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• Shinseki says VA on target for ending backlog

  March 24, 2013 12:11 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - VA Secretary Eric Shinseki is standing by his commitment to end the disability claims backlog by 2015. Veterans receive disability compensation for injuries or illness incurred during their active military service. About 600,000 claims, or 70 percent of all claims, are considered to be in backlog. The... more »

• New bill would repurpose Fort Lyon Play Video

  March 17, 2013 4:34 PM

  A bill at the state capitol could possibly change the fate of Fort Lyon in Bent County. Several possible uses have been discussed for Fort Lyon, but as we found out, this one could become a reality. Fort Lyon used to be a correctional facility. Now it... more »

• Report: Fayetteville VA failed suicide risk vets

  February 3, 2013 1:35 PM

  FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - An internal government audit finds the Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center failed to fully follow up with veterans considered high suicide risks after their hospital discharge. The Fayetteville Observer reports the VA is required to check on high-risk patients weekly for the first month following their... more »

• Vets face confusion using GI Bill at state schools

  January 5, 2013 12:27 PM

  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - In choosing to serve her country in uniform, Hayleigh Lynn Perez knowingly accepted a nomadic life. Now the former Army sergeant says she and thousands of other veterans trying to get a higher education are being penalized for that enforced rootlessness. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill,... more »

• Colo. facility focused on female homeless vets

  November 28, 2012 4:28 PM

  AURORA, Colo. (AP) - It's the "invisible population" that officials from an Aurora shelter want to see more often. As the last remaining days pass before final approval from Department of Veterans Affairs comes in for the Aurora program, Comitis Crisis Center spokesman James Gillespie says getting the word out... more »

• Train crashes into trailer of veterans during parade

  November 15, 2012 7:25 PM

  MIDLAND, Texas (AP) - An event organizer says four people have died and 17 others are injured after the trailer they were riding on crashed into a train during a West Texas parade. "Show of Support" president and founder Terry Johnson tells the Midland Reporter-Telegram that a Union Pacific train... more »

• New tool to help local vets Play Video

  November 13, 2012 8:44 PM

  "First day I landed we took rockets," remembers Eduardo Baller, an Army veteran that finished his four-year commitment to the Army this summer. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. "You can simulate as much as you want, but it doesn't prepare you for the first time." "You're... more »

• New resource connection for Pikes Peak vets

  November 13, 2012 4:32 PM

  A new website launches Tuesday helping connect vets with reputable resources in the Pikes Peak region. It's called the Peak Military Care Network, organized through the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments; it connects anyone with services designed to help members of the military, veterans, and their families. ... more »

• Veterans in Pueblo talk about what this day means to them Play Video

  November 11, 2012 6:40 PM

  On this day, many veterans say the world stops just to remember the sacrifices they made. Many of them laid their brothers to rest decades ago during wars overseas, and to this day they do not forget why they served their country. We went out in search of veterans... more »

• Veterans Parade held in downtown Pueblo

  November 10, 2012 5:08 PM

  Cheers went up on Union in downtown Pueblo as veterans marched through to the sounds of a marching band. It was the 11th Annual Pueblo Chieftain Veterans Day Parade put on by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce. Drew Dix was the Parade Marshall. He's a Congressional Medal of Honor... more »

• Educated and unemployed: Hiring Our Heroes Play Video

  May 31, 2012 12:49 AM

  She's been unemployed for two years, taking up volunteer work in hopes of finding a job while her husband serves in Afghanistan. She's a face of the Hiring Our Heroes program. "Why won't someone recognize that I'm capable, I'm qualified, I'm able, and I want to! And give me... more »

• Just short of a PhD and jobless Play Video

  May 31, 2012 12:35 AM

  We continue to profile the Hiring Our Heroes program in the Pikes Peak region. Last night we focused on a military spouse who has been without a job for two years, trying to support her family while her husband serves in Afghanistan. Tonight we followed her at the Hiring Our... more »

• Many attend Memorial Day ceremony on Pueblo courthouse steps

  May 28, 2012 3:04 PM

  All eyes were on the courthouse steps in Pueblo Monday morning for a beautiful Memorial Day ceremony. Centennial High School's ROTC joined in to present the colors, and many veterans groups brought wreaths and spoke, sharing memories and reading poems about never forgetting those who lost their lives. Many veterans... more »

