Online learning can often provide a more flexible education for military students who may be juggling a family, job or training along with their higher education. But for those who prefer an in-person learning experience, an online education can be a unique challenge.

Many colleges and universities went online in mid-March once the virus hit the U.S., and since then have been devising plans to reopen for the fall, whether it be in person, online or a hybrid option. As of Aug. 5, 26 percent of institutions still had not determined what learning method would be used for students returning in the fall, and many of those who have decided on a path remain open to change as the semester continues.

“I’d say higher ed, in general, at this point is still grappling with what to do for the fall,” William Hubbard, Student Veterans of America chief of staff, said. “And as the pandemic continues to rage on, that seems to change on a daily basis for individual schools.”

Both Hubbard and Emily Ives, the program director at UCLA’s Veteran Resource Center, said creating a daily routine is one of the most important ways to succeed in online learning. Ives recommended putting on normal clothes, avoiding distractions while in class and creating a designated study space as tips to adapt to a remote learning environment.

“Even more so now, you could book yourself back to back to back with meetings and appointments, so make sure you take breaks,” Ives said.

Ives said the Veterans Resource Office at UCLA successfully created a virtual office for military students to connect and ask questions. Staff being accessible to students online and being flexible with different forms of communication are some ways colleges and universities can continue to help students with remote learning, Ives said.

Tuition and fees are also a notable concern among many college students, as universities charge full price for an education that may be partially or completely online.

“Now you have to find a way to justify an exorbitant cost for a class that otherwise someone could basically get by going on the internet themselves and teaching themselves,” Hubbard said. “It’s, I think, even more exacerbated by the fact that a lot of these universities are really struggling when it comes to their income.”

Ives said that although there is a difference with transitioning classes and services online, the same resources are still available to students, just in a different format.

Paul Lazaro, assistant director of the Office of Veteran and Military Programs and Services at Rutgers University Newark campus, said he expects student veterans to “assess the situation and approach it with the right amount of caution” when making a decision whether to do in-person or online classes this fall.

In recent months, Congress has passed a series of measures designed to minimize the impact of the shift to online classes for students who rely on GI Bill benefits for tuition and living expenses. Typically, students in online-only classes receive only a portion of the full veteran education benefits, but legislation passed in the spring allows VA officials to continue paying the full amount to students forced into remote learning because of the pandemic.

In addition, lawmakers have approved bills preserving work-study programs (and stipends) as those have shifted to online-only formats, ensuring that student veterans who rely on that extra income won’t see their money cut off.

However, those authorities last only until the end of 2020. Congress will have to look to extend those provisions if many colleges continue their remote learning plans into 2021.

The survey, which will be distributed through the department’s Veterans Signals, or VSignals, program will be emailed to a random selection of veterans or beneficiaries who have recently taken part in the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) education program.

The new survey was designed with the help of beneficiaries to improve veterans’ experiences with the program, which provides education benefits to over 900,000 veterans each year, according to the VA. The survey will assess veterans’ experiences in one of three aspects of the education benefits program: applying for benefits, enrolling in school or receiving education benefits through VBA.

“The surveys give beneficiaries an opportunity to provide direct feedback on VA’s performance. We are constantly searching for ways to better serve the nation’s veterans,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a press release.

Results from this survey will be used to improve the education benefits program based on direct feedback from respondents, according to the VA. The VSignals survey is 5 to 7 questions long and takes about three minutes to complete.

The VSignals program has surveyed about 28.8 million people since June 2017 and uses veterans’ and beneficiaries’ feedback to improve its services where needed, according to the VBA.

The 29-year-old initially drove past, as it was around 11 p.m. and she was alone. But she was compelled to turn around and see if the driver needed help.

What Roggensack saw when she pulled up was a new mother standing next to the vehicle, still attached via umbilical cord to her newborn son, who was lying on the pavement covered in blood. Immediately, Roggensack retrieved her phone, towels and an iPhone charger.

As a nurse with extensive experience helping mothers and babies, Roggensack knew what to do as she waited for EMTs to arrive.

While on the phone with emergency medical services, she used the iPhone charger to tie off the umbilical cord when the mother delivered the placenta. Roggensack wrapped the newborn in a towel and waited with the mother in the rain.

