Fallen Special Operations Soldiers Remembered

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, May 16, 2012) – The U.S. Army Special Operations Command will honor 32 Special Operations Forces Soldiers killed while supporting combat operations during the past year in a ceremony, May 25, at 2 p.m. at the Fallen Special Operations Soldiers Memorial Wall adjacent to the USASOC headquarters building....

2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment Award Ceremony

TACOMA, Wash. (USASOC News Service, May 15, 2012) - The U.S. Army Ranger story is typically a closed book, but Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Rangers opened the pages of their latest chapter for an evening last week. The South Sound community had the rare opportunity to join 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, in recognizing its own at the Tacoma Dome, May 10.

More than 50 Rangers received commendations, which ranged from Army Commendation medals to a Silver Star for combat and non-combat action going back to 2005. The battalion also received two Valorous Unit awards for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, 2-75th Rangers has deployed for Overseas Contingency Operations 14 times. Their most recent Operation Enduring Freedom deployment concluded in December. During the five-month rotation they conducted 475 combat operations where they lost four rangers and one attached Soldier.

Staff Sgt. Sean Keough received the Silver Star for courage under fire in Afghanistan last year. The Silver Star is America's third highest combat decoration.

VA Eliminates Copayment

VA Eliminates Copayment for In-Home Video Telehealth Care - WASHINGTON - Beginning May 7, the Department of Veterans Affiars will no longer charge Veterans a copayment when they receive care in their homes from VA health professionals using video conferencing.

WASHINGTON - Beginning May 7, the Department of Veterans Affiars will no longer charge Veterans a copayment when they receive care in their homes from VA health professionals using video conferencing.

“Eliminating the copayment for this service will remove an unnecessary financial burden for Veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that Veterans have access to the first-class care they have earned with their service to our Nation.”

This change will primarily benefit Veterans with limited mobility, such as spinal cord injury patients.  Whenever medically appropriate, VA will make the home the preferred place of care for Veterans to ensure timely and convenient access to VA services.

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Joint VA/DOL Program Retrain Unemployed Veterans

Joint VA/DOL Program Launches to Retrain 99,000 Unemployed Veterans - Starting May 15, unemployed Veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 can now apply for new benefits to cover education costs for up to one year through a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor (DOL) program that focuses on retraining 99,000 Veterans for high-demand jobs.

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