We published a story on this a couple of weeks ago in The Ranger. You can read the story here.

The event organizers also arranged something locally for those who want to contribute. Here is more from the press release:

On Thursday March 25th from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the general public and local military are invited to the Palace Casino (near Joint Base Lewis-McChord) at 8200 Tacoma Mall Blvd, Lakewood, WA 98499, phone (253) 581-5851, www.chipscasino.com/lakewood-palace.html to play poker and support Operation Ward 57 and the "Hold ‘em for Heroes" poker tournament taking place on the same day in Basra, Iraq.

As America enters its seventh year of the Iraq war, showing support for our returning wounded service members is more important than ever.  Supporters can make a donation online at www.operationward57.org and secure a place at the reserved tables and/or donate a portion of their winnings to the cause. Betting limits start as low as $1-2. This event is regular game play, not tournament poker. Gaming age is 19. Donations go directly to support the wounded Operation Iraqi Freedom /Operation Enduring Freedom Service members recovering from their injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. No purchase or donation is required. Operation Ward 57 T-shirts that are given to patients and families will also be available for sale at the Palace Casino event.

Occurring the same day the Contingency Operating Base, Basra USO will be holding the 1st ever "Hold ‘em for Heroes" poker tournament. The event is open to service members who can participate at the USO center in Basra.  Special poker chip design trophies were made for the winners and prizes have been donated from various companies and supporters around the country.  All funds raised will go to Operation Ward 57.

The community of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, have time and time again proven that there is no better network of support than Service members helping Service members. The "Hold ‘em for Heroes" event was conceived by SSG Christian Hamilton and supported by the USO and the 1st Battalion (ASSLT), 377th FAR. Personally impacted by the casualties of war, and inspired by Operation Ward 57, he was motivated to find a way to make an impact on and improve the overall quality of life of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines that have sacrificed so much in support of OIF/OEF.

About Operation Ward 57: Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington DC is the first stop for many of America's returning wounded service members from Iraq and Afghanistan. Known as "the amputee ward", the orthopedic Ward 57 at WRAMC houses patients for weeks or even months and the painful sacrifice of losing a limb is the new battle these heroes and their families now fight. Operation Ward 57 was founded in 2007, as a program of pro-football player, Kerry Carter's Think Big Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, to provide ongoing support for wounded soldiers, their family and the staff who take care of them. The program has grown in popularity so much that Operation Ward 57 will become its own non-profit in 2010.

How to Donate: www.operationward57.org/order.aspx Scroll to cash donate button and enter amount of donation, or purchase a shirt and write a note "Hold ‘em for Heroes" when prompted in Paypal.

Our local Java Cupcake fan alerted folks to Treats for Troops.  Check out the project here.

Check out military.com's great tax tip site.

Army Times has the story here.

Army Times reports:

Military officials have agreed to pay potentially millions of dollars to service members who were medically retired for post-traumatic stress disorder with disability ratings of less than 50 percent.

According to federal law, the military is required to give anyone whose PTSD is bad enough to warrant discharge a rating of at least 50 percent - a level that quialifies them for lifetime medical treatment for the veteran and his family, as well as monthly tax-free retirement payments if the rating is combat-related.

See the entire story here.

Bummer.  You get less to drive in 2010.  See the story here.

Don't get too comfortable, the Pentagon plans to study your benefits.  See Tom Philpot's report here.

Housing allowances will rise roughly 2.5 percent in 2010, 4.5 percent less than last year.  Here are the links to the full details courtesy of Navy Times.

With Dependents

Without Dependents

Army Times has the complete rundown on bonus changes, but the quick and dirty is, these MOSs no longer get the extra cash: 11X (infantry recruit), 13F (fire support specialist), 14E (Patriot fire control operator and maintainer), 15W (unmanned aerial vehicle operator), 18X (Special Forces recruit), 19K (Abrams tank crewman), 88M (truck driver) and 94K (Apache helicopter systems repairer).

 (Sen. Murray's office - Washington, D.C.) - Thousands of returning service members will have access to a streamlined disability claims system at Fort Lewis Army Medical Center because of a pilot program that U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) helped pass into law. Beginning in January, service members will be able to utilize the Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot program which improves transparency and timeliness and allows wounded service members to receive their disability ratings using a single medical examination. The pilot program was included in the Wounded Warrior legislation Murray helped to author and which was passed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008.

"This is an important step toward bringing our disability rating system into the 21st century for wounded service members returning to Fort Lewis," said Senator Murray. "Our service members not only deserve the benefits they've earned, they are also owed clarity and efficiency in delivering those benefits. This pilot program moves us toward ending the repeated exams, confusing requirements, and red tape that have caused our service members and their families so much grief. We should never put our heroes in the position of having to fight another battle for the benefits they've earned when they return home."

The Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that Fort Lewis would be among six military installations that the DES pilot program would be expanded to across the country. Over 5,000 service members have participated in the pilot program since it was first implemented in 2007. The program has received positive results in meeting timeline goals, reducing duplicative tests and requirements, and increasing transparency.

For more detailed information on the DES pilot program visit and how it changes current procedures visit: http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/01/14/15771-pilot-program-helps-streamline-disability-evaluation-process/