Army Engineers 'Forward Leaning' in Response to Hurricane

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2012 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' response to Hurricane Sandy has been aggressive, timely and very forward leaning in defining what support they can provide, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here today.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Little praised Army Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Army's chief of engineers, and his engineers' efforts supporting the 13 states impacted by the Category 1 hurricane.

"There are numerous Army Corps of Engineers officials fanned out throughout the affected areas to assess what kind of expertise we can lend to the states and [to] local governments to determine what we might be able to do," Little said.

"The Corps has been very aggressive," he said. "In fact, General Bostick, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers, is in New York today. I think he went to New Jersey last night."

Little said the Corps is lending its expertise on the storm-stricken Eastern Seaboard to address power regeneration and other issues there.

"Power restoration is a top priority of this government with several million people left without power," he said. "We also have a major water event -- to put it mildly."

"The Army Corps of Engineers has a great deal of experience in what they call 'unwatering' [which] is pumping water out of tunnels, electrical substations and other locations that have been flooded," Little said.

The press secretary emphasized the Defense Department is prepared to provide assistance for any requests received.

"General Bostick and the entire Army Corps of Engineers stand ready to support FEMA," he said. "The Army Corps does, as I understand it, have resources such as generators and pumping equipment that can help."

Little noted the latest information on the number of generators and equipment provided is not currently available due to ongoing operations.

"[Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta] has been very clear that whatever requests come in, in support of our disaster relief efforts, we're going to be very forward leaning," he said.

"There are generators that we have inside the Department of Defense, the Army Corps of Engineers, the services, and we can, perhaps, help source generators from private contractors as well," Little said.

The Defense Department is doing whatever it can, he said, in as timely a manner as possible, not only to assess the situation, but to deliver resources.

Little also noted there is an interagency effort to assist with the response to Hurricane Sandy.

"We're in support of FEMA and the states, and local governments also have certain resources," he said. "FEMA has resources at its disposal as well, so this is not a DOD-only effort. I want to make that clear.

"But we're going to do everything we can, working with our interagency partners and the federal government," Little added, "as well as the states and localities, to provide whatever support we can."

The press secretary said that while overall, DOD installations "weathered the storm fairly well," there was some reported damage.

Little said Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., experienced downed trees and water leaks. There was minor flooding at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, he added, and Joint Base Maguire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey experienced power outages.

"People are working very, very quickly to determine what the impact is to power grids, to transportation infrastructure and to other locations [that] have taken a hit from the storm," Little said. 

Biographies:
George Little
Related Sites:
Special Report: Hurricane Sandy

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

Not everyone in DC has taken shelter from Hurricane Sandy. God Bless them!!!

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

Virginia, D.C. Guard Members Provide Post-storm Aid

By Cotton Puryear
Virginia National Guard

SANDSTON, Va., Oct. 30, 2012 - Virginia National Guard members assisted Virginia State Police, emergency response organizations and citizens across the commonwealth today as part of Hurricane Sandy response and recovery operations.

Virginia National Guard soldiers from Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conduct reconnaissance patrols in Suffolk, Va., Oct. 30, 2012. Virginia National Guard photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class A.J. Coyne (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

And, in the nation's capital today, about 150 members of the District of Columbia National Guard are providing hurricane response aid, assisting with street closures, damage assessment and emergency response as well as manning traffic control points. District officials have asked the National Guard to provide support through Nov. 4.

Meanwhile, about 650 National Guard members in Virginia provided high water transport, debris reduction and reconnaissance patrols.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on Oct. 28 authorized an increase of Guard personnel to 750. Additional personnel have been alerted for possible duty and will be held in reserve for possible future missions.

Specific National Guard accomplishments across the Commonwealth of Virginia include:

-- In Winchester, Guard members assisted Virginia State Police with clearing a large tree blocking access to a police fueling station.

-- In Norfolk, Guard members provided high water transport to help firefighters take a resident to the hospital and two people to shelter. They also conducted reconnaissance patrols to assess road accessibility, damage assessments and helped motorists in need.

-- In Fredericksburg, Guard members provided traffic control to assist State Police and local emergency service personnel at the site of an accident involving an overturned tractor trailer. Guard members also provided military rations to hungry people in a disabled vehicle waiting for the arrival of State Police assistance. Virginia Guard soldiers also cleared debris from an exit on I-95 and helped two motorists get back on the road.

