fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Getting Started with Python 🐍
By: Junaid Rahim
Tags: Tutorial, Getting Started, Beginner, Python, Boredom

March 21, 2020

If quarantine is boring you to death, this article might help you out.

This article is meant as a tutorials guide for someone who is looking out to learn python but is overwhelmed by the number of tutorials and resources to learn from. We hope this is the kind of article you’d bookmark and comeback to again and again to get links to tutorials, books, articles and the official documentation for Python.

Why learn Python ?

A language that doesn’t affect the way you think about programming, is not worth knowing. — Alan J Perlis

If you are someone who has had a semester of experience with C, learning python would be great, it will introduce you to the world of dynamic programming languages, where the programmer is not required to worry about data types and can do a lot of things on the fly.

Python is a high-level, versatile, object-oriented programming language. It is useful and powerful while also being readable and easy to learn. This makes it suitable for programmers of all backgrounds and is likely the reason Python is one of the most widely used programming languages (as of 2020). The shear amount of things you can do with python is breathtaking. It includes,

Basic Scripts for automation

Graphical User Interfaces

Games

Web Development

Data Science

Mathematical and Scientific Programming

Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence

Embedded Systems

and that’s just scratching the surface, knowing Python is very much like a super power, you gain the ability to get into a lot of domains.

The following 3 reasons really make python stand out :

It’s simplicity and readability The enormous ecosystem of packages and tools that come along with it. An extremely strong and utilitarian standard library

The Zen of Python

This is an Easter egg in the python run-time, if you run import this

The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters Beautiful is better than ugly.

Explicit is better than implicit.

Simple is better than complex.

Complex is better than complicated.

Flat is better than nested.

Sparse is better than dense.

Readability counts.

Special cases aren't special enough to break the rules.

Although practicality beats purity.

Errors should never pass silently.

Unless explicitly silenced.

In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.

There should be one-- and preferably only one --obvious way to do it.

Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you're Dutch.

Now is better than never.

Although never is often better than *right* now.

If the implementation is hard to explain, it's a bad idea.

If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.

Namespaces are one honking great idea -- let's do more of those!

This explains the spirit of python, it might not make much sense to the relatively new programmers, but should resonate with developers who have had some experience with languages like C, C++ or Java.

Okay, now we should get to the real business.
Scaffolding
By: Billie Thompson
Tags: Topic Of The Day, Getting Started, Programming, Best Practices, Development

Scaffolding

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Note: This was originally written and published on the internal Armakuni Slack, by Sanjaykmruk

Scaffolding generally refers to setting up some sort of skeleton for quick development of your application. Scaffolding is not tied to any platform or language. Usually, scaffolding is the first step in your application development.

Use scaffolding tools to generate project structure or to generate code or both to help you start your development.

Benefits of Scaffolding:

Easy way to set up a project. Consistent project structure or code base. Saves time.

Limitation of scaffolding:

Code generated is generic in nature. So, one needs to be careful while using them, should not be used for every situation. Hide a lot of details, which can be a negative thing if you are a newcomer and want to understand and learn the basics.

Example of scaffolding tools are: Spring initializer and Maven Archetypes

Using Spring CLI for scaffolding spring project:

brew tap pivotal/tap

brew install springboot

spring init -n=sample-webapp -d=web,data-jpa,mysql,devtools,websocket -g=com.ak -a=sample-webapp

Do you use any Scaffolding tool to expedite your development?

Which is your favoured scaffolding tool?
Use Apache spark without installing on your machine.
By: Milan Sahu
Tags: Databricks, Getting Started, Google Colab, Apache Spark

Installing spark in your own machine is not a straight forward process, So I look for some other options on how we can use some free shared platforms to use and practice spark.

1: Databricks community edition :

This is the most straight forward way of using or getting your hands dirty is from the community edition that is provided by databricks.

This provides a machine with 1 core and 6 GB of memory which comes with a distributed file system called DBFS(Similar to hdfs ) and some inbuilt datasets of databricks that you can utilize.

Here you can use spark with scala, Spark with Python they come preinstalled.

Steps: Here to Register :

Sign up with the below link and choose the community edition

There is a Sample notebook which you can follow for starting a cluster and some basic commands to analyze a dataset.

Here is the link to the documentation of the notebooks.

There are some databricks public datasets that you can analyse without uploading your own datasets . There are readily available . You can access the dbfs file system via the line magic function %fs

The datasets can be loaded to a dataframe like this :

2 :Install pyspark in google colab.

Google colab is a great tool for learning and trying data science projects. There are some great tutorials readily available

You may follow google colab official documentation. At google colab you can readily install pyspark as a pip package . Now it is more easier then ever as there is no other package to be preinstalled apart from pyspark.

Access Google colab link :

https://colab.research.google.com/

Steps to install pyspark :

Create a new notebook at colab :

Install pyspark via pip : Add a new code shell and use the following .

