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Newswise — Low concentration of fish oil in the blood and lack of physical activity may contribute to the high levels of depressed mood among soldiers returning from combat, according to researchers, including a Texas A&M University professor and his former doctoral student. In a study titled “Fatty Acid Blood Levels, Vitamin D Status, Physical Performance, Activity and Resiliency: A Novel Potential Screening Tool for Depressed Mood in Active Duty Soldiers,” researchers worked with 100 soldiers at Fort Hood to identify which factors affected moods in returning soldiers. The research was conducted by Major Nicholas Barringer when he was a Texas A&M doctoral student under the direction of Health & Kinesiology Professor and Department Head Richard Kreider, in collaboration with several current and former members of the U.S. Army, and colleagues at Texas A&M. “We looked at how physical activity levels and performance measures were related to mood state and resiliency,” Kreider says. “What we found was the decrease in physical activity and the concentration of fish oil and Omega-3s in the blood were all associated with resiliency and mood.” Kreider says fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids that help to boost brain function. He says studies also show that fish oil acts as an anti-inflammatory within the body — helping athletes and soldiers manage intense training better. Fish oil content is especially important for soldiers due to the consistent training and physical regiments performed in and out of combat and risk to traumatic brain injury. The study originated from research conducted by Colonel Mike Lewis, M.D. who examined Omega-3 fatty acid levels of soldiers who committed suicide compared to non-suicide control and found lower Omega-3 levels in the blood were associated with increased risk of being in the suicide group. Barringer says he believes these findings to be significant toward addressing some of the issues many soldiers face. “The mental health of our service members is a serious concern and it is exciting to consider that appropriate diet and exercise might have a direct impact on improving resiliency,” Barringer notes. In order to properly measure soldiers physically, Kreider and Barringer developed a formula they say has the potential to assist in effectively screening soldiers with potential PTSD ahead of time. The formula measures a number of factors including: fitness and psychometric assessments, physical activity, and additional analysis. “By improving resiliency in service members, we can potentially decrease the risk of mental health issues,” Barringer says. “Early identification can potentially decrease the risk of negative outcomes for our active service members as well as our separated and retired military veterans.” “The military is using some of our exercise, nutrition, and performance-related work and the findings may help identify soldiers at risk for depression when they return from combat tours,” Kreider notes. He says that by working to identify such high-risk issues faced by soldiers, it can set a precedent that will benefit not only military leadership, but also the general public. “The public must realize that our soldiers need support before, during, and after their service,” Kreider explains. “There needs to be a time for soldiers to transition, become re-engaged within a community, and stay engaged in that community.”More information regarding fish oil and other exercise and nutrition-related research can be found at the Exercise & Sport Nutrition Lab’s website. ####

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The former girlfriend of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was charged Tuesday with stealing from a military charity she led. Court documents don't say how much prosecutors believe Patricia Driscoll took from the District of Columbia-based Armed Forces Foundation, whose mission is to support service members, veterans and their families. But a 2014 tax form for the nonprofit says that the "foundation has become aware of suspected misappropriations" by Driscoll totaling more than $599,000 for the years 2006 to 2014. It says she misused money for meals, travel, parking tickets, makeup and personal gifts. Driscoll was indicted on seven federal charges: two counts each of wire fraud, mail fraud, and tax evasion, and one count of attempts to interfere with administration of Internal Revenue laws. She also faces a first degree fraud charge under District of Columbia law. An 11-page indictment charges Driscoll with using foundation money to pay her personal bills, diverting foundation funds to her personal bank account and lying to the Internal Revenue Service about her salary and benefits. Driscoll, 38, of Ellicott City, Maryland, declined to comment when reached by phone Tuesday. "All the allegations that have been made are unproven, and Ms. Driscoll contests them and looks forward to her opportunity to do so in court," her attorney, Barry J. Pollack, said Tuesday evening. Driscoll had resigned from the charity in 2015 amid an internal investigation into published reports alleging that she used foundation funds for her personal expenses. At the time she left, she had been president of the foundation for 12 years. Driscoll and Bush had a very public breakup in 2014 after she accused him of physically and verbally abusing her about a week after they split. Driscoll said Busch smashed her head into a bedroom wall and choked her in his motorhome at Dover International Speedway in Delaware. Law enforcement officials said there was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges against him, but a family court commissioner in the state ultimately granted her request for a protective order requiring Busch to stay away from her. As a result, NASCAR suspended Busch two days before the Daytona 500. He sat out the first three races of the 2015 season before being reinstated. --- BY JESSICA GRESKOASSOCIATED PRESS

