, 2017. Provided by Gary Stanley, President, Global Legal Services.  Read here...

 

 

POLITICO Morning Defense for Wednesday, July  26, 2017. A Daily Briefing from Inside Washington’s National Security Apparatus.  http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-defense/2017/07/26/north-korea-reportedly-could-field-a-nuclear-icbm-next-year-221537

 

 

POLITICO Morning Defense for Tuesday, July  25, 2017. A Daily Briefing from Inside Washington’s National Security Apparatus.  http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-defense/2017/07/25/mccain-to-return-for-votes-on-healthcare-and-ndaa-221508

 

 

 

SmartBrief on Leadership for Wednesday, July 26, 2017.  http://www2.smartbrief.com/servlet/encodeServlet?issueid=E68F5654-CB59-4B85-9736-6BC879889634&sid=97fc7e62-fef0-4d78-aeb8-a2a54d351b58

 

 

SmartBrief on Leadership for Tuesday, July 25, 2017.  http://www2.smartbrief.com/servlet/encodeServlet?issueid=AFC97882-F8C3-46E5-846B-FBEA2F983C64&sid=97fc7e62-fef0-4d78-aeb8-a2a54d351b58

 

 

FCW Daily for Wednesday, July 26, 2017 – Compliments of 1105 Government Information Group. 

https://fcw.com/newsletters/fcwdaily/2017/07/jul26.aspx?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkRZeU5XWTVaalUyTWpSaiIsInQiOiJESnR5MFhDcEZKVEVtbGhYdGdjU1oyeXorRUpGZnV5T3ZDcEh2Q0FkTEpPK0lJM0I0YVpYblwvdzFpWk9MK3Z2RHQzR29VMW9hZVhlV3J2QXJtSE5kNko3c1FmcG13U2JiZ29LcGUyNlwvVzhkOE5RS292K0FSWUtvcVBGY0dPd1AyIn0=

 

 

FCW Daily for Tuesday, July 25, 2017 – Compliments of 1105 Government Information Group. 

https://fcw.com/newsletters/fcwdaily/2017/07/jul25.aspx?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT1RRM09XTmxNV00yT1RNMCIsInQiOiJ0RlpsYUNRV2NJbFdEdVhVTFVzdE5ZdTZOQ1wvZHlZZWhtQXBFT1J4Q2oxY0JyTlJDWVFEZ2I5WFRMcFdiYjZhV2pRS2w4Znd0cDg1VkloTllkYkdWa3NrNlBFSTkyR0M1blFYVWJGaFFaaE1wOFVhNFJQaXJBcTd4UTBRaXFNY20ifQ==

 

 

Washington Technology Daily for Wednesday, July 26, 2017 – Compliments of 1105 Government Information Group.  https://washingtontechnology.com/newsletters/wtdaily/2017/07/jul26.aspx?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT0dObFpqTTRZemxpWkdaaCIsInQiOiJObXpVdzBMc1A3K1ZrOXlVS3BPcXo2c0IxVGRqVE5iU0RcL28yTjVKejlXaks3Y1REREdVWEYxalM2QlZaUXRXWWxwbm5jYjRGa3JmandhaFBucWFRejBYc254QUErcUtEM0t0Tlg5M3lBWUtFSU9yTTlqUG41NlhIbnJrZlZ5ekcifQ==

 

 

Washington Technology Daily for Tuesday, July 25, 2017 – Compliments of 1105 Government Information Group.  https://washingtontechnology.com/newsletters/wtdaily/2017/07/jul25.aspx?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkRRNE1ERXlaRGRoTjJZdyIsInQiOiJpcU5TVlV5Y1wvZ21Cc3E0SU1qU0VPMVJTbVA3Y0xWR3pnNnA4VnBGaHZQVGUyd0N2dlBQNnEyNjJxNngrKzBMRklrXC9PV2F4NU0wYlBieHNcL2FYR3d0bnorVnlkQWNaSkVpTTFtb3NOak1uYjBNb0VuVDlCVVl2a3p2dXJQNHRJbiJ9

 

 

 

Your 6:00 am GovConWire - Top News from Executive Mosaic.  http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?e=859b48c2d3&u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=3484c97ba7

 

 

 

 

Your 12:00 pm Daily ExecutiveBiz Headlines.  http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?e=859b48c2d3&u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=350e84d83c

 

 

 

