{"articles":[{"id":"vn-hd04o3","slug":"errors-in-disability-cases-for-painful-scars-resulted-in-overpayment-va-watchdog","title":"Errors in disability cases for ‘painful scars’ resulted in overpayment: VA watchdog","excerpt":"The error of Veterans Benefits Administration staff has resulted in approximately $5.6 million in overpayments to veterans, a VA watchdog found.","content":"The error of Veterans Benefits Administration staff has resulted in approximately $5.6 million in overpayments to veterans, a VA watchdog found.\n\nDuring a review period from June 1, 2024, through May 31, 2025, the VA made at least one error in 17,900 cases, roughly 38%, regarding disability decisions for painful scars, according to a recent VA Office of Inspector General report.\n\n920 of those decisions, per the report, led to millions in overpayment and will continue to accrue without “corrective action.”\n\nFor service-connected painful scars, as a result of burns, surgeries, shrapnel and gunshot wounds, among other sources, the VA requires a physical examination to support a veteran’s claim.\n\nHowever, the OIG found that the Disability Benefits Questionnaire “does not clearly define objective versus subjective evidence.\n\nTherefore, claims processors sometimes provided evaluations for painful scars without objective evidence to support the evaluations, which led to overpayments in disability compensation.”\n\nIn addition, the report found that physical manifestations of the disability were often evaluated under two separate diagnostic codes, often resulting in “pyramiding” and overpayment.\n\nThe report notes that more than a half-million veterans currently receive VA disability benefits for painful scarring caused or worsened by military service, but it took a random sample of 70 decisions from a review population of 47,300.\n\nIt further notes that the OIG took the findings to the VBA in February 2026 and following the briefing, “30 additional decisions completed from January 1 through January 31, 2026… identified a 43 percent error rate.”\n\nThe VBA, while agreeing with many of the OIG’s recommendations, including revising the “Scars/Disfigurement” section of the DBQ; ensuring employees understand how to accurately evaluate painful scars; and reviewing and correcting the processing errors on decisions the Office of Inspector General team identified, took issue with the statistical sample and the contextualization of those estimates.\n\n“The OIG examined 130 decisions, representing approximately 0.27 percent of the total review population of about 47,300 decisions, and identified 60 errors, which form the basis for the projected 17,900 errors referenced throughout the report,” per VA comments in the report.\n\n“Importantly, only seven of the 60 errors OIG found resulted in improper payments, which represents about 5.4 percent of the sample, and when viewed across the full review population, only about 0.015 percent of all decisions reviewed. The remaining 53 errors, more than 88 percent of the sample, were technical or procedural issues that did not result in improper payments.”\n\nThe VA is working to complete the OIG’s suggestions by February 2027 at the latest.","category":"benefits","author":"Claire Barrett","publishDate":"2026-10-22T19:50:46.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/NNK3ILEXLRFZRAXR3DJJYFCBUI.jpg","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/10/22/errors-in-disability-cases-for-painful-scars-resulted-in-overpayment-va-watchdog/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:04.715Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-xhrp0","slug":"transportation-careers-that-move-veterans-forward","title":"Transportation careers that move Veterans forward","excerpt":"Across the country, Veterans are finding purpose and opportunity in America’s transportation sector. The discipline, technical skill and mission‑focused mindset strengthened through military service...","content":"Across the country, Veterans are finding purpose and opportunity in America’s transportation sector. The discipline, technical skill and mission‑focused mindset strengthened through military service translates naturally into the demands of aviation, trucking, maritime operations and the interconnected systems that keep our nation moving. As America modernizes its transportation infrastructure, Veterans are stepping in as the next generation of leaders who help move people, goods and essential services.\n\nIn the latest episode of “At the Table,” VA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., talks with U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Steve Bradbury about why this moment represents an opportunity for Veterans.\n\nTheir conversation hones in on how transportation careers align with military experience, where the demand for skilled workers is growing and the federal resources available to help Veterans launch or advance careers in the field.\n\nA golden age of transportation\n\nIn this discussion, Bradbury explains that DOT is undergoing one of the largest modernization efforts in its history. Thousands of infrastructure projects are strengthening highways, ports, rail systems and the air traffic control network. This nationwide investment is creating a strong need for workers who can manage complex systems, work safely under pressure and keep critical networks running capabilities that Veterans already demonstrate every day.\n\nFor those curious about transportation careers, opportunities span technical, operational, engineering, safety and management roles across DOT agencies. Veterans don’t have to navigate these options alone; DOT provides dedicated resources to help them explore pathways aligned with their military experience.\n\nThousands of opportunities in America’s skies\n\nIn aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is one of the largest employers of Veterans across the federal government. Nearly 40% of its workforce has military experience, including air traffic controllers, safety inspectors and aviation maintenance experts. The FAA provides pathways for former military pilots who are transitioning into civilian certifications, as well as for Veterans with backgrounds in aircraft maintenance, mechanical systems, communication networks or logistics.\n\nAir traffic control requires precision, composure and quick problem-solving skills many Veterans developed in service. With growing demand for aviation professionals, Veterans can explore FAA opportunities by visiting the FAA Jobs website or by going to https://www.faa.gov/jobs.\n\nFreedom Haulers and the need for skilled drivers\n\nIn trucking, Bradbury highlights the growing Freedom Haulers initiative—DOT’s nationwide effort to bring more Veterans into commercial driving careers. Veterans who operated heavy vehicles in the military often qualify for streamlined commercial driver’s license (CDL) processes through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.\n\nCommercial trucking offers steady demand across the country, competitive pay and work that closely mirrors military logistics operations. Veterans also maintain some of the strongest safety records in the industry, making them highly sought after by employers. Veterans can learn more at the Freedom Haulers website or by going to https://freedomhaulers.dot.gov/.\n\nServing on America’s seas and shorelines\n\nThe Maritime Administration (MARAD) supports the nation’s merchant marine fleet—a civilian force that plays a critical role in national security, global commerce and emergency response. Veterans with experience in the Navy, Coast Guard or Army often transition smoothly into deck roles, officer training programs, engineering positions or shoreside careers in shipbuilding, port operations, welding or logistics.\n\nMARAD offers credential assistance, fee waivers and training programs specifically for transitioning military members who want to build careers on the water; find them online or by going to https://www.maritime.dot.gov/maritime-workforce. Veterans can also explore maritime career pathways at https://www.uscmi.org.\n\nSmall business opportunities\n\nFor Veterans interested in entrepreneurship, DOT also hosts small business matchmaking events that connect Veterans with employers, contractors and federal partners. An upcoming Veterans Small Business Summit at DOT headquarters in Washington, D.C., will offer networking sessions, direct hiring opportunities and support for Veterans exploring business partnerships. Details are available at the DOT VOSB Summit webpage, or you can visit https://www.transportation.gov/mission/administrations/office-small-and-disadvantaged-business-utilization/VOSB%20Summit.\n\nYour next career opportunity may be in the transportation sector\n\nTransportation careers allow Veterans to continue serving by strengthening the systems that power America’s economy and mobility. Whether you want to help manage air traffic, move essential freight, operate within the merchant marine, build safer infrastructure, or join federal teams working toward transportation innovation, your military experience has already prepared you.","category":"transition","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-10-22T18:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/AT-THE-TABLE-INTRO-graphic-16x9-Steven-G.-Bradbury.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150458/transportation-careers-move-veterans-forward/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:04.964Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-470fiy","slug":"ncis-character-reveals-dark-side-as-past-catches-up-to-him","title":"‘NCIS’ character reveals dark side as past catches up to him","excerpt":"On the hit TV show “NCIS,” Special Agent Nick Torres has a murky undercover background. While Torres —played by USO Global Ambassador Wilmer Valderrama — has become an integral part of the team over...","content":"On the hit TV show “NCIS,” Special Agent Nick Torres has a murky undercover background. While Torres —played by USO Global Ambassador Wilmer Valderrama— has become an integral part of the team over the past 10 years, fans are going to see a whole other side of one of their favorite characters this season.\n\nNCISverse\n\nIn the “NCIS” world (aka the NCISverse), Torres has become an agency staple known for his fearlessness and willingness to do what the job requires, as well as for his quick wit and sarcasm. Before joining NCIS, Torres was a skilled undercover agent, and in the latest episode, “Sleeping Dogs,” his undercover past catches up to him. Now he is forced to confront old behaviors — and share the darkest version of himself with his team.\n\n“The world of Torres, the universe of Torres, has been a mystery to so many, right? And we’ve only flirted with the idea, like ‘this is a person from the past,’ ‘this is how his dad abandoned his family,’ and like we just kind of breadcrumbed it a little bit to give a little context on who he is,” Valderrama explained to Military Families Magazine on his character.\n\n“But I will say that there is an entire existence before this, before he joined the NCIS team, that has never seen the light of day because he works and performs with it between agencies, and this [undercover] guy was built to be the one guy that does what most can’t or what most won’t,” he said.\n\nThe actor went on to say that this season, “that lone wolf” in Torres is “trying to wake up.”\n\n‘Lone wolf’\n\nTorres does seem restless lately, lamenting to Special Agent Jessica Knight (played by Katrina Law) in the previous episode that he has unused “special skills” in his current role. When pressed what skills those are, Torres turns it into a half-joke, saying he can hold his breath for four minutes.\n\nAs for himself, Valderrama recognized that Torres’ breathwork beats his own.\n\n“I haven’t timed myself on how long I can hold my breath. All I can tell you is that I can hold my breath, but I would say that like I can probably do maybe two minutes or something like that. I don’t know; I don’t know what’s customary for a human being!” he laughed.\n\nBut Valderrama also suggested that Torres’ sarcasm hid an alarming reason for such a skill.\n\n“I felt like it was also [a] cover up for the things that he really is capable of doing; as you know from the military community, if they’re training a certain set of skills to be used upon mission or task, the last thing they do is talk about them… And so saying that he holds his breath should tell you and give you a little bit of a sneak peek that… the pun is deeper than that statement. And what’s exciting is that we’re gonna see it play out this season; we’re gonna see him do things that the fans have never seen before,” he said.\n\nTorres is struggling with his past and present versions of himself, Valderrama shared.\n\n“In this season, you’re gonna see that kind of tug-of-war from the guy that he’s become in the last 10 years of NCIS and the guy that’s inside that he has suppressed — because now he shows up when the body’s cold. When before, you know, he was trying to get there before the body dropped,” he said.\n\nCan Torres escape his past? Can he escape himself? Whatever Special Agent Torres’ future holds, the NCISverse fans will eagerly follow him — even into darkness.\n\nWatch “NCIS” on Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live on Paramount+ (Premium) and next day.\n\nEditor’s note: this is part one of a two-part interview with Valderrama.","category":"service","author":"Abby Ammons","publishDate":"2026-10-22T18:14:04.000Z","image":"https://militaryfamilies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/3245389_NCIS_S24_0846b-scaled.webp","source":"Military Families Magazine","sourceUrl":"https://militaryfamilies.com/entertainment/ncis-character-reveals-dark-side-as-past-catches-up-to-him/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":95,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:13.582Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-7np0rd","slug":"uss-abraham-lincoln-crew-prepares-for-base-move-weeks-after-extended-deployment","title":"USS Abraham Lincoln crew prepares for base move weeks after extended deployment","excerpt":"After a 10-month deployment that was extended twice, including 40 days of combat operations against Iran that kept sailors at sea for 265 days without a port call , the crew of the USS Abraham...","content":"After a 10-month deployment that was extended twice, including 40 days of combat operations against Iran that kept sailors at sea for 265 days without a port call, the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln and their families are preparing to move to a new base just weeks after arriving home.\n\nBy the end of this year, the aircraft carrier will shift its home port from San Diego, California, to Bremerton, Washington, for long-planned maintenance, a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose. The Navy has set Dec. 31, 2026, as the administrative date for the change.\n\nAs of Oct. 22, the Navy’s Dec. 31 administrative benchmark is just 10 weeks away, as sailors and their families navigate post-deployment leave and preparations for relocation.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\nThe 5,000 sailors aboard the Lincoln spent 321 days away from home, including 40 days in combat, and were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for valor upon their return to San Diego.\n\n“This will be a deliberate pause from high-tempo operational tasking to focus on restoring material readiness, upgrading warfighting capabilities, and preparing the carrier and its crew for future tasks,” a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose.\n\nThe carrier’s extended deployment drew national scrutiny earlier this year after military families raised concerns about deteriorating living conditions and sailors’ mental health. Navy and Pentagon officials initially disputed reports of a crisis, though within days the service began sending additional mental health support personnel to the carrier. The following month, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed that eight sailors across the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group had attempted suicide during the deployment.\n\nThe long-planned home port change from San Diego to Naval Base Kitsap in Washington now presents another challenge for sailors and their families. At an August town hall in San Diego, family members expressed frustration to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and other senior officials about uncertainty surrounding the carrier’s impending move to Washington, according to Military Times.\n\nPermanent change of station moves have long presented challenges for military families, who must navigate housing, employment, school enrollment and the logistics of transporting their belongings between duty stations. In 2017, Task & Purpose reported that Navy families were receiving less than eight weeks’ notice to relocate, leaving some scrambling to arrange moves and manage the financial burdens of uprooting their households.\n\nMore recently, the war with Iran has complicated military relocations. In March, Task & Purpose reported that disruptions to international shipping, heightened security at military installations and rising transportation costs were creating additional challenges for families moving between duty stations, including within the United States.\n\nFor some families, the relocation comes as sailors are getting to know children born during their deployment. According to Navy Times, 122 sailors from the Lincoln and its embarked air wing became fathers while deployed, meeting their children for the first time when the carrier returned to San Diego on Oct. 8.\n\nIt remains unclear how many of those families will relocate to Washington with infants less than a year old.\n\n“Abraham Lincoln sailors and their families are moving to Bremerton individually, with full support from the chain of command and permanent change of station resources,” a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose.\n\nThat support, according to the Navy, includes standard PCS benefits such as the shipment and storage of household goods and travel allowances. Eligible sailors relocating dependents may receive up to four proceed days, while commanders may authorize up to 10 days of house-hunting time, subject to operational requirements.\n\nThe Navy also said Naval Base Kitsap and regional partners have established transition programs for incoming families, including childcare support, housing assistance and a “Welcome to Kitsap” resource fair.","category":"service","author":"Austin Campbell","publishDate":"2026-10-22T17:24:57.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/10001354-e1792686594548.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/abraham-lincoln-port-change-december/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:58.785Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-bdum3f","slug":"trump-putin-negotiate-release-of-us-air-force-veteran-from-russian-prison","title":"Trump, Putin negotiate release of US Air Force veteran from Russian prison","excerpt":"Stephen Hubbard, a retired U.S. teacher and Air Force veteran, was released from Russian custody on Wednesday after spending over four years in prison.","content":"Stephen Hubbard, a retired U.S. teacher and Air Force veteran, was released from Russian custody on Wednesday after spending over four years in prison.\n\nHubbard was serving a roughly seven-year sentence after being accused by Russia in 2022 of working with Ukraine as a mercenary. American President Donald Trump announced his release from prison on social media, saying it was out of respect for the president and nothing was asked of the U.S. in return.\n\n“This release was not part of an exchange — and we extend our thanks to President Putin for releasing him on President Trump’s request,” Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on social media after he retrieved Hubbard in St. Petersburg.\n\nHubbard, 74, was an active-duty airman beginning in March 1974, an Air Force spokesperson told Military Times. He was an Airman 1st Class as an apprentice administration specialist, with his last duty station at Mather Air Force Base, California. He separated from the service in March 1978.\n\nMather closed as a military base in 1993 and is now operational as the Sacramento Mather Airport.\n\nAfter active duty, Hubbard served in the Air National Guard, but due to the age of the records, information regarding his role as a guardsman in the force’s system is sparse, the spokesperson said.\n\nThe National Guard did not return a request for comment.\n\nAlthough Trump said “no swap” was necessary for Hubbard’s release, he told reporters outside the White House and in a subsequent social media post that if he placed sanctions on Russia, Hubbard’s release would not have occurred.\n\nHe said that people who “don’t know how life works” questioned his decision to waive sanctions on Russia during the negotiations to release Hubbard.\n\n“If I would’ve done that, you would not have Mr. Hubbard coming back,” he told reporters.\n\n“If you would’ve put those sanctions on, or whatever you want to call them, you could forget about him, you’d never see him again,” he continued. “He’d be back in jail for 25 years.”\n\nHubbard’s release comes less than a week after Trump prevented new sanctions on Russia, which were intended to target the country’s largest buyers of oil and gas, drawing criticism from members of Congress who support the legislation and Ukraine.\n\nAlongside Hubbard, the administration has negotiated the release of other Americans from Russian custody since returning to office last year, including Robert Gilman, Ksenia Karelina and Marc Fogel, Witkoff said.","category":"service","author":"Cristina Stassis","publishDate":"2026-10-22T17:17:19.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/GVBCFVYQKNE5VAKGJQJQRFMRQM.JPG","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/22/trump-putin-negotiate-release-of-us-air-force-veteran-from-russian-prison/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.471Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-ddcxld","slug":"air-force-special-ops-trainees-are-graduating-months-faster-in-revised-pipeline","title":"Air Force special ops trainees are graduating months faster in revised pipeline","excerpt":"Airmen training to join the Air Force’s special operations roles are moving through the service’s training courses months faster and with less downtime, officials said.","content":"Airmen training to join the Air Force’s special operations roles are moving through the service’s training courses months faster and with less downtime, officials said.\n\nOver the last year, the Air Force has changed its training pipeline for airmen who want to join pararescue, combat control, Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), or special reconnaissance fields, which the Air Force refers to as its special warfare roles.\n\nJennifer Gangemi, a spokesperson for the Air Force Special Warfare Training Wing, said that a revamped Special Warfare Assessment and Selection program, a new intro course, and new start dates for existing training have reduced the time that airmen spend in training for those jobs. The skills and standards required of the training, she said, have not changed.\n\n“This reduced the average time to beret by nearly 70 days,” Gangemi told Task & Purpose, referencing the distinctively colored headgear airmen earn when they graduate the training pipeline for each job.\n\nThe changes to Air Force special operations training are part of the service’s Pipeline Optimization effort, which aims to eliminate bottlenecks and match the number of students to an available number of slots at each schoolhouse.\n\n“The wing spent the past year optimizing its pipeline to reduce delays and maximize throughput within current constraints,” Gangemi said. “Optimization reduced unnecessary training pauses, Students Not in Training (SNIT), and multiple training redundancies. This cut man-years of time-out-of-training, [and] reduced SNIT by over 50%.”\n\nTo join one of the four Air Force special operations career fields, students first attend the challenging four-week assessment & selection Course. Then they move on to the Air Force’s new 16-week “Zulu” course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.\n\nThe Zulu course teaches airmen headed to any of the four special warfare jobs the basic skills of how to shoot, move, and communicate as a team, surface warfare skills, infiltration/exfiltration techniques, and the seven Air Force special warfare missions. In all, the course covers 100 training tasks that students previously had to be taught later in their training pipeline.\n\n“This meant apprentice courses would reinforce the common skills learned in Zulu, rather than having to teach those initial skill sets late in their training, reducing apprentice course days,” Gangemi said.\n\nAbout 1,200 airmen on average will go through the new course each year, according to the Air Force.\n\nOnce an airman headed into any of the Air Force’s four special operations specialties graduates from the selection and Zulu course, they enter a pipeline of as many as five training schools at bases around the country.\n\nThe pipelines vary for each job. Airmen training in pararescue, for instance, attend pre-dive, combat dive, and military free fall schools, while airmen headed to TACP do not. The final step in the training pipeline for all four special warfare jobs is a final apprentice school for each role.\n\nOfficials told Task & Purpose last year that the training pipelines for each of the distinct career fields will not change.\n\nGangemi said the new pipeline has “drastically” decreased the amount of time that airmen wait around between courses, or continuing on in their training journey after rehabbing from an injury.\n\nPreviously, students had more downtime between courses because they were treated as a “first-come, first-served process,” but now trainees have set start dates for each course. Under the old way of doing things, students could have gaps between courses that could add up to two months or more of downtime during a training pipeline. With the new structure, Gangemi said, the course dates are scheduled to keep that downtime closer to two weeks.\n\nGangemi said airmen can finish their special operator training between six and 18 months “faster” with the same necessary requirements that they need to graduate. The six- to 18-month range, she said, depends on the career field because each has different graduation requirements.","category":"service","author":"Patty Nieberg","publishDate":"2026-10-22T16:39:47.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/9626160-e1792686644245.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-special-operator-trainees/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:58.785Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-i35yz4","slug":"jaws-of-hell-a-b-24-crew-s-capture-survival-after-wwii-air-raid","title":"‘Jaws of hell’: A B-24 crew’s capture, survival after WWII air raid","excerpt":"Bruised and battered, the crew of the Chattanooga Choo Choo were held as prisoners in the complete darkness of an abandoned cistern in rural Romania. On Aug. 1, 1943, Lt.","content":"Bruised and battered, the crew of the Chattanooga Choo Choo were held as prisoners in the complete darkness of an abandoned cistern in rural Romania.\n\nOn Aug. 1, 1943, Lt. Ernie Poulson co-piloted the Consolidated B-24 Liberator on a low-level bombing run of an oil refinery in Campina — part of the deadly American aerial raid of the Ploesti oil fields, codenamed Operation Tidal Wave. His aircraft was one of 53 lost that day. Paulson and his crew crash-landed on a river bank and were taken captive by the Romanian home guard.\n\nAs they awaited their fate in that dank, dark pit, the young American airmen could hear a commotion above them. Suddenly, a trap door opened and a head appeared. A woman’s voice spoke to them in heavily accented English:\n\n“Hello, boys. There are only friends here. Now come up and let us help you.”\n\nPoulson and the others didn’t know it at the time but they had just been saved by a guardian angel. Princess Catherine Caradja, a member of Romanian royalty, was now responsible for their lives as the hell of World War II raged around them in Europe.\n\nThat scene is a pivotal moment in Adam Makos’ new book Tidal Wave: The Pilots, the Princess, and the Enemy Ace – A True Story of Courage and Survival in WWII. The bestselling author of World War II books A Higher Call and Spearhead details an amazing account of a little-known side story of the ill-fated mission to destroy “Hitler’s gas station.”\n\n“That’s what the brass thought in 1943 when they sent those bombers into Romania at low level: wipe out Hitler’s refineries in one great raid,” Makos told Military Times.\n\n“They said it would shorten the war by six months. The truth was, Operation Tidal Wave was the opening salvo in a campaign that took an entire year to knock Romania out of the war and deny Hitler its oil. It took more than 67 American missions — and 237 bombers lost — to batter Romania enough to cause regime change,” he added.\n\nAt the time, Romania was a reluctant ally of Germany. Ruled by a despotic fascist, the country had joined the Axis powers to fight its archnemesis, the Soviet Union. However, many in Romania were wary of the Nazis and favored the Allies.\n\nOne of those who believed the country was on the wrong side of the war was Princess Catherine. When the Chattanooga Choo Choo crashed on her estate, she took an active interest in the welfare of its crew, rescuing them from internment in a Luftwaffe POW camp.\n\nInstead, Poulson and his men went to a safer Romanian prison camp where Princess Catherine could protect them. She even managed to have the camp commander replaced when he became too severe in his handling of the Americans.\n\nMakos was tipped off to the story by Frederick W. Smith, founder of FedEx, who died in 2025. Smith told the author about Poulson and how his crew was aided by the Romanian princess. As the author investigated, he learned the B-24 copilot was still alive\n\n“We found one of the last survivors of the 1,700 men that flew that mission in 1943. I was overjoyed,” says Makos, adding, “Ernie had a sharp mind and was physically fit. At 97, as he was telling me this story, you could tell he was still a tough guy.”\n\nAs the war progressed, more and more Romanians were killed in the senseless slaughter of the Eastern Front in Russia. Support for the Nazis weakened and in 1944, the country’s monarch — Michael I, who was king in name only — led a coup against the country’s dictator and flipped sides to join the Allies.\n\nThis enabled Romania’s leading fighter ace — Prince Constantin “Buzz” Cantacuzino, who hated the Nazis — to assist Allied airmen held prisoner in his country, including Lt. Col. James Alexander Gunn, the highest-ranking U.S. officer shot down in the Ploesti Raid.\n\nIn a Messerschmitt Bf 109 painted with two large American flags on its sides, Cantacuzino flew Gunn to safety in Italy. From there, the colonel helped plan the Operation Reunion rescue of more than 1,000 captured Allied airmen, including Poulson and his crew, in Boeing B-17 bombers converted into troop transports.\n\nBuzz flew escort for the Flying Fortresses in a North American P-51 Mustang.\n\nLike most of Makos’ books, the narrative doesn’t end with the guns falling silent. The author writes about how Princess Catherine and Poulson meet again years later in Europe, where the American learned just how much was at stake for his benefactor if she had been caught.\n\nAfter the Communists seized control in Romania, Catherine escaped to America, where she lived in Texas with one of the airmen on Poulson’s plane: Richard Britt. Following the Romanian Revolution in 1989, the princess returned to her homeland, where she died at 100 in 1993.\n\n“This is such an amazing story,” Makos says. “We were so lucky that many of the people involved wrote memoirs, so we were able to piece it together and triangulate all the incredible events for accuracy. I interviewed Ernie Poulson in 2018 to get his side of it. He played such a movie-like role in this story.”\n\nPoulson later headed the Atlas missile program for the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a colonel in 1961. He then became a professor of business at the University of Utah. He died in 2020.\n\nTapping into unreleased family archives, diaries, letters and firsthand accounts, Makos crafts a fast-paced, action-packed narrative that ties together many important individuals and historic events into a personal story about World War II. By presenting this aspect of the Ploesti Raid, he says he is focusing on the brave men who sacrificed so much to stop the Nazi war machine.\n\n“Some 310 of them gave their lives, and they did help bring about an earlier end to the most terrible war in human history. Are we a country that remembers our heroes, those audacious young men who flew into the jaws of hell? Or will they be just a footnote in history?\n\n“That’s why I wrote Tidal Wave: to make sure their names and their story are known.”","category":"legacy","author":"Dave Kindy","publishDate":"2026-10-22T14:51:10.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/UZGY2YTO5VAORFC27GZVJEIXYY.jpg","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2026/10/22/jaws-of-hell-a-b-24-crews-capture-survival-after-wwii-air-raid/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.471Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-lfw9ci","slug":"behind-the-scenes-medvamc-engineer-earns-national-recognition","title":"Behind the scenes: MEDVAMC engineer earns national recognition","excerpt":"Biomedical engineer named to 2026 TechNation 40 Under 40 class The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) is proud to announce that Christie Pascue, biomedical engineer, has been named to the...","content":"Biomedical engineer named to 2026 TechNation 40 Under 40 class\n\nThe Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) is proud to announce that Christie Pascue, biomedical engineer, has been named to the 2026 TechNation 40 Under 40 Class—a prestigious national honor recognizing 40 outstanding professionals across the country for their leadership, innovation and dedication to advancing the healthcare technology management industry.\n\nCriteria for selection\n\nHonorees are selected based on their professional achievements, contributions to the healthcare technology management community and the positive influence they have on their organizations, colleagues and the future of the profession. Pascue’s selection derives from the exceptional expertise and commitment she brings to her work supporting Veteran care at MEDVAMC.\n\n“This national recognition is a true reflection of Christie’s talent and the outstanding contributions she makes to our team every day,” said Morolake Omoruyi, chief of facilities management at MEDVAMC and an engineer herself. “We are incredibly proud to see her achievements recognized on such a prestigious platform.”