The month of May is typically marked by celebrations around graduations, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. But May is also host to another commemoration that is often overshadowed - the recognition of a special group of national heroes who are less well known but no less important to the country’s well-being.
The VA’s 2021 fiscal year budget request of $243.3 billion represents a fifth straight year of budget increases and a 10.2 percent increase from the fiscal year 2020. This includes $109.5 billion for discretionary funding (+14.1 percent) and $133.8 billion for mandatory funding (+7.2 percent). The increased budgetary request reflects the VA’s continued commitment to several key areas of veteran care.
Colby Park is not your traditional veteran. The 36-year-old former Army Airborne Ranger, with four young kids, isn’t what most people think of when they picture a veteran. Most conjure up images of their fathers or grandfathers wearing Vietnam and WWII commemorative hats often fully retired swapping war stories. That isn’t Colby. As time goes on, the “Norman Rockwell” image we have had of veterans is becoming less accurate and more antiquated. Colby represents a new wave of modern-day, “post 9/11” veterans with their own set of unique skills, circumstances, and challenges.
Don Weakley remains incredibly composed as he recalls a war story that would make most of us shudder. “I actually stepped on a Russian landmine during my time in Afghanistan, but I got lucky because whoever placed it forgot to pull out the arming pin, so it didn’t go off,” he recounts as calmly as if he was telling you what he ate for lunch. “I kept the mine as a reminder of how lucky I got that day,” he adds. But it wasn’t just luck that helped the former Explosive Ordnance Disposal Commander successfully destroy thousands of explosive ordnances like mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) throughout Afghanistan and Iraq.
Public-Private-Partnerships are defined as “a partnership between an agency of the government and the private sector in the delivery of goods or services to the public.” The important distinction between PPPs and outright privatization is that, in privatization, the government sells the entirety of the assets in a given entity whereas, in a PPP, the government can retain ownership of the assets and maintains a continuing active role in the project. This article explains the potential benefits that allow Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) to make large capital investment projects successful.
Many businesses are scrambling for solutions as the COVID crisis continues to force many companies, especially small businesses, to lay off workers, cut expenditures, or ultimately shut their doors. One area of potential business-saving revenue that companies should consider during the economic downturn is government contracts. This article breaks down five reasons why government contracts are becoming extremely valuable in these unprecedented times.
Like so many industries right now, the future of telehealth is still largely unknown. However, the COVID pandemic is undoubtedly shedding new light on the industry’s benefits and moving it forward significantly. The extent to which telehealth continues to expand and replace traditional care in the post-COVID future will hinge not only on society’s ability to mitigate the existing barriers but also on our ability to provide effective education on its many benefits because a healthcare revolution of this size and complexity will require a universal societal effort.
The unprecedented elements that surround the war against COVID-19 present our nation with an opportunity to accelerate innovative developments for the purpose of ending this conflict and advancing our society long after. The expanded use of effective telehealth services should emerge at the top of this list with the VA in the best position to lead the charge.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the globe, a number of societal, economic, and health deficiencies are being abruptly exposed. One of these concerns is the danger associated with the National Guard and Army Reserve components of the US Military being forced to continually shoulder immense operational burdens due to an ever-shrinking active force. For example, in the last century, reservists have been mobilized into active service twice as often as in the previous century. The extensive use of this shrinking force is a national security risk that must be addressed as personnel from the National Guard and the Army Reserve are again being heavily relied upon as the nation responds to COVID-19.
After Jennie’s Taylor's husband Maj. Brent Taylor was killed while serving with the Utah National Guard in Afghanistan, she received a “backstage pass to the price of freedom” which launched her on a mission to create a stronger connection between Americans and the military. Pulling from her personal experiences, Jennie explains the steps needed to properly thank and support our military members.
The complexity that surrounds selling to the government often creates a barrier that causes potential vendors, particularly small businesses with limited resources, to never explore how doing business with the government could add a substantial and steady source of revenue to their portfolio. This article outlines ten best practices for vendors to follow in order to most effectively do business with the government.
The VA’s 2020 fiscal year budget request of $220.2 billion represents a fifth straight year of budget increases that reflect the VA’s commitment to several key areas of veteran care such as mental health, homelessness, telehealth, the caregiver program, women's health, opioid management, and rural health.
George Washington said that “a nation is judged by how well it treats its veterans.” After Veteran's Day, the issues facing our veterans tend to fade from our nation’s focus until the next year. But, as a nation, we must understand that the challenges our veterans face on a daily basis can only be resolved through urgent action and the sacrifices they have made for us warrant this action.
