VA News - Courtesy of Terry Dunne



VA Programs for Veteran Families: A veteran’s family is vital to his or her recovery from physical or mental wounds. VA offers an array of programs and benefits to families who want to assist their veterans. Coaching into Care is a VA program created to provide a coaching service for family and friends of veterans who see that their veterans are in need of help. This program helps veteran families find ways to motivate their veterans to seek care and services for physical and mental health conditions. The service is free and provided by licensed clinical social workers and psychologists. The goal of the service is to help veterans and family members find appropriate services in their community. To learn more, visit: http://www.mirecc.va.gov/coaching/index.asp.

Arkansas Purple Hearts Awarded: Purple Hearts were awarded Wednesday to the family of Army Pvt. William Andrew "Andy" Long, 23, of Conway, who was killed, and to Pvt. Quinton I. Ezeagwula, now 24, of Jacksonville, who survived after being shot nine times by Abdulhakim Muhammad outside a Little Rock military recruiting center on June 1, 2009. Prior to a recent change to federal law, Purple Hearts could only be awarded to military members killed or wounded by a foreign combatant. The American-born Muhammad, formerly known as Carlos Leon Bledsoe, pled guilty and is now serving a life sentence. Read more at: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/arkansas-soldiers-receive-purple-hearts-2009-attack-32158268.

Korean War MIA Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the identification of remains belonging to Army Sgt. Joseph M. Snock Jr., 21, of Apollo, Penn., who will be buried July 6 with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Snock was assigned to the Heavy Mortar Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regimental Combat Team, historically known as Task Force Faith. He would be reported missing in action on Nov. 29, 1950, as his unit was conducting a fighting withdrawal to positions south of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. Read more at: http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=17365.

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