Veteran suing CNN scores another victory, judge rules expert witness can’t claim segment didn’t impact income

Article Title: Veteran suing CNN scores another victory, judge rules expert witness can’t claim segment didn’t impact income

Article Excerpt: "...CNN smeared him by implying he illegally profited via a "black market" when helping people flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration's military withdrawal from the country in 2021. ..."

Reference Source: www.foxnews.com

Does a government shutdown affect VA disability pay? You will get paid, don't let the fear-mongering Democrats manipulate you

Article Title: Does a government shutdown affect VA disability pay?

Article Excerpt: "... At the VA, medical centers stay open because Congress approves funding for them a year in advance specifically to avoid any disruptions caused by shutdowns or stopgap spending bills.

Disability and education benefits for veterans would also continue, as would interments at VA cemeteries. Suicide prevention programs, homelessness programs, the Veterans Crisis Line and caregiver support can also operate during a shutdown, according to the VA's most recent shutdown guidance. ..."

Reference Source: www.military.com

Your Projected Military Pay Raise for 2025, Plus Veterans Pension and BAH Updates

Article Title: Your Projected Military Pay Raise for 2025, Plus Veterans Pension and BAH Updates

Article Excerpt: "...Veterans of wartime service who are 65 or older and on a limited income may qualify for a veteran's pension without being disabled. Wartime veterans may also qualify who have a limited income and can no longer work.

For example, for a veteran with no dependents, the 2025 VA pension income limit (effective Dec. 1, 2024) is $16,956. With a spouse or child, it's $22,216. ..."

Reference Source: www.military.com

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Creating Community with Veterans

Article Title: Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Creating Community with Veterans

Article Excerpt: "...Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF) began in 2005 to help wounded warriors recover from mental and physical trauma by incorporating fly fishing into their rehabilitation program. Mike Manning, Project Lead for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing- Machias, will discuss the creation of a local veterans group with Downeast Trout Unlimited (DETU). DETU meeting at the Moore Community Center and online. ..."

Reference Source: www.bangordailynews.com

New Housing Allowance Rates for Troops Have Been Set for the Coming Year

Article Title: New Housing Allowance Rates for Troops Have Been Set for the Coming Year

Article Excerpt: "...Military households will receive an average 5.4% increase in their Basic Allowance for Housing in 2025.

The Defense Department announced the annual update Friday, and the new housing allowance rates will take effect on Jan. 1. ..."

Reference Source: www.military.com

US Marines Start Partial Transfer from Okinawa in Japan to Guam Under Plan Agreed 12 Years Ago

Article Title: US Marines Start Partial Transfer from Okinawa in Japan to Guam Under Plan Agreed 12 Years Ago

Article Excerpt: "...The partial transfer of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam began on Saturday, 12 years after Japan and the United States agreed on their realignment to reduce the heavy burden of American troop presence on the southern Japanese island, officials said. ...about 9,000 of the 19,000 Marines currently stationed on Okinawa are to be moved out of Okinawa, including about 4,000 of them to be moved to Guam in phases. Details, including the size and timing of the next transfer, were not immediately released. ...Many Okinawans have long complained about the heavy U.S. military presence on the island, and say Okinawa faces noise, pollution, aircraft accidents and crime related to American troops.

The relocation is likely to be welcomed by local residents, but how much improvement they will feel is uncertain because of the rapid Japanese military buildup on Okinawan islands as a deterrence to threats from China."

Reference Source: www.military.com

Navy crushes Army 31-13 in the 125th matchup between the rivals

Article Title: Navy defeats Army 31-13 in the 125th matchup between the rivals

Article Excerpt: "...Navy handed No. 22 Army just its second loss of the season in dominant fashion, 31-13. This was the largest margin of victory in the classic rivalry since 2019, when Navy prevailed 31-7, and it is the first time the teams have combined for 40-plus points since 2013.

Midshipmen quarterback Blake Horvath had a career day, throwing for 107 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 204 yards and two more scores. Horvath accounted for 311 of Navy’s 384 total yards.