Despite her years of experience as a nurse and a cannon crewmember in the Tennessee Army National Guard, Roggensack said she had never encountered a situation like that. She was used to having medications, supplies and others around to help her in such dire moments, she said.

“I’ve never had that kind of adrenaline rush before,” Roggensack said. “I didn’t sleep for 48 hours after that.”

Roggensack is a soldier in the Tennessee Army National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Most of her work has been in field artillery since she enlisted in 2015 as Tennessee’s first female cannon crewmember.

Before working her current day job at an orthopedics company, Roggensack was a nurse at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville for four years, where she mainly worked with mothers and newborn babies.

A fellow guardsman was “not surprised” that Roggensack stepped in to help someone in need.

“(Roggensack is) such a strong trooper, always volunteering for that extra duty that no one wants, whether it be a competition or whether it be just setting a standard,” said Arturo Guzman, a public affairs noncommissioned officer at the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment who deployed to Poland with Roggensack in 2018. “It is really a privilege to serve alongside her and to have her in our ranks.”

Roggensack kept in touch with the mother after her delivery, and found out the child would be put up for adoption. The mother had carried through with the pregnancy but knew from the beginning that she would not be able to keep the child even though she loved him, Roggensack said.

The child’s birth mother could not be reached for comment.

Coincidentally, Roggensack had family friends, Sara and Paul Wizniuk, who had been looking to adopt and expand their family. In addition to raising their own two daughters, the family had been fostering children for about a year and had all the paperwork ready to adopt, according to the family’s GoFundMe page.

The GoFundMe page, which was created to help with adoption expenses, met its goal within 24 hours of being created and has now raised nearly $16,000. The extra funds will go toward the baby’s medical treatments, Sara Wizniuk said in a post to the page.

The Wizniuks could not be reached for comment on this story.

Roggensack had kept in touch with the birth mother after the incident, who requested that the soldier become the baby’s godmother ― a request the Wizniuks supported. The baby was baptized in early July, with Roggensack as godmother.

Roggensack said she was glad she encountered this situation rather than someone who had a stroke or another medical emergency. Her experience working in postnatal care as a nurse allowed her muscle memory to kick in and help this mother and child, she said.

“She’s a professional in all aspects of the word,” Guzman said of Roggensack. “As a soldier, as a nurse, as a person, she has such a caring heart.”

Alabama

Veterans in Alabama have access to free services to help them apply for VA benefits with a veterans service officer, which can help them get maximum benefits the first time they file a claim, according to Mark Sullivan, a manager at the Appeals and Review division.

Alaska

Alaska has a 20 percent discount on the price of state residential or recreational land, which is a valuable benefit that many veterans do not take advantage of because they save it to use for a later time, according to Verdie Bowen Sr., the director of the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Arizona

Families in Arizona with a currently deployed service member or veteran can receive up to $20,000 in financial assistance if the deployment caused the family hardships. The program, the Arizona Military Family Relief Fund, can also apply for up to $3,000 in emergency assistance, according to Wanda Wright, the director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services.

Arkansas

The Resident Military Retiree Lifetime Combination License, which is a combined hunting and fishing license, is the most underused benefit for Arkansas veterans, according to Gina Chandler, the assistant director of Veterans Services.

California

California also has a discounted hunting and fishing license program for veterans who were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability rating of 50 percent or higher, according to Roberto Herrera, the chief of Veteran and Community Engagement.

Colorado

Veterans in Colorado with a service-related disability of at least 60 percent are entitled to a free Lifetime Fish and Small Game license, according to Richard J. Tremaine, the director of the Division of Veterans Affairs.

Connecticut

Veterans’ organizations in Connecticut that fit specific qualifications can apply to be on the Connecticut Qualified Veterans’ Charitable Organization list, according to Thomas J. Saadi, commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Delaware

Delaware offers discounted hunting, trapping and fishing licenses to veterans, including a free license to those with a VA disability rating of 60 percent or higher, according to Larence Kirby, the executive director of the Office of Veterans Services.

