Student loans, interest payments, and taxes: three things that have scared many people for years now. Read on to learn how these things can benefit you.

If you made federal student loan payments in 2018, you may be eligible to deduct a portion of the interest paid on your 2018 federal tax return. This is known as a student loan interest deduction. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make the money you’ve paid work for you! Below are some questions and answers to help you learn more about reporting student loan interest payments from IRS Form 1098-E on your 2018 taxes and potentially get this deduction.

By C. Todd Lopez, Defense.gov

WASHINGTON -- Recent changes in tax law mean that many in uniform could see big returns when they file their 2018 taxes.

"This last tax year has been quite exciting with all of the changes that occurred to it," said Army Lt. Col. David Dulaney, executive director of the Armed Forces Tax Council. "The good news is that most of our service members should see a substantial reduction in their overall federal taxes for 2018."

By Gary Sheftick, Army News Service

FORT MEADE, Md. -- The Army has doubled the amount of parental leave available to fathers and other secondary caregivers of newborn infants with a policy that also provides more leave flexibility for mothers.

Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper signed a directive Jan. 23 that increases parental leave from 10 to 21 days for Soldiers who are designated secondary caregivers of infants. The new policy makes the Army's parental leave comparable to that of other services and in compliance with the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.

Anchorage, Alaska, event kicks off June 5

WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it will begin accepting applicants on Feb. 25 for the 2018 National Veterans Golden Age Games, scheduled to take place June 5-10 in Anchorage, Alaska.

The National Veterans Golden Age Games is the premier senior adaptive rehabilitation program in the United States, and the only national multievent sports and recreational seniors’ competition program designed to improve the quality of life for all older Veterans, including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities.

By Dawn M. Arden, Leonard Wood

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- During a ceremony at the Missouri Supreme Court on January 30, Karen Towns became the first military spouse to be sworn into the Missouri Bar Association under a new rule that creates a pathway for attorney-spouses to practice law while stationed in Missouri.

As of January 1, Missouri joined a network of states permitting military-spouse attorneys, whose active-duty service member is stationed within the state, to apply for temporary admission to the Missouri Bar Association without requiring the taking of the bar exam.

By Beth A. Warrington, Army University Press

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. -- During World War II, sitting in aircraft hangars at Birmingham, England, were millions of undelivered pieces of mail and packages. Those U.S. service members in Europe took notice that no mail was being delivered and Army officials reported that a lack of reliable mail was hurting morale. It was predicted that it would take six months to clear the backlog in England, but who was up for the task?

In November 1944, African-American women -- 824 enlisted and thirty-one officers -- were recruited from the Women's Army Corps, the Army Service Forces, and the Army Air Forces to form the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, or the "Six Triple Eight." The first and only all-female African-American battalion to be deployed overseas during World War II was organized into a Headquarters Company, for administrative and service support, and four postal directory companies -- A, B, C, and D -- commanded by either a captain or a first lieutenant. The battalion would be commanded by Maj. Charity Edna Adams Earley, the first African American woman to achieve the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army.

Scott Smith
Sep 14, 2018

MEET JAMES AND DUNKIN
James Rutland is a 12-year Army veteran who served a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004, followed by two more tours in South Korea. He left the military in 2014, suffering from multiple medical conditions related to his service, including mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), sleep apnea, and hearing loss, to name a few.

Most importantly, he suffered from depression and often thought about suicide. Thinking he could do it alone, Rutland tried healing from the trauma on his own. That wasn’t working. “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got,” says Rutland.

From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs 

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy announced Tuesday that first-term Sailors on sea duty now have more time to request extension of their expiration of active obligated service (EAOS) to complete their sea duty assignment known as their prescribed sea tour (PST).

The deadline for Sailors to submit their requests was extended to Dec. 31, 2017, from Feb. 28, as was first announced in NAVADMIN 004/17. This initiative allows first-term Sailors to match their projected rotation date (PRD) with their EAOS and helps alleviate unnecessary gaps at sea.

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By Lt. Col. Janet Herrick | U.S. Army Human Resources Command February 22, 2017

FORT KNOX, Ky. - The most recent Regular Army Call to Active Duty program is expanded for commissioned officers and warrant officers this year. The program allows Army Reserve and National Guard members in select grades and specialties to go on active duty.

"The Army looks to retain the talent, skills and experience of quality officers who are fit, resilient and ready to serve America's Army," said Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Calloway, director, Officer Personnel Management Directorate at Human Resources Command.