Nelson Henry Jr. in his WWII uniform before his blue discharge in 1945. Nelson Henry Jr. on April 25, 2019 contemplating his chances of prevailing at the ABCMR. By Spring 2019 M-VETS Student-Advisor Rachel A. Petrik Red, white, and blue are three powerfully symbolic colors. After the Continental Congress passed a resolution on July 4, … Continue reading “The Blue Ticket Discharge: A Color that has Stained the Lives of WWII-Era Veterans for Over 75 Years”

By Spring 2019 M-VETS Student-Advisor Katie Stegmuller Between 1961 and 1971, more than 20 million gallons of herbicides including Agent Orange were sprayed over Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.[1] The Agent Orange Act extends a presumption of service connection for disabilities that are positively associated with herbicide exposure to veterans who served in the Republic of … Continue reading “Procopio v. Wilkie: Finally a Win for Blue Water Vietnam Veterans?”

By Spring 2019 M-VETS Student-Advisor Problems within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and specifically, the Veterans Health Administration, have received ample amounts of media attention over the last two decades.[1] Following an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General into a scandal involving several senior executives at the Phoenix Veterans’ Affairs (“VA”) Hospital … Continue reading “The Constitutionality of the Veterans’ Affairs Accountability Acts of 2014 and 2017: Reexamining Helman v. Department of Veterans Affairs and its Impact on Legislative Efforts to Hold Veterans’ Affairs Officials Accountable”

By Spring 2019 M-VETS Student-Advisor Todd Mihill Marijuana laws and enforcement have become a hot topic for discussion in the lead up to the 2020 elections. Perhaps one of the most effected segments of the population is the US military. While this may seem confusing, allow me to provide an example. The US military falls … Continue reading “Marijuana Discharges: A Level Playing Field?”

Image credit:10 Online Bachelor’s Programs With the Most Veterans (last accessed May 7, 2019), https://www.usnews.com/education/online education/articles/2015/05/26/10-online-bachelors-programs-with-the-most-veterans. By Spring 2019 M-VETS Student-Advisor Casey Hunt The G.I. Bill was created to give veterans access to higher education and training as a way to help transition back to civilian life after they honorably served their country. For-profit universities, however, … Continue reading “For-Profits: For Better or For Worse”

By Spring 2019 M-VETS Student-Advisor When considering post-traumatic stress (PTS), the first thought that comes to mind is a veteran returning from a theatre of combat. Due to technological advances, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) must be prepared to deal with the increase of drone pilots who suffer from PTS. Historically, PTS has been … Continue reading “THE NEXT MEDICAL CRISIS: DRONE PILOTS AND PTS”

By Fall 2018 M-VETS Student-Advisor Our nation’s brave soldiers can be preyed upon, not only on the battlefield, but also in our nation’s financial marketplaces.[1] Several key characteristics make our servicemembers more apt to becoming preyed upon financially. Servicembers are generally young and lack financial sophistication, robust savings, or guidance from family members; they also … Continue reading “Protecting our Servicemembers and Military from Predatory Lending”

By Fall 2018 M-VETS Student-Advisor Stephanie Musilek The civilian criminal justice system exists to serve several purposes including obtaining justice for victims, punishing wrongdoers, and deterring future wrongs, but also providing due process of law to those accused of wrongdoing, thus ensuring fairness in the process. In this system, there are many players who all … Continue reading “Criminal Justice vs. Military Justice”

By Fall 2018 M-VETS Student-Advisor Tyler Whidby Many veterans are told by Vocational Rehabilitation counselors that they are not eligible for Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation services because 12 years or more has passed since the disabled veteran separated from the military. While this is an important fact, it is often an incorrect reason for a benefits … Continue reading “When the 12-Year Time Limit to Use Chapter 31 Vocational Benefits Does Not Apply”

By Fall 2018 M-VETS Student-Advisor Michael Vlcek The United States would face a crisis in leadership if the President and the Vice President are simultaneously killed or removed from office. The United States does not have a clear Presidential succession plan, which is a national security necessity for a country with the largest military[1] and … Continue reading “Presidential Succession: An Unsolved National Security Risk”