-- In Onancock, Guard members conducted missions to transport 14 people to shelters and transported six firefighters.

-- In West Point, Guard members conducted a debris reduction mission and a reconnaissance patrol to assess route accessibility. They also conducted damage assessments and offered assistance to motorists.

-- In Portsmouth and Richmond, Guard members conducted reconnaissance patrols to assess route accessibility, conducted damage assessments and offered assistance to motorists in need.

The District of Columbia National Guard contributed to this report.
 

Related Sites:
Virginia National Guard
Special Report: DOD Response to Hurricane Sandy
National Guard Bureau

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

Vets say late pay from VA cripples their finances

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57538490/vets-say-late-pay-from-va-cripples-their-finances/


DENVER — Exasperated veterans who work part-time for the Veterans Administration while attending college say their paychecks are sometimes weeks late, leaving them in trouble with bill collectors or having to borrow money to avoid eviction.

The two-week paycheck is typically about $360, and can be vital to veterans raising families and juggling expenses.

"It's absolutely crucial," said Neal Boyd, an Army veteran who has two children, attends Danville Area Community College in Illinois and works for the VA in the school's career services office to help other veterans.

The VA work-study program lets them work an average of up to 25 hours a week on the VA payroll if they are full-time or three-quarter-time college students.

The program is separate from other GI Bill benefits such as tuition and textbook assistance and a housing allowance that varies by location. But veterans said those benefits don't cover all their expenses, and they need a job to make ends meet.

The veterans were paid a total of $25.7 million in fiscal year 2011 — the most recent year for which statistics were available. They are paid the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, or their state's minimum wage, whichever is higher.

The number of veterans in the program depends on the needs of their schools, and veterans qualify based on their financial need and other factors, the VA said. Veterans who want to join the program submit a contract to the VA for approval.

More than 10,000 veterans are in the VA work-study program nationwide, but it's difficult to pin down how widespread the paycheck delays are.

The VA said on average, the checks are issued less than a week after time cards are received by the VA, but acknowledged they have been delayed at a processing center in St. Louis, one of four nationwide, because of a heavy workload and the loss of three workers.

In a statement, the department said it hired more workers in St. Louis last month and has cut the processing time for paychecks to five days.

The department didn't immediately respond to repeated phone calls and emails about how many states send their work-study paperwork to the St. Louis office, how many employees there process the paperwork and how long it took to handle it before the new hires were made.

The VA said it is investigating some individual cases and looking for other changes to speed up the checks. It said it wants to ensure that all veterans get their benefits on time.

Two Colorado veterans who queried VA work-study students in several states say they found that 48 percent said it usually takes two to four weeks to get their checks. Nearly 13 percent said more than a month.

The two veterans, Ashley Metcalf and Morgan Sforzini, said they were having problems getting paid and wondered whether other veterans were.

A total of 88 VA work-study students from 16 states answered their written questions. More than half were in states that submitted their time cards to the St. Louis office.

Six veterans interviewed by The Associated Press reported delays of up to two months in getting a paycheck or getting approval for the contract allowing them to hold a work-study job. They also complained of long waits on hold when calling about the checks and contracts.

Veterans at the University of Colorado, Denver, keep score to see "who cannot get paid the longest," said Metcalf, an Air Force veteran who has a work-study job. The record is 90 days.

The veterans find various work-arounds when their checks are late, from getting emergency loans to temporarily getting on their college's payroll.

Loki Jones, an Army Special Forces veteran who served in Iraq, said he had to borrow money to pay his rent last spring because his work-study check was about three months late.

Jones, a student at the Denver college, said his contract was lost and then his time card was held up at least twice, once because he failed to initial parts of it.

"If I hadn't gotten that emergency loan, if that hadn't gone through, I would have gotten kicked out of my apartment for sure," he said.

Air Force veteran Jon Bohlander, who attends Johnson County Community College in Kansas, said he submitted a contract in late May or early June for a job during the college's summer session. The approved contract came back on July 27, a day before the session ended.

"Technically, I wasn't supposed to be working," he said, but he put in his hours in the school's veterans office anyway. He was paid two weeks after his contract was approved.

