Blog Post

IAVA Daily News Brief 08.17.12
Posted by Hallie Seegal on August 17 2012

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings that IAVA is tracking. Prefer to receive real-time updates about major stories and legislation that IAVA is tracking? Follow us on Twitter @IAVA and click here to get the News Brief delivered to your inbox every morning.

MUST READS

1) Army faces highest monthly total of suicides

The U.S. Army just released this past month’s suicide numbers. There were 38 potential suicides for the month of July, 26 occurring among active-duty soldiers and the remaining 12 suicides among the reserve and Guard components. These numbers, the highest reported by the U.S. Army since IAVA started tracking in January 2009, tragically underscore that despite the best efforts of the military, we still have a long battle against suicide ahead of us.

2) Vets Facing Unexpected Difficulty Transitioning To Civilian Jobs, Survey Finds

Nearly two-thirds of new veterans face difficulty transitioning to the civilian workforce, partly because of the bleak economic environment but also because they seem to be speaking a different language than the business leaders who might hire them, according to a post-military employment survey released this week by IAVA and Prudential.

3) Afghan Cop Kills 2 U.S. Troops Amid Taliban Claims of Infiltration

An Afghan cop was apprehended and killed after he fatally shot 2 U.S. troops on Friday. The attack comes after a helicopter crash yesterday that killed 7 U.S. troops for which the Taliban claims responsibility. "Many Afghans in the rank and files of the enemy have shown a willingness to help the [Taliban] in a shrewd manner," said a Taliban spokesperson on Thursday.  "As a result, the foreign invaders and their allies at their military centers and bases are suffering crushing blows by these heroic soldiers."

AFGHANISTAN

• The Economist examines why some Afghans don’t take more of a stand against the Taliban, and whether the group’s increase in attacks that harm civilians may cause more of a backlash.

IRAQ

• Alaa Namiq, the man who hid Saddam Hussein from U.S. troops for nine months, granted an interview to the Washington Post to talk about why he chose to help Hussein, conditions in Abu Gharib during his subsequent imprisonment, and how his town is coming back to life.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

• The VA inspector general is investigating whether VA employees improperly spent funds on alcohol, spa treatments, concert tickets and other questionable activities during a training conference last year.
• NY1 reports on how thousands of returning veterans have become a critical voting constituency in the upcoming presidential election.

THE NEW GREATEST GENERATION

• Project Healing Waters, a fly-fishing program designed for disabled veterans, is providing camaraderie to veterans who’ve encountered difficulty finding their place in civilian life. 

INSIDE WASHINGTON

• Steve Gunderson, the president and CEO of The Association for Private Sector Colleges and Universities, went on the record with C-SPAN to try and dispel the recent Senate HELP report highlighting for-profit schools’ dismal graduation rates and questionable spending practices.

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles. These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA.

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