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”

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?”

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”

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”

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”

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”

By Summer 2020 M-VETS Student Advisor Patrick Francescon When a military recruiter speaks to a potential recruit one of the benefits the recruiter is likely to highlight is the job skills training that they will be given in the military. Though some Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), military jobs, are difficult to pair with a civilian … Continue reading “Licensing and Easing the Burdens of Transition”

By Summer 2020 M-VETS Student-Advisor Ashley Close During the last couple of decades, numerous news stories shed light on the prevalence of sexual assault within the military. Following these scandals, in February of 2004, the former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directed Dr. David Chu, the former Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, … Continue reading “Fifteen Years of Department of Defense Efforts to Prevent and Respond to Sexual Assault within the Military: The Accomplishments and Shortcomings”

By Spring 2020 M-VETS Student-Advisor Corey Pray The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of life in one way or another. The veterans community is included among those that have been significantly impacted. As of May 17, 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports 12,208 cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,005 known … Continue reading “COVID-19 and Veterans Benefits: What Veterans Should Know”

By Spring 2020 M-VETS Student-Advisor Michelle Yearick The Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act (“VRLTA”), now codified in the Virginia Code at § 55.1-1200 through § 55.1-1262, has established the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants in Virginia since its enactment in 1974.[1] The VRLTA applies to all jurisdictions in the Commonwealth of Virginia and … Continue reading “2019 Amendments to the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act benefit Virginia Renters”