Navy (9-3) will carry this momentum to its bowl matchup with Oklahoma on Dec. 27, while Army (11-2) will try to finish the season on a high note in its new bowl game opponent Louisiana Tech. ..."

Reference Source: www.ncaa.com

Missile Defense Agency Conducts Successful Missile Intercept From Guam

Article Title: Missile Defense Agency Conducts Successful Missile Intercept From Guam

Article Excerpt: "he Missile Defense Agency, on Tuesday, conducted a live intercept of a ballistic missile target from Guam, the Pentagon has announced. ...the test entailed the Aegis Guam System integrating with a specialized radar and vertical launching system. That integrated system fired a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, which intercepted an air-launched medium range ballistic missile target off the coast of Guam's Andersen Air Force Base, according to an MDA press release. ..."

Reference Source: www.defense.gov

Army to cut credentialing benefit, drop officers from program

Article Title: Army to cut credentialing benefit, drop officers from program

Article Excerpt: "...Concerned with the climbing costs of the service’s Credentialing Assistance program, Army officials plan to cut stipends for the benefit from $4,000 to $2,000 and block commissioned officers from participating in the education initiative. At the same time, the service will boost its tuition assistance program from $4,000 annually to $4,500 a year, acknowledging the ever-rising cost of higher education. The changes were mandated to put the Army benefits “on a fiscally sustainable path” and align them better with other services’ education offerings..."

Reference Source: www.navytimes.com

Failed Afghan Withdrawal 'Blinken' Excuse-Fest | Secretary of State Blinken Testifies on U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan

Article Title: Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The committee voted along party lines in September to find the secretary in contempt for failure to testify on the withdrawal.

Article Excerpt: "...Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The committee voted along party lines in September to find the secretary in contempt for failure to testify on the withdrawal. ..."

Reference Source: www.foxnews.com

Fraudster posing as Delta Force vet defrauded 32 victims out of $12M by offering protection from drug cartel threats he fabricated

Article Title: Fraudster posing as Delta Force vet defrauded 32 victims out of $12M by offering protection from drug cartel threats he fabricated

Article Excerpt: "...pretending to be a highly trained special operations veteran was found guilty of defrauding victims out of millions by claiming drug cartels were targeting them and he could protect them for a steep price.

Kota Youngblood, 52, also known as Saint Jovite Youngblood, was sentenced to 40 years in prison...He claimed to have served 22 years in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Delta Force, a highly covert and elite Army special operations force part of the Joint Special Operations Command, despite FBI investigators finding no military service records."

Reference Source: nypost.com

Not Guilty! Marine Veteran Daniel Penny Acquitted in Subway Rider's Death

Article Title: Not Guilty! Daniel Penny Acquitted in Subway Rider's Death

Article Excerpt: "At the Manhattan D.A.'s Office we deeply respect the jury process and we respect their verdict," District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement following the verdict. ...Penny's defense lawyers told jurors that Penny, a student on his way to a gym, acted out of alarm that Neely might hurt a woman and a child he was approaching. Neely was unarmed. Lawyer Steven Raiser said his client held Neely "until he knew that he was no longer a threat" but he did not apply pressure on his airway during the last crucial moments. ..."

Reference Source: www.newsmax.com

CNN Defamation Trial | U.S. Navy veteran vs. Big Media CNN

Article Title: U.S. Navy veteran suing CNN lands key legal victories ahead of high-stakes defamation trial

Article Excerpt: "...Young alleges that CNN smeared him by implying he illegally profited via a "black market" when helping people flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration's military withdrawal from the country in 2021. Young believes CNN "destroyed his reputation and business" during a segment that year on Jake Tapper's program "The Lead," which was shared on social media and also repackaged for CNN's website. Judge William Henry denied CNN’s motion for summary judgment, allowing Young to "proceed with his claim for punitive damages" and declaring the court found he "did not take money from Afghans."..."

