Sheena Dooley

Augustana College will begin offering U.S. military veterans a free education this fall.

The school is partnering with the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program to cover the full tuition for any veteran who has served in the military for at least three years since Sept. 10, 2001. They can receive as much as $9,000 a year from Augustana, with a matching contribution from Yellow Ribbon.

Most veterans can receive additional money for room and board, books and other expenses through the GI Bill. Some may also qualify for federal loans with fixed interest rates.

The Yellow Ribbon program is part of the post-9/11 GI Bill approved by Congress in 2008. Originally, the bill provided full tuition for veterans who attended public universities but was eventually expanded to include private schools as well.

For more information on admissions and financial aid, interested veterans can go to www.augustana.edu/admissions.

All students must meet admission requirements, submit an application and complete the financial aid process to qualify.

Joe Codiroli got a check in the mail that he never expected -- and that stimulated an idea for helping wounded military veterans and the families of those who had been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty.

Codiroli, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel in Chesterfield County, was surprised to receive a letter more than a month ago from the federal government informing him that he would receive a $250 payment through the stimulus package adopted by Congress in February. The one-time payment goes to veterans who receive disability or other benefits.

Military Veterans and Active Military Personnel Honored with Apartment Rent Discount Program

Empirian Property Management to offer a 30% rent discount for military veterans and active military personnel.

Montvale, NJ -- Empirian Property Management is proud to offer a rent discount program for military personnel called the Service Appreciation Program. The Service Appreciation Program, which grants up to a 30% discount on monthly rent, is available in over 350 apartment communities across 17 states (For a complete list, visit www.empirianprogram.com) to any military veteran or active member of the military.

“With the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, it’s a honor to be able to show our appreciation for the fine men and women who bravely serve our country,” says Eli Feller, Assistant VP of Acquisitions, “in these challenging financial times, we are grateful to have the opportunity to assist in reducing their largest expense – rent.”

Jacksonville Business Journal-Jacksonville will get nearly $300,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide job training for veterans.

The grants are part of $25 million Labor is awarding under its Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

The grant to Jacksonville of $298,997 will provide a third year of funding. It is one of four such grants to Florida totaling more than $1 million.

“This funding will help veterans across the country access the resources they need to find good jobs and build a bright future for themselves and their families,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.

Homeless vets may get occupational, classroom and

KFDA-Amarillo, Texas - Over $400,000 dollars in federal stimulus money is going towards renovations at Amarillo's Thomas E Creek veterans home.

The money will be spent to renovate a 2,367 square foot Community Living Center at the VA Medical Center.  The new facility will allow additional administrative space as well as a patient and family room for families members of veterans.

VA officials say this money will help improve the care provided to our veterans.

Posted by: Jill Jensen

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There are 1,800 homeless veterans on the streets of the greater metro area on any given day according to the non-profit Heart of America Stand Down Foundation. Tuesday, U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced that Missouri is receiving federal funds from the Departments of Labor and Housing and Urban Development to help homeless veterans, but none is headed to Kansas City this time around.

“Our nation’s veterans are owed more than a blanket and a hot meal,” said Bond. “As our nation celebrates Independence Day these

By Lake County News Editor-SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) is requesting that some of the funds saved through recent Senate cost-cutting measures be diverted to offset proposed fee increases for veteran residents of California’s veterans homes.

In light of the current state budget crisis, lawmakers are considering legislation to raise the fees veterans pay toward the cost of their care at the homes, enough to relieve the state’s general fund of a $2,750,000 obligation.

Guampdn.com

Veterans groups and members on Congress are calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to overhaul its procedures to better handle claims by veterans.

Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Chambersburg, introduced HB1552 early in June. Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Johnstown, introduced the other, HB1713, a week or two later.

Basically, both bills are similar, calling on a moratorium on the closing of the school until a legislative study can determine if other options are available.

Kauffman's bill languishes in the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Written by Barbie Perkins-Cooper/Jim Davis

GARDEN GROVE, CA – The mission of Veterans-for-Change is a simple one and it should be shared with all. According to Jim Davis, the founder of Veterans-for-Change, the mission for Veterans-for-Change is, “To wake up Congress and the President to meet the needs and fulfill the promises made to care for and treat Veterans. As a member of Veterans-For-Change, an expanding vocal group for Veterans rights, benefits, and treatment, I as well as my co-members and veterans nationwide, are extremely upset that the following areas are not being addressed by Congress or the Veterans Affairs adequately or properly.

Veterans-For-Change finds this an outrage and would like to request your consideration to correct and improve the system that has forgotten how to care for Veterans, and how to service their needs. When called to duty, to service America and its freedom, our Veterans stood tall, fought the battle, and now when needing our service the most, the VA ignores, or procrastinates to service their needs. This is a disgrace to all serving in the military.

San Antonio Business Journal-Disabled military veterans may be eligible to for more tax relief under a bill passed by the Texas Legislature.

House Bill 3613 provides an exemption of the total appraised value of homesteads for Texas veterans who have received a 100 percent disability rating or are considered unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Texas has done the right thing by providing property tax relief for our military men and women who have served their country and paid a heavy price,” Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says.

The new law is effective for the 2009 tax year. To take advantage of the exemption, veterans need to apply for the tax exemption through their county appraisal district. An application form can be found on the Comptroller’s Web site at this link.

AP-PHILADELPHIA - A new federal agency dedicated to eliminating homelessness among veterans has been established in Philadelphia.

The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans plans to provide data, research and analysis to policymakers in hopes of ending the problem within five years.Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs say about 131,000 veterans have no permanent place to live. That's down from about 154,000 in 2007.

Center director Vincent Kane said last week the agency aims to make programs more effective and to help veterans live independently.The $1.8 million initiative was announced in May by VA Secretary Eric Shinseki. It's headquartered at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia with a secondary site in Tampa, Fla.

"We've received more complaints from veterans with disabilities in Salt Lake County than the whole rest of the state combined,"

By Arthur Raymond

Deseret News-Disabled veterans facing bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining property tax exemptions in Salt Lake County should have an easier path following a policy shift approved by the County Council Tuesday.

By JAMES DAO

NY Times.com-The House approved legislation on Tuesday that is intended to prevent delays in federal financing for veterans’ health care programs, a problem that has disrupted services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for decades, officials say.

Tuition sharing begins when expenses exceed the highest public in-state tuition rate. The university can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses with Veterans Affairs matching every dollar the college provides.As a participating school, American University will devote financial resources towards admitted post-9/11 veterans as undergraduate, graduate and law students.

Undergraduate veterans who qualify for funding may receive up to $13,750 per year for four years. Graduate students receive up to $8,900 per year for three years, and veterans attending American University’s Washington College of Law receive up to $10,210 per year for three years.At each level, the Veterans Affairs Department will match any funding provided by American, enabling many veterans to attend the university tuition free.

The Yellow Ribbon Program will begin with the 2009-2010 academic year, and is expected to grow from serving 18 veterans at AU in its first year, to 40 veterans after four years.

By  Lindsay Eckert 

IU will welcome its first group of Yellow Ribbon Program veterans this fall.

The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, known as the Yellow Ribbon Program, is an amended version of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, which expanded educational benefits and funding for tuition reimbursements for military veterans who have served since Sept. 11.