!pip install -q findspark !pip install pyspark

Now import spark session and/sparkContext

from pyspark import SparkContext from pyspark.sql import SparkSession

Create the spark session :

APP_NAME = "TestApp" SPARK_URL = "local[*]" spark = SparkSession.builder.appName(APP_NAME).getOrCreate()

Now you are ready to access the spark session in colab :

### Check the spark version spark

Now you can analyze the datasets via spark. happy learning.

If you find any issues with any of the steps please let me know in the comments. Thank you.
TensorFlow — An Introduction
By: Bijesh O S
Tags: Getting Started, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, TensorFlow

High level components of TensorFlow

Now, let’s briefly explore various components of TensorFlow platform.

TensorFlow (Core)

The core part of the TensorFlow is used for building and evaluating models. It provides high-level APIs for model building, supports Estimators (custom made or pre-made, which encapsulates actions such as training, evaluation, prediction and export for serving), exposes high-level APIs for distributed training and low level APIs for advanced usages.

At a high level, following is the programming stack for TensorFlow:

(Image Courtesy: tensorflow.org)

TensorFlow.js

TensorFlow.js is a library for machine learning in JavaScript. Using it, we can develop ML models in JavaScript and use those models directly in the browser or in Node.js. We can also use off-the-shelf JavaScript models. Ability to convert existing Python TensorFlow models, so that it can run in the browser, is also supported. We can re-train existing models or build and train new models directly in JavaScript as well.

TensorFlow Lite

TensorFlow Lite can be used to deploy machine learning models on different types of devices. It can be used to run inference on mobile (Android, iOS) and devices like Raspberry Pi.

After training a new TensorFlow model (or re-training existing model), we can convert the model into a compressed flat buffer using TensorFlow Lite Converter. This compressed model can be loaded into a mobile or an embedded device. If further optimization is needed, then, 32-bit floats can be converted to more efficient 8-bit integers.

TensorFlow Extended (TFX)

When the ML model is ready to move to production, TFX can be used to create and manage a production pipeline. The pipeline components are built using TFX libraries. These libraries can also be used individually.

Following are some of the underlying libraries:

TensorFlow Data Validation (TFDV)

One of the time consuming activity when preparing for an ML experiment is to explore and validate data. TensorFlow Data Validation helps developers to perform these activities at scale.

TensorFlow Transform

When working with datasets, a good amount of time is spent on pre-processing the data and converting it into a suitable format. This involves many steps such as converting to different formats, applying numerical operation etc. TensorFlow Transform comes handy for this purpose.

TensorFlow Model Analysis (TFMA)

To decide whether a model is working as expected or not, the model needs to be evaluated against defined metrics. TensorFlow Model Analysis helps the developers to compute the evaluation metrics and visualize the same. This allows developers to understand the model’s performance better and plan future course of action accordingly.

TensorFlow Serving

When going through multiple iterations, we may want to do versioning for our models and have an ability to rollback to previous version, if a need arises. We may also want to evaluate multiple models at the same time. TensorFlow Serving provides options to do so.
A year with the community!. Amazingly weird. Yes, weird, read on.
Tags: Getting Started, Developer, People, Community, Events

Amazingly weird.

Yes, weird, read on.

Let’s start from the beginning…

Zoop!

There was this message on the group from a senior saying graphic designer needed.

No context and her contact.

So, I contacted her thinking it might be for some personal project.

Next thing I am added in a group, GDG Media, shrugs, maybe her team, okay, group project.

Then there’s the usual welcome message with Design Assets, that must be the gist of their project.

Opening the folder, .ai files, hmm, confused, I open and there’s a distorted sphere with Devfest written.

Finally, I google this ‘Devfest and GDG’ the results are… to say the least, it was shocking. Okay, so I did Photoshop in school and for the school fest, but for GDG, Woah.

I was overwhelmed and was going to exit the grp, then I thought let’s give it a try, no harm in trying, right ?

The first poster that came to the group was wow, and I was like okay, maybe I don’t belong here. I felt like an imposter, but I didn’t leave, I wanted to try, so I made a poster, and I wasn’t confident in it, but it worked !
Browser events: Parrots and Space Candies
By: Akshay Kumar
Tags: JavaScript, Getting Started, Must Read, Sdiot Technologies, Parrots And Space Candies

This section is for dummies. I mean no disrespect. If you’ve already are comfortable with the basics of interfaces, classes, objects, and functions, I suggest you head over to the MDN version: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/JavaScript/Building_blocks/Events

If you are not, this section might just give an insight into how things work in the browser, especially what happens when an event is fired.

Here is a hello-world:

We are going to add a button and listen for click events on it. So what we need is basically a console.log which prints something whenever we click the button. This will help you get an idea about what the browser is doing with your interactions.

The HTML

Now,

Create a new folder,

Put these two files (h.js and the HTML file, you can name the HTML file whatever you want, just end the name with .html, thanks…) in that folder,

open the HTML file in a browser (double click on it, dum dum).

