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First Lady Michelle Obama announces measures to increase support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members at the Labor Department in Washington, D.C., Jan. 30, 2012. These proposed rules would, in part, enable more military family members to take the time they need to care for their loved ones without fear of career repercussions. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez

First Lady Michelle Obama today announced a series of measures intended to increase the nation’s support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members.

Joined by Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis and senior military leaders, Obama announced the Labor Department’s proposal to expand military family leave protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

These proposed rules will, in part, enable more military family members to take the time they need to care for their loved ones without fear of career repercussions, the first lady said.

The Labor Department’s proposed expansions of the Family and Medical Leave Act will help more caregivers of troops and veterans tend to their wounded loved ones, Solis explained. FMLA, enacted in 1993, enables eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

The proposal will, in part:

• Extend the 26-week unpaid leave entitlement to family members caring for recent veterans with a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty, including conditions that may arise up to five years after leaving the military;
• Allow family members to take time off from work before, during or after a spouse, child or parent’s deployment to tend to service-related matters, such as military briefings or making financial and legal arrangements; and
• Increase the amount of time an employee may take to spend with a loved one who is on rest or recuperation leave from five days to up to 15 days.

The Labor Department’s proposal is just a few of many steps the Obama administration is taking to support caregivers, the first lady noted, citing legislation the president signed to help caregivers receive stipends, training, counseling and other assistance. The Defense and Labor departments also have strengthened their caregiver support, she said, working together to support caregivers whose loved ones are dealing with TBIs and post-traumatic stress.

Additionally, she added, the VA has helped caregivers receive health insurance and helps connect them with support coordinators who can direct them to resources.

But the government can’t do it alone, Mrs. Obama said, citing examples of how other individuals and organizations are stepping up to help.

Building on successful pilot programs at Fort Belvoir, Va., and Fort Carson, Colo., the USO, Hire Heroes USA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce plan to host 14 career opportunity days focused on the employment of wounded, ill and injured warriors, their spouses and caregivers.

The Chamber of Commerce’s new Military Spouse Business Alliance has committed to hosting a career forum and hiring fair exclusively for wounded warriors, their spouses and caregivers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., in May.

Finally, Operation Homefront and the Semper Fi Fund, both nonprofit organizations, have added volunteer opportunities that support caregivers and their families to the Joining Forces website.

Read the full release from the Department of Defense.

There’s a lot of information out there about which schools to go to — whether you’re using your G.I. Bill benefits or just looking for more information on colleges in general. Check out this tool provided by the Institute of Education Sciences:

Find the right college for you: College Navigator

This tool allows you to:

•  Refine your search with More Search Options to select additional search criteria.
•  Build a list of schools using My Favorites for side-by-side comparisons.
• Pinpoint school locations with an interactive map.
• Export search results into a spreadsheet.
• Save your session including search options and favorites.

Google has launched a new online center for veterans, aggregating free tools they hope will be useful to servicemembers and their families. Try out the site and let them know what you think - toolsforveterans@gmail.com

Shortly after proposing to girlfriend Hannah Hudgins last month at the Battleship Missouri Memorial (she said yes!), Hawaii-based Navy sailor Johnny Lunsford sealed the deal with a kiss.

Now that kiss has landed the couple a Hawaiian “staycation.”

From Sept. 19 to Oct. 30, couples entered the Mighty Mo’s Victory Kiss Contest by reenacting the iconic 1945 photograph of a Navy sailor kissing a young nurse in Times Square after the WWII surrender was announced. Hundreds of the reenactment pictures were posted on the memorial’s Facebook page, where finalists were chosen based on the most “likes” they received.

Lunsford and Hudgins’ picture, which received a total of 725 likes, earned the grand prize: airfare for two aboard Hawaiian Airlines to or from the continental United States and a two-night stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa.

Runner-up couples will receive credit with the Battleship Missouri Memorial’s Victory Store. All finalists will receive two movie vouchers to see Universal Pictures’ Battleship, premiering in May 2012.

Throughout the contest, couples had an outstanding example to guide their reenactments. A life-scale bronze sculpture of the original kiss remains temporarily on loan to the Missouri. Titled “Unconditional Surrender,” the sculpture was created by Seward Johnson, artist and son of the founder of Johnson & Johnson. It is touring the country as part of the “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive!” initiative, a nationwide, grassroots effort to establish an annual day to honor the achievements of America’s WWII generation so that their courage, self-sacrifice and service will continue to inspire future generations of Americans.