Your 5:00 pm GovCon Daily ExecutiveBiz Headlines.  http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?e=859b48c2d3&u=9447c61bfb9058cb4553aedbf&id=9471395b83

 

 

 
A Variety of Veterans News from Variety of Sources
 
 

Shulkin to VFW: We want Veterans to get the right care at the right place:  On Monday, July 24, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. David J. Shulkin addressed an audience of VFW and Auxiliary members at the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) 118th National Convention in New Orleans.  In his remarks, Shulkin spoke on the five key priorities he has identified to transform VA. The first of those five priorities is to give Veterans greater choice.  “When I talk about greater choice, right now we have a system that I would call a rules-based system,” Shulkin said, highlighting how administrative rules, such as how far a Veteran lives from a VA, dictates whether that person can get care in their local community. “I believe we need a system that’s not based on rules, but is based on your clinical needs.”

 

Stars and Stripes  Pentagon: Chinese fighters intercepted US Navy spy plane.  Two Chinese fighter jets performed a dangerous intercept of an American spy plane Sunday over the East China Sea, forcing the Navy EP-3 reconnaissance jet to maneuver to avoid a mid-air collision, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.

 

New York Times    North Korea could cross ICBM threshold next year, U.S. officials warn in new assessment.   North Korea will be able to field a reliable, nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile as early as next year, U.S. officials have concluded in a confidential assessment that dramatically shrinks the timeline for when Pyongyang could strike North American cities with atomic weapons.

 

Military Times  Official: US Navy ship fires warning shots near Iranian ship  A U.S. Navy ship fired on a fast approaching Iranian ship Tuesday in the latest U.S. skirmish with Iranian vessels in the northern Persian Gulf.

 

Defense News  Navarro: Trump ordered US defense-industrial base study to help 'rebuild' military.  The executive order President Trump signed Friday ordering a governmentwide review of America’s defense industry aims to help fulfill Trump’s promise to “rebuild” the military, a top U.S. trade official says.

 

Defense News   McCain back in DC, but DoD policy bill still stuck behind health care.   Sen. John McCain made dramatic return to the Senate Tuesday to cast a vote to start debate on the GOP’s Obamacare overhaul and said he hoped to shepherd the 2018 defense policy bill through the Senate soon.

 

DefenseOne   Annual Defense Bill Aims to Rein in Pentagon Outsourcing  Supporters say measure would protect federal employees from seeing their jobs contracted out.

 

Military Times  Mattis: Get unnecessary training off warfighters’ backs.  Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has ordered a review of all the administrative and training requirements that prevent trigger pullers and pilots alike from focusing on warfighting.

 

Army Times  Jordan's military releases footage of 3 U.S. Green Berets killed last November  Jordan’s military released the security camera footage of the Nov. 4 shooting that killed three U.S. Army service members outside the al-Jafr base in southern Jordan.

 

Marine Corps Times  Marine’s 4-year-old son melts hearts across the country.  Marine Sgt. Joshua Newville and Senior Airman Emily Leehan exchanged wedding vows in front of their closest friends and family over the weekend, but it was Leehan’s vows to Newville’s 4-year-old son Gage that captured hearts across the country.

 

Defense News  US Navy releases video of encounter with Iranian patrol boat The U.S. Navy has released video Tuesday of a close encounter between an Iranian and U.S. Navy patrol boats, which prompted the patrol craft Thunderbolt to fire warning shots.

 

Stars and Stripes  Changes to Air Force PME program prove popular with airmen.  Recent changes to the Air Force’s professional military education program for enlisted airmen were met with enthusiastic praise in work centers, dining facilities, online communities, and pretty much anywhere airmen talk.

 

Associated Press   Air Force study: Firefighting chemicals got into groundwater.  An Air Force study released Tuesday confirmed that toxic chemicals in firefighting foam used at Colorado’s Peterson Air Force Base leached into surrounding groundwater.

 

Military Times  Bringing back the draft Restarting the military draft after more than four decades of an ­all-volunteer force would be complicated. But it could be done.

 

Military Times:  House Veterans Affairs Chairman Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer. The chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee announced Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, but does not expect it to interfere with his legislative schedule. In a statement, staffers said Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., received the news following a recent routine physical and will undergo treatment in Tennessee during the August work period.

