Are you or do you know an unemployed Veteran age 35-60?

If so, there is a new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Labor’s (DOL) education benefit program that helps train Veterans in high demand occupations.

As a VetSuccess.gov user we would like to share information about our new programs and benefits that are underway due to the enactment of a new law. In an effort to reduce Veteran unemployment, the President signed into law the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 last November. Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) for unemployed Veterans, which VA begins accepting applications May 15, 2012.

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On behalf of the National Board and the members of American Veterans for Equal Rights, I wish to express my sadness on the passing of Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Dave Guy-Gainer. Dave served AVER as an officer and was a founding member of SLDN. Dave devoted his time, money, and energies into seeing DADT repealed. He was one of the first people to congratulate me on my election as AVER National President, and his wise counsel was always greatly appreciated. It was such a wonderful honor to hug Dave and share the victory of the repeal signing ceremony in Washington. America is a freer and stronger nation because of his dedication. He helped the United States become true to ourselves in honoring equality for all Americans and our commitment to genuine justice and liberty for all our citizens.

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On Thursday Servicemembers Legal Defense Network sued the federal government on behalf of legally married, same-sex service members, veterans, and their spouses, seeking equal recognition, benefits and the same support as married heterosexual couples who serve in the military. This lawsuit challenges the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as well as U.S. Code Titles 10, 32 and 38.  The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Boston says the government’s Defense of Marriage Act violates their constitutional rights and asks the military to recognize their legal marriages.

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Lee Reinhart, a US Navy and US Coast Guard Veteran who was discharged from the Coast Guard due to the recently repealed DADT policy, has reenlisted in the US Navy Reserve on Monday Oct 24th.  After honorably serving in the Navy in the 1990s, Reinhart reenlisted in the Coast Guard following the 911 attack, in order to do his part to serve our nation.  After serving only a few months in the Coast Guard, he was discharged after it was discovered that he is gay.  Since then Lee Reinhart has dedicated his volunteer efforts towards the repeal of the DADT policy through his work with American Veterans For Equal Rights, as a member of the Chicago AVER Chapter and currently in reestablishing the AVER Columbus Chapter.  He is among the first of those discharged due to DADT to reenlist in our armed forces following the repeal of the policy.

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ATLANTA — Following is a statement from Danny Ingram, National President of American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER), on yesterday’s full certification of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal Act of 2010:

America is not a great nation because of our weatlh, though we are certainly among the most wealthy nations in the world. America is not great because of our power, though we have the most powerful military in human history. America is great and unique among all the nations of the earth because of our undying devotion to the fullness of freedom, the idea that every citizen, no matter how vast our differences, is entitled to the same equal rights as every other citizen. On September 20, 2011, when the repeal of DADT takes effect, a group of Americans, once the victims of discrimination by the very guardians of our nation’s liberty, will be discriminated against no more. On that day, all Americans will witness our own evolution as the United States becomes a more free society. On that day, “we the people” will take a further step towards our collective destiny as the most free, equal, and diverse people in human endeavor.

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Atlanta, GA – Certification of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal is now official with the announcement by the White House this afternoon that President Obama, Defense Secretary Panetta, and Chairman Mullen have certified that the repeal of the DADT law will not harm US military readiness. The law will now officially end in 60 days, sometime in September. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members will then officially be able to serve with integrity and honor along with other patriotic volunteers in our American armed forces.

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