The Department of Veteran Affairs will launch a new system for veterans challenging their disability claims decisions.

The new process gives veterans three options for contesting their claim and significantly reducing the time it takes to receive a final decision.  The three choices are:

• Supplemental claim lane,” in which they can introduce new evidence in their case and have a regional specialist review it and make a decision
• Request that their case be reviewed by a senior adjudicator rather than the regional office with emphasis on looking for errors and mistakes
• Appeal the decision to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals  that includes a direct review with additional information and waiving their right to a hearing, submission of extra evidence without a hearing or a full hearing in which they can submit more evidence and testify before a judge

Decisions will be made within 125 days

By Debbie Gregory.

As a small business owner, you want to take advantage of every opportunity that will help you start or maintain your business. One tip is to periodically check in with your audience, so that you don’t leave potential business or revenue on the table.

One of the ways to monitor your audience is with: Market Research.  This is a handy tool that blends consumer behavior and economic trends to give you a insight into your prospect’s and/or client’s thought processes.

Benefits of market research include:

• Developing compelling marketing materials
• Getting ideas for expanding your products and services
• Identifying trends before they become widespread, giving you a jump on the competition
• Reducing risks

Once you have identified the demographic information (age, wealth, interests, etc.) of your target customers, you will want to ask questions such as: where are my prospects located, how will they find my business, how much competition do I have, what do I have to offer that puts me above the competition, and how much of a need or demand is there for what I am offering?

One of the best and most cost effective ways to gather this information is via your social media following, such as with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and even LinkedIn. You can ask for feedback, with survey participation or questionnaires to be filled out. You can vastly increase the number of responses by offering something in return, such as a discount, free shipping, etc.

Just as important as market research is competitive analysis, this is where you identify your competition by product line or service and market segment. You will want to look at your competitor’s market share, strengths and weaknesses. Is this an advantageous time to go head-to-head with a company that has been doing what you’re doing? Are you doing it differently?

Remember, even if you’re selling widgets, there is more than one place selling widgets, you just have to do it better, have more value, or a more compelling offer or a superior widget or all of the above! What shape does your planning take in order to win a greater market share?

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,

The VET TEC program, set to start in April, focuses on high-tech skills that are in demand in today’s workplace, the VA says.

According to the VA, VET TEC will pay you a housing allowance and take care of tuition costs just like the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The difference is that you have to take classes in one of five areas:

1. Information science
2. Computer programming
3. Data processing
4. Media applications
5. Computer software

The primary difference between this program and the Post-9/11 GI Bill is that the classes are much shorter than regular college or vocational training, sometimes requiring only months or weeks to gain certification.  Anyone currently eligible to use their GI Bill, Montgomery or Post 9/11 is qualified for the program as long as they haven’t passed the time limit to use their benefits and have at least one day of benefits remaining.

Unlike most GI Bill programs, any training received as part of VET TEC will not decrease your GI Bill entitlement in any way. It is essentially free money.

VET TEC is designed to move veterans into the job force faster than a traditional college program. Acquiring essential skills in such a short time gives you the opportunity to advance your career sooner rather than later.

Many of the “coding boot camps” and other high-tech training will be included in this new program.

To combat fraud, waste and abuse, the VA will pay the training provider 25 percent of the course cost when you enroll. Another 25 percent will be paid when you complete the program. The remaining 50 percent of the cost of training will be paid to the provider only when you “secure meaningful employment in the field of study that you enrolled in.”

According to the VA, training providers can be listed as a “preferred provider” if they agree to return all money they got from the VA if you don’t find meaningful employment within 180 days.

How to Sign Up for VET TEC

The program has just been announced and, according to the VA, an online application will be available soon. The Gi Bill website will be updated with an application, as well as a listing of all approved places you can use the program.

Just like any other program, applying doesn’t mean you will be accepted. Schools may have certain qualifications or testing requirements you must meet before you can enroll.

By Debbie Gregory.

According to a recent report from the House Oversight and Reform Committee, key members of the Trump administration were in favor of selling nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia in spite of objections from members of the National Security Council and other senior White House officials.

The 24-page report is entitled Whistleblowers Raise Grave Concerns with. Trump Administration’s Efforts to Transfer Sensitive Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia and is based on the accounts of unnamed whistleblowers and internal White House documents.

According to the report, objectors, including White House lawyers and National Security Council officials, opposed the plan out of concern that it violated laws designed to prevent the transfer of nuclear technology that could be used to support a weapons program.

The report warns that White House efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia may be accelerating after meetings last week at the White House and ahead of a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued an interim staff report after multiple whistleblowers came forward to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress, which is required by law.

Some Republicans on Capitol Hill have criticized the report and characterized it as being inaccurate and politically motivated, but in the aftermath of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, many members of Congress have expressed reluctance to continue relations with Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and prominent critic of Saudi Arabian leadership, was killed within the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October. The U.S. Senate issued a resolution condemning Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Khashoggi’s murder in December, following a CIA report concluding his responsibility.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would strengthen the power of Congress to stop a U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal.

Saudi officials have said they would like to buy nuclear power plants so that their country is not totally reliant on oil, and as a way to compete with Iran.

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,

House lawmakers have passed a bill to provide free child care for veterans seeking treatment for mental health and other medical issues. (Linda LaBonte Britt/Air Force)

The Veterans Affairs Department could soon provide free child care for veterans undergoing treatment for mental health and other medical issues — a move some lawmakers hope will make it easier for veterans to get help.

The House of Representatives passed a bill Friday that seeks to make permanent an existing pilot program rolled out in 2011. At the time, a VA survey found that more than 10 percent of veterans had to cancel or reschedule VA appointments because they lacked child care, and one-third said they were interested in child care services.

The Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act calls for the VA to provide child care on site, pay veterans a stipend for the full cost of child care at licensed facilities, pay the facilities directly or collaborate with other agencies.

The Senate still needs to approve the legislation before it can head to the president to become law. It passed the House with bipartisan support, though some Republicans were reluctant about having taxpayers foot the bill.  The bill was introduced by California Congresswoman Julia Brownley who said it’s primary intent is to help veterans “intensive and recurring healthcare needs.”

It would also extend to grandparents and other primary caretakers.

Congress has renewed the pilot program four times since its launch. If this bill doesn’t become law, or Congress does not renew it again, the program is set to expire later this year.