Johnny Lunsford and Hannah Hudgins reenact the iconic WWII Times Square kiss next to “Unconditional Surrender,” a lifescale sculpture depicting the famous smooch. The newly engaged couple’s kiss earned them airfare for two aboard Hawaiian Airlines to or from the continental United States and a two-night stay at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. (“Unconditional Surrender,” lifescale bronze sculpture by Seward Johnson, courtesy of The Sculpture Foundation © 2004. www.sewardjohnson.com)

Tis the season for giving and this holiday season the USO is offering Americans a unique way to spread cheer and give gifts that matter, with the launch of its first-ever alternative giving website, the USO Wishbook.

A first of its kind, the USO Wishbook is the most comprehensive alternative giving website that solely supports U.S. troops and their families. USOWishbook.org features dozens of symbolic gift items our troops and their families need the most. Consumers can find a gift that not only supports our brave men and women in the military, but also to honor their own friends and relatives with a gift.

With gifts to suit every budget, the USO Wishbook offers items priced from $15 up to $5,000 for extraordinary gifts. For $25 or less, you can purchase a care package that helps get a service member through the initial days of deployment, a kit to help a military child cope with the stresses of military life, or a calling card to keep a service member and their family connected.

Visitors to the site can easily browse gifts in multiple ways: across price ranges; gifts that benefit deployed troops, military families or wounded warriors; and gifts for him, for her, for kids, and for colleagues. USO Wishbook provides an affordable and easy way to give unique gifts and say thank you to the troops this holiday season.

How it works:

Log on to: www.usowishbook.org

• Browse the catalog
• Select and purchase a gift
• Choose to send gift recipient an e-card informing them they have been honored with a USO gift
• Receive your receipt for tax-deductible donation to the USO

For both military families and their loved ones deployed overseas, the holiday season can be an especially difficult time. Through the Portraits of Love Project, soldiers can receive a small token of home at a time when it may be needed most. Launched through a joint effort between the PMDA and the military support organization USO, the Portraits of Love Project seeks to provide professional photographers with an opportunity to use their talents to show their appreciation for all those serving abroad. To find a local independent studio or for information on participating USO offices and on-base sessions, military families can visit the Portraits of Love Project website at: http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/.

Participating Through Independent Photographers
For families looking to participate through the Portraits of Love Project’s local network of independent photography studios, a complete database of these volunteers will be available online starting September 1 at http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/families.php. Families can simply locate their preferred studio and contact it directly to schedule an appointment through the above website. Following the scheduled session, military families will access the portrait at www.seehere.com to claim their personal photo and to send a copy to a deployed loved one in time for the holidays.

Participating Through the USO
For families taking advantage of the sessions scheduled at the local USO facilities or on military bases listed below, the process will be very similar. A complete schedule of sessions is available at www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com.
USO Locations:

• Gulf Coast, Gulfport Biloxi International Airport – Gulfport, MS (December 3-4, 2011)
• Las Vegas, McCarran International Airport – Las Vegas, NV
• Rocky Mountain USO – Fort Carson – Colorado Springs, CO (October 22, 2011)
• USO Fort Hood – Ft. Hood, TX (November 29-30, 2011)
• USO of Northwest Florida – Eglin AFB, FL
• USO of Northwest Florida – Hurlburt Field, FL
• USO of Northwest Florida – Pensacola, FL (November 5, 2011)

Registration for Independent Photographers

Interested photographers can register to participate in the program online at http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/photographers.php between September 1 and October 1, 2011. Volunteer photographers will receive program promotional materials from the PMDA along with directions on how to upload portraits to the Project’s fulfillment system. Additionally, volunteer photographers will be asked to provide details about their studio space, such as location, size and set-up to allow organizers to plan for anticipated volumes in each market.

Sponsors of the 2011 Portraits of Love Project include: Canon, FUJIFILM, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Bonnier Technology Group, Digital Photo Academy, Photo Industry Reporter, SeeHere.com, Samsung, Panasonic, Hewlett Packard, Tamron and The Tiffen Company.

For more information on the Portraits of Love Project, please visit: http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com, or check out the Project’s Facebook page!

OPEN HOUSE Celebrating the launch of the Intel Veteran Employment Training (VET) Initiative

Join Intel and the Fairfax County Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and honored guests:

• The Honorable, James Moran, U.S. House of Representatives
• Rodney Lewis, White House Fellow, Office of the First Lady

Intel VET is the result of an innovative community and industry collaboration to serve Washington, DC area veterans. As vital members of our community, we invite you to join us on November 9 for the launch of this important new program.

Date: November 9, 2011

Time: Event will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Location:
Gum Springs Community Center
8100 Fordson Road
Alexandria, VA 22306

In support of the White House “Joining Forces” initiative, Intel and Intel Computer Clubhouse at Gum Springs are partnering to offer employment training services to local veterans and their spouses (partners). This new program is designed to provide veterans and spouses with training such as resume writing, skills translation, interviewing, and job search techniques as they transition from a military career to employment in the private sector.