You will have this in the browser.

Do not click the button, if you have already, refresh the page and press F12. You will be treated with something like this:

I am using google chrome.

This is where you can print logs and stuff…

Now I want you to click, the button.

Notice anything different in this image?

If you focus on the console tab at the bottom, you can see that it’s showing the log message as expected. If you click on the arrow pointing towards “MouseEvent”, you’d see all the data that is contained in the event. This is all the information that the browser collected when you clicked the button.

After doing that the browser just clubbed everything into an object which your handler received as an argument.

That’s how we teach the parrot to dance when you throw a strawberry flavored candy at it.
Castified: Charles Grandin
By: Castifi Inc.
Tags: Tech, Veterans, Mobile App Development, Acting, Military

This week’s #castified winner is Charles Grandin! Following his appearance on Seal Team’s episode 2x15, he uploaded a picture of himself (on national TV!) to social media, earning her some Castifi Swag and a few other goodies!

Charles is a Veteran by trade and in the acting world. His military experience made him the perfect choice to be a Seal Team regular and gave him the opportunity to reconnect with the film industry.

Command Master Chief Charles Grandin

Where are you from?

I currently live in Temecula, California and I am originally from Western NY. During my 30 year Navy career, I had the fortunate opportunity to live all over the world.

What made you sign up for Castifi?

Years ago my daughter used to do Background and I would travel with her to the set. I always enjoyed being on set and always found it fascinating. I learned of Castifi through VME (Veterans in Media & Entertainment) and I was excited to sign up now that I have the time and the opportunity.

Can you tell me about the experience of working with Castifi?

I remember the challenges of casting via a pager system (and also not having GPS). Castifi truly makes the process easy and enjoyable! Directions, Information, and any specific requirements are always clear and timely.

Can you tell me about the shoot with Seal Team?

I have been Background on SEAL TEAM five times. Always a fun day meeting other veterans and working and learning from such true professionals. Each time I am on set I have been fortunate to meet amazing veterans from every branch of military service both young and old they all have so much to bring to the table and share. Advice, Tips, and Good ol’ military stories are always prevalent. Everyone is extremely friendly and helpful and they always seem to listen to my endless Sea Stories!

What are you most excited about for this specific series?

I can’t wait to see how Toni Trucks does at OCS (Officer Candidate School)! While in the Navy I witnessed the transition from Officer to enlisted being smooth but it can also bring about positional confusion, drama, and new leadership challenges! I‘m excited to see if she makes it how the Bravo team reacts!

What advice would you give to aspiring models and actors?

Have fun and enjoy yourself. Reach out and meet others on the set. Ask questions, so many folks with seasoned experience, tips, and advice.
Military Veterans Achieve Business Success via WeWork Training Incubator
By: Jaymie White
Tags: Veterans, Business, Wework, Incubator, Military

www.suppliertynews.com

Nancy Preston, who was deployed in Iraq in 2007, always wanted to be her own boss but didn’t have the courage to start until she personally experienced fear while continuously working 21-hour days in her Army operational unit for nine months.

Preston, 43, realized that “if I can do this for God and Country, then I can do this for myself.” She started Milk Money Kitchens in May 2018. She applied and was selected to the 6-month WeWork Veterans in Residence (VIR) powered by Bunker Labs.

The 6-month VIR program is exclusive for military veterans and members who have business ideas. The program matches entrepreneurs with mentors and resources to help hasten growth.

The VIR Program taught Preston to “make the most of every opportunity” and to progress from the start-up phase into steady growth.

Her VIR cohort, Green Beret Steve Forti, turned his vision to develop a mobile app that promotes fitness competition into a business.

The idea about FitFight, started when Forti was deployed to Romania in 2013. He had a group email chain with military friends scattered in various places and one time he showed his workout by sending videos.

WeWork VIR mentors introduced Forti to a development team and a former Nike designer. Now, FitFight has 10 employees, is growing at 68 percent a month with an average of 1,000 submissions of fitness competitions from around the world. They even sponsor challenges.

Bunker Labs Northeast Regional Executive Director Katherine Kostreva said that they try to help businesses meet experts for legal aid and contracts “at low to no cost.”

Forti said that the “institutional experience and the guidance that was offered” by the program was “immeasurable.”

The veterans in the VIR program are connected with resources and get a 25 percent discount for WeWork office space rental in their first year.

About 10 people are chosen for the program in each city. The program is looking for candidates who already have a business plan in mind but need mentorship in specific areas.

The WeWork VIR powered by Bunker Labs is operating in New York City and 14 other cities

Veterans interested in the VIR program may apply at we.co/veterans
What’s Happening in the Park!
By: Robert Dabney Jr
Tags: Veterans, Personal Development, Mental Health, Vetpark, Alternative Therapy

My ultimate mission is much larger than being a writer. I’m a storyteller making generational change. One of my goals is to encourage more black males to pursue entrepreneurship. It was while pursuing this goal did I discover the best way to achieve this is by doing a phenomenal job of it myself.