\n\nDedication to Veterans\n\nPascue, who marks five years of service with VA this year, said she is passionate about her job and loves the challenges it often presents.\n\n“What I enjoy most about my job is that every day brings something new, and it keeps me on my toes,” she said. “MEDVAMC is such a large facility with complex systems and technology that keep things interesting and engaging. Although much of our work happens behind the scenes, we get to see the positive impact it has on the care Veterans receive. Knowing that our efforts contribute to better outcomes for those who have served makes all the hard work truly rewarding.”\n\nLooking ahead\n\nMEDVAMC congratulates Christie Pascue on this well-deserved national honor and looks forward to her continued impact on the medical center and the Veterans it serve.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-10-22T14:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/1754-MM3_5204_van1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150422/medvamc-engineer-earns-national-recognition/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.770Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-uy84mw","slug":"va-s-federal-ehr-introduces-15-improvements-to-support-veteran-care-this-fall","title":"VA’s Federal EHR introduces 15 improvements to support Veteran care this fall","excerpt":"VA sites and affiliated locations that have gone live with the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) recently began receiving the largest set of system improvements since VA began releasing upgrades...","content":"VA sites and affiliated locations that have gone live with the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) recently began receiving the largest set of system improvements since VA began releasing upgrades in October 2022. This milestone introduced 15 new or updated enhancements across platforms, capabilities, and interfaces to the Federal EHR, making daily work easier for clinicians and staff, with little to no downtime.\n\nVA routinely delivers quarterly upgrades to keep the Federal EHR current. Rather than large, disruptive updates, these quarterly releases arrive in smaller, predictable bundles. This approach keeps technology modern, reduces downtime and gets new tools into clinicians’ hands as soon as they are ready.\n\nHere are a few additions from this major release, which began on Sept. 23, 2026:\n\nEmergency Department Chronological View: Clinicians can now see vital signs, documentation, orders and key events on one streamlined timeline, supporting faster, more informed decision‑making in urgent situations.\n\nRehabilitation Organizer: Therapy teams now have a unified view of schedules and essential details, improving coordination and supporting more consistent therapy experiences.\n\nStandard Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Integration: Ultrasound images now flow directly into the Federal EHR, reducing duplicate tests and giving clinicians timely access to diagnostic information.\n\nTogether, these enhancements reflect the purpose of the regular upgrades: steady, meaningful improvements that support clinicians and strengthen care for Veterans.\n\nTraining and support for clinicians\n\nAs new features roll out, VA ensures clinicians have the support they need to use them effectively. Tip sheets, quick reference guides, demos and site‑specific support help staff get familiar with the enhancements quickly. In September 2026, clinicians also participated in three “Demos and Dialogue” sessions, giving them a real‑world look at the enhancements and practical guidance from experts.\n\nWhen providers understand their tools, Veterans benefit from a more seamless care experience.\n\nFind out when the Federal EHR will deploy at your facility by visiting the EHR deployment schedule.","category":"health","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-10-22T13:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/September-Cube-Release_VA-News_1400x787px.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150418/vas-federal-ehr-introduces-15-improvements-to-support-veteran-care-this-fall/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.770Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-q9thzx","slug":"recreation-therapy-helps-veterans-rebuild-life-after-injury","title":"Recreation therapy helps veterans rebuild life after injury","excerpt":"Hall hits his second shot on the 16th hole during the 2024 National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic in Riverside, Iowa. When he was in the Army, Justin Hall sometimes tripped and fell.","content":"When he was in the Army, Justin Hall sometimes tripped and fell.\n\nHe brushed it off as clumsiness.\n\nThen his left leg started going numb and his back began hurting. Doctors, including a neurologist, attributed the symptoms to an old rib injury.\n\nHe left the Army in 2010 without any further explanation.\n\nHe developed insomnia and leg spasms. He had no response on a nerve conduction study. Still, no diagnosis.\n\nHall lived with these symptoms for years, pushing through the pain.\n\nIn 2019, he went on a surfing trip to Hawaii, which was “the most fun thing in the world,” he said. Six months later, he had a major autoimmune response.\n\nHall’s body shut down.\n\nHe fell into a two-week coma, and when he woke up at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, he was completely paralyzed.\n\n“I had to blink to communicate,” Hall said.\n\nAnother neurologist looked over his records and made the diagnosis that had eluded other doctors for years: autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy—a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks support cells in the brain and spinal cord. The condition was rare enough that it hadn’t been formally described until 2016.\n\nWhile in Charleston, Hall said he didn’t think much about the diagnosis or the possibility of being paralyzed for the rest of his life. Instead, he remembers replaying in his mind the scene from Quentin Tarantino’s film “Kill Bill” where Uma Thurman’s character, the Bride, repeats, “Wiggle your big toe,” willing herself free of her own paralysis.\n\n‘Survive right now’\n\nHall made some progress during his month-and-a-half stay at MUSC, regaining the ability to make small movements—turning his neck slightly, squeezing his hand. Then he learned he was being moved to the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Augusta, Georgia.\n\n“I was really scared to come to the VA, because I didn’t have good luck with the VA system,” Hall said. “I cried when they told me they were transferring me.\n\n“And then I got here, and it was, like, the best therapy ever.”\n\nTwo days after admission to the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center’s intensive care unit, Hall was moved to the spinal cord injury unit. Work started in the gym, where therapists moved his limbs. Then he asked to use the therapy pool.\n\n“And that’s when I could barely move my arms, so I had to prove that I wouldn’t drown,” Hall said.\n\nWeeks after arriving, he went with other spinal cord injury inpatients to an overnight camp experience at Georgia’s Fort Yargo State Park—his first exposure to adaptive sports such as zip lining and archery. He saw them as just distractions from his condition.\n\n“I wasn’t even thinking about the possibilities of life when I was at that camp,” Hall said. “I was very much in a ‘just survive right now’ mode. Being told I had this disease, I thought it was a death sentence. I didn’t think I would live past five years.”\n\nGiving life\n\nBut recreation would become far more than a distraction for Hall—a revelation he credits to his recreational therapist, Suzanne Kenrick.\n\n“I was a very depressed person,” Hall said. “I feel like Suzanne saw that and was like, ‘Hey, have you thought about just getting out there and being active?’”\n\nKenrick, who’s been with Augusta’s spinal cord injury unit since 2002, said rec therapy takes activities a person enjoys and uses them to facilitate function.\n\n“I tell my veterans this many, many times: There’s life beyond your spinal cord injury,” Kenrick said. “Our goal is to give back [a veteran’s] purpose and help them find what that is.”\n\nRec therapy often gets attention because of adaptive sports clinics like the annual winter sports and golf clinics that DAV co-presents with the VA. Kenrick said veterans who participate in those events only represent about 1% to 2% of all veterans she sees.\n\nRec therapy encompasses much more, Kenrick said, finding what brings a person joy—whether it’s sports, gardening, painting or something else.\n\n“We’re able to take one person at a time and just get down to ‘What is it that makes you tick?’” she said.\n\nFor Hall, it’s sports—especially pickleball—thanks to Kenrick’s invitation to the gym where she hosts weekly games for veterans using wheelchairs.\n\nBeyond the hospital walls\n\n“The first time I showed up to pickleball, I was so nervous because I didn’t know anybody there except for Suzanne,” Hall said, “and everybody there had been in sport chairs for a decade or more.”\n\nBy the end of that day, he was spinning the ball and winning shots.\n\n“This is my very first time doing this, and I’m giving somebody a little bit of an issue,” he recalled thinking. “I can’t move in this chair, but maybe one day I could.”\n\nHe kept playing and improving, and instead of seeing it as a distraction, he saw potential.\n\nThose weekly matches are also where he met Dr. Lisa Maddox—someone he considers a mentor.\n\nMaddox, an Army veteran, former VA physiatrist and above-the-knee amputee, was a nationally ranked wheelchair tennis player and is deadly on the pickleball court. She offers a perspective both as a patient and as a doctor who worked closely with rec therapists.\n\nMaddox recalled one patient under her care—a Black woman veteran—who just wanted to get her hair done after being in a hospital bed for a while.\n\n“Black women’s hair is a lot different than Black men’s hair and other races, because our hair isn’t straight and it’s challenging,” Maddox said.\n\nMaddox worked with her team to have part of the veteran’s rec therapy include getting her hair done.\n\n“She was just so thankful,” she said. “And that really showed me the absolute worth and power of rec therapy.”\n\nWhere physical therapy and occupational therapy help with strength and daily tasks, rec therapy brings it all together to help a veteran navigate the world after an injury—getting a haircut, opening doors, shopping for groceries and dining out.\n\n“We would take our chairs and just go out in public,” Hall said. “Simple stuff, but it’s not so simple anymore.”\n\n“They’re not approaching the world on two feet, necessarily, anymore,” Kenrick said. “They don’t live within the four walls of the hospital here, so it’s important to make that jump into the community. To me, that’s the greatest impact we have.”\n\nKenrick said that to facilitate rec therapy, the VA will fund adaptations to equipment but not the item itself. For example, the VA won’t buy a kayak, but it will buy outriggers. Sports chairs, like those used to play pickleball or basketball, are considered VA-fundable adaptations, which Kenrick said can be preventive medicine.\n\n“Being an active participant in your life and feeling like you have purpose makes you want to stay well,” she said. “That $5,000 chair may seem expensive up front, but every day that a veteran stays out of the hospital and stays more well, then the burden of care on the medical system is less and less.”\n\nBy paying for adaptations, the VA is the healthcare outlier—most civilian insurance companies will use a “medical necessity” standard to deny those requests.\n\n‘Endless possibilities’\n\nAdvocates for rec therapy, including DAV, continue to remind lawmakers of its beneficial role in veterans’ lives, backing bills that would expand veterans’ access. In February, several people testified before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs about how adaptive sports and recreation therapy have been critical in their care journeys.\n\n“The conclusion that a lot of folks made was ‘well, we just need more rec therapists,’” said Kenrick, who watched the hearing. “And I was like, ‘Yes, hallelujah!’ because there are way more veterans than there are of us.”\n\nDAV National Legislative Director Jon Retzer’s statement for the record for that hearing noted that recreational pursuits are a key component of physical rehabilitation, mental health recovery and social reintegration.\n\n“They are clinically recognized tools that improve mobility, reduce isolation and restore confidence,” he wrote.\n\nRec therapy, Hall said, helped renew his outlook on life.\n\n“I used to think that life was over, that there were no possibilities, and now it’s like they’re endless,” Hall said. “Life is full of possibilities where I thought there were none.”\n\nHe got married last year and wants to start a family. He wants to compete. He also wants to be a mentor—like others were to him—to veterans coming through the spinal cord injury unit in Augusta.\n\nWheeling his chair into the unit’s pool room one recent morning, he saw a veteran who was newer to the unit and in the early stages of his recovery. With a smile on his face, Hall started a conversation.\n\n“How’s it going?”","category":"health","author":"DAV Communications","publishDate":"2026-10-22T13:13:03.000Z","image":"https://www.dav.org/wp-content/uploads/Justin_Golf2-1.jpg","source":"DAV","sourceUrl":"https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2026/recreation-therapy-helps-veterans-rebuild-life-after-injury/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:01:03.907Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-bdmu9a","slug":"8-baseball-players-who-served-in-the-military-and-won-a-world-series","title":"8 baseball players who served in the military and won a World Series","excerpt":"Griffin Jax stands alone in Major League Baseball as the only active player to graduate from one of the United States military service academies.","content":"Griffin Jax stands alone in Major League Baseball as the only active player to graduate from one of the United States military service academies. Jax graduated from the Air Force Academy and completed two years of active-duty service before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve.\n\nJax is still in the Reserve, but now, his focus is elsewhere. Jax, who will turn 32 years old next month, is a starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. His team will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the 122nd World Series, beginning with Game 1 on Friday night.\n\nIn the past, it was not uncommon for some of baseball’s top players to serve in the military. While we await the first pitch from American Family Field in Milwaukee, we remember eight military veterans who also shone brightly in the World Series.\n\nAlexander was in the middle of his Hall of Fame baseball career when the Army drafted him in 1918. During combat, Alexander sustained exposure to mustard gas and developed what became known as post-traumatic stress disorder.\n\nThe military discharged Alexander in time for him to resume his major-league career with the Chicago Cubs in 1919. He pitched 20 seasons overall, totalling 373 regular-season victories and appearing in three World Series. The highlight came in 1926 when Alexander helped the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees in seven games for the title. In that series, Alexander yielded four runs (three earned) and struck out 17 in 20⅓ innings. Alexander was 63 years old when he died in 1950.\n\nBefore Berra became a Yankees legend, he served in the Navy. He was on a support vessel at Utah Beach in France on D-Day that “sprayed bullets and rockets across the heavily fortified beach fronts before the troops landed,” Berra said in a Defense Department article in 2020.\n\nAfter his service, Berra helped the Yankees take home 10 World Series titles. No major-league player was part of more championship teams. He hit 12 home runs in the Fall Classic, including three against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956. Berra holds the World Series record with 71 career hits.\n\nBerra died in 2015 at the age of 90.\n\nDid you know that one of Major League Baseball’s most beloved players ever also served in the Marine Corps Reserve for six years? After playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1958 to 1964, Clemente spent his offseasons as an infantryman.\n\nClemente became a Pirates fixture, playing all 18 of his major-league seasons with the franchise. He played on two World Series championship teams, including earning MVP honors in 1971. Clemente batted .414 with two home runs—including one in a Game 7 victory against the Baltimore Orioles—and four RBIs. Clemente died December 31, 1972, when his plane crashed while on its way to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was 38 years old.\n\nA Marine Corps veteran, Coleman holds the distinction of being MLB’s only player to appear in combat during World War II and the Korean War. Coleman, who died in 2014 at the age of 89, flew a combined 120 missions as a fighter pilot. In his five-year military career, Coleman received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals, and three Navy Citations.\n\nOn the baseball field, he celebrated four World Series titles with the Yankees. His RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted New York past the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 in Game 3 in 1950. The Yankees popped champagne after winning the next day.\n\nJoe DiMaggio\n\nDiMaggio was already a two-time American League MVP when he enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1943. DiMaggio sought a combat role, only for the military to assign him as a physical education instructor in the states. DiMaggio, who also played for a military baseball team, served two years before his medical discharge for stomach ulcers.\n\nThe ulcers didn’t bother DiMaggio in the batter’s box. He won another league MVP in 1947 and earned nine World Series with the Yankees. He batted .271 with eight homers and 30 RBIs in 51 World Series games.\n\nAfter the Army assigned Ford to the Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, during the Korean War, his time in the military got off to an inauspicious start. He twice fell off telephone poles, and while Ford thankfully wasn’t seriously hurt, his mishaps resulted in a change of plans. He served out the rest of his time as a radar operator.\n\nFord had few missteps when he took the mound for the Yankees during the World Series. He ended his playing days as a six-time champion, along with World Series records with 10 victories, 146 innings pitched, and 94 strikeouts. Those marks still stand, as does his record for once tossing 33⅓ scoreless innings in a row during the 1960 and 1961 World Series.\n\nThe 1961 World Series MVP, Ford died in 2020. He was 91 years old.\n\nNo MLB player served longer in the military during World War II than Greenberg, but his time in uniform could have been short-lived. Greenberg was an anti-tank gunner in the Army in 1941 when a change in the draft released men over 28 years old from service. Greenberg, who was 30 at the time, was discharged on December 5, two days before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.\n\nHe reenlisted in the Army Air Forces.\n\n“We are in trouble, and there is only one thing to do—return to the service. I have not been called back,” Greenberg told the Associated Press. “I am going back of my own accord.”\n\nThe military discharged Greenberg a second time in 1945. He appeared in four World Series for the Detroit Tigers. Greenberg, who finished as a two-time champion, sparked the Tigers to a seven-game victory against the Cubs in 1945. He batted .304 in that series with two homers and seven RBIs. He hit .318 overall in 23 World Series games.\n\nIn 1952, the Army drafted Mays. He reported for duty at Fort Eustis in Virginia, where he underwent basic training. He missed a significant portion of the 1952 and 1953 MLB seasons. Mays saw no combat during his military service, playing center field for the Fort Eustis Wheels instead. That’s where he learned his famous basket catch from another Fort Eustis outfielder, Al Fortunato.\n\nMays played in four World Series, and while his offensive numbers were not spectacular, he made this list because of one of the most famous catches in baseball history. Playing center field for the New York Giants, Mays ran down a deep fly ball that Vic Wertz of the Cleveland Indians hit, robbing him with a sensational, over-the-shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. The Giants went on to sweep that series.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n• Decorated Navy vet Bob Feller is the only MLB pitcher to throw an Opening Day no-hitter\n• This former Navy pilot became one of the unlikeliest Super Bowl champions ever\n• The namesake for hockey’s most prestigious trophy fought in both World Wars\n\n8 baseball players who served in the military and won a World Series\n\nTragedy at Navy game overshadows Army and Air Force victories\n\nWhy this retired Marine colonel and cancer survivor runs 50 marathons a year\n\nMilitary football report: Army, Navy, and Air Force emerge victorious in Week 6\n\nFord is launching the ‘Army-Navy Game for NASCAR’ with the Veterans Day Classic","category":"service","author":"Stephen Ruiz","publishDate":"2026-10-22T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/yogi-berra-yankees-getty.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/8-baseball-players-who-served-in-the-military-and-won-a-world-series/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T12:00:57.732Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:29.562Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-kcnqfu","slug":"salaries-food-and-sumo-wrestling-suits-what-i-learned-paying-the-bills-for-war","title":"Salaries, Food, and Sumo Wrestling Suits. What I Learned Paying the Bills for War","excerpt":"Illustration by Aaron Provost This is an AI-generated narration. Pronunciation or other audio errors may occur. The midsummer heat reflected off the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base...","content":"Illustration by Aaron Provost />This is an AI-generated narration. Pronunciation or other audio errors may occur.\n\nThe midsummer heat reflected off the flightline at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. It was the summer of 1990 and the beginning of Operation Desert Shield. The entire base was in full deployment mode, with planes forming a long line for departure, sequenced by priority. I climbed the ladder into the second airplane and handed a briefcase full of cash and checks to the noncommissioned officer.\n\nIt was reminiscent of an old gangster movie payoff scene, with the cash neatly stacked and bound by rubber bands. I also showed the young airmen a small metal safe, crammed in with the deployment gear, where they could store the money.\n\nAs I exited the plane, I understood for the first time the significance of my wartime mission as the base chief financial officer.\n\nSecretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is greeted by the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Larry Spencer and the commander of the Air Force District of Washington, Maj. Gen. Darryl W. Burke at Joint Base Andrews in 2015. (DoD photo by Casper Manlangit) alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44959\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null.jpeg?w=750&ssl=1 750w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null.jpeg?w=370&ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\n\nMy job included assembling a small cadre of financial troops. Once our team landed in Saudi Arabia, their tasks ranged from tracking and funding the daily costs of the war to paying the troops.\n\nThey worked 12-hour days, cashing personal checks, purchasing local goods and services, and balancing the books. They also worked with the contracting team to buy fresh food, portable showers, and construction support.\n\nIn the days before online banking, cashing personal checks was a daunting challenge for deployed airmen and their families. As troops cashed checks, their spouses drew from the same accounts back home, making an accurate cash balance nearly impossible to maintain. This led to confusion and, more critically, overdrawn accounts.\n\nAt the time, my first officer was a young female lieutenant who was legally responsible for our base’s financial account. But local restrictions on women conducting business with men meant a male junior noncommissioned officer discussed contract terms with local vendors over cups of tea while the female lieutenant could only observe and occasionally nod in agreement.\n\nTo complete a transaction, she counted out the cash payment to her male assistant, who in turn recounted the money before handing it to a local merchant. The Saudi men simply wouldn’t accept payments from a woman.\n\nOur systems were somewhat antiquated back then, and tracking operational expenditures against our installation budget was dicey at best. The deployed finance team boxed dozens of vouchers each week and mailed them back to the states, where we sorted through pay stubs and invoices, oftentimes months after the money was spent.\n\nI often felt as though I was juggling a dozen balls in the air, trying desperately not to violate any appropriation laws and guidelines while ensuring our base checkbook remained solvent.\n\nFortunately, the war was relatively short; however, the intensity of financial support continued after the war ended. As troops began returning home, our finance teams met each arriving aircraft. If we were lucky, we snagged our base members to ensure their overseas pay entitlements were discontinued and avoid overpayments before they left with their families.\n\nEven as the base began settling back into normal training operations, the war-related financial demands rolled on. We replaced used equipment and repaired damaged gear. We restocked aircraft munitions and parts and replenished supply inventories.\n\nMy experience echoed that of Syracusan general Hermocrates circa 400 B.C.: “[Carthaginians] have abundance of gold and silver, and these make war, like other things, go smoothly.”\n\nOperation Desert Shield/Storm was an overwhelming success and marked the first major U.S. war since Vietnam. Matching airpower with resources and financial support was an intense yet rewarding experience.\n\nI had assumed it was a once-in-a-career opportunity to defend our country during war — I was mistaken.\n\nTen years later, I was a senior colonel at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, serving as the chief financial leader for Air Combat Command. I was in the base gym playing basketball when my assistant said I needed to come to the office immediately. I had been summoned to the commander’s conference room, where we were briefed on the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.\n\nThe colonel commander I served with at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base during Operation Desert Storm was now the commander of ACC as a four-star general. Once again, we would support a major war together, albeit on a much larger scale. This time, I would be responsible for ensuring financial support for the war by directing operations from 14 major bases.\n\nLike my previous war experience at a single base, quickly scrambling finance teams to myriad overseas locations was an around-the-clock operation. And the challenge of ensuring the tight linkage between war and money was multiplied exponentially.\n\nDozens of deployed finance offices were established in the Middle East and at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Tracking purchases at these deployed locations became an enormous challenge as financial documents were boxed and mailed to a single command location at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, for processing. I once visited and was shocked to see boxed financial documents stacked to the ceiling.\n\nPogs were used during the Global War on Terrorism to address the lack of coins and have since become a collector’s item. (Photo courtesy of Army & Air Force Exchange Service HQ) alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44960\" srcset=\"https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-1.jpeg?w=889&ssl=1 889w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-1.jpeg?resize=400%2C225&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-1.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-1.jpeg?resize=780%2C439&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-1.jpeg?w=370&ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\">\n\nDeployed finance offices also supplied currency to the base exchange service, but there were weight restrictions, and we had to reserve the allotment for high-priority cargo. Consequently, we could not provide coins.\n\nTo solve this problem, we worked with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service to use “pogs,” which were thin cardstock cutouts of coins in 5¢, 10¢, and 25¢ denominations to use as change. Technically, pogs were considered gift certificates that were redeemable at any base exchange.\n\nThey featured pictures of fighter jets, tanks, historical figures, and military insignia. Pogs were used during Operation Iraqi Freedom and have now become collector’s items.\n\nIn addition to maintaining supplies and salaries, money could help bolster spirits.\n\nAs any commander or first sergeant can attest, maintaining high morale is integral to a ready fighting force. Seemingly routine actions like troop pay became especially important as financial teams updated pay accounts for promotions and hostile pay entitlements, allowing troops to see the financial rewards of their hard work. Our mantra was, “Troops take care of fighting the war; we take care of their pay.”\n\nBut our work wasn’t limited to pay stubs. We once bought sumo wrestling suits! During the initial troop buildup, our forces were on hold, waiting for the order to attack.\n\nSo when the troops were not training, local commanders sought opportunities for them to blow off steam and have fun.\n\nSumo wrestling, a troop favorite, featured large, bulky costumes that resembled the “Michelin Man” commercial. The objective was to put two opponents in a ring and have them bounce off each other until one tumbled.\n\nSumo wrestling became a popular morale boost within the military community. Here, airmen participate in the Comprehensive Airman Fitness week mental health day at Travis Air Force Base, California, in 2024. (Photo by Kenneth Abbate 60th Air Mobility Wing) alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-44961\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-2.jpeg?w=749&ssl=1 749w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-2.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/null-2.jpeg?w=370&ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\">\n\nBut benefits could also stir interbranch sensitivities.\n\nA bomber commander asked me about the fiscal legalities of providing free haircuts and free Stars and Stripes newspapers for his deployed airmen at Diego Garcia. The Air Force shared the remote location with the Navy, whose sailors were afforded these benefits free of charge. The commander said the perceived double standard had become a real morale issue.\n\nI elevated the issue to the lawyers at the Pentagon, but we couldn’t change it. At the time, Navy regulations allowed sailors to receive those services gratis while they were at sea; the Air Force did not offer similar benefits.\n\nToday, as U.S. forces are once again engaged in hostilities abroad, defense financial officials are juggling accounts to fund a war while supporting the troops. Once again, military lethality is proving to be closely tied with strong financial support.\n\nDuring my 40-year career, I served in the Air Force from the Vietnam War through Operation Iraqi Freedom. I had a bird’s- eye view on how money and war are inextricably linked. As Milanese commander Gian Giacomo Trivulzio told King Louis XII: “To carry on war, three things are necessary: money, money, and yet more money.”\n\nThis Reflection from The War Horse was edited by Kim Vo, fact-checked by Jess Rohan, and copy-edited by Mollie Turnbull.","category":"service","author":"Larry Spencer","publishDate":"2026-10-22T11:00:00.000Z","image":"https://i0.wp.com/thewarhorse.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/WarAndMoney-scaled.jpg?w=2560&ssl=1","source":"The War Horse","sourceUrl":"https://thewarhorse.org/salaries-food-finance-war/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T12:00:44.664Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:29.562Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-592ig2","slug":"the-navy-seals-behind-the-terminal-list-break-down-the-new-season-s-sniper-battl","title":"The Navy SEALs behind ‘The Terminal List’ break down the new season’s sniper battle","excerpt":"As Gabriel Luna sprawls behind a custom sniper rifle on a balcony overlooking a port city, he pulls out a leather-bound notebook and opens it to a simple range card with half-circles across the top.","content":"As Gabriel Luna sprawls behind a custom sniper rifle on a balcony overlooking a port city, he pulls out a leather-bound notebook and opens it to a simple range card with half-circles across the top.\n\nTwo miles away, a team of two snipers hidden amid the city clutter sits behind their own hyper-customized rifles, sighting in on a podium just below Luna. The American president will soon appear to give a speech, and it will be Luna’s job to protect him.\n\nBut unlike Luna, the two assassins have sophisticated targeting computers mounted on their guns, receiving precise information — 8-digit coordinates, wind and humidity — from a spotter hiding in the president’s crowd.\n\nWithout a word of dialogue, the stakes and contrasts of a climactic sniper battle in the second season of Amazon’s “The Terminal List” are set: The bad guys will be shooting with every advantage of technology, while Luna, playing a CIA officer and former Navy SEAL, will face them with just a pencil, an Army Form 5517-R “standard range card,” and his own instincts and skills.\n\nThe sniper shootout comes in the penultimate episode of the action-heavy military drama’s latest season, which debuts today on Amazon Prime. It follows Luna and series’ star Chris Pratt as they unwind an international terrorism plot. The sniper shootout comes as the two defend the American president during a U.S.-Russia peace summit in Ukraine in an episode dubbed “Every Bullet Has Its Destiny” — words embossed into the leather of Luna’s range notebook.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\nThe sniper duel, like the rest of the series’ shootouts, focused on true-to-life details thanks to the former Navy SEALs behind “The Terminal List.” Executive producer Jared Shaw, a SEAL from 2002 to 2013, met Pratt when the actor visited Shaw’s unit while prepping to play a SEAL in “Zero Dark Thirty.” Writer Kenny Sheard was a SEAL for 12 years, and the show is based on books by Jack Carr, an enlisted SEAL-turned-officer for 20 years.