• Vets start website to tell stories of fallen

  May 28, 2012 11:20 AM

  FT. SMITH, Ark. (AP) - Navy veteran Clint Davis says it's disheartening to know Americans devour details about celebrities but know next to nothing about troops who've died for the country overseas. He says often, all that ends up being published about a service member killed in Iraq or Afghanistan... more »

• Veterans Learn More About Needed Resources

  March 31, 2012 4:24 PM

  Veterans find the information they need, and it's all under one roof. A resource fair was held Saturday on the campus of CSU-Pueblo with information including veterans services, the Wounded Warrior Program, and Veterans Upward Bound. Those with the fair say it's a great way to get programs from... more »

• Motorcycle Show Held for a Good Cause

  March 31, 2012 4:20 PM

  Music, food, vendors, and motorcycles, all for a good cause! The American Legion Riders held their first ever bike show Saturday to benefit soldier care packages and help homeless veterans. Several vendors sold everything from jewelry to tires, and you could also enter the bike "Show and Shine." They... more »

• Fort Lyon Receives Funding

  March 16, 2012 7:55 PM

  Fort Lyon is slated to receive $5 million from the mortgage settlement funds as announced this morning by the governor. The news is very welcome to the small community of Las Animas. As we've been reporting, the closure of the prison has forced some 200 employees to commute, some... more »

• CU Denver launches program to help veterans

  February 23, 2012 3:48 PM

  DENVER (AP) - The University of Colorado Denver is launching a program designed to help military veterans find jobs and move into leadership roles as they return to civilian life. The "Boots to Suits" program announced Thursday will include internships, job placement and mentoring by business leaders for veterans who... more »

• Veterans Office to move

  February 17, 2012 10:55 AM

  The El Paso County Veterans Services Office will move next week to a new location. "This move is not about the office, it's about providing better access to the services our veterans need," said Jim Tackett, Veterans Services Manager. "Our current location downtown has accessibility issues for veterans with... more »

• Hearing their wounds

  January 22, 2012 7:52 PM

  For many returning soldiers, the longest wounds to heal can't be seen. This weekend, LifeQuest asked veterans to turn those wounds into songs. Staff Sergeant Kenneth Sargent is one of these veterans. He returned from Iraq with severe spine damage. "They told me I would never walk again," said Sargent.... more »

• First Lady helping vets get treatment

  January 11, 2012 6:22 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Michelle Obama has gotten a new commitment from medical schools to boost training and research for the treatment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health injuries. The initiative is part of the first lady's Joining Forces campaign, which focuses on issues affecting veterans and... more »

• Local group concerned about arrest rates for older vets

  November 27, 2011 2:00 PM

  A local group studying arrest records in El Paso County saw that military arrests - veteran and active duty - make up 13 to 14 percent of the total population at the Criminal Justice Center on average. The numbers that they're seeing with the older vets are shocking them. ... more »

• Local group concerned about arrest rates for older vets

  November 27, 2011 1:39 PM

  For years as people were checked into El Paso County's Criminal Justice Center after committing a crime they were asked if they were active duty military. For the last couple of years, they've also been asked whether or not they're a veteran. That was put in place by the Veteran... more »

• For vets returning to US, green energy jobs await

  November 26, 2011 12:31 PM

  COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio energy company is making an effort to hire military veterans to install solar panels at a time when veteran unemployment is outpacing that of civilians. Tipping Point chief technical officer Darin Hadinger says his company's Solar by Soldiers program was in part inspired by... more »

• Congress easily OKs bill for vets, contractors

  November 16, 2011 6:04 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress has overwhelmingly approved a bill helping government contractors and unemployed veterans, finally giving President Barack Obama the chance to sign the first, tiny shred of his $447 billion jobs bill into law. The House consented to the popular legislation Wednesday 422-0 as Democrats and Republicans... more »

• Veterans deals galore Play Video

  November 10, 2011 6:31 PM

  Post offices and banks are closed for business on Friday, November 11th, which is Veterans Day, but many other establishments have their doors wide open and are offering some sweet deals for our veterans. Across the nation and in Colorado many restaurants, convenient stores, and retailers are offering either... more »