A. G. Gaston’s motto, “find a need and fill it” is what led me to VetPark.

The Veteran community has a tremendous need, one greater than homelessness and high incarceration rates. We are suffering from a National Suicide Epidemic and the National Veterans Affairs Healthcare System is overwhelmed and short on answers. So Veterans everywhere are taking this opportunity to find a solution to this pressing need.

That’s where we come in!

As a Charitable For-Profit VetPark fills two needs:

We connect/fund Veterans with/in a diverse range of Alternative Therapies that have been scientifically (and experientially) proven effective in the treatment of PTSD, TBI, and Chronic anxiety/depression. All of which contributes to the Suicide Crisis. We make supporting this community entertainingly* simple.

*The high quality entertainment is an added bonus.

Visit us at www.VetPark.us for more info!

We have a long road ahead of us, so buckle up!

Subscribe to Stay up to date on the happenings!

Blessings,

Robert Dabney Jr

Image: “Starling Pact” by Veteran Artist Don Wesley
Lessons Learned with Joe Connolly
By: Alex Sherman
Tags: Lessons Learned, Veterans, Leadership, Boston College, Army

My name is Joe Connolly, and I served seven years as an officer in the US Army and am currently serving on the Boston College Veterans Alumni Network Executive Committee. After leaving active-duty, I moved to Chicago to begin the next chapter of my life as a commercial banker. That experience exposed me to a variety of businesses and sparked a desire to pursue more entrepreneurial ventures. The combination of my BC, military, and banking experience prepared me incredibly well for a career that included leading start-up, high-growth, and turnaround operations. I am currently a Partner with Afterburner, an Atlanta-based consulting firm providing strategy execution and leadership development consulting services to clients worldwide.

Joe Connolly with his daughter at a recent BC Football game.

I learned many lessons during my military service. I use these lessons every day. I am writing to share the most valuable lessons I learned as an Army officer. This lesson has served me well as a business leader (and husband and father).

As a Captain in the Army, I learned that one of the most critical skills a leader can develop is knowing how to create and communicate a clear and compelling “Commander’s Intent.” At my current firm, Afterburner, we call it “Leader’s Intent.” Leader’s Intent is all about succinctly describing what constitutes success for any “mission” — think strategic initiative, project, product launch, etc.

What is my goal? I strive to describe the picture of mission success so clearly, that every team member can visualize it, align their actions to it, and execute it under any changes in the environment.

The purpose of Leader’s Intent is to make clear expectations about mission success while empowering team members to execute with Intent and thoughtful improvisations that align with the big picture goal in ever-changing business conditions. Leader’s Intent is a powerful concept for both military and business leaders.

I find that taking time to write-down my Leader’s Intent and sharing it with my Team to get their inputs helps me define success more clearly and compellingly — I never get it exactly right on my own. More importantly, the Team feels ownership and can align their actions with a clear line of sight to our shared picture of success.

I hope that you find this blog useful. If you’re interested in service opportunities, mentoring, or networking, then check out the Boston College Veteran Alumni Network (BCVAN), register on our email database, and join our LinkedIn or Facebook groups to join the discussion. BCVAN is on a mission to create an active and unique community of veteran alumni and student veterans, providing meaningful networking, mentorship, and professional connections.
A 5x combat veteran’s perspective on renaming our military bases
By: Steven Broudy
Tags: Blm, Veterans, BlackLivesMatter, Military, Army

I spent just shy of six years in the Army Special Operations serving as a Ranger Sniper Team leader, among other positions.

I went to war five times in that capacity — twice to Iraq and three times to Afghanistan.

Some of the most formative experiences of my life took place at Fort Benning.

Whether it was Basic Training, Infantry school, Airborne School, Sniper School, or the assessment and selection process I endured to join the 75th Ranger Regiment — known (fittingly) at the time, by its acronym, R.I.P — all took place at Fort Benning.

Indeed, the unit I operated in, the 75th Ranger Regiment, is headquartered there.

I know Columbus Georgia better than I’d probably prefer to. I can draw you a map of Fort Benning with my eyes closed. I could tell you how brutal Cardiac Hill is to ruck up in 96 degree weather at 4:00 AM with a 60 pound rucksack on. I could point you to the nearest Subway, and tell you how far it is from one side of Cole Range to the wood line.

Here’s the thing: the impact Fort Benning had on my life was because of the people, not the place.

It certainly wasn’t because of the name of the place.

That name — canonizing Henry Lewis Benning, a Confederate General who charged against American soldiers at Gettysburg — soldiers who bore the stars and stripes of our United States — that name played no part in making Benning such an important landmark in my life.

Indeed, that very name is deeply offensive to many of my black brothers and sisters, and offensive to me.

