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☆ How much can you make in the military? US officers can earn a $220K salary plus some pretty generous benefits
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But the full compensation package of active military personnel goes beyond annual salary. Officers can earn a $220k salaryAll active duty military personnel adhere to the same pay scale and ranking system for base pay, regardless of which branch they serve in. An enlisted service member with an E-1 ranking receives $2,017.20 per month in basic pay, according to the DoD 2024 basic pay table. Service members outside the US may also receive an additional overseas housing allowance to incentivize military members to serve internationally. With Tricare, military members have no premium charges for coverage, and no out-of-pocket costs for medical care or prescriptions.

Persons: —, Paychecks, you've, you'll Organizations: Service, Military, Department of Defense, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, National Guard, Air Force, Business, O1, Space Force, Housing, Subsistence, Department of Defense's Finance, Accounting Service, US Department of Veteran Affairs, Savings Locations: San Diego, Bahrain, Tricare

A group of transgender veterans filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to force the Department of Veteran Affairs to begin providing and paying for gender-affirming surgeries. A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans Affairs said it does not comment on ongoing litigation. But he pointed to 2021 statements from Veteran Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, who said the VA was beginning a years long rulemaking process that would result in providing gender-affirming surgeries. McDonough said the VA would use the time to “develop capacity to meet the surgical needs” of transgender veterans. Natalie Kastner, a 39-year-old disabled veteran from Texas, said she went to the VA in 2022 seeking surgery.

Persons: Rebekka Eshler, Denis McDonough, McDonough, “, ” Eshler, Natalie Kastner, ” Organizations: Department of Veteran Affairs, Transgender American Veterans Association, United States, Appeals, Federal Circuit, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veteran Locations: Washington, Texas

The fallout has extended to Washington, where Republicans are hunting for evidence that could be used to impeach President Joe Biden. Republicans have highlighted a $200,000 personal check from Jim to Joe Biden on the same day — March 1, 2018 — that Jim Biden received an equal amount from Americore. Concerns that Jim Biden’s business ventures and missteps would cloud Joe Biden’s political career stretch back decades. Court records show the matter was dropped, and Jim Biden's representatives said the bill was paid. But he’s also angry at Jim Biden's brother.

Persons: ELLWOOD, Jim Biden, Joe Biden, Jim Biden wasn’t, Americore, It’s, Joe Biden’s, Hunter, Biden, Jim, ”, Paul Fishman, “, Ian Sams, Republicans won’t, ” Jim Biden, James Comer, he’s, ” Comer, Jim Biden's, Sara, Joe, Jill, Jim Biden’s, Barack Obama’s, Narendra Modi, Valerie, Frank, Beau, Beau Biden, ” Hunter, Uncle Jim, Hollywood Roosevelt, ‘, Let’s, ’ ”, Hurricane Irma, Tom Pritchard, Pritchard, ” Pritchard, Obama, Jim Biden “, ” Fishman, Michael Lewitt, Lewitt, Fishman, Biden’s, Grant White, ” White, Donald Trump, Scott Paglia, Paglia, ___ Suderman, Rhonda Shafner Organizations: ELLWOOD CITY, Health, House Republicans, Republicans, ., Democrats, Americore, Rep, Kentucky Republican, franchise, Senate, Delaware News, Oval, White, Indian, University of Delaware, Internal Revenue Service, CEFC China Energy . Records, American Express, U.S . Department of Veteran Affairs, Platinum Global Partners, Securities and Exchange Commission, Wall, Democratic, Associated Press Locations: Pa, Florida, Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, Washington, “, China, Philadelphia, Delaware, Mississippi, California, Los Angeles, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Florida, Delray Beach , Florida, Richmond , Virginia, New York

☆ GOP lawmakers call for VA to slash reliance on China for medical supplies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —A pair of Republicans leading powerful House committees are calling for the Department of Veterans Affairs to speed up efforts to decrease the agency’s reliance on China for medical supplies, CNN has learned. The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare a dangerous vulnerability in America’s medical supply chains that resulted in shortages of masks, respirators and other life-saving gear. “The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the national security and public health risks of failing to guarantee adequate medical supplies. As the biggest buyer of medical supplies among federal agencies, it has considerable influence. Congress has attempted to take steps to boost the resilience of the nation’s medical supply chain by easing dependence on goods from less friendly nations like China.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Mike Bost, Denis McDonough, Bost, Gallagher, “, ” Terrence Hayes, Joe Biden, Health Richard Stone, ” Bost, McDonough, Democratic Sen, Tom Carper, Republican Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Department of Veterans Affairs, CNN, Veterans ’, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, Department of Veteran Affairs, Defense Department, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health, Human Services, Republicans, Health, World Trade Organization, Congress, Democratic, Republican Locations: New York, China, United States, America, Covid, Mexico, Malaysia

☆ 5 tips on how to buy property in a high-interest-rate environment from 5 real-estate investors who started with little or no money down
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit a whopping 7.43% on Monday, a level unseen in the US in almost two decades. That same setup would cost $2,222 a month with today's mortgage rate. Regardless of which direction the pendulum swings, investors can still navigate their way through the housing market with a few tips. If a buyer were to purchase it today, with a 20% down payment, monthly mortgage costs would be $3,350, according to Insider's mortgage calculator. He then secured the remainder of $910,000 from a bank at an interest rate of 6.5%.