• CO lawmakers want lottery ticket for veterans

  November 5, 2011 12:13 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Two Colorado lawmakers plan to introduce legislation that would create a lottery ticket aimed at raising funds for veterans' services. Republican Rep. Marsha Looper and Democratic Sen. Suzanne Williams will be speaking Saturday at the state Capitol about the legislation they plan to introduce when the Legislature... more »

• Pearl Harbor veterans grand marshal parade Play Video

  November 4, 2011 8:58 PM

  This December marks the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. On Saturday, November 5th, in Colorado Springs and in Pueblo, we will will honor the many men and women who served in the armed forces with the Veterans Day Parade. Eight Pearl Harbor Survivors will be... more »

• VA adding nearly $1M to help CO homeless vets; HQ in CO Springs Play Video

  October 17, 2011 7:40 PM

  "Let me tell you, my business cards are still warm from the printing press," says Dee Drake, program director for Homes for all Veterans; she seems anxious to start handing them out. Drake and her staff are eager to get things started at Homes for all Veterans. It's a... more »

• VA adding nearly $1M to help CO homeless vets; HQ in CO Springs

  October 17, 2011 5:24 PM

  A nearly $1 million grant from Veterans Affairs is going towards helping homeless vets across Colorado. Homes for All Veterans is putting their headquarters in Colorado Springs; mainly because of the large numbers of veterans in the Pikes Peak region. They're a part of Denver Options, a group that... more »

• Community steps up to help homeless veterans stand up Play Video

  October 13, 2011 3:41 PM

  The 13th Annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down event took place in the Colorado Springs City Auditorium on Thursday. Around twenty-two different types of stations including flu shots, dental exams, employment and housing services were present to help homeless Veterans get back on their feet. The Pikes Peak Workforce... more »

• Come ride with some of America's finest

  August 20, 2011 12:25 PM

  The 24th annual POW/MIA Recognition Ride kicked off from Woodland Park at around 10 am today. Riders ride to Cripple Creek at a cruising speed of 35 mph in honor of all the POW and MIA soldiers, veterans, and those currently in service. Riders come from all over... more »

• $2.3 million grant goes to Veterans home in Walsenburg

  March 11, 2011 2:44 PM

  The Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding a grant worth nearly $2.3 million for improvements at the Veteran's home in Walsenburg. The grant will pay for the expansion of kitchen and dining areas, renovation of bathing facilities and improvements to the energy systems. "Our successful federal-state partnership helps... more »

• Sen. Udall calls for TBI therapy for veterans

  February 7, 2011 8:56 AM

  Sen. Mark Udall, co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, signed a bipartisan letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates urging the Secretary to provide soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injury with cognitive rehabilitation therapy. The letter notes that the therapy is widely recognized as effective treatment for TBI victims.... more »

• Homeless Veterans forum Monday

  February 4, 2011 4:08 PM

  More than 100 participants are expected Monday at a regional forum in Denver aimed at ending homelessness among veterans. It will be held Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM at the Denver VA Medical Center, 1055 Clermont Street, Denver. The forum is sponsored by The... more »

• Program to help rural veterans tested in Colorado

  February 2, 2011 10:36 AM

  The Veterans Administration is testing a program in Colorado that links rural vets with a benefits counselor via video conferencing in Craig, Glenwood Springs, Montrose and Grand Junction. The program went online yesterday. If successful, it could spread to southeastern Colorado and the rest of the nation. Sen. Mark... more »

• Today: Calling all veterans who need jobs

  January 29, 2011 4:28 PM

  About a dozen employers came to the Doubletree Hotel in Colorado Springs today and all companies have job openings. The event is hosted by the American Legion of Colorado and it is the first employment fair that the organization has sponsored. The event is free for all veterans. The... more »

• Helping homeless women vets in Colorado

  January 25, 2011 8:29 AM

  The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that 5-percent of homeless vets are women. The women provide a challenge to homeless advocates, since most programs are geared to men. In Colorado, that could be changing. more »

• Threatened state veterans nursing home spared

  January 18, 2011 3:32 PM

  DENVER (AP) - State officials say the State Veterans Nursing Home in Rifle is on the way to financial recovery and will remain open. Concerns surfaced after state auditors said in June the facility was losing money. Auditors said Tuesday the facility has lost money for five of... more »

