The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (“M-VETS”) successfully assisted a Navy Veteran with two civil matters in the Loudoun County Circuit Court. In the first matter, M-VETS represented the Veteran in filing a Petition for Adoption of his nephew who has been residing with the Veteran for several years after his mother was incarcerated … Continue reading “M-VETS Assists Navy Veteran with Adoption and Expungement”
Author: Tim MacArthur
“Liberal Consideration” and Discharge Review Boards
By Spring 2021 M-VETS Student Advisor Arianna Drerup The Hagel Memorandum, and subsequently the Kurta Memorandum, require the Discharge Review Boards (DBRs) to give “liberal consideration” to “veterans petitioning for discharge relief when the application for relief is based in whole or in part on matters relating to mental health conditions, including PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress … Continue reading ““Liberal Consideration” and Discharge Review Boards”
The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service: Background, Findings, and Prospects
By Spring 2021 M-VETS Student Advisor Henry Chen In March 2020, the congressionally chartered National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service released its Final Report.[1] The report recommended requiring women to register for selective service, while also proposing various efforts to expand voluntary military and national service opportunities.[2] These recommendations appear to be gaining … Continue reading “The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service: Background, Findings, and Prospects”
THE 90/10 LOOPHOLE: REST FOR THE WEARY?
By Spring 2021 M-VETS Student Advisor John R. Wilson The current loophole within the Higher Education Act’s 90/10 Rule incentivizes proprietary schools, or for-profit institutions, to view veterans and servicemembers as merely dollar signs in uniforms.[1] “Our commitment to care for our veterans is a sacred obligation and ensuring their hard-earned GI Bill benefits are … Continue reading “THE 90/10 LOOPHOLE: REST FOR THE WEARY?”
Multilevel Marketing Schemes: A Threat to Veterans and Dependents
By Fall 2020 Student Advisor Andrew Quillen Introduction Multilevel Marketing companies (MLM), also called direct selling or network marketing, are businesses that create revenue by using a non-salaried workforce (“sellers”) to sell products or services directly to consumers.[i] The trick is that sellers generally pay a membership or recruitment fee, and they must purchase the … Continue reading “Multilevel Marketing Schemes: A Threat to Veterans and Dependents”
Newly Passed Legislation Addresses Inequities and Barriers Women Veterans Face When Accessing VA Health Care and Benefits
By Fall 2020 M-VETS Student Advisor Jeremy Hall Amidst—and perhaps overshadowed by—the chaos surrounding the presidential transition, President Donald Trump signed a significant veterans benefits bill into law on January 5, 2021. The more than 300-page bill, titled the “Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020,”[1] … Continue reading “Newly Passed Legislation Addresses Inequities and Barriers Women Veterans Face When Accessing VA Health Care and Benefits”
M-VETS Assists Air Force Reservist in Securing Return of Security Deposit
(Pictured: M-VETS Student-Advisor Jonathan Moeller) The Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (“M-VETS”) assisted an Air Force Reservist with securing the return of his $3,300 security deposit wrongfully withheld by his Landlord. After the Reservist was separated from active duty in late 2019, he provided notice to his Landlord of his intent to terminate his … Continue reading “M-VETS Assists Air Force Reservist in Securing Return of Security Deposit”
M-VETS Helps a Survivor of Military Sexual Trauma Clear Erroneous UCMJ Titling Decision
In July 2020, the Mason Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Clinic (“M-VETS”) successfully cleared the name of a survivor of military sexual trauma from the Army Crimes Records Center (CRC) database. The survivor is an Army veteran who served on active duty in the 1990s. Two of her fellow soldiers sexually assaulted her while she was … Continue reading “M-VETS Helps a Survivor of Military Sexual Trauma Clear Erroneous UCMJ Titling Decision”
Veteran Substance Use Dependence and Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Options
By Summer 2020 M-VETS Student-Advisor Cameron Williams Military veterans have struggled trying to overcome substance use disorders (SUDs) for over two centuries of American conflicts. Beginning after the Revolutionary War soldiers consumed two substances we consider relatively benign today, alcohol and caffeine[1]. After the Civil War, many veterans were addicted to medications and drugs such … Continue reading “Veteran Substance Use Dependence and Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Options”
What Virginia Renters Need to Know About Failure to Pay Rent During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Summer 2020 M-VETS Student Advisor Jonathan Moeller The coronavirus has disrupted virtually every area of life. With uncertainty about the economy and thousands of Commonwealth residents out of work, many Virginians have been left wondering how they will handle their most significant monthly expense: the rent. Here’s what you need to know if you … Continue reading “What Virginia Renters Need to Know About Failure to Pay Rent During the COVID-19 Pandemic”