The South seceded from the United States of America to preserve the institution of slavery. The Confederates were willing to die to preserve the shackles that bound our black brothers and sisters.

The Confederates were racists, traitorous, insurgents.

I fought insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Canonizing insurgents in our own country is inexcusable.

I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Memorializing a traitor like Benning — one who broke that oath — that flies in the face of the flag I wore on my shoulder on every combat mission.

Lest I remind you, it wasn’t a Confederate flag.

Donald Trump swore an oath to defend the country as well. I’m not sure whether that bible was right side up or not, but that is neither here nor there.

Much like it’s done to the Confederacy (outside of in the eyes of an incensed group of racists) — history will not reflect well on Trump’s attempt to block putting the names of real patriots on the bases like Benning where America’s modern-day patriots are forged.

There is little objection to renaming military bases across the board, from senior military brass and the Secretary of Defense.

The losers, when history looks back on all this, will be the ones advocating we should be keeping losers, like Bragg, and Benning, memorialized on our military bases.
Veterans Disability Practice Division: Bankruptcy Help- Cox Law Group PLLC
By: Cox Law Group Pllc
Tags: Veterans Day, Veterans, Bankruptcy, Military, Army

Lynchburg Veterans Disability Practice Division

Cox Law Group is a Virginia based law firm dedicated to working on behalf of veterans who have been denied benefits by the VA. We provide legal representation for our veterans, their dependents, and survivors who wish to appeal a VA Rating Decision. We understand the difficulties that veterans sometimes face obtaining benefits. The process can be complex and difficult, especially if you are going through the process alone.

One of the most important decisions that you have control over while trying to obtain benefits is finding the right attorney to help guide you through this process. Our veterans disability attorneys have decades of experience and are VA Accredited, and limit their practice to representing and fighting for disabled veterans to receive the benefits that they need and deserve.

Have You Been Denied By The VA?

If you receive a denial after applying for veterans disability benefits, you can appeal the denial. In the state of Virginia you have one year from the date of the denial letter in which to file an appeal.This process can be both frustrating and complex, but you can rely on the experience and expertise of our veterans disability attorneys at Cox Law Group to help you navigate the appeals process. We consider it an honor to represent individuals that have suffered a physical or mental disability while proudly serving our country.

Learn your options and get the help you deserve

CONTACT US
Vietnam Veterans awarded Gallantry Citation by Australia
By: New Zealand Defence Force
Tags: New Zealand Army, Veterans, Nzdf, New Zealand Defence Force

Fifteen veterans who supported Australian troops in the Vietnam War have been the first soldiers from a New Zealand military unit to be awarded an Australian Unit Citation for Gallantry.

Families also received the citation on behalf of their loved ones who had died.

The veterans from 161 Battery, 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery, were presented with their citations at Linton Military Camp by Major General Gregory Bilton, Forces Commander of the Australian Army, on behalf of Lieutenant General Rick Burr, Chief of the Australian Army.

The 161 Battery was part of the 1st Australian Task Force on 23 May, 1966, and provided continuous fire support to successive Australian and New Zealand battalions from that date until withdrawn in May 1971.

The gunners received high praise for the accuracy and volume of fire support they provided at critical stages of attacks on the Australian battalion positions and Major General Bilton said he felt privileged to be able to present the insignias for the award to the veterans.

“This is well deserved and long overdue,” he said.

The veterans were accompanied by dozens of family members to witness the award. Defence and Veterans Minister Ron Mark, who reviewed the parade, said the strong relationship between Australia and New Zealand militaries was no more evident than during the Vietnam War and the relationship continued through current deployments.

“Our military relationship now is stronger because of those who came before,” Mr Mark said.

While this is the first Australian Unit Citation for Gallantry offered to a New Zealand military unit, in 2010 approval was given for three New Zealand Army personnel who were attached to D Company, 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment at the Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam in 1966, to accept and wear the Australian Unit Citation for Gallantry awarded to D Company.
New Jersey woman turns a “dirty, stinky” van into a resource for disabled veterans
By: Help Dav
Tags: Charity, Veteran, Disabled Veteran, Car Donation, Dav

New Jersey woman turns a “dirty, stinky” van into a resource for disabled veterans

Eileen Murphy of Hunterdon County, New Jersey recently paid tribute to her late father-in-law by donating his foul smelling 2003 Chevrolet Venture to DAV (Disabled American Veterans).



“He used it for gardening. He was an avid gardener,” said Ms. Murphy. “That van trucked around a lot of manure to grow giant tomatoes and such. That’s what I remember most about that van — it was always stinky and dirty.”



Ms. Murphy’s father-in-law was a U.S. veteran. He was stationed around the world, serving as an Army mechanic and ended up based at New Jersey’s Fort Dix. Later, he became a mechanic consultant to the military.

“He wasn’t on the front lines, but he knew people who were and some who lost their lives,” said Ms. Murphy. “He was quiet about his service, but it was important to him. That is how his generation was. They served without the expectation of gratitude. He often quoted President Kennedy — ‘Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.’”