Bohlander, a single parent of three, has asked Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., for help getting the VA to pay. After Yoder's office made inquiries, the turnaround improved for two or three weeks, but then it "just falls back into the routine again," he said.

Cheyne Worley, who works in Yoder's Overland Park, Kan., office, said seven or eight veterans in the program have told him about pay delays in the past year. The VA should be better prepared to deal with the wave of 1.4 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, he said.

"It shouldn't fall on the backs of the student veterans. They've done their duty," he said.

The work-study jobs usually involve helping other veterans sign up for benefits or processing paperwork at colleges or VA offices. Others work at VA hospitals or cemeteries.

The veterans say they hang on to the jobs despite the problems because their days and hours are flexible and they prize the loyalty and friendship of their co-workers and bosses. They also feel an obligation to help other veterans navigate through college life, a radically different world from the military.

"It's my duty to do that," Metcalf said. "And I take that on, even though I'm not getting paid in a timely manner."

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP

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 Another story about the VA Work Study program not making payments in a timely fashion.  The VAOIG needs to look into why the delays in these crucial funds are being delayed chronically across the country and if they cannot administer it properly scrap it.

Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:  716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile

Letters | Medicare, veterans, Mitt Romney - KansasCity.com

Letters | Medicare, veterans, Mitt Romney - KansasCity.com

 Dire future possible
There is nothing about the GOP platform that would lead one to conclude that the Republicans care about the middle class or the poor. Repealing the Affordable Care Act and placing the burden of health care reform on states, whose budgets are already strained, is crazy.
For the poor, it would be a step back in time. Cutting taxes on the rich and withdrawing regulations on big corporations and banks are prescriptions for economic disaster.
Furthermore, decimation of entitlement programs will lead to wider unemployment, furthering economic instability. Overzealous patriotism and myopic, arrogant nationalism will lead to increased defense spending and ultimately a war with Iran, which will take us back to 1929 in a heartbeat.
Voucherizing Medicare will lead to the death of Medicare, not its preservation, and seniors will die earlier and as paupers, as they did decades ago.
Repealing Roe vs. Wade will return us to the 1950s and the horrors of coat-hanger abortions.
For the wealthy, their elite way of life will continue, and the chasm between the rich and the 99 percent will grow and over time will bring tremendous unrest. Who knows what will happen then?
Robert Stuber, M.D.


AMEN Dr. Stuber

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/27/3887075/letters-medicare-veterans-mitt.html#storylink=cpy

IAVA 11/11 is Veterans Day

Sean,

11/11 is Veterans Day. It's the one day we honor our fellow veterans
and unite as a community. It's the day we get together to be around
those who know what it's like. It's the day we stand proud.

It's the day we show each other, and America, we've got your back.

IAVA is activating thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and
their families at parades, events and service projects across America.
And to quote Uncle Sam, WE WANT YOU! Don't miss the best day of the
year to be a part of the veteran community.

Sign up now for an event in your area. Stand up and stand proud. And
don't worry, if there are no events near you, you can still connect
with the community through our online awareness campaign next week.

Get excited. Our day is almost here!

Paul

Paul Rieckhoff
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone: 716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile

Russia eyes additional measures to counter U.S. anti-missile threat

Xinhua News Agency
October 25, 2012

Russia eyes additional measures to counter U.S. anti-missile threat

====

The anti-missile system would be technically capable of threathening
the Russian capital by 2020, Komoyedov said.

====

MOSCOW: Russia needs to undertake additional measures to counter a
threat from the U.S. anti-missile system, a high-ranking parliament
member of Russia said here Thursday.

"Absolutely different things are necessary," head of the State Duma
Defense Committee Vladimir Komoyedov told reporters when asked if the
Russian Iskander missiles could surpass [neutralize] the U.S. missile
shield in Europe.

In 2011, then-President Dmitry Medvedev warned that Russia would
station Iskander tactic missiles in the western exclave of Kaliningrad
and southern Krasnodar region, should the United States implement its
phased approach to the anti-missile defense program.

The European Phased Adaptive Approach envisaged a four-step deployment
of the anti-missile facilities from 2011 to 2020 and moved the
sea-based Aegis systems closer to Russian borders.

