Veterans! Here’s your Top 10 News stories of the day compiled from the latest sources

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1.   Lawsuit alleges paperwork mistake has cost veterans millions.  Some combat injured sailors and Marines may have been cheated out of millions in veterans disability payments because of paperwork mistakes made by the services, according to a class-action complaint brought against the military this week.
 
2.   Body armor for female soldiers set for wide distribution next summer.  Army officials hope to issue form-fitting body armor for hundreds of female soldiers by next summer, part of an effort to provide better protection and cut down on noncombat injuries from the current bulky vests.
 
3.   Spies in the North Dakota sky signal a new age of surveillance.  The use of unmanned aerial drones, whose deadly accuracy helped revolutionize modern warfare high above the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, is now spreading intrigue and worry across the plains of North Dakota
 
4.   Controversy surrounds DOD’s decision on gay pride parade.  How did the Pentagon make its decision to allow servicemembers to wear uniforms while marching last week in a San Diego gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pride parade, and is Sen. James Inhofe right when he says the Pentagon, under pressure from the Obama administration to advance its social agenda, made a special exception for the LGBT cause?
 
5.   Homeless assistance shifts from new construction to major renovations.  Habitat for Humanity, known mainly for building homes, is looking again at repair and remodeling work to keep veterans off the streets.
 
6.   Defense cuts could hit tens of thousands in DOD’s civilian workforce.  Tens of thousands of civilian employees in the Defense Department could receive warnings about potential layoffs four days before the November election if impending spending cuts aren’t averted, hitting presidential battleground states such as Virginia and Florida hard.
 
7.   Christening set for Navy ship named for 9/11 site.  The USS Somerset, which will be christened Saturday, is the last of three Navy ships named for 9/11 attack sites and embodies many reminders of that fateful day.

8.   California veteran offices receive funding for mental health programs.  San Luis Obispo Tribune  The San Luis Obispo County Veteran Service Office has received $58664 from the California Department of Veterans Affairs as part of $270000 that will be doled out to six veterans’ offices around the state. “With so many vets struggling with post traumatic …

9.   Federal law prevented state from intervening to help veteran students.  The Republic
A Higher Education Policy Commission official says a federal law prevented the state from intervening on behalf of veteran students when problems surfaced at Mountain State University. Skip Gebhart coordinates veterans education …

10.  San Antonio tech company develops crisis texting service for veterans.  KVUE  For every soldier killed this year in Iraq or Afghanistan, back home 25 veterans killed themselves. Five years ago, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs started a crisis hotline. Those struggling with post-traumatic stress …

Have You Heard?

On Jan. 27, 2005 in Iraq, Marine Corp Eusebio Collazo suffered a cerebral contusion, a broken leg and a host of other injuries as a result of a mortar attack. Collazo was discouraged to continue his physically active lifestyle due to the pain from his injuries. “I especially missed being able to run,” Collazo said. But that all changed through the Post Deployment Clinic program at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Collazo received psychological counseling and medical assistance to revive his passion for running. “I have had a great experience with the HoustonVAand received a lot of help from the doctors. In particular, Dr. Drew Helmer has been an amazing source of encouragement and great in assisting me with my medical needs,” said Collazo. “My Social Worker Cheryl Houlette has also been a big help in pointing me in the right direction.” With the staff’s encouragement, Collazo got involved with the Team Red, White & Blue, an organization that enriches the lives of wounded Veterans and their families through physical fitness. Collazo recently participated in the 200-mile American Odyssey Relay Race, from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. with Team RWB, finishing in just 36 hours. For more information on DeBakey’s  Post Deployment Clinic, visit www.houston.va.gov/freedom.asp.