That’s why Ms. Murphy chose the DAV vehicle donation program. DAV is a non-profit charity that provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families, helping more than one million veterans in positive, life-changing ways each year.



“We always choose DAV for our donations. We think they deserve all the funding to help our veterans,” added Ms. Murphy.



Thousands of individuals have learned that making a DAV vehicle donation is easy and can be tax deductible. Donors receive free and convenient pick-up that is a touchless experience. DAV works around the donor’s schedule to pick-up DAV vehicle donations, as long as the auto donation for veterans is towable and tow truck accessible.



“Our experience was excellent,” said Ms. Murphy. “DAV is our go-to charity. They keep doing great work and the process is seamless. I even have more donations for them!”

Those who make a DAV car donation can get a tax deduction. An initial receipt is provided for the DAV car donation at the time of the pick-up. If a vehicle donation sells for $500 or less, the donor will be mailed a thank-you letter within 30 days of the sale of the vehicle, which serves as a tax receipt.

If the vehicle donation for veterans sells for more than $500 and a tax identiﬁcation number has been provided, an IRS Form 1098-C will be mailed within 30 days of the sale stating the amount of gross proceeds (the maximum amount of your tax deduction) received from the DAV vehicle donation. For speciﬁc tax-related questions, donors are encouraged to consult a tax advisor.

Make a DAV vehicle donation and turn your car, truck or boat into a resource that helps empower veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity.

Donate your vehicle to DAV today or get more information by calling 844–440–4267 or Car4DAV.com.
Help during Hardship — Veterans Resource Roundup
By: Texas Vlb
Tags: Hardship Assistance, Covid 19, Veterans, Texas

Texans are resilient, but we have never faced a challenge like COVID-19 before. Texans from the top of the Panhandle, across the plains of Texas and down to the Rio Grande Valley have been impacted by the invisible enemy. Based on the calls coming into our Veterans Service Call Center and emails, we’ve put together a list of several resources and information sources that can help you and your family during this difficult time.

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) wants to make it easier for Veterans and other Texans to file for unemployment. TWC expanded its tele-center hours to seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. There’s more information on www.twc.texas.gov.

Governor Abbott announced April 21 that the state’s powerful online job matching and workforce services system — www.workintexas.com — had almost 500,000 job openings. Jobs can be found by area, skill, or employer.

On April 20, the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) approved an additional $880,788 in emergency grant funding from the Fund for Veterans Assistance (FVA) to 16 organizations across the state, including the Salvation Army. The funds are to assist with increased service demands because of the Covid-19 outbreak. Information on grant recipients can be found by region.

Veteran-owned small business owners impacted by Covid-19 can get more information about helpful resources from the TVC’s April 10 press release.

On March 31, General Land Office Commissioner and VLB Chairman George P. Bush announced temporary relief to Veterans with VLB loans due to the Covid-19 outbreak. A temporary moratorium was issued on credit reporting, evictions, foreclosures, and late payment penalties as outlined by the VA, FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac.

TexVet is the state’s clearinghouse for trusted information, resources, and helpful information for service members, Veterans, and their families. The site has contact information for multiple organizations that provide help such as emergency funds, food, and legal services.

Another website for Veterans needing help or support is the Texas Veterans Portal. It’s an offshoot of the state’s one-stop-shop of online information for Texans — www.texas.gov.

There are more than 200 County Veteran Service Offices in Texas. They provide assistance with local, state, and federal Veterans benefits.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care and has additional information about Covid-19 on their site.
Moving One Step at a Time:
By: Kalee Black
Tags: Veterans

Left, left, left, right, left. This is what veterans are used to hearing. Now, they are hearing lectures.

At Western, there is a Student Veteran Association that helps students transition from the military to college life. This organization was recently brought back to life by Dr. Jennifer Jackson, who was green-zone certified at a previous college, academic advisor Dr. John Hewitt and Lt. Col. David Snodderly. Green Zone training is for faculty and staff that wish to better understand and help comfort the veteran students.

Dr. Jackson has taught at a military-friendly college and has learned the importance of having a safe place for veterans. Dr. Hewitt wants to make the veteran students to feel more comfortable going to class. “We are hoping when we get the membership then petitioning to get separate veterans center that’s the goal,” Dr. Hewitt.

Early in February, the Student Veteran Association held their first meeting of the semester. “We have a new president and put a message to talk about how to get membership,” Dr. Hewitt said.

The organization’s focus is to create a resource center for military personnel. This space would allow veterans to get help with scheduling, finances, and emotional support. According to Dr. Hewitt, Missouri is a little behind most states when it comes to making campuses military-friendly with resource centers.

Dr. Jackson said during her green-zone training, she learned a lot about valuable knowledge to understand what the military students are going through.

