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Week in Review

February 20, 2025

Dear NOVA Members,

Here are the week's updates and articles on veterans affairs, news, legislation, and events. We have collected these articles from news across the country to ensure that you have the latest, most up-to-date information so that you may better serve your clients.

VA Leadership Nominee Grilled Over Recent Department Layoffs

Military Times - Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary nominee Paul Lawrence faced harsh questioning from Democrats during his confirmation hearing Wednesday not for his plans for future reforms within the department but instead for changes being put in place before he gets there.

Full Article

'On The Backs Of Vets': Senators Rail Against Federal Workforce Purge As Vets Hit Hard By Cuts

Stars and Stripes - Marine Corps veteran Andrew Lennox was wrapping up his last day of online orientation as a newly hired administrative officer at Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System in Michigan, when his cell phone pinged alerting him to incoming email.

Full Article

Republicans Advance Plans To Raise Military Spending By At Least $100B Amid Concerns Budget Cuts Could Affect Vets

Stars and Stripes - Republicans are moving closer to their goal of raising defense spending by at least $100 billion in the next decade as two budget resolutions paving the way for a massive bill that target President Donald Trump's domestic agenda advance in Congress.

Full Article

Military Health System Beneficiaries Urged To Download Old Medical Records By April 1

Military.com - The Department of Defense plans to decommission the online portal patients use to access old military health information and recommends patients download their digital medical records if they want to retain copies.

Full Article

Watchdog Agency's Closure Could Lead To More Military Financial Scams

Military Times - Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups are warning veterans and military families to be wary of new financial scams targeting their communities amid the White House’s move to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Board.

Full Article

Federal Military Spouse Workers Exempt From Return-To-Office Rule

Military Times - Federally employed military spouses who work remotely are now “categorically exempt” from the return-to-office directive issued by President Donald Trump, according to new guidance clarifying the policy.

Full Article

Homegrown Trips: Desperate For PTSD Relief, Vets Turn To Each Other For DIY Psychedelic Treatments

The War Horse - Lena Ramsay lives with two aging chihuahuas—Diesel and Daisy—in rural Maine, down a long dirt road overlooking a glassy pond surrounded by layers of thick wilderness. It’s here, in her quiet 5-acre outpost, that she started feeling a lot better.

Full Article

With New Health Records System, Administration Has Opportunity To Deliver Quality Care For Vets

Defense Opinion - President Trump has a rare chance in his second term to complete a mission from his first: ensuring U.S. veterans receive the care they need without getting lost in a complex healthcare system.

Full Article

NOVA News & Notes

ICYMI: Recently Discussed In NOVA Groups

Information Exchange Forum - Any Hope For Retro "Apportionment" With Post-Incarceration Recoupment?

Information Exchange Forum - Vet Passed Away, About To File At The CAVC

Information Exchange Forum - Case Law On Community Care Records

Information Exchange Forum - QRT Decision Selection Process

State Legislation Group - A Place To Talk About State Legislation

Appellate News - CAVC Addresses New Fiduciary Petition UPDATED With Order Issued On 2.6.2025

Outreach, Regulatory, Legislative - Nomination Hearing For Dr. Paul Lawrence For Deputy Secretary

Outreach, Regulatory, Legislative - Archival Researchers Association

LAST CHANCE To Register for NOVA's Webinar "What DROs Want You To Know: Lessons Learned From 500 Informal Conferences"!

This webinar, conducted by Andrew Gross, the founder and managing attorney at the Law Office of Andrew P. Gross, will be held on February 26, 2025, at 2pm ET. Registration will close on Tuesday, February 25.

Registration Information:

Member Registration Fee: $99.00
Non-Member Registration Fee: $149.00

For more information and to register, please click HERE.

Register For NOVA's 2025 Spring Conference!

Registration for NOVA's spring conference is open. The conference will be held at the Hilton Minneapolis from April 3-5, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Please note that this event will be hybrid with in-person and virtual attendance options.

To learn more and to register for the conference, please click HERE. If you have questions, please contact Stacie Lemick.

Save The Date For Future NOVA Conferences!

Fall Conference 2025
Washington, DC - September 11-13, 2025
Hotel: Capital Hilton

Spring Conference 2026
San Diego, CA - April 16-18, 2026
Hotel: Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego

Fall Conference 2026
Indianapolis, IN - September 17-19, 2026
Hotel: The Westin Indianapolis

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