By Debbie Gregory.

By Debbie Gregory.

Today we will review how two tech companies, who rely heavily on government contracts to provide income and to keep their workforce busy, were able to adjust, and ride out the recent shutdown. Additionally, we will learn how they applied innovative thinking to not only retain their team but to positively ride out the government shutdown.

Evans Incorporated was founded by Sue Evans in 1994; with a single contract. Ford hired Evans Inc. to help them to reimagine and automate a paper-intensive, OSHA-mandated processes.  To help them to successfully transition away from that manual paper-based system to a much more streamlined computer-driven web-based work process. Thus Evans Incorporated was formed.

They have grown quite a bit since those early days; currently approximately 90 percent of Evans Inc.’s revenue comes from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). And recently, nearly all of the company’s contracts with the FAA were under a stop-work order during the government shutdown. Instead of furloughing valuable employees, Evans Incorporated kept working; internally reassigning their team to focus on and update the company’s strategic plan. To also identify and implement improvement goals for the year.  Employees focused on internal research and development efforts, resulting in several innovations.

“We’re committed to them, they’re committed to us,” said Bob Etris, a partner at Evans Incorporated. “We were fortunate. Airplanes still need to fly, the government will eventually reopen, so let’s continue to do good stuff in the meantime.”

HumanTouch, a McLean, VA IT consulting firm was founded in 1998 and specializes in cybersecurity, cloud and IT modernization.

HumanTouch found a unique way to ensure its employees and team remained whole through the shutdown. Because the company could not afford to lose their talent pool, the management team decided to take a very unique approach: they sacrificed a portion of their salaries to retain employees working on contracts that had been stopped.  CEO Moe Jafari forwent his salary altogether.  These actions directly resulted in salaries being covered and health insurance premiums being paid for their team.

Should the threat of another shutdown in mid-February come to pass, similar government contractors could potentially survive it a little easier by paying attention to the actions of these two companies highlighted above on how to weather the political storm.

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,

By Debbie Gregory.

By Debbie Gregory.

In 2014, U.S. Navy veteran Joaquin Antonio Sotelo Tarin pleaded guilty to several felonies, including a domestic violence charge.

Tarin, like many other veterans, said he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse upon returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. He took responsibility for his past crimes and has been receiving help, completing his court-ordered rehabilitation and living within the law.

But after serving around a year-and-a-half in prison, Tarin was picked up by ICE agents immediately upon his release. He was then detained in a federal immigration facility for another year-and-a-half before being bonded out in January 2017.

Now facing possible confinement in an immigration facility or deportation to Mexico, a country he left as an 8-year-old, Tarin has asked Sen. Dianne Feinstein to intervene on his behalf, ahead of his Feb. 12 surrender to a Fresno, California, ICE office.

Tarin has turned his life around and now serves as an advocate for the veteran services he once sorely needed. He is family focused and is married with four children, between the ages of eight months to 11 years old.

Tarin is also fighting a separate battle, to have his criminal conviction overturned, saying he received poor legal representation and was not told that a felony conviction could lead to his deportation prior to accepting a plea deal.

Unfortunately, there are limited options for an immigrant military veteran who’s been deported following a felony conviction. Usually, returning to the U.S. is not an option.  And options in Mexico are also severely limited, as jobs are scarce and crime is on the rise.

A very real worry is that these deported veterans have valuable skill sets that they honed through military service, these veterans then run the risk of being forced into service by the drug cartels, locking them into a criminal lifestyle they would not voluntarily choose.

While the Department of Homeland Security doesn’t keep track of how many U.S. veterans have been deported, estimates put the number in the thousands.

According to a 2016 report by the American Civil Liberties Union entitled “Discharged, Then Discarded,” the federal government’s failure to help naturalize immigrants serving in the U.S. military has led to the large number of deportations, all of whom were entitled to become citizens because of their service.

The hope is that that we can influence positive change in available options for these veterans.

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,

By Debbie Gregory.

By Debbie Gregory.

A federal court has ruled that “blue water” Navy veterans who served on ships offshore during the Vietnam war are eligible for benefits to treat illnesses linked to exposure to the chemical herbicide Agent Orange.

The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled 9-2 in favor of Alfred Procopio, Jr., 73, who served on the USS Intrepid during the Vietnam War. Procopio is one of tens of thousands of “Blue Water” Navy veterans who served aboard aircraft carriers, destroyers and other ships and were deemed ineligible for the same disability benefits as those veterans who served on the ground and inland waterways.

At issue was interpretation of the current law, which allows easier access to disability benefits for veterans who “served in the Republic of Vietnam.” The court determined territorial seas should be included in the definition of “Republic of Vietnam”, a point the government disputed.

Under current VA rules, the blue water veterans could receive medical care for their illnesses through VA, but not disability benefits without proving that their ailments were directly connected to toxic exposure while on duty.

The boots on the ground Vietnam veterans were provided disability benefits because it was presumed they had been exposed to Agent Orange and other defoliants known to cause serious and rare cancers.

The new ruling states that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cannot deny disability benefits to thousands of Vietnam veterans simply because they served in the waters off the country’s coastline, and not inland.

The VA officials had taken the stance that scientific evidence didn’t justify the presumption of toxic exposure for the group. But the decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturns past court opinions backing up VA, saying that Congress never intended to exclude servicemembers in the seas around Vietnam.

