Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling on veterans education benefits could provide an extra year of federal tuition payments to millions of student veterans, but when officials might start doling out the payouts — if at all — remains unclear. In the 7-2 ruling, justices said that veterans can use both the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and Montgomery GI Bill benefits to pay for college classes if they meet eligibility for both programs. Veterans Affairs officials had required veterans attending school to choose one and forfeit the other. But in the opinion for the majority of the court, Justice Ketanji B ..read more

Government leaders are warning that a federal subsidy helping millions of veterans and military families pay for internet access will end in the next few weeks unless Congress extends the program before the start of May. The Affordable Connectivity Program currently provides between $30 and $75 a month to cover internet bills of more than 23 million households across the country, about half of whom are veterans and service members. For some participants, that’s enough to cover the full cost of high-speed internet access at their homes. The program was launched at the start of the COVID-19 pand ..read more

A group of Senate Democrats is imploring Veterans Affairs officials to fix how they handle constrictive bronchiolitis and hypertension claims under new toxic exposure benefits legislation, saying that too many veterans are left without help due to confusing department rules. In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough on Monday, 18 senators — led by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mont. — said the issues need to be addressed quickly to ensure that thousands of veterans receive the compensation they deserve. “Veterans have waited decades for benefits and recognitions f ..read more

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of a veteran who unsuccessfully tried to use both his Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill benefits, saying that Veterans Affairs officials erred in limiting his education support. The 7-2 decision could have far-reaching impact on student veterans who use up their VA benefits but still wish to continue degree programs. Lawyers for the plaintiff have estimated as many as 1.7 million veterans nationwide could benefit from the ruling, but federal officials have estimated the number to be less than 30,000 individuals. The case has been closely watch ..read more

Korean War hero Ralph Puckett Jr. will lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol later this month in recognition of his valor and the sacrifice of all troops who served in the conflict, House and Senate leaders announced on Tuesday. In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said that Puckett, a retired Army colonel, will be given the rare honor on April 29. “The extraordinary valor of Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr. represents the best of the 1.7 million Americans who left home to fight for freedom in the Korean War,” they said in a joint statement. “He demo ..read more

Congressional committees continue their annual spring budget deliberations with an eye towards releasing their drafts of the annual defense authorization bill in early summer. Last week, Senate Armed Services Committee officials announced they will hold markups of the massive defense policy measure the week of June 10, with an eye towards sending the measure to the full Senate for consideration in mid-summer. Meanwhile, House Armed Services Committee officials are looking to hold their day-long marathon markup of the measure in late May, although no specific date has been announced. The author ..read more

A U.S. Air Force veteran who fled a charge of possessing sexually explicit images of a child told his lawyer he joined Russia’s army, and video appears to show him signing documents in a military enlistment office in Siberia. Wilmer Puello-Mota, a former elected official in a small Massachusetts city, was expected to enter a guilty plea in Rhode Island in early January, but did not show up to court, according to prosecutors. Last week, video surfaced that appears to show the 28-year-old in Russia and expressing support for the country’s war against Ukraine — footage that could be use ..read more

Younger veterans are more likely to land jobs that pose risk to their physical and mental health than their civilian peers, potentially exacerbating already existing injuries from their time in the ranks, according to a new report released Wednesday. Researchers from the Rand Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute said the potentially hazardous jobs include posts in industries such as construction, transportation and maintenance ― all of which have a higher percentage of veteran employees than non-veteran workers. “Ensuring safe and healthy working conditions for veterans should be ..read more

A new documentary produced by war journalist Sebastian Junger and Navy veteran Ken Harbaugh explains the link between veterans and violent extremist groups and explores what their participation could mean for the future of democracy in the United States. “Against All Enemies” premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival and is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. It features interviews with members of Congress, academics and experts, leaders of militia groups and veterans who advocate against extremism. Junger, Harbaugh and director Charlie Sandoff were motivated to make ..read more

Pulling onto Second Street in Silvis, Illinois, the whistles and churns of passing trains are an oddly rhythmic occurrence from the nearby rail yard. A couple of homes have American flags outside, another has a statue of the Virgin Mary in the yard. There’s a small park with a jungle gym for kids. Local dive Porkie’s sells what is perhaps the region’s best tenderloin a few buildings down, and a small tortilla shop makes chips relied upon by local grocery chains. But unlike other streets, this particular road in this particular Midwest town has a unique place in military — and Latino — history ..read more