Scandal has erupted as several VA hospitals around the country are being accused of manipulating wait times, which in some cases may have resulted in patients’ deaths. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has ordered an investigation, and some are calling for his resignation. Sig Christenson of the Houston Chronicle reports on the situation at a San Antonio clinic.

Florida passes bill to attract veterans

A version of a G.I. Bill enacted recently by the Florida legislature aims to make Florida friendly to veterans, and encourage them to move to the state. The law makes it easier to gain residency, work certifications, and to pay for education, among other benefits. Scott Travis of the Sun Sentinel reports.

Veterans get the word out about unclaimed health benefits

Two Florida who veterans who belatedly discovered they were eligible for health care benefits from the VA are trying to spread the word. Through volunteer work, they try to reach out to other veterans who might also be able to claim benefits and save money on health care, but are unaware of their eligibility. Full story from WINK News in Cape Coral, FL.

The creative minds behind Marine Corps recruiting are trying to make TV ads that portray a more realistic picture of being a Marine than some of their ads in the past have. And to do that, they’re recruiting real Marines. Thomas Brennan of the Jacksonville (NC) Daily News reports on the casting call at Camp Lejeune, and explains what directors are looking for to represent the Corps. Full story.

Cutting down on military contracting

Contractors provide a big proportion of services to the U.S. military, and are usually paid significantly more for their services than in-house employees would be. A Montana senator and retired colonel is introducing a bill that aims to reduce and restrict that practice in the future, and Jenn Rowell of the Great Falls Tribune brings clarity to the complex and often-overlooked topic. Full story.

Virginia’s uninsured veterans

Veterans who aren’t qualified for benefits from the VA and also can’t get Medicaid find themselves in a tough spot when it comes to getting the health care they need. Amy Jeter of the Virginian-Pilot reports on this segment of the population in Virginia.

More sexual assault reporting at Fort Hood

Reports of sexual assaults are up at Fort Hood, but experts believe it’s actually an indication of improved reporting procedures rather than an increase in assaults. Rose L. Thayer of the Killeen Daily Herald reports.

Details are still emerging about a test cheating scandal among missile-tenders at the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. Local Great Falls Tribune reporter Jenn Rowell digs deeper and answers some important questions about the roles of the officers implicated and the ramifications for the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile system. Full story.

Dayton cemetery becomes a national shrine

A veterans cemetery in Dayton, Ohio has achieved a high honor by being named a national shrine — a distinction shared by only 13 other VA cemeteries in the country. The cemetery’s keepers earned the recognition by taking good care of the grounds and headstones, and managing the operations well. Full story from Barrie Barber at the Dayton Daily News.

Vietnam veteran awarded Silver Star 44 years late

A Georgia veteran who was awarded a Silver Star for rescuing members of his crew from a helicopter crash in Vietnam never actually got the medal. That oversight was rectified this week in a small ceremony in Maryland at his daughter’s congressman’s office, as a result of her efforts and those of the congressman. Full story from the Baltimore Sun.

The founder of Blackwater, the private military company that did $2 billion worth of contract security work for the U.S. government in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, is releasing a memoir detailing the rise and fall of his company. Erik Prince has traditionally been evasive of the media, but decided to put his thoughts on paper on his own terms. Bill Sizemore of the Virginian-Pilot reviews the book and provides context for Blackwater’s history and Prince’s recollections.

Songwriting therapy for vets with PTSD

A music therapy program in Tennessee seeks to provide veterans suffering from PTSD with a constructive outlet for expression. The weekly program brings the veterans together with a songwriter and music therapist, who help them write songs about the issues they’re facing and their feelings about being back home. Todd Foster, one of the participants, says he hasn’t had much success yet with traditional therapy, but the songwriting program brings him relief. Amanda Haggard at the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal has the full story.

NY court gives suffering vets an alternative to jail

Veterans who have run into the law and are battling addiction issues have an alternative option in the Elmira, NY court — they can choose rehab over jail, and if they stick with the program, possibly avoid jail time altogether. The judge presiding over the program describes its philosophy this way: “If they do poorly, they get the stick. If they do well, they get the carrot.” Roger Neumann of the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin explains the details.

Philip Jankowski at the Killeen Daily Herald reflects on how things have changed at Fort Hood in the four years since the shooting that killed 13 people and wounded more than 30. Retired Staff Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford says he has not found closure, and was disappointed that he didn’t have the chance to directly confront his assailant in court through a victim’s impact statement. Full story.

Navy Helicopter crash In the Middle East was avoidable

An investigation by the Virginian-Pilot discovered that a helicopter crash in Oman that killed two Navy men could have been prevented with more stringent adherence to safety procedures. Reporter Mike Hixenbaugh details the events of the accident and the numerous missteps that led up to the tragedy. Full story.

Medal of Honor Recipients Urge Troops to Get Mental Health Help

During a visit to Camp Lejeune, two Marine recipients of the Medal of Honor spent their time at the podium urging troops and their families to get help for their mental health if they need it. Both Marines earned the medals for service in Vietnam, and talked about the pain of bringing war home with you, as well as the increased availability of mental health resources for soldiers compared to the era when they were returning from war. Reporter Thomas Brennan relays some of their key points for the Jacksonville Daily News.

Two inspiring stories this week share the progress and success of veteran amputees; one man became the focus of a documentary that detailed his arduous recovery from a quadruple amputation after surviving a blast in Afghanistan, and the other story profiles an Iraq vet who now oversees the prosthetics program at the San Diego VA hospital. Drew Brooks from the Fayetteville Observer profiles the documentary subject, and Jeanette Steele of the San Diego Union-Tribune profiles the chief of prosthetics.