If, in the next 90 days, VA officials do not appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, up to 90,000 blue water veterans could see disability payouts as early as this year.

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,

Do you have permanent hearing loss, tinnitus or other hearing injuries? You may be entitled to seek damages against 3M and legal representation.

OAKLAND, Calif. 3M agreed to pay the U.S. government a $9.1 million settlement in a whistleblower action for selling hundreds of thousands of defective earplugs for more than a decade that were standard issue, Combat Arms Earplugs (CAEv2) to the military. It was only disclosed to the public after 3M agreed to pay this settlement. Gibbs Law Group, Stueve Siegel Hanson and Isaac Wiles have filed lawsuits against 3M on behalf of service members who suffered hearing injuries.

The government alleged that 3M knew these earplugs were defective when they were selling them to the government and that they were “too short for proper insertion in users’ ears.” This defect caused these earplugs to dislodge from the users’ ears and many needlessly suffered permanent hearing injuries.

Debbie Gregory, CEO of VAMBOA, the Veterans and Military Business Owners Association and a well-known advocate for those who serve, is trying to get out the word to those who have sustained damages as a result of the use of these earplugs: “It is egregious that this corporation placed profits above the well-being of those who serve our nation and protect us. 3M must be held accountable for the harm it caused our military and veterans that will permanently and negatively impact their lives. I am heartened that these three national law firms are pursuing compensation for our nation’s service members who were injured from the use of 3M’s earplugs. I encourage everyone to spread the word to their own network within the military and veteran communities.”

The law firms of Gibbs Law Group, Stueve Siegel Hanson and Isaac Wiles have joined forces against 3M on behalf of U.S. military service members and veterans who sustained hearing injuries as a result of wearing these defective ear plugs. The lawsuits are against 3M and not against the United States government. Legal fees and costs will only be charged when servicemembers prevail in their lawsuits against 3M. Ms. Gregory added:

“This lawsuit provides our servicemembers and veterans a fighting chance without risk to recover monetary damages for their losses, and to send a clear message to those involved to never again put our military at risk. This team of law firms has a long history of advocating for service members, and I am confident they will do everything in their power to fight for the rights of the men and women who were affected.”

U.S. servicemembers and veterans who used 3M Combat Arms Earplugs and suffered hearing loss, tinnitus and/or other injuries should contact the attorneys at: 1-866-211-4118 or go to www.classlawgroup.com/3M.

About the Legal Team

This is a team of three prominent law firms across the nation that includes: Gibbs Law Group, Stueve Siegel Hanson and Isaac Wiles. They have expertise and a track record of successfully litigating class actions, product liability claims and other actions. Their attorneys have extensive experience assisting clients including servicemembers and veterans in recovering monies for personal injuries and other damages caused by defective products.

They have a winning track record that has earned them numerous awards for their work, including Best Lawyers in America, Best of the Bar, Leading Plaintiff Lawyers in America, Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California and Consumer Protection MVP.

About Debbie Gregory

Ms. Gregory is a lifelong advocate for those who serve and is committed to outreach to those who have been harmed by use of these earplugs. She is currently the CEO and founder of VAMBOA, the Veterans and Military Business Owners Association with over 7,000 members nationwide. Ms. Gregory is a producer of the nationally televised concert: “America Salutes You” that raises awareness for military and veterans and funds for some extraordinary non-profits that support them. Ms. Gregory also serves in the Defense Department volunteer role of Director of Employer Engagement for California ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve). Ms. Gregory is the daughter of a veteran who served with seven of his brothers and died as a result of injuries from his service to our country. Ms. Gregory’s father has motivated and empowered her to champion service members and veterans.

Contacts

Debbie Gregory
(877)850-9800

By Debbie Gregory.

By Debbie Gregory.

Following the report that at least 126 U.S. military installations tested at “higher than acceptable” concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water sources, members of Congress have created a bi-partisan task force to help constituents affected by the contamination.

Representatives Dan Kildee (D-MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) are co-chairing the Congressional PFAS Task Force, which seeks to highlight the role of PFAS affecting drinking water in communities across

Members of Congress from states affected by PFAS have been pushing for more funding and studies for years, but by creating a task force they hope to form a stronger coalition to pressure the federal agencies involved.

Fitzpatrick believes the manufacturers of PFAS should bear the burden of the cost of remediation.

PFAS, used in firefighting foams at military bases, have been linked to cancer, fertility problems, liver damage, high cholesterol, and other health problems.

The military is in the process of testing more than 400 bases nationwide for similar contamination. The process will take years and cost millions of dollars..

“Rather than dealing with these things individually when it comes to (funding and remediation)… we figured it was a good idea to get all the members of Congress who are dealing with similar issues in their communities together in one task force, so we can kind of speak with one voice and get the problem addressed,” Fitzpatrick said.

If the EPA designated PFAS as a hazardous substance, it would create a maximum contaminant level (MCL), which would apply nationwide. EPA regulation would also give residents recourse for civil lawsuits, allow criminal charges to be brought against polluters, and help value properties affected by contamination.

The Task Force will work to:

• Hold informational events to educate Members of Congress and their staff to increase awareness about PFAS chemicals.
• Craft legislation to address PFAS contamination.
• Meet with congressional leadership, committee chairs and ranking members to ensure PFAS is adequately and more urgently addressed.
• Fight for more robust funding through federal appropriations to clean up PFAS contamination.

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association, VAMBOA,