• Veteran's success through art

  November 22, 2010 7:01 PM

  For some of our war veterans the transition back to civilian life can be difficult. Many struggle to find work to make a living, but there are success stories. Army veteran Jerry Shook works construction during the day, but in his evenings he's the proud owner of The Mud... more »

• Free car wash for Veterans

  November 10, 2010 2:20 PM

  Veterans will get a free car wash on Veterans Day, just by driving to a Pueblo car wash. The Octopus Express Car Wash at 3215 N. Elizabeth will offer free car washes to all who have served in the military. The wash includes a towel dry, and free use... more »

• Army announces $17M suicide research effort

  October 27, 2010 12:38 PM

  HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - The Army is announcing a $17 million, three-year effort to learn why soldiers and veterans take their own lives. The Army's Military Operational Medicine Research Program at Fort Detrick, Md., said Wednesday the money will be split evenly between the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center... more »

• British World War II pilots reunite at Florida training site

  October 18, 2010 11:15 AM

  World War II was fought an ocean away, but some members of Britain's "Greatest Generation" trained in Southwest Florida. Some of the aviators recently reunited in the very place where they learned the skills that saved their lives at war. For 4,000 British airmen, their journey into World... more »

• Homeless veterans to be offered help

  October 11, 2010 7:05 PM

  Homeless veterans will receive basic car at a Stand Down event on October 14 at City Auditorium. Stand Down events are held across the country, generally close to Veterans Day. City Auditorium 221 E. Kiowa Street, Colorado Springs Thursday, October 14 9 a.m. -... more »

• State marks weatherization milestone

  October 8, 2010 10:11 AM

  Gov. Bill Ritter is recognizing efforts to make Colorado homes more energy efficient by marking a milestone - the 600th home to be weatherized in Denver and Jefferson County. Ritter will visit the Denver home Friday. The Governor's Energy Office has contracted with Veterans Green Jobs to weatherize... more »

• Wounded warriors ride through Colorado Springs

  August 5, 2010 1:12 AM

  Pushing and pedaling across the highways of Colorado this week are hundreds of wounded warriors from every branch of military service across America. Some are veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, others of Vietnam. All share the bond of sacrifice for their country. "Cycling is something... more »

• V.A. opening up medical marijuana options for vets

  July 26, 2010 6:55 PM

  K.C. Stark served five years in the Army, but now is back in Colorado and making a living as a dispensary owner in Colorado Springs. When he served treatment with marijuana was something you didn't think about. "You did fear that you could lose benefits," says Stark, a... more »

• Springs vets worried about Korean conflicts 57 years after war

  July 24, 2010 7:51 PM

  Another year goes by for Korean War vets in Colorado Springs, 60 of them have passed since the war began. "I was only 17," says Robert Roper, remembering when he got involved in the conflict as a young Marine. Even this long after the war, some of those... more »

• Colorado group discusses help for combat stress

  July 21, 2010 12:09 PM

  A Colorado Springs nonprofit is participating in a discussion with a congressional committee on ways to help soldiers and their families deal with combat stress. Representatives of the Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group and others will attend a meeting with the House Committee on Veterans Affairs in Washington on... more »

• AFA to host Retiree Appreciation Day

  July 6, 2010 1:04 PM

  Military retirees and their spouses have the opportunity to get answers about physical therapy, dental care, Tricare and other medical issues at the 2010 Front Range Military Retiree Appreciation Day. It will be held at the Air Force Academy July 24, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. You'll also have... more »

• New Colorado grant for Veterans Green Job Training

  June 16, 2010 11:19 AM

  Colorado is getting another $500,000 to provide green job training for veterans, according to Sen. Michael Bennet. The money will be distributed through the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. "Colorado can lead the country towards a clean energy future, and our veterans can and want to play a... more »

• Sneak peak of exhibit honoring WWII POWs

  June 14, 2010 7:51 PM

  In Colorado Springs, World War II vets are honoring Flag Day by paying tribute to some flags from their generation, one that paved the way for the flags that we salute today. The flag has been the banner of many generations of American soldiers, but flags being put on... more »

• Veterans and brothers fighting deportation

  June 2, 2010 11:26 PM

  The government is seeking to deport two local Vietnam Veterans, one of them a Bronze Star recipient. Manuel and Valente Valenzuela came to the US as legal residents from Mexico in the 1950's with their mother, an American citizen and their father a Mexican Citizen. They grew up... more »