Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army

U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

In association with

Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army

What:

Collection of New, Unwrapped Toys & Used/New Coats and Clothing

Where:

Columbia University in the City of New York

Center of Morningside campus near the Sundial on College Walk

(116^th central between Broadway and Amsterdam)

When:

November 16, 2011

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Why:

To support the greater New York City community

Please join the Milvets this holiday season as we partner up with Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army to help the less fortunate in the greater NYC area. Donations of Toys must be new and unwrapped, Clothing must be clean and may be new or used (but still in serviceable condition).

For further information email: Milvets@columbia.edu

The Salvation Army

http://www.satruck.org/

“The Salvation Army pledges to help people of all religions, as well as those with no religious base. We have an official “position statement” that says: “All social welfare services to individuals or families are given without discrimination, according to the capacity of the organization to serve in meeting the needs of those involved.”

It is hard to list everything that The Salvation Army does since it does everything from feeding starving children and families through recovery from natural disasters, and more. They battle against poverty, addiction and homelessness.

Because of the wide scope of the services we offer, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to think in terms of long-term solutions to social problems. We certainly continue to meet the short-term needs of individuals for food, shelter and clothing. Our long-term care services provide a continuum of care based on the philosophy of “aging in place” wherever possible. It is very likely that there are people in your community that have been served by one or more of our many services.”

Toys for Tots Program

http://www.toysfortots.org/

MISSION:
The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

GOAL:
The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

Sincerely,

Richard B. Baldassari

Secretary, U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

Columbia University

Class of 2014

rbb2125@columbia.edu

Official Milvets Website

Fellow Milvets and supporters,


Please follow the link below to our official website. All future information will be solely managed through milvets.columbia.edu. 


Thank You.

Ethical Leadership in the 21st Century

The Sanford C. Bernstein Student Leadership & Ethics Board and the Military in Business Association (MIBA) will host:

General Raymond E. Johns, U.S. Air Force

Commander, Air Mobility Command

Ethical Leadership in the 21^st Century

Gen Johns will discuss values based leadership and the difficulties of ethical decision making in crucial situations, given the current foreign policy environment.  The General will also share his thoughts on the role of ethics in making difficult decisions with limited information.

Monday, Sept 26, 2011
7:00PM – 8:00PM
Davis Auditorium, Schapiro Building

Columbia University Morningside Campus

RSVP online: https://columbia.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cISR7GOMMNffwRS

Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr. is Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Air Mobility Command's mission is to provide rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America's armed forces. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. The men and women of AMC - active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians - provide airlift, aerial refueling, and special air mission and aeromedical evacuation. Johns is a command pilot and experimental test pilot with 4,500 flying hours in a variety of aircraft. 

The mission of the Student Leadership and Ethics Board is to foster a culture and safeguard a tradition of principled leadership throughout the Columbia Business School community. The Board fulfills its purpose by developing, implementing and monitoring programs that cultivate leadership, build character and promote ethical decision-making, which, in turn, enable Columbia Business School students to become productive, moral and caring participants in their companies and communities.

Seeking a GS Delegate to U.S. Military Academy Student Conference on U.S. Affairs

Seeking a GS Delegate to U.S. Military Academy Student Conference on U.S. Affairs

Application deadline: Friday, September 23

 

The U.S. Military Academy has invited GS to nominate one outstanding student to attend the 63^rd annual Student Conference on U.S. Affairs (SCUSA), to be held November 2– 5 at West Point, New York.

 

This year’s conference theme is “Thinking Beyond Boundaries: Contemporary Challenges to U.S. Foreign Policy.” If selected to attend, you will join fellow undergraduates from around the world in four days of debate about the direction of American political strategy in the international arena. You will be invited to hear leading figures speak and to articulate your own policy recommendations for the future.

 

You could be the GS delegate to the conference if:

• you are studying political science, modern history, or a related field;
• you are a senior or a second-term junior;
• you have a GPA of at least 3.5; and
• you can commit yourself to attending all four days of the conference.

If you are interested in being the GS delegate, please submit a brief essay (not longer than one page) explaining what you see as one of the principal conceptual boundaries constraining U.S. foreign policy thinking, and what experiences (at Columbia or elsewhere) have prepared you to think beyond it.

 

Please send your submission by Friday, September 23 to Glenn Novarr, Assistant to the Dean for Special Projects, gn2206@columbia.edu.  