RSVP (Limited Seating): Shirley Maier, Events Manager, shirley.maier@intel.com

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The Freedom Award is the DoD’s highest award for civilian employers supporting Guard and Reserve members.

The DoD encourages all Guard and Reserve members to nominate employers who have provided exceptional support of their military service. Nominations may be submitted by service members, or a family member acting on their behalf, at www.FreedomAward.mil through January 16, 2012.

“Employers who go above and beyond in their support of Guard and Reserve members are providing a tremendous service to our country; they are contributing to the resiliency and peace of mind of the more than one million men and women who stand ready to serve when our nation’s calls on them,” said David McGinnis, acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. “Guard and Reserve members who feel their employers have gone the extra mile in supporting their military service should nominate them for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award to show their appreciation and highlight their support as an example for others to follow.”

With employer support acknowledged as a critical component of our national defense, ESGR enhanced the nomination website this year to help guide nominators in capturing the most important details of their employers’ support. Previous recipients garnered recognition for supportive measures including organizing colleagues to provide dinners to a deployed employee’s family, covering extra shifts during an employee’s military training, taking a deployed service member’s children to sports practices and other family events, and establishing robust military support networks.

The 2012 recipients will be announced by early summer and honored in Washington, DC during a special ceremony early next fall.

Nominate your employer online!

Military Spouse magazine announces open nominations for the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY) award sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance. Now in its fifth year, the award honors military spouses from all branches of service and all ranks. The awards ceremony has grown in scope to include the Legislative Impact Award and Gabby Giffords’ Award for Courage and Bravery.

In keeping with the White House’s Joining Forces initiative, Military Spouse magazine is encouraging both the military community as well as all Americans to consider nominating their friends, relatives, neighbors or colleagues for this prestigious honor.

“This year, civilians have an unprecedented awareness of the sacrifices of over 1.1 million military spouses. They’ve seen extensive coverage of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the War on Terror. With the White House drawing national attention toward military families through the Joining Forces campaign and celebrities like Oprah Winfrey discussing the importance of recognizing military families, we are expecting a large number of Americans to seize the chance to nominate a deserving military spouse,” says Babette Maxwell, a Navy spouse and founder of the magazine and award.

The award recognizes military spouses’ important contributions and unwavering commitment to the military community. A nominee must be the spouse of a current member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Criteria used for selecting the recipient include impact on community change, volunteer efforts, personal sacrifice, professional pursuits and specific efforts to support the military community. Nominees can also submit an issue that is impacting the military community and a recommendation for how they would like to influence change in this area.

Nominations can be submitted at www.milspouse.com/msoy through December 14. A winner from each of the five military branches will be chosen through an online vote in January. The overall 2012 MSOY winner will be selected from the five service winners in subsequent online vote in February. The 2012 MSOY will be honored at the fifth annual awards luncheon on May 10, 2012 in Washington, D.C. In 2011 the MSOY Awards were honored by the attendance of Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Medal of Honor Recipient Major Drew Dix, USA and the spouses of all ten senior officers and senior enlisted in every service branch.

“I encourage anyone who knows an exemplary military spouse to nominate him or her for this national merit-based award,” says Maxwell. “It is the perfect way to give back and recognize those who have given so much.”

Veterans who served aboard U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships operating on the waters of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, may be eligible to receive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation for 14 medical conditions associated with presumptive exposure to Agent Orange.

An updated list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships confirmed to have operated on Vietnam’s inland waterways, docked on shore, or had crewmembers sent ashore, has been posted at http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/list.asp to assist Vietnam Veterans in determining potential eligibility for compensation benefits.

VA presumes herbicide exposure for any Veteran with duty or visitation within the country of Vietnam or on its inland waterways during the Vietnam era. Comprehensive information about the 14 recognized illnesses under VA’s “presumption” rule for Agent Orange is also located on the webpage.

For questions about Agent Orange and the online list of ships, Veterans may call VA’s Special Issues Helpline at 1-800-749-8387 and press 3.

The Agent Orange Claims Processing System website located at https://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack/ may be used to submit claims related to the three conditions added to the list of Agent Orange presumptives last year (Parkinson’s disease, hairy cell and other chronic B-cell leukemias, and ischemic heart disease).

Veterans claiming other conditions may file online at VA’s My-eBenefits web site at: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits-portal/ebenefits.portal. They can check the status of their claim with a premium account (confirming their identity), and use a growing number of online services.

Read the full press release from the Department of Veterans Affairs online for additional information on how to submit claims.