Legal
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Why Every Veteran Should Know What’s in Their Military Service Records
Type of content: News
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a security clearance holder say, “I had no clue that was in my file,” I’d be a rich man. The context varies – human resources files, security databases, law enforcement records, etc. – but the surprise is rarely a good one. Common examples include an old disciplinary write-up, a long-forgotten security infraction, or a police report with highly unflattering details about the subject.
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Supreme Court: Retirees Can Be Court-Martialed for Crimes Committed After Service
Type of content: News
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Defense Department's authority to prosecute retired service members for crimes they commit, even after retirement.
The court on Tuesday chose not to hear the case of a retired Marine who was court-martialed for a sexual assault he committed three months after leaving the service in August 2015. By not accepting the case, Larrabee v. the United States, the court upheld the status quo: that military retirees are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
- Topics
- DoD
- Legal
- Legislation
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Dog research at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs gets formal review
Type of content: News
Dog research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is going under the microscope. Yesterday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) in Washington, D.C., began a formal review of studies involving nearly 100 canines at four VA facilities to determine whether the animals are being properly treated—and whether the work is necessary.
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Survey finds strong support for military members, less support for military funding
Type of content: News
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Americans still enjoy overwhelming confidence in the U.S. military, according to a new survey by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.
- Topics
- Active Duty
- DoD
- Legal
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Connecticut VA Opens Its Doors To 'Bad Paper' Veterans
Type of content: News
Editor's note: This story contains a description of self-harm.
For an estimated 500,000 veterans, being put out of the military with an other than honorable discharge is a source of shame and an obstacle to employment. "Bad paper," in most cases, means no benefits or health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs — even when the problems that got them kicked out were linked to PTSD, traumatic brain injury or military sexual assault.
- Topics
- Benefits
- Legal
- Legislation
- Mental Health
- VA
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Discharged veterans with war-related mental illnesses can sue, judge rules
Type of content: News
Veterans with mental health issues related to their service will be able to pursue a class-action lawsuit against the military.
A federal court judge in Connecticut ruled Thursday in favor of Navy and Marine Corps veterans who received a less-than-honorable discharge due to incidents related to untreated mental illnesses.
As a result of their discharge status, these veterans were subsequently denied VA benefits to receive healthcare for their war-related mental health issues.
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VA ready to hire dozens more specialists to give legal help to veterans at medical centers
Type of content: News
The Veterans Affairs Department announced Tuesday that it is ready to hire an additional 50 outreach specialists to help veterans in the judicial system after President Trump signed into law Tuesday the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018.
The law requires the VA to hire the new specialists over the next year and then place them at VA medical centers in need of their services. They will help veterans impacted by the justice system while working in the Veterans Treatment Courts or other court focused on veterans.
- Topics
- Benefits
- Legal
- Legislation
- Transition
- VA
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Court ruling could extend disability benefits to thousands of injured veterans
Type of content: News
WASHINGTON — Thousands of veterans previously denied disability benefits for pain issues related to their military service may now be eligible for that assistance, thanks to a federal court ruling this week.
- Topics
- Benefits
- Legal
- Legislation
- VA
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More than 133,000 vets may qualify for this tax refund windfall
Type of content: News
More than 133,000 veterans may qualify for a refund of federal taxes they paid on disability severance pay dating back to 1991 ― taxes that shouldn’t have been collected in the first place.
Within the next month, Defense Department officials will send notification letters to veterans that they may be eligible for the refund, said Army Lt. Col. David Dulaney, executive director of the Armed Forces Tax Council.
Eligible veterans will have a year after they receive the notice to file a claim for the refund.
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Illinois to require veterans treatment courts across state in 2018
Type of content: News
CHICAGO — A law passed last year requires every judicial circuit in Illinois to have a veterans treatment court starting Jan. 1.
The courts allow veterans who were honorably discharged to plead guilty to a crime in exchange for a probation sentence, The Chicago Tribune reported. The sentence requires frequent court visits and mental health or substance abuse treatment.
Veterans also can apply to have their records expunged upon completing the sentence. Those who use the courts typically face lower level felonies.
- Topics
- Legal
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