 

More Information
Program overview (.pdf)

A Call to Study Less Commonly Taught Languages

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allan Macleod, a fellow Milvet and MESAAS major, has constructed a compelling presentation advocating the economic, political, and cultural importance of pursuing a Less Commonly Taught Language (LCTL).  Allan is professionally proficient in Turkish and slightly less so in Urdu, he plans on graduating in the fall of 2012 and pursuing a career in business.

Sincerely,

Daniel Lagana

Budget Control Act of 2011

Information provided by Columbia University Financial Aid Office regarding the future of federal aid to students:

On Tuesday, August 2, President Obama signed into law the Budget Control Act of 2011, which will have a direct impact on financial aid at Columbia and higher education institutions nationwide. While undergraduate Pell Grants are continued through 2013, the new law includes the elimination of subsidized federal loans for graduate students, as well as the elimination of incentives for repaying loans on time for all students. We are writing to explain how these changes will affect your future loan awards and repayment arrangements.

Please know these changes will not affect earlier Direct Loans, or those taken out for Fall 2011 or Spring 2012, but are effective for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2012.

For all Students with Loans: The new law eliminates some discounts given to Direct Loan borrowers who make their payments on time. These changes will be effective for loans disbursed beginning July 1, 2012, and will not affect previous Direct Loans. The current repayment incentives that will be changed or eliminated next July are:

·         The up-front interest rebate at Direct Loan disbursement, equal to 0.5% of the loan amount and applied toward the 1% loan origination fee charged by the Department of Education. Borrowers who make 12 on-time payments keep the up-front rebate.

·         For PLUS loans, the up-front interest rebate is currently 1.5% applied toward the 4% origination fee.

·         The current incentive for using automatic debit repayment plans for Direct Loans is a 0.25% interest rate reduction.  Note that under the provisions of the new law, there may be some continuation of an interest rate reduction for automatic debit payment arrangements for loans originating July 1, 2012 or later, but this change has not been finalized.

As a reminder, Columbia’s summer terms span multiple sessions, some of which begin before July 1. Students who expect to take out loans for a Summer 2012 session that begins prior to July 1 should be sure to have all application materials handed in on time to receive the pre-July 1 benefits.

For Undergraduate Students: The maximum amount for Pell Grants will remain $5,550. The new law provides funding for Pell Grants through 2013.

For Graduate Students: Beginning in July 2012, the U.S. government will no longer subsidize federal loans to graduate students. The new federal law eliminates the subsidy and uses the savings to fund Pell grants for low-income undergraduate students. We encourage borrowers who will be taking out additional unsubsidized loans after July 1, 2012 to consider making optional interest payments while in school to reduce overall debt before graduation.

If you have any questions about changes to your financial aid, please reach out to your school’s financial aid office. As a reminder, contact information for school offices is online:

·         Undergraduate:http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Ugrad_Fin_Aid/School_Offices/index.html

·         Graduate:http://www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/Grad_Fin_Aid/index.html

President Obama signed H.R. 1383 Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act of 2011 into law this afternoon.

Sincerely,

Richard B. Baldassari

Secretary, U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

Chairmen, Veterans for Higher Education

Columbia University

rbb2125@columbia.edu

H.R. 1383 Has Passed Congress!

Fellow Veterans,

As many of you have undoubtedly heard, H.R. 1383 has moved on to President Obama's desk. Baring a presidential veto, thousands of veterans and their families nationwide have averted hardships. 

Please be mindful that this amendment applies solely to the tuition and fees received. No other benefits provided by the Post 9-11 G.I. Bill (E.g. 'break pay', etc.) have been 'grandfathered'. 

Furthermore, veteran-students attending state schools, paying out-of-state tuition, will still be held responsible for the funds above and beyond the $17,500 cap effective 1 Aug 2011. I am working diligently with veterans from Florida to provide an example of state legislation that will effectively make the process of residency immediate to all those adversely affected. 

Finally, the original message passed regarding inclusion is clarified further by the below account found on the public record. All veteran-students accepted into private institutions prior to the 4th of January 2011 will be included in H.R. 1383:

"Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume... Mr. Speaker, it has come to our attention that some veterans are concerned about the January 4 eligibility date. We have talked with VA. They have assured us that any veteran who has applied and was accepted to a school on or before the 4th of January of 2011 will be covered under this particular bill we are considering on the floor today. Veterans who applied or were accepted after that date will be grandfathered under H.R. 1383."

