Soldier deployed to Afghanistan charged with unemployment fraud
May. 3, 2013
Associated Press
OAKLAND, CALIF. — A former Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer fired for escalating a confrontation with passengers that led to the slaying of an unarmed man has been charged with unemployment fraud.
Anthony Pirone is accused of collecting unemployment checks from the state for about seven months despite having a job, according to the Oakland Tribune. Pirone is serving in Afghanistan with the Army. His criminal case has been delayed until next year.
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Friday, May 3, 2013
VA not so smart IT sent reply all "test"
Inboxes at VA overflow from ‘reply all’ storm
By Emily Heil
It happens in just about every office, and it’s guaranteed to annoy: the “reply all” storm, that bane of modern office life in which an e-mail goes out to a large list, and many people respond by hitting “reply all,” thus clogging everyone’s inboxes.
The Department of Veterans Affairs got hit with a doozy of one on Thursday. It all started out innocently enough (as they all do). This one was a “test” message from the IT department that went to a large distribution list.
Of course, the smart alecks among the recipients couldn’t resist the bait. Several offered sassy replies. “I don’t want any tests usually this means more work,” one jokester wrote. “Did I get an A?” another asked.
read more here
By Emily Heil
It happens in just about every office, and it’s guaranteed to annoy: the “reply all” storm, that bane of modern office life in which an e-mail goes out to a large list, and many people respond by hitting “reply all,” thus clogging everyone’s inboxes.
The Department of Veterans Affairs got hit with a doozy of one on Thursday. It all started out innocently enough (as they all do). This one was a “test” message from the IT department that went to a large distribution list.
Of course, the smart alecks among the recipients couldn’t resist the bait. Several offered sassy replies. “I don’t want any tests usually this means more work,” one jokester wrote. “Did I get an A?” another asked.
read more here
H.R.679 - Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act
H.R.679 - Honor America's Guard-Reserve Retirees Act
Veterans
We must honor the sacred contract between a grateful nation and our veterans who make unselfish sacrifices in defense of freedom and democracy.
Our goal as a nation is to provide the men and women who return from service in the U.S. military with the opportunity to achieve the American Dream in civilian life.
As a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard and the highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress, I have been extremely honored and humbled to work directly on behalf of veterans and their families with a position on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
We owe it to our veterans to ensure that they are healthy, happy, and employed when they return home, and I am working hard to get results for veterans.
Rep. Runyan, Jon [R-NJ-3]*
Rep. Denham, Jeff [R-CA-10]*
Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-50]*
Rep. Latham, Tom [R-IA-3]*
Rep. Matheson, Jim [D-UT-4]*
Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3]*
Rep. Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [D-GU-At Large]
Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]
Rep. Cotton, Tom [R-AR-4]
Rep. Hanna, Richard L. [R-NY-22]
Rep. Kline, John [R-MN-2]v Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
Rep. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV-2]
Rep. Luetkemeyer, Blaine [R-MO-3]
Rep. Nugent, Richard B. [R-FL-11]
Rep. Nunnelee, Alan [R-MS-1]
Rep. Palazzo, Steven M. [R-MS-4]
Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Shea-Porter, Carol [D-NH-1]
Rep. LoBiondo, Frank A. [R-NJ-2]
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Noem, Kristi L. [R-SD-At Large]
Rep. Southerland, Steve II [R-FL-2]
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]
Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3]
Rep. Brown, Corrine [D-FL-5]
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T [D-MI-5]
Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16]
Rep. Carney, John C., Jr. [D-DE-At Large]
Rep. Daines, Steve [R-MT-At Large]
Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]
Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17]
We must honor the sacred contract between a grateful nation and our veterans who make unselfish sacrifices in defense of freedom and democracy.
Our goal as a nation is to provide the men and women who return from service in the U.S. military with the opportunity to achieve the American Dream in civilian life.
As a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard and the highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress, I have been extremely honored and humbled to work directly on behalf of veterans and their families with a position on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
We owe it to our veterans to ensure that they are healthy, happy, and employed when they return home, and I am working hard to get results for veterans.
