veterans' benefits news stories on Newser

Obama: 'Solemn' Duty to Help Vets With PTSD

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:55:53 CDT

With the military fighting two wars, President Obama said today the country has a "solemn responsibility" to ensure that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get the help they need. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is to announce new regulations Monday intended to make it easier for veterans with PTSD to...

Vets With PTSD May Have Been Denied Benefits

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:09:56 CST

The military is speeding up a review of the records of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder to determine whether they were improperly denied benefits. The agreement stems from a class action lawsuit filed by seven combat veterans who alleged the military illegally denied benefits...

Civilian Contractors Are the 'Vietnam Vets' of Our Time

Rob Quinn — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:30:00 CDT

Thousands of Americans have come home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who are veterans in all but name, writes T. Christian Miller—and the benefits afforded veterans. The military's unprecedented reliance on civilian contractors has left thousands injured and disabled with no safety net or public gratitude. Whether...

New GI Bill Gives Veterans Better Shot at College

Matt Cantor — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:48:01 CDT

The new GI Bill, called the biggest veterans’ educational benefit program since 1944, takes effect tomorrow—and it’s poised to make a big difference, the Houston Chronicle reports. Some 90% of vets will receive two to three times more help paying for college, says one advocate. “This type of investment...

Vets' Families Seek Pay as Caregivers

Katherine Thompson — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:39:00 CST

Wounded soldiers receive disability pensions based on the extent of their injuries, but for many families that money doesn't come close to covering the costs of caregiving. After Matt Keil returned home a quadriplegic, his wife, Tracy, quit her job to care for him, losing a $58,000 per-year income...

Babs: Obama's Like Buttah

Jonas Oransky — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:34:02 CDT

Hillary Clinton may have been her first choice, but Barbra Streisand’s switch to Barack Obama after he wrapped up the nomination was “immediate”—and she's not too keen on Clinton-backers considering crossing the aisle. In an interview with Politico, she lays into John McCain on women’s rights, veterans’ benefits, and...

Party Leaders in House Reach Deal on War Funds

Peter Fearon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:58:24 CDT

A two-year fight between the White House and Democrats over war funding has been resolved, the New York Times reports. House leaders reached a deal to allocate $163 billion for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through early next year. The measure, expected to be approved by the full House...

Mac, Obama Clash at Memorial Day Rallies

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 26 May 2008 18:45:46 CDT

Barack Obama and John McCain dueled at Memorial Day rallies in New Mexico today, Bloomberg reports. Obama restated his support for a new veterans bill, while McCain said an alternate plan would better reward those who reenlist. "Our bill has a sliding scale," he said, that "increases benefits according to...

VA Doctor Discouraged Post-Traumatic Diagnoses

Rob Quinn — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:55:37 CDT

A team leader at a veterans' medical center in Texas sent staffers an email urging them to avoid diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder, the Washington Post reports. "Given that we are having more and more compensation-seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest that you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD straight...