 Congressional Record: July 25, 2011 (House) {Time 1920}

Sincerely,

Richard B. Baldassari

Secretary, U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

Chairmen, Veterans for Higher Education

Columbia University

Update: H.R. 1383 Vote

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

The H.R. 1383 vote was pushed to this afternoon, 26 Jul 2011. Mainly because of the influx of a few thousand phone calls and emails to Congressional offices. This onslaught of concern forced Congress to re-evaluate the bill, specifically the inoculation date. The spring semester students that the Jan cutoff would have excluded were subsequently addressed by the VA who went on record with HVAC stating something to the effect of: they will consider everyone matriculated for the spring semester (04 JAN plus a month or so) as "registered" and "enrolled" prior to 04 JAN, which according to their Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) suffices and effectively 'grandfathers' those spring semester student-veterans. The VA is effectively committed to grandfathering everyone that started school in the spring as long as they remain in the same institution. The vote for H.R. 1383 is on today's schedule and also located on Rep. Boehner's site. I hope you find this helpful. 

Sincerely,

Richard B. Baldassari

Secretary, U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

Chairmen, Veterans for Higher Education

Columbia University

House Vote on H.R.1383

MilVets,

The House will vote on an amended version of H.R. 1383 at noon on Monday July 25th. The problem with this amended version is that it lists a 04 JAN inclusion date versus the original 01 APR inclusion date.  This current bill will exclude all veterans that matriculated in the spring 2011 semester (50 at Columbia alone). This means that all veterans who entered Columbia this past Spring will not fall under the proposed grandfather clause.  We need to get the House to correct the date and send the bill back to the Senate for them to re-vote and pass it before 01 AUG. Not only for our most recent students, but for all student-veterans who will be left out of this legislation.

We are asking that all past and present Columbia University student-veterans phone and email their Congressmen, Senators, Chairman Miller's office, and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  Below is recommended language for each one in order of priority. Feel free to copy cut and paste or use them as a model.

Recommended Language:

1. Email to House Veterans' Affairs Committee

2. Email to home district Congressman

3. Email to Senator Schumer
4. Email to Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
5. Email to home Senator

6. Respective email addresses and phone numbers.

KEY SENATE PANEL APPROVES SCHUMER BILL TO PROTECT YOUNG VETERANS FROM LOSING THOUSANDS IN PROMISED AID FOR HIGHER ED

Veterans Currently in School Are Set to Lose Thousands in Promised Tuition Assistance Under Upcoming Changes to GI Bill; Could Force Them to Drop Out

Schumer: We Shouldn't Change the Rules in Middle of the Game; Vets Deserve Education They Were Promised

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) announced that the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs has unanimously cleared his legislation (S.745) to protect tuition benefits for veterans that are set to be drastically reduced in August.

Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed in 2008, veteran students were eligible for full tuition benefits at public institutions, or they could receive up to the same benefit amount if attending a private institution. Thousands of veterans applied to and were accepted by private universities with the understanding that they would receive substantial assistance with their tuition costs. However, as a result of a 2010 change to the law, benefits for students attending private institutions will be capped at $17,500 in the next academic year – a potentially drastic cut for thousands of veterans in New York and elsewhere, which could lead to unfinished programs or even force some students to drop out altogether. Schumer's legislation would allow those veterans who were receiving tuition benefits under the 2008 Post-9/11 GI Bill to keep the benefits they were promised at the time of their enrollment, before revisions were made to the law.

“This legislation will fix this inequity and ensure that our veterans receive the full benefits they were promised and rightly deserve. It will make sure we don’t change the rules in the middle of the game,” said Schumer. “With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, we made great strides towards helping all veterans who want to get a college education get one. But recent changes to the law, while enhancing benefits for many veterans, unfortunately cut benefits for others including some New Yorkers. We should not turn our backs on the brave men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and instead should be doing everything we can to ensure they have the educational opportunities they deserve.”

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, also known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, significantly expanded the educational opportunities for veterans by helping pay for their tuition. Students could receive a tuition benefit up to the highest amount charged by a public university in their state, which varied widely from state to state. This resulted in disparities in the amount of tuition benefit that veterans received, with some students receiving less than ten thousand dollars per year in tuition. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 replaced that provision with a nation-wide maximum reimbursement rate of $17,500 for private institutions, scheduled to take effect in August 2011 that made scholarships more equitable for veterans across the country.

However, Schumer said that by failing to protect students already enrolled in school, this new law would rob thousands of veterans of the educational benefits that they counted on when making the decision to enroll in school. In New York, under existing rules, students at private institutions are able to receive up to $1,010 per credit hour (or $25,250 for a typical full-time academic year) because the amount was pegged to the cost of tuition at high-cost public universities. Under the revised rules, veterans at private institutions, as of August 2011, will only be allowed to receive $17,500 going forward. For veterans at many private institutions, that means thousands of dollars in higher tuition, forcing them to take on additional debt, transfer to different schools, or simply drop out altogether.