 

Military Times:  Trump promises huge increase in private sector care for Veterans.  President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening promised to triple the number of veterans “seeing the doctor of their choice” in coming months as part of an ongoing, ambitious reform plan at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The comments, which came at a veterans rally in Ohio, are likely to again stoke concerns among administration critics of large-scale privatization of VA responsibilities.

 

The Vindicator:  Trump rubs shoulders, lauds Veterans during Struthers stop.  President Donald Trump stopped by Struthers to rub shoulders with a small group of veterans before his big rally at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown. He spoke to an audience of about 150 at Struthers AMVETS Post 44, 305 Elm St., arriving at 6:26 p.m. and accompanied by first lady Melania Trump.

 

WKBN (CBS-27, Video): Trump spoke to Veterans AMVES Post 44.  Prior to his rally at Covelli Centre Tuesday night, President Donald Trump spoke at AMVETS Post 44 in Struthers. He said he is committed to helping veterans and — while not getting into specifics — hinted that a new VA healthcare facility could be coming to the area. “In my administration, we will always protect those who protect us,” he said.

 

The Pavlovic Today (Video):  Remarks By President Trump Saluting American Heroes.  Read the full remarks by President Trump saluting American Veterans […] Now, I went all over Ohio, but I went all over almost every state, and the veterans were a very, very big topic for me.  You know that.  And I think what we’re doing, it’s never been done before.  We just had a bill — the VA Accountability bill.  They’ve been trying to get it for many, many decades. 

 

The New York Times:   Future Unclear for Veterans Choice Program After House Bull Falters.  Congressional lawmakers struggled on Tuesday to reach an agreement to prop up a popular multibillion-dollar health care program that allows veterans to see a private doctor at government expense. This was supposed to be a relatively easy task, meant to buy lawmakers time as they debated the future of the program.

 

Military.com:  Struggle in Congress to Revive VA Choice Program Extension.  The House and Senate scrambled Tuesday to come up with a bill that could pass bipartisan muster on extending the Veterans Choice Program on private health care before it goes broke next month.

 

The Washington Times:  House GOP leaders go back to drawing board on VA ‘choice’ measure.  House Republican leaders were working Tuesday on a plan B to fund the popular “Veterans Choice” health care plan after the full House rejected a bill Monday night. House Veterans Affairs’ Committee Chairman David P. Roe, Tennessee Republican, is talking with senators and Democratic lawmakers “about the path forward,” said committee spokeswoman Tiffany Haverly.

 

Healthcare IT News:  House passes VA medical scribes bull to reduce wait times, improve care.  The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would provide medical scribes to 10 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers for the next two years. The pilot program, proposed by Reps. Phil Roe, MD, R-Tennessee, and Greg Walden, R-Oregon, is designed to help unburden VA doctors to increase the number of patients seen.

 

The Washington Post:   New GI Bill unanimously passes House, heads to Senate.  The House voted unanimously late Monday to approve a new GI Bill that would expand access to higher education for veterans, those wounded on the battlefield and the surviving family members of troops killed in combat. The new bill, called the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, received broad bipartisan support and was passed 405 to 0, with 28 House members not voting.

 

Stars and Stripes:  Let GI Bill meet 21st-century academic needs.  App developer, robotics technician, digital animator and advanced manufacturer — what do all of these careers have in common? They didn’t exist 73 years ago when the GI Bill was signed into law. When our fighting forces shipped out to the Pacific and to the battlefields of Europe, near a fourth of Americans were farmers. Today, that number is around 0.01 percent.

 

Rose Unplugged (Audio):  Rose speaks with Secretary David Shulkin.  In this eight-minute interview, Secretary David Shulkin speaks with Rose Tennett about the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection, modernizing IT, President Trump’s commitment to improving VA, the unanimous House vote to expand the GI Bill, and increasing Choice.

 

The Boston Globe:  VA Secretary expands probe of embattled Manchester, NY hospital.  The top Veterans Affairs official on Tuesday expanded the agency’s investigation of the Manchester VA Medical Center, ordering the VA’s inspector general to launch its own “separate, wholly independent review” of conditions at New Hampshire’s only hospital for veterans.

 

NH1 News (TV-1):  Manchester VA Medical Center to host town hall following poor care allegations.  The Manchester Veterans Affairs Medical Center is holding a veteran town hall and listening session following allegations of poor conditions and patient care. The session will be held at Manchester Community College on Wednesday at 6 p.m. to hear concerns from veterans and interested stakeholders and to provide an update on progress at the medical center.

