LVMAC News — A’s for Vets Partnering with CareerLink

A Unique Education to Employment Fair to Occur

Click on image to enlarge

Click on image to enlarge

Academics for Veterans (A’s for Vets)  had approached and the CareerLink Lehigh Valley has agreed to a joint event, an Education and Employment Fair, at the CareerLink on Union Boulevard, Allentown.  It will occur on 10 November 2016 between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.  It is but another unique offering from A’s for Vets — something for which it is becoming known.  This event is open to any veteran seeking education and/or employment.  It is not open to the general public. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Ritter Elementary School Seeks Veterans to Interview Now!

Ritter Elementary SchoolWhereas this once again a last minute notification for finding veterans to interview, the Ritter Elementary School in Allentown does conduct a well-regarded program worth a veteran’s contribution of his or her time to its students.  Interviews occur 4 October.  Therefore, sign up now.  See below for more information and who to contact.

The result of your effort will ultimately lead to one of the premier, annual Veterans Day period events in the Lehigh Valley.  This award-winning program was started over thirty years ago by a Principal and his teachers — well before the current war made appreciating our veterans popular — and has become part of the institutional culture of the school.  Help make that continue.

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LVMAC Tidbit — DMVA Announces Funding Availability for 2017 Veterans Trust Fund Grants

DMVA LogoOn 19 September the Office of Veterans Affairs, Department of Miltiary and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) announced it was seeking grant applicants for 2017.  Suspense for submissions is 18 November.  Note that those who submit electronically have a time edge on those who submit by paper, if mailing time is considered.

Once again up to $500,000 in grants to nonprofits (defined this year as 501(c)(19) Veterans’ service organizations or 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations with a mission of serving Pennsylvania Veterans); and up to $150,000 in grants to County Directors of Veterans Affairs or the Pennsylvania Association of County Directors of Veterans Affairs. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Wilkes-Barre VA Is Suddenly Interested in How Women Dress

Women Veterans Program partners with Dress for Success

va_sealA little short on the notice, the information below being released yesterday,  but women veterans in our area ought be aware that Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center has a women’s program.  This is one of its latest offerings:

What:  The Women Veterans Program at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is inviting all Women Veterans to a presentation by Linda Armstrong of Dress for Success.  Dress for Success is an organization aimed at enhancing the professional development of women.  The program offers a variety of resources, including no cost professional attire and skills based development activities, necessary to build and enhance a successful career.

VA Eligibility and Human Resource Staff will also be available to answer your questions regarding enrollment for VA Services and VA employment.

For more information, contact Pat Conroy, Women Veterans Program Manager, at 824- 3521 ext. 7517 or Patricia.Conroy2@va.gov.

Attendees are asked to RSVP to Pat Conroy by close of business Wednesday, September 21, 2016. (more…)

Forward Observer — Regulation on Camp Lejeune’s Contaminated Drinking Water Presumptive Conditions Under Review.

LVMAC Poster Art 2005Finally on 9 September, after waiting nine months since the announcement it would do so and after announcing in August it was extending the period of consideration, the VA announced it has published proposed regulations to establish presumptions for the service connection of eight diseases affecting military members [and others] exposed to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. (more…)

Forward Observer — Honoring POW/MIA Day Locally

LVMAC Poster Art 2005POW/MIA Day fast approaches and will likely be buried under a blitz of other days and month of this and that announcements, to include Suicide Prevention Month.  Yet for some, this day is not forgotten and it is deeply felt, for the loss is still deeply felt.

While also it is to deny history to believe that we as a nation have always supported our troops or have been actively concerned about the missing, Governor Wolf nevertheless properly expresses the sentiment of the day in his proclamation below.  It would be appropriate that we, as individuals, pause and reflect some time during that day on his words. (more…)