Schumer’s legislation will allow students who were enrolled before the new rules take effect to continue under their existing benefits while they complete their studies. This will save many New York veterans thousands of dollars in tuition and allow them to continue their studies at their current schools without disruption or a major spike in tuition costs. The protection applies to students who were already enrolled before January 2011, and sunsets in December 2014. Schumer said this legislation would ensure that veterans get the education they were promised.  

The House companion to the Schumer legislation, the Restoring GI Bill Fairness Act (H.R.1383), introduced by Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Florida), passed the House by a vote of 389 to zero on May 23, 2011. Senator Schumer's bill is cosponsored by Senators Merkley (D-OR) and Blumenthal (D-CT).

G.I. Bill Cuts: Veterans Enrolled In College Face Uncertain Futures

"MADISON, Wis. -- Nearly two years ago, Stephen Lee uprooted his wife and two children from their home in Clarksville, Tenn., to study political science here at the University of Wisconsin.

As a 31-year-old Army veteran, Lee took advantage of one of the most successful tuition assistance programs in the nation’s history -- the G.I. Bill. In exchange for his nine years of military service, the federal government agreed to pay for Lee’s college education.

But on a brittle February night, the rules suddenly changed. At a Vets for Vets meeting on campus, Lee listened in disbelief as a university official told his classmates that the government had reneged on its original promise. In December, Congress voted to cut their G.I. Bill benefits."

Read on:

G.I. Bill Cuts: Veterans Enrolled In College Face Uncertain Futures - Amanda M. Fairbanks

Robin Hood Summer Internship

Organization Description: Robin Hood holds steadfast to a single mission: fight poverty in New York City. We believe in reducing poverty for today’s generation and preventing poverty for generations to come. Robin Hood finds, funds and partners with over 200 of the most effective schools and programs in the city’s poorest neighborhoods to save the lives and change the fates of those who battle educational failure, joblessness, teen pregnancy, abuse, AIDS, hunger and homelessness. We then provide management assistance and support services to make them even stronger. When we see unmet needs, we launch initiatives to address them. Robin Hood’s board of directors pays all administrative, fundraising and evaluation costs. That means 100 percent of donations goes directly to organizations serving families who struggle against poverty.

Internship - Veterans Initiative

There has been an increase in military returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan war with an acute need for social services and workforce preparation. Robin Hood is working with a coalition of federal, state and local government agencies as well as a cohort of non-profit organizations on an initiative which will connect low income veterans with such assistance as supportive housing, job-training, healthcare and counseling to ease their transition to civilian life; we expect that existing grantees and new groups will deliver services.

Our program aim is twofold. First, we hope to work with the V.A. local community based organizations and city government to connect eligible veterans to the powerful existing resources made available through the V.A. and other local providers. Through our network of over 200 grantees, we are confident that our existing infrastructure can be of value. 

Secondly, we plan to invest new grant dollars into veteran specific programs, new and or expanded, around five core areas of investment: employment, housing, health care, education, and microfinance.  

Over the past few months, Robin Hood staff has compiled a list of national best practice models, as well as groups already delivering first-rate programs to veterans or constituents with special needs that include veterans. We are also assessing local CBOs that may be able to take on an expanded role to serve veterans.

Issues to address and question to answer:

1. Select 3 to 4 grantees with high proportion of veterans and conduct interviews/focus groups that identify the greatest needs for the veteran and his/her family members. At the same time, survey a sample of veterans getting services through the V.A. hospital system or other V.A. centers to learn whether their responses are parallel or surface a different set of needs and priorities.  
2. Based on an analysis of data, structure the list of veterans groups in Robin Hood’s pipeline into distinct categories (i.e. high/low priority).
3. Analysis and presentation of rank-ordered list of interventions where there are the least options available or the highest demand or both.

Outcome:

This project aims at two outcomes. First, program staff will have clearer insights based on actual feedback from those returning from military service on how to most effectively invest new grant dollars into veteran specific programs, new and or expanded. Second, with an enormous number of inquiries and proposals sent our way already, we can prepare rationales for groups and concepts that we may be compelled to decline.

Skills required:

Critical thinking and research skills

Analytical skills

Strong Interpersonal skills 

This internship is offered for a 6-8 week duration and is offered on a paid basis.

