YES!!! I CAN SHOP AT THE EXCHANGE AGAIN!!

I am so happy.  It is official.  I can shop online at the Exchange once again.  Previously this was only a benefit that was awarded to those service members who are retired or 100% disabled, unless you're on active duty.

I remember when I was stationed in Bermuda and I first found out about the Exchange online I almost lost my mind.  Every week I was getting something in the mail.  My poor roommate had no room to put anything.  We had three cabinets in the room and my stuff was all over all three of them.  I'm hoping I don't do that this time but I can't wait until November.  They will actually open it to us on Veterans Day this year.  This combined with actually getting the day off from work is going to make me extremely happy.

I'm posting the actual story from Military.com below.  I hope you all don't overspend.  I'm actually going to start my Exchange savings account today so that I'll have a nice chunk of change to blow on things that I don't really need but can get at a great price.  YES!!!

As always, thank you for your support.

TTYL - be blessed.


"A Defense Department retail board has given the green light to a plan to open online exchange shopping to all honorably discharged veterans, with hopes of starting the program on Veterans Day in 2017.

The move, originally proposed by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service in 2014, was approved by the Executive Resale Board early this month. The board unanimously voted to ask the Pentagon to update its policy regarding patronage rules.

Pentagon officials confirmed that the proposal is still under consideration.

The board's decision was announced in an Aug. 12 email newsletter from the American Logistics Association, which lobbies on behalf of companies that do business with the exchange and commissary systems.

Opening the Exchange to the about 20 million honorably discharged U.S. veterans comes with a strong business case, Exchange officials have said.

The move could produce between $226 million to $1.13 billion in annual sales, according to the 2014 proposal. It could bring as much as $108 million annually in support for MWR programs, which rely on exchange dividends for the bulk of their funding across the services, it says.

However, opening commissary shopping to honorably discharged veterans isn't included in the proposal.

Unlike the exchanges, the Defense Commissary Agency relies on a $1.4 billion annual taxpayer subsidy to operate. Because goods there are sold at cost plus a 5 percent surcharge, increasing the customer base to all veterans would result in higher taxpayer costs under the current operating system."

WHAT ONCE WAS LOST IS NOW FOUND!!!

Hello and I pray that you are doing well.  I have been so busy these last few days that I haven't been able to get out here and talk with you all.  They are actually making me work on my real job.  I'm so upset about that. Even though they pay me I didn't expect to actually have to work for my pay. :-)  Just kidding.  But I have been working really hard lately and I'm going to have to get back to it so I'm going to make this post quick today.

I don't know if you are like me, but since I've gotten out of the military I have lost everything.  I've moved quite a bit and in the process it seems that something that is near and dear to me is always thrown away in my quest to move as little as possible.  Unfortunately, over the years this has included quite a bit of my military items.  Everything from uniforms to pictures, to dog tags have some how found themselves in the old trash bin.

I was thinking the other day about how I would like to leave my son, and prayerfully, future grandchildren, something from my days in the military so I started Googling to see if there was a site that could replace at least some of those items.  Imagine my surprise when I came across this website, https://www.usamilitarymedals.com/.  You can get so much off of this site to help you replace some of the things you've lost.  They have dog tags, ribbons, medals, uniforms, and other service specific gear.

I ordered my dog tags and my ribbons a couple of days ago and they are already on the way.  I was so glad to find this site because I was really bummed out about not having anything left.  If only they could replace my photos I'd really be excited.  I wonder if there is a site that can send me a copy of my boot camp photo.  If anyone knows of a site that does this please let me know.  I'd love to get a copy of it.

Anywhoo, I've got to get back to the job I'm being paid for.  I hope this helps someone out there.  If you're active duty and reading this you can just get your items replaced by the military.

As always, thank you for your support.

TTYL - Be blessed.

APPRENTICESHIPS & YOU!!

I'm so sorry I've been away for a few days.  I have been so busy trying to get things together for so many great events that I'm coordinating at work.  I told you a few days ago that I was going to share information with you about apprenticeships.  I know a lot of people are looking for information on how to get their claims approved but I also want to share ways for you to be able to earn a living so that you won't be dependent on monies from your claims.

As some of you may know apprenticeships were more popular in the North than they were in the South and years ago were used to successfully place individuals into good paying, secure employment.  Well they are on the rise again and I promise you there is one out there that can fit your needs.  If not, then I and your local Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) office can work with an employer to create one.

