UPDATE--The federal government is shutdown due to the failure of Congress to pass legislation to continue to fund the government past the end of the fiscal year, September 30. VetsFirst calls on Congress to take action to fully fund all veterans programs [...]
After months of delay, VA has released its report on the possibility of expanding the enhanced caregiver benefits available through VA to caregivers of veterans of all eras.VA estimates that expanding the program would provide eligibility for 32,000-88,000 additional [...]
I wrote earlier in the summer about the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Essentially, it has been ratified by 134 nations, but not yet by the United States of America. A vote was held on [...]
VetsFirst believes that access to affordable, accessible housing for people with disabilities is critical to ensuring disabled veterans are able to live independent lives in their communities. Veterans who have disabilities that are connected to their military service must [...]
I recently watched a C-SPAN video of my colleague, Ms. Heather Ansley, VetsFirst's Vice President of Veterans Policy, presenting testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the topic of “Civil Rights of Military Veterans and Service Members.” [...]
Being a veteran with a complete spinal cord injury at the sixth cervical vertebrae, from moment one of my quadriplegia nearly 46 years ago, I’ve always needed personal caregivers. While I’ve hired a few people over the years who [...]
I was married almost five years ago to an absolutely wonderful, understanding woman. As a married man, I also became the step-father of a 14 year old daughter, which doubled the joy of my marriage. The last topic on [...]
VetsFirst is committed to ensuring that disabled veterans have access to employment and education opportunities that will allow them to live meaningful, productive lives. VetsFirst won a key battle in our fight to ensure that servicemembers with disabilities receive [...]
The last couple of years when I’ve traveled by commercial airline here in the states, during the screening process, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel have required that my shoes be removed so that they can be screened along with [...]
One of VetsFirst’s top public policy priorities for 2013 is to continue to push for the United States to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD is a UN human rights treaty that [...]