\n\nShaw spoke with Task & Purpose prior to the show’s release about how the SEALs developed the sniper battle.\n\n“There is definitely a sniper element in the book,” said Shaw. “But as we got into the writers’ room, we had Kenny Sheard in there who’s a former SEAL sniper as well. And so as we sat down in the room and really started kind of fleshing it out, it took a little bit different direction than what it does in the book, and we’re able to start getting into kind of some of the finer points of sniper warfare.”\n\n“The Terminal List” has been a hit for Amazon Prime as one of a recent genre of action-thriller shows, like “Reacher” and “Lioness,” that trade on putting hyper-realistic military hardware, tactics and skills on screen. Pratt and Luna get into gunfights in nearly every episode, from an early-season ambush in an African wildlife preserve between Pratt-led park rangers and elephant poachers, to a back alley gunfight in which Pratt, covered by Luna, frees a captured team member.\n\nBut the sniper battle in episode seven is the apex of the season’s shootouts.\n\nAssigned to protect the president, Luna and Pratt discover the sniper’s secret stash of weapons, including CheyTech M200s, a real-world sniper rifle (“that’s a 2,000 meter gun,” Luna says), plus the range computers.\n\n“Easy day,” Pratt says as they consider their opponent. “Show these wanna-be snipers there’s levels to this game.”\n\nYeah. There’s a lot of that kinda talk in the show.\n\nBut the commitment to accuracy is obvious, even for the disguised spotter, who sends back coordinates that — we checked — are along the shoreline in Odesa, Ukraine.\n\nAs the writers raise the tension and the snipers dial in their shots ever closer to each other, Shaw said, the show stays focused on the details.\n\n“I’m not sure it’s been seen before, showing the vapor trails of the bullets at long distance, and seeing how that round is pushed by wind, humidity, and adjustments and corrections you have to make over those distances,” Shaw said. Outside the show, he said, he hears from special operations veterans who watch those details closely. “It’s just those little points of authenticity that long-distance shooters, snipers, operators will key in on and be like, ‘oh, okay, I see what you did there. You guys are trying to keep it real.’”","category":"service","author":"Matt White","publishDate":"2026-10-21T19:42:24.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/775544244_1067095979229982_1713515514442270614_n-copy.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/terminal-list-pratt-seal-sniper/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T00:00:42.189Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:28.489Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-p8s1tg","slug":"neither-rain-nor-sleet-nor-snow-shall-stop-alaska-va","title":"Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow shall stop Alaska VA","excerpt":"The Alaska VA Healthcare System will transition from its current health record system to the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system on Oct. 24, 2026.","content":"The Alaska VA Healthcare System will transition from its current health record system to the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system on Oct. 24, 2026. But first, Veterans need to learn about the changes they can expect.\n\nPreparing Alaska Veterans for the Federal EHR transition\n\nOn Sept. 21, Alaska VA Healthcare System launched a mass-mailing campaign to get the word out. Jennifer Price, acting director of Alaska VA Healthcare System, personally mailed out the first 1,000 letters notifying Veterans about the upcoming transition at the post office located on VA’s Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus in Anchorage.\n\n“We have 23,000 Veterans enrolled in the Alaska VA Healthcare System, and we are sending a letter to each and every one of them via the U.S. Postal Service to ensure they all receive this important information. For the past year, we’ve been doing a multimedia campaign. We’ve posted numerous articles and videos on our social media platforms and in the lobbies of our clinics. As excellent as that campaign has been, there are still Veterans out there who live in remote areas and perhaps have limited connectivity. So, this is another avenue to reach out to them to ensure they get the word,” Price said.\n\nKey benefits Veterans will experience\n\nSome of the benefits of the new system include:\n\nThe Federal EHR will provide a single, accurate, standardized lifetime health record for Veterans that includes their health records from the Department of War, U.S. Coast Guard, other federal partners and community providers.\n\nVeterans will experience an easier transition from military care to VA care because Veterans won’t have to transfer their own records when they separate from the military. Their healthcare records will automatically be in the VA system.\n\nVeterans will be able to spend more time talking with providers about current concerns because they will spend less time repeating their health history.\n\nVeterans will avoid having to undergo repeat tests, imaging and exams because test results and reports from DOW and community healthcare providers will already be in the system.\n\nVeterans will experience an improved and consistent experience when transferring their care. If a Veteran is referred to another VA, or visits a community provider, or even is just traveling on vacation and needs to see a doctor, their new care team will be able to quickly access all their records, referrals and orders.\n\nThough the new Federal EHR system will be a huge boon to Veterans for years and decades to come, there may be a few challenges around the time of go-live.\n\n“My recommendation to Alaska Veterans is to get your prescription refills and your appointments scheduled now, so we are ahead of the curve,” said Price. “About 10 days before the go-live date, which is Oct. 24, 2026, until about six days afterwards, there may be some disruptions to services such as prescription refills and making appointments.\n\n“Once fully deployed, the Federal EHR will better equip us to deliver the comprehensive healthcare Alaska Veterans have earned and deserve, both now and into the future,” she said.","category":"health","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-10-21T18:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/Alaska-Mass-Mailing_VA-News_1400x787px.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150414/neither-rain-nor-sleet-snow-stop-alaska-va/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T00:00:40.570Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:28.489Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-5p7a1r","slug":"soldiers-are-using-the-army-s-new-dining-halls-exponentially-more-official-says","title":"Soldiers are using the Army’s new dining halls ‘exponentially’ more, official says","excerpt":"Army officials said more soldiers are eating at new college-inspired dining halls. In some cases, the average number of meals served is three to four times higher than at the same time last year,...","content":"Army officials said more soldiers are eating at new college-inspired dining halls. In some cases, the average number of meals served is three to four times higher than at the same time last year, according to data provided by the service.\n\nThe numbers are reflective of the Army’s new campus-style dining halls, which were designed to be more like the cafeterias on college campuses. The service is less than a year out from opening four of its new dining facilities, and Army officials said they’re expanding takeout options and looking at more ways to add flexibility to meal card plans for soldiers.\n\nIn January 2025, the service put out a bid to private contractors, and later that year, the Army chose Compass Group USA Inc. to run the first set of new dining halls. In the last eight months, four new dining spaces have opened: 42 Bistro at Fort Hood, Texas; Stack House Bistro at Fort Carson, Colorado; Belvedere Bistro at Fort Drum, New York; and Rally Point Bistro at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. A fifth dining hall is scheduled to open at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in 2027.\n\nKen Hicks, a senior analyst involved in the Army’s efforts to overhaul its dining facilities, said they’ve seen usage rates go up “exponentially.” He said they’re tracking meals served and comparing it down to the quarter, month and week.\n\nAt 42 Bistro at Fort Hood, meal rates have increased three times what they were last year. Between February and mid-October, the new Texas dining hall served an average of 3,004 meals compared to 973 meals during the same time last year at the old facility. There’s also been a 130% increase in soldiers served, or about 5,500 more soldiers eating there compared to last year, according to data provided by the Army.\n\n“The throughput through those facilities is literally tripling the traffic area,” said Stephanie Barton, head of the Army Food Program at Army Materiel Command. “That’s huge, and that’s really kind of where we want it to be.”\n\nAt Fort Carson, the new dining hall served an average of 3,324 meals from April to October, compared to 878 meals during the same time last year. At Fort Drum, an average of over 2,577 meals were served, compared to only 441 meals last year at the old dining hall, according to the Army.\n\nTo give soldiers more ways to use their meal plans, the Army has expanded a takeout dining option that first launched at Fort Hood with a few hiccups. Army officials said that as of Oct. 1, soldiers at all new dining halls have access to On Demand — where they can order food by phone app and have it delivered to drop zones on base.\n\n“It’s less than a week old, so we’re just working through some kinks,” Barton said in early October. “I think it’s going to be really good for the soldiers.”\n\nIn other firsts, over the summer, 42 Bistro at Fort Hood was also the first dining hall allowed to sell alcohol. Hicks said sales have been pretty low.\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\n“That’s out of [soldiers’] pocket if they want that,” he said. “That’s not included in their [meal plan] dollars.”\n\nAs the Army set out to transform its dining program, officials said they were aiming to increase the number of soldiers who eat on base.\n\nIn 2024, Army officials had cited statistics of dining hall utilization rates falling below 65%. That number is crucial, according to the Government Accountability Office, which reported in 2022 that Army standards dictate that dining facilities with utilization rates below 65% should be considered for closure. The GAO also found that the data being tracked by the military services did not “fully assess the extent” to which troops are using their meal entitlement.\n\nHowever, Hicks argued that the 65% threshold is not useful, adding, “If that was the case, we’d have blown that a long time ago.” Instead, he said meal card holder utilization is the best indicator of whether soldiers are using the dining hall.\n\nAccording to the Army, 20% to 30% of soldiers with meal cards on bases that have the new dining halls are choosing to eat at them.\n\nSo far, food planners have noticed that some aspects of the new contractor-run dining halls are consistent with old dining facility norms: the majority of customers are enlisted meal plan holders who often opt to eat there for breakfast and lunch. And with the new meal plan, officials said they’ve noticed that soldiers are choosing a different way to use it.\n\nAt the campus-style halls run by Compass Group USA Inc., soldiers get $39 worth of “freedom dollars” a day to spend any way they want on their food. For instance, soldiers could go for a heavy breakfast, skip lunch, come back for dinner, or opt for no breakfast and one big meal in the afternoon. According to Army officials, roughly 1 to 2% of soldiers eating at the dining halls are opting to spend their money in a single visit.\n\n“They don’t physically have to go to the facility the way it’s designed now,” Barton said. “They can get their meals and they can enjoy their weekends better than having to report to an old legacy facility.”\n\nArmy officials said soldiers are doing this throughout the week — loading up on multiple meals before a busy work day — or spending it on the Friday ahead of the weekend.\n\nHicks said a handful of soldiers at each base are using their meal plan money this way, but he expects this trend to increase as they learn about the new options. He said food program officials are working to offer this kind of flexibility to more soldiers so they “can pick up two to three days’ worth of rations over a four-day weekend.”\n\n“We’re just not there just yet,” he added. “We’ve got to make sure that our policies are aligned from a funding standpoint.”","category":"service","author":"Patty Nieberg","publishDate":"2026-10-21T17:18:35.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/9524322-e1792596666431.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-new-dining-halls-update/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T18:00:49.889Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:28.489Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-fmu7yt","slug":"5-things-to-know-about-execution-by-firing-squad-in-the-united-states","title":"5 things to know about execution by firing squad in the United States","excerpt":"Executions are inherently controversial ways of punishing heinous crimes in the United States. The debate isn’t just over what constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment,” either.","content":"Executions are inherently controversial ways of punishing heinous crimes in the United States. The debate isn’t just over what constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment,” either. Studies estimate that at least 4% of death row inmates are likely innocent of the crime in the first place. Since 1973, at least 203 people wrongly convicted and sentenced to death have been formally exonerated and cleared. This means roughly one person has been freed from death row for every 8.3 executions carried out.\n\nThough they vary by state, many forms of execution are still legal in the United States, either as primary or secondary methods. Lethal injection is the most common, but the electric chair, gas chamber, and even hanging are still around. There is one most closely associated with military personnel: the firing squad.\n\nIt might seem like the easiest form of execution, especially for a organization filled with trained riflemen: A prisoner, usually blindfolded or given a cigarette, stands against a brick wall or sturdy barrier and is gunned down by a handful of soldiers—at least that’s how we see it in movies, television, some dictatorships, and even the old days of U.S. military operations.\n\nBut things are a little different in the United States these days.\n\n1. There’s No Pole\n\nThe condemned isn’t tied to a pole or placed in front of a wall, or anything else you might have seen in a movie. With an American firing squad, the condemned is strapped to a chair, blindfolded, and a target is place over the subject’s chest. Sandbags are used to catch any strays or ricochets.\n\nThis was the case with convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner in 2010. Gardner tried to escape when he was brought to court for a hearing on charges in the 1984 robbery and fatal shooting of Melvyn John Otterstrom. He killed an attorney during his escape attempt, and was convicted in the Otterstrom case later.\n\n2. There Might Be a Blank\n\nThe popular lore says that only a few of the riflemen are given live rounds; everyone else is firing a blank. This way, the legend says, no one on the squad will be 100% sure they killed a man. The “conscience round” is real, but the ratio is heavily in favor of real rounds. When Utah executed Gardner in 2010, four of the five rifles carried live bullets and one carried a blank.\n\nWhile this sounds good, there’s a catch: the recoil. A blank kicks far less than a live round, and an experienced shooter can feel the difference. And not every state cares about conscience. South Carolina uses live ammunition in all three shooters’ rifles, and it uses .308-caliber Winchester 110-grain TAP Urban rounds, which are designed to fragment. And Idaho’s new protocol skips the blank now.\n\n3. Shooters are Given a Target\n\nAn American firing squad execution is intended to kill by destroying the prisoner’s heart. All firing squad members have to pass an accuracy test under similar conditions. In Utaa, when the condemned is brought into the execution chamber, they are strapped to a chair, and a physician either marks the location of the heart on the inmate’s jumpsuit (South Carolina) or places a target on the spot (Utah).\n\nThe squad uses .30-caliber rounds, with two rounds in their weapon, they fire from around 20-21 feet away. Three minutes after the first volley, a physician checks for vital signs. If the condemned is still clearly alive, the firing squad fires their second round. Vitals are monitored every 60 seconds for 10 minutes to ensure death.\n\nA target doesn’t ensure a clean execution. In the 2025 South Carolina execution of Mikal Mahdi, every shot missed his heart.\n\n4. Blindfolds Vary by State\n\nThere’s no national laws governing the use of blindfolds or hoods, but the states have their own rules on this. A hood is required by law in Utah. There, the inmate will get two minutes to speak before being hooded by the warden. In South Carolina, the firm rules are less clear, but the inmates are generally hooded. Idaho, which adopted the firing squad as a primary method in July 2026, gives prisoners the option of a mask or hood. The state also calls for a mild sedative before the inmate is moved to the execution area.\n\nA mask or eye covering is not only for the inmate, it’s also apparently for the firing squad. According to the Crime Museum, when the condemned person was able to look into the eyes of their executioners, it diminished their anonymity. This made the event stressful for the shooters who were following orders.\n\n5. The Firing Squad is Anonymous\n\nIn Utah, the identities of those selected for the firing squad remain secret by law. South Carolina’s 2023 shield law keeps secret the names of execution team members and what training they received. Idaho’s shooters don’t come from the prison staff. The squad is three volunteers from law enforcement agencies with certifications for firearm accuracy.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• The last time the U.S. military executed a service member \n• The story of the only US soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War\n• The only 4 inmates on the US military’s death row\n\n5 things to know about execution by firing squad in the United States\n\nWorld War II\n\nHow this Marine veteran scrambled to survive after the USS Indianapolis sank\n\nThe post-Civil War ban on home distilling is heading to the Supreme Court\n\nThe last time the U.S. military executed a service member\n\nWhy this retired Marine colonel and cancer survivor runs 50 marathons a year","category":"legacy","author":"Tim Kirkpatrick","publishDate":"2026-10-21T16:35:11.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/goya.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/execution-by-firing-squad/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T18:00:55.088Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:28.489Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-wky3r9","slug":"let-s-talk-stress-a-simple-conversation-is-changing-care-for-veterans","title":"Let’s talk stress: A simple conversation is changing care for Veterans","excerpt":"Supporting Veteran wellbeing at VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend The Primary Care “Let’s Talk Stress” campaign at VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Healthcare System was launched in July 2026 to make brief,...","content":"Supporting Veteran wellbeing at VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend\n\nThe Primary Care “Let’s Talk Stress” campaign at VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Healthcare System was launched in July 2026 to make brief, supportive conversations about stress a routine part of Veteran care and to connect those conversations to practical resources that improve health and wellbeing. The campaign is grounded in a simple message: Stress is common, stress affects health, and even a brief conversation in the primary care setting can lead to meaningful support and better health outcomes for Veterans.\n\nWhy the campaign matters\n\nCampaign materials explain that stress affects long-term health across multiple areas, including sleep, mood and chronic disease management. It also emphasizes that brief, intentional conversations can strengthen rapport, reduce stigma and improve care outcomes by helping Veterans feel heard and supported.\n\nThe primary care approach\n\nThe campaign gives primary care teams a practical framework for discussing stress during routine visits: normalize the experience, validate feelings, keep the conversation brief but intentional, connect stress to health, offer simple coping strategies and share available resources. Suggested questions, such as “How has stress been affecting your daily life?” and “What helps you cope when things feel overwhelming?” are designed to invite honest conversation and uncover needs that may not surface during a standard medical visit.\n\nThe campaign also gives teams clear guidance on when to consider a warm handoff, including when stress is interfering with daily functioning, when a Veteran is facing major life challenges or when there are safety or crisis concerns. This supports timely connection to additional services and reinforces a team-based model of care.\n\nVeteran-facing message\n\nVeteran-facing materials frame the campaign using simple steps to take regarding stress: Talk, learn and thrive. It also recognizes the difficulty of dealing with stress with the slogan “Stress Is Tough, So Are You” printed on a rubber wristband handed out to Veterans during clinical encounters. Veterans are encouraged to talk with their VA primary care provider about how they are feeling, learn strategies to manage stress and build resilience, and use those tools to improve wellbeing and stay strong for what matters most.\n\nResources supporting the campaign\n\nThe campaign is strengthened by direct connections to Whole Health and Healthy Living services, so that stress conversations can lead to immediate next steps. Whole Health offerings across VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend include tai chi, qi gong, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, health coaching, biofeedback for stress, hypnosis for pain and anxiety, acupuncture services and lifestyle medicine support focused on stress management, sleep, nutrition, movement and healthy routines.\n\nEarly impact on Veterans\n\nEarly campaign impact is evident in the way primary care teams are using conversations about stress to create meaningful connection with Veterans and to surface needs that might otherwise go unaddressed. By normalizing stress, validating Veteran experiences and linking Veterans to Whole Health, Healthy Living, Social Work and VA Crisis line resources when appropriate, the campaign is helping Veterans access support earlier and in ways that feel practical, respectful and relevant to daily life.\n\nOne Veteran identified during the campaign was experiencing significant stress related to difficulty paying essential household bills, including water and electricity. During a clinical encounter, nursing staff recognized the seriousness of this stressor and connected the Veteran with a social worker who helped set up autopay for recurring bills. This intervention reduced the risk of future utility disconnection, which had happened several times in the past and had caused major stress for the Veteran. With that immediate burden reduced, the Veteran is now better able to focus on their chronic health conditions and engage more effectively in self-care and their ongoing treatment plan.\n\nThe campaign’s early momentum shows an important shift: Stress is being addressed not as a separate issue, but as a core part of whole-person care. That approach is helping Veterans build resilience, improve confidence in their care team and strengthen the connection between everyday wellbeing and long-term health.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/2026.07.17-AIF-Stress-Campagin-Photo-187A0301_van1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150401/talk-stress-conversation-changing-care-veterans/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T18:00:43.437Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:28.489Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-kixeda","slug":"army-wants-to-test-and-field-new-drone-defenses-in-under-six-months","title":"Army wants to test and field new drone defenses in under six months","excerpt":"The Army plans to test up to 15 new drone defense systems in Morocco next spring, with the goal of getting the top performers into soldiers’ hands within six months afterwards, Army officials told...","content":"The Army plans to test up to 15 new drone defense systems in Morocco next spring, with the goal of getting the top performers into soldiers’ hands within six months afterwards, Army officials told Task & Purpose.\n\nThe tests will focus on protecting temporary command posts and remote military positions from enemy drones, including small aircraft that can be difficult to detect when not transmitting radio signals.\n\nAn Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, spokesperson told Task & Purpose that the military plans to test equipment that can detect and identify small, radio-silent drones from nearly a mile away, day or night.\n\nThe Army also wants systems capable of tracking large drones from 5 miles away and smaller ones from close to 2 miles.\n\nThe military plans to evaluate as many as 15 technologies, including equipment that detects approaching drones, weapons that physically destroy them, systems that disable without firing weapons, and protective measures designed to reduce the damage they can cause.\n\nThe tests come as Army officials warn that potential adversaries are finding new ways to use commercially available drones, creating additional challenges for troops operating in remote areas with limited communications infrastructure.\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\n“Our adversaries are rapidly adapting commercial drones, and Africa’s dispersed, bandwidth-limited environment demands low-cost, scalable systems that work in degraded conditions,” an Army spokesperson told Task & Purpose.\n\nThe Army did not say if the planned tests are directly related to the ongoing conflict with Iran, but said its efforts to develop new military technology draw on lessons from different regions.\n\n“Accelerated Capability Events draw cross-theater lessons and threat trends while remaining tailored to each geographical command’s priorities,” a spokesperson for the Army’s Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate said.\n\nThe Army will begin testing the equipment in February and March 2027 in Tan-Tan, Morocco, where the Army has said it plans to build a “drone academy” for regional allies. followed by additional evaluations in April and May during African Lion 2027, a major U.S.-led military exercise in Africa.\n\nOfficials said the 180-day timeline refers to getting approved equipment into soldiers’ hands after evaluation, rather than simply completing the testing process.\n\nAfter the assessments, Army officials will review how the equipment performed and consider feedback from soldiers before deciding which technologies to purchase.","category":"service","author":"Austin Campbell","publishDate":"2026-10-21T13:58:24.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/9645194-e1792590998604.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-counter-drone-defenses-morocco/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T18:00:49.889Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:29.157Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-22ybbl","slug":"a-chance-conversation-put-this-navy-veteran-on-the-path-to-franchise-ownership","title":"A chance conversation put this Navy Veteran on the path to franchise ownership","excerpt":"A chance conversation with a friend at Sherwin-Williams introduced Navy Veteran Nick Hernandez-Sepper to PAINT CORPS. Until then, he had never considered franchise ownership.","content":"A chance conversation with a friend at Sherwin-Williams introduced Navy Veteran Nick Hernandez-Sepper to PAINT CORPS. Until then, he had never considered franchise ownership.\n\nHernandez-Sepper served eight years as a naval flight officer before working in finance for defense contractors. He wanted to leave his desk-based role and explore work that could offer more time with his family.\n\nThat conversation prompted him to contact Veteran Service Brands, the organization behind PAINT CORPS. He then began researching what ownership would involve.\n\nFinding a familiar approach\n\nMilitary service taught Hernandez-Sepper the value of established procedures. The franchise playbook offered a familiar approach to learning how to run a business.\n\n“The systems allow you to sit in that captain’s chair and make those decisions,” he said. “Then the systems help you carry them out.”\n\nBefore committing, Hernandez-Sepper reviewed the franchise disclosure document, which franchisors provide to prospective buyers. Each document is specific to the franchise opportunity and details its fees, estimated startup costs, training, support and contractual obligations.\n\nBuyers can also review financial performance information, when provided, and find contact details for current and former owners. An independent franchise attorney and accountant can help evaluate the documents and financial assumptions.\n\nLearning from owners and the local market\n\nHernandez-Sepper contacted existing owners to hear about their experiences. Shared military service helped him connect with the people he called.\n\n“We were already on another level of understanding, just because everyone’s a Veteran,” Hernandez-Sepper said.\n\nThese conversations offer buyers an opportunity to ask about everyday responsibilities: What costs surprised you? How do you find customers? Has the support met your expectations? Would you buy it again?\n\nHernandez-Sepper also invited 15 local painters to provide estimates for painting his house. Some measured every room. Others took photographs and submitted a price.\n\nHe saw firsthand how businesses assessed the same project and presented their estimates. Veteran Service Brands also conducted a market study. Together, these findings informed his decision to become Oklahoma’s first PAINT CORPS owner.\n\nPutting the research into practice\n\nHernandez-Sepper opened his business in early April 2026. His first customer needed help completing work that another painter had left unfinished.\n\nHernandez-Sepper provided an estimate the following day. His crew finished the project in four days, earning a five-star review.\n\nHe has since hired a project manager and purchased a second vehicle.\n\nHis research reflects a point in “Field Manual for Veterans in Franchising,” a book by Veteran Service Brands founder Jack Child, a Veteran of both the Army and the Air Force. There is no perfect franchise. Buyers need to investigate whether an opportunity fits their goals, finances and expectations.\n\nThat investigation may lead someone to pursue ownership or decide against it. Both are valid outcomes.\n\nExploring whether franchise ownership fits\n\nVeterans considering business ownership can visit the Veteran Service Brands website to learn about franchise opportunities and submit an inquiry.\n\nAn introductory conversation can help prospective owners discuss their interests, goals and questions, learn about ownership responsibilities and decide whether to explore further.\n\nVeteran Service Brands is a network of service-based franchises with roots in military values. Its franchise opportunities are open to Veterans and other qualified entrepreneurs.\n\nIts five brands offer the following services:\n\nG-FORCE: parking lot striping\n\nMACH ONE: epoxy flooring\n\nPAINT CORPS: residential and commercial painting\n\nFIELD OPS: athletic field markings\n\nPROP WASH: pressure washing and soft washing","category":"service","author":"audreybhullar","publishDate":"2026-10-21T13:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/Nick-H-S_PC-1200x628-1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150345/conversation-veteran-path-franchise-ownership/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T18:00:43.437Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:29.157Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-anopzb","slug":"how-this-marine-veteran-scrambled-to-survive-after-the-uss-indianapolis-sank","title":"How this Marine veteran scrambled to survive after the USS Indianapolis sank","excerpt":"Dr. Giles McCoy served in the Marine Corps during World War II and was on the USS Indianapolis when a Japanese submarine sank it July 30, 1945.","content":"Dr. Giles McCoy served in the Marine Corps during World War II and was on the USS Indianapolis when a Japanese submarine sank it July 30, 1945. He was one of 316 men who survived four days in shark-infested waters. Nearly 900 members of the Indianapolis’ crew died. McCoy, who died in 2009 at the age of 83, spoke to the Library of Congress in 2002 for its Veterans History Collection. In the lead-up to Veterans Day on November 11, 2026, here is a transcript of that interview. It was edited for brevity and clarity.\n\n“My mother had to sign for me, because I was only 17 years old when I went into the Marine Corps. My mother didn’t want to sign, and my dad was a World War I veteran. He didn’t want me to go, so I had to beg them. I went down there, and finally she came along with me and signed the papers for me and cried all the way. What a wonderful woman she was. I was very fortunate to have a mother like her.\n\n“One of my buddies [in the Marines] turned out to be a gangster in St. Louis. I will never forget. He invited me down to his wedding, and I took my wife with me. Oh, God. He pulled a .45 [pistol] out of his holster and slammed it on the table. He had me in front with the wedding party [and said], ‘If anybody gives you trouble, you just tell [me], and I’ll come take care of them.’ Scared the living daylights out of my wife. ‘Put that away. You’ve got her scared to death. I’m ready to get out of here and go home.’ He said, ‘I don’t want you leaving yet. I’ll put it away.’\n\n“I went through boot camp at the Marine Depot in San Diego, and then after I fired on the range, I made the mistake of firing too well. Out of the top possibility of 250, I shot a 248, and a major in the Marine Corps came up and said, ‘Where is this McCoy at?’ I said, ‘Right here,’ and he said, ‘We’re going to make a sniper out of you. We don’t have any, and you’re going to be one of the first ones.’ I said, ‘Why are you doing that to me?’ He said, ‘Look at your firing score. Before we leave here, I’m going to give you 10 rounds, and I want you from 500 yards to see how many you can put in the black.’ I put eight in the black. ‘That’s why we’re sending you to sniper school.’\n\nBecoming a Marine Sniper\n\n“That’s what I became, and I didn’t like the job. It was a nasty job. I almost got court-martialed a couple of times for not shooting two Japanese boys. They weren’t any more than 10, 12 years old, and I had a sergeant with me. He was an observer, and he told me to take those boys out.\n\n“I said, ‘I’m not going to do it. I wasn’t brought up that way, and I didn’t come into this war to shoot kids. I’ve shot men, and I hadn’t liked it. I’m sure as hell going to shoot those boys.’\n\n“And he said, ‘Well, I’ll get you court-martialed.’ I said, ‘Sergeant, you do what you have to do, but I’m not going to shoot them. Here’s my rifle.’ I’m not going to have that on my conscience. I have enough on my conscience. That was on Peleliu, and I didn’t think the boys were really in combat. One had a rifle, but I think they were doing chores around their bivouac area. They were waiting on the Japanese soldiers, and I don’t think they were combat soldiers.\n\n“The transport that brought us in, on the morning of our disembarkment, they gave us all the powdered scrambled eggs that we could eat and all the powdered milk that we could drink. I just had my one share, but boy, when we got done, guys threw up on my back and all over the deck of the landing barge. You could hardly stand up, and I was trying to protect my rifle. When we got into the landing area, the landing barge went into shallow water. We were about 400-500 yards from the landing beach, so we had to get off the landing vessel and wade in the water. Some of it was up to our chest.\n\n“The Japanese were trying to shoot us, and you could see machine gun bullets hitting the water all around us. Finally we got to where we could walk up the beach and onto dry land. That was quite an accomplishment, surviving that slippery deck on that landing barge because it was just full of junk. I told a sergeant when I got my feet on solid ground, ‘This beats that damn landing barge.’ We went onto shore, and he helped guide me. He had already been through one invasion. When he found out I was pretty good at my job and how young I was, he just took me on as his son. He kept telling me, ‘You just do what I tell you and don’t ask questions. I’ll get you through this invasion.’ That’s what I did, and he did. I had to do a lot of shooting that I wasn’t proud of.\n\n“There were many casualties [in my unit]. There were a lot there right on the beach, and then further in, we got quite a bit of shelling, a lot of firefighting…. A Japanese sniper shot me through my groin and through my leg. I was trying to stop the bleeding, and I was trying to decide how badly wounded I was. My sergeant kept saying, ‘Do you see him? Do you see him?’ Of course. I said, ‘Hell, Sarge, I’m busy trying to stop my bleeding.’ He said, ‘Well, get that damn stuff stopped and pick him up. He’s moving.’ I looked up, and I found him. I said, ‘I got him,’ and so I kicked a round off. The sergeant said, ‘Did you get him?’ I said, ‘Sarge, you know I don’t miss at this range.’ He said, ‘OK. Now go on and stop that damn wound.’\n\n“They sent me back to an island just north of Guadalcanal. It was filled with rats and land crabs. It was really bad, and they knew that I had to go farther to get my wound treated, so they sent me to Pearl Harbor. They took care of it, and when I got well, I got ready to go back to my outfit. One of my officers in the Marine Corps, he looked at my record, and he said, ‘You’ve done enough, son. I’m going to put you on the Indianapolis.’ Little did I know that I was going to have to swim for five days, but he put me aboard the Indianapolis.\n\nHeading to the Indianapolis\n\n“They pulled into Pearl Harbor, and some of the Marines got off. We had 39 Marine detachments on board, and some of them were eligible for reassignment. I replaced some of the Marines that got off. It was a beautiful ship, and the living quarters—once you’ve been in the Marine infantry and then, all of a sudden, you get on a clean ship like the Indianapolis. You can take a shower every day. Your food is not full of bugs, and you can eat food without gritting your teeth because of all the sand that comes with it. It was really a pleasure, and I was in heaven.\n\n“I stayed on the Indianapolis, and I became a hot shellman. It was on a five-inch/38 [caliber twin-gun mount]. We had eight, and the Marines on board manned two of them. The Marines also manned the quad 40, which is a 40-millimeter anti-aircraft gun. On the five-inch that I was on, I would catch the hot shell when it would be shot out of the chamber. You can’t let them bounce around on deck, because they’d hit somebody and break a leg. It was my job to catch them and throw them into a net.\n\n“I never lost a shell, and then I didn’t have to do any of the other parts of my training until they put me on Iwo Jima. We had the 25th Regimental Combat Team with the 5th Marine Division. They climbed [Mount] Suribachi, and the Japanese were around it. They would drop grenades down the side of the mountain and blow Marines off the side of the hill. Eighty of us were assigned to snipe the Japanese on Suribachi, and anybody who stuck their head out, one of us got him.\n\n“The Indianapolis went on in the war, and we took a suicide plane in Okinawa. The kamikaze hit on the port side, where my gun was. I was catching shells, and as the gun was shooting straight up, I was jamming them into the deck and kicking them away from me. All of a sudden, there were no more shells coming up. I thought, ‘What’s going on here?’ I looked around, and my gun crew was down. They were all lying on the deck, right where I was throwing the shells. They saw the suicide plane come right down to us. It hit about 50 feet from our gun placement. I went back to the fantail where it hit. [We] pushed it over the side, because we didn’t want it to catch fire. I saw the Japanese pilot plastered up on the dash of the plane, and so the Navy boys wiggled it, and we pushed it off the side. We lost 29 men when that kamikaze hit us.\n\n“My mother and oldest sister came out to California to see me [while the Indianapolis received repairs]. I had a good visit with them, and as we pulled out of our repair dock, I told my mother and sister goodbye. They left and went back to Missouri, and we left and went down to Hunters Point in San Francisco. I knew something big was up, because there were Marines out in motor launches in the Bay Area, and there were armed Marines all over the dock. We didn’t know what we were going to pick up, but we wound up taking the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My mother and sister were still up in Vallejo, so I asked my executive officer if I could call my mother. He said, ‘No. I can’t even tell my wife I’m not coming home for supper.’ Being before dark, we up-anchored and took off.\n\nTaking the Atomic Bombs to Japan\n\n“They placed the bombs in the port hangar of the ship. They had it roped off, and we put a 24-hour Marine guard on board. I sat on it many times on my watch. I didn’t know what they were; no one knew what they were. The captain told us Marines to guard this with our lives, and we couldn’t let anybody come in there that wasn’t authorized. They assigned two scientists to the hauling of the bombs. They would check them over. Their job was after we put them off at Tinian [Island] and onto the Enola Gay, they would put them together in-flight to Japan and let them blow up there, drop them on Japan.\n\n“The Indianapolis was a good ship. It was a happy ship. I know it sounds strange, but you kind of base combat ships on, ‘Did you have a happy ship, or did you have a bitch of a ship?’ Capt. [Charles Butler] McVay was a great skipper. We all had tremendous respect for him. He suffered out there like we did for our five days. He was lucky he got off the bridge. When the first torpedo hit us, it took 60 feet of our bow. It left us wide open, and the ship was still moving. It was going at 17 knots, and we were just scooping up water. That was why we sank so quickly.\n\n“I was three decks before [when the Indianapolis was hit]. I had changed the watch a half-hour early. We had a brig watch. We had two of our sailors—a cook and a baker—that had got a deck court-martial because they misbehaved in San Francisco. They were going through a 10-day sentence, so we had to stand watch 24 hours a day. They were on bread and water, but they had the best food. All of their buddies from the cooks and bakers, and they brought food down. They brought enough for the Marines who were on guard. I had my share of it, but I changed the watch a half-hour early.\n\n“It was so hot below decks. The Indianapolis had no air conditioning. We were on the equator, and it was 118, 120 degrees during the day, and it just was awfully hot at night. You couldn’t hardly sleep, and so I changed the watch, and PFC Davis was the guy who was on duty. He just got back to the Marine compartment when the second torpedo hit. It hit right below the Marine compartment, so he got back just in time to get killed.\n\n“When the second [torpedo] hit, it blew up our eight-inch magazine, which was amidships, and it threw me from one side of the compartment to the other, and a lot of bunks and men in bunks came down on me. I squirmed out from underneath all of it, and all the lights, all the controls, went out. We had no light, so I crawled back to my battle station, where the brig was. I had an electric, battery-operated lantern, and I turned it on. The guys were hollering that they wanted to get the bunks off them and things. Fellas had broken arms, broken legs, and broken ribs, and so we started to get them out.\n\n“That Was Going to Be Their Tomb”\n\n“I got my two prisoners out and told them, ‘I can’t let you go topside. I need you to stay here and help me get these men out from underneath these bunks.’ That’s what they did. A chief petty officer stuck his head down, and he said that for everybody who was able in the department, get out because he was going to close and ‘dog’ the hatch. When they ‘dog’ a hatch on board a ship to make it watertight, that means it’s sealed permanently. They close it from above, and they put a metal pin in it where you can’t open it from below. My prisoners, they left me when he hollered.\n\n“The chief knew me because I had done work for him. He said, ‘McCoy, you get your butt out of there, because I’m going to ‘dog’ the hatch. I went topside, and then I said, ‘Chief, let me go back down there. There’s still men down there that can’t get out. They’re buried underneath bunks and such.’ And he said, ‘That’s where they’re going to have to stay, son.’ That’s the part that still bothers me, even at my old age. I can still remember hearing those fellas hollering, trying to get out. That was going to be their tomb. They were going to die there. I wanted to try to help them, but he wouldn’t let me.\n\n“I went up the hatch to the next deck, and as I got up there, the ship kept listing, dropping over on the starboard ship. When I got on deck, the ship was laying over, just real bad. I got back to the eight-inch gun, and I walked up the side of the turret to get up to my battle station. When I got up to my battle station, the ship just laid over on her side. She was sinking from the bow first.\n\n“I just started walking down the side of the ship, and when I got to the keel, I knew—I got a life jacket—I had to get away from the ship. So when I got to the keel, I just slid on down until I got in the water and started swimming away. When I looked back, the ship was standing on her nose, the propellers were still going around, and men were still jumping off the fantail. Many hit the propellers.\n\n“Anybody who got off the ship and was injured, they didn’t have a chance to live. They were going to die. But I was out there. I thought that I had to get away from the ship, so I started swimming. The ship sucked me down. I went down until my head felt like it was going to blow open. I caught an air bubble and came back to the surface. When I looked back, there was nothing left but a great, big mountain of foam. The Indianapolis was gone. She wasn’t there, and you could feel her still exploding. I could feel the explosions under the water, hitting me in the groin as I tried to get my life jacket on.”\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n• How this Native American veteran honored her tribe by serving in the Air Force\n• Korean War veteran pinpoints the most important lesson of war\n• Why a fallen service member’s death in 1999 still hounds this Army veteran\n\nWorld War II\n\nHow this Marine veteran scrambled to survive after the USS Indianapolis sank\n\nKorean War veteran pinpoints the most important lesson of war\n\nWorld War II\n\nKamikaze pilots couldn’t stop this Marine veteran, 104, during World War II\n\n‘Invisible Battles:’ An infantry veteran’s essay on surviving and thriving with a TBI\n\nOur huge list of Veterans Day 2025 freebies, discounts, and deals","category":"legacy","author":"Stephen Ruiz","publishDate":"2026-10-21T12:00:00.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/veterans-day-giles-mccoy-courtesy.jpg?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/veterans/how-this-marine-veteran-scrambled-to-survive-after-the-uss-indianapolis-sank/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T12:00:57.550Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:29.157Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-4ngdb3","slug":"va-opportunities-for-military-spouses","title":"VA opportunities for military spouses","excerpt":"Military life often brings change, including Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves that can require families to relocate and military spouses to navigate employment transitions.","content":"Military life often brings change, including Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves that can require families to relocate and military spouses to navigate employment transitions. VA recognizes these challenges and offers programs, hiring authorities, resources and retention flexibilities designed to help military spouses build and continue their federal careers.\n\nVA values military spouses\n\nMilitary spouses bring education, professional experience, adaptability, resilience and an understanding of military life that can contribute to VA’s mission in occupations across the Department. Their experience navigating relocations, deployments and other aspects of military life also provides a valuable perspective on the military-connected community VA serves.\n\nThe 4+1 Commitment\n\nIn 2024, VA became the first federal agency to sign the 4+1 Commitment, reinforcing its commitment to recruiting, hiring and retaining military spouses throughout their careers.\n\nAs part of this commitment, VA continues to support military spouses in 4 key ways:\n\nJob transferability and retention: VA has established retention procedures for eligible military spouse employees who must relocate because of their active duty service member’s PCS. VA first considers whether the employee can remain in their current position and, when that is not operationally feasible, explores other opportunities to retain the employee within VA and the federal government.\n\nRemote work: Eligible military spouses are exempt from VA’s return-to-in-person requirements when working under an approved remote work arrangement. When appropriate, VA may also appoint eligible military spouses to remote work positions, including current VA military spouse employees whose positions are suitable and eligible for remote work.\n\nWorkplace flexibilities: Depending on the position, mission requirements and applicable VA policy, military spouse employees may have access to workplace flexibilities that can help support continued federal employment during the unique transitions associated with military life.\n\nAdministrative leave for PCS moves: Eligible VA military spouse employees may receive up to five days of administrative leave associated with a qualifying PCS relocation, consistent with applicable VA guidance.\n\nGet support from VMSTEP\n\nVA’s Veteran and Military Spouse Talent Engagement Program (VMSTEP) supports Veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses as they navigate federal employment. VMSTEP provides employment resources, federal application education, outreach and connections with VA recruiting and hiring teams. The program also supports eligible current VA military spouse employees during PCS-related employment transitions and works with VA’s Human Resources and other federal agencies to help retain military spouses in federal service. Learn more about VMSTEP and its offerings online.\n\nJobs made for you\n\nUSAJOBS is the federal government’s official employment site. Military spouses can search for opportunities open under the military spouse hiring path by selecting “Military spouses” under the “Hiring path” filter. Always review the “This job is open to” and “How you will be evaluated” sections of each announcement to determine eligibility and required documentation. Here are a few current openings across VA:\n\nCertified nurse anesthetist\n\nPsychology technician\n\nDental laboratory technician\n\nFor all openings, view more online.\n\nJoin our mission\n\nGrow your career, skills and future at VA all while serving the heroes we hold dear. Learn more at VA Careers.","category":"family","author":"Michelle Weaver","publishDate":"2026-10-20T20:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/milspouse-header.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150320/va-opportunities-for-military-spouses/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T00:00:40.441Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.538Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-vr81nv","slug":"rappel-demonstrations-are-risky-but-common-among-elite-units","title":"Rappel demonstrations are risky, but common among elite units","excerpt":"The details behind the death of an Air Force special operations instructor killed during a rappelling demonstration Saturday will likely not be known for weeks or even months.","content":"The details behind the death of an Air Force special operations instructor killed during a rappelling demonstration Saturday will likely not be known for weeks or even months.\n\nBut rappelling demonstrations by military members at large public events, particularly involving highly trained special ops units, are not new.\n\nAir Force Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson, a Tactical Air Control Party instructor assigned to a training unit at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, was killed when he fell from the rafters of that city’s Alamodome football stadium prior to a college football game. Patterson was participating in a rappelling demonstration before the game when he fell from the rafters, which are at least 160 feet above the playing field, according to the stadium’s technical manual.\n\nVideo of the accident appears to show Patterson holding or attached to rappelling lines but falling unchecked.\n\nThough the Air Force has made no statement on the cause of the accident, some media commentary has suggested that Patterson’s death traces to recent recruiting and marketing blitzes under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who has pushed the military to project an action- and combat-oriented public persona.\n\nThe Daily Beast referred to the accident as “Hegseth’s stunt.” Another story by the publication echoed that framing, and then there were the round-ups of reactions from Newsweek and others that repeated much of the same.\n\nThe Air Force did not immediately respond to questions on what chain of command may have ordered or approved the demonstration, but military members rappelling into football games has been a common event across the country for at least a decade.\n\nJust in San Antonio, groups of Air Force special warfare instructors stationed at Lackland, as Patterson was, along with groups of Army soldiers, have performed similar demonstrations at the Alamodome and the city’s AT&T Center at least four other times in recent years. Along with football games, military members have rappelled into San Antonio Spurs basketball games and the city’s annual stock show and rodeo, the latter in both 2023 and 2024, prior to Hegseth’s arrival at the Pentagon.\n\nDating back to at least 2018, military photographers have covered rappelling demonstrations in sports stadiums in Arizona, New York, Idaho, South Dakota, and California, and recorded rappel demonstrations from helicopters at several NASCAR race tracks.\n\nDemonstrators are usually highly trained units\n\nMany military members are exposed to rappelling during basic training or other early stages of their career. But the skill is an integral part of the job for most ground combat units that work in steep terrain or who deploy from helicopters. For helicopter operations, rappelling is considered an “alternate insertion” method, along with fast roping, for missions that lack a safe landing zone.\n\nMany special operations units train specifically to rappel or fast rope in rescues and direct raids. Rappelling is fairly safe and can be done from nearly any height with a long enough rope, but only one team member can use a rope at a time. Fast roping allows several team members to slide down a thicker rope at once, but usually requires a lower hover and can lead to falls.\n\nRappelling derives from the mountain climbing world, where climbers slide down a rope to safely descend terrain too steep to climb or walk down. Using a mechanical brake or, less commonly, a simple knot, rappelling allows a single individual to slide down a rope very quickly while controlling their speed. A skilled rappeller can rapidly zip down a rope to a specific spot, stop quickly and “tie off” on the rope, keeping them suspended in one spot, such as when a rescuer needs to render aid to an injured patient on a cliff face.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\nMarine Corps establishes its first medium-range missile battalion\n\nAs a TACP instructor, Patterson would almost certainly have been an expert in the skill. TACP is one of four Air Force Special Warfare roles for which rappelling is a core job skill for both steep terrain and helicopter operations.\n\nIn August, the Air Force published a 19-photo gallery of Patterson’s unit, Detachment 2 of the 6th Combat Training Squadron, training in rappel techniques. The photos do not identify any airmen by name, but show both TACP instructors and students rappelling from a training tower and from inside a hovering helicopter at Camp Bullis, a training range outside of San Antonio.\n\nAir Force rappel training for all of its Special Warfare roles follows Air Force training rules for rappelling, which are based on the Army’s rappelling manual, TC-21-24. That manual requires that rappel training be overseen by three separate roles for training on fixed structures like a tower. Each rappeller must be overseen by a Rappel Master, who is in charge of all aspects of the training; a Safety Officer, who ensures equipment and personnel are properly prepared; and a rappel lane non-commissioned officer who directly oversees each rappeller on one rope. Training can also include a specific belayer on the ground.\n\nAn Air Force investigation into Patterson’s death will review what procedures were in place during the accident.","category":"service","author":"Matt White","publishDate":"2026-10-20T20:21:50.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/8772342-e1792520741550.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/rappel-common-demonstration-air-force/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T00:00:42.117Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.538Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-3srzu4","slug":"thousands-helped-more-welcome","title":"Thousands helped, more welcome","excerpt":"In the past three years, DAV Caregivers Support has aided thousands of caregivers who are providing care to a veteran and veterans who are themselves providing care for a loved one.","content":"In the past three years, DAV Caregivers Support has aided thousands of caregivers who are providing care to a veteran and veterans who are themselves providing care for a loved one. As DAV Caregivers Support marks its third anniversary, program leaders encourage more people to participate in this no-cost resource that provides personalized support and access to national, local and community-based resources.\n\n“It has been rewarding to see how this program has grown in such a short amount of time, and we look forward to supporting even more caregivers and veterans who are providing care,” said DAV National Caregiver Support Program Director Ron Minter. “Caregivers provide invaluable help, and we will continue to support their needs, including reducing caregiver stress and isolation.”\n\nDAV Caregivers Support aims to improve the quality of life for veterans and their caregivers while extending the time they can remain in their homes.\n\nCaregivers help with daily routines and activities such as transportation, preparing meals and assisting with personal care. Many caregivers also provide support for other needs based on their loved ones’ individual circumstances.\n\nSince its launch in 2023, DAV Caregivers Support has:\n\nRegistered more than 3,500 individuals for DAV Caregivers Support\n\nConducted approximately 20,000 calls with caregivers\n\nSent more than one care plan to nearly 1,000 caregivers\n\nSupported caregivers in 46 states\n\nThrough the DAV Caregivers Support Program, caregivers can access:\n\nOnline resources and risk screening to better understand their role as a caregiver\n\nDigital tools to support their caregiving responsibilities\n\nPersonalized care plans and one-on-one support from a trained caregiver specialist with experience supporting veterans and their loved ones\n\n“Caregivers have responded with grace and compassion, and we look forward to continuing our mission to help even more,” said Minter.\n\nTo learn more, visit davcaregivers.org.","category":"family","author":"DAV Communications","publishDate":"2026-10-20T19:23:02.000Z","image":"https://www.dav.org/wp-content/uploads/CaregiversSupport_Infographic_1080x1350.jpg","source":"DAV","sourceUrl":"https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2026/thousands-helped-more-welcome/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T00:00:43.170Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.538Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-8tdpsv","slug":"hegseth-s-plan-to-restore-confederate-memorial-at-arlington-expected-to-cost-tax","title":"Hegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million","excerpt":"Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army to restore a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, a project expected to cost taxpayers approximately $9 million, cemetery officials...","content":"Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army to restore a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, a project expected to cost taxpayers approximately $9 million, cemetery officials confirmed to Task & Purpose.\n\n“The current estimated cost of comprehensive conservation, replacement of the internal support structure and installing the Moses Ezekiel sculpture in Arlington National Cemetery is approximately $9 million in Operation and Maintenance Army (OMA) funds,” an Arlington National Cemetery spokesperson said.\n\nKyle Bibby, co-founder and co-CEO of the Black Veterans Project, criticized the Pentagon’s decision to spend public money restoring a monument to the Confederacy.\n\n“Public land and public money should not memorialize men who took up arms against the United States,” Bibby, a former Marine Corps infantry officer, told Task & Purpose.\n\nThe Army expects to reinstall the sculpture in 2027 and said it will develop historical context for visitors.\n\nArlington officials also confirmed that the sculpture was gifted to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, a private nonprofit, in January 2026. The Army’s existing loan agreement remained in place.\n\nThe Army plans to spend approximately $9 million in federal funds conserving, repairing, and reinstalling the sculpture, despite its private ownership.\n\nAs previously reported by Task & Purpose, the memorial was removed in December 2023, following recommendations from the Naming Commission, established by Congress under the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation required the Pentagon to remove Confederate monuments and symbols from military property by Jan. 1, 2024.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\nMarine Corps establishes its first medium-range missile battalion\n\nMore than 40 Republican members of Congress opposed the removal, writing to then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the monument was intended to commemorate “reconciliation and national unity,” rather than the Confederacy.\n\nThat position found a receptive audience under Hegseth, who subsequently directed the Army to return the monument to Arlington.\n\n“The Secretary of War under title 10, United States Code, section 113, directed the U.S. Army to coordinate with the Commonwealth of Virginia to display Moses J. Ezekiel’s sculpture at his burial site in Arlington National Cemetery,” the spokesperson said.\n\nOriginally unveiled in 1914, the memorial depicts Confederate soldiers and enslaved people along with a “mammy” figure, a long-standing racist caricature. Atop the monument stands a woman with a laurel crown in one hand.\n\nBibby challenged the memorial’s portrayal of enslaved Black Americans, arguing that the imagery misrepresents their relationship to the Confederacy.\n\n“This is not about preserving history because this sanitized version of slavery is ahistorical,” he said. “Black people were not marching willingly in arms alongside the men who enslaved them, erased their lineage, sold their children away, and answered the Civil War with a century of Jim Crow and racial terror.”\n\nEzekiel’s devotion to the Confederacy extended well beyond his military service. A former Virginia Military Institute cadet who fought for the Confederacy as a teenager, he spent much of his adult life living in Rome, where he continued celebrating the Confederate cause decades after the Civil War ended.\n\nAccording to research by art historian Samantha Baskind, Ezekiel displayed a Confederate flag in his Rome studio for roughly 40 years, signed letters affirming his loyalty to the Confederate cause and enthusiastically produced monuments honoring Confederate military leaders.\n\nIn his memoir, he maintained that he had fought not for slavery but for “states’ rights and for free trade,” despite slavery’s central role in the Confederacy’s formation.\n\nThe decision to restore Ezekiel’s monument follows a sweeping effort under Hegseth to reverse the military’s removal of Confederate-associated names and symbols.\n\nAt the time of the memorial’s removal, the Defense Department was also renaming military installations, streets and buildings that honored Confederate leaders. Fort Benning, Georgia, became Fort Moore, while Fort Bragg, North Carolina, became Fort Liberty.\n\nHegseth reversed both changes in 2025, using a workaround that restored the installations’ original Confederate-era names without formally honoring the Confederate generals for whom they had been named. Instead, the Pentagon rededicated Fort Benning, Georgia, to a World War I soldier and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to a World War II soldier who happened to share the same surnames as the Confederate generals.\n\nThis isn’t the first controversial topic the Army-funded Arlington National Cemetery has found itself in under Hegseth’s Defense Department.\n\nIn March 2025, Task & Purpose reported that the cemetery had removed public-facing links to dozens of educational resources and lists of notable graves highlighting Black, Hispanic and female service members. The changes also affected materials about Medal of Honor recipients, the Civil War and the history of formerly enslaved people buried at Arlington.\n\nCemetery officials confirmed at the time that the materials had been “unpublished” to comply with executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.\n\nTask & Purpose asked the Pentagon whether it had consulted service members or assessed how restoring the Confederate memorial could affect military morale and unit cohesion. The Pentagon did not answer, instead referring the questions to the Army and Arlington National Cemetery.\n\nThe Army, however, had already directed those questions to Hegseth’s office, which it identified as responsible for the restoration.\n\n“I would still stand by OSW having the ultimate lead, as this was directed by their office,” an Army public affairs official told Task & Purpose.\n\nThe Army subsequently confirmed that it had not solicited feedback from service members about the restoration’s potential impact on morale and unit cohesion.\n\nBibby said he understood why the Army had not sought service member feedback, citing unexpected combat deployments to the Middle East and more pressing concerns facing troops.\n\n“I believe this isn’t a priority for most service members,” he said.\n\nBut Bibby drew a distinction between the demands facing service members and the priorities of Pentagon leadership, which he accused of failing to consider whom the military should honor.\n\n“Unfortunately, this decision is consistent with Pentagon leadership that has made clear it prefers racist mythology to the harder work of building a genuinely unified military,” he said.\n\nUPDATE: 10.20.2026; This article was updated after publication with additional photos of the Confederate Memorial and to clarify Task & Purpose’s questions to the Army and the service’s response.","category":"legacy","author":"Austin Campbell","publishDate":"2026-10-20T19:18:15.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/confederate-memorial.webp?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/hegseth-orders-confederate-statue-restoration/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T00:00:42.117Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.538Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-86yn2z","slug":"the-modern-covenant","title":"The modern covenant","excerpt":"Left: Decorated World War I officer and Cincinnati Judge Robert S. Marx founded DAV in 1920 to advocate for policies and support systems that ensure a better quality of life for all veterans.","content":"As the U.S. entered World War I, Congress realized the 19th-century veteran pension model was financially unsustainable. In response, it passed the War Risk Insurance Act, shifting to a modern model of purchased policies and vocational rehabilitation.