 

The Mike Gallagher Show (SRN, Audio):  VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin @SecShulkin and Mike discuss how to stop Veteran suicides.  In this seven-minute interview, Secretary David Shulkin speaks with Mike Gallagher about veteran suicide and the importance of not privatizing VA.

 

Military Times:  PTSD disability claims by Vets tripled in the last decade.  More than one in five veterans receiving federal disability payouts suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, a figure that has spiked in the last decade. Veterans Affairs officials told lawmakers Tuesday that the number of disability cases related to PTSD has nearly tripled in that time, from around 345,000 cases in fiscal 2008 to more than 940,000 cases today.

 

The Huffington Post:  Shortchanging Gulf Vets.  The federal government has been using the delayed onset of undiagnosed illnesses in Gulf War veterans to cast doubt on some battlefield cause and effect justifications for benefit claims. It is reminiscent of the government in the 1990s’ trying to cut costs by initially rejecting Vietnam veterans’ illness claims. Those vets sought compensation for sicknesses alleged to have resulted from exposure years earlier to the toxic battlefield defoliant, Agent Orange.

 

KCEN (NBC-9, Video):  Waco VA responds to Gulf War illness claims.  According to a recentmystatesman.com article, the Waco VA has denied 92 percent of claims related to Gulf War illness. Channel 6 investigated the incident Monday. The VA estimates 44 percent of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War in 1990-91 have medical issues. In order to qualify for compensation, the veterans must have a diagnosable condition or an undiagnosed illness such as abnormal weight loss, fatigue, psychological problems, etc.

 

NPR (All Things Considered, Audio):  Study: CE Found In Nearly All Donated NFL Player Brains.  As the country starts to get back into its most popular professional team sport, there is a reminder of how dangerous football can be. An updated study published Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association on football players and the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy reveals a striking result among NFL players.

 

The Washington Post (Video):  The latest brain study examined 111 former NFL players, only one didn’t have CTE.  Researchers studying the link between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy found that 99 percent of the brains donated by families of former NFL players showed signs of the neurodegenerative disease, according to a new study published Tuesday.

 

The American Prospect:   Trump’s Budget Would Eliminate Agency Tasked with Ending Homelessness.  Included in President Donald Trump’s proposed $6 billion cut to the Department of Housing and Urban Development is the elimination of a small but vital program that has been a crucial force in driving down the U.S. homeless population. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) has a scheduled sunset date of October 2017 and, for the first time since the Clinton administration, it may not be reauthorized.

 

Stars and Stripes  Medal of Honor Theater opens at Marine Museum.  The National Museum of the Marine Corps celebrated the newly-opened Medal of Honor Theater Sunday with showings of “We, The Marines,” narrated by Academy Award-winning actor and Marine Gene Hackman.

Washington Post    Cooperation with Russia becomes central to Trump strategy in Syria.   Cooperation with Russia is becoming a central part of the Trump administration’s counter-Islamic State strategy in Syria, with U.S. military planners counting on Moscow to try to prevent Syrian government forces and their allies on the ground from interfering in coalition-backed operations against the militants.
 
South China Morning Post   China will protect border with India ‘at all costs’ China on Monday issued its ­strongest warning yet to India over their month-long border ­dispute, saying Beijing would ­protect its sovereignty “at all costs”.
 
McClatchy  Trump's immigration crackdown is stressing out deployed US troops.  President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigrants is having the dangerous, unanticipated effect of putting additional stress on U.S. troops who have relied on a little-known program to protect their undocumented family members from deportation while the military personnel are deployed to war zones.  
 
Politico   Dunford: Military option for North Korea not 'unimaginable'.  Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, suggested Saturday that Americans must be prepared for the possibility of a military confrontation with North Korea, whose nuclear program he deemed an urgent threat.  
 
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty  Top U.S. General: Russia Just One Of Many Security Threats Facing Country.  The top U.S. military officer has told a security conference that Russia is the “most-capable state actor” that the United States faces, but it is just one of many security challenges in today’s environment.
 
Defense News  These 12 defense experts hope to guide the Pentagon forward Congress has formed a new advisory committee of top defense thinkers, in order to provide a pathway forward for the Department of Defense.
 
