The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS) successfully argued a claim before the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR) seeking a service-connected medical separation for a United States Army Reserve (USAR) veteran. M-VETS filed the claim on behalf of the veteran in 2021 and recently secured a service-connected medical separation, allowing the veteran to access long-overdue Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) housing benefits. Read more
Author: M-VETS
M-VETS Student Advisor Blog Post Used As a Source by the Reentry Coordination Council in Their Report to Congress
(Pictured: Former Student Advisor Todd Mihill)
A blog post written by former student advisor Todd Mihill for the Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (“M-VETS”) was cited in a Report to Congress from the Reentry Coordination Council in April 2022. The Council members include the Attorney General for the U.S. Read more
M-VETS Prevails and Secures Honorable Discharge for Navy Veteran
(Pictured: Student Advisor Kyle Elzey)
The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS) successfully argued a claim before the Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) seeking a fully Honorable conditions discharge for a Navy veteran. M-VETS filed the claim on behalf of the veteran in 2023 and recently secured a fully Honorable discharge, allowing the veteran to access long-overdue educational benefits. Read more
Substance Use and Abuse: The War on Terror, Mental Healthcare, and the Problems Facing Our Troops
Written by Fall 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Alden Campo.
Introduction:
Mental Healthcare for U.S. Servicemembers and Veterans who have experienced the War on Terror is wholly insufficient to deal with the traumas they have undergone in service of their nation. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) is commonplace throughout the armed forces amongst personnel who have seen active-duty combat, and many Servicemembers and Veterans turn to Substance Use to cope with the traumas related to their service, often concurrently developing a Substance Use Disorder (“SUD”). Read more
Understanding Military Parole in Place: What is it and How Can a Servicemember’s Family Gain Immigration Benefits
Written by Fall 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Annah Seaford.
What is Military Parole in Place?
Military Parole in Place, often called Military PIP, is a way for immigrant family members of a current or previous servicemember to gain access to stay and work in the United States. Read more
Establishing A Drug Treatment Court
Written by Fall 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Dylan Sparks.
Introduction:
Combatting drug addiction calls for a collaborative partnership between the criminal justice system and substance abuse treatment programs. Establishing a drug treatment court is a great way for a community to establish such a partnership, and this article will explain the benefits that drug treatment courts bring and detail the steps a community should take to establish one. Read more
M-VETS Receives $30,000 Grant from Virginia Law Foundation to Support M-VETS American Legion Post 139 Advice and Referral Clinic
(Pictured L-R: VLF Vice President Stephen Noona, M-VETS Director Timothy MacArthur, and VLF President Hon. Jane Marum Roush)
The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (“M-VETS”) was awarded a $30,000 grant from the Virginia Law Foundation (“VLF”) to support its new initiative, the M-VETS American Legion Post 139 Advice and Referral Clinic. Read more
M-VETS Resumes In-Person Execution Services for Estate Planning Documents
(Pictured from L to R: M-VETS Deputy Director Leigh Winstead & M-VETS Student Advisors Alden Campo and Amanda Nhek).
For the first time since the pandemic, M-VETS welcomed back clients to its clinic offices located at the Antonin Scalia Law School to provide execution services for various estate planning documents prepared by M-VETS. Read more
M-VETS Secures Almost $13,000 in Disability Compensation at Board of Veterans’ Appeals Hearing for U.S. Navy Veteran
(Pictured: M-VETS Student Advisors Amanda Nhek and James Caruso)
The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS) appealed an incorrect Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) disability rating decision. They secured an increase in the overall DVA disability rating, as well as a disability payment of almost $13,000, for a U.S. Read more
The Fight for Equality Continues: Women Remain the Minority in Senior Ranks of the Military
Written by Summer 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Amanda S. Nhek.
Introduction
Women have always found a way to serve their country. Whether it be disguising themselves as men during the Revolutionary War or flying warplanes in modern times, they continue to contribute by any means necessary. Read more