\n\nHowever, this shift created a bureaucratic nightmare. By 1920, returning Doughboys with mustard gas-scarred lungs were trapped between three uncoordinated agencies: the Bureau of War Risk Insurance held the money, the Public Health Service had the doctors, and the Federal Board for Vocational Education managed the training. This bureaucratic fragmentation could lead a veteran to suffocate in a hospital bed with zero income while agencies argued over paperwork.\n\nInto this chaos stepped Judge Robert S. Marx, a severely wounded World War I Army veteran who saw that scattered administration was costing lives. On Christmas Day 1919, Marx organized a gathering of disabled veterans, and on Sept. 25, 1920, Disabled American Veterans of the World War, DAV’s original name, was established.\n\nIn June 1921, DAV held its first national convention, and the mandate was clear: consolidation. Marx essentially put the government on trial for negligence, documenting cases of veterans who had died waiting for paperwork to move offices.\n\nThis advocacy led to the Sweet Act, which merged the competing agencies into a single Veterans Bureau, decentralized power, and established presumptive periods for tuberculosis and what was then called shell shock. Known as “DAV’s Baby,” the Sweet Act was the organization’s first, but not last, major victory.\n\nThe Bonus Army and the ‘Tombstone Bonus’\n\nEconomic gratitude proved fickle. To bridge the gap between low wartime military pay and high domestic wages, Congress passed the World War Adjusted Compensation Act. Instead of cash, veterans received Adjusted Service Certificates that wouldn’t mature until 1945. President Calvin Coolidge vetoed the bill, famously stating, “Patriotism which is bought and paid for is not patriotism,” though Congress overrode him.\n\nBy 1932, the Great Depression left veterans with these certificates as their only collateral, but they wouldn’t be able to cash them in for over a decade. In response, an unemployed former Army sergeant named Walter W. Waters organized a march from Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C. The ranks of protesters swelled as 43,000 veterans and families joined in, crossing the nation before setting up camp near the Capitol. The Bonus Army, as it would be called, maintained strict military order in its cardboard shantytowns to prove they weren’t bums, according to Roger Daniels in his book, “The Bonus March: An Episode of the Great Depression.”\n\nWhile the camps occupied the mudflats, DAV acted as the respectable arm of the protest.\n\n“By the summer of 1932, DAV was uniquely positioned to act,” said DAV National Adjutant Barry Jesinoski. “We had just been granted our federal charter by Congress, officially recognizing us as the voice for disabled veterans. For our members, that bonus wasn’t a windfall or a luxury—it was a life raft.”\n\nDAV handed Congress a critique of legislation that told veterans to wait 13 more years for immediate relief. “We called it the ‘Tombstone Bonus,’ because it was scheduled for 1945, a date many of our members wouldn’t live to see,” Jesinoski said.\n\nThe standoff between Waters’ Bonus Army and the federal government ended in violence that July. Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur ignored presidential orders, crossed the river and treated the eviction of starving veterans like a military conquest, burning Bonus City to the ground. Army Maj. George S. Patton led a cavalry charge with drawn sabers while Army Maj. Dwight D. Eisenhower mapped the advance as soldiers used vomiting agents near families.\n\nWatching the smoke rise, then-presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt reportedly remarked, “This elects me.” Yet, after his election, FDR’s Economy Act of 1933 slashed veterans benefits by 25% overnight, placing the idea of government solvency above the moral debt owed to those who bled.\n\nDAV launched a massive nationwide telegram campaign, flooding Congress with stories of severely disabled veterans whose compensation was slashed. On March 28, 1934, Congress defied the president and overrode FDR’s veto to restore the cut benefits, proving the veteran lobby was a permanent political force. By 1936, another sophisticated DAV outreach blitz forced the early payout of the World War I bonuses, injecting $1.5 billion into the mid-Depression economy.\n\nWorld War II and the Era of the Shrinking Promise\n\nAs the nation got closer to World War II, the government abandoned its pay-later approach for a security-from-day-one contract, highlighted by the National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940. These hard-learned lessons culminated in the first GI Bill, replacing “Baby Bonds” with transformative investments in education and housing.\n\nIn 1943, DAV championed the Disabled Veterans Rehabilitation Act. Then-National Commander Laurence Melton understood that while a pension facilitates survival, rehabilitation facilitates life. By 1947, veterans accounted for 49% of all college admissions, and 16 million veterans traded foxholes for the suburbs. However, these prosperity gains were unevenly distributed, as systemic barriers often denied Black and other minority veterans access to these classrooms and neighborhoods.\n\nThe Cold War ushered in the era of the shrinking promise. From 1950 to 1979, the government debated whether peacetime or Cold War service merited superpower investment. The Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952 downgraded benefits, forcing Korean War veterans to manage flat monthly stipends for tuition and rent rather than paying schools directly.\n\nDAV became a barrier between the veteran and a congressional pair of scissors. Then-Legislative Director Cicero Hogan called out the irony by arguing, “It is an astonishing irony that the government will freely appropriate billions of dollars to build a better tank yet turn right around and try to save pennies on the care and rehabilitation of the flesh-and-blood soldier who was broken driving it.”\n\nWhen President Gerald Ford vetoed the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974—weeks after pardoning Richard Nixon and offering clemency to draft evaders—DAV led a fierce backlash with a stinging narrative: mercy for the deserter, but a veto for the veteran. Congress delivered a swift, surgical override.\n\nBy the late 1970s, the unpopular Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program replaced the original GI Bill. To rescue cratering military recruitment, Rep. G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery and Army Gen. Max Thurman fought for three years to establish and finalize the permanent Montgomery GI Bill by 1987.\n\nThe late 1980s transformed veterans rights from gratuities into legal entitlements. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act of 1988 elevated the VA to a Cabinet-level department. At the same time, the Veterans’ Judicial Review Act of 1988 dismantled a century-old system where the VA acted as its own investigator, judge and jury, creating the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and allowing professional legal representation.\n\nSubsequent landmark legislation in 1984, 1991 and 1998 shifted the burden of proof away from the individual by establishing the first presumptives for radiation, Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome.\n\nThe New Century of Advocacy\n\nSince 9/11, public perception has shifted from viewing veterans through a broken lens to recognizing them as civic assets. Modern advocacy has focused on long-overlooked corners of the community:\n\nThe Isakson-Roe Omnibus (2020): Expanded education benefits and established the VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs; later added pandemic-era protections.\n\nThe Deborah Sampson Act (2021): Made historic investments in women veterans by expanding healthcare, including ensuring dedicated women’s health providers at every VA medical center and retrofitting community-based outpatient clinics for privacy and dignity.\n\nThe PACT Act (2022): Significantly expanded recognition of toxic exposures, including burn pits, establishing presumptive service connection for numerous cancers and respiratory illnesses.\n\nThe Elizabeth Dole Act (2025): Increased the cap on home-based care from 65% to 100% of nursing home costs, enabling more veterans to age with dignity in their own homes.\n\n“Beyond policy drafting, we mobilized our DAV CAN (Commander’s Action Network) to provide the political pressure needed to get these bills across the finish line,” said National Legislative Director Jon Retzer. During the final push for the Dole Act in late 2024, DAV members sent thousands of messages to Congress that made a critical difference.\n\nDespite these historic wins, critical pieces of legislation like the Major Richard Star Act, the Housing Unhoused Disabled Veterans Act, Veteran ACCESS Act, Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act, and VA Vocational Readiness and Employment Reforms all remain stalled amid ongoing procedural budget debates in Congress.\n\nPresident Calvin Coolidge is often credited with warning, “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” Veterans benefits are more than just line items in a budget; they’re a declaration of a society’s memory.\n\nTo join DAV CAN and ensure your voice is heard on Capitol Hill, visit davcan.org.","category":"advocacy","author":"DAV Communications","publishDate":"2026-10-20T19:13:59.000Z","image":"https://www.dav.org/wp-content/uploads/250th_KeepThePromise-1.jpg","source":"DAV","sourceUrl":"https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/2026/the-modern-covenant/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T00:00:43.170Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.538Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-azfwbk","slug":"why-the-army-only-has-one-security-force-assistance-brigade-left","title":"Why the Army only has one Security Force Assistance Brigade left","excerpt":"Over the last year the Army has shuttered most of its specialized units that train and advise foreign militaries around the world, but one is left standing.","content":"Over the last year the Army has shuttered most of its specialized units that train and advise foreign militaries around the world, but one is left standing. The 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade has been able to “find work” working with allies in the region, as part of the Army’s broader strategy to build alliances to counter Chinese influence, the commander said.\n\nThe 5th SFAB, for short, is based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and is the last of six original SFAB units that were stood up in 2018 as part of the Army’s advise and assist mission. They were inspired by U.S. partnerships with Afghan allies during the Global War on Terror.\n\n“The environment, the geography sort of naturally lent itself to an SFAB-type mission set,” Col. Daniel Hodermarsky, the 5th SFAB commander, told Task & Purpose in an interview at the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.\n\nThe Army originally stood up six Security Force Assistance Brigades to train and advise U.S. allied militaries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Last year, the Army began shuttering the advisor units in a service-wide restructuring effort. In January, the Army’s 1st SFAB, which focused on Latin American partners, became the Army Security Cooperation Group – South with an emphasis on the U.S. partnership with Panama.\n\nAlmost from the outset, the establishment of Security Force Assistance Brigades was off to a rocky start. Their initial launch in 2017 began with backlash over the suggestion they be sport berets and a mission that crossed into the Special Forces’ territory. Once the brigades were off the ground, other controversies followed, from allegations of misconduct downrange during their advisory mission to high-profile firings at home.\n\nHowever, the elimination of SFAB units has been met with scrutiny from some within the ranks who argue that the loss of units designed to build military alliances could have devastating consequences ahead of potential wars against large competitors like China or Russia.\n\nAs for the 5th SFAB, Hodermarsky said they have been able to stay relevant because they’ve been incorporated into the U.S. Army Pacific strategy.\n\n“We had excellent support from U.S. Army Pacific as far as their G-3 [operations division] giving us direct priorities over the years of where we fit into the forward edge of their campaign to set conditions for the out years,” he said. “I think it was just sort of a good blend of geography and attention from the theater Army putting us to work that fit the profile of the formation.”\n\nOne of the 5th SFAB’s most recent collaborations that was highlighted by leaders in the unit was its work with the Mongolian army as they standardized their noncommissioned officer academy. Hodermarsky insists that their initial project has helped the U.S. become their “partner of choice” in the region. Now the Mongolian military is planning exercises with American soldiers in Alaska.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\nMarine Corps establishes its first medium-range missile battalion\n\n“We completed our work building that NCO corps, starting from helping them build the [program of instruction] and build the instructors so they can actually train their own and to have — I would say — an enduring NCO professional military education course,” Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Millare said. “We transitioned that to exercises with the 11th Airborne. Now [the] 11th Airborne Division is the one helping Mongolia execute some of those missions if they need some more extra help. So we were there to help stand it, get it running, pilot and test it, and once it’s good to go, then we transitioned to 11th Airborne.”\n\nBefore SFAB units take on a new project, they’ll take input from embassy officials, local military leaders or Army leadership in the region to discuss what the partner is looking for. Hodermarsky said that these days, partners in the Pacific are regularly asking for advice on things like how the U.S. is employing new tactics from the Russia-Ukraine war, or how to build deployable brigades and move them hundreds of miles across countries.\n\nAs some Pacific militaries like the Philippines and Thailand field U.S. air defense systems, their governments are also looking for chances to train with units that have years of experience using that equipment.\n\n“We call them subject matter exchanges where they want to have people that operate in that type of unit in 7th [Infantry Division] or 4th [Infantry Division] come and talk to them in exchange and do training together,” he added.\n\nHodermarsky said Pacific allies overall are trying to figure out how their militaries can fight alongside others in a region with more loosely tied alliances compared to Europe.\n\n“You don’t have a 70-year old alliance dating back to World War II, where there’s standard NATO doctrine, standard NATO practices, coordination measures between allies. You have a lot of bilateral, some trilateral partnerships across both island chains,” Hodermarsky said. “What they’re really asking is, how do we work better together? How do we tie in interoperable systems that can talk to U.S. forces, that can communicate with U.S. forces? How do we train and exchange knowledge?”","category":"service","author":"Patty Nieberg","publishDate":"2026-10-20T16:25:16.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/7514591-e1792512780966.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/5th-security-force-assistance-brigade/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-20T18:00:49.901Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.638Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-m7tu4w","slug":"the-terminal-list-kicks-in-your-door-and-raids-your-house-with-season-two","title":"‘The Terminal List’ kicks in your door and raids your house with season two","excerpt":"It was an unfortunate series of events that kept a new season of “The Terminal List” from getting to air. The 2023 Writer’s Strike, a Screen Actor’s Guild strike, and the busy schedule of the show’s...","content":"It was an unfortunate series of events that kept a new season of “The Terminal List” from getting to air. The 2023 Writer’s Strike, a Screen Actor’s Guild strike, and the busy schedule of the show’s popular lead Chris Pratt, who portrays rogue Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. James Reece.\n\nBut on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, viewers will catch up with Reece on the other side of international law when “The Terminal List” season two binge drops on Amazon Prime Video.\n\nFans coming into the series because of Pratt’s work on “Parks & Recreation,” “Jurassic World,” or “Guardians of the Galaxy” should be forewarned: James Reece is not the actor’s usual, lighthearted role. We find Reece on the run from the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Defense after his one-man war against an entire sector of the American defense apparatus—while trying to restart some kind of life.\n\nObviously, not every character who had a large part in season one will be able to return for season two. No spoilers, but many of them suffered from terminal bullet wounds. There are also a handful of characters from 2025’s “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf” returning, and some may even survive an encounter with Reece.\n\nConstance Wu returns as reporter Katie Buranek, Tom Hopper reprises his role as Raife Hastings, and even Taylor Kitsch returns as Ben Edwards, despite his own terminal bullet wound to the head.\n\n“The Terminal List” for New Viewers\n\nFor anyone who’s never seen an episode of The Terminal List,” it’s an action-thriller series wrapped around a political conspiracy. And season two is more of what Carr fans love, with just a different mystery to unravel. The show is also known for bringing a whole new level of military authenticity to the screen.\n\nThere’s a reason military people tend to love it.\n\nAuthenticity is not just using three-letter acronyms (TLA) civilians don’t understand while shooting weapons at bad guys who look vaguely Middle Eastern. What former Navy SEAL Jack Carr brings to the action genre is an understanding what combat looks like in real life: that hand-to-hand combat isn’t slow-motion, firearms require reloading at times, and grenades produce fragmentation and not a massive fireball.\n\nExecutive Producer and former Navy SEAL Jared Shaw (you might remember him as Boozer from season one) and Executive Producer and former Army Ranger Max Adams oversee the action while nearly 17 others work behind the scenes to get it right. Five of the season’s eight episodes were written by veterans and four were directed by vets. “Warfare” director and former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza even directed an one.\n\nCritics didn’t love season one of the show, but that didn’t matter to Carr. What matters to him (and everyone else involved with the production) is that the fans loved it. And by that metric, the critics got ratioed. Hard.\n\nBut what’s left for James Reece to do, now that his Terminal List is complete? The first season of “The Terminal List” was based on Carr’s 2018 book of the same name. It’s no secret that the source material for season two is the second book in the Reece series, 2019’s “True Believer.” In that book, Reece fights to neutralize a rogue conspiracy that could lead to war between Russia and the United States.\n\nFor many fans, “True Believer” is their favorite of the series, but they should be prepared for some divergence—some of what Carr depicted in 2019 has echoes in real-world events since: an attack on a German Christmas market, drone assassinations, and coordinated attacks planned by Russian intelligence, just to name a few. Obviously, James Reece can’t prevent things that already happened.\n\nBut that kind of prescience makes the series even more compelling. Carr doesn’t just bring combat authenticity to the screen, his books draw from the real-world geopolitical picture. And the world is a very different place nowadays. Since 2019, there was a global pandemic, the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, Russia invaded Ukraine (which likely forced dramatic changes the book), there was Hamas’ Oct. 7 2023 attack on Israel and the war that followed, and the Iran War—just to name a few.\n\nBut what could possibly be better than the tried-and-true Cold War-style cloak-and-dagger thriller? One that’s peppered with the special operations combat and Middle Eastern influences of the Global War on Terror generation, that’s what. It looks like that’s what we can look forward to.\n\nRewatching “Dark Wolf”\n\nAfter an extended break between seasons, it’s natural for viewers to want to go back and refamiliarize themselves with the previous storyline, but Reece fans seem divided on whether or not rewatching “Dark Wolf” should be part of it—if it’s been a while, it’s worth revisiting. It’s a prequel (of sorts), but one nearly as good as the original.\n\nMore importantly, there are three cast members with ties to Reece that viewers need to keep an eye on. Dar Salim, who reprises his role as Mohammed “Mo” Farooq from “Dark Wolf;” Luke Hemsworth returning as Jules Landry; and Tom Hopper’s Raife Hastings are all critical to the story in “True Believer,” and are likely just as important to “The Terminal List” in its second season.\n\n“The Terminal List” is not “NCIS.” There will be no dramatic pauses in firefights, no one-punch knockouts, and the problem will not be solved procedurally at the end of 42 to 44 minutes. Nor will you want it to be.\n\nYou’ll wish there were more than eight episodes.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• The difference between Special Forces and special operations \n• New ‘Ghost Soldier’ trailer is a special operator’s dream sequence\n• The new special operations rifle takes the classic M4 to the next level\n\nMovies and TV\n\nMovies and TV\n\n‘The Terminal List’ kicks in your door and raids your house with season two\n\nMovies and TV\n\n‘VisionQuest’ is the end of a trilogy—and of an era\n\nMovies and TV\n\nThe making of Gibbs: Mark Harmon and Austin Stowell talk ‘NCIS: Origins’\n\nMovies and TV\n\n8 World War I easter eggs in ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’\n\nMovies and TV\n\n‘The Mosquito Bowl’ is based on a real World War II football game","category":"service","author":"Blake Stilwell","publishDate":"2026-10-20T15:42:01.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/terminal-list-season-2-chris-pratt.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/the-terminal-list-kicks-in-your-door-and-raids-your-house-with-season-two/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-20T18:00:55.195Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.638Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-r7vlss","slug":"beyond-the-tray-va-memphis-earns-nutrition-excellence-honor","title":"Beyond the tray: VA Memphis earns nutrition excellence honor","excerpt":"First VA medical center chosen for prestigious national award The Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center has become the first and only VA medical center to earn the Academy of Nutrition and...","content":"First VA medical center chosen for prestigious national award\n\nThe Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center has become the first and only VA medical center to earn the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Center of Excellence in Nutrition and Dietetics designation.\n\nThe 2026-2031 designation places VA Memphis Healthcare System among six organizations nationwide recognized across all four domains of excellence.\n\n“America’s Veterans deserve the very best care, and this national recognition affirms our commitment to delivering exactly that,” said Edward Payton, executive director of VA Memphis Healthcare System. “Being named the first VA medical center in the nation to earn the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Center of Excellence designation reflects the extraordinary dedication, expertise and compassion of our Nutrition and Food Services team. Their work improves lives every day, and this recognition places a national spotlight on the standard of excellence our Veterans experience here in Memphis.”\n\nThat commitment is reflected in a department whose work extends far beyond preparing meals. Nutrition and Food Services encompasses clinical nutrition care, chronic disease management, Veteran education, community partnerships and the training of future registered dietitians.\n\nThe Academy’s designation recognizes organizations that demonstrate exceptional leadership, evidence-based practice, innovation, and measurable outcomes in nutrition and food services. For Veterans receiving care at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center, it offers assurance that nutrition care is grounded in quality, innovation and continuous improvement.\n\nNutrition care beyond the tray\n\nNutrition and Food Services supports Veterans in ways many people never see. During fiscal year 2025, the department served approximately 134,000 meals, while registered dietitians completed nearly 20,000 outpatient nutrition encounters through in-person and virtual care. Beyond traditional nutrition services, the department leads programs that improve health outcomes, encourage disease prevention and empower Veterans to take an active role in managing their health.\n\n“Our Nutrition and Food Services department develops and provides comprehensive, evidence-based nutrition services for our Veterans and their families,” said Jennifer Earnest, chief of Nutrition and Food Services. “We deliver high-quality, safe patient food services while promoting wellness and disease prevention through nutrition education, counseling and innovative clinical practice.”\n\nAmong those services is MOVE!, VA’s weight-management program. Visits increased 88% during fiscal year 2026 compared with fiscal year 2025, while the program maintained an average Veteran Experience Score of 4.6 out of 5.0. VA dietitians lead MOVE! and other programs that help Veterans improve their health through nutrition.\n\nThe department’s Diabetes Management Program also exceeds key outcome goals. Seventy-eight percent of participating Veterans actively monitor their blood glucose levels, 89% have two or more documented A1c measurements, and 61% demonstrate improved A1c results, each surpassing established program targets.\n\nInnovation improves Veteran experience\n\nInnovation has also transformed the inpatient dining experience. Following implementation of a room-service dining model in 2024, patient satisfaction scores increased from 4.2 to 4.6 out of 5.0. Veterans frequently recognized improvements in food quality, menu variety and the courtesy of Nutrition and Food Services employees.\n\nSince 2011, the Catherine Austin Dietetic Internship Program at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center has graduated 109 dietitians. The program maintains a 100% first-exam pass rate within one year and continues to prepare future nutrition professionals through partnerships that combine advanced clinical training with graduate education.\n\nNutrition and Food Services also addresses food insecurity through its recently relaunched Food Hub. Working alongside community partners, the program provides weekly food distributions supporting approximately 100 Veterans and their families each month. The initiative helps improve access to nutritious food while strengthening long-term wellness.\n\nVA’s Healthy Teaching Kitchen programs also give Veterans nutrition knowledge, cooking skills and guided practice to help them prepare balanced meals and manage their health.\n\nA team committed to excellence\n\nMichelle Cunningham, associate chief of Clinical Nutrition, coordinated the Center of Excellence application with support from the department’s leadership team, including Jennifer Earnest, Rosemary Campbell, Tiffany Truehill, Sara Zellers, Jyotsna Sharman and Casey Provo.\n\n“The Center of Excellence designation reflects years of dedication from an extraordinary team committed to improving the lives of Veterans through nutrition,” Earnest said. “When I learned we had earned this recognition, I was beaming with immense pride. This award reflects many years of innovative ideas, courageous plans and exceptional skill in delivering outstanding care. It honors not only our achievements, but the vision and heart that have guided our work year after year.”\n\nThe Academy’s recognition affirms what Veterans at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. VA Medical Center experience every day: Nutrition care extends far beyond the tray. Through evidence-based clinical practice, patient education, disease prevention, innovative programming and compassionate service, Nutrition and Food Services helps Veterans build healthier lives while advancing excellence across the Veterans Health Administration.\n\n“This is a celebration of who we are, what we stand for and what can be accomplished when our true north star is providing the very best care for our Veterans,” Earnest said.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-10-20T14:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/1779_CoE-Group_van1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150398/va-memphis-earns-nutrition-excellence-honor/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-20T18:00:43.124Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.638Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-h3cbdp","slug":"the-post-civil-war-ban-on-home-distilling-is-heading-to-the-supreme-court","title":"The post-Civil War ban on home distilling is heading to the Supreme Court","excerpt":"Wars are costly. And the Civil War was one of the costliest, with estimates as high as $70 billion ( adjust for inflation ). Even World War II was a fraction of that cost.","content":"Wars are costly. And the Civil War was one of the costliest, with estimates as high as $70 billion (adjust for inflation). Even World War II was a fraction of that cost. The United States government had to pay for it somehow and on top of instituting the first income tax in American history, it also decided to place a flat $2.00 per gallon tax on un-aged corn whiskey.\n\nAmericans, notorious for not wanting to pay taxes (especially on whiskey), immediately found ways to avoid paying the tax. When the war ended, the government eventually learned that distillers were thwarting revenue inspectors by making it at home. To make sure the feds got their cut, Congress outlawed home distilling, forcing distillers to operate at “bonded premises.”\n\nThat Reconstruction-era law is now being challenged by brave Americans who want to operate home stills, and is on its way to the Supreme Court.\n\nMaking booze at home is a pastime Americans have enjoyed for longer than the United States has been a country. George Washington operated the largest American whiskey distillery of his time at Mount Vernon, producing 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey in 1799 alone. Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, and James Madison all brewed or distilled at home. Americans in frontier towns even used their homemade whiskey as currency.\n\nLike so much of American history, the Civil War dramatically reshaped American life. Washington needed to pay to keep the Union intact and took extraordinary measures to do it. On top of the income tax and whiskey tax, it began printing currency for the first time since the Revolutionary War. Inheritance taxes, vice taxes, and the IRS were all born during the Civil War.\n\nA ban on home brewing, however, came much later, when Americans were dodging the tax on distilled spirits by any means necessary. Nowadays, some citizens argue, the law feels outdated—and some courts agree.\n\nThe challenge started with John Ream, a former aerospace engineer and brewmaster of Newark, Ohio’s Trek Brewing. Ream caught the beer brewing bug after his wife bought him a home brew kit. But an engineer’s mind doesn’t stop at an over-the-counter kit. He wanted to take his boozing a step further—until he found out that home distilling is a felony, punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.\n\nSo Ream challenged the law in court. And he wasn’t the only one. In April 2026, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Ream. But another challenge from Scott McNutt, Rick Morris, Thomas O. Cowdrey III, and John Prince III, was successful. That same month, the Fifth Circuit ruled that the ban overstepped Congressional taxing authority.\n\nThe federal government, not willing to give up one of its best moneymakers (taxes on distilled spirits bring in nearly $7 billion annually), took the ruling to the Supreme Court. The government argues that the tax is necessary and convenient for carrying a constitutionally enumerated federal power into effect. The plaintiffs disagree, saying it’s an overreach of federal power.\n\nThe thing is, however, you can’t really blame Americans for not wanting to pay the tax. When it was enacted, the retail cost of the whiskey was only one dollar (or less), and the government kept raising the tax until distillers were paying $2.00. Like any intelligent, thirsty person with limited funds and access to cooking material and corn, Americans began making their booze with home stills.\n\nCommercial distillers were far less scrupulous. By 1868, the government was collecting tax on fewer than 7 million gallons of spirits out of an estimated 50 million consumed. It was soon cheaper for companies to simply bribe inspection authorities rather than pay the taxes, splitting profits from untaxed whiskey. In urban areas, distillers used apartment buildings, basements, and tenements for commercial-scale production of alcohol, where inspectors couldn’t reach.\n\nThe Sixth Circuit ruling cited home distilling as aiding the tax evasion, making the ban necessary. Whether the Supreme Court will agree is anyone’s guess. A ruling is expected around June 2027.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• Expert attorneys created a free estate planning guide for active duty and veterans \n• The real story behind the peasants’ revolt in ‘The Uprising’\n• The IRS has a plan to collect taxes in the event of a nuclear war\n\nThe post-Civil War ban on home distilling is heading to the Supreme Court\n\nA military death row inmate is scheduled for execution for the first time in 60 years\n\n25 things that weren’t a thing when terrorists attacked America on 9/11\n\nNavy awards 7-year, $22.9B Tomahawk missile contract to Raytheon\n\nMy spouse is deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. This is what’s really happening","category":"service","author":"Blake Stilwell","publishDate":"2026-10-20T14:16:05.