Veteran’s Voice — Hola! Bridging language barriers for Hispanic military and veteran families

Esposas Militares Hispanas USA is a dedicated volunteer non-profit organization providing one-on-one support, empowerment, and assistance to Hispanic military and Veteran families facing language barriers. Founded 15 years ago by military spouse Janet Sanchez, the organization provides educational programs, financial and employment readiness resources, community connections, and support groups to aid in the integration of its members into the larger military community. For more information see https://bit.ly/3LXd1bt

Global War on Terror Memorial

A site has been selected for the Global War on Terror, on the National Mall in Washington D.C. between the Vietnam Wall and the Desert Storm Memorial. The design process for the memorial has already started.

Unfortunately, the open comment period was extremely short, starting on Sept. 26 and ending in mid-October. There have been numerous calls to extend the comment period, so hopefully the comment period will stay open for a while. As with all of our war memorials, while the land is made available by the federal government, no government tax dollars are dedicated to construction. The Global War on Terror Foundation has been created to raise funds, coordinate the design, oversee the construction, and establish a trust to fund ongoing maintenance and repair once the memorial is constructed. For more on the memorial, see https://bit.ly/46KtSWZ

Process Streamlined to Transfer Post-9/11 G.I. Bill Benefits to Family Members

In response to complaints that transferring your unused benefits to an eligible family member has been lengthy and time-consuming, a streamlined application to use transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits is now available on the VA.gov website at https://bit.ly/48QNEBM

Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) Program

If you are at loose ends, and college is not your thing, the ATDM Program provides free, in-residence training in industrial and technology skills needed for the defense industrial base (DIB). The DIB is the system of companies producing parts for the U.S. military to purchase. Career areas include CNC Machining, Welding, Quality Control Inspection, Additive Manufacturing, and Non-Destructive Testing. The campus is located in Danville, Va. Currently, tuition, housing, and transportation are provided. Students are responsible for their own food and medical care. For more information see https://bit.ly/3rFT3v4

Military Kids

Our Military Kids (OMK) is a national nonprofit group that provides extracurricular activity scholarships, up to $300, to children and teens (ages 3-18) of deployed National Guard and Reserve and post-9/11 combat-injured Veterans in treatment. OMK has recently expanded its eligibility criteria to include children of post-9/11 combat wounded, ill, or injured Veterans with a VA individual disability rating of 30% or higher who are receiving treatment for a presumptive condition outlined in the PACT Act. Activities covered include sports, fine arts, enrichment programs, tutoring, and camps. While formal documentation of the activity’s organization and costs are required, the application process appears very straightforward, and OMK has so far funded 85,000 grants totaling $32 million. For information on how to apply, see https://bit.ly/3rOz9Ol