For nearly 20 years, the Army has had limited success in developing an information network -- sensors, software, and radios to give soldiers the exact information they need, when they need it, in any environment. Such a network is expected to improve situational awareness and decision making in combat. Under its network modernisation strategy, the Army is implementing a new agile process intended to leverage industry technology solutions. The Army has taken a number of steps to begin executing its network strategy and agile process, including establishing a baseline network architecture for Army communications. The Army's agile process involves seven phases and three decision points to allow officials to quickly evaluate emerging networking technologies to determine if they address capability gaps and can be deployed to the field. However, the network strategy is still evolving and the Army has not yet executed one full cycle of the agile process. This book addresses the extent to which the Army's network strategy and agile process addresses cost, technology maturity, security, and readiness; and the Army's strategy for facing other risks and challenges. This book also examines the results of the Network Integration Evaluations (NIEs) conducted to date and the extent to which the Army has procured and fielded network solutions, and Army actions to enhance the NIE process.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) have developed mechanisms to implement and monitor their memorandum of understanding (MOU); however, the performance metrics developed to assess its implementation do not adequately measure progress made toward its goals. VA and IHS have defined common goals for implementing the MOU and developed strategies to achieve them. Native Americans who have served in the military may be eligible for health care services from both VA and IHS. This book examines the extent to which the agencies have established mechanisms through which the MOU can be implemented and monitored; and key challenges the agencies face in implementing the MOU and the progress made in overcoming them.

While many veterans who served in the military after 11 September 2001, have successfully readjusted to civilian life with minimal difficulties in the first few years after they were discharged, others have experienced difficulties. These readjustment difficulties include financial and employment, relationships, legal, homelessness, and substance abuse. According to VA's strategic plan, one of its strategic objectives is to improve veteran wellness and economic security, and it states that the ultimate measure of VA's success is the veteran's success after leaving military service. However, there is limited and incomplete data to assess the extent to which veterans experience readjustment difficulties. Providing support and services for transitioning veterans is a key issue facing the nation. This book examines what is known about the extent to which veterans experience difficulties during their readjustment to civilian life; and how VA assists veterans in their readjustment, as well as what challenges and opportunities exist. This book also addresses the status of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) implementation; the extent to which elements of effective implementation and evaluation of TAP have been addressed; and any challenges that may remain.

As provider networks on military bases are overwhelmed with new cases, civilian clinicians are increasingly likely to treat military families. However, these clinicians do not receive the same military mental-healthcare training as providers on military installations, adding strain to clinicians' workloads and creating gaps in levels of treatment. Families Under Fire fills these gaps with real-world examples, clear, concise prose, and nuts-and-bolts approaches for working with military families utilizing a systems-based practice that is effective regardless of branch of service or the practitioner's therapeutic preference. Any civilian mental-health practitioner who wants to understand the diverse needs of military personnel, their spouses, and their families will rely on this indispensable guidebook for years to come.

This book provides an overview of the benefits, issues, policies and programs relating to our military service members. Topics discussed in this issue include VA housing; VA health care services; additional steps needed to strengthen beneficiary travel program management and oversight; and the Patriotic Express.

In fiscal year 2013, VA provided over $12 billion in benefits for veterans' post-secondary education; however, questions have been raised as to whether some schools are receiving these funds as a result of inappropriate recruiting practices. This book examines how selected schools recruit veterans; veterans' school search and recruiting experiences; and VA's actions to help veterans make informed decisions and to identify inappropriate recruiting practices.

Electronic health records (EHRs) play an important role in optimizing the health care provided to active duty servicemembers and veterans. When a servicemember leaves military service by way of discharge, separation, or retirement he or she may become eligible for VA benefits and services including VA health care. Transitioning their health care information from one large health care system (Department of Defense; DOD) to the other (Department of Veterans Affairs; VA) involves coordination of data and information between DOD and VA. Longstanding concern that this exchange be effective has been expressed in many quarters, including Congress. The purpose of this book is to provide a background on the long-standing efforts in sharing health information between DOD and VA. The book also describes changes to the integrated electronic health record system and evaluates the departments' current plans; and determines whether the departments are effectively collaborating on management of the program.