The first two phases have already been completed and the third would
be finished in 2018.

The anti-missile system would be technically capable of threathening
the Russian capital by 2020, Komoyedov said.

"Development of the anti-missile defense consists of four phases. The
last one, to be completed by 2020, will cover (territory) including
Moscow," he said, adding that Russia possessed all the necessary
technologies and ability to face such developments.

In May, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said Russia would
not need any additional means to fulfill that task as the existing
Iskander missiles are capable to neutralize the U.S. launching
facilities.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that the anti-missile issue may cause an
"ice age" in relations with the United States.

--




Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
Web: http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog: Cold War Veterans Blog
Email: Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone: 716 720-4000
Network: My Fast Pitch! Profile

VFW TALKING PAPER ON SEQUESTRATION

BACKGROUND: The Budget Control Act of 2011 raised the federal debt ceiling on an agreement to offset the increase with a corresponding decrease in discretionary spending over a 10-year period. A bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction was created to identify what federal accounts to reduce. As an added incentive, an automatic 10 percent across-the-board sequester---or seizure of property (money)---would kick in at the beginning of the next Congress should the Super Committee fail to act, which it did. Barring an unforeseen development in the remaining 112th Congress, mandatory sequestration will occur in January 2013.

WHAT SEQUESTRATION IMPACTS: All discretionary spending accounts.

OUR CONCERN: The discretionary spending accounts of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense. The President and VA Secretary have assured us that sequestration will not impact any VA account. We appreciate this, but VFW will continue to monitor how the effects of sequestration might impact future VA budgets, especially in medical and prosthetics research, maintenance and construction, administration, and those programs identified in the "10 for 10" Plan below.

The VFW is very concerned how sequestration will impact DOD. The Pentagon agreed to cut its discretionary budget by $487 billion over 10 years, but the total amount due is $1.2 trillion, and some in Congress want DOD to absorb the entire amount. Defense is 20 percent of the federal budget, but it amounts to half of all discretionary spending (the other half includes NASA, Homeland Security, etc.). Absorbing a $1.2 trillion cut would be a game changer that would not only eliminate Quality of Life programs for military personnel and their families, it could potentially jeopardize our military's ability to respond when and where needed.

VFW's focus last year was on the "10 for 10" Plan, which are 10 DOD and VA programs and services that we continue to believe are in jeopardy of increased fees or being eliminated or curtailed to help pay for 10 years of war. Sequestration keeps all 10 on the radarscope. They are:
* Change the 20-year military retirement plan to resemble civilian plans.
* Increase healthcare premiums for military families and retirees on TRICARE.
* Increase pharmaceutical fees for military families and retirees.
* Reduce cost-of-living allowance increases.
* End government subsidies to military commissaries.
* Eliminate DOD elementary schools stateside.
* Eliminate DOD tuition reimbursement programs for service members.
* Eliminate presumptive service-connected conditions for disabled and ill veterans.
* Lock out or increase fees for VA Priority Group 7 and 8 veterans.
* And freeze military pay like federal civilian pay, which will now see a third consecutive year without a raise.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Address our concerns with your elected officials at every opportunity. Current budget realities are forcing very hard choices in Congress and in agencies and departments across the executive branch. The VFW recognizes this, but we also recognize that balancing the budget on the backs of disabled veterans, those in uniform, their families, and military retirees is not a solution, and could potentially jeopardize the continued success and viability of the all-volunteer force. One loud unified voice will ensure all in Washington know that the VFW will not tolerate any plan that requires those who serve and sacrifice the most to do even more.

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

The Underwater Cuban Missile Crisis: Soviet Submarines and the Risk of Nuclear War

National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 399

Posted - October 24, 2012

Edited by William Burr, Svetlana Savranskaya and Thomas Blanton

For more information contact:

 202/994-7000  or nsarchiv@gwu.edu

http://www.nsarchive.org

Washington, D.C., October 24, 2012 -- Extreme temperatures, equipment breakdowns, and the reckless deployment of nuclear torpedoes aboard Soviet submarines near the quarantine line during the Cuban Missile Crisis 50 years ago this week elevated the already-high danger factor in the Crisis, according to Soviet and American documents and testimonies included in a new Web posting by the National Security Archive (www.nsarchive.org).