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/civil-war-home-distillery-law-supreme-court.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/military-news/the-post-civil-war-ban-on-home-distilling-is-heading-to-the-supreme-court/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-20T18:00:55.195Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.638Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-i23rgk","slug":"visionquest-is-the-end-of-a-trilogy-and-of-an-era","title":"‘VisionQuest’ is the end of a trilogy—and of an era","excerpt":"The new Marvel series “VisionQuest” (now streaming on Disney+) is considered the third installment in a trilogy of limited series: First came “WandaVision,” then “Agatha All Along,” and now...","content":"The new Marvel series “VisionQuest” (now streaming on Disney+) is considered the third installment in a trilogy of limited series: First came “WandaVision,” then “Agatha All Along,” and now “VisionQuest.”\n\nWhat I loved about “WandaVision” is that it took such an enormous creative swing. Hot off the heels of the massively triumphant “Avengers: Endgame,” which masterfully wrapped up the first four phases—and over a decade—of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “WandaVision” debuted in black and white with a laugh track before proceeding episodically through decades of American sitcom storytelling to continue the tragic story of Wanda Maximoff and her (we thought… dead?) love, Vision.\n\nThe first installment began with a quirky mystery and soon became one of the most powerful treatises on grief of our time (spoilers ahead for “WandaVision” if you haven’t yet seen it—and you should). The series revealed that Wanda had been in such agony after losing her parents, her brother, and then her love, that she magically took control of an entire town and its inhabitants so she could play out a happily-ever-after fantasy where Vis survived and the two of them even raised twin boys, Billy and Tommy.\n\nWanda became aware of her full powers as the Scarlet Witch when confronted by Agatha Harkness, another witch intent on stealing those powers. Wanda defeated Agatha, released the town of Westview, and, with it, the husband and children she had conjured.\n\nIn “Agatha All Along” (oh, spoiler alert for “AAA” but, really, you must also watch “Agatha All Along”), we meet Agatha now in a television procedural, where she believes she is a detective solving a murder. In reality, she’d been imprisoned in a new hex by Wanda.\n\nAgatha breaks out with the help of a goth teen (who goes by the name of… Teen) and is recruited to guide a new coven of witches down The Witches’ Road, a magical journey that promises a witch their deepest desire if they can survive the road. By the end, we learn that Agatha invented the Witches’ Road to steal witches’ powers over the course of centuries and that this road was created by Teen, who is actually Wanda and Vision’s reincarnated son, Billy.\n\nYou may also recall that in “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness,” Wanda harnessed dark magic to search for her twins throughout the multiverse. So while her Westview twins ceased to exist, their variants certainly exist in other timelines.\n\nSo how did Billy’s soul end up in Teen’s body?\n\nWanda’s power exists through chaos magic; that’s how she constructed the Westview anomaly, including Vision, Billy, and Tommy—and her twins inherited certain powers through her.\n\nTommy inherited the super speed that his uncle also had and Billy inherited the ability to read minds as well as chaos magic, which he used to remove his soul and his brother’s soul from their Westview bodies and send them out into the first bodies available. Billy’s soul transferred into the recently deceased body of William Kaplan, and, with Agatha’s help, he was able to locate Tommy’s soul and transfer it into Thomas Shepherd’s dead body.\n\nSo who is this “Vision” in “VisionQuest,” if Wanda’s Westview anomaly Vision disappeared?\n\nAfter Thanos killed Vision in “Avengers: Infinity War” (spoiler for that too? But I mean… I do feel you should have seen that one by now, right?), S.W.O.R.D. reactivated Vision’s Mind Stone-less body and sent him to Westview to destroy Wanda and her anomaly Vision. When confronting Vision, White Vision acquired the original Vision’s memories and departed.\n\nOkay! Back to “VisionQuest” and why the first two episodes have got me so intrigued and why it’s a shame that Disney+ is sunsetting its MCU television series.\n\n“VisionQuest” features a Mindspace that (White) Vision created as a home for himself and Tony Stark’s other AI programs, including FRIDAY, EDITH, JARVIS, and (not a spoiler—this was in the trailer) Ultron.\n\nWhat makes artificial intelligence stories so fascinating is when the artificial intelligence begins to search for the meaning of life, usually human life. Even early iterations of the same journey—like Pinocchio wanting to become a real boy—offer us, that is, the human audience, the chance to reflect on who we are and what makes us special or worthy beyond just our sentience.\n\nIf “WandaVision” explored grief and “Agatha All Along” explored death, “VisionQuest” is poised to explore life. Vision is searching for meaning. He was created as an AI program by Ultron, built from vibranium, given life by the Mind Stone, and then balanced by Tony Stark’s JARVIS AI program.\n\nHe pledged to protect humanity, but along the way, he fell in love. Through White Vision, he lost that love and now must determine who he is without it, without the Avengers, without a purpose. And isn’t that what we all wonder? Why are we here? Is there meaning behind our lives or are we happenstance?\n\nThe AI programs in his Mindspace—especially Ultron—seem to be poised to help Vision with these answers.\n\nAnd coming across Tommy/Thomas Shepherd is certainly going to add depth and dimension to this quest.\n\nThis trilogy, as well as the other MCU series like “Moon Knight” or “Ms. Marvel” are perfect for the television series medium. I want another season of “Hawkeye” that takes place during Halloween (and I am available for the writers room). They would struggle to work as a standalone film (though I hope “Moon Knight” and “Ms. Marvel” get the chance to try), but as episodics, they get the chance to explore interesting peripheral characters.\n\n“WandaVision” and “Agatha All Along” creator Jac Schaeffer was so creative in her storytelling. That cannot be understated. I can’t believe she conceived of what she did—let alone that she pulled it off. And “VisionQuest” creator Terry Matalas has all my confidence, considering what he did with season two and three of “Star Trek: Picard” as well as one of my favorite television shows of all time, “12 Monkeys.”\n\nPeople throw around the phrase “Marvel fatigue” and yet Kevin Feige has heralded soaring adaptations of Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Thor while also giving us one of the most tragic sacrifices in superhero storytelling (Natasha), an utterly fascinating journey of the Hulk (my fav was probably in “Thor: Ragnarok not to mention Valkyrie—long live the queen), a Spider-Man so charming that he gets two standalone trilogies, and Florence Pugh as Yelena.\n\nThe MCU isn’t done yet. At the end of this year, the Russo Brothers (also known as the architects behind “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” as well as the first two “Captain America” films, which were incredible) are gonna get wild and give us “Avengers: Doomsday.”\n\nMCU television programming, however, is definitely slowing its roll under new Disney leadership. We’re still slated for more “Daredevil” and maybe another “Secret Wars” but I don’t see another other big swings in the near future.\n\nAnd that’s a damn shame. For Marvel. For filmmaking. And for the human gift of creativity.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• A master summary of every ‘Fantastic Four’ movie \n• Real military captains drive Jeep’s ‘Captains of America’ commercial\n• We’re still obsessed with hero stories 4,000 years after Gilgamesh\n\nTragedy at Navy game overshadows Army and Air Force victories\n\nArmy vet releases new music single inspired by old marching cadences\n\nMilitary football report: Army, Navy, and Air Force emerge victorious in Week 6\n\nFord is launching the ‘Army-Navy Game for NASCAR’ with the Veterans Day Classic\n\nAce Combat 8 might be the best entry in the arcade flight sim series","category":"service","author":"Shannon Corbeil","publishDate":"2026-10-20T14:15:38.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/visionquest-marvel.png?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/visionquest-is-the-end-of-a-trilogy-and-of-an-era/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-20T18:00:55.195Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-21T04:00:28.638Z","linkStatus":"ok"}],"events":[{"id":"mobilize-379336","title":"Take Action for Nebraska","description":"Fill out this form to help us elect Democrats up and down the ballot. (You will also be among the first to know when we have yard signs!)\n\nIf you want to help, we can put you to work. We will connect you with county parties and candidates so you can help in your local area too. \n\nVolunteer opportunities include phonebanking, canvassing, postcards, hosting events, and delivering yard signs.\n\nYou can also use this form to connect with caucuses and councils, just type the group in the comments box and we will connect you. \n\n**Affiliated Caucus Organizations:**\n  \n- Black Caucus\n- Democrats Experiencing Disabilities\n- Latinx Caucus\n- Native Caucus\n- Stonewall Democrats\n- Women’s Caucus\n- Young Dems\n\n**Affiliated Policy Councils:**\n\n- Climate Council\n\n- Interfaith Council\n\n- Rural and Agriculture Council\n\n- Secular Council\n\n- Veterans and Military Families Council\n\n- Working Families Council","organization":"Nebraska Democratic Party","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/NDP-DEM_Donkey-Logo-Horz-RGB_20250715203748488336.png","startDate":"2026-10-23T05:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-24T04:59:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Chicago","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"Lincoln","state":"NE","zip":"68510","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/nebdems/event/379336/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/NEDEMS_ButtonGraphic-ImBuildingTheParty_20241113195557678804.png","eventType":"volunteer","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"379336","scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T12:01:12.467Z"},{"id":"mobilize-776124","title":"Join 48th/51st Street RESISTANCE Overpass Fridays","description":"Join us  - every Friday Rush Hour! \n\nWe are two sister decks*  in the RESISTANCE! \nThis is a crisis, and the time to act is now. We have misters and stuff to stay cool! \n\n4:00pm -5:30pm  during the summer\n\nWe demand justice for those detained by ice. Our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies. Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country. We want a world for all living creatures.\nNONE OF US IS FREE UNTIL WE ARE ALL FREE. \nLove forward together! \nNO KINGS and NO WAR! \nWHERE ARE THE BABIES. \nFREE THEM ALL\nVETERANS RIGHTS\nGEO GROUP CAMPS KILL. \nGEO ICE CAMPS KILL\nNO WAR. \nTAX THE EPSTIEN CLASS.  \nNO KINGs IN AMERICA. \nDUE PROCESS FOR ALL. \nHEALTH CARE FOR ALL. \nHUMANITY. \nEMPATHY. \nABOLISH ICE. \nWE LOVE PEOPLE\nSocial security stays.  \nICE OUT. \nWE SUPPORT VETERANS.  \nUNMASK ICE.  \nWe will sacrifice NO ONE! \nJAIL ALL THE PEDOS - JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS. \nICE CAMPS KILL. \nNO WAR. \nFILES INTO TRIALS. \nTRANS VISIBILITY.  \nTAX THE EPSTEIN CLASS. \nPUT ALL ICE IN THE COOLER. \nGEO ICE CAMPS KILL. \nNO WAR FOR GREED.\n\n\nPlease follow along and VOTE!\n\n4:00pm -5:30pm  during the summer\n\nWe stand up in peaceful protest which is our constitutional right.\nDonald Trump and Peter Theil think this country belongs to them. \nICE agents, CA Guard and the Marines that have been turned into pawns and WE SAY NO!  \n\nThis is a crisis, and the time to act is now.\n* (a deck is a bridge or an overpass with a team and banners)","organization":"Coalition Against Project 2025","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Full%20Color%20Background_20260601013044817204.jpg","startDate":"2026-10-23T23:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-24T00:30:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"This event’s address is private. Sign up for more details","address":"This event’s address is private. Sign up for more details, ","city":"Sacramento","state":"CA","zip":"95819","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/cap25/event/776124/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/IMG_0894_20260722221706137760.jpeg","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"776124","scrapedAt":"2026-10-17T06:01:15.163Z"},{"id":"mobilize-774947","title":"Weekly Napa Rally to Resist the Trump/Musk/GOP Regime!","description":"This a local Indivisible event!  This is a peaceful protest to support the rights of ALL Americans and show RESISTANCE to the current Trump/Musk/GOP regime's dismantling of our Government services, destruction of our economy and headlong descent into oligarchy and authoritarianism.  Veterans are invited as we Support and Respect all those that have served our Country.  Bring a sign, a friend, your good humor and enthusiasm.  JOIN US in Napa!","organization":"Indivisible","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Mobilize_Indivisible_Horizontal_ForLightBackground_20250320155651214400.png","startDate":"2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-24T01:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"","address":"Soscol Avenue & 3rd Street, ","city":"Napa","state":"CA","zip":"94559","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/774947/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/organization/Mobilize%20Generalized%20Indivisible%20Event%20Campaign%20Image%201_20231214173802957298.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"774947","scrapedAt":"2026-10-18T06:00:40.814Z"},{"id":"mobilize-755826","title":"Ingleside Cleanup","description":"The Clean Side of Ingleside! Join the Civic Joy Fund, Refuse Refuse, SF Public Works, and the community for a friendly neighborhood cleanup!\n\nVolunteers will meet at Ocean Ale House (1314 Ocean Ave) to grab your tools. Then, cleaning will occur from 11:00am to 12:00pm. Stay afterwards for free food and drinks!\n\nSign up today and let’s beautify San Francisco together!\n\nOrganizer: David\n\nBy participating or registering in a cleanup or volunteer event, I acknowledge and agree to the Civic Joy Fund and Refuse Refuse volunteer waivers:\nhttps://civicjoyfund.org/volunteer - https://refuserefusesf.org/waiver","organization":"Civic Joy Fund","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Civic%20Joy%20Fund%20Circular-Lockup-Color-trans-lrg%20%282%29_20250820005555879377.png","startDate":"2026-10-24T18:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-24T19:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Ocean Ale House","address":"1314 Ocean Ave, ","city":"San Francisco","state":"CA","zip":"94112","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/civicjoyfund/event/755826/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/_Ingleside._001_20230719224925244221_20250214145050122596.jpeg","eventType":"volunteer","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"755826","scrapedAt":"2026-10-18T00:00:39.843Z"},{"id":"mobilize-610237","title":"States Win South Bay Phonebank!","description":"**Join States Win South Bay on Saturdays 12pm - 2pm PT and Wednesdays 11 am - 1 pm for a hybrid phonebank!** You can call in person in Mountain View or call from your home on Zoom. We're making calls to voters in Michigan, Iowa Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Read about the candidates below!\n\nOther opportunities to phonebank with States Win candidates can be found daily at the [States Win National Phonebanks.](https://stateswin.org/event-details/eventid/911600/)\n\n**Meet Heather Matson** A current member of the Iowa House of Representatives, Heather has built her career around strengthening civic engagement and improving public policy for Iowa families. Now she's running for Iowa State Senate District 21, a key battleground seat that will play a role in shaping the balance of power in the state legislature. \n\n**Meet Ryan Spaude:** Wisconsin Assembly District 89 is a key defensive seat that will shape Democrats’ path to a legislative majority under the state’s fairer maps. Ryan Spaude flipped this purple Green Bay–area district in 2024, proving voters are ready for pragmatic leadership focused on affordability and strong public schools. Defending this seat is crucial for a blue Wisconsin! \n\n**Meet Eileen Hartnett Albillar:** Republicans currently control the Pennsylvania State Senate, and flipping Senate District 6 is critical to breaking that hold on power and advancing policies for Bucks County families. This seat represents a key opportunity for Democrats to expand their coalition and build momentum toward a more balanced and responsive state government. Electing Eileen means sending a proven public servant to fight for fully funded schools, affordable health care, public transportation, and an economy that works for working families.\n\n**Meet Darrin Camilleri:** In the State Senate, Darrin has championed investments in public education, defended workers’ rights, and fought to protect clean air and water. Drawing on his background as an educator, Darrin listens closely to his constituents and works tirelessly to deliver results that improve their lives. He won his seat in 2022 with our help, flipping the Senate and securing a Democratic trifecta for the first time in decades. With Republicans eager to take back control, re-electing Darrin is essential to ensure Michigan remains a stronghold for democracy.\n\n**Why phonebank:** The data proves it: phone banking is THE BEST volunteering option for remote voter contact. We identify supporters and let them know why their vote matters, speak with undecided voters, and recruit local volunteers. Every call helps us clean our lists, which makes for a faster, more efficient phonebank!\n\n**Come one, come all:** No experience necessary. Each Zoom phonebank includes training and check-ins for first-timers (experienced callers can jump right in). We'll share successes and address questions throughout, all while contacting voters in crucial state legislative races. Our veteran phonebank leaders will help you get comfortable, increase your effectiveness, and make sure you have a great experience.","organization":"States Win South Bay","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/South%20Bay_20260127165149868203.png","startDate":"2026-10-24T19:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-24T21:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/stateswinsouthbay/event/610237/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/South%20Bay%2C%20Garlic%20City%2C%20Wisconsin%20Phonebank_20260929190209131104.png","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"610237","scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T00:00:54.962Z"},{"id":"mobilize-791515","title":"Davis Visibility Brigade: I-80 Highway Bannering (Thursdays and Sundays)","description":"Join the Davis Visibility Brigade each Thursday and Sunday to make VISIBLE our opposition to the endless corruption, incompetence, and immorality of the current regime.  We display messages to commuters that aim to ACTIVATE, WAKE-UP, and EMPATHIZE. 14,000 people will see our messages in 90 minutes!  We have a lot of fun and receive hundreds of honks, thumbs up, and power fists. All you have to do it show up and wave!\n\nDetails provided upon registration.  Look for the email you receive after you register.  It will tell you where to park.  Don’t forget to dress for the weather!  The bridge is extra hot and extra cold.","organization":"Indivisible Yolo","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Logo_Full_Sm_20200908235102917095.png","startDate":"2026-10-25T22:30:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-26T00:30:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"This event’s address is private. Sign up for more details","address":"This event’s address is private. Sign up for more details, ","city":"Davis","state":"CA","zip":"95618","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisibleyolo/event/791515/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/lying%20wrong%20horiz_mobilize_20260321135023827181.jpg","eventType":"community","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"791515","scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:33.638Z"},{"id":"mobilize-765447","title":"Support Veterans Rush Hour Rally","description":"Support veterans: Protect the VA!\n\nJoin our Rush-Hour Resistance Rally outside the Chalmers Wylie VA Clinic to protest the cuts to the VA and support veterans!\n\nThis huge facility, serving veterans from a wide area, is on James Road just south of the Columbus Airport. Thousands of cars pass this location during rush hour every weekday afternoon, making this the perfect place to inform people about the crippling cuts that Trump, Musk and DOGE are making to our federal government.\n\nDemonstration area: We will be demonstrating on public sidewalks on both sides of James Road, which are highly visible to commuters passing by.\n\nUPDATED PARKING INFO: To eliminate any possibility of getting in the way of patients or staff at the clinic, we are asking everyone to avoid using the VA lot to the east of James Road. Instead, please park west of James Road. Look for Visitor Parking signs in the lot for Africentric High School, 3223 Allegheny Ave, Columbus, OH 43209. Or you can park on three side streets—Kellner, Lowell and Edgevale—off Ruhl Ave., which is the first stoplight intersection south of the VA clinic. If you’re car-pooling, you should be able to drop off passengers on Allegheny Ave. just west of James, on the way to the Africentric parking lot.","organization":"Indivisible Central Ohio","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/OHCentral_3C_NEW%20%281%29_20241126201819684787.jpg","startDate":"2026-10-27T20:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-27T21:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center","address":"420 N James Rd, ","city":"Columbus","state":"OH","zip":"43219","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblecentralohio/event/765447/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/VA%20visibility%20Mobilize%20graphic%20no%20date_20250429224625739293.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"765447","scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T06:01:08.668Z"},{"id":"mobilize-788539","title":"NO WAR. NO KINGS: VA HOSPITAL!","description":"**Join us as we call for an end to this war and demand justice for Keith Porter, Renee Good, Alex Pretti and others killed by ICE.**\n\nWe also continue to send a clear message that we're not accepting Trump's cuts to veteran services and veteran health research!**\n\nTrump is supported by billionaires like Elon Musk, who is back in Trump's camp. We need to keep pushing back against those who enable fascim.\n\nPlease come support our veterans and those who serve them at the VA hospital! \n\nSee you Tuesday!","organization":"Seattle Indivisible","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/SISig_20210214023138316118.png","startDate":"2026-10-27T22:30:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-28T00:30:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Meet at the Columbia Way south entrance.","address":"1660 S Columbian Way, ","city":"Seattle","state":"WA","zip":"98108","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/seattleindivisible/event/788539/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/PettiVigil_20260129022537551251.jpeg","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"788539","scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T06:01:08.668Z"},{"id":"mobilize-375701","title":"POSTCARDING w/DOLLY and SUE into all swing states - w/Field Team 6 & The Union","description":"Join Field Team 6 and our wonderful partner The Union to write postcards and talk politics with us at our weekly Postcarding Parties!  Join us anytime!\n\nNEW TO POSTCARDING??  In our main room, we will teach you everything you need to know to write postcards of every kind.  **There is no need to buy anything beforehand**. We will help you decide what materials are right for you. \n\nVETERAN POSTCARDER?? Feel free to bring whatever you are currently working on and enjoy conversation in our breakout room.   \n\nEAGER TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE FIELD TEAM 6'S VOTER REGISTRATION POSTCARDS WITH QR CODES?? We will cover that.\n\nClick here to check out our Field Team 6 voter registration postcard campaigns: https://fieldteam6.herokuapp.com/getting_started\n**If you are just starting with Field Team 6 postcarding, please wait until after your first meeting to decide what materials to order!**\n\nWe can't wait to see you!!\n\nNOTE:  This event is taking place at 2pm PT/5pm ET\n\nSTATES INCLUDED:  Michigan, Virginia","organization":"Field Team 6","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/ft6%20for%20mobes%201_20231128231125005709.png","startDate":"2026-10-28T21:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-29T00:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/event/375701/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/postcarding%20training%2026_FB_20260708170228702425.png","eventType":"community","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"375701","scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T06:00:52.926Z"},{"id":"mobilize-651442","title":"FVWA Supporter Phonebank!","description":"Every week, FVWA staff and volunteers take time to call other ranked-choice voting supporters and urge them to engage with vital actions to bring us closer to Ranked-Choice Voting in Washington, as well as alert them to opportunities to support democracy in other ways! \n\nIf you've never phone-banked or are a veteran caller, you're welcome here. We'll always provide a training and a script.\n\nJoin us and let's ensure we're taking action when action needs to be taken!","organization":"FairVote Washington","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/FVWA%20Logo%20light%20BKGRND_20200527195250640948.png","startDate":"2026-10-28T23:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-10-29T00:30:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/fairvotewa/event/651442/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/WW%20PB%20Mobilize_20240517175906183795.png","eventType":"volunteer","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"651442","scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T06:00:55.527Z"},{"id":"mobilize-748846","title":"Blue Action SWATX Monthly Meeting (in-person)","description":"Join us for our monthly meeting the first Sunday of the month at 2:00pm at the Travis County Democratic Party's coordinated campaign office.\n\nOctober 4th:\nBen Flores is a cybersecurity and compliance expert and small-scale heritage pig farmer.   He serves on the Bay City city council and several local economic development boards. \n\nThe General Land Office oversees 13 million acres of state land including the Texas coast, as well as the Permanent School Fund, the Veterans Land Board and the Alamo. \n\n\n\nUpcoming Meetings:\nOctober 4th\nNovember 1st","organization":"Blue Action","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/TexasBlueAction_Horizontal-01_20260326163312979727.png","startDate":"2026-11-01T20:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-11-01T22:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Chicago","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"","address":"4005 Banister Ln, Bldg B, ","city":"Austin","state":"TX","zip":"78704","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/blueactiondems/event/748846/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/Mobilize%20Event%20Graphic_20260928152836247216.png","eventType":"community","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"748846","scrapedAt":"2026-10-05T12:01:03.230Z"},{"id":"mobilize-752269","title":"AndersonDems Non-Fiction Book Club","description":"Join us for our Non-Fiction Book Club — a laid-back, come-as-you-are space to read, think, and talk about the real world with good people.\n\nEach month we pick one nonfiction title (history, politics, organizing, biography, science — anything that helps us make sense of what’s happening) and spend about an hour swapping takeaways, questions, and “wait… did you catch that part?” moments.\n\nNo pressure: you do not have to finish the whole book to join the discussion. Bring your notes, your curiosity, and a friend. We’ll kick off with a quick recap, then open it up for conversation.\n\nChoose a time that works for you: we’re hosting two identical sessions of the same book on the same day — 2:00 PM (afternoon) and 6:30 PM (evening).\n\n2026 Book List\n\n- January: Lawless — Leah Litman\n- February: Separation of Church and Hate — John Fugelsang\n- March: How to Stand Up to a Dictator — Maria Ressa\n-  April: Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America — Heather Cox Richardson\n- May: Giving Up Is Unforgivable — Joyce Vance\n- June: Liar's Kingdom — Andrew Weismann\n- July: Vigilante Nation: How State-Sponsored Terror Threatens Our Democracy — David N. Hurd and Jon D. Michaels\n- August: The Death of Expertise — Tom Nichols\n\n2025 Highlights: On Tyranny (Timothy Snyder) • The 1619 Project (ed. Nicole Hannah-Jones) • Navalny (Alexei Navalny) • Rediscovery of America (Ned Blackhawk) • Nexus (Yuval Noah Harari) • On Freedom (Timothy Snyder) • Who Is Government? (ed. Michael Lewis) • Erasing History (Jason Stanley) • Science Under Siege (Michael E. Mann)","organization":"The Anderson County Democratic Party","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/ACDP%20-%20Block%20%284%29_20240309214104092794.png","startDate":"2026-11-17T19:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2026-11-17T20:30:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":false,"location":{"venue":"Anderson County Democratic Party","address":"14 Kentucky Ave, ","city":"Oak Ridge","state":"TN","zip":"37830","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/andersoncountydemocraticparty/event/752269/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/DEMS%20%26%20FRIENDS%20%2811%20%C3%97%208.5%20in%29%20%281920%20x%201080%20px%29.pdf%20%28Facebook%20Cover%29%20%2831%29_20260105120648133969.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"752269","scrapedAt":"2026-10-18T00:00:36.774Z"},{"id":"mobilize-770562","title":"Sign-up For Democracy Action Network / Indivisible LA","description":"The Democracy Action Network (DAN) was founded in November 2024 by David Comfort in response to the re-election of Donald Trump. Emerging as a grassroots organization dedicated to defending democratic institutions, promoting civic engagement, and fostering inclusive democracy, DAN has quickly become a prominent force in the pro-democracy movement. With a nonpartisan ethos and a commitment to nonviolent resistance, DAN seeks to address threats to constitutional governance while building a broad-based coalition for democratic renewal.\n\nMission and Vision\nDAN’s mission is to protect and strengthen democratic institutions, resist authoritarian tendencies, and promote an inclusive vision of democracy that upholds universal human rights and dignity. The organization operates on the principles of nonviolence, transparency, and participatory decision-making while fostering hope-centered messaging and constructive solutions. It aims to create sustainable organizing structures that empower communities and build long-term resilience against democratic backsliding.\n\nEarly Achievements\nSince its inception, DAN has demonstrated its capacity for impactful action:\n\n- February 22nd 2025: Organized a successful march and rally in West Hollywood, drawing hundreds of participants advocating for government accountability and democratic principles\n.\n- February 2025: Played a key role in coordinating protests at SpaceX, bringing attention to issues tied to corporate influence and public policy.\n\n- Held weekly organizing meetings with 300 to 400 people attending.\n- Developing a core group of activists and organizers\n\n- March 22nd 2025: Held a really successful \"March for our Constitution\" at the Federal Building in Westwood / Los Angeles. Had over 2,000 participants and hosted speakers such as Martin Sheen and Maxine Waters\n\n\nThese events have helped establish DAN as a credible voice for democratic activism while galvanizing public support for its mission.","organization":"Indivisible","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/Mobilize_Indivisible_Horizontal_ForLightBackground_20250320155651214400.png","startDate":"2026-12-31T16:45:00.000Z","endDate":"2027-01-01T07:45:00.000Z","timezone":"America/Los_Angeles","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"Los Angeles","state":"CA","zip":"90069","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/770562/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/organization/Mobilize%20Generalized%20Indivisible%20Event%20Campaign%20Image%202_20231214173755488494.png","eventType":"rally","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"770562","scrapedAt":"2026-05-07T00:00:51.820Z"},{"id":"mobilize-434596","title":"2020 Victorious! | National Voter Mobilization-Education Year of Action | Communities United","description":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United is conducting a National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year of Action to get our communities prepared to #VoteReady and promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.__  This is a national conversation on how we can all work together every year to expand our collective mission to protect democracy, fight voter suppression, and ensure all Americans have equal access to the ballot box.  This is democracy and it requires action.\n\nWe are inviting you to join 2020 Victorious! | Communities United for National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year of Action to get our communities prepared to #VoteReady and promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.__ We are counting on you to participate by organizing and supporting [virtual] voter registration drives where you will register eligible voters, and help experienced voters check-confirm and update their registration.\n\n__This month's target campaign will champion a call-to-action for:__\n\n__U.S. Senate Georgia Runoff Election__ - Tuesday, December 6, 2022\n\n__Launch a Community Conversation__ in your neighborhood-network! Let’s create a truly democratic space where we can connect together through meaningful dialogue.