DC Veteran Creates transitional housing for female veterans

Cecil Bryd, a veteran living in DC, has spent the last two years working to renovate two homes that he plans to turn into transitional housing for female veterans. Byrd has persisted with the project through permitting challenges and financial issues, and hopes to open the houses to the first veterans in mid-November. Local DC TV station WJLA reports.

Dallas program teaches IT skills to vets

People across the country are working hard to find ways to train and employ recently-returned veterans, and the Dallas Business Journal brings us the story of one local certification program. Dallas nonprofit NPower is about to graduate its first class of veterans trained in information technology. Reporter Danielle Abril reports on the details and where the veterans are going next.

A Camp LeJeune Marine has become the first woman ever to pass a rigorous mountaineering course. The three-week training program teaches soldiers climbing and rescue techniques for mountainous areas, and has a high dropout rate. “I looked at it as just one more course that I was given the opportunity to succeed and excel in,” the Marine said. Full story from Thomas Brennan at the Jacksonville Daily News.

Complications of Adopting an Aircraft Carrier

What to do with an old aircraft carrier? The city of Pensacola is considering taking one in as a tourist attraction, though has several concerns about the ramifications of such a project. Getting it there and restoring it would be expensive, and any hitches along the way would be difficult to resolve. But proponents of the project say it could bring in $18 million a year in tourist dollars. Full story from Rob Johnson at the Pensacola News Journal.

Veterans Walking Cross-Country For Veterans

Two Iraq veterans are taking some time out from civilian life back home to walk from Milwaukee to Los Angeles. They’re raising money and awareness for veterans issues, and are particularly concerned about mental health and suicide among veterans. Local TV station KWWL caught up with the pair as they crossed Iowa, and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal also talked to them about their mission in the late summer.

Replica Memorials Spread Opportunity To Pay Respects

Millions of people won’t ever have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. to visit and pay their respects at the national memorials and monuments. A traveling replica of some memorials, including the iconic Vietnam wall, gives many a chance to remember loved ones without leaving their own hometowns. Full story from the Indiana News and Tribune.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has called for VAs across the country to hold summits aimed at addressing mental health issues in veterans, in response to rapid growth in mental illness in the community in the past decade. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on one such recent summit at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. “Untreated mental health kills people, whether by suicide, or by cardiovascular disease or by being homeless, having pneumonia and sleeping on the streets at night,” said David Oslin, associate chief of staff for behavioral health at the Philadelphia VA and leader of the summit. “But we know if we can get people in treatment and connect them to community resources, we can have those things averted.” Full story.

The only woman in her platoon

As the military is working on opening more roles to women, a profile in the Jacksonville, NC Daily News offers a window onto what some of them may experience. Pfc. Mallory Bryant is the only female in her platoon of aircraft rescue and firefighting Marines. While she says being the only female was intimidating at first, and she has to work harder physically than her comrades, she considers them family. Full story from reporter Thomas Brennan.

Handbags keep military spouses’ hands busy

Military spouses can often have a tough time finding employment. The area around base may not have many jobs available, locals may not be thrilled about spouses taking them up, and employers might not be inclined to hire someone who could move within a few years. But two enterprising women created a business designed to employ military spouses all over the country — making handbags. The Springfield (Illinois) News-Sun reports on a local woman who signed up for the work.

Mike Hixenbaugh of the Virginian-Pilot penned a thorough analysis on how cutting the use of the military’s aircraft carriers would impact his local community of Hampton Roads, Va., as well as the implications of proposed cuts for the country’s national security. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel posed the idea last week of reducing the U.S.’s fleet of 11 carriers as a way to deal with sequestration. Full story.

After war: checking in on the Darkhorse Battalion

In 2010, the “Darkhorse” battalion of the Marines experienced one of the bloodiest periods of the war in Afghanistan; they lost 25 soldiers and almost 200 were wounded. The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Gretel C. Kovach followed up with a few members of the battalion to see how they’re doing back at home, and found mixed results. Full story.

Dog tags found in the Philippines make their way back to soldier’s sister in Minnesota

Mike Creger of the Duluth News Tribune reports on another case of dog tags discovered and returned after many years. This set was found by an American couple living on an island in the Philippines that served as a U.S. military post during World War II. The couple enlisted the help of an American visitor to track down the soldier’s sister, who was living in Duluth, Minn., and return the tags to her. Full story (via Stars and Stripes).

A proposed power line project in the Southwest has drawn the attention of both environmentalists and the Department of Defense, causing concerns about disruptions to the local ecosystem, migratory birds and land used by the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The project also has support from some environmental groups, because the lines would transmit power from renewable sources. The ball is now in the Bureau of Land Management’s court, and they must decide in September whether to approve. Milan Simonich reports for the Ruidoso News.

The Utah Town that Houses the NSA’s Data

Buzzfeed reporter Justine Sharrock visited Bluffdale, Utah to investigate the impact of the NSA’s relatively new data center on the town. Residents, even those who have been given a tour of the facility, by and large say they know very little about what happens there. Sharrock explains how and why the center might have ended up in Bluffdale, and collects locals’ reactions amidst the recent leaks and publicity about the NSA’s activities. Full story.

Local Look at medal of honor soldier

The latest recipient of the Medal of Honor is a 33-year-old man currently assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord outside of Tacoma, Wash. When he receives the medal later this month he’ll become the fifth living service member from the Afghanistan and Iraq era to be honored. Adam Ashton of the Tacoma New Tribune profiles Staff Sgt. Ty Michael Carter.