The great thing about apprenticeships is that you can earn money while your learn and incur no student loan debt.  Most apprenticeships are administered through unions and will pay your tuition for you or you can get assistance through your WIOA office.  Either way you have the opportunity to earn great money, while becoming a skilled craftsman and at the end of the apprenticeship you will receive a nationally recognized certification.  So if you are in one area and decide for whatever reason you want to move to another city or state you can take your certification with you.

Another great thing about apprenticeships is that many of them line up with the skills you may have received in the military.  As I said above I've been working on a lot of events lately, but one of them is a Building Trades Day.  I am working with the local North America's Building Trades Unions office in our area.  This event will be held in Griffin, GA at Southern Crescent Technical College, on January 25, 2017, from 10:00am - 2:00pm.  We will have representatives from the Operating Engineers, Carpenters & Joiners, Iron Workers, Laborers' International, Teamsters, Cement Masons, Bricklayers, Electrical Workers, Elevator Constructors, Heat & Frost Insulators, Painters, Boilermakers, Roofers, Sheet Metal/Air/Rail & Transportation, and Plumbing & Pipefitting Unions.  So if you are in the area please come by.

These are also great options for your children and other relatives.  This is a way to get them in a well-paying job without incurring any student loan debt.  My advice is to get your certification and then if you choose to go into managment there is always the opportunity to go back and earn a traditional degree.  Many people believe that there aren't a lot of jobs our there but there are.  The problem is that they don't realize that some jobs will never come back and they have to be open to moving in another direction in their career.  I get jobs from companies everyday that are having trouble filling their positions.

If you want to learn more about apprenticeships please follow this link - https://www.dol.gov/featured/apprenticeship.

As always, thank you for your support.

Be blessed - TTYL.

GET THAT PAPER!!! - It's Never Too Late

Sorry to those of you who thought I was talking about getting or upping your disability rating.  Today I really want to focus on getting a certification or degree and which one may be better for you.

Coming from the military we have such a varied skill set and for many it's very hard to determine what civilian careers your skills will transfer too.  There is a great site "http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/skills-translator/" that will help you do just that.  It will also help you to do your research to determine what degrees or certifications are also needed once you have translated your skills.

I currently work for an organization that administers the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (2014-WIOA).  Under this act we are given monies to assist individuals with becoming employed through training and retraining.  We also offer job search assistance.  Another program we offer is On-the-Job training.  Under this program we reimuburse an employer a portion of a participants salary.  This is done over a specified period of time that is determined by the employer and the agency administering the funds.  This is definitely a way to make someone more enticing to an employer.

And contrary to popular belief there are tons of jobs out there.  The problem is that there aren't enough people with the skills necessary to do these jobs.  In my area, and across the United States, there is a great shortage of mechanical engineers and mechanical maintenance techs.  This reaches across all manufacturers, from automotive to bakeries.  They are all having issues finding someone to repair and maintain their machines.

It's kind of ironic that I ended up in the field that I'm in because I am a great advocate of education, whether it be technical or degreed.  I actually started school some years back because I wanted a low-interest loan and a student loan was my best option.  Now abut 12-years later I have an Associates, a Bachelors, and a Masters degree.  Imagine my surprise when I found out I actually liked school.  And don't ever think it's to late.  Just know that I wasn't a spring chicken anymore when I went back. :-)

Even though I chose the more traditional route, please understand that there are some great, well-paying jobs that can be found by obtaining a technical certificate, or by entering into an apprenticeship program.  The great thing about apprenticeship programs is that you usually get paid while you work.  I'm mentioning them briefly here but I will give you more info on these tomorrow.  They are a great way to take your military training to another level, while still earning a great wage in the process.  Also, under WIOA veterans are given priority of service so I encourage you to take advantage of this no cost you program if you are having trouble finding employment.

As always, thank you for your support!!

TTYL - Be blessed!!

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!! Understanding Veteran Acronyms

If you are anything like me you have had a bit of trouble understanding what some of the acronyms mean that are used by our fellow vets.  In order to help you out I’ve compiled a list of the ones that I’ve seen.  If you know of any others or would like to elaborate on the ones I’ve provided please feel free to do so.

As always, thank you for your support.

TTLY – Be blessed.

VA – The Department of Veterans Affairs - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for providing vital services to America’s veterans. VA provides health care services, benefits programs and access to national cemeteries to former military personnel and their dependents. The department carries out its duties through three main administrative divisions: Veterans Benefits Administration; Veterans Health Administration; and National Cemetery Administration.

IU – Individual Unemployability - IU is a part of VA's disability compensation program that allows VA to pay certain Veterans compensation at the 100% rate, even though VA has not rated their service-connected disabilities at the 100% level.