\n\nAdvance Preparation: Organize a personal list of colleagues-neighbors, family-friends eligible to vote in the battleground-swing states below: then write a brief statement to motivate-inform the recipients.  This discussion is for immediate participation in the call-to-action to protect our democracy.\n\n__Battleground-Swing States:__ AK-Alaska, AZ-Arizona, FL-Florida, GA-Georgia, KS-Kansas, MI-Michigan, NC-North Carolina, NV-Nevada, OH-Ohio, PA-Pennsylvania, SC-South Carolina, TX-Texas, WI-Wisconsin ... (governor, secretary of state, senator, congress)\n\n_Relational Organizing in the battleground-swing states._\n\n- - - - -\n\n__Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote,__ a powerful 2020 Brave New Films production documentary about the growing threat of voter suppression and election sabotage to our 2022 midterm elections.  There will be multiple documentary series presented throughout the year. [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n* Monday-Friday, October 3-7, 2022 - __National Voter Education Week__ *\n* Documentary Screening, _upon advance request *_ [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n__Preparation:__ We will organize our creative inspirations-skills to design several written expressions that capture the spirit of the national holiday for a monthly targeted campaign. The inspirational expressions will be distributed nationally to promote the advancement of voting rights throughout our respective communities.  This will include the development of a voting toolkit of best practices.  The community feedback provided by-to attendee-participants will guide-improve the collective voter mobilization-education-registration response.\n\n__GETTING STARTED__\n\n__A Simple Task:__  Ask your community networks of colleagues-neighbors and family-friends to check the status of their voter registration at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org ... (and ask that they pass it on to their networks).  _\"Check your voter registration status at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org and ask your networks to do the same.\"_\n\n__National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year of Action is a call to action.__\n\n* THE GOAL: Engage at least 3-5+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n* Ambitious Goal:  Engage at least 20-25+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n\n__Immediate Next Steps:__ Early Voting [(calendar)](https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/) - Mail-In Ballot [(rules)](https://www.vote.org/absentee-voting-rules/) - Sample Ballot [(guide)](https://www.usa.gov/voter-research) - Invite your colleagues-neighbors, family-friends, and community networks to be mobilized and educated about the issues that most impact them.  Include the early voting locations-dates-times, mail-in ballot instructions, and sample ballot previews information links in your personal distributions to ensure election day preparedness.\n\nNational Voter Education Week [(NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org) strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election and provides days-of-action and voting resources.\n\nLearn how to register the 4-million youth voters who will become eighteen and eligible to vote this year, the 30-million Americans who moved and need to update their voter registration, the 2-million Americans living abroad (required to verify status annually), the 2-million Americans who got married (and changed their names) and need to update their voter registration, and the millions of Americans purged from the voter registration rolls for simple and avoidable reasons.\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\n- - - - -\n\n__5 Days | 5 Actions__ National Voter Education Week (NVEW) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this week of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVEW strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.  Review the NVEW website to become familiar with the days-of-action and other voting resources. [(... more NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org)\n\n__Optional Task:__  VoteRiders is seeking dedicated virtual volunteers to help manage voter appointments and rides to the DMV and other ID-issuing agencies on an ongoing weekly basis. Responsibilities include making appointment reminder calls, scheduling rides and handling communications between drivers and voters. No experience is necessary.  VoteRiders will provide all of the training and support needed to be successful. This opportunity is ideal for volunteers living in the Central Time Zone or Eastern Time Zone as the voters we help most frequently live in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Texas. [(... more VoteRiders)](https://www.voteriders.org)\n\n__12 Months | 21 Actions__ National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year (NVMERY) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this year of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVMERY strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.\n\nWhile National Voter Mobilization-Education Year of Action is a __TARGETED campaign__ scheduled for a full extended year, the __Call-to-Action__ can begin today and continue any-every month-day throughout the year.  We will meet, as a collective, on the designated dates-times above to discuss our daily encounters-progress and brainstorm ideas!\n\nA few great places to host voter registration drives include: local businesses (ask customers-employees to distribute-share the links), places of worship (ask to get a table in the lobby after services), the business office workplace (talk to each colleague to get them to update their registration), your high school or college-university (set-up a table in a high-traffic area or talk to fellow students during breakfast-lunch), and high-traffic areas in your community (laundromats, playgrounds, public parks, restaurants, supermarkets), etc.\n\n- - - - -\n\n2020 Victorious! | Communities United is counting on all of us to participate by registering our colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities to ensure that eligible voters check and update their voter registration status during National Voter Mobilization-Education Year of Action.  We are calling on you to participate by registering your friends, family, and neighbors, and helping eligible voters check and update their voter registration.\n\nBegin by thinking of several dates and places that you can integrate voter registration into your schedule, including the places that you will already be! Think about the gatherings you already attend, and places where you regularly have conversations with others.  RSVP to this event page to indicate that during the Year of Action, you will participate by registering voters in your neighborhood and help your colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities check and update their voter registration!\n\nNational Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration Year (NVMERY) ... (potential dates)\n\n* Saturday, January 1, 2022 - New Year's Day\n* Saturday, January 1-31, 2022 - New Year's Day through January 2022\n* Monday, January 17, 2022 - Martin Luther King (MLK) Day of Service\n* February 2022 - Black History Month\n* Monday, February 14, 2022 - Valentine's Day\n* Monday, February 21, 2022 - Presidents' Day\n* March 2022 - Women's History Month\n* Thursday, March 17, 2022 - St. Patrick's Day\n* Friday, April 1, 2022 - April Fool's Day\n* Friday, April 22, 2022 - Earth Day\n* Sunday, May 15+22+29, 2022 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Monday, May 30, 2022 - Memorial Day\n* Sunday, June 5+12, 2022 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Tuesday, June 14, 2022 - Flag Day\n* Sunday, June 19, 2022 - Juneteenth\n* Monday, July 4, 2022 - Independence Day\n* [August 1-31, 2022 - Advance Preparations for Mid-Term Elections]\n* Monday, September 5, 2022 - Labor Day\n* Sunday, September 11, 2022 - 9-11\n* Saturday, September 17, 2022 - Citizenship Day\n* Monday, September 19, 2022 - National Voter Registration Week of Action Kickoff Rally with Michelle Obama and celebrity guests\n* Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - __National Voter Registration Day__\n* Monday-Friday, October 3-7, 2022 - __National Voter Education Week__\n* Monday, October 10, 2022 - Columbus Day\n* November 2022 - Native American Heritage Month\n* Friday, November 11, 2022 - Veterans Day\n* Thursday, November 24, 2022 - Thanksgiving\n* Monday, December 26, 2022 - Christmas Day\n\n- - - - -\n\n__National Voter Registration Week of Action Kickoff Rally__ with former __First Lady Michelle Obama__ and celebrity guests on Monday, September 19, 2022 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT.  __National Voter Registration Day is Tuesday, September 20, 2022.__  This rally will be a strong start to the week, as we prepare to get our colleagues-neighbors, family-friends and communities mobilized-educated-registered and ready to vote during National Voter Registration Week.\n\n__Ramp Up the Vote Rally:__ It’s time to Ramp Up The Vote! When We All Vote is hosting our Ramp Up The Vote Rally on Thursday, August 25, 2022 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT. Join us along with the partners, volunteers, and celebrity co-chairs and ambassadors as we get ready for this year’s midterm elections and ensure we all make our voices heard in the future of our country. \n\n__Special * Juneteenth Acknowledgement with Call-to-Action:__ Juneteenth marks the end of slavery in America and commemorates the collective freedom of African-Americans.  This guided discussion will acknowledge the legacy of Juneteenth in Galveston, Texas to promote thought and commit to a plan to take action for our communities, _including voter mobilization-educations-registration_.\n\n* Sunday, July 10, 2022 (special meeting, _including voting rights_)\n\n- - - - -\n\n160 million Americans cast their ballots in 2020 – shattering voter turnout records and making history.  And we can’t stop now.  There is still work to be done before we are #VoteReady!\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\nCopyright © 2021-2022 Communities United | 2020 Victorious!","organization":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/2020_20220210235441440024.png","startDate":"2028-01-01T05:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2028-01-02T04:45:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/2020victorious/event/434596/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/iStock-1200571987_20211230195758876840.jpg","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"434596","scrapedAt":"2026-04-01T16:41:53.462Z"},{"id":"mobilize-580830","title":"National Voter Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action | Communities United","description":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United is conducting a National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action to get our communities prepared and #VoteReady to promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.__  This is a national conversation on how we can all work together every year to expand our collective mission to protect democracy, fight voter suppression, and ensure all Americans have equal access to the ballot box.  This is democracy and it requires action.\n\n- - - - - - - - - -\n\n__Training Session:__ (outline update)\n\n* Basic Voter Education-Registration ... (30-minutes, ends 7:30pm) ... review resources in advance, arrive on-time, prepare-ask questions, take notes\n* Brave New Films: \"Suppressed and Sabotaged\" | The Right/Fight to Vote [(trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI) ... (45-minutes, ends 8:15pm) ... prepare to be attentive, note impressionable incidents, remarkable statements\n* Advance Voter Mobilization-Empowerment ... (30-minutes, ends 8:45pm) ... bring experiences-questions, take notes. take action\n\n- - - - - - - - - -\n\nWe are inviting you to join 2020 Victorious! | Communities United for National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action to get our communities prepared and #VoteReady to promote #VoterEducation from __January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.__ We are counting on you to participate by organizing and supporting [in-person/virtual] voter registration drives where you will register eligible voters, and help experienced voters check-confirm and update their registration.\n\nThis year's target campaign will champion a call-to-action for: ... (to be updated)\n\nLast year's target campaign will champion a call-to-action for:\n\n__National Voter Registration Day__ - Tuesday, September 17, 2024\n\n__National Voter Education Week of Action__ - Sunday, September 15-22, 2024\n\n__National Voter Education Week__ - Monday-Friday, October 7-11, 2024\n\n__Vote Early Day Celebration!__ - Tuesday, October 29, 2024\n\n\n__Launch a Community Conversation__ in your neighborhood-network! Let’s create a truly democratic space where we can connect together through meaningful dialogue.  __Note:__ The national acknowledgement date may differ from the date of meeting-discussion.\n\nAdvance Preparation: Organize a personal list of colleagues-neighbors, family-friends eligible to vote in the battleground-swing states below: then write a brief statement to motivate-inform the recipients.  This discussion is for immediate participation in the call-to-action to protect our democracy.\n\n__Battleground-Swing States:__ AK-Alaska, AZ-Arizona, FL-Florida, GA-Georgia, KS-Kansas, MI-Michigan, NC-North Carolina, NV-Nevada, NY-New York, OH-Ohio, PA-Pennsylvania, SC-South Carolina, TX-Texas, WI-Wisconsin ... (governor, secretary of state, senator, congress)\n\n_Relational Organizing in the battleground-swing states._\n\n- - - - -\n\n__Suppressed and Sabotaged: The Fight to Vote,__ a powerful 2020 Brave New Films production documentary about the growing threat of voter suppression and election sabotage to our 2023 midterm-year elections.  There will be multiple documentary series presented throughout the year. [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n* Monday-Friday, October 7-11, 2024 - __National Voter Education Week__\n* Documentary Screening, _upon advance request *_ [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n\n__Preparation:__ We will organize our creative inspirations-skills to design several written expressions that capture the spirit of the national holiday for a monthly targeted campaign. The inspirational expressions will be distributed nationally to promote the advancement of voting rights throughout our respective communities.  This will include the development of a voting toolkit of best practices.  The community feedback provided by-to attendee-participants will guide-improve the collective voter mobilization-education-registration-empowerment response.\n\n__GETTING STARTED__\n\n__A Simple Task:__  Ask your community networks of colleagues-neighbors and family-friends to check the status of their voter registration at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org ... (and ask that they pass it on to their networks).  _\"Check your voter registration status at VOTE.gov or VOTE.org and ask your networks to do the same.\"_\n\n__National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action is a call to action.__\n\n* THE GOAL: Engage at least 3-5+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n* Ambitious Goal:  Engage at least 20-25+ potential voters in 5-days of action!\n\n__Immediate Next Steps:__ Early Voting [(calendar)](https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/) - Mail-In Ballot [(rules)](https://www.vote.org/absentee-voting-rules/) - Sample Ballot [(guide)](https://www.usa.gov/voter-research) - Invite your colleagues-neighbors, family-friends, and community networks to be mobilized and educated about the issues that most impact them.  Include the early voting locations-dates-times, mail-in ballot instructions, and sample ballot previews information links in your personal distributions to ensure election day preparedness.\n\nNational Voter Education Week [(NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org) strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election and provides days-of-action and voting resources.\n\nLearn how to register the 4-million youth voters who will become eighteen and eligible to vote this year, the 30-million Americans who moved and need to update their voter registration, the 2-million Americans living abroad (required to verify status annually), the 2-million Americans who got married (and changed their names) and need to update their voter registration, and the millions of Americans purged from the voter registration rolls for simple and avoidable reasons.\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\n- - - - -\n\n__5 Days | 5 Actions__ National Voter Education Week (NVEW) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this week of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVEW strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.  Review the NVEW website to become familiar with the days-of-action and other voting resources. [(... more NVEW)](https://www.votereducationweek.org)\n\n__Optional Task:__  VoteRiders is seeking dedicated virtual volunteers to help manage voter appointments and rides to the DMV and other ID-issuing agencies on an ongoing weekly basis. Responsibilities include making appointment reminder calls, scheduling rides and handling communications between drivers and voters. No experience is necessary.  VoteRiders will provide all of the training and support needed to be successful. This opportunity is ideal for volunteers living in the Central Time Zone or Eastern Time Zone as the voters we help most frequently live in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Texas. [(... more VoteRiders)](https://www.voteriders.org)\n\n__12 Months | 21 Actions__ National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year (NVMEREY) helps voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this year of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and more. NVMERY strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election.\n\nWhile National Voter Mobilization-Education-Empowerment Year of Action is a __TARGETED campaign__ scheduled for a full extended year, the __Call-to-Action__ can begin today and continue any-every month-day throughout the year.  We will meet, as a collective, on the designated dates-times above to discuss our daily encounters-progress and brainstorm ideas!\n\nA few great places to host voter registration drives include: local businesses (ask customers-employees to distribute-share the links), places of worship (ask to get a table in the lobby after services), the business office workplace (talk to each colleague to get them to update their registration), your high school or college-university (set-up a table in a high-traffic area or talk to fellow students during breakfast-lunch), and high-traffic areas in your community (laundromats, playgrounds, public parks, restaurants, supermarkets), etc.\n\n- - - - -\n\n2020 Victorious! | Communities United is counting on all of us to participate by registering our colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities to ensure that eligible voters check and update their voter registration status during National Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year of Action.  We are calling on you to participate by registering your friends, family, and neighbors, and helping eligible voters check and update their voter registration.\n\nBegin by thinking of several dates and places that you can integrate voter registration into your schedule, including the places that you will already be! Think about the gatherings you already attend, and places where you regularly have conversations with others.  RSVP to this event page to indicate that during the Year of Action, you will participate by registering voters in your neighborhood and help your colleagues-neighbors, families-friends and communities check and update their voter registration!\n\nNational Voter Mobilization-Education-Registration-Empowerment Year (NVMEREY) ... (potential dates) ~2024 DATES TO BE UPDATES~\n\n* Monday, January 1, 2024 - New Year's Day\n* Monday, January 1-31, 2024 - New Year's Day through January 2023\n* Monday, January 15, 2024 - Martin Luther King (MLK) Day of Service\n* February 2024 - Black History Month\n* Wednesday, February 14, 2024 - Valentine's Day\n* Monday, February 19, 2024 - Presidents' Day\n* March 2024 - Women's History Month\n* Sunday, March 17, 2023 - St. Patrick's Day\n* Monday, April 1, 2024 - April Fool's Day\n* Monday, April 22, 2024 - Earth Day\n* Sunday, May 12+19+26, 2024 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Monday, May 27, 2024 - Memorial Day\n* Sunday, June 2+9, 2024 - Documentary Screening [(movie trailer)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RhrbEh-osI&t=1s)\n* Friday, June 14, 2024 - Flag Day\n* Wednesday, June 19, 2024 - Juneteenth\n* Thursday, July 4, 2024 - Independence Day\n* [August 1-31, 2024 - Advance Preparations for Mid-Term Elections]\n* Monday, September 2, 2024 - Labor Day\n* Wednesday, September 11, 2024 - 9-11\n* Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - Citizenship Day/Constitution Day\n* Sunday-Sunday, September 15-22, 2024 - National Voter Registration Week of Action\n* Sunday-Tuesday, September 15-October 15, 2024 - Hispanic Heritage Month\n* Tuesday, September 17, 2024 - __National Voter Registration Day__\n* Monday-Friday, October 7-11, 2024 - __National Voter Education Week__\n* Monday, October 14, 2024 - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day\n* November 2024 - Native American Heritage Month\n* Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - __NATIONAL ELECTION DAY__\n* Monday, November 11, 2024 - Veterans Day\n* Thursday, November 28, 2024 - Thanksgiving\n* Friday, November 29, 2024 - Native American Heritage Day\n* Wednesday, December 25, 2024 - Christmas Day\n\n- - - - -\n\n- - - - -\n\n160 million Americans cast their ballots in 2020 – shattering voter turnout records and making history.  And we can’t stop now.  There is still work to be done before we are #VoteReady!\n\nELECTION PROTECTION HOTLINE: Call or Text 866-OUR-VOTE * Tweet @866OURVOTE\n\nCopyright © 2021-2024 Communities United | 2020 Victorious!","organization":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/2020_20220210235441440024.png","startDate":"2028-01-01T05:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2028-01-02T04:45:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"","address":", ","city":"","state":"","zip":"","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/2020victorious/event/580830/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/iStock-1200571987_20211230195758876840.jpg","eventType":"health-screening","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"580830","scrapedAt":"2026-04-01T16:41:56.037Z"},{"id":"mobilize-413625","title":"2020 Victorious! MLK NATIONAL DAY-WEEK OF ACTION-IMPACT-SERVICE | Communities United","description":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United is excited to partner with organizations across the country to participate in a National Day of Service on Monday, January 17, 2021 in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  2020 Victorious! | Communities United encourages volunteers and community leaders to host virtual or socially distant service events in their community.\n\n__“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?'” – The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.__\n\nJOIN 2020 Victorious! | Communities United supporters from all across the nation for the MLK National Day-Week of Action-Impact-Service!\n\nThe full week-weekend of action-impact-service series on Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday, Saturday, and Monday, January 10-11, 13-14, 15, 16, and 17, 2021 will cover critical topics and share action planning about how to be of service in our communities and to our nation.  The plan is to mobilize in order to support the The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout the nation.  Please feel free to attend-participate in ALL-some or part of each daily-weekend action-impact-service event. Sign up with a friend!\n\nJoin us as we criss-cross the nation from New York to California, from Florida to Texas, from Washington, DC to the State of Washington (east-west, north-south) to honor the successes-triumphs of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:\n\n* MONDAY-TUESDAY, January 10-11, 2022 10:00am-1:30pm ... (3-hour 30-minutes) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Nonviolence365®  Virtual Series: Keys to Creating a Culture Shift That Sticks https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/\n\n* THURSDAY-FRIDAY, January 13-14, 2022 10:00am-5:30pm/4:00pm ... (7-hour 30-minutes) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Observance Beloved Community Global Summit https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ ... Rebroadcast [(01-13-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne9tMDgmZ9M) [(01-14-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIr_ULBzZDg)\n\n* FRIDAY, January 14, 2022 12:00pm-6:30pm ... (6-hour 30-minutes) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Observance Beloved Community Global Youth Summit https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ ... Rebroadcast [(01-14-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2GuNy1TMR4)\n\n* SATURDAY, January 15, 2022 10:30am-11:30am ... (1-hour program) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Beloved Community Book Reading: “It Starts With Me”: A Virtual Youth Book Reading and Puppetry Presentation https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ ... Rebroadcast [(01-15-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TvlBJBSVnY)\n\n* SATURDAY, January 15, 2022 7:30pm-9:30pm ... (2-hour program) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Beloved Community Awards (Formerly the Salute to Greatness Awards) https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/ - Streaming on The King Center Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and website. ... Rebroadcast [(01-15-2022)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TvlBJBSVnY)\n\n* SUNDAY, January 16, 2022 2:00pm-2:45pm ... (45-minute program) 2020 Victorious! King Center Holiday Flame of Hope Ceremony Hosts: the King Center and Earth Caravan – Location: The King Center Plaza. *masks required\n\n* MONDAY, January 17, 2022 10:00am-1:00pm ... (3-hour program) 2020 Victorious! Martin Luther King Jr. Beloved Community Commemorative Service https://thekingcenter.org/king-holiday-2022/\n\n- - - - -\n\n__OTHER MLK EVENTS:__ ... (as schedules are made available)\n\nVirtual Rally: __Poor People’s Campaign National Launch of the Moral March on Washington and to the Polls – June 18, 2022__ [(livestream)](https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/livestream/) – Friday, January 14, 2022 10:00am ET * Tune in to hear Poor People’s Campaign co-chair Rev. Dr. William Barber II offers a vision for the National Launch of this season of nonviolent moral direct action culminating in the Mass Poor People's and Low-Wage Workers' Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls – June 18, 2022.  And then, make your calls to Congress to let them know that we don’t have scarcity of resources in this nation, we are dealing with a scarcity of political will. Every day of continued injustice will only embolden our agitation and strengthen our resolve to realize our moral agenda and the nation we have yet to be. Our demands can't wait. Call now and demand Congress to:\n\n* Pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act\n* Pass the For the People Act\n* End the Filibuster\n* Pass the Build Back Better agenda as a first step\n* Pass $15/hr Minimum Wage now\n* Pass Protections for All Immigrants\n* Stop the Destruction of Apache Holy Site Oak Flat\n\nVirtual Rally: __Poor People’s Campaign National Launch of the Moral March on Washington and to the Polls – June 18, 2022__ [(register)](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84734193899) – Monday, January 17, 2022 4:00pm-6:00pm ET * Join the NYS PPC Faith Organizing Team online to learn the history of the Poor People's Campaign and to hear what the movement is calling for us to do right now! Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis will join and we will learn from impacted leaders in the NYS campaign who will share their experiences and insights with us as well. We will hear from faith leaders and share collectively our religious traditions' grounding for us in this campaign. AND, we will sing, take action together that day and sign up for concrete ways to build towards the Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington on June 18th! \n\nMONDAY, January 17+24, 2022 1:00pm-2:00pm ... (1-hour program) 2020 Victorious! Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) – __History Alive! Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: The Last Five Years.__  Honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with living history interpreter John McCaskill as he chronicles the last five years of King’s life and shares other stories of the individuals who fought to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States.  Additional Information:  John McCaskill brings dynamic public speaking presentations in Washington, DC and across the country.  To authenticate his living history presentations, he adorns period attire for colonial, WWII/Army Air Corps Tuskegee Airmen, and Civil War U.S. Colored Troops, World War I, Reconstruction, Buffalo Soldier, and the 1960’s Civil Rights period. ... Rebroadcast [(01-17+24-2022)](https://video.ibm.com/channel/zCPF4U3hFPc)\n\nWhile we reflect on the past and look towards the future with hope and intention, the MLK National Day-Week of Action-Impact-Service will be an analysis of our national history and future legacy.  The weekend series will be a continuum of daily information discussions conducted by The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by a brief 30-minute open group discussion (optional). We want you to bring your favorite relevant historical civil rights and social justice topics and your best community service ideas to the discussion.\n\nAnd once you register, make sure your communities, colleagues, friends and family join too!\n\nPRE-MLK DAY of Service Discussion: If you are looking for a place to start, but are unsure how to do so, join one of our information sessions scheduled for January 10-11-13-14-15-17, 2022 10:00am ET / 7:00am PT.  If you don't know where to start, don't have the time to research or can't wait to get started with hands-on work, join us on one or more projects for the MLK Day-Week of Action-Impact-Service scheduled between Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday, Saturday, and Monday, January 10-11, 13-14, 15, and 17, 2021.\n\nCopyright © 2021-2022 Communities United | 2020 Victorious!","organization":"2020 Victorious! | Communities United","organizationLogo":"https://mobilize-uploads-prod.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/organization/2020_20220210235441440024.png","startDate":"2028-01-01T14:00:00.000Z","endDate":"2028-01-01T15:00:00.000Z","timezone":"America/New_York","isVirtual":true,"location":{"venue":"New York City","address":", ","city":"New York","state":"NY","zip":"11430","country":"US"},"virtualUrl":null,"registrationUrl":"https://www.mobilize.us/2020victorious/event/413625/","image":"https://mobilizeamerica.imgix.net/uploads/event/i-have-a-dream-pavement_20211230165501685375.jpg","eventType":"memorial","source":"mobilize","sourceId":"413625","scrapedAt":"2026-04-01T16:41:53.462Z"}],"briefing":{"stories":[{"id":"vn-hd04o3","slug":"errors-in-disability-cases-for-painful-scars-resulted-in-overpayment-va-watchdog","title":"Errors in disability cases for ‘painful scars’ resulted in overpayment: VA watchdog","excerpt":"The error of Veterans Benefits Administration staff has resulted in approximately $5.6 million in overpayments to veterans, a VA watchdog found.","content":"The error of Veterans Benefits Administration staff has resulted in approximately $5.6 million in overpayments to veterans, a VA watchdog found.\n\nDuring a review period from June 1, 2024, through May 31, 2025, the VA made at least one error in 17,900 cases, roughly 38%, regarding disability decisions for painful scars, according to a recent VA Office of Inspector General report.\n\n920 of those decisions, per the report, led to millions in overpayment and will continue to accrue without “corrective action.”\n\nFor service-connected painful scars, as a result of burns, surgeries, shrapnel and gunshot wounds, among other sources, the VA requires a physical examination to support a veteran’s claim.\n\nHowever, the OIG found that the Disability Benefits Questionnaire “does not clearly define objective versus subjective evidence.\n\nTherefore, claims processors sometimes provided evaluations for painful scars without objective evidence to support the evaluations, which led to overpayments in disability compensation.”\n\nIn addition, the report found that physical manifestations of the disability were often evaluated under two separate diagnostic codes, often resulting in “pyramiding” and overpayment.\n\nThe report notes that more than a half-million veterans currently receive VA disability benefits for painful scarring caused or worsened by military service, but it took a random sample of 70 decisions from a review population of 47,300.\n\nIt further notes that the OIG took the findings to the VBA in February 2026 and following the briefing, “30 additional decisions completed from January 1 through January 31, 2026… identified a 43 percent error rate.”\n\nThe VBA, while agreeing with many of the OIG’s recommendations, including revising the “Scars/Disfigurement” section of the DBQ; ensuring employees understand how to accurately evaluate painful scars; and reviewing and correcting the processing errors on decisions the Office of Inspector General team identified, took issue with the statistical sample and the contextualization of those estimates.\n\n“The OIG examined 130 decisions, representing approximately 0.27 percent of the total review population of about 47,300 decisions, and identified 60 errors, which form the basis for the projected 17,900 errors referenced throughout the report,” per VA comments in the report.\n\n“Importantly, only seven of the 60 errors OIG found resulted in improper payments, which represents about 5.4 percent of the sample, and when viewed across the full review population, only about 0.015 percent of all decisions reviewed. The remaining 53 errors, more than 88 percent of the sample, were technical or procedural issues that did not result in improper payments.”\n\nThe VA is working to complete the OIG’s suggestions by February 2027 at the latest.","category":"benefits","author":"Claire Barrett","publishDate":"2026-10-22T19:50:46.