Richard Raasueld studies at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree. The district broke from the Desert Community College District in 1999. The region’s two districts, with one college each, are among the state’s smallest.Carlos Puma/California Watch The state’s 72 community college districts spend tens of millions of dollars on administrative positions that could be consolidated […]
Returning Home to Battle
For many veterans, the end of active duty means the beginning of a new fight with the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs – for benefits, housing and a chance to rebuild their lives.
Posted inReturning Home to Battle
Journalists: Localize our investigation on VA benefits backlog
We’re in the process of working out an easy way to connect veteran sources with other journalists, but if you need help finding a local veteran, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help.
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Posted inReturning Home to Battle
Cheat sheet to Senate hearing on veterans claims backlog
Here’s a quick look at what you need to know before Wednesday’s Senate committee hearing to address the backlog of veterans waiting for their benefits claims to be processed.
Posted inBenefits, Returning Home to Battle
VA’s ability to quickly provide benefits plummets under Obama
The Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to provide key information to Congress and the public that shows the agency’s ability to quickly provide service-related benefits has virtually collapsed under President Barack Obama. Internal VA documents, obtained by the Center for Investigative Reporting and authenticated by the agency, reveal that delays newly returning veterans face […]
Posted inBenefits, Health Care for Veterans, Returning Home to Battle
Infographic: Veterans waiting longer
The Department of Veterans Affairs tracks and widely reports the average wait time for benefits: 273 days. But internal data indicate that veterans filing their first claim, including those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, wait nearly two months longer.
Posted inReturning Home to Battle
Veterans: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced after returning home?
It’s no secret that transitioning back to civilian life after military service can be a huge challenge for many veterans. Across the country, they routinely encounter obstacles, both personal and institutional, after returning home from battle.
Posted inReturning Home to Battle
Beyond ‘The Shooter’: The long look at life after active duty
The soldier known as the Shooter describes the intense operation leading up to Osama bin Laden’s final moments, but also shares another, darker side of the veteran experience: the challenges combat veterans face, even ones with millions of dollars in training and top security clearance, as they re-enter civilian life after returning home from war.
Posted inBenefits, Health Care for Veterans, Returning Home to Battle
Despite VA pledge to improve, more veterans face long wait for benefits
Army veteran Michael Grabski and his wife, Sandra, search real estate websites in their Napa apartment. The Department of Veterans Affairs expedited Grabski’s 2-year-old claim for post-traumatic stress disorder and a knee injury after his case received media attention.Michael Short/Center for Investigative Reporting Under fire for its growing backlog of disability benefits claims, the U.S. […]
Posted inBenefits, Returning Home to Battle
Number of veterans who die waiting for benefits claims skyrockets
Long wait times are contributing to tens of thousands of veterans being approved for disability benefits and pensions only after it’s too late.