Start Date: Immediate
Deadline: 7/9/11
Apply Here

Hearing: Legislation Pending Before the Veterans' Affairs Committee

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Below is a brief summary of the hearing, focusing on S.745. Mark up of the legislation has been set for Wed Jun 29, 2011 at 10:00 AM. I urge everyone to continue contacting congress and to encourage others to do the same. Most offices on the hill recommend using the Senator's site to email them. For the Senate state by state listing goto: http://senate.gov/ They have a drop down in the top right corner. The Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs has a 'contact us' drop down in the top right as well, located at: http://veterans.senate.gov/ I thank you all for your ongoing support.

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
United States Senate
112th Congress, First Session
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
9:30 a.m.
418 Russell

Hearing:  Legislation Pending Before the Veterans’ Affairs Committee

S.745 
Latest Title: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to protect certain veterans who would otherwise be subject to a reduction in educational assistance benefits, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] (introduced 4/6/2011)      Cosponsors (2)
Related Bills: H.R.1383
Latest Major Action: 4/6/2011 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearing: Legislation Pending Before the Veterans' Affairs Committee Date: Wed Jun 8 2011, 9:30 AM, 2.5 hours Location: 418 Russell

NOTES:

Abridged transcript are provided in PDF form: -CLICK HERE-

Full transcripts are located in below links:

ROBERT L. JESSE, MD, PH. D., PRINCIPAL DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

RAYMOND C. KELLEY, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE SERVICE, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES

JEFF STEELE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION, THE AMERICAN LEGION

JOSEPH A. VIOLANTE, NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

VA is concerned with timeline and application. (At time 55:00 of below video.) 

VFW supports S.745 (At time 109:00 of below video.)

-CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO-

Sincerely,

Richard B. Baldassari

Secretary, U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University

Chairmen, Veterans for Higher Education

Columbia University

Getting Credits for Military Service

Greetings Fellow Veterans,

As the fall semester approaches, there are many steps you can take in order to prepare yourself for a great experience at Columbia University. My first recommendation is to cash in on your experiences in the military, by turning your time served into college credit. Each branch of the armed forces has a system in place, which creates a college transcript based on your training. These transcripts are backed by the American Council on Education and are accepted by the School of General Studies.

While the Office of Admissions and the Dean of Students Office ultimately decided how many credits to award you from these transcripts, the small amount of effort it takes to retrieve them is worth it. With the current cost of tuition, each credit you earn from the military translates into a savings of $1,330. At the very least (as was the case with me – 0311) you will earn two PE credits and save $2660.

These transfer credits have the additional benefit of reducing your class load. Without any transfers, each student at GS will have to take an average of 15.5 credits per semester in order to graduate in four years. These military credits can mean the difference between a semester with four classes and a semester with five. It’s little advantages like that, which can greatly improve your GPA.

How do you get your military transcripts?

Army: ARMY/AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION REGISTRY TRANSCRIPT SYSTEM (AARTS)

• The Army accepts electronic request at the http://aarts.army.mil/ Begin an official request by following the links on the left side of the website

• Their office is staffed Monday thru Friday from 0730-1600 Eastern Standard Time (EST). All correspondence should be directed to the e-mail link provided below, and please include your full name, BASD, DOB, last 4 in your SSN.

• hrc.tagd.aarts@conus.army.mil

Air Force: COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF THE AIR FORCE (CCAF)

• The Air Force accepts electronic request as listed athttps://augateway.maxwell.af.mil/ccaf/stu_svcs/transcriptrequest/in...

• If you can not access their free system, then they recommend you use the third party credentials-inc

• Credentials can be reached by phone at 1-800-646-1858 / 1-847-446-1027 from 0700hrs to 1900hrs Central Standard Times (CST)

Coast Guard: COAST GUARD INSTITUTE

• The Coast Guard accepts email, fax and request as listed athttp://www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi/active_duty/go_to_college/official_trans...

• To process your request, complete the Application for Transcript (CGI-1561).

Navy/Marines: SAILOR/MARINE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION REGISTRY TRANSCRIPT (SMART)

• The Marine Corps and the Navy have developed SMART jointly.

• Information is available at https://smart.navy.mil/ including the ability to create an account and view your SMART transcript.

• The Navy and Marine Corps accept request by fax or mail.

• To process your request, complete the Official Request Form

All transcripts should be sent to:

Dean of Students Office

Columbia University School of General Studies

408 Lewisohn Hall, MC4101

2970 Broadway

New York, NY 10027

Best regards,

Benjamin