House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee leaders introduced parallel bills today enabling spouses and dependent children of severely combat-wounded troops to apply for VA education benefit assistance without first waiting for the injured military member to be discharged from active duty. Currently, individuals seeking the education benefit must wait until the military member completes the separation from service, a process that is sometimes as long as two years. The legislation would help family members of injured veterans “improve their ability to compete in the job market,” since some family members often must become breadwinners, said Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.). Commented Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho): “This change will be a win-win for all. It’s simply the right thing to do.”
This year’s Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting buzzed with talk of countering the rapidly evolving drone threat facing the entire U.S. military, including the Air Force. Leaders and defense industry officials discussed the need for new approaches to procurement and employment of a new class of these…