Veterans of our armed services form a vital part of the nation's population, labour force, and business sector. Their economic success on re-entering the civilian economy is a national priority. While many veterans have gained important skills and leadership abilities from their active duty and reserve service that are directly relevant to business ownership, some veterans may have difficulty in starting and growing a business, especially during an economic downturn and slow recovery. Previous studies have found veterans very active in firm creation and management, but these studies have not provided a complete picture of their activities or compared the entrepreneurial experience of veterans and non-veterans. The study discussed in this book explores 20 years of U.S. Census Bureau data (1984 to 2004) to describe in greater detail the level and nature of veteran involvement in business creation and ownership. A key purpose of this is to provide important information about any differences in the experience of veterans and non-veterans in business creation and management and to assess whether such differences have changed over time. This book also discusses the veteran's assistance programs that are available through SBA, the Small Business Administration.

Restore your faith in love and family with one Army wife's courageous story of how she helped her husband recuperate from losing both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan.Paige received the phone call that every military wife prays will never come. Her husband, Army Sergeant Josh Wetzel, stepped on an improvised explosive device while patrolling in Afghanistan. The blast resulted in the immediate loss of his legs. His survival was uncertain, and in the days to come, this traumatic incident began an unbelievable journey of faith for them as a couple.Paige's vulnerability as she struggles physically, emotionally, and spiritually, will remind you of the power of commitment and love in the face of adversity. You will discover the bravery and grit of a woman who stood behind the battle lines but faced a battle of her own to save her marriage and her family. As a military wife, Paige had to come to terms with the priorities of the military: God, Country, and then Family.

Firearms injuries are considered to be a "privilege" of treatment by military surgeons. It is difficult to find one book that includes all of the knowledge about injuries of the locomotor system caused by firearms, and the treatments of these injuries. This book presents the author's experience in treating more than 5,000 wounded people in the last war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Authentic images of injuries by firearms and the results of treatment are provided for better understanding of the wounds. The key to success in the treatment of these injuries is the primary surgical treatment of wounds. This includes "sterilising wounds", stabilising of broken bone with or without bone defect, treatment of nerves, and blood vessels and open joints. As a measure for stabilisation of open fractures, an external fixator was used for over 85% in the war in former Yugoslavia. The Author presents in detail his vast experience in treatment of open fractures, peace or war trauma of skin, fat, muscle, bone and open joints. He uses a clear indication of treatment in order to reach complete recovery, or a lesser degree of invalidity. He gives a detailed presentation of when and which methods of treatments should be used to treat bone defects, osteomyelitis, delayed healing, pseudoarthrosis and open joints. The Author shows that he achieves a positive clinical outcome, shorter hospital stay and reduced treatment by using these techniques and methods. This book provides instructions on how to treat the most complex open fractures of the locomotor system as to prevent complications and speed up rehabilitation, which is the most valuable to surgeons and should be available in every hospital, at any time, especially when we have in mind the global fight against terrorism.

The primary objective of the military health system, which includes the Defense Department's hospitals, clinics, and medical personnel, is to maintain the health of military personnel so they can carry out their military missions and to be prepared to deliver health care during wartime. The military health system also covers dependants of active duty personnel, military retirees and their dependants, including some members of the reserve components. This book answers several frequently asked questions about military health care, and provides responses to frequently asked questions about health care provided to veterans through the Veterans Health Administration.

The unemployment rate for all veterans has risen since the beginning of the economic downturn, but the unemployment rate for Native Americans living on tribal land has been higher. In addition, tribal land is frequently located in remote areas characterised by limited economic development, which can make finding a job challenging. A range of federal programs provide employment assistance that can serve veterans of any race or ethnicity; in addition, other federal programs offer similar services to Native Americans (veterans and non-veterans alike). The Department of Labor's (DOL) Veterans' Employment and Training Service administers several grant programs to support eligible veterans through the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program. This book provides recommendations for improving employment and job training opportunities for Native American Veterans on tribal lands, especially through the utilisation of resources for Veterans; and reviews current and prior government-to-government relations between tribal organisations and the Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS).