A 14-year-old boy began to disengage from family and friends following his father’s military deployment, even though family members encouraged him to be proud of his father’s service. But his demeanor changed after he received a $500 grant to attend football camp and an awards packet from Our Military Kids – the young boy told his mother that he was proud of his father’s service and proud to be serving alongside him. The mother called Linda Davidson, co-founder and executive director of Our Military Kids, to thank her and said, “Isn’t it strange that complete strangers can convince your children of things that their family cannot?” Our Military Kids has provided 55,000 grants, totaling $22.5 million, to children of deployed National Guard or reserve servicemembers, and wounded servicemembers since 2004. The grants support extracurricular youth activities such as sports, camps, arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs. Davidson co-founded Our Military Kids 12 years ago after researching if a program of its nature was needed. She read a quote from a deployed servicemember that solidified her answer – he asked Americans wanting to support troops not to send cookies or care packages, but instead to take care of servicemembers’ children. “What better way to say thank you to the brave men and women who volunteer to serve our country, to make the world a safer place, and to protect our families than to provide a program to help their children with the anxiety and stress that go along with the separation from their military parents, or to help them adjust to living with a parent recovering from the visible and invisible wounds of war,” Davidson told attendees of The American Legion’s National Children & Youth Conference in Indianapolis on Saturday. “Our Military Kids is alleviating the stress and anxiety in military children and boosting the morale of our servicemen and women.” The Legion’s Child Welfare Foundation (CWF) has supported Our Military Kids for the past nine years through grants that have helped the nonprofit create tools that educate Americans nationwide about the needs of military children. The tools include brochures, videos and its website. Our Military Kids saw a 33 percent increase in grant requests last year as military deployments continue. The organization has applied for another CWF grant to support the continuation of its “Top Secret” awards packet that’s mailed to Our Military Kids grant recipients. Since the activity check is sent to the service provider, Davidson said the packet is the “fun part.” It’s sealed with a “top secret” sticker and includes a letter thanking the child’s parent for their service and encouraging the child to keep up the good work while their parent is overseas or recovering from injuries sustained during service; a certificate of appreciation; an Our Military Kids patch; dog tags printed with “I love my military parent” and a wristband that reads “I’m proud of my military parent"; and a stamped postcard with the information and address of the donor that provided the grant the child received. Children are encouraged to write a thank-you letter on the post card, name what extracurricular activity they selected and send it to the donor. “Our Military Kids is the pass-through for our donors' message of hope, gratitude and inspiration,” Davidson said. Davidson received a phone call from a mother after her three children received a grant and the awards packet. The mother was in tears, thanking Our Military Kids for making her children’s day. After her 10-year-old son opened his packet he told his mother he couldn’t believe all the wonderful things he received from Our Military Kids. When his mother asked what he received, he said, “I can’t tell you; it’s top secret.” Our Military Kids annually gauges the impact the grants have on military kids. The surveys consistently reveal that there’s a 92 percent decrease in stress and anxiety, a 68 percent increase in academic performance, a 93 percent improvement in the servicemembers' morale and/or recovery, and a 97 percent increase in the well-being of the entire family when a child is engaged in an activity. “Our Military Kids ensures these children are engaging in positive activities and focusing on the things that make them the happiest,” Davidson said. “The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has truly enhanced our ability to get the word out and military families are better served because of you.” Learn more about Our Military Kids here.   By Cameran Richardson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) are teaming up on October 5, 2016, to provide career-seeking service members, veterans and their spouses the opportunity to connect with job openings being offered by some of the top names in the hospitality industry. The VFW Virtual Career Fair will run from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT, and will feature available opportunities with BJ’s Restaurants, Ecolab, Hyatt, Sodexo and Sysco, all companies with a history of commitment to hiring America’s service members and veterans. Participants are strongly encouraged to preregister for the event athttp://www.vfwvirtual.com/registration/. “We’re pleased to join together with the NRAEF on this large-scale hiring initiative,” said VFW National Commander Brian Duffy, a U.S. Air Force veteran and retired UPS assistant chief pilot. “In today’s competitive job market, the VFW is dedicated to providing every possible opportunity for our service members, veterans and their spouses to succeed in their careers. VFW Virtual Career Fairs help bridge the gap between America’s top-tier military and veteran candidates and the industry leaders dedicated to hiring them.” Founded in 1987, the NRAEF is the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association. The NRAEF impacts the prosperity of the restaurant industry by developing a stronger workforce and building the next generation of industry leaders.  