The underwater Cuban Missile Crisis received new attention this week with two PBS Television shows, one of which re-enacts as "overheated" docudrama (in the words of The New York Times reviewer) the confrontation between U.S. Navy sub-chasing units and the Soviet submarine B-59, commanded by Vitali Savitsky, on the most dangerous day of the Crisis, October 27, 1962.

The newly published documents in the posting include the original Soviet Navy map of the Caribbean showing the locations of the four "Foxtrot" diesel submarines that had deployed from the Kola peninsula northwest of Murmansk on October 1, 1962, bound for Mariel port in Cuba to establish a submarine base there. Unknown to the U.S. Navy, each of the subs carried a nuclear-tipped torpedo, with oral instructions to the captains to use them if attacked by the Americans and hulled either above or below the waterline.

The documents include the never-before-published after-action report prepared by Soviet Northern Fleet Headquarters after the four commanders' return to Murmansk in November 1962, describing the atrocious conditions aboard the subs, which were not designed for operations in tropical waters.

The posting also includes the U.S. Navy message on October 24, 1962, detailing the "Submarine Surfacing and Identification Procedures" to be followed by U.S. forces enforcing the quarantine of Cuba, including dropping "four or five harmless explosive sound signals" after which "Submerged submarines, on hearing this signal, should surface on Easterly course." The State Department communicated this procedure to "other Governments" including the Soviet Foreign Ministry, but the Soviet submarine commanders, in a series of interviews in recent years, report they never received the message.

Read today's posting at the National Security Archive website - http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB399

Find us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/NSArchive

Unredacted, the Archive blog - http://nsarchive.wordpress.com/

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

Navy to Christen Submarine Minnesota

            The Navy will christen its newest attack submarine Minnesota, Saturday, Oct. 27, during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Va.  

            Adm. Kirk Donald, Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion, will deliver the ceremony's principal address.  Ellen Roughead, wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and a Minnesota native, will serve as ship's sponsor and break a champagne bottle against a plate welded to the hull, and officially christen the ship 'Minnesota.'

            Minnesota, the 10th ship of the Virginia class is named in honor of the state's citizens and their continued support to our nation's military.  Minnesota has a long tradition of honoring its veterans of wars past and present.  The state is proud to be home to 46 Medal of Honor recipients that span from the Civil War to the Vietnam War. 

            "There is a special relationship between a state and its namesake ship," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.   "Naming this submarine Minnesota not only salutes the proud history of military support and contributions made by the people of Minnesota, but will also serve as a testament to the U.S. Navy's enduring bond with the great state of Minnesota for decades to come."

            This will be the third ship to bear the state name.  The first USS Minnesota, a sailing steam frigate, was commissioned in 1857 and served during the Civil War, remaining in service until her decommissioning in 1898.  The second Minnesota was commissioned in 1907.  On Dec. 16, 1907 she departed Hampton Roads as one of the 16 battleships of the Great White Fleet sent by then-President Theodore Roosevelt on a voyage around the world. She continued her service through World War I, and was decommissioned in 1921.

            Minnesota will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century.  She will have improved stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhancements that will enable her to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.

            Designated SSN 783, Minnesota is built to excel in anti-submarine warfare; anti-ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. Capable of operating in both the world's shallow littoral regions and deep waters, Minnesota will directly enable five of the six Navy maritime strategy core capabilities - sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.

            The 7,800-ton Minnesota is built under a teaming arrangement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries.  A crew of approximately 134 officers and enlisted personnel will operate the 377-foot long, 34-foot beam vessel, which will be able to dive to depths of greater than 800 feet and operate at speeds in excess of 25 knots submerged.  Minnesota is designed with a nuclear reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship - reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time.

            To view the ceremony via live webcast, please go to:  http://www.livestream.com/usnavy

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

PenFed Foundation’s Dream Makers Program on Track to Help Record Number of Military Families

Grants for veterans make the American dream of owning a home possible

October 23, 2012, Washington, D.C. − The Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation (PenFed Foundation), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization working to meet the unmet needs of military personnel and their families, announced it is on track to give away a record number of grants this year through its Dream Makers program.