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/NNK3ILEXLRFZRAXR3DJJYFCBUI.jpg","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/10/22/errors-in-disability-cases-for-painful-scars-resulted-in-overpayment-va-watchdog/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:04.715Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-xhrp0","slug":"transportation-careers-that-move-veterans-forward","title":"Transportation careers that move Veterans forward","excerpt":"Across the country, Veterans are finding purpose and opportunity in America’s transportation sector. The discipline, technical skill and mission‑focused mindset strengthened through military service...","content":"Across the country, Veterans are finding purpose and opportunity in America’s transportation sector. The discipline, technical skill and mission‑focused mindset strengthened through military service translates naturally into the demands of aviation, trucking, maritime operations and the interconnected systems that keep our nation moving. As America modernizes its transportation infrastructure, Veterans are stepping in as the next generation of leaders who help move people, goods and essential services.\n\nIn the latest episode of “At the Table,” VA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., talks with U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Steve Bradbury about why this moment represents an opportunity for Veterans.\n\nTheir conversation hones in on how transportation careers align with military experience, where the demand for skilled workers is growing and the federal resources available to help Veterans launch or advance careers in the field.\n\nA golden age of transportation\n\nIn this discussion, Bradbury explains that DOT is undergoing one of the largest modernization efforts in its history. Thousands of infrastructure projects are strengthening highways, ports, rail systems and the air traffic control network. This nationwide investment is creating a strong need for workers who can manage complex systems, work safely under pressure and keep critical networks running capabilities that Veterans already demonstrate every day.\n\nFor those curious about transportation careers, opportunities span technical, operational, engineering, safety and management roles across DOT agencies. Veterans don’t have to navigate these options alone; DOT provides dedicated resources to help them explore pathways aligned with their military experience.\n\nThousands of opportunities in America’s skies\n\nIn aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is one of the largest employers of Veterans across the federal government. Nearly 40% of its workforce has military experience, including air traffic controllers, safety inspectors and aviation maintenance experts. The FAA provides pathways for former military pilots who are transitioning into civilian certifications, as well as for Veterans with backgrounds in aircraft maintenance, mechanical systems, communication networks or logistics.\n\nAir traffic control requires precision, composure and quick problem-solving skills many Veterans developed in service. With growing demand for aviation professionals, Veterans can explore FAA opportunities by visiting the FAA Jobs website or by going to https://www.faa.gov/jobs.\n\nFreedom Haulers and the need for skilled drivers\n\nIn trucking, Bradbury highlights the growing Freedom Haulers initiative—DOT’s nationwide effort to bring more Veterans into commercial driving careers. Veterans who operated heavy vehicles in the military often qualify for streamlined commercial driver’s license (CDL) processes through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.\n\nCommercial trucking offers steady demand across the country, competitive pay and work that closely mirrors military logistics operations. Veterans also maintain some of the strongest safety records in the industry, making them highly sought after by employers. Veterans can learn more at the Freedom Haulers website or by going to https://freedomhaulers.dot.gov/.\n\nServing on America’s seas and shorelines\n\nThe Maritime Administration (MARAD) supports the nation’s merchant marine fleet—a civilian force that plays a critical role in national security, global commerce and emergency response. Veterans with experience in the Navy, Coast Guard or Army often transition smoothly into deck roles, officer training programs, engineering positions or shoreside careers in shipbuilding, port operations, welding or logistics.\n\nMARAD offers credential assistance, fee waivers and training programs specifically for transitioning military members who want to build careers on the water; find them online or by going to https://www.maritime.dot.gov/maritime-workforce. Veterans can also explore maritime career pathways at https://www.uscmi.org.\n\nSmall business opportunities\n\nFor Veterans interested in entrepreneurship, DOT also hosts small business matchmaking events that connect Veterans with employers, contractors and federal partners. An upcoming Veterans Small Business Summit at DOT headquarters in Washington, D.C., will offer networking sessions, direct hiring opportunities and support for Veterans exploring business partnerships. Details are available at the DOT VOSB Summit webpage, or you can visit https://www.transportation.gov/mission/administrations/office-small-and-disadvantaged-business-utilization/VOSB%20Summit.\n\nYour next career opportunity may be in the transportation sector\n\nTransportation careers allow Veterans to continue serving by strengthening the systems that power America’s economy and mobility. Whether you want to help manage air traffic, move essential freight, operate within the merchant marine, build safer infrastructure, or join federal teams working toward transportation innovation, your military experience has already prepared you.","category":"transition","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-10-22T18:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/AT-THE-TABLE-INTRO-graphic-16x9-Steven-G.-Bradbury.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150458/transportation-careers-move-veterans-forward/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:04.964Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-470fiy","slug":"ncis-character-reveals-dark-side-as-past-catches-up-to-him","title":"‘NCIS’ character reveals dark side as past catches up to him","excerpt":"On the hit TV show “NCIS,” Special Agent Nick Torres has a murky undercover background. While Torres —played by USO Global Ambassador Wilmer Valderrama — has become an integral part of the team over...","content":"On the hit TV show “NCIS,” Special Agent Nick Torres has a murky undercover background. While Torres —played by USO Global Ambassador Wilmer Valderrama— has become an integral part of the team over the past 10 years, fans are going to see a whole other side of one of their favorite characters this season.\n\nNCISverse\n\nIn the “NCIS” world (aka the NCISverse), Torres has become an agency staple known for his fearlessness and willingness to do what the job requires, as well as for his quick wit and sarcasm. Before joining NCIS, Torres was a skilled undercover agent, and in the latest episode, “Sleeping Dogs,” his undercover past catches up to him. Now he is forced to confront old behaviors — and share the darkest version of himself with his team.\n\n“The world of Torres, the universe of Torres, has been a mystery to so many, right? And we’ve only flirted with the idea, like ‘this is a person from the past,’ ‘this is how his dad abandoned his family,’ and like we just kind of breadcrumbed it a little bit to give a little context on who he is,” Valderrama explained to Military Families Magazine on his character.\n\n“But I will say that there is an entire existence before this, before he joined the NCIS team, that has never seen the light of day because he works and performs with it between agencies, and this [undercover] guy was built to be the one guy that does what most can’t or what most won’t,” he said.\n\nThe actor went on to say that this season, “that lone wolf” in Torres is “trying to wake up.”\n\n‘Lone wolf’\n\nTorres does seem restless lately, lamenting to Special Agent Jessica Knight (played by Katrina Law) in the previous episode that he has unused “special skills” in his current role. When pressed what skills those are, Torres turns it into a half-joke, saying he can hold his breath for four minutes.\n\nAs for himself, Valderrama recognized that Torres’ breathwork beats his own.\n\n“I haven’t timed myself on how long I can hold my breath. All I can tell you is that I can hold my breath, but I would say that like I can probably do maybe two minutes or something like that. I don’t know; I don’t know what’s customary for a human being!” he laughed.\n\nBut Valderrama also suggested that Torres’ sarcasm hid an alarming reason for such a skill.\n\n“I felt like it was also [a] cover up for the things that he really is capable of doing; as you know from the military community, if they’re training a certain set of skills to be used upon mission or task, the last thing they do is talk about them… And so saying that he holds his breath should tell you and give you a little bit of a sneak peek that… the pun is deeper than that statement. And what’s exciting is that we’re gonna see it play out this season; we’re gonna see him do things that the fans have never seen before,” he said.\n\nTorres is struggling with his past and present versions of himself, Valderrama shared.\n\n“In this season, you’re gonna see that kind of tug-of-war from the guy that he’s become in the last 10 years of NCIS and the guy that’s inside that he has suppressed — because now he shows up when the body’s cold. When before, you know, he was trying to get there before the body dropped,” he said.\n\nCan Torres escape his past? Can he escape himself? Whatever Special Agent Torres’ future holds, the NCISverse fans will eagerly follow him — even into darkness.\n\nWatch “NCIS” on Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live on Paramount+ (Premium) and next day.\n\nEditor’s note: this is part one of a two-part interview with Valderrama.","category":"service","author":"Abby Ammons","publishDate":"2026-10-22T18:14:04.000Z","image":"https://militaryfamilies.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/3245389_NCIS_S24_0846b-scaled.webp","source":"Military Families Magazine","sourceUrl":"https://militaryfamilies.com/entertainment/ncis-character-reveals-dark-side-as-past-catches-up-to-him/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":95,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-23T00:01:13.582Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-7np0rd","slug":"uss-abraham-lincoln-crew-prepares-for-base-move-weeks-after-extended-deployment","title":"USS Abraham Lincoln crew prepares for base move weeks after extended deployment","excerpt":"After a 10-month deployment that was extended twice, including 40 days of combat operations against Iran that kept sailors at sea for 265 days without a port call , the crew of the USS Abraham...","content":"After a 10-month deployment that was extended twice, including 40 days of combat operations against Iran that kept sailors at sea for 265 days without a port call, the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln and their families are preparing to move to a new base just weeks after arriving home.\n\nBy the end of this year, the aircraft carrier will shift its home port from San Diego, California, to Bremerton, Washington, for long-planned maintenance, a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose. The Navy has set Dec. 31, 2026, as the administrative date for the change.\n\nAs of Oct. 22, the Navy’s Dec. 31 administrative benchmark is just 10 weeks away, as sailors and their families navigate post-deployment leave and preparations for relocation.\n\nTop Stories This Week\n\nAirman dies in rappelling demonstration at Navy football game\n\nHegseth’s plan to restore Confederate memorial at Arlington expected to cost taxpayers $9 million\n\nHundreds of 10th Mountain Division soldiers deploying to Latin America\n\nThe 5,000 sailors aboard the Lincoln spent 321 days away from home, including 40 days in combat, and were awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for valor upon their return to San Diego.\n\n“This will be a deliberate pause from high-tempo operational tasking to focus on restoring material readiness, upgrading warfighting capabilities, and preparing the carrier and its crew for future tasks,” a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose.\n\nThe carrier’s extended deployment drew national scrutiny earlier this year after military families raised concerns about deteriorating living conditions and sailors’ mental health. Navy and Pentagon officials initially disputed reports of a crisis, though within days the service began sending additional mental health support personnel to the carrier. The following month, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao confirmed that eight sailors across the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group had attempted suicide during the deployment.\n\nThe long-planned home port change from San Diego to Naval Base Kitsap in Washington now presents another challenge for sailors and their families. At an August town hall in San Diego, family members expressed frustration to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and other senior officials about uncertainty surrounding the carrier’s impending move to Washington, according to Military Times.\n\nPermanent change of station moves have long presented challenges for military families, who must navigate housing, employment, school enrollment and the logistics of transporting their belongings between duty stations. In 2017, Task & Purpose reported that Navy families were receiving less than eight weeks’ notice to relocate, leaving some scrambling to arrange moves and manage the financial burdens of uprooting their households.\n\nMore recently, the war with Iran has complicated military relocations. In March, Task & Purpose reported that disruptions to international shipping, heightened security at military installations and rising transportation costs were creating additional challenges for families moving between duty stations, including within the United States.\n\nFor some families, the relocation comes as sailors are getting to know children born during their deployment. According to Navy Times, 122 sailors from the Lincoln and its embarked air wing became fathers while deployed, meeting their children for the first time when the carrier returned to San Diego on Oct. 8.\n\nIt remains unclear how many of those families will relocate to Washington with infants less than a year old.\n\n“Abraham Lincoln sailors and their families are moving to Bremerton individually, with full support from the chain of command and permanent change of station resources,” a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose.\n\nThat support, according to the Navy, includes standard PCS benefits such as the shipment and storage of household goods and travel allowances. Eligible sailors relocating dependents may receive up to four proceed days, while commanders may authorize up to 10 days of house-hunting time, subject to operational requirements.\n\nThe Navy also said Naval Base Kitsap and regional partners have established transition programs for incoming families, including childcare support, housing assistance and a “Welcome to Kitsap” resource fair.","category":"service","author":"Austin Campbell","publishDate":"2026-10-22T17:24:57.000Z","image":"https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/10001354-e1792686594548.jpg?quality=85&w=2048","source":"Task & Purpose","sourceUrl":"https://taskandpurpose.com/news/abraham-lincoln-port-change-december/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:58.785Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.511Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-i35yz4","slug":"jaws-of-hell-a-b-24-crew-s-capture-survival-after-wwii-air-raid","title":"‘Jaws of hell’: A B-24 crew’s capture, survival after WWII air raid","excerpt":"Bruised and battered, the crew of the Chattanooga Choo Choo were held as prisoners in the complete darkness of an abandoned cistern in rural Romania. On Aug. 1, 1943, Lt.","content":"Bruised and battered, the crew of the Chattanooga Choo Choo were held as prisoners in the complete darkness of an abandoned cistern in rural Romania.\n\nOn Aug. 1, 1943, Lt. Ernie Poulson co-piloted the Consolidated B-24 Liberator on a low-level bombing run of an oil refinery in Campina — part of the deadly American aerial raid of the Ploesti oil fields, codenamed Operation Tidal Wave. His aircraft was one of 53 lost that day. Paulson and his crew crash-landed on a river bank and were taken captive by the Romanian home guard.\n\nAs they awaited their fate in that dank, dark pit, the young American airmen could hear a commotion above them. Suddenly, a trap door opened and a head appeared. A woman’s voice spoke to them in heavily accented English:\n\n“Hello, boys. There are only friends here. Now come up and let us help you.”\n\nPoulson and the others didn’t know it at the time but they had just been saved by a guardian angel. Princess Catherine Caradja, a member of Romanian royalty, was now responsible for their lives as the hell of World War II raged around them in Europe.\n\nThat scene is a pivotal moment in Adam Makos’ new book Tidal Wave: The Pilots, the Princess, and the Enemy Ace – A True Story of Courage and Survival in WWII. The bestselling author of World War II books A Higher Call and Spearhead details an amazing account of a little-known side story of the ill-fated mission to destroy “Hitler’s gas station.”\n\n“That’s what the brass thought in 1943 when they sent those bombers into Romania at low level: wipe out Hitler’s refineries in one great raid,” Makos told Military Times.\n\n“They said it would shorten the war by six months. The truth was, Operation Tidal Wave was the opening salvo in a campaign that took an entire year to knock Romania out of the war and deny Hitler its oil. It took more than 67 American missions — and 237 bombers lost — to batter Romania enough to cause regime change,” he added.\n\nAt the time, Romania was a reluctant ally of Germany. Ruled by a despotic fascist, the country had joined the Axis powers to fight its archnemesis, the Soviet Union. However, many in Romania were wary of the Nazis and favored the Allies.\n\nOne of those who believed the country was on the wrong side of the war was Princess Catherine. When the Chattanooga Choo Choo crashed on her estate, she took an active interest in the welfare of its crew, rescuing them from internment in a Luftwaffe POW camp.\n\nInstead, Poulson and his men went to a safer Romanian prison camp where Princess Catherine could protect them. She even managed to have the camp commander replaced when he became too severe in his handling of the Americans.\n\nMakos was tipped off to the story by Frederick W. Smith, founder of FedEx, who died in 2025. Smith told the author about Poulson and how his crew was aided by the Romanian princess. As the author investigated, he learned the B-24 copilot was still alive\n\n“We found one of the last survivors of the 1,700 men that flew that mission in 1943. I was overjoyed,” says Makos, adding, “Ernie had a sharp mind and was physically fit. At 97, as he was telling me this story, you could tell he was still a tough guy.”\n\nAs the war progressed, more and more Romanians were killed in the senseless slaughter of the Eastern Front in Russia. Support for the Nazis weakened and in 1944, the country’s monarch — Michael I, who was king in name only — led a coup against the country’s dictator and flipped sides to join the Allies.\n\nThis enabled Romania’s leading fighter ace — Prince Constantin “Buzz” Cantacuzino, who hated the Nazis — to assist Allied airmen held prisoner in his country, including Lt. Col. James Alexander Gunn, the highest-ranking U.S. officer shot down in the Ploesti Raid.\n\nIn a Messerschmitt Bf 109 painted with two large American flags on its sides, Cantacuzino flew Gunn to safety in Italy. From there, the colonel helped plan the Operation Reunion rescue of more than 1,000 captured Allied airmen, including Poulson and his crew, in Boeing B-17 bombers converted into troop transports.\n\nBuzz flew escort for the Flying Fortresses in a North American P-51 Mustang.\n\nLike most of Makos’ books, the narrative doesn’t end with the guns falling silent. The author writes about how Princess Catherine and Poulson meet again years later in Europe, where the American learned just how much was at stake for his benefactor if she had been caught.\n\nAfter the Communists seized control in Romania, Catherine escaped to America, where she lived in Texas with one of the airmen on Poulson’s plane: Richard Britt. Following the Romanian Revolution in 1989, the princess returned to her homeland, where she died at 100 in 1993.\n\n“This is such an amazing story,” Makos says. “We were so lucky that many of the people involved wrote memoirs, so we were able to piece it together and triangulate all the incredible events for accuracy. I interviewed Ernie Poulson in 2018 to get his side of it. He played such a movie-like role in this story.”\n\nPoulson later headed the Atlas missile program for the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a colonel in 1961. He then became a professor of business at the University of Utah. He died in 2020.\n\nTapping into unreleased family archives, diaries, letters and firsthand accounts, Makos crafts a fast-paced, action-packed narrative that ties together many important individuals and historic events into a personal story about World War II. By presenting this aspect of the Ploesti Raid, he says he is focusing on the brave men who sacrificed so much to stop the Nazi war machine.\n\n“Some 310 of them gave their lives, and they did help bring about an earlier end to the most terrible war in human history. Are we a country that remembers our heroes, those audacious young men who flew into the jaws of hell? Or will they be just a footnote in history?\n\n“That’s why I wrote Tidal Wave: to make sure their names and their story are known.”","category":"legacy","author":"Dave Kindy","publishDate":"2026-10-22T14:51:10.000Z","image":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/UZGY2YTO5VAORFC27GZVJEIXYY.jpg","source":"Military Times - Veterans","sourceUrl":"https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2026/10/22/jaws-of-hell-a-b-24-crews-capture-survival-after-wwii-air-raid/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":110,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.471Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-lfw9ci","slug":"behind-the-scenes-medvamc-engineer-earns-national-recognition","title":"Behind the scenes: MEDVAMC engineer earns national recognition","excerpt":"Biomedical engineer named to 2026 TechNation 40 Under 40 class The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) is proud to announce that Christie Pascue, biomedical engineer, has been named to the...","content":"Biomedical engineer named to 2026 TechNation 40 Under 40 class\n\nThe Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) is proud to announce that Christie Pascue, biomedical engineer, has been named to the 2026 TechNation 40 Under 40 Class—a prestigious national honor recognizing 40 outstanding professionals across the country for their leadership, innovation and dedication to advancing the healthcare technology management industry.\n\nCriteria for selection\n\nHonorees are selected based on their professional achievements, contributions to the healthcare technology management community and the positive influence they have on their organizations, colleagues and the future of the profession. Pascue’s selection derives from the exceptional expertise and commitment she brings to her work supporting Veteran care at MEDVAMC.\n\n“This national recognition is a true reflection of Christie’s talent and the outstanding contributions she makes to our team every day,” said Morolake Omoruyi, chief of facilities management at MEDVAMC and an engineer herself. “We are incredibly proud to see her achievements recognized on such a prestigious platform.”\n\nDedication to Veterans\n\nPascue, who marks five years of service with VA this year, said she is passionate about her job and loves the challenges it often presents.\n\n“What I enjoy most about my job is that every day brings something new, and it keeps me on my toes,” she said. “MEDVAMC is such a large facility with complex systems and technology that keep things interesting and engaging. Although much of our work happens behind the scenes, we get to see the positive impact it has on the care Veterans receive. Knowing that our efforts contribute to better outcomes for those who have served makes all the hard work truly rewarding.”\n\nLooking ahead\n\nMEDVAMC congratulates Christie Pascue on this well-deserved national honor and looks forward to her continued impact on the medical center and the Veterans it serve.","category":"health","author":"Nikki Verbeck","publishDate":"2026-10-22T14:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/1754-MM3_5204_van1.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150422/medvamc-engineer-earns-national-recognition/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.770Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-uy84mw","slug":"va-s-federal-ehr-introduces-15-improvements-to-support-veteran-care-this-fall","title":"VA’s Federal EHR introduces 15 improvements to support Veteran care this fall","excerpt":"VA sites and affiliated locations that have gone live with the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) recently began receiving the largest set of system improvements since VA began releasing upgrades...","content":"VA sites and affiliated locations that have gone live with the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) recently began receiving the largest set of system improvements since VA began releasing upgrades in October 2022. This milestone introduced 15 new or updated enhancements across platforms, capabilities, and interfaces to the Federal EHR, making daily work easier for clinicians and staff, with little to no downtime.\n\nVA routinely delivers quarterly upgrades to keep the Federal EHR current. Rather than large, disruptive updates, these quarterly releases arrive in smaller, predictable bundles. This approach keeps technology modern, reduces downtime and gets new tools into clinicians’ hands as soon as they are ready.\n\nHere are a few additions from this major release, which began on Sept. 23, 2026:\n\nEmergency Department Chronological View: Clinicians can now see vital signs, documentation, orders and key events on one streamlined timeline, supporting faster, more informed decision‑making in urgent situations.\n\nRehabilitation Organizer: Therapy teams now have a unified view of schedules and essential details, improving coordination and supporting more consistent therapy experiences.\n\nStandard Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Integration: Ultrasound images now flow directly into the Federal EHR, reducing duplicate tests and giving clinicians timely access to diagnostic information.\n\nTogether, these enhancements reflect the purpose of the regular upgrades: steady, meaningful improvements that support clinicians and strengthen care for Veterans.\n\nTraining and support for clinicians\n\nAs new features roll out, VA ensures clinicians have the support they need to use them effectively. Tip sheets, quick reference guides, demos and site‑specific support help staff get familiar with the enhancements quickly. In September 2026, clinicians also participated in three “Demos and Dialogue” sessions, giving them a real‑world look at the enhancements and practical guidance from experts.\n\nWhen providers understand their tools, Veterans benefit from a more seamless care experience.\n\nFind out when the Federal EHR will deploy at your facility by visiting the EHR deployment schedule.","category":"health","author":"Jason Davis","publishDate":"2026-10-22T13:30:00.000Z","image":"https://news.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/10/September-Cube-Release_VA-News_1400x787px.webp","source":"VA News","sourceUrl":"https://news.va.gov/150418/vas-federal-ehr-introduces-15-improvements-to-support-veteran-care-this-fall/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":85,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-22T18:00:50.770Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-23T04:00:28.723Z","linkStatus":"ok"},{"id":"vn-fmu7yt","slug":"5-things-to-know-about-execution-by-firing-squad-in-the-united-states","title":"5 things to know about execution by firing squad in the United States","excerpt":"Executions are inherently controversial ways of punishing heinous crimes in the United States. The debate isn’t just over what constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment,” either.","content":"Executions are inherently controversial ways of punishing heinous crimes in the United States. The debate isn’t just over what constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment,” either. Studies estimate that at least 4% of death row inmates are likely innocent of the crime in the first place. Since 1973, at least 203 people wrongly convicted and sentenced to death have been formally exonerated and cleared. This means roughly one person has been freed from death row for every 8.3 executions carried out.\n\nThough they vary by state, many forms of execution are still legal in the United States, either as primary or secondary methods. Lethal injection is the most common, but the electric chair, gas chamber, and even hanging are still around. There is one most closely associated with military personnel: the firing squad.\n\nIt might seem like the easiest form of execution, especially for a organization filled with trained riflemen: A prisoner, usually blindfolded or given a cigarette, stands against a brick wall or sturdy barrier and is gunned down by a handful of soldiers—at least that’s how we see it in movies, television, some dictatorships, and even the old days of U.S. military operations.\n\nBut things are a little different in the United States these days.\n\n1. There’s No Pole\n\nThe condemned isn’t tied to a pole or placed in front of a wall, or anything else you might have seen in a movie. With an American firing squad, the condemned is strapped to a chair, blindfolded, and a target is place over the subject’s chest. Sandbags are used to catch any strays or ricochets.\n\nThis was the case with convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner in 2010. Gardner tried to escape when he was brought to court for a hearing on charges in the 1984 robbery and fatal shooting of Melvyn John Otterstrom. He killed an attorney during his escape attempt, and was convicted in the Otterstrom case later.\n\n2. There Might Be a Blank\n\nThe popular lore says that only a few of the riflemen are given live rounds; everyone else is firing a blank. This way, the legend says, no one on the squad will be 100% sure they killed a man. The “conscience round” is real, but the ratio is heavily in favor of real rounds. When Utah executed Gardner in 2010, four of the five rifles carried live bullets and one carried a blank.\n\nWhile this sounds good, there’s a catch: the recoil. A blank kicks far less than a live round, and an experienced shooter can feel the difference. And not every state cares about conscience. South Carolina uses live ammunition in all three shooters’ rifles, and it uses .308-caliber Winchester 110-grain TAP Urban rounds, which are designed to fragment. And Idaho’s new protocol skips the blank now.\n\n3. Shooters are Given a Target\n\nAn American firing squad execution is intended to kill by destroying the prisoner’s heart. All firing squad members have to pass an accuracy test under similar conditions. In Utaa, when the condemned is brought into the execution chamber, they are strapped to a chair, and a physician either marks the location of the heart on the inmate’s jumpsuit (South Carolina) or places a target on the spot (Utah).\n\nThe squad uses .30-caliber rounds, with two rounds in their weapon, they fire from around 20-21 feet away. Three minutes after the first volley, a physician checks for vital signs. If the condemned is still clearly alive, the firing squad fires their second round. Vitals are monitored every 60 seconds for 10 minutes to ensure death.\n\nA target doesn’t ensure a clean execution. In the 2025 South Carolina execution of Mikal Mahdi, every shot missed his heart.\n\n4. Blindfolds Vary by State\n\nThere’s no national laws governing the use of blindfolds or hoods, but the states have their own rules on this. A hood is required by law in Utah. There, the inmate will get two minutes to speak before being hooded by the warden. In South Carolina, the firm rules are less clear, but the inmates are generally hooded. Idaho, which adopted the firing squad as a primary method in July 2026, gives prisoners the option of a mask or hood. The state also calls for a mild sedative before the inmate is moved to the execution area.\n\nA mask or eye covering is not only for the inmate, it’s also apparently for the firing squad. According to the Crime Museum, when the condemned person was able to look into the eyes of their executioners, it diminished their anonymity. This made the event stressful for the shooters who were following orders.\n\n5. The Firing Squad is Anonymous\n\nIn Utah, the identities of those selected for the firing squad remain secret by law. South Carolina’s 2023 shield law keeps secret the names of execution team members and what training they received. Idaho’s shooters don’t come from the prison staff. The squad is three volunteers from law enforcement agencies with certifications for firearm accuracy.\n\nDon’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty\n\n• The last time the U.S. military executed a service member \n• The story of the only US soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War\n• The only 4 inmates on the US military’s death row\n\n5 things to know about execution by firing squad in the United States\n\nWorld War II\n\nHow this Marine veteran scrambled to survive after the USS Indianapolis sank\n\nThe post-Civil War ban on home distilling is heading to the Supreme Court\n\nThe last time the U.S. military executed a service member\n\nWhy this retired Marine colonel and cancer survivor runs 50 marathons a year","category":"legacy","author":"Tim Kirkpatrick","publishDate":"2026-10-21T16:35:11.000Z","image":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/goya.webp?quality=85","source":"We Are The Mighty","sourceUrl":"https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/execution-by-firing-squad/","serviceBranch":null,"qualityScore":100,"lowQuality":false,"scraped":true,"scrapedAt":"2026-10-21T18:00:55.088Z","lastLinkCheck":"2026-10-22T04:00:28.489Z","linkStatus":"ok"}]},"total":1958,"limit":30,"offset":0,"hasMore":true,"lastUpdate":"2026-10-23T00:01:33.638Z"}