Reference Source: www.foxnews.com

States go after ‘claim sharks’ that charge vets for help with disability claims

Article Title: States go after ‘claim sharks’ that charge vets for help with disability claims

Article Excerpt: "...The practice exists in a legal loophole: It’s illegal under federal law for companies that aren’t accredited by the VA to charge veterans fees for helping file their disability claims, but there’s no criminal penalty for breaking the law. Recent attempts to regulate this for-profit shadow industry have stalled in Congress.

While some state lawmakers are trying to close the loophole by filing bills to restrict the practice, they’re up against their legislative peers and a cadre of industry leaders with a stable of lobbyists who want the loophole sealed into place at the state level. ..."

Reference Source: iowacapitaldispatch.com

Daniel Penny jury cannot reach verdict on manslaughter count

Article Title: Jurors deadlocked in Daniel Penny manslaughter trial over subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely

Article Excerpt: "...they’re struggling to reach a verdict on the top charge of manslaughter.

The 12-person panel sent a note Friday morning saying it’s having trouble reaching a consensus on whether to convict Penny...

Jurors have been deliberating since early Tuesday afternoon.

Penny’s lawyers have said that the Marine veteran and aspiring architect was justified in protecting passengers from a man who witnesses said yelled “someone’s going to die today!..."

Reference Source: nypost.com

'It would mean a lot': Homeless veteran battling brain cancer hoping to raise funds to visit daughter ahead of holidays

Article Title: 'It would mean a lot': Homeless veteran battling brain cancer hoping to raise funds to visit daughter ahead of holidays

Article Excerpt: "...UNION GROVE, Wis. — A homeless veteran, in the fight for his own life, is making a plea for help to see his daughter who's undergoing surgery, as soon as possible. Patrick Cavanagh and his wife, Michelle, said they spent months living in their car and in tents as they moved around from place to place. ...Now, before he starts treatment, he’s trying to raise money to drive to visit her in Norfolk, Virginia. His goal is to be there when she undergoes surgery later this month. “It would mean a lot,” he said. “I haven’t seen my kids since 2017 or 2018. That’s the last time I saw them.” Kelly is now going above and beyond once again, taking donations to help Cavanagh get to Norfolk this holiday season. Donations can be made by calling her at 224-440-3716."

Reference Source: spectrumnews1.com

Diego Garcia: What 'Historic' UK Deal Means for US's Indian Ocean Base

Article Title: Diego Garcia: What 'Historic' UK Deal Means for US's Indian Ocean Base

Article Excerpt: "...For an initial period of 99 years, the U.K. will be authoritized to exercise sovereign rights over Diego Garcia, according to the agreement. The deal ensures continued operations at Camp Thunder Cove, part of the military base known as Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, used by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and the British armed forces. ..."

Reference Source: www.newsweek.com

Persecution of an American Hero Continues | Daniel Penny prosecutor dangles race card again

Article Title: Daniel Penny prosecutor dangles race card again

Article Excerpt: "...Penny was not told about Neely's death when he voluntarily agreed to speak with NYPD detectives. Yoran used similar language earlier in the trial during her opening statement, and her team also allowed witnesses to describe Penny as "the White man" and a "murderer," prompting Penny's defense lawyers to object and ask the court to declare a mistrial over the language. ..."The government wasn't there. The police weren't there. Danny was," Raiser told the jury. "And when he needed help no one was there. The government has the nerve to blame Danny because police weren't there? Blame Danny for holding on when police weren't there?" It took seven minutes for police to respond to the 911 call and 20 minutes before medics arrived, he said. Neely was "on a collision course with himself," and a "broken system" failed everyone involved, the lawyer said. ...Neely had a lengthy arrest record, a documented history of severe mental illness, a drug abuse problem and an active arrest warrant when he boarded the F train car on May 1, 2023, and started screaming death threats, trial testimony revealed over the past three weeks."

Reference Source: www.foxnews.com

With 31 pistols still missing, the Army offers $15,000 for details

Article Title: With 31 pistols still missing, the Army offers $15,000 for details

Article Excerpt: "...Army investigators are offering a $15,000 reward for information on the theft of dozens of pistols, night vision goggles and a thermal optic that have been missing from Fort Moore, Georgia, since earlier this year. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division posted a reward notice last week, which identified even more gear missing from the facility than originally indicated in a May 16 report. In that report, 31 M17 handguns were noted as missing from the installation’s Crescenz Consolidated Equipment Pool, according to an Army release. ..."