Florida

Veterans in Florida who received a Purple Heart or other combat-related decorations may receive waived tuition for undergraduate studies at public universities and community colleges, as well as public facilities for career-related and technical training, according to James S. “Hammer” Hartsell, the deputy executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Georgia

Veterans from Georgia who received honorable discharge and a service-related injury are eligible for entry into state parks, historical sites and recreational areas at a 25 percent discount. Honorably discharged veterans get a 20 percent discount on hunting and fishing licenses, and those who fit more specific qualifications may obtain a free one-year sportsman license, according to Mike Roby, Georgia’s commissioner of Veterans Service.

Hawaii

Qualifying veterans in Hawaii can choose from a number of special service-related license plates at the same cost of a normal license plate, according to Ronald Han, Director State Office of Veterans’ Services.

Idaho

Veterans, service members and military family members can more easily obtain occupational licenses in Idaho after recent legislation, which includes faster processing of license applications and military training credit, according to Marv Hagedorn, the chief administrator of the Idaho Division of Veterans Services.

Illinois

Veterans in Illinois can now be designated as a veteran on state driver’s licenses. Illinois also offers a veterans grant and National Guard grant for tuition at public colleges and universities, according to Linda Chapa LaVia, the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Indiana

Veterans who fit the qualifications can apply for one of several Indiana property tax deductions, which differ based on when they served, disability rating, age and value of their home.

Iowa

Children of military members who died in active duty after Sept. 11, 2001 can apply for the Brandstead-Reynolds Scholarship Program or War Orphan Tuition Assistance, according to Karl J. Lettow, public information.

Kansas

Veterans and eligible dependents in Kansas can choose from different burial options at one of the state’s four veterans’ cemeteries, according to Heidi Goff, the state Veteran cemeteries manager.

Kentucky

The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs offers free benefit counseling from expert representatives, which currently only assists 13 percent of the state’s veterans because many do not seek benefits, according to Donna Scrivener, the Benefits Branch manager.

Louisiana

Military veterans and their families who experience financial hardships and fit certain qualifications can apply for assistance from the Military Family Assistance Fund, which can offer up to $10,000 depending on the circumstance, according to Joey Strickland, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs.

Maine

Spouses and dependents of qualifying veterans who have a 100 percent permanent disability rating from the state are eligible for a full tuition and mandatory fee waiver at any University of Maine system school, public community college or Maine Maritime Academy, according to David Richmond, director, Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services.

Maryland

Employers in Maryland who hire veterans may qualify to receive income tax credit “equal to 30 percent of up to the first $6,000 of wages paid to a qualified veteran employee during the first year of employment,” George Owings, secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, said.

Massachusetts

Information for Massachusetts veterans’ benefits can be found here.

Michigan

The Children of Veterans Tuition Grant provides tuition assistance to qualifying students whose parent died or became completely disabled due to military service, according to Zaneta Adams, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.

Minnesota

The most underused benefits for Minnesota veterans include veterans cemeteries and licensing and certifications under the state’s GI Bill, according to Larry Herke, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mississippi

The Mississippi Veterans Home Purchase Board provides up to $250,000 in low-interest mortgage loans for eligible veterans or surviving unmarried spouses to purchase or build a home, according to Stacey Pickering, the executive director of Mississippi Veterans Affairs.

Missouri

Missouri has the option of five veterans cemeteries throughout the state so that each veteran can have access to a veterans cemetery, according to Ryon Richmond, the acting executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission.

Montana

Veterans in Montana have free access to state parks and disabled veterans can apply for a free hunting and fishing license, according to Kelly Ackerman, an administrator in the Montana Veterans Affairs Division.

Nebraska

Enlisted members of the state’s Active Selected Reserve unit may qualify for a 50 percent credit towards tuition at the University of Nebraska system, public state colleges and community colleges, according to John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs.

Nevada

The Nevada governor’s Office of Economic Development gives preference to veteran-owned small businesses, according to communications director Julie Dudley.

New Hampshire

The New Division of Veteran Services assists New Hampshire veterans with VA claims, according to William Gaudreau, the director of the New Hampshire Division of Veteran Services.

New Jersey

Veterans with certain permanent, service-connected disabilities may be eligible for monthly payments through New Jersey Catastrophic Entitlement, according to Patricia A. Richter, the acting director in the Division of Veterans Services.