USA Today   Defense Secretary Mattis rips Pentagon for wasting money on Afghan army uniformsDefense Secretary Jim Mattis blasted the Pentagon bureaucracy for "cavalier" spending in light of a recent report that showed as much as $28 million had been wasted in buying uniforms for the Afghan army, according to a memo obtained by USA TODAY.
 
Military Times  Mattis: $28 million wasted on Afghan uniforms 'must not be seen as inconsequential'Defense Secretary Jim Mattis scolded top defense officials for a “complacent” mode of thinking that allowed $28 million to be wasted on Afghan army uniforms that were inappropriate for fighting in Afghanistan.
 
Defense News   US Army Europe commander defends need for airborne forces Minutes before hundreds of paratroopers landed in a drop zone at Bezmer Air Base in Bulgaria as part of a U.S. annual exercise called Swift Response, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the outgoing U.S. Army Europe commander, defended the need for airborne forces.
 
Marine Corps Times   Marines’ possible uniform change: Cloth chevrons.  The Marine Corps is testing rank insignia chevrons made out of cloth instead of metal for enlisted Marines, said the Corps’ top enlisted leader.
 
Associated Press  Pentagon identifies remains of NYC Marine killed in WWII.  Military officials say they’ve identified the remains of a U.S. Marine from New York City who was killed in a Pacific island battle during World War II.
 
Navy Times    Navy E-9 Board Reconvenes — same quotas, new board, new rules.  Navy officials have reconvened the fiscal year 2018 E-9 selection board in Millington, Tennessee, with the same slate of eligible sailors and quotas, but the rules have changed.
 
Air Force Times   Afghan JTACs in high demand.   Afghan Tactical Air Coordinators — or ATACs — are proving to be increasingly vital as Taliban forces engage in another brutal fighting season across Afghanistan.
 
Bloomberg:  Trump’s Quirt Progress on Veterans Affairs, He doesn’t tweet about it much, but reform is moving along.  For all the tweeting he does about repealing Obamacare, defeating Islamic State and building a wall along the Mexican border, President Donald Trump has precious little progress to show. By contrast, he has probably achieved the most in an area he mentions rarely: reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs.  
 
The Detroit News (AP):  VFW slams House plan to fix VA budget.  The Republican-led House is moving to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to shift $2 billion from other programs to cover a sudden budget shortfall in its Choice program of private-sector care, a plan drawing stiff protests from veterans’ groups. Lawmakers are expected to vote Monday to provide a six-month funding fix to Choice, which offers veterans federally paid medical care outside the VA and is a priority of President Donald Trump.  
 
ABC News (AP):  House rejects bill to fix VA’s budget gap after Vets protest.  The House rejected Monday a plan to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to shift $2 billion from other programs to cover a sudden budget shortfall in its Choice program of private-sector care following opposition from veterans' groups. The vote was 219-186 on a bill to provide a six-month funding fix, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass.  
 
FOX Business: Trump in cross hairs as Veterans’ group slams VA Choice funding plan.  An emergency funding measure to fill a budget shortfall at the Department of Veterans Affairs – proposed by lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives last week – is being deemed a violation of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises by one veterans' group.  
 
Military Times  Proposed VA Choice funding fix fails in House vote House Republicans suffered a surprising setback during a full chamber vote on veterans funding Monday which put in doubt the future of the controversial Veterans Affairs Choice Program, with just days left to find another solution.
 
Stars and Stripes:  House rejects funding bill for nearly bankrupt VA Choice program.  House lawmakers rejected legislation Monday that would provide $2 billion in emergency funding for the Veterans Choice Program by taking money from other VA programs, after hearing outcry from veterans groups that viewed it as prioritizing private-sector health care while neglecting VA services. Lawmakers voted along party lines, 219 in favor of the bill and 186 against it.  
 
The Wall Street Journal:  House Democrats Help Defeat VA Funding Measure.  House Democrats successfully led an effort Monday night to strike down a controversial funding proposal for the Department of Veterans Affairs after major veterans advocacy groups lobbied to defeat the measure, the latest battle in the debate about privatization’s role in the department.  
 