“Members of our nation’s military frequently move, living on bases around the country and overseas,” explained Kate Kohler, chief operating officer of the PenFed Foundation and a former Army captain. “When they are finally able to settle down, they often need a little help with purchasing their first home.”

Under the Dream Makers program, qualifying military personnel and veterans who are buying their first homes may receive a grant to cover a portion of their down payment and closing costs.

With interest rates at historic lows and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan winding down, the program has become more popular, going from 47 grants in 2009 to 51 in 2010 to a record high of 93 in 2011. Already this year, the PenFed Foundation has given away 84 grants, putting it on track to beat last year’s record.

Applying for a Dream Makers grant is easy and can even be done online. Grantees don’t need to be a Pentagon Federal Credit Union member to benefit from Dream Makers and the grant can be applied to a mortgage from any financial institution.

According to the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment, approximately 65 to 70 percent of service members live in private sector housing. This means that buying a home is one way that military members can make a significant investment during their service, which could help greatly benefit their financial security now and later on in life.

“With fewer service members heading overseas and longer station assignments, more of them are looking to buy a home,” said Kohler. “Through our Dream Makers program, the PenFed Foundation is planning on helping them make that part of the American dream come true.”

To learn more about the Dream Makers program and apply online visit: http://www.penfedfoundation.org/dreammakers.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ***

About the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation (PenFed Foundation)
The PenFed Foundation is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization working to meet the unmet needs of military personnel and their families through supporting wounded soldiers, providing financial management assistance and home ownership aid. The foundation is also the primary sponsor of the new $11 million Defenders Lodge supported by donated land from the government and financed entirely through private donations. The Pentagon Federal Credit Union covers all labor expenses for the foundation so every dollar donated goes directly to supporting its programs.

To make a donation or learn more about the foundation visit: http://www.penfedfoundation.org.



Kudos for the PenFed Foundation’s support of Military families.
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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
Phone:	716 720-4000
Network:	My Fast Pitch! Profile

IAVA health, education, employment and community.

	Sean, IAVA's mission is clear: to better the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. And with your support, we've built the most effective, innovative veterans support group in America. We focus on four key program areas critical to empowering the New Greatest Generation: health, education, employment and community. We military folks love acronyms, so we call it HEEC. All of our programs deliver transformative change through what we call our "3 A's of Impact": game-changing Assistance (connecting vets with each other and our HEEC programs), powerful Advocacy (fighting for better HEEC policy in Washington) and innovative Awareness (making sure America remembers our vets and knows why we rock). We work every day to make sure America does not forget about our service members, veterans and their families. From the south side of Chicago, to your local TV station, and through the maze of Twitter, IAVA sends the message that vets are not a charity, we're an investment. But the candidates running for office this year at every level, from every party, are not getting the message. In the debates, you heard nothing about the issues that matter to us most. After 10 years of war, you heard more about Big Bird than you did about veterans. The candidates all seem more interested in fighting each other than fighting for us. After every debate, the democrats and republicans clamber to claim victory, but only one thing is for sure--our veterans and their families lost. At IAVA, we think we can change that. Download IAVA's short, smart, non-partisan Voter Guide now and make your voice heard. Print it out at work, forward it to your friends at school, post it on your Facebook page, talk about it with your family at your dinner table. And if a candidate comes asking for your vote in the next two weeks, USE IT. Don't let them off the hook when they say "I support our troops" and pose for a photo. Ask them the tough questions: How will you create jobs for veterans? How will you lower the skyrocketing suicide rate? How will you ensure our women warriors receive the support they deserve? Will you protect the New GI Bill? Will you demand reform within the VA? That's what we need to know. And IAVA's Voter Guide makes it easy for you to find out. Let's get to work! Paul Paul Rieckhoff Founder and Chief Executive Officer Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) P.S. --  Did you know that IAVA is participating in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)? Donate now and invest in the New Greatest Generation - our number is 75335.

IAVA Bulletin Go to the Combined Federal Campaign and Help IAVA in there !!

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Sean Eagan
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.

Web:	http://americancoldwarvets.org/
Blog:	Cold War Veterans Blog
Email:	Sean.Eagan@gmail.com
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Cold War Veterans Blog's photostream

Coldc War Veterans Blog's photostream on Flickr.

SF 88 Nike Herc Site