News 6 Mashup: Aug. 17, 2020
Here are the top stories for the week of Aug. 17, 2020, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:
New Veteran Caregiver Stipend Coming October 2020
Caregivers to veterans injured before May 7, 1975, may soon be eligible for stipends beginning in October. Monthly stipends are based upon location and the level of assistance the veteran requires. Military Times gave the example of a caregiver of a veteran unable to live without full-time assistance who would receive about $2,700 per month, but for a veteran who only needs partial assistance, that caregiver might receive about $1,700 per month. Training for caregivers, financial planning, and legal services would also be offered.
There is a gap in stipend for veterans injured between 1975 and 2001. Military Times reported that those caregivers “would have to wait two more years to enter the stipend program, under rules previously established by Congress. That leaves those families with a wait until at least October 2022 to enter the program.”
The Veterans Affairs caregiver program currently allocates stipends for one primary family caregiver and up to two secondary family caregivers for veterans seriously injured by their active-duty service on or after Sept. 11, 2001. Additional qualifications are also required. Visit the Veterans Affairs Caregiver Program to see the full list of qualifications and how to apply.
V Corps HQ to be Located in Poland
Military.com shared that the Army’s V Corps headquarters will be going to Poland as some of the first troops to be reassigned from Germany. This is in response to President Trump pushing for withdrawing almost 12,000 troops from Germany.
“Elements of V Corps’ headquarters had been scheduled to be based in Germany, but under the new plan, about 200 of 630 personnel will now be sent to Poland. The rest will remain in Fort Knox, Kentucky,” reported Military.com.
Additional shifts include moving U.S. European Command’s headquarters from Germany to Belgium, two Army battalions to be moved from Germany to Italy, and U.S. Africa Command from Stuttgart, Germany, to a new location that has not yet been decided, said Military.com.
Oldest WWII Marine Veteran Celebrates 105th Birthday
Meet the oldest living Marine veteran, Major Bill White, who celebrated his 105th birthday with a parade in early August. Cars streamed by the assisted living home where he lives. In February, White was the recipient of more than 300,000 Valentine’s cards and gifts which included quilts, artwork, mugs, challenge coins, and more. Stars and Stripes reported that the cards carried over to St. Patrick’s Day, then Easter, and now, to his 105th birthday. White received a Purple Heart in 1946 for injuries sustained in the Battle of Iwo Jima, and he also served during the Korean War. After 30 years of active-duty military service, White worked as a police officer for Huntington Beach Police Department, according to Stars and Stripes. Read more about Major Bill White celebrating his birthday at Stripes.com
This Week in History
On August 21, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation making Hawaii the 50th state.
