Tricare for Kids Coalition’s Post

The top five issues affecting families, according to the 2023 DoD Family Lifestyle survey, are Military Spouse Employment (49%), Time Away from Family (38%), Military Pay (37%), Housing Concerns (36%) and Children's Education (33%).

https://lnkd.in/e3BWBKbf It's awesome that Congress has increased spending on the VA programs to take care of our veterans. The spending on income security for veterans has increased five fold in the past two decades - making a huge impact in reducing homelessness. The spending on Healthcare has grown from $20B to over $120B over the same period. That shouldn't be a surprise, as America has has been at war for 20 years and we have an obligation to take care of our wounded warriors. Yet, the military health system has been flattened in funding for over a decade and the active duty personnel who are serving in uniform are faced with longer wait times and reduced care at their facilities. The funding shouldn't be one system or the other. America should honor care throughout the servicemembers life. I've stated before that the military health system is being reduced due to inflation and rising wages seen after COVID-19. America as whole is getting sicker and I'm betting a bottle of whiskey that the new recruits and their families have been needing more care compared to generations before them. The bottom line is that more funding needs to be directed to the current military health system to retain the workforce and its healthcare professionals - otherwise we may not have a military healthcare system left for our active force.

Erin Williams has jumped out of airplanes, led a platoon in Afghanistan and earned an Ivy League degree with three young children at home. But the hardest thing to navigate in her military career is finding child care. “Child care is the only thing that has made me consider leaving military service,” said Williams. Memorial Day is a time of reflection and appreciation for those who have served and continue to serve. And in the spirit of this past weekend, we're thinking of military families. Especially those who are struggling to balance work and family life. Work-life balance is tough for any parent, but military families face added pressures: relocating on short notice, being stationed in areas with few child care options, and working unconventional hours. So it comes as no surprise that the lack of accessible and affordable child care is pushing military families to a breaking point. In fact, many service members are choosing not to re-enlist because of child care challenges. Clearly, child care is not just a family issue. It's a key driver to retaining and recruiting troops. And if we're to honor those who serve, providing affordable child care needs to be a priority when it comes to supporting military families. https://lnkd.in/en_AJ-ug

Although we have enjoyed our military assignments and the opportunities each one has offered us, 15 moves in 30 years adds unnecessary stressors, and this article highlights some very good points! Frequent relocations contribute to issues like military spouse unemployment, children's educational disruptions, and mental health challenges. Over half of the respondents reported out-of-pocket expenses for moves and many experienced housing and food security difficulties. #MilitaryHousing #MilitaryMoves #StableLivesMakesHappyWives

NMFA stood alongside the House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life panel and a handful of our nonprofit partners on Capitol Hill today for the release of the panel’s recommendations for improving military families’ well-being -- many of which we've been advocating for. The panel, which was established in 2023, spent the past year meeting with military families and advocates from NMFA and other military service organizations to determine what legislative and policy changes are needed to support military families’ quality of life. Their recommendations, which would need to be passed into law, address five key areas: Pay and compensation, child care, military spouse employment, healthcare, and housing. Now, we start the hard work of getting these proposals passed into law. NMFA will continue to do what we’ve done for 55 years: advocate for and with military families to solve the unique challenges of military life. As we move through the legislative process, we will elevate military family voices and fight to have these recommendations included in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. #militaryfamilies #milfams #togetherwerestronger #militaryfamiliesservetoo https://lnkd.in/e9BJ4cBE

Like most military families, we moved a few times, 16 times over 28 years. The longest period of time I held any single position was two years, and the average was about 18 months. Throw in a few stops on the professional military education train and that's a career. That much turbulence can be tough on a family, and it makes it incredibly difficult for non-military spouses to maintain much of a career themselves. But it can also make for an incredibly close family; there's just something about jumping from place to place that seems to bring a family closer. But... there's a lot of value to this discussion. If we could break the stigma of "homesteading" at an installation and instead focus on serving in the right roles at a wider swath of units, we could gain the stability this article speaks to and maybe save some money along the way. But we have to break the stigma... and that's a major cultural shift.

We are deeply committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of our nation's #Veterans. This report from the Special Operations Association of America sheds light on the continued challenges they face in accessing the benefits they've earned. The imbalance between the number of Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the volume of Veterans seeking assistance with their claims is troubling. This has led to significant backlogs and delays in processing claims, additionally the report underscores the need for increased oversight to prevent #unethical practices in the disability claims space. It is imperative that we advocate for reform that prioritizes the needs of Veterans and ensures they receive prompt and adequate assistance. Our association is committed to promoting ethical business practices and increasing oversight in the claims assistance space to ensure that Veterans receive the support they deserve without sacrificing their #freedom or exposing them to exploitation. #VeteransRights #VAReform #EthicalBusinessPractices #VeteransFirst

