Federal Daily - July 18, 2008
State Dept. Launches Civilian Response Corps
The State Department on July 16 announced the launch of the interagency Civilian Response Corps (CRS),
which will be composed of full-time federal employees trained and equipped to deploy rapidly to countries
in crisis or recovering from disaster. CRS will include specialists with a range of skills needed to
help restore stability, the department said in a statement. CRS members will include diplomats, development
specialists, public health officials, law enforcement and corrections officers, engineers, economists,
lawyers, public administrators and agronomists. CRS initially will have two components: Active and
Standby. Active members will be able to deploy within 48 to 72 hours. Standby members—who have
other jobs within the federal government—will be volunteers available on an as-needed basis,
the department said. CRS is a partnership of the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International
Development, and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security
Justice, and Treasury. Congress set aside $75 million for CRS in Fiscal Year 2008 as part of the recently
passed war supplemental funding bill and President Bush has requested funding to significantly expand
the Active and Standby components of the Civilian Response Corps (to 250 and 2,000 members, respectively),
the State Department said. To see more, go to: www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2008/07/107061.htm.
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VA Announces Online Claims Capability
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced July 16 that veterans and other claimants can file
their initial applications for disability compensation or other benefits online without having to also
submit a signed paper copy of the application. The Web-based application system, VONAPP (www.va.gov/onlineapps.htm),
is available to veterans, survivors and other claimants seeking compensation, pension, education or
vocational rehabilitation benefits, VA said in a statement. The initial application process can proceed
without the claimant’s signature, VA said, noting that the electronic application is sufficient
authentication of the claimant’s application for benefits. VA said that VONAPP will reduce the
number of incomplete applications it receives and will decrease the need for additional application
work by VA claims processors. Over 3.7 million veterans and beneficiaries receive compensation and
pension benefits from VA, and approximately 523,000 students receive education benefits. In addition,
about 90,000 disabled vets participate in VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program.
To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1529.
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DoD Expands Access to Linguistic Aids
The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) has launched a new online resource
that offers deploying servicemembers easier access to hundreds of linguistic materials, free of charge,
DoD said. The DLIFLC Web site offers access to Language Survival Kits: pocket-size booklets with audio
CDs in more than 30 languages that outline common greetings, military commands, medical vocabulary
and other useful phrases in the native tongue of the learner’s destination. Language lessons
can be viewed, downloaded, and ordered at www.dliflc.edu,
but students must register and receive DLIFLC account approval before they can place an order, DoD
said. To see more, go to: www.dliflc.edu/index.asp?products/products.asp.
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