George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School

M-VETS Secures Honorable Discharge for Army Veteran

Doug Boyle

(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

The Woes of Military Recruitment: Contributing Factors and Recommendations for Change.

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

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Recession: Effects and Implications for Current and Previously Discharged Service Members

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

Can I Keep my Clearance? Security Clearance Reciprocity and the Transition to Civilian Jobs

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

M-VETS Prevails at Board of Veterans’ Appeals Hearing Increasing Veteran’s Disability Rating and Securing New Benefits for an Additional Service-Connected Condition

(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

M-VETS Finalizes Adoption for an Active Duty Air Force Couple

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