(Pictured: Student Advisor Doug Boyle)
The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (M-VETS) successfully argued a claim before the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) seeking a fully Honorable conditions discharge for an Army veteran. M-VETS filed the claim on behalf of the veteran in 2022 and secured a fully Honorable discharge, allowing the veteran to access long-overdue educational benefits. Read more
Written by Spring 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Megan Jones.
Background
The United States military is experiencing arguably the most challenging recruiting environment since the establishment of the all-volunteer force in 1973.
In 2022, all branches of the U.S. military struggled to reach their active-duty recruitment goals, with the Army, missing its goal entirely. Read more
Written by Spring 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Kyle Elzey.
Background
On August 24th, 2021, following the approval of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) issued the Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination of Department of Defense (DoD) Service Members memorandum, to ensure the health and operational readiness of the Force. Read more
Written by Spring 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Hanna-Elizabeth B. Montgomery.
The Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022 was signed into law on January 5, 2023.[1] This Act makes two major changes to the Service Members Civil Relief Act, specifically concerning military families. Read more
Written by Fall 2022 M-VETS Student Advisor Grace Roman.
Introduction
On December 27, 2021, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA 22).[1] NDAA 22 includes many notable changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) that must be fully implemented by December 27, 2023. Read more
Written by Fall 2022 M-VETS Student Advisor Liz Faris.
Transgender rights have become a divisive political issue, as some lawmakers attempt to restrict access to bathrooms and medical care. Trump swung the spotlight onto transgender servicemembers in 2017 with a series of tweets. Read more
Written By Summer 2022 M-VETS Student Advisor Greg Pelletier.
Approximately 3.6 million people in the United States currently have a security clearance.[1] Many of these individuals with security clearances are active-duty service members in the military. Other clearance holders include civilians with national security related jobs or defense contractors. Read more
Written by Summer 2022 M-VETS Student Advisor Olivia Sznaza.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (“Camp Lejeune Justice Act”) was introduced to Congress in January, 2022 as a component of a broader piece of legislation called the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (“PACT Act”). Read more
(Pictured: M-VETS Student Advisors, Doug Boyle, Olivia Sznaza)
A 2016 claim for Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) benefits was finally granted at the 40% payment rate after nearly six years of litigation with the DVA. M-VETS successfully argued at a personal appearance hearing before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) for its client to receive a DVA disability rating of 40% for his lumbar spine condition. Read more
The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (“M-VETS”) assisted an active duty Air Force servicemember formalize her wife’s parental rights through an adoption. Though the servicemember’s wife was listed on the child’s birth certificate, the servicemember, who was the child’s birth mother, feared that her wife could lose parental rights in certain states should same-sex marriage rights be repealed. Read more