The foundation’s educational initiatives provide culinary, management, food safety and employability skills training to build a pipeline of talent for the growing industry. “The NRAEF is honored to partner with the VFW on this initiative,” said Rob Gifford, executive vice president of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. “More than 250,000 military veterans are currently employed in the restaurant industry, and the number of employment opportunities is projected to increase in the next five years. These veterans have dedicated their lives to fight for the freedoms we enjoy daily. Having the chance to give back by connecting them with new careers through top-notch industry employers honors NRAEF’s commitment to support America's service men and women.” The October 5 hospitality-focused event will seek candidates to fill a myriad of opportunities in the industry, ranging from front of the house and back of the house restaurant positions, to those involving administrative, food services, culinary, facilities management, environmental services, housekeeping, construction, clinical health management and many more. All companies are nationwide and offer an array of opportunities that only large, multi-million dollar corporations can. While preregistering for the event is preferred, participants may register at the time of and during the event. -vfw-

The House of Representatives passed the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act of 2016 Wednesday, a bipartisan legislation that would reform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs appeals process and reduce wait time for veterans’ claims. Prior to the House vote, The American Legion co-hosted a press conference with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., where he announced that he will introduce separate legislation in the Senate to reform the appeals process. At the press conference, the Legion, other veterans service organizations, and 10 senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle called on Congress to pass legislation to fix the VA’s broken appeals process. “We strongly encourage Congress to pass the legislation so that our nation’s heroes can get the care and support they deserve in a timely manner,” said Verna Jones, executive director of The American Legion. Disabled American Veterans Executive Director Garry Augustine said thousands of veterans are dying while waiting for their appeals to be decided. “This is more than just about compensation. This is about access to health care, recognition of injuries and illnesses sustained or aggravated by defending this nation,” Augustine said. Blumenthal, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said that passing appeals reform “is not just about money, but it’s also not just about health care. It's about simple justice. An appeals process that delays justice, also denies it.” According to Blumenthal, more than 450,000 veterans are awaiting claim appeals decisions and 80,000 veterans have appeals that are older than five years. By 2027, that will grow to more than two million if the process is not modernized. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., a former Navy Seal commander, emphasized the importance of the reform as a veteran himself. He stressed veterans are not just numbers, but faces. American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt spoke out earlier this week urging Legionnaires to reach out to Washington and ask that they “pass appeals modernization now! Tell Congress you expect both parties to work together responsibly to pass the legislation, which includes a simple and fair appeals process that provides veterans and their families their earned benefits in a timely manner.” The legislation is currently awaiting a vote in the Senate.   by Stacy Gault

Filled with hope and a prayer, Dee, a displaced U.S. Army veteran, found her way to a Suicide Prevention Awareness Information Expo at the Washington, D.C. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Little did she know, the bond she formed with American Legion representatives would change the course of her life. “I heard about the event on the radio and decided to attend. I wasn’t suicidal, but I knew that an event at the VA would be a good place to reach out to people and make connections,” she said. At the time, Dee lived in her car and was out of options to help keep her afloat. After learning about her story at the event, American Legion staff immediately stepped in to help. The Legion’s Women and Minority Veteran Outreach Program Assistant Director Charley Yancey and Veterans Employment & Education Division Deputy Director Mark Walker coordinated efforts to help Dee obtain the resources that she needed. In addition to his Legion duties, Walker helps place homeless veterans in transitional and permanent housing and serves in various capacities on homeless veteran related boards in the community. The