Military Times:  Despite promises, VA Secretary can’t shake privatization concerns.  Nearly half a year into his job, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is still trying to convince critics that his efforts to improve the department won’t lead to privatizing care and support programs for veterans. In an editorial in USA Today Monday morning, Shulkin — the only holdover of former President Barack Obama’s administration to President Donald Trump’s Cabinet — called lingering fears of VA privatization “unfounded”…  
 
USA Today:  Veterans Affairs Secretary: VA Health Care Will Not Be Privatized On Our Watch.  As a physician, my professional assessment is that the Department of Veterans Affairs has made significant progress over the past six months — but it still requires intensive care. In order to restore the VA’s health, we must strengthen its ability to provide timely and high quality medical care while improving experiences and outcomes for veterans.   
 
Military Times   Plan to overhaul GI Bill moves through House, on to Senate  Major reforms to veterans’ education benefits are one step closer to becoming law after the House of Representatives unanimously voted in favor of the legislation Monday.
 
Military.com:  House Passes new ‘Forever’ GI Bill.  Without a single vote in opposition, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Monday night to expand the post-9/11 GI Bill and eliminate the 15-year time limit on the use of education benefits for new recruits. The vote was 405-0 in a rare display of bipartisanship in Congress on behalf of veterans seeking higher education after active duty service  
 
Stars and Stripes:  House passes large GI Bill expansion 9 days after it was introduced.  House lawmakers on Monday unanimously passed a host of changes to veterans’ education benefits that aim to boost aid, expand who’s eligible for benefits and eliminate the expiration date for veterans to use them. The 405-0 vote came just nine days after Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., and a bipartisan group of cosponsors introduced the bill.  
 
The Hill:  House passes bill to expand Veterans’ GI benefits.  The House overwhelmingly passed legislation on Monday to give veterans more flexibility in using their GI benefits to pay for school tuition. Lawmakers passed the bill with a 405-0 vote that will now await Senate action before reaching President Trump’s desk. The bill removes the current restriction that veterans use their GI benefits within a 15-year timeframe.  
 
WISH (CBS-8):  GI Bill reform to help Veterans after ITT Tech shutdown.  A bipartisan proposal to help veterans impacted by school closures unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday as part of a landmark GI Bill reform package. U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, a Republican from Indiana, and U.S. Rep. Mark Takano, a Democrat from California, spearheaded the proposal.  
 
Healthline:  Did Agent Orange Cause John McCain’s Cancer?  When the news broke last week that Sen. John McCain has glioblastoma multiforme, a deadly brain cancer, the nation quickly rallied around the 80-year-old politician and Vietnam War veteran. Joy Patterson was deeply saddened by the news. Her husband, Kenneth Patterson, also served in Vietnam and was also diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM).  
 
The Daily Caller:  VA Secretary: My Only Clinical Priority Is Decreasing Vet Suicides.  Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin said in an address Monday morning that his only clinical priority at the moment is making sure the veteran suicide rate drops. “The last priority and really my only clinical priority that I talk about right now is suicide and veteran suicide,” Shulkin said Monday at the 118th Veterans of Foreign Wars.  
 
Task & Purpose:   Is A New Military Oath Really The Best We Can Do To Fight Veteran Suicide?  When Dr. David Shulkin was appointed secretary of veterans affairs in February, President Donald Trump charged him with the ambitious mission of reducing the veteran suicide rate to zero.  
 
Fast Company:  This App Connects Veterans In Crisis With Other Veterans Who Are Willing To Talk.  That conversation sparked the idea for Objective Zero, a foundation and mobile application launching later this summer that will connect veterans experiencing mental distress with other veterans who can talk them through it. Every day, around 20 veterans and one active service member take their own lives.  
 
Task and Purpose  Dunkirk: Everything You Need To Know Before You See The Movie.  Christopher Nolan’s film Dunkirk inspired new attention to the famous evacuation by sea, in 1940, of four hundred thousand British troops under harrowing air attack. Had that evacuation failed, the United Kingdom would have been deprived of a land army to oppose Nazi Germany. But before Dunkirk, British and French troops fought desperate last stands in the channel ports of Calais and Boulogne that bought vital time for the evacuation in the Belgian Port. The situation grew so desperate at Boulogne that Allied destroyers were forced to blast their way into and back out of the harbor, using naval guns to duel with tanks, field guns and even snipers while evacuating panicky mobs of British soldiers.
 
 
 
Upcoming Veteran Events
 
American Legion Post 328, Southfield, Michigan Listing of Current Events in and around the Metro Detroit Area for and about Veterans, for the period July 20 - August 2, 2017. 
http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html Sent in by our fellow Veteran Tim Wirkus. Thanks Tim!
 