The United States increasingly relies on unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones, to target insurgent and terrorist groups around the world. Drones have a number of advantages that could fundamentally alter how the United States engages in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations. Unmanned aerial systems comprise a rapidly growing portion of the military budget, and have been a long-term interest of Congress. At times, Congress has encouraged the development of such systems; in other instances, it has attempted to rein in or better organise the Department of Defense's efforts. This book discusses the effectiveness of drone strikes in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism campaigns; and focuses on the military uses of UAS.

The Marine Corps characterises itself as a crisis response expeditionary force which is task organised and able to conduct operations across the entire spectrum of military operations. The Corps is a "middleweight force" that is designed to fill the void in our Nation's defence structure between light Special Operations Forces (SOF) and heavier conventional units. A number of decisions pertaining to national security strategy, force structure, and declining defence budgets have resulted in a draw-down of the active Marine Corps. This book examines the draw-down of the Marine Corps, as well as the force structure initiatives, roles and missions, and the restructuring of the Marine Corps.

The lengthy delays of benefit claims decisions that persist for Veterans returning home with injuries from recent (and past) conflicts confound their transition from military to civilian community living. This book presents findings of the National Council on Disability and evaluates the perceived factors contributing to the sustained Veterans Administration backlog. The book contains potential solutions and recommended measures to facilitate the resolution of initial disability claims and appeals.

The official tie-in book to the wildly popular Facebook page, featuring brand-new crazy, off-the-wall, outrageously funny, and downright "awesome" pearls of wisdom from real-life drill sergeants and instructors from all branches of the military. Sweat dries. Blood clots. Bones heal. Suck it up, buttercup. After his deployment in Afghanistan, Dan Caddy began swapping great drill sergeant stories by e-mail with other combat veterans-an exchange with friends that would grow into the dedicated Facebook page, "Awesome Sh*t My Drill Sergeant Said." But what began as a comedic outlet has evolved into a robust online community and support network that conducts fundraisers for and donates to military charities, has helped veterans struggling with PTSD and other issues, and on numerous occasions, literally saved lives. Now, Caddy shares more great DS stories-most never before seen-in this humorous collection. Often profane, sometimes profound, yet always entertaining, these rants from real life soldiers are interspersed with lively sidebars, Top 10 lists, stories from fans, one-liners, and more. For anyone who has suffered a hard-ass manager (in uniform or not), Awesome Sh*t My Drill Sergeant Said will add a much needed dose of humor to the day.

This is an innovative account of how the concept of comradeship shaped the actions, emotions and ideas of ordinary German soldiers across the two world wars and during the Holocaust. Using individual soldiers' diaries, personal letters and memoirs, Kuhne reveals the ways in which soldiers' longing for community, and the practice of male bonding and togetherness, sustained the Third Reich's pursuit of war and genocide. Comradeship fuelled the soldiers' fighting morale. It also propelled these soldiers forward into war crimes and acts of mass murders. Yet, by practising comradeship, the soldiers could maintain the myth that they were morally sacrosanct. Post-1945, the notion of kameradschaft as the epitome of humane and egalitarian solidarity allowed Hitler's soldiers to join the euphoria for peace and democracy in the Federal Republic, finally shaping popular memories of the war through the end of the twentieth century.

Appropriations for intelligence activities represent a significant part of both the federal and defence budget at a time of growing fiscal austerity. In the past, spending levels for intelligence activities were shrouded in secrecy. Today, overall totals of intelligence spending are made public, but the process for appropriating funds for intelligence activities remains complicated and not well understood. This book discusses the historic trend in intelligence spending, provides a broader issues concerning the intelligence budgeting process, and discusses intelligence issues for Congress.

This title provides an overview of the benefits, issues, policies and programs relating to military service-members. Topics discussed in this issue include medication needs during transitions for service-members; the Veterans Paralympics Program; disabled veterans benefits; current life insurance programs for veterans; overview of the appeal process for veteran's claims; the U.S. Court of Appeals for veterans claims; and a descriptive analysis of both non-monetary and monetary burial benefits and national cemeteries.