New Mexico

Veterans with a 50 percent or higher service disability rating may qualify for free access to New Mexico’s state parks, monuments and museums.

New York

Access to Home for Heroes provides financial assistance and makes living spaces accessible for low and moderate income veterans who live with a disability in New York, according to Joel Evans, the executive deputy director of the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services.

North Carolina

Qualifying veterans living with disabilities in North Carolina may be eligible for tax relief for adaptive automobiles, according to Martin Falls, chief deputy secretary for the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs.

North Dakota

The Veterans Aid Fund is a loan program specifically for veterans or their surviving spouses in North Dakota, according to commissioner Lonnie Wangen.

Ohio

Tuition assistance for over 150 colleges and universities in Ohio is available for qualifying veterans who are enlisted in the National Guard with drilling status, according to Sean McCarthy, the assistant director in the Department of Veterans Services.

Oklahoma

Information for Oklahoma veterans’ benefits can be found here.

Oregon

Qualifying veterans in Oregon are eligible for home loan benefits, which can be used up to four times, with lower-than-market interest rates, according to Cody Cox, Oregon Veteran Home Loan manager.

Pennsylvania

Eligible blind veterans in Pennsylvania may be entitled to $150 per month through the state’s Blind Veterans Pension, according to Joel H. Mutschler, director of the Bureau of Veterans Programs, Initiatives, Reintegration, and Outreach.

Rhode Island

Active duty service members and veterans may be eligible for in-state tuition at University of Rhode Island, Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College immediately once they move to the state, according to Kasim Yarn, director, Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services.

South Carolina

Children of certain military veterans may qualify for a tuition waiver at a South Carolina state-supported college, university, technical education school, or early college credit program, according to Stanley Foreman, the director of administration for the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs.

South Dakota

State and federal education benefits are available for certain South Dakota veterans transitioning into life as a civilian, according to Greg Whitlock, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.

Tennessee

The Servicemember Opportunity Portal provides veterans in Tennessee with information about military training that can be translated into college credits and give veterans a head start, according to Mike Krause, executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Texas

The Texas Veterans Commission helps veteran entrepreneurs with aspects of starting their own business, including assistance with financing and creating a business plan, according to Kevin Barber, commissioner of the Texas Veterans Commission.

Utah

The Accelerated Credentialing to Employment (ACE) program provides qualifying Utah veterans and actively drilling National Guard and Reserve members with training assistance to help them secure a license or certification that could lead to finding a job, according to Gary Harter, executive director of Utah’s Department of Veterans and Military Affairs.

Vermont

Eligible veterans can apply through their local town clerk to obtain free daily passes to state parks, according to Robert E. Burke, the director of the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Virginia

The Virginia Transition Assistance Program (VTAP) supports the individual needs of transitioning service members and their spouses, including assistance with employment opportunities or enrollment in one of the state’s GI Bill-approved institutions, according to Annie Walker, deputy commissioner for Virginia Department of Veterans Services.

Washington

The VA Olympia Call Center in Washington helps veterans understand their benefits, receive their pensions and disability compensation, and connects them with other outside services in the area, according to Liza Narciso, assistant to the director of the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs.

West Virginia

Veteran families who cannot afford to install a grave marker for their loved one may qualify for up to $380 from the Jack Bennett Fund to have the marker installed, according to cabinet secretary Dennis Davis.

Wisconsin

The Assistance to Needy Veterans Grant Program provides emergency grants and payments to low-income veterans and has been used to help veterans in need of financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Donald Placidi Jr., the Division of Veterans Benefits administrator in the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

Wyoming

Veterans in Wyoming who were not able to complete their high school graduation requirements, entered military service during certain specified dates, and were honorably discharged as veterans of World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War have the opportunity to apply for an honorary high school diploma, according to Tim Sheppard, executive director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission.

Healthcare

Military training can provide a huge advantage for those looking to go into the healthcare field, which is the top profession for veterans. Veterans’ skills in leadership, problem-solving and the ability to work under pressure can make them great candidates for healthcare careers, according to the American Hospital Association. Even if a veteran did not necessarily work on anything medical-related while serving, a post-military career in healthcare can allow them to utilize other essential skills, such as hospital operations and logistics, administration or medical research.

