MILITARY
Federal shutdown could halt paychecks for 129,400 active-duty military members in Virginia
WASHINGTON — The White House is warning that a partial government shutdown would mean 1.3 million active-duty armed services members must keep working without receiving paychecks and hundreds of thousands of Pentagon employees would face furloughs. According to September 2022 figures, numerous states are home to large numbers of troops who would work without pay […]
Navigating asbestos: the silent threat affecting Navy veterans in Va. and beyond
By Cristina Johnson Navy veterans have always been known for their resilience, commitment and unwavering dedication to protecting our nation’s interests. Yet, as these brave men and women transition into civilian life after their years of service, many find themselves facing a different kind of battle, one that is often invisible and insidious: the […]
Veterans exposed to burn pits, toxins urged to apply for retroactive benefits
WASHINGTON — A deadline for a year’s worth of backdated benefits is fast approaching for U.S. veterans suffering illnesses after exposure to open burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxins. Nearly a year ago, President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act, a law supporters describe as the largest expansion of veteran benefits in U.S. history. […]
Military nominees still stalled by Tuberville hold, with U.S. Senate gone until September
WASHINGTON — Despite warnings from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that vacant top military positions affect readiness, Congress is heading into its August recess with hundreds of defense nominees on hold as Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville continues his protest against the Defense Department’s abortion leave policy. As of Thursday, 301 military nominees had not yet […]
Massive defense bill approved by U.S. Senate, but deep partisan divide with House looms
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators avoided a heated partisan split as they passed the massive annual defense policy package late Thursday — in stark contrast to the GOP-led House version, in which far-right members included language to restrict abortion access and transgender care for service members. Senators passed the National Defense Authorization Act 86-11, but lawmakers are […]
Alleged Virginia encounters among cases cited in congressional UFO hearing
WASHINGTON — During an otherworldly hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, lawmakers and witnesses launched accusations that the Pentagon is stonewalling Congress and the public from information about unidentified anomalous phenomena, more often referred to as UFOs. That includes a 2014 encounter when a “dark gray or black cube inside a clear sphere” traveled within 50 […]
Proposed federal housing law could reinforce protections for veterans, voucher holders
In 2018 when Sen. Tim Kaine first advanced a bill to expand the federal Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of veteran status and tenants’ source of income, state law in the commonwealth afforded Virginians no such protections. During Democrats’ brief blue trifecta, however, a flurry of bills in 2020 established housing […]
Remembering and mourning our foreign partners on Memorial Day
By Jim Jones Beginning with the Revolutionary War, almost 1.4 million Americans have died in our nation’s wars, including about 667,000 killed in combat. We remember, honor and mourn those gallant souls every year on Memorial Day – May 29 this year. Those Americans who have served in or near war zones carry their memories […]
Lawyer fees draw scrutiny as Camp Lejeune claims stack up
By Michelle Andrews | KFF Health News David and Adair Keller started their married life together in 1977 at Camp Lejeune, a military training base on the Atlantic Coast in Jacksonville, North Carolina. David was a Marine Corps field artillery officer then, and they lived together on the base for about six months. But that […]
Virginia’s Langley-Eustis base shares toxic PFAS legacy similar to NC’s Camp Lejeune
By Jonathan Sharp For nearly a century, countless service members have been inadvertently placed in harm’s way due to the U.S. military’s negligent use and disposal of chemical hazards on or near its installations. In instances such as North Carolina’s infamous Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, contamination occurred unabated for over three decades. Between 1953 […]
Stalled U.S. Senate bill on veterans’ burn pit exposure could be revived this week
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate could be on track to advance a bill as soon as Tuesday that would provide veterans exposed to toxic substances overseas with health care and benefits, after a weekend in which outraged veterans camped out on the steps of the Capitol to protest a delay in the legislation. A Senate […]
‘These people don’t care’: U.S. Senate GOP stalls bill for veterans exposed to burn pits
WASHINGTON — Veterans and their advocates gathered outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday for what was supposed to be a celebration, one day after a crucial Senate vote on bipartisan legislation that would expand health care and benefits to 3.5 million veterans exposed to burn pits during their deployments. The gathering instead became a forum […]