deputy director also heads the Legion’s homeless veteran outreach efforts at the local and national level. “I work with the folks here in the community a lot, so if I get a call regarding a veteran in D.C., Maryland or Virginia, I know who to call,” Walker said. Walker noted that he is able to better serve the veterans he encounters by helping them dig deep and get to the root of the issues they are experiencing. “First, I try to find out a little bit about their story,” he said. “These are people who have served. At that point in their life they were not homeless. It is best to get a sense of their journey and find out what has happened to them since then.” After identifying the needs of the veterans, Walker said he tries to understand their story by identifying VA benefits they may be eligible for, or already using, and focusing on any other goals or objectives they would like to reach. “Every situation is not the same. Everybody’s issues are different," he said. "Some homeless veterans may need short-term help and immediate housing, treatment or help with other obstacles they are facing. There is a variety of different things they may need to help them integrate back into society." Dee relocated to the nation’s capital Sept. 1 with the hopes of finding employment and housing. Shortly after attaining her master’s degree in May, she came to a crossroads in her life. Forced with the decision to move back to her hometown in Detroit or start a new life elsewhere, she chose D.C. as her new home. “I came to D.C. with nothing but faith and $261 in my pocket. That’s all that I had, but I was determined to make it work,” she said. “I checked in at the VA when I got here. They referred me to a resource center and I slept in my car in the meantime – praying that nothing would happen to me.” Together, Walker and Dee identified programs and benefits available to her. Walker connected with his counterparts at a local United States Veterans Initiative (U.S. VETS) transitional housing facility and facilitated a warm hand-off. “I always make sure I make the calls for the veterans so they are not going into situations blind,” Walker said. Once Dee checked in to the U.S. VETS facility, she began to receive calls regarding job interviews and permanent housing options. “I made a connection with The American Legion. From that point on, it was history," she said. "This means the world to me because it is the beginning of a new life for me. The opportunity to have a roof over my head brings me peace of mind. Thanks to The American Legion I now have a support system around me.” Yancey placed emphasis on the Legion’s dedication to helping women veterans. “There are several unmet needs out in our communities – beyond the scope of homelessness and employment," she said. "What about the intangibles women veterans have to manage while navigating the civilian world? That is one of the main reasons the (Legion's) Women and Minority Veteran Outreach Program was created. We are building this program up so it will meet the needs of women veterans. Through our Women Veterans Survey, we are able to identify what the veterans say they need.” Women veterans can access the Legion’s Women Veterans Survey here until Sept. 18. All information from the survey is kept private and submitted anonymously. Now that the Army veteran is settled in her new town, she set goals for herself to achieve over the next three years. Dee hopes to start her career in the social work field, secure permanent housing and complete her doctorate degree. “I would like to help empower others and help others in the veteran population that need help overcoming their obstacles,” she said. “Hopefully I can help shape people’s lives. People helped me get to this point, so I will extend myself wholeheartedly to assist others that need help.” Walker noted the efforts of The American Legion and Legionnaires across the nation to help combat veteran homelessness. At the ground level, several Legion posts provide temporary housing and hotel lodging to veterans in need. Through the Legion's Operation Comfort Warriors program, wounded veterans can receive comfort items and other asisstance to help with recovery. And the Legion's Temporary Financial Assistance program provides cash grants to eligible veterans with minor children; the grants help families in financial need meet the costs of shelter, utilities, food, clothing and medical expenses. American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt's fundraising goal during his tenure is to raise $1 million for the Temporary Financial Assistance program.

SOESTERBERG, Netherlands (AP) -- An American flag that flew on the stern of the boat that carried the first U.S. troops to Utah Beach on D-Day traveled by Chinook helicopter on Thursday to its new temporary home at the Netherlands' National Military Museum. The fragile flag was greeted by an honor guard and dignitaries that included a group of American World War II veterans. Dutch businessman Bertram Kreuk, who bought the 48-star flag at an auction in Texas for $514,000, has loaned it to the museum. Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the flag "should remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted." The Dallas-based auction house that arranged the flag's sale in June says the banner bears a bullet hole that is believed to have come from a German machine gun. D-Day marks the date during World War II when Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation. The museum plans to display the flag until the end of the year as part of an exhibit devoted to the D-Day landings and the symbolism of the American flag.