Government and Public Administration

Veterans make up nearly 22 percent of government workers, according to the most recent available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs in federal, state or local government can help provide a number of benefits to veterans, including a good salary and flexible working hours. Also, the federal government is required to give certain veterans preference when applying for jobs, providing more advantages for veterans looking for work in the government. There are also some great resources for veterans to get started looking for federal jobs.

Defense Contracting

Defense contracting is one of the most popular careers for veterans, especially among those under 45. Careers in defense contracting are often related to the military, giving some veterans a leg up thanks to existing skills and training. Defense contracting jobs typically have good starting salaries and offer various position levels such as analyst, intelligence specialist and quality assurance manager.

Information Technology

Careers in information technology are well-suited to veterans, especially those who have experience or are interested in cyber security and data. A 2013 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the technology field was growing rapidly, especially as advanced technology and cyberattacks became more common, meaning there’s plenty of room for upward mobility. Some popular jobs in the IT field include data analyst, information security analyst and project manager.

And Maryland officials have awarded him for his efforts.

Stallings, now 8, recently received the William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award for Baltimore County. The award, presented by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, recognizes someone in each county of Maryland who helps improve the lives of those in their community, according to the comptroller’s website.

When Stallings was about 4, his mom, Andrea Blackstone, showed him a few YouTube videos about veterans and military service. Most of the videos were basic information to inform her young son about the military, Blackstone said, since they have several family members who are veterans. Blackstone then saw a few recommended videos about veterans experiencing homelessness, which at first she was hesitant to show her son. She decided to show him a video, which included imagery of those veterans with signs asking for help.

“He lit up, and he was upset,” Blackstone said. “He kept telling me it wasn’t right.”

Stallings asked his mom to take him to buy building supplies, insisting that if no one else would help veterans experiencing homelessness, he would. Blackstone said she was taken aback by her son’s passion to help veterans in need, but she had to explain to him that she simply did not have the financial resources to build them houses. Stallings and Blackstone set out to find another way to honor and help veterans.

They began by sending questions about what was being done for those veterans in their home state of Maryland to the governor’s office. Blackstone submitted her son’s idea to start “Give Back to Veterans Day” to a nonprofit, which granted him a $100 to begin making care packages for veterans that included toiletries and ‘thank you’ cards.

“It was always very important to me from the very beginning for anyone to understand this was not my idea, this was a little kid who’s barely 4-years-old, his idea,” Blackstone said. “I think sometimes people assume, because someone is so young, that it would be impossible to come up with something like this.”

Blackstone said she was sure to ask her son if she could begin posting on social media about his efforts to help veterans experiencing homelessness. The single mother and her son, who turns 9 next month, began posting short videos about Stallings’s fundraising efforts. They traveled to pick up small donations from people they already knew so Stallings could make more care packages, delivering them to the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C., and Patriot House in Maryland.

After their first few donations, Stallings expressed to his mother that he wanted to continue making care baskets and helping veterans in his community. He has consistently been fundraising and donating since beginning this endeavor at age 4, earning recognition such as being named a GoFundMe Kid Hero and winning the William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award for Baltimore County.

“I think the resounding message has been if a kid this young can care and put so much effort into the cause, then other people can get involved and figure out how we can support our veterans on the community level, too,” Blackstone said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stallings and Blackstone have been delivering essential supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer, to shelters and individual veterans. Stallings also made private donations to individual veterans and their families who may need help paying bills or buying food, according to Blackstone.

In addition to supplying monetary donations, Stallings also gave larger donations to shelters, such as sending two air conditioners to Patriot House and partnering with Leesa mattress to donate 250 mattresses to the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET). Blackstone said she shares receipts and photos on social media to show donors how their money is making an impact.

Blackstone said she has always been a single mother to Stallings, who is homeschooled, so his philanthropic success has become slightly difficult to balance with her work as a journalist and her role in helping Stallings. The mother and son receive help from Blackstone’s brother, an Army veteran who they currently live with. Eventually, Blackstone said she hopes to establish a nonprofit for her and Stallings to continue doing this work, but until then they will keep working to support local veterans and encourage people to make donations.