Persons: Sam Primm, Lucas Walls, Primm, there's, Sharon Tseung, Tseung, Chris Gerbig, couldn't, Gerbig, he's, Matthew Tortoriello, Tortoriello, Ana Snider Organizations: Primm, San Francisco Bay Area, MLS, Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veteran Affairs, Department of Agriculture Locations: Primm, San Francisco Bay, Jacksonville , Florida, Lemoore , California

Sisters Shelia Miller, Debbie Taylor and Daphne Taylor of the Washington, D.C., area care for their mother, Ernestine Taylor. Managing health-related and long-term care expenses is also a challenge. Still experts say taking these five steps can help prevent burnout and financial stress for many family caregivers. You may also qualify for a dependent care tax credit for a percentage of up to $3,000 in qualified care expenses for one person or $6,000 for two people. Find support from a group or care specialistEmotional stress and burnout can add to the financial strain of caregiving.

Persons: Daphne Taylor, Debbie Taylor, Shelia Miller, Miller, Daphne, Ernestine Taylor, Debbie, There's, Barry Glassman, Glassman, there's, —, Anne Sansevero, they've, Sansevero Organizations: AARP, D.C, Finance, CNBC FA, Wealth, Medicaid, American Council, U.S . Department of Veteran Affairs, Resource Center, Caregiving, Life Care, Istock, Getty Locations: Alexandria , Virginia, Washington ,, Washington, Vienna , Virginia, North Bethesda , Maryland, U.S, medicaidplanningassistance.org

☆ Maui's 'one big family' of locals rally to aid of wildfire victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Jonathan Allen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

"We're all one big family in Maui, we call it 'ohana'," said Romero, a 55-year-old retired battalion chief for the island's fire department. While the fires were still burning, residents of nearby Moloka'i skimmed over the narrow strait on jet skis to unload donations on Maui beaches. Firefighters have flown in from Oahu on their own dime to help with relief efforts, Romero said. A nearby veterinary clinic had set up a stand where victims of the fires can bring ailing pets. "If we keep it bottled up inside we're not going to be able to move forward."

Persons: Marco Garcia, Uilani, Louis Romero, Romero, Kapu, Labo, George Vanyi, Jonathan Allen, Jorge Garcia, Sandra Stojanovic, Liliana Salgado, Andrew Hay, Sharon Bernstein, Colleen Jenkins, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Hawaii, REUTERS, Maui, FEMA, Firefighters, Cross, U.S . Department of Veteran Affairs, Ritz, Carlton, Walmart, Thomson Locations: Maui, Honolulu , Hawaii, U.S, LAHAINA, Hawaii, West Maui, Lahaina, Moloka'i, Oahu, Napili

☆ Buying my first home as a 37-year-old veteran and single mother was difficult but totally worth it. The sacrifices I've made will give my child a better future.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I have made many sacrifices along the way but being able to give my child a sense of security is worth it all. Saving for a home purchase was tough as a single motherIn January, I began my home buying journey. I was working for the US government and receiving additional money from the Department of Veteran Affairs for a disability. I was scared during my home buying journey, and there were times that I wanted to give up but I persisted. I've also missed out on family gatherings and pursuing relationships — all so I could save money to buy a home.

Persons: Breanna Dill, Dill, —, that's, it's, I've Organizations: Marine Corps, Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Affairs Locations: Wall, Silicon, Minnesota, Austin , Texas, Austin, Houston, Houston —, Dallas, United States

☆ The creepy secret behind online therapy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Tanmoy Goswami | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Crisis Text Line, now in its 10th year of operations, uses artificial intelligence to respond to people experiencing emotional abuse, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. 'The vast majority of mental-health apps are exceptionally creepy'BetterHelp, a poster child of online therapy founded in 2013, calls itself "the world's largest therapy platform" and says it has over 2 million users. One of the first popular mental-health apps, PTSD Coach, was launched by the US Department of Veteran Affairs in 2011. But for mental-health companies these practices can undermine the very foundations of mental-health care: dignity, trust, and psychological safety. As Crisis Text Line wrote on its website extolling its deal with Loris: "Why sell T-shirts when you can sell what your organization does best?"