Newswise — Washington, D.C. –– First Lady Michelle Obama and former First Lady Laura Bush were joined by historians, former staff members, and White House-insiders for a unique conference held at the National Archives on September 16, 2016. Entitled “America’s First Ladies: In Service to Our Nation”, the event was organized by American University School of Public Affairs in partnership with the American University Library, the White House Historical Association, Joining Forces, the George W. Bush Institute and the National Archives and Records Administration. The 6th in the annual series of American University’s Legacies of America’s First Ladiesdiscussions that examine the initiatives and inspirations of presidential spouses, the event focused on the role of the president’s wife as the spouse of the Commander in Chief. "There is something that everyone can do to support this community, but the Commander-in-Chief, the First Family, the Second Family, the Vice President -- they have an obligation to set that tone -- I think Laura said that earlier,” said Michelle Obama. “With this platform, you can raise the bar high on this issue. So I would hope that this responsibility comes with the house, and that every administration will try to top the next one in what they do for these men and women." "Our troops are courageous and resilient," said Laura Bush. "They volunteer to defend our country, and I hope they feel our gratitude when they return home. But now it is up to us to serve them, and through the work of the Bush Institute's Military Service Initiative, President Bush and I are helping our veterans transition back to civilian life." The conference shone a spotlight on the actions that First Ladies have taken throughout the centuries to support and empower America’s service members, veterans, and their families. Attendees heard firsthand accounts from the First Ladies of the experiences and bonds they forged through such programs as the White House Joining Forces Initiative and theMilitary Service Initiative at the Bush Institute as well as what inspired them to lead on issues affecting American children and women and girls around the world. “Throughout our history first ladies have used their platform to advocate for important issues affecting the nation,” noted Conference Chair Anita McBride, Executive-in-Residence at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University School of Public Affairs and former Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush. “We are delighted that once again American University, together with our partners, has hosted this conference to examine and honor the work of America’s First Ladies and their power to shape societal attitudes and affect change.” American University is a leader in global education, enrolling a diverse student body from throughout the United States and nearly 140 countries. Located in Washington, D.C., the university provides opportunities for academic excellence, public service, and internships in the nation’s capital and around the world.      

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Each year, on POW/MIA Recognition Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. salutes the families of the missing who continue to keep the candle of hope alive.Together with U.S. veterans, service members and military families worldwide, this POW/MIA Recognition Day will be no different as the VFW reaffirms its resolve to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all of America’s heroes who have not yet come home.Today there are 83,000 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted-for from our nation’s wars going back to the beginning of World War II. That’s 83,000 military and civilian men and women, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters.It is true that the costs of war extends far beyond the last shots being fired, and for MIA families, the passage of time does not heal their wounds. For them, the days became weeks, the weeks became months, then years, and now, sadly, decades.Fulfilling the soldier’s promise to never leave a fallen comrade behind on the battlefield is difficult, but we know how important the mission is to the families and to the military serving in uniform today. That’s why the VFW will always support this mission, and the men and women who accomplish it.As time continues to slowly pass by, the VFW encourages every American to remember those who put country before self and didn’t return to their families; to remember the families of the missing who continue to burn the candle of hope; and also, to continue to tell the story that without the service and sacrifice of American servicemen and women, there would not have been a United States of America.

Constitution Day is an opportunity to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. As a way to celebrate the day on Saturday, Sept. 17, American Legion post and members are encouraged to promote the Legion's Oratorical Contest – a Constitutional speech contest for high school youth. Since 1938, The American Legion's Oratorical Contest has helped participants understand the history of America's laws and develop a better understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship. More than 6,000 high school students compete in the contest annually at The American Legion post level for an opportunity to advance to the state level, where a winner is chosen to represent the department at the national competition. The program has awarded more than $3 million in scholarships since its inception. Resources are available for posts to promote the Oratorical Contest at the local level. For more information, click here.