Rep. Runyan, Jon [R-NJ-3]*
Rep. Denham, Jeff [R-CA-10]*
Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-50]*
Rep. Latham, Tom [R-IA-3]*
Rep. Matheson, Jim [D-UT-4]*
Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3]*
Rep. Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [D-GU-At Large]
Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]
Rep. Cotton, Tom [R-AR-4]
Rep. Hanna, Richard L. [R-NY-22]
Rep. Kline, John [R-MN-2]v Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
Rep. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV-2]
Rep. Luetkemeyer, Blaine [R-MO-3]
Rep. Nugent, Richard B. [R-FL-11]
Rep. Nunnelee, Alan [R-MS-1]
Rep. Palazzo, Steven M. [R-MS-4]
Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]
Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep. Shea-Porter, Carol [D-NH-1]
Rep. LoBiondo, Frank A. [R-NJ-2]
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-41]
Rep. Noem, Kristi L. [R-SD-At Large]
Rep. Southerland, Steve II [R-FL-2]
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]
Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3]
Rep. Brown, Corrine [D-FL-5]
Rep. Kildee, Daniel T [D-MI-5]
Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Rep. O'Rourke, Beto [D-TX-16]
Rep. Carney, John C., Jr. [D-DE-At Large]
Rep. Daines, Steve [R-MT-At Large]
Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]
Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17]
Army vet struggling to find a place to live
Army vet struggling to find a place to live
By Thor Jourgensen
The Daily Item
LYNN — A disabled veteran who lost her apartment to an arson fire said she could lose her temporary home downtown any day now if she can’t find longer-term housing.
“I don’t have many choices right now,” said Kim Valenti.
The Army veteran said her 30-day tenancy in a Liberty Street apartment ran out April 29 and she has scrambled to find a new home she can share with cats Lefty and Righty and her bird, Luca.
Luca and Valenti fled from 145 Lewis St. on March 25 when a fire, subsequently determined to be arson by investigators, started in the building. The cats spent several days in the burnt-out building before being rescued, and Valenti received help in finding her current apartment from the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, local shelter workers, city officials and her former landlord.
read more here
By Thor Jourgensen
The Daily Item
LYNN — A disabled veteran who lost her apartment to an arson fire said she could lose her temporary home downtown any day now if she can’t find longer-term housing.
“I don’t have many choices right now,” said Kim Valenti.
The Army veteran said her 30-day tenancy in a Liberty Street apartment ran out April 29 and she has scrambled to find a new home she can share with cats Lefty and Righty and her bird, Luca.
Luca and Valenti fled from 145 Lewis St. on March 25 when a fire, subsequently determined to be arson by investigators, started in the building. The cats spent several days in the burnt-out building before being rescued, and Valenti received help in finding her current apartment from the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, local shelter workers, city officials and her former landlord.
read more here
Manhattan VA Center One Of Slowest To Process Veterans' Claims
Manhattan VA Center One Of Slowest To Process Veterans' Claims
Newsday
By Martin C Evans
Posted: 04/30/2013
The New York-area center that processes veterans' disability claims is one of the slowest in the country, taking nearly four times longer than the Department of Veterans Affairs' targeted schedule, federal data show.
Veterans filing disability claims for ailments such as bomb blast brain injuries, spinal fractures, post-traumatic stress disorder or maladies related to Agent Orange exposure wait an average 480 days before the claim is processed at the department's Manhattan office.
The VA's target for handling claims is 125 days. As of April 27, 11,914 claims were pending in the New York office. Nearly three-quarters of them languished longer than 125 days.
Paul Plante said he waited nearly two years for a response.
Plante, 63, a Vietnam War vet, filed the claim with the Manhattan office when he could no longer hold a job as a painter because Type 2 diabetes left him with no feeling in his lower left leg.
But despite nearly two years of repeated inquiries, the Huntington resident got no answer until his congressman, Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), had his staff call the VA on his behalf.
read more here
Newsday
By Martin C Evans
Posted: 04/30/2013
The New York-area center that processes veterans' disability claims is one of the slowest in the country, taking nearly four times longer than the Department of Veterans Affairs' targeted schedule, federal data show.
Veterans filing disability claims for ailments such as bomb blast brain injuries, spinal fractures, post-traumatic stress disorder or maladies related to Agent Orange exposure wait an average 480 days before the claim is processed at the department's Manhattan office.
The VA's target for handling claims is 125 days. As of April 27, 11,914 claims were pending in the New York office. Nearly three-quarters of them languished longer than 125 days.
Paul Plante said he waited nearly two years for a response.
Plante, 63, a Vietnam War vet, filed the claim with the Manhattan office when he could no longer hold a job as a painter because Type 2 diabetes left him with no feeling in his lower left leg.
But despite nearly two years of repeated inquiries, the Huntington resident got no answer until his congressman, Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), had his staff call the VA on his behalf.
read more here
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