“For me, I like simplicity,” Lt. Col. Snodderly said. “I like one-stop shopping: so if I’m a veteran and wanted to go to one place and I knew that had answers for me help with even with finance for paying for college and help with upstanding where I come from as a veteran.”
The Texas VLB Celebrates the Department of Defense’s Birthday
By: Texas Vlb
Tags: Veterans, Dod, Texas Veterans, Department Of Defense, Texas

The Veterans Land Board is thrilled to celebrate with all Military Veterans and Members today, on the birthday celebration of the Department of Defense. The DoD is actually the oldest and largest U.S. government agency, with its roots trailing back to pre-Revolutionary times. The Army and Navy both existed as organizations since before the War for Independence, and there was a Secretary of War from the beginning of President George Washington’s administration until the title changed from War to Defense in 1947. Since then, there has been a Secretary of Defense sitting in each President’s cabinet.

The modern incarnation of the Department of Defense emerged in 1947. After WWII had been fought and won, the United States Congress decided that a reorganization needed to be made among the military, so that coordination in future conflicts could be more efficient and more strategic. They changed the War Department to the Department of the Army, created the Air Force, and created the National Military Establishment, with a Secretary of Defense over all three of the military branches. In 1949, the name was changed to the Department of Defense.

So the Department of Defense was shaped by both the Revolutionary War and the Cold War, and all the wars in between and after. It is responsible today for almost 3 million people, 2.15 million in the Armed Forces, and over 700,000 civilian employees, making it America’s largest employer.

One thing you might not know about the DoD is that they actually serve as a school district as well, running the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) for those children of military and civilian employees in locations outside the United States. There are 160 schools that serve about 70,000 of the 1 million DoDs-associated children, located in 10 time zones around the world. Many of these “Brats”, as military dependents often call themselves, recall school in a DoD school with fond memories.

The Veterans Land Board is grateful for the presence of the Department of Defense, whose mission is to provide “the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation’s security”. We appreciate the agency, and even more so the people who carry out that mission. Happy Birthday, Department of Defense!

If you are a Veteran, thank you for your service.​ Click Here to Sign Up to stay informed on your benefits with the Texas Veterans Land Board.
What is VA Home Health Aide Care and How Do I Get It?
By: Matthew Laming
Tags: Homemaking, Veterans, Home Health Care, Veterans Affairs, Home Care

What even is Homemaker/HHA care?

An HHA (Home Health Aide) is someone who comes into a Veteran’s home and helps them take care of themselves and their daily activities. HHAs include trained individuals with and without certifications (CNA or MA). This training is often provided by a registered nurse, who supervises them and assesses the veteran’s care needs. HHAs can aid a veteran in a variety of their daily living tasks such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. They can also help prepare meals and perform minor house cleaning tasks. However there are some limitations on what HHAs can do for a veteran these include handling medication, anything involving cutting (hair or nails), and wound care. These tasks are often reserved for nurses only due to legal stipulations. These HHAs are provided to a veteran through a contracted organization (such as our own) and the VA either pay the company directly or in some cases will provide you reimbursement for services you paid for. The organization and the veteran or veteran’s loved one will work together to set up a schedule for HHAs to come into the home, based on the allotted hours of care the VA has recommended. There are also instances where respite care will be provided as well. This type of care gives the veteran’s primary caregiver a break to do errands or other personal tasks. These hours are often over a yearly period and can be used at the veteran’s wish, as long as they do not exceed their allotted respite hours.

Ok if I get services, what services am I eligible for?

HHA services often include helping a veteran with:

Bathing

Getting Dressed

Grooming

Meal Preparation

Feeding

Moving from place to place

Going to appointments

Using the bathroom

That’s interesting but how do I know if I am eligible for these services?

Home Health Aide services are part of a veterans VHA Standard Medical Benefits Package, therefore all that are enrolled are eligible if they meet the VA’s clinical need for the service. This is evaluated by a VA doctor who can prescribe HHA services. This often is often prescribed for veterans who are not able to take care of themselves anymore and need help doing the particular tasks mentioned above. A copay may be charged based on a veteran’s VA service-connected disability status. Service-connected disabilities are often the lead reason HHA services are prescribed but those with age-related debilities can also be eligible. So contact your veteran’s primary VA physician today.
Dunedin Army Reservist commemorates Veterans at Korean Vision Camp
By: New Zealand Defence Force
Tags: Veterans, Korean War Vet, Veteran Affairs

Army Reservist Ben Dobbie had a valuable cultural experience and a priceless opportunity to meet Korean War veterans at the recent Korean Vision Camp 2020 in Wellington and Waikanae.

The Camp brought together young people from South Korea and New Zealand, some of whom were descendants of Korean War veterans.

A Statement of Intent was signed in Seoul last year between Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand and South Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, during which Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand agreed that the Camp would be held in New Zealand this year.

Private Dobbie, 23, a University of Otago graduate who serves in 1 Brigade 2/4B Company in the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, found out about the Camp through his unit’s group chat.