DBQ – Disability Benefits Questionnaire - DBQs can help speed the processing of compensation and pension claims. DBQs allow Veterans and Servicemembers to have more control over the disability claims process by giving them the option of completing an examination with their own healthcare providers instead of at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility.

C&P Exam – Compensation and Pension Exam- If you've filed a claim with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for disability compensation or pension benefits, VA may ask you to go to an examination as part of the claim process.

BVA - The Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA or Board) - The administrative agency within the VA where veterans may appeal their claim after all appeals have been exhausted at the Regional Office level. The Board is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA or VA).

RBO (RO) – Regional Benefit Office – The local office that will handle your benefits claim.

PTSD - PostTraumatic Stress Disorder -  Is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.

SOC - Statement of the Case - Is an explanation of the decision made on the appellant’s case.

An SOC provides the appellant with a complete understanding of the decision so the appellant can prepare an effective substantive appeal with specific allegations of errors of fact or law.

DAV - The Disabled American Veterans - Is an organization chartered by the United States Congress for disabled military veterans of the United States Armed Forces that helps them and their families through various means.

SCD – Service Computation Date or Service Connected Disability

TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury

CRSC – Combat Related Special Compensation - CRSC is a monthly entitlement that allows eligible military retirees to recover some or all of their retired pay that was offset by their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation.

VSO – Veterans Service Officer or Veterans Service Organization – Provide assistance to veterans when filing their claims.

RBPS - Rules-Based Processing System - In order to shorten the amount of time it takes to add a dependent to a Veteran’s award, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) developed the RBPS, which automatically processes claims with minimal user involvement.

SECOND OPINIONS - Should I Pay to Get One or Not?

Hello and Happy New Year to you all.  I pray that you had a wonderful New Year and that you start the year with joy and happiness.

Today I would like to talk about whether it is cost effective to get a second opinion on your DBQ.  I was told by a rater that it would be good to locate a non-military affiliated doctor to do an assessment of my back and to fill out a DBQ for my.  I guess I'm pretty naive because I really didn't think this was going to be a problem, but all the doctors I called said they didn't perform this type of service.

I kept digging and I located one office who did.  I was told to send them an email and this was the response I received:

"Veterans are scheduled for an initial consult appointment with either Dr. Kyle Mitchell or Dr. Christopher Parman. This consultation appointment is not billable to insurance companies and the fee is currently set at $350 that is due at time of service.

COPIES of complete STR (service treatment records), DD214 Form(s), previous decision rating letters (if applicable), VA treatment records (if applicable), and civilian treatment records (if applicable), are required at this appointment.      **** PLEASE NOTE THAT CONSULTATION APPOINTMENTS WILL NOT BE SCHEDULED UNTIL COPIES OF ALL RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE****

Doctors will then review your military history and discuss any major illness or injuries incurred while in active duty and determine whether or not you will benefit from the VBAT program. If you decide to proceed with the program, copies of your records are asked to be left at the office in order for claim writers to begin record review and extraction. The initial deposit of $600 will also be due at the time of your consult appointment (totaling $950).

The total fee for the VBAT program, to include the review and extraction of records, developing claim package, and completing the IME (independent medical exam) is $2500. Discount option is available upon request.

If necessary, the physician will then refer you to schedule a new patient appointment through our medical office, Northside Family Practice, in order for them to begin medical treatment on discussed conditions. Otherwise, a "worklist" will be provided to you for guidance on proceeding with the program.

Please note that you will be responsible for providing your medical insurance to the office in the case that you come through and are treated as a patient. You will be exercising your medical benefits when you are medically treated by our providers and this is considered separate from VBAT or fees associated with VBAT program. You will be financially responsible for any co-payments, deductibles and co-insurance that are required by your medical insurance. If your insurance requires for you to list a specific primary care provider, you will also be responsible for ensuring that either Dr. Kyle D. Mitchell or Dr. Christopher L. Parman are listed as your current primary care provider, prior to your initial appointment with Northside Family Practice.

Dr. Mitchell's consults are scheduled from Tuesday to Friday at 1:30pm and Dr. Parman's consults are scheduled on Fridays at 10:30am. Please let me know which provider you would like to schedule with and your next availability and we will do our best to accommodate."

The total cost for this service is $2500,  I don't know, so I'm asking you all, is this a fair price or is this price gouging.  I personally thought it was a bit high,  If you have received assistance from an outside doctor to fill out a DBQ or write a Nexus letter, I would appreciate it if you would share your experience and the cost.  There are many of us out here who could use your expertise.

As always, thank you for your support.

TTYL - Be blessed!!!