“It’s just a lot of different things I didn’t anticipate but the goal is to keep it going because we see the value of the help,” Blackstone said. “It’s been a lot but the reward is just seeing people get help.”

The Elizabeth Dole Foundation is asking well-wishers to sign a virtual card for Dole and his wife, a former North Carolina senator and a former cabinet member, as they both approach birthdays in late July. Senator Bob’s daughter, Robin Dole, helped spread the word about the card in partnership with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, which supports military caregivers.

“Every year we celebrate another birthday I think about how lucky I am to have my dad in my life,” Robin Dole wrote in a media release. “I hope you will join me in celebrating their service to our nation by signing their birthday card.”

War hero

Dole was born in Russell, Kansas on July 22, 1923. While studying at the University of Kansas, Dole enlisted in the Army Reserve and was called to active duty six months later. Dole earned the rank of second lieutenant in 1944 and served in the 85th Mountain Regiment, 10th Mountain Division while deployed to Europe.

Dole was severely injured in Italy when his company became trapped in an exposed area and was hit with enemy fire, according to Dole’s archived 1996 campaign website. After helping a fellow soldier, Dole was hit in the shoulder by a German bullet, injuring his collarbone and spine. Dole was given a shot of morphine, marked on the forehead with a letter “M” in his own blood, and taken to a military hospital where he was not expected to live.

Following the injury, Dole was paralyzed from the neck down and placed in a full body cast, according to the campaign website. He was soon sent back to Kansas where he caught a high fever and was given penicillin and a kidney operation. Dole miraculously recovered from the fever and began his long road to rehabilitation. Dole received two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars for Valor among other honors to his military achievements and sacrifices.

Continuing service to the nation

While he recovered, Dole returned to school and received a law degree from Washburn University before winning a seat in the Kansas state legislature. In 1960, Dole was elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and eight years later was elected to the Senate. During his time in Congress, Dole worked on legislation that included the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and improving Social Security.

Dole became chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1971 and, in 1976, was asked by President Gerald Ford to run as his Vice President in the upcoming election. In the Senate, Dole continued to work as a champion for the middle class, and helped enact major tax cuts in his role as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Dole became the Senate Majority Leader in 1984 and worked alongside other Republican leaders such as Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Dole was the longest-serving Republican in the history of the U.S. Senate when he retired in 1996 to run as the Republican presidential nominee, and in 1997 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dole continued working after leaving public office, and held roles including chairman of the National World War II Memorial and chairman of the International Commission on Missing Persons.

Elizabeth Dole, a former North Carolina senator and a former cabinet member in both the Nixon and Bush Administrations, was born on July 29, 1936, with a birthday just one week after her husband’s.

Editor’s note: this story has been updated to reflect the sponsor of this effort.

Local officials in late June found the grave, which extended over hundreds of meters, filled with bones, skulls, clothing and shoes. The remains are believed to be those of Shiite prisoners who were executed in June 2014 after ISIS gained control of Mosul, though an investigation is needed to confirm.

An estimated 1,500 prisoners, both Shiite and Sunni, from Badoush were taken to the desert and separated, according to a Human Rights Watch investigation. ISIS allegedly executed 600 prisoners in this area, most of whom were Shiite.

Experts performed an initial investigation, but further excavation has been halted due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, officials told The Associated Press. The Iraqi government task force that investigated mass graves prior to the pandemic had ongoing issues including understaffing and inadequate resources to store and identify remains, according to a November 2018 report from the United Nations.

The grant, announced in a university press release, comes from The Avalon Fund, an organization that works to fund treatments for PTSD and traumatic brain injuries in veterans. Partnering with the university’s school of medicine and center for sport, the new clinic will diagnose and treat discharged veterans and their spouses beginning in fall 2020, according to the press release.

The Defense and Veterans Brian Injury Center reported that 15,262 service members were diagnosed with TBI throughout most of 2019. Between 11 percent and 20 percent of veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom were diagnosed with PTSD in a given year, according to the National Center for PTSD.

Tulane is “nationally renowned for the care it provides to retired professional athletes through partnerships with the NFL Player Care Foundation and The Trust (Powered by the NFLPA),” according to the university.