“I’m glad I did put my name forward because it was such a great experience,” he said.

The Camp featured several Korean War commemorations and opportunities to meet Korean War veterans, which was a highlight for Private Dobbie.

“As an Army Reservist we stand on the shoulders of giants — those who came before us,” he said. “They are bona fide real-life heroes, who fought and died for causes they believed in.”

He found it invaluable participating in the Camp activities with the South Korean visitors because he was able to learn about how other people see the world.

“One thing that struck me was that even though we’re from two different cultures just how similar we can be,” he said.

Now he is planning a snowboarding trip to South Korea next year to catch up with friends he made at the Camp.

He strongly encourages other young people to apply to attend such camps if they happen in the future.

“It definitely takes you out of your comfort zones — meeting a bunch of strangers and doing activities with them — but it was a really good experience,” he said.

The Korean Vision Camp 2020 was a free programme of activity supported by the South Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and New Zealand’s Veterans’ Affairs. The aim was to build on the friendships that were established between those who served in the Korean War.

It was also an opportunity to thank Korean War veterans for their service and to acknowledge their sacrifices through a programme of commemorative activity, cultural experiences, and appreciation activities.
Lead with Love
By: Carlo Aragoncillo
Tags: Love, Veterans, Military, Leadership

Love.

It’s not a character strength typically associated with veterans.

In the military-connected and veteran community, words such as, “honor,” “heroism” and “sacrifice” are commonly heard.

Very rarely do we speak about our veterans’ love for their brothers and sisters-in-arms, where, in some cases, they lay down their life for them.

I had a rare opportunity to address those in the Filipino community this past weekend during the 79th anniversary of the “Bataan Death March.” Most of those in attendance never served in the military, so the ability to illustrate how much strength it takes to make it through the most trying times fell on my shoulders.

My approach — be vulnerable and relatable. I opened up and shared that my wife and I are new parents, and that our son was born during one of the most challenging times our generation has faced. The arrival of our son brought forth a love and connection that perhaps only other parents can understand.

You can’t describe it, and you can’t define it.

Serving in the military can be felt in the same way and unless you’ve worn the uniform in the trenches sharing these experiences will you truly understand.

The takeaway I imparted onto the group wasn’t an “us” versus “you” divide, it is that the sacrifices made by the generations before us can be felt to this day; that the love we have for one another can be used to lead in our communities especially during these times where racism and the fight for equality continues to lead violence.

I’ve always said we don’t need a uniform to serve one another — we need to lead with love and show other how to love by example.
NOLLYWOOD LOSES A LOVED VETERAN ACTOR: BRUNO IWUOHA
By: Andrea Ajayi
Tags: Veterans, Actors, Nollywood, Diabetes, Death

On the 10th of April 2021, Nigeria lost a Veteran Nollywood actor, Bruno Iwuoha. He died at the age of 68 after a long battle with diabetes.

Monalisa Chinda Coker, the Director of Communications, Actors Guild of Nigeria signed a public statement that reads, “It is on a sad note that we announce the passing away of our elder colleague and active member of AGN Abuja, Bruno Obinna Iwuoha. He died in the early hours of this morning (10/04/2021) after a prolonged battle with diabetes.” “Bruno Iwuoha hails from Ehime Mbano Local Government Area in Umunumo Umuanunu kindred, Imo state. He was aged 68 years, survived by his wife and six children.”

Also, Ejezie Emeka Rollas, the National President, Actors Guild of Nigeria, gave a speech on behalf of the entire members of the Guild, he sympathizes with the immediate family members, friends, and fans. He prayed that God would comfort them at this moment of grief.

Apart from Nollywood, many fans and friends have expressed their love and sympathy for the family. For every Nigerian, he played a major role in our world through his movies. He lives on in our hearts. And for that and more, he will be missed.
Armed Forces Day
By: Texas Vlb
Tags: Vlb, Veterans, Armed Forces Day, Texas, Military

May 16th, 2020 the Texas Veterans Land Board would like to congratulate and thank all who served as a member of the United States Military. On this 70th celebration of Armed Forces Day, we salute all who have protected this country in wartime or in peace.

The Armed Forces are the combined men and women of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force. That order of branches is by legislative commission from earliest in 1775 to most recently in 1947.

Click here for the article on Armed Forces Week — U.S. Army

Click here for the article on Armed Forces Week — U.S. Navy

Click here for the article on Armed Forces Week — U.S. Marine Corps

Click here for the article on Armed Forces Week — U.S. Coast Guard

Click here for the article on Armed Forces Week — U.S. Air Force

Click here for the article on Armed Forces Week — Children of Fallen Patriots

The Texas Veterans Land Board thanks all who are now or have in the past served as a member of one of these distinguished branches. Thank you all for your service!

If you are a Veteran, Click Here to Sign Up to stay informed on your benefits with the Texas Veterans Land Board.