Federal Business Council, Inc. (FBC) List of remaining Industry Outreach Events for CY 2017.
 
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation - List of Job Fairs. Updated every quarter.  Sent in by our fellow Veteran,  Jorge Cruz, Maryland, DLLR, U.S. Army (Ret). http://www.dllr.maryland.gov/employment/jobfairs.shtml
 
JobZone's August 2017 Job Fair events. August 2- Herndon VA ... August 15 - Patuxent River MD ... August 17 Joint Base Andrews AFB MD.  Go here for details and to sign up!  https://www.jobzoneonline.com/default.aspx 
 
Mount Vernon Celebrates Purple Heart Day - Monday, August 7, 2017. You are cordially invited to celebrate National Purple Heart Day at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. It is our honor to have you join us as we commemorate the oldest military decoration in the United States at the beloved home of its founder. Here is information you might find helpful in planning your visit. http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=2313d2141f19dbc004908589e&id=04795fbcf8&e=
 
Veterans Entrepreneurship Task Force – VET Force Meeting.  August 8, 2017, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  Being held at Department of Homeland Security (DHS) facilities.  MUST be registered by August 1, 2017, if you wish to attend!  http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1101945301720&ca=5ff075b3-0f4c-4cd1-9446-5bbde89ef58d 
 
2017 College Acceleration Summit -  A virtual summit. August 8, 2017.  No cost.  Take the first step to accelerate your professional growth by registering for the 2017 College Acceleration Summit, a free virtual conference on August 8. This conference will help adults access the knowledge and skills they need for success in the working world. It will feature over 20 world-class education experts, including Military Warriors Support Foundation CEO Leroy Sisco, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives President Perry Tarrant, healthcare education leaders and many more, who will lead sessions that share insights, strategies, and tactics to give you a clear plan to advance your careers. For attending, you will be eligible to win one of three $500 scholarships. The event is completely free to the general public. Register now at www.collegeaccelerationsummit.com   Please pass it along. 
 
GovConectx Federal Government Small Business  Procurement Event - August 10, 2017.  Falls Church, VA.  Details here…
 
14th Annual Elite SDVOB National Conference, August 16 – 18, 2017, Orlando, FL.  Convention website here: http://www.sdvobconference.com/   Go here for Hotel Information and Reservations: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/coronado-springs-resort/
 
Marine Week – Detroit, MI – September 6 – 10, 2017. Marine Week, hosted by the United States Marine Corps in one city per year, is a celebration of Community, Country and Corps – providing the American public the experience of directly connecting with hundreds of Marines.  From September 6 –10, 2017, Marine Week Detroit will feature hands-on static displays, live demonstrations, time-honored Marine Corps traditions, musical performances and other events to showcase the history, military capabilities and community involvement of the Corps. For details: http://usmarineweek.com/
 
National HUBZone Conference, October 12 – 13, 2017.  Westfields Marriott Conference Center, Chantilly, Virginia. For you Veteran Small Business Owners that are also HUBZone Companies. http://www.hubzonecouncil.org/clubportal/ClubStatic.cfm?clubID=528&pubmenuoptID=29484 
 
Women Veterans Alliance 3-day Fall Unconference “Nourish Your Soul” October 13th-16th, 2017, City of Industry, California. For more information:
http://www.womenveteransalliance.org/events/unconference/
 
St. Joseph’s University Veterans Entrepreneurial Jumpstart (VEJ) – COHORT III – October 14 - 22, 2017, Saint Joseph’s University Campus in Philadelphia, PA. No Cost to qualified Veterans. The Veterans Entrepreneurial Jumpstart (VEJ) program is designed specifically to provide the tools, education and mentorship necessary to allow all qualified veterans the opportunity to start their own businesses.  We offer the latest training in business and entrepreneurship, utilizing the breadth of experience available through the renowned Haub School of Business, experienced faculty, and industry practitioners.  Click on following link for Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpWB347egMo&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=Ralph+Galati+Linked-In+Contacts+-+VEJ+Audience&utm_campaign=dfae0ac3ac-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_04_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2b5b0a4e16-dfae0ac3ac-382008989   To enroll, go here: http://sites.sju.edu/veteransservices/entrepreneurship-programs/sju-veterans-entrepreneurial-jumpstart-vej/