Did you know that your VA Disability compensation has a survivor benefit? 😮 It's true! 😃 The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a tax-free monetary benefit for qualified survivors called Dependency Indemnity Compensation...commonly referred to as VA DIC. In order to qualify for the benefit, the following must be true: ✅ You are an eligible spouse, child, or parent of the veteran. AND ✅ The veteran died while on active duty, during active-duty training, inactive-duty training, or as the result of a service-connected illness or injury. ***For eligibility requirements, click this link 👉 https://lnkd.in/ddCqNa_j Surviving spouses can receive (monthly): Base payment of 💲1️⃣,6️⃣1️⃣2️⃣.7️⃣5️⃣ Aid & Attendance (for disabilities) of 💲3️⃣9️⃣9️⃣.5️⃣4️⃣ Transitional Benefit for first two years after veteran's death 💲3️⃣4️⃣2️⃣.0️⃣0️⃣ Each child under the age of 18 merits and additional 💲3️⃣9️⃣9️⃣.5️⃣4️⃣ ***Children and Parent rates are a little more complicated*** For Child rates, click this link 👉 https://lnkd.in/de2RYsXh For Parent rates, click this link 👉 https://lnkd.in/dVvT9w3j One thing they finally got right as a part of the NDAA for 2023 was that they removed the SBP-DIC offset, which reduced the SBP benefit if the eligible survivors were receiving both. 🙌 Main point here is that you should be knowledgeable of these types of benefits, ESPECIALLY if you're doing any Financial or Estate Planning. 👊 It's something we discuss a lot in the Military Money Mistakes course and coaching program. 🤔 👉 Follow me for more insights into VA Disability, SBP, VGLI, TSP, and Military Transition. Want to stop making Military Money Mistakes? Click on the link below and learn how to stop working for your money, and start making it work for you. 👇 https://lnkd.in/g-wAsqB3 #military #veterans #militarytransition

Can the VA reduce your disability rating? 😬 Short answer, yes.😳 There are certain criteria that must be met though regarding your service-connected disabilities… For example, if ➡️ There is evidence that your condition has improved. ➡️ There is evidence of a fraudulent claim. ➡️ The veteran is incarcerated. Additionally, while unlikely, it is POSSIBLE that the VA can remove a “Permanent & Total” rating if there is evidence to support that the condition(s) that gave you the rating have improved. 😕 However, there are some instances where your ratings are protected (except in cases of fraud): ➡️ If a rating has been in effect for more than 5 years, ALL evidence must support that a conditions improvement is NOT temporary. ➡️ The VA cannot terminate service connection for a disability that has been in place for more than 10 years. ➡️ Ratings that have been in effect for 20 years, they cannot lower your rating past the lowest rating assigned during that period of time. ➡️ Veterans who are over the age of 55 are exempt from re-examination. If you’re preparing for the #militarytransition process, I would highly recommend that you spend some time on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website and educating yourself on the whole process. Oh yeah, also…NO I’m pretty sure they’re not scanning your socials for your Murph times. 🤣 Want to learn how to stop making Military Money Mistakes? ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g-wAsqB3 👉 Follow me for more insights into VA Disability, SBP, VGLI, TSP, and Military Transition. Got questions? Need help? Click on the link below to set up a call, or shoot me a DM.👇 https://lnkd.in/gFqQyfSS #military #veterans

NVRA Mission Statement Our mission is to provide educational and administrative assistance to physically and psychologically wounded veterans who are seeking medical and financial support for injuries suffered as a result of military service. Imagine filling out three pages of paperwork to try and get medical care, or 12 pages of paperwork to get disability compensation or pension benefits. You wouldn’t like doing it, but you would anyway. Now imagine that you have a brain injury that prevents you from paying attention, or focusing. And you are too frustrated or too proud to tell anyone that you need help getting past page two. So you live with your pain, or in poverty, until it is unbearable. The Tragic Facts We lose 22 veterans to suicide every day. There are 23 million veterans in our great country and a large percentage of them currently do not receive the medical care and monetary compensation they so rightfully deserve. Today, there are 60,000 homeless veterans in our country and this number is rising quickly as more service members come home from war. The truth about veterans in our country is that they are suffering daily, and the National Veterans Rights Association (NVRA) is committed to the mission of helping these forgotten heroes by offering them the assistance and guidance they need to achieve a better life. Our Contributions What we are doing to make a difference: Video programs offering assistance for filling out forms for veterans benefits, securing military records, applications for discharge upgrades and corrections of military records Claims assistance for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and state offices for veteran’s affairs Assistance for the establishment of veterans programs meant to serve the needs of veterans, their dependents and survivors that are not provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or state agencies providing services to veterans, their dependents, or survivors Referrals to government agencies and non-profit organizations that offer financial, housing and employment assistance to homeless, disabled, and disadvantaged veterans and their dependents To support the establishment and development of programs like Central Oregon Veterans Outreach throughout the United States