The United States cannot be confident that our critical Information Technology (IT) systems will work under attack from a sophisticated and well-resourced opponent utilising cyber capabilities in combination with all of their military and intelligence capabilities. While the Department of Defense takes great care to secure the use and operation of the "hardware" of its weapon systems, these security practices have not kept up with the cyber adversary tactics and capabilities. Further, the same level of resource and attention is not spent on the complex network of information technology (IT) systems that are used to support and operate those weapons or critical cyber capabilities embedded within them. This book provides recommendations for a workable framework; details about how the Department could prepare to operate in a cyber-contested environment; and the task force describes the specific aspects of the cloud computing configuration that are relevant to avoid the simple choice of public or private clouds.

This is a flying adventure book set within the framework of the Cold War and told through the lens of the RAF Pilot's Flying Log Book. Philip Keeble's logbooks cover ten different types of aircraft: from learning to fly in a Chipmunk trainer in 1965, right through to flying the Tornado F3 Fighter in 1994. These true tales are told as anecdotal yarns, ones that put flesh on the bare bones of a logbook in an exciting, amusing and self-deprecating way. The narratives stir up memories of escapades and the events leading up to them. They depict exciting sorties, dangerous emergencies, stupid moments, funny occurrences, and operational practices, but also show the balance and contrast of operating in the Cold War. Keeble got into more than a few scrapes. He flew very high, very low, and very fast with a foolhardiness that at times was culpable. The memories of these events will make you chuckle, break out in a cold sweat, and some may even cause a lump in your throat. The author can vouch for the veracity of every single tale, even the shocking ones. Strap yourselves in securely and hold on tight-for this could be quite a ride.

In fiscal year 2012, various VA education programs provided nearly $11 billion in education payments to almost 1 million veterans. The 2008 Post-9/11 GI Bill significantly increased education benefits for veterans and provided separate payments for tuition and fees, for housing expenses, and for books. In fiscal year 2012, VA made about $8.5 billion in tuition, housing, and other payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This book reviews data on the VA's education programs. Specifically, the distribution of VA education payments among schools; how student characteristics and outcomes at highly VA-funded schools compare to those of other VA-funded schools; and how student characteristics and outcomes compare at highly VA-funded public, non-profit, and for-profit schools.

"No one writes with more authority or cool-eyed compassion about the experience of women in war both on and off the battlefield than Helen Benedict. In Wolf Season, she shows us the complicated ways in which the lives of those who serve and those who don't intertwine and how regardless of whether you are a soldier, the family of a soldier, or a refugee the war follows you and your children for generations. Wolf Season is more than a novel for our times; it should be required reading." Elissa Schappell, author of Use Me and Blueprints for Building Better Girls "Fierce and vivid and full of hope, this story of trauma and resilience, of love and family, of mutual aid and solidarity in the aftermath of a brutal war is nothing short of magic. Helen Benedict is the voice of an American conscience that has all too often been silenced. To read these pages is to be transported to a world beyond hype and propaganda to see the human cost of war up close. This is not a novel that allows you to walk away unchanged." Cara Hoffman, author of Be Safe I Love You and Running "Wolf Season delves into the complexities and murk of the after-war with blazing clarity. You will come to treasure these characters for their strengths and foibles alike." Matt Gallagher, author of Kaboom and Youngblood After a hurricane devastates a small town in upstate New York, the lives of three women and their young children are irrevocably changed. Rin, an Iraq War veteran, tries to protect her blind daughter and the three wolves under her care. Naema, a widowed doctor who fled Iraq with her wounded son, faces life-threatening injuries. Beth, who is raising a troubled son, waits out her Marine husband's deployment in Afghanistan, equally afraid of him coming home and of him never returning at all. As they struggle to maintain their humanity and find hope, their war-torn lives collide in a way that will affect their entire community. Helen Benedict is the author of seven novels, including Sand Queen, a Publishers Weekly "Best Contemporary War Novel"; five works of nonfiction about justice, women, soldiers, and war; and the play The Lonely Soldier Monologues: Women at War in Iraq. She lives in New York.

This book provides an overview of the benefits, issues, policies and programs relating to our military servicemembers. Topics discussed in this issue include the various provisions of the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012; the eligibility, history and applications process for benefits available for disabled veterans; traumatic brain injury among veterans; the Small Business Administration Veterans Assistance Programs; military retirement background and recent developments; Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program; and better targeting, co-ordinating, and reporting needed to enhance the Veterans' Employment and Training program effectiveness.