University officials said in the press release that this new center will include an evaluation, outpatient services and follow-up for at least one year after a patient is discharged. Dr. Gregory Stewart, who will oversee the new center, is also the director of the school’s Professional Athlete Care Team (PACT), which promotes the health and safety of former professional athletes.

“We’re really excited to serve this population,” Stewart said. “It’s certainly an honor for us to have been asked to join this group and to help take care of the individuals who put their lives at risk to protect us and protect our freedoms.”

The new center will also begin research into other health concerns, such as cardiovascular and psychological conditions, that affect both veterans and professional athletes, according to the center’s website. Services offered by the new clinic will include speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and individual and group veterans’ relations, among others.

Eventually, the center hopes to treat up to 400 patients each year, primarily using word-of-mouth in the veteran community to reach out to new patients, Stewart told the Military Times. He said the center has no intention to compete with the VA hospital, but instead wants to partner with them on more difficult cases of TBI and PTSD.

The Center for Brain Health is its own program specifically for veterans; however, some providers and space used for treatment will overlap with the PACT clinic for professional athletes, Stewart said.

“We are very proud and excited about the launch of the Tulane University Center for Brain Health. Our focus on veterans — caring for former members of our armed forces— is an honor beyond words,” Stewart said in the press release. “Thanks to our work at the PACT clinic, we’ve built a team uniquely skilled to provide customized care to address the healthcare needs of this population.”

Stewart and his staff are no stranger to treating individuals who face physical and emotional challenges in the transition from a professional career to private life, according to the university.

Stewart is also the director of Tulane’s Professional Athlete Care Team (PACT), which has cared for retired professional athletes through partnerships with the NFL Player Care Foundation and The Trust (Powered by the NFLPA) since 2011.

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health and Women Veterans Task Force focused on reproductive health services offered to veterans, including limitations on services that could disproportionately affect women, LGBT and poor veterans, according to presiding chairwoman Julia Brownley, D-Calif.

A fast-growing number of women veterans under the age of 45 are becoming eligible for VA benefits and health care, according to a 2019 study published in Seminars of Reproductive Medicine. The study reported that there are about 2 million women veterans in the U.S., about 840,000 of whom used VA services in 2015, according to the most recent available report from the VA. Another study in Women’s Health Issues found that the mental health impacts of military service can be linked to infertility.

Dr. Patricia Hayes, the chief officer of women’s health services at the Veterans Health Administration, said the VA has a reproductive mental health consultation team that helps to treat mental health conditions in pregnant veterans. The VA is still learning of links between mental health disorders such as PTSD in relation to pregnancy so it can properly help its patients, Hayes said.

IVF treatment is available to veterans who have infertility caused by service-related injuries through VA health care, but this does not include coverage for single veterans and same-sex veteran couples. IVF services through the VA must be reauthorized every two years, jeopardizing some injured veterans’ chances of conceiving if it is no longer authorized.

Hayes said the VA is open to removing the restrictions for who can have access to IVF, but current legislation does not allow it.

The VA also provides contraceptives, which require co-payments. But Congress needs to pass legislation to remove co-payments from contraception to make them more affordable to veterans, Hayes said.

“Since VA patients tend to carry a heavier health burden and be poorer, charging women veterans a co-pay is particularly galling,” Kayla Williams, a senior fellow and director of the military veterans and society program at the Center for a New American Security, said.

Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., encouraged the VA to expand its contraception options to allow veterans to purchase a one-year supply of oral contraceptives, which she said could improve women’s health and minimize costs for the VA.

The VA currently does not cover abortion or abortion counseling for women veterans in any case. Williams said it is “deeply disturbing” that women veterans do not have access to this care through the VA.

“However we feel about abortion, we should not deny it to women veterans just because they use VA,” Williams said, “thus taking away their ability to make important, personal decisions about their health and futures with dignity and respect.”

Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., an obstetrician-gynecologist and ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said he would not support the VA including abortion with its other health-care benefits.

Brownley said that she would like to see more research from the VA regarding reproductive health for veterans and would like to further expand healthcare services to those who do not currently have access.

“We must eliminate all those barriers so that all veterans including women, people of color, LGBTQ veterans and those living in rural areas, tribal areas and U.S. territories have full reproductive freedom,” Brownley said.