Veterans Affairs News 
Top News
- OMB reworking financial systems to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- OMB taps VanRoekel to lead management team
- Lew taps government retiree pension fund to avoid default
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown was leading factor in sexual assaults
- Former IRS commissioner faces questions about Tea Party
- SBA starting new lending program for veterans
- New Apple devices cleared to join DoD IT networks
- Army prioritizes access to data in fight over intelligence IT system
- DoD upends slow approval process for mobile devices
- Senior execs' bonuses under fire at agencies
- Gould moves the needle on many of VA's toughest challenges
- Tuesday federal headlines - May 21, 2013
VA redoubles effort to combat homelessness
The Veterans Affairs Department is giving $100 million in grants to help community organizations support at-risk veterans so they have stable housing. Leaders of the homeless veteran initiative at the VA and Department of Housing and Urban Development are among the Service to America Medal finalists for their work on the problem.
2012 Causey Awards Winner - Mary Santiago
Mary Santiago, director of VA's Veteran Employment Services Office, was nominated for her work with the VA for Vets program.
VA tackles claims backlog with new priority approach
The agency will organize incoming claims into one of three categories based on the difficulty in solving them as part of an effort to increase efficiency. The Veterans Benefits Administration also is seeking other ways to reduce the number of backlogged cases such as new training for employees, said VA's Allison Hickey, the undersecretary for benefits.
5 vet aid groups to benefit from new fundraising
Three families are starting an effort to raise $30 million for troops and veterans through a new organization called Veteran Support Fund. It will be a portal for distributing money to five groups already working to help America's military community.
Didn't send your kid to war? Maybe you can send $$
If you have military-age children who have not served in this decade's wars, then you owe a debt _ meaning money _ to those who did.
VA stops downgrading its low-wage health care support staff
After protesters marched to the White House, VA's Human Resources Management Office issued a letter calling for a "temporary stand down on changes to lower grade actions."
Thousands of veterans sign up for job education
Officials at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs say there has been an enormous response to a new skills-based program that pays for up to a year of education toward an associate degree or a non- college-degree or certificate.
What's ahead for small business?
Tom Johnson, publisher of Set-Aside Alert talks about the challenges facing contractors.
July 2, 2012(Encore presentation August 20, 2012)
DoD, VA joint e-health record ahead of schedule
The development of a shared records system between the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs is making progress thanks to several pilots. VA-DoD is taking the lessons learned from the tests and applying them to future pilots.
VA wants to change vet-owned business re-verification from 1 to 2 years
The Veterans Affairs Department wants to change the frequency of reverifying veteran-owned businesses from once a year to once every two years, according to an interim final rule published in the Federal Register.
Bill sets timeframe for VA to contact data breach victims
Veterans Affairs would have to contact victims of data breaches within 10 days under a bill approved by a House subcommittee.
Investigation by states shuts down GIBill.com
Under a settlement announced Wednesday by 20 states' attorneys general, the Department of Veterans Affairs will take control of a website that consumer fraud investigators say has been used to mislead military members into making poor use of their GI Bill benefits.
VA looking to technology to reduce suicide risks
Among active-duty troops, there has been an uptick in suicides this year _ about one a day, compared with one every 36 hours in previous years, The Associated Press reported earlier this month.
Federal job hunt made easier for outgoing military members
Service members expected to be discharged can apply for federal jobs without a certificate of release or discharge from active duty.
Report encourages cooperation to increase veteran hiring
Employing veterans is good business for companies. A recent Center for a New American Security report examines why and offers recommendations on what agencies can do to help make the hiring process easier.
DoD, VA, Education toughen rules against predatory colleges
Agencies are working toward implementing an executive order designed to crack down on "fly- by-night" colleges that target military members' education benefits
Veteran-owned businesses question fairness of VA's contractor verification
The process to ensure veterans are receiving contracts from the VA is actually shutting out some veteran business owners. But the VA says it inherited a large responsibility quickly and has since made great strides in improving its verification program.
VA launches virtual hiring event for veterans
VA will offer teleconferencing at Fort Drum, N.Y., Fort Knox, Ky., Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Fort Riley, Kans.
Army veterans use filmmaking as therapy for PTSD
In 1943, an enraged Gen. George S. Patton slapped a battle-fatigued U.S. soldier at a military hospital and accused him of cowardice, an episode that nearly ended Patton's career. Nearly 70 years later, two filmmakers _ one of them Patton's grandson _ are trying to help soldiers cope with what is now called post-traumatic stress disorder by getting them to tell their war stories through a movie.
Mobile security
Jeff Ait, director of Public Sector for Good Technology will talk about how his company can help you manage the mobile phones and tablets at your agency.
June 5, 2012