*Reference Source: www.armytimes.com

* Links Added to Article

More Lowered Standards | Navy updates exercise standards for Fitness Enhancement Program | Fattening up the Fail

Article Title: Navy updates exercise standards for Fitness Enhancement Program

Article Excerpt: "...The Navy will not require some sailors to undergo the Fitness Enhancement Program if they do not pass the Navy’s Body Composition Assessment portion of the Physical Fitness Assessment. Starting next year, sailors who do not meet the BCA standards but do score an Excellent-Low or above on the Physical Readiness Test — completing the pushup, forearm plank and cardio portions of the test — will be exempt from undergoing the Fitness Enhancement Program, according to a new naval administrative message. ...Historically, those who have failed a portion of the PFA have been required to undergo the Fitness Enhancement Program, which also requires sailors to undergo nutrition education as well as additional fitness sessions."

Reference Source: www.navytimes.com

Trump's Path to Reconciliation: Why a January 6th Pardon Is Long Overdue

Article Title: Trump's Path to Reconciliation: Why a January 6th Pardon Is Long Overdue

Article Excerpt: "...In the theater of American politics, there are few spectacles as divisive as the events of January 6th, 2021. Almost four years later, the debate rages on, not just about what transpired, but about the aftermath: the arrests, the prosecutions, and the continued incarceration of many involved. It is time for President Donald Trump, as he steps back into the arena, to consider issuing a blanket pardon for everyone involved in the January 6th protest at the Capitol—with one caveat. This pardon would exclude those convicted of violence against police officers, but for those still in prison or facing charges for non-violent offenses, a full pardon is both necessary and just. Furthermore, for those who were convicted of assaulting officers, a commutation to "time served" represents an act of ..."

Reference Source: x.com

VA says cyberattack targeted health data of hundreds of veterans in Minnesota

Article Title: VA says cyberattack targeted health data of hundreds of veterans in Minnesota

Article Excerpt: "...The information was on a private vendor’s server, the federal agency said. More than 2,300 were targeted across the country. ...The VA said the attack victimized a server managed by DBP Inc., a private medical transcription vendor based in Detroit. DBP representatives were not immediately available Friday to respond to the VA’s announcement.

The affected documents contained some or all the following information, according to the VA: full name, medical record information and Social Security number."

... The cyber sleuths encrypted the DBP-retained records before they were potentially copied, the VA said. ...

Reference Source: www.startribune.com

What are you entitled to with a 50% VA disability? Benefits, compensation rates, and everything you must know

Article Title: What are you entitled to with a 50 VA disability? Benefits, compensation rates, and everything you must know

Article Excerpt: "...There is a lot of information out there including how to get compensation for a 50% VA Disability Rating, what this means for the dependent benefits at the 50% VA Disability Rating, along what the prime benefits of a 50% VA Disability Rating are, and the Social Security considerations with a 50% VA Disability Rating that you must consider, along with new strategies to increase your VA Disability Rating from 50%...."

Reference Source: www.marca.com

Retired North Carolina veteran wins $2 million after buying ticket at Walmart while grocery shopping

Article Title: Retired North Carolina veteran wins $2 million after buying ticket at Walmart while grocery shopping

Article Excerpt: "...GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — When Robert Moore, of Dallas, made a routine trip to the store, he shocked his wife when he returned with some groceries and a $2 million scratch-off win, according to an NC Education Lottery news release. ..."

Reference Source: www.yahoo.com

Colorado Continues 2nd Amendment Infringement

Article Title: Colorado gun crackdown called out as threat to law-abiding owners

Article Excerpt: "...Colorado's Proposition KK, which imposes an additional 6.5% tax on gun purchases, turns "law-abiding gun owners into criminals," one county official said..."

Reference Source: www.foxnews.com/