☆ Pfizer's Covid drug Paxlovid may reduce the risk of developing long Covid, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

(Photo by Rachel Wisniewski/For the Washington Post)People who take Pfizer 's Covid antiviral treatment Paxlovid shortly after infection may reduce their risk of developing long Covid, regardless of their age, vaccination status or infection history, new research suggests. The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine on Thursday, found that people who took Paxlovid within five days of a positive Covid test saw a 26% lower risk of long Covid compared with those who didn't receive it. The new study comes as researchers work to fill the knowledge gap about long Covid, an often debilitating condition with limited data and no proven treatment available. Long Covid refers to new, returning or ongoing health issues more than four weeks after an initial Covid infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She called the new study "very exciting and promising" because it's the first to show an association between Paxlovid and a decreased risk of long Covid.

But unspent COVID aid is a small target, with less than $80 billion unspent as of January, White House budget figures show. CARPENTERS, VETERANS AND MEDICAL RESEARCHReclaiming unspent COVID funds would have real-world repercussions. A clawback could also affect veterans' healthcare, as the Department of Veterans Affairs has yet to spend $4.6 billion of the money it received for COVID-19 related care. Republican governors of Nebraska and Arkansas last year rejected a second round of aid for people behind on their rent. Republican Senator Rick Scott in January urged governors and mayors to voluntarily return that money to help pay down federal debt.

The Alzheimer's Association and the pharmaceutical industry say the drug companies are not directly involved in the campaign. But the Alzheimer's Association says patients simply don't have the time to spare. The agency did not address the Alzheimer's Association campaign. Association members have met 30 times with staffers for the state's 20 members of Congress, Ryan Schiff, the chapter's public policy manager, said. Spokespeople for all three companies said they do not work with the Association on its campaign to expand Medicare coverage of the drugs.

☆ US VA to cover Eisai, Biogen Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 13 (Reuters) - Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc (BIIB.O) said on Monday that the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) will provide coverage of their Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi to veterans at an early stage of the memory-robbing disease. Leqembi has so far been approved in the U.S. under the Food and Drug Administration's accelerated review program. The treatment is currently undergoing the FDA's standard review process, which will weigh its impact on cognitive function. Eisai and Biogen have said they expect full U.S. approval for Leqembi by summer or late this year, which would likely open up coverage by Medicare and other health insurers. Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington and Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A Navy officer explains how she built a $1 million real estate portfolio with $14,000 — and shares 5 ways that anyone can start buying property with little or no money down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Before purchasing her first property, Snider had been living in military-base housing and wanted her own space. However, she was able to use a VA Loan, backed by the Department of Veteran Affairs, for her first purchase, which required no money down. Her new monthly mortgage payment would amount to $1,600, plus utilities which were about $150 to $200 a month. "I realized, oh well, I got this asset for free and now somebody's paying my rent," Snider said. Altogether, the three properties Snider now owns add up to a total value of $1.1 million, according to Zestimate.

☆ Biden's student-loan forgiveness 'does not go far enough' for seniors and people with disabilities facing 'crippling debt,' a Democratic lawmaker says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A group of Democrats introduced a bill to wipe out student debt for Medicare and Social Security Disability Insurance recipients. Rep. Jamaal Bowman said Biden's broad debt relief "does not go far enough" to help those borrowers. Social Security benefits risk being seized if a borrower falls behind on student debt payments. More than three million Americans over 60 collectively owe more than $86 billion in student loans, per the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Social Security benefits are also at risk of seizure if a borrower defaults on paying their student loans.

☆ California enacts law to help LGBTQ military veterans
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

SAN FRANCISCO — A new law in California will help military service members who were discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell” policies because of their sexual or gender identities to reestablish their eligibility for Veterans Affairs benefits, Gov. Gays and lesbians were banned in the military until the 1993 approval of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which allowed them to serve only if they did not openly acknowledge their sexual orientation. The Department of Defense subsequently created a path for veterans who had been discharged under the policy to receive the full range of veterans’ benefits. “But many veterans sadly don’t know or can’t even access this important process,” Newsom said, adding that some veterans trying to reclaim benefits have had to hire expensive legal counsel and other assistance to navigate the process. “We’re taking steps to fix this.”The law will require the California Department of Veteran Affairs to establish the Veterans Discharge Upgrade Grant Program to help advise LGBTQ veterans who were discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell” and to help those who qualify to update and correct their records and access veterans’ benefits.

☆ US nuclear forces are controlled by this shockingly obsolete tech
▼ + stars: | 2016-05-26 | by ( Dave Mosher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new government report paints a disquieting picture of the computer systems used to run the United States. But perhaps the most alarming information touches on the Department of Defense (DoD), which controls the nation's stockpile of 7,100 nuclear and thermonuclear warheads. The GAO found that the Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS) — a computer system that "coordinates the operational functions of the United States' nuclear forces, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear bombers, and tanker support aircrafts" — still runs on 8-inch floppy disks. Per the GAO report:[T]he system's primary function is to send and receive emergency action messages to nuclear forces. But US command and control systems aren't the only pieces of nuclear strike infrastructure that are dated: The nuclear weapons themselves are not getting any younger.

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