veterans' benefits

15 Stories

Looks Like This Veteran Didn't Need His Wheelchair After All

Prosecutors say New Hampshire's Christopher Stultz lied about disability to get $660K in benefits

(Newser) - A New Hampshire veteran has admitted to faking his need for a wheelchair for 20 years to claim more than $660,000 in benefits he wasn't entitled to. Christopher Stultz, 49, of Antrim pleaded guilty in US District Court on Thursday to one count of making false statements. He...

If You Get Social Security, Bad News, Again

There's no benefit increase for 2016

(Newser) - The government says there will be no benefit increase next year for millions of Social Security recipients, disabled veterans, and federal retirees. It's just the third time in 40 years that payments will remain flat, with all three times occurring since 2010. And there's more bad news: The...

VA Fudges Vets' Health Data to Duck Costs
 VA Fudges Vets' 
 Health Data 
 to Duck Costs 
WHISTLEBLOWER SAYS
Mar 13, 2013 12:03 PM CDT

VA Fudges Vets' Health Data to Duck Costs

Former staffer says VA seeks to avoid expensive care

(Newser) - The Department of Veterans Affairs keeps some health data quiet to avoid the financial burden of expensive care, according to a former VA staffer set to testify today before a House subcommittee. If "studies produce results that do not support the office of public health's unwritten policy, they...

Bin Laden Shooter Only Has Himself to Blame: Admiral

SEAL knew what he was giving up: admiral

(Newser) - The SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden may be missing out on a pension, healthcare for his family, and other benefits, but that's on him, according to the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command. Rear Adm. Sean Pybus says "the Shooter," as he was called in the...

Obama: 'Solemn' Duty to Help Vets With PTSD

White House plans to make getting benefits easier

(Newser) - With the military fighting two wars, President Obama said today the country has a "solemn responsibility" to ensure that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get the help they need. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is to announce new regulations Monday intended to make it easier for veterans with PTSD...

Vets With PTSD May Have Been Denied Benefits

Military is reviewing thousands of records

(Newser) - The military is speeding up a review of the records of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder to determine whether they were improperly denied benefits. The agreement stems from a class action lawsuit filed by seven combat veterans who alleged the military illegally denied benefits...

Civilian Contractors Are the 'Vietnam Vets' of Our Time

Workers injured in war zones are the hidden cost of Iraq, Afghanistan wars

(Newser) - Thousands of Americans have come home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who are veterans in all but name, writes T. Christian Miller—and the benefits afforded veterans. The military's unprecedented reliance on civilian contractors has left thousands injured and disabled with no safety net or public gratitude. Whether...

New GI Bill Gives Veterans Better Shot at College

Vastly expanded aid begins tomorrow

(Newser) - The new GI Bill, called the biggest veterans’ educational benefit program since 1944, takes effect tomorrow—and it’s poised to make a big difference, the Houston Chronicle reports. Some 90% of vets will receive two to three times more help paying for college, says one advocate. “This type...

Vets' Families Seek Pay as Caregivers

Say disability money doesn't cover needs for injured troops

(Newser) - Wounded soldiers receive disability pensions based on the extent of their injuries, but for many families that money doesn't come close to covering the costs of caregiving. After Matt Keil returned home a quadriplegic, his wife, Tracy, quit her job to care for him, losing a $58,000 per-year income...

Babs: Obama's Like Buttah
Babs: Obama's Like Buttah
Jul 28, 2008 1:34 PM CDT

Babs: Obama's Like Buttah

Longtime Clintonite says when Barack clinched nomination, switch was 'immediate'

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton may have been her first choice, but Barbra Streisand’s switch to Barack Obama after he wrapped up the nomination was “immediate”—and she's not too keen on Clinton-backers considering crossing the aisle. In an interview with Politico, she lays into John McCain on women’s...

Party Leaders in House Reach Deal on War Funds

Bipartisan agreement allocates $163B for Iraq, Afghanistan through early 2009

(Newser) - A two-year fight between the White House and Democrats over war funding has been resolved, the New York Times reports. House leaders reached a deal to allocate $163 billion for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through early next year. The measure, expected to be approved by the full House...

Mac, Obama Clash at Memorial Day Rallies

Hopefuls disagree on bill to guarantee college for 3-year vets

(Newser) - Barack Obama and John McCain dueled at Memorial Day rallies in New Mexico today, Bloomberg reports. Obama restated his support for a new veterans bill, while McCain said an alternate plan would better reward those who reenlist. "Our bill has a sliding scale," he said, that "increases...

VA Doctor Discouraged Post-Traumatic Diagnoses

Email urged staffers to save disability costs

(Newser) - A team leader at a veterans' medical center in Texas sent staffers an email urging them to avoid diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder, the Washington Post reports. "Given that we are having more and more compensation-seeking veterans, I'd like to suggest that you refrain from giving a diagnosis of PTSD...

Military Families Sue VA Over Suicides

Agency doesn't do enough for veterans' mental health, suit says

(Newser) - Veterans Affairs hasn’t done enough to stem the “rising tide” of suicides and mental health problems, according to a class action lawsuit going to trial this week. Roughly 20% of deployed US troops are suffering from mental illness, a recent study shows, and an average of 18 kill...

Disabled Vets Get Unequal Treatment

Some wounded soldiers face long waits—the longest in states that sent the most troops

(Newser) - The V.A. is treating some disabled veterans like second-class soldiers, making them wait twice as long for benefits that are, when they finally come, less generous than others get. It all depends on where a soldier lives and how he served—active duty or National Guard. Worst: The more...

15 Stories