Veterans volunteer longer, vote more often than civilian peers: report
Fewer veterans are donating their free time to charities today then they did four years ago, but their involvement remains strong.
Pentagon & Congress
Advocates lobby for new approaches to preventing veteran suicides
The Veteran Alliance for Legislative Outreach and Reform wants more research into psychedelic-assisted therapy and other unconventional treatments.
House, Senate leaders look to speed up NDAA work this week
Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week with the annual defense authorization bill atop their agendas.
VA could save millions by tracking medical gear better, study finds
Nearly 10% of reusable medical equipment in VA hospitals is either missing or unneeded, a department watchdog report says.
That’s not a real soldier: campaign warns troops, families of AI scams
Advocates are raising alarms about how easily criminals can fabricate faces and voices in their efforts to cheat veterans and active-duty troops.
White House officials to attend funeral of Afghan vet turned advocate
After Army Sgt. Michael Verardo was injured in Afghanistan in 2010, his family spent years pushing for better care for veterans and caregivers.
Another federal shutdown threat looms as Congress heads back to DC
Democratic leaders want answers on a path towards compromise on a host of federal budget fights before the end of next month.
Trump claims big jump in VA trust scores, but data shows modest gains
Patient satisfaction rates have improved steadily at VA in recent years, but Trump insists his changes have reformed the entire department.
Trump suggests Guard troops will be deployed to Chicago next
The president said he has been pleased with the Guard presence in Washington, D.C., and vowed to "go to another location" after this deployment ends.
Trump plans to patrol DC with National Guard on Thursday
The president told a radio show host that he hopes to get a first-hand view of the National Guard presence on the streets of the nation's capital.
VA cancels plans for employee satisfaction survey this year
VA has conducted a poll of federal employees every year since 2006, but won't distrubute one this year amid multiple reforms to the workforce.
Crackdown on mail-in ballots won’t focus on military, White House says
The White House won't say if any protections are being considered for overseas military voters but vowed to make sure those ballots are still counted.
VA needs more oversight of health care options to prevent waste: Study
Department leaders last month uncovered more than $100 million in duplicate government payments for medical services.
Timely payments for Guard deployed to DC a concern, lawmaker says
A top Senate Democrat is still awaiting clarity on when Guard troops patrolling the nation's capital will be compensated for that military duty.
VA severs ties with most federal unions, terminating worker contracts
About 80% of VA's roughly 450,000 employees are union members, but the department will no longer honor its contracts with the bargaining units.
Defense leaders to return Confederate memorial to Arlington Cemetery
The sculpture honoring Confederate fighters and the separatist movement was removed from the miltiary cemetery in 2023, but will be restored soon.
VA to ease authorization rules for some outside care, raising concerns
Officials will extend authorizations for care handled